The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 215

~pt•l. the internal oonaC'iousnC'SS of the dally trootl'tl in oh. Ix. Individual predes- bunrnn 1,0nl. with in, yearnin~ aft-0r s,,mc'- tim1t.ion is in viow; nnd this not to gospel thing ns y,,t unroalizro., affords on<' of the pri'dkges ouly, but nlso cnrryiug with it tho mDl't ro,:,,nt Miden<'el! of a lifo to oonw t,o result of glory. llut it still rcml\ine to be thc>l!e who ft><,l l!tl.Ob vearning-s, F,,r id1>als seen whether euoh predestination is regarded !!Elem to f".'~tult1,te corresponding l"<'alitics; as ~l) amolut", i.e. irrespective, with regnrd ill8tinoti.,, longings seem to postulRte ful- to its final result, of the oondition of num'e filmenl Eis,' were human naturl' n strange use of grace given; and, if so, whether (2) riddle indec,l. But Cbriati6n ftlitb 'livifies nrbm-ary, i.e. irrespective of the Divine/ore- the idea.I, and intensifies the longing; and knoo,ledge of what men would be, and them- thll8 the prophecy of internal ronscionsness selves deserve. The Calvinistio view is that aoquires a new force t,o the Christian be- God from all eternity, of the mere good liever; and this all the more from his being plel\Sure of his will, eeleoted certain persona OOil'linoed that the quickening of spiritue.l out of rue.nkind to be the heirs of glory; the life of which be is oonscious is Divine. The Arminie.n is that he foreee.w from all eter- psalmist of olJ, when he sang," As the hnrt nity who would, in the exercise of their panteth after the wnterbrooks, so pe.nteth own free-will, respond to hie purpose, l\nd, my soul after thee, 0 God," felt in these in ~rtue of such foreknowledge, p1·e- ardent though inarticulate pe.ntings a ordamed them to glory. It is he.rdly presage of fulfilment of his "hope in God." necessary to consider whether there is any So the devout Christian ; and all the more countenance given to the view tho.t pre- in proportion to the intenseness and definite- destination ensures salvation, however o. ness of hie yea.mings, and his conviction man may live; the obligation of actuo.l that thev are from God. holiness in Christiane being (as we have Ver. 2·s.-A.nd we know that to them that seen) so strongly insisted on e.ll along. If, love God all things work together for good, then, the Calvinistic theory should appear to them that are called acoording to hie pur- to be supported, it must be with the proviso pose. A still further reason for endurance. that predestin!Ltion of necessity carries with Not only do these inspired groanings it the grace of perseverance in good works, stren.,.,otllen our hope of deliverance; nay, or at any ra.te a true conversion before the also we knou: (whether from God's Word, or end, as well as final glory. Let ne, in the inspired con'liction, or experience of their first place, observe the we.y in which St. effect.) that these very trials that seem to Paul introduces the subject, so as better to hinder us e.re BO overruled as to further the underste,nd his drift. He ha.s been speak- consummation to them that love God ( cf. ing of the trials e.nd imperfections of tile above, eh. v. 3, etc.); and at the end of the present life, and urging hie readers not to veme there is added, as introducing a still be discouraged by them, on the ground that, further ground of assurance, -rois 1<1ml: if they continue to "live after the Spirit," wp&e.,,.,., ltATf'ro,s; the significance of which these things will by no means hinder, but expression is shown in the following verses, rather further, the final issue. 'fo strengthen which carry out the thought of it. this position he introduces the thought of Vera. 29, 30.-l!'or whom he did foreknow, God's eternal purpose; in effect thus : he aiso did predestinate to be conformed to Your being in the eta.te of grace in which the image of hill Son, that he might be the you now feel youreelve.:1 to be, is due to flntbom among lllBllY brethren, And whom God's eternal purpose to ce.11 you to this he did predsmnate, them he also called : state, and thus in the end to eave you. It and whom he oaJ.led, them he also jl1Bti1led: is impossible that the circumstances in and whom he jnstified, them he also glorified. which he places you now, or e.ny power Thus is introduced the doctrine of predesti- whatever, should thwart God's eternal pur- nation. This is indeed a principal paesage pose. But it is not of necessity implied by on whicL theological theories with regard to it anything that is actually said that the have been built. It, with the context, is the persons addressed might not themselves basis of the definition of predestination in resist the Di vine purpose. In fa.et, their Art. xvii It is, therefore, of great impor- own perseverance appears to be presupposed ta.n.ce to consider carefully what the apostle already, e.nd they ha.ve been urged to it o.ll here really saye, and appears most obvio~ly along, as though their use of grace depended t.o mean ; it being the duty Clf ~ eX)lOl!ltor on themselves. Hence the apostle in this to pay regard to this only, m new •lf the paeee~e does not ree.lly touch the theoretio language u.soo, the way it iB intzodnced, e.nd question. that have been re.ieed by theo- any cognate paiwages that may throw light logians, hie rurpose being simply the upon it We IIP>aY observe, in the flmfla.ce, practical one o encouraging hie rearlors to that ;t 1a plain tha~ more iB 1po~n !' here persevere and hope. We may now examine than ootional election, or predemnatioD to a the eucoessi ve expressions in the passage, 111Ne qf privilege, wlucb u tbe 111bjeot e11pe- aQd ,eo wi.lat they impl,-. In ver. :.!6 tbq (ltt. vtn. 1-89.j THE EPiSTtE OF P.Aut TO THE P.OMAN8. 213