The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 79

lffluld make us Mbamed of our bebAnour tbllt we may mourn and !\mend. 'l'here la no hope of reforu1Ation as long IIS t-be pachyderm of eelf-complacenoy is not pierced with the c-0mpunction of responsibility. IT. THE -~~i::t 001'.;EQUENCE TO THE IMI'ENITE1'"'T. They aggravate tlieir punish- ment. The pent-up storm bursts with the greater fury. The more the l\dvantaaes, the weightier the account demanded; the longer the time granted for amendme~t, the l'everer the castigation for wasted opportunities. Men " treasure up" wrath for them- t1el'M!S. Character indurates, like the writing on clay tablets hardened in the sun. No J?OS,5ible excuse am be found where the day of grace has pl\ssed unused. .A dread/ul -.ootrast, to accumulate a store of wrath instead of profiting by the riches of God's good- ness. The money of heaven was placed at men's disposal; but, throwing this away as rubbish, they made their own counterfeit coins, and are punished for their tree.son ~inst the King's gO\·emment. Trifle not with sin when thou seest its present disas- trous result.s, but calculate thence the" wrath of the Lamb," when gentleness has been sp_ui:ned _and maltreated, and g?odn~ss must give place to severity. The smoothly glidmg nver of God's long-suffermg, 1f barred out of thy heart by closed gates, will swell to a mighty torrent, sweeping thy frail obstructions away to ruin.-S. R. A. Vers. 6-11.-.A righteous Judge. That the anticipation of e. judgment rises naturally in the mind is shown by the present testimony of conscience-a law recognized as in, yet above us, and by the utterances of heathen writers on morals. The Scriptures corroborate and clarify this conception. The apostle asserts of the future what Abraham felt of the present Pro'ridence, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Will he slay the righteous w:itb the wicked?" Note some particulars confirming the righteous- ness of God's judgment. L THE REOOKPENSE WILL BE PROPORTIONED TO MEN'S DEEDS. Not their professions, but their acu;, will determine their destiny. And the character and number of their acts will be reckoned. There is no conflict between this statement and other Scripture passages which speak of the reward as one of grace, not of merit, and as a gift bestowed on ali Christians. For the reward will be immensely greater than men's deeds deserve, an~ will not be earned by them, but conditioned by their conduct. The gospel comes not as a snbstitute for, but as a help to realizing, practical righteousness; and whilst every justified believer will be saved, each will have the praise that is his, according to his works of faith and labours of love. II. THE JUDGMENT WILL TAKE ACCOUNT OF MEN'S AIMS IN LIFE. The one class seek * glory, honour, and incorruption," and also "peace." Their choice does them credit; they selected what is fair and lovely and permanent, what is opposed to the rule of the :flesh, and is unaffected by the ravages of time. Their goal is not the "vain pomp and glory of the world;" not simply success, but to reach a position of pure, lasting excel- lence. And they shall receive in fullest measure what they desire, "Eternal life " oomprehendB all blessedness-<leliverance from the thraldom of sin; no need to gather up the skirts lest defilement ensne, for the very streets of their city shall be of pure gold; en wrapment with the Divine splendour; walking in the light of God; manifested w; his soD.B by the likeness they wear; elevated to princely employments and regal dignities. The objects for which the other class strive are not definitely stated, but may be gathered from antithesis and from the unrighteousness to which they yield themselves. They seek not "peace" and "truth," and their harvest likewise is the multiplied outcome of the seeds they have sown. No description of hell can transcend the awful picture of" wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish," resting upon the soul; that, clasping unrighteousness to its bosom as a prize on earth, finds it sting like a serpent and burn with :fiercest remorse when allowed full sway in its" own place." fil THE AWAED WILL BEAR RELATION TO TBE METHODS BY WBIOB THE OBJECTS Oil' &ABTBLY DDEAVOUB HAVE BEEN PUBBUED. A righteous aim can be permanently att&ined only in righteoUB ways. The recognition of this stamps the government of the univenie u moral The "patient continuance" of the one class could only be practised by the well-doing. It includes passive endurance and active perseverance; ~he trtationa,y p011ture of the caryatides, and the carrying of a burden in the face of wmd and storm. The other clase are described as " lactioUB," quarrelling with their lot, OO't'llting pleuan ad notoriety," working evil." Befu.sing to bow to the yoke of truth, ml, 11, 1-29,J 'l'HE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 73