The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 201

kc: tJie d~.1/ .freslmea of youth abot.t it. The resttrrection-life is l\n awakening out of sleep, with the vigour of a glad new morning. The Christian sloughs off the old skin, to be attired in a vesture of beauty, and, like the winged butterfly emerging from the chrysal_is state, he enters into an enlarged sphere of existence with corresponding e&p!ICttie.s. 3. Voluntary servioe is substittdea for compulsion, "Live and do " takes the plsoe of" Do and live." The heart has been won to God, to obedience and holiness, and "loTT-'8 labour is light." The renewed spirit delights to exert itself in loving art\nty. Gratitude is a sweeter and !tronger motive than authority. 4. Rules are exdia"f}ed .for principl«1. Not the definite limiting letter governs the service, hnt a <:'Clde of action which leaves much to be ascertained and applied by the enlightened jndgment. It is the obedience of the instructed manhood, not the strict and rigid enforcement of precepts on children in their pupila,,ae. The Law lay as a burden on men's souls; the gospel is a "reasonable service," clarifying the vision and guiding men as "-with the eye" of God. We serve not to gain heaven, but because Christ has opened to us the kingdom of heaven. As pilgrims relieved of a heavy load, we journey joyously to the city of the King. A bird must sing, and a Ohristian must serve.-S. R. A. Vers. 7-11.-KMWledge of rin through LaM. The strong language in which the apostle ernlt.ed in the believer's discharge from the Law might easily be misunder- st.ood, and give offence to Jewish readers. It seemed to throw the onus of man's bondage and death entirely upon the Sinaitic Law. To obviate misconception, he therefore ent.ers into a det.ailed examili'ation of the relationship of ein and Law. He insists on t1w, fanctum of Law as revealing sin-the secondary, not the primary cause of sin. L THE LAw 11.U<""IFESTB THE EXIBTENOE OF BIN. "I had not known sin, except through the Law." The tenth commandment is selected as a particular instance of law. The prohibition against coveting brings to light the pervereity of human nature, which rebels a,,a-ainst the idea of a thing forbidden, and longs to do the a.ction repro-. bar.ed. We know not the existence of the current till we put some barrier in the way ; : then the stream rages to overcome the obstacle. A precept provokes into activity the dormant selfishness; sin "'revivea." Apart from a law, we had Binned without realizing that it was sin. II. THE LAw Dil!PLA.YB THE STRENGTH OF BIN. We must distinguish between the agent and the occasion. The commandment furnishes an opportunity of which the sinful appetit.es readily avail themselves to suggest disobedience. And we gauge best the power of the tide when we try to swim against it. Sin hurries us onward against the bounds which law has set up, and in our vain struggles to check the sinful impulse we learn how mighty sin is with.in. We had thought it easy to control our inclinations till the conflict began. IIL THE LAW EXPOSES THE DECEITFULNEBB OF em. "Sin beguiled me through the commandment" (Revised Version). 'l'he promises of sin are ever fair to the eye and ear: "Ye shall be as gods." But experience reveals the fact that sin works evil to 118. It is a treacherous mons~r dealing with us as Joab did with Aml\sa; it kisses us and stabs our souls. The fruit, so sweet end pleasant, turns to gall and wormwood. Sin pretends to fasten wiDgs to the soul, but is really loading it with fetters. The operation that waa to purge our vision has destroyed it. All sin is not ugly on the irurfaoe. Like some diseases and parasitical growths, it appears with an illusory bright- nel!I! to mock onr hopes. IV. THE LAW EXHIBITS THE FATAL EPl"EOTB OIi' BIN, "Blew me." "The com- mandment which was intended for life, I found to be unto death." Learn the abomi- nablenees of lin which pollutes the pure stream of holy injunction into a poisoning river, and turns the in.spiriting fire of the Divine Word into a destructive conflagration. In the physical death which attends 80 many vicious courses, we see an analogue of tbe moral death with which sin visits humanity. Ae a ray of light makes visible the motes in the atm08phere, 80 the commandment of God discovers to us the Rinful m.iumatic motions of the flesh. We confeee the lose of a sense of God's favour and of righteolll! peace in the soul Push sin to its final consequences to judge of the enormity of a Bingle act. By its fruits we know aln. It enslaves the soul and foroes cu. vn. 1-26.] THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 189