The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 78

people. Bo baptism and the Lord's Supper now. 2. Relative val/ll,e, An attestation of spirituo.l truths can be emphasized by an outward sign. So circumcision spoke force- fully to the heathen around, and so perhaps baptism and the Lord's Sapper have 1111ch use now. II. A TRUE SPIRITUALISM, That, however, which is educative and attesting has no intrinsic worth. Hence: 1. The unvalue of mere ,ymbolism: a childish trill.in", 0 Nay, worse-a perpetual condemnation, mocking the reality with the shadow. 2. The mpreme value of true spiritualism. If the lesson is learnt, and the witnesa borne, the work is done; for "God is a Spirit, and they that worship him," etc. So the man of circumcised heart was the true Jew; the man of baptized spirit, and who feeds upon Christ by faith, is the true Christian. Let us learn, in the best sense," Thou God seest me."-T. F. L. Vere. 4, 6.-Long-sv,jfering abused. How prone we are to censure others for what we ourselves are guilty of without remorse I Men delude themselves, either hoping some- how to escape condemnation, though others shall be judged, or else making light of judgment because it has not fallen on them as yet. The apostle wonders at the pre- valence of this strange alternative. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" J. TJIE KINDNESS OF GOD TO SINNEB.B, Ies abundance. The apostle lll!eS his favourite word to exhibit the munificence of God; his "riches" of every sort, and enough for tbe whole creation, are ceaselessly, profusely bestowed. His temporal. bounties enrich their lives. The children are so engrossed with the enjoyment of the gifts as to forget to uplift thankful smiles to the parental Giver. His spiritv,al, mercies should be remem- bered. The Gentiles have the warning voice, the guiding light of conscience, to preserve from error and ruin; yet is this token of Divine care frequently slighted and even hated, as Zechariah was slain by Joash. It was no slight favonr that blel!sed the Jews with the "lively oracles; " and Christians may well prize the unsearchable riches of gospel truth. 'Tis when we are anxiously seeking the right way we are most sensible oi our helplessness, and welcome the aid of the Word and Spirit. God's kindness is especially visible in the length of the day qf grace vouchsafed. The apostle puts it negatively and positively-God's" forbearance" in restraining bis thnnderbolts of wrath, and his" long- suffering" in the painful endurance of sin in his dominions. We have tried his patience. He bears long with an evil generation, suffers their manners to go unpunished :ill these years. Even the souls under the altar echo the complaint of earth, "How long, 0 Lord, holy and true? " . 11. THE INTENT OF THTS KINDNESS, None of God's gifts is without meaning. To use them rightly, to improve them, is the recompense he seeks. His forbearance is designed to change men's lives. Reflection begets repentance, the grieving os-er past follies, the resolution to forsake them, and the actual turning to a godly life. He gives men time to alter. He is "long-suffering, not willing that any should perish." See this in years while the ark was a-preparing, in the period of prophecy before the Cap- tivity, and in the interval between the Day of Pentecost and the day of judgment. Men have prayed God to spare their lives in the hour of peril, and the moments after rescue have blotted out the memory of his mercy and their vow. Hs employs agencies adapted to this end. His revelation and the admonitions of the Spirit, preachers, and providences, have been directed towards arousing the lethargic, rebuking the careless, forcing them to trace o. connection between sin and destruction. He woos them to a better U/e by his goodness. Ho ia drawing them as with a. magnet, so that if they repent not it is because they resist his "leading." III. THE TREATMENT THIS KINDNESS TOO OFTEN RECEIVl!:S. Contempl. Men scoff at the idea of retribution awniting them, arguing final impunity from the arrivlll of present donations that speak of the Creator and Preserver's benevolence. They mistake his slowness to strike for incapacity. His unwillingness to destroy is imputed to inability. Contempt is a sign of ig11orance, "Not knowing that," eto. It is the foolish who display brazen hardihood ; the wise man makes light of no threatening storm. Sud, tgnorance is blamable. The source of it is the "hardness and imponitenco of the heart." "'!'heir eyes have they closed, and tboir oars are dull of heRring, be1.':1use the he,u-t of this people is waxed gross." The Scriptures would drive us from eH•ry refugi, of li8'  n THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS; [on. n, 1-29.