The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 277

III. GENTILES AS WELL AB JEWS W:ERE INCLUDED IN THE PB011[I3E, The apostle not only argues by inference, but also from God's specific statements. "As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved" (ver. 25). 'l'he Jews were too much mclmed to limit the Divine promises to themselves only, though there were many clear indications in the Divine Word that, while they were God's chosen people, other nations also ware to be partakers of the blessing conveyed through them. We may so pride ourselves upon onr privileges while we neglect our duties, that at last even the privileg~ themselves shall be takei: away.-C. H. L Vera. 13-24.-God's sovereignty and man's responsiouity. Here is one of the most difficult problems touched on in the whole of this Epil!tle, and one of the most difficult problems in the whole Tl),nge of human thought. It cannot be said that the apostle fully explains it. He does indeed sugge~t arguments which are sufficient to meet some of its difficulties. But how to reconcile human responsibility with Divine sovereignty remains a problem as difficult as that of reconciling the existence of evil with the power and righteousness and benevolence of a merciful God. Our wisdom is to bow with reverence in presence of these great mysteries, and to say, "Shall not the J ndge of all the earth do right?" I. Goo's SOVEREIGNTY. 1. God's sovereignty ia exercised in righteousneu. The objection is commonly made that to choose some and reject others would be an unrighteous act on the part of the Almighty. But God's choice of any one is not on the ground of desening at all, but on the ground of his own mercy. It is not of works, but of grace. "For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willetb, nor of him that ru.nneth, but of God that showetb mercy" (vers. 15, 16). God's choice of the Jews was free, and therefore he was free to reject them and to choose others. But if the Jews were rejected, they were rejected because of their own unbelief. 2. God's sovereignty is e:urcised in mercy. While the apostle takes a high view of the sovereignty of God, and asks, " Hath not the potter power over the clay?" ( ¥er. 21 ), yet at the same time he shows that God uses that sovereignty, not with arbitrary power, but with mercy. "What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known "-that is, God who must vindicate his own character, who will by no means clear the guilty, who must punish sin, what if he nevertheless-"endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?" In other words, "Yon who would question the justice of God's dealings with Israel forget how much endnrance and patience and forbearance he exhibited towards them." If we consider God's deal- ings with ourselves must we not all admit that he has not dee.It with us e.fter our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities? . II. MAN'S RESPONSIDILITY. Another very common objection to the doctrines of Divine sovereignty and election is that, if these be true, man is not responsible. "Why doth he yet find fe.ult? For who hath resisted his will?" (ver. 19). But here comes in the great truth of the freedom of the will. Humu responsibility is there, whether we admit it or not. We are free agents, to chooRe between the good and the evil. Our conscience tells us this when it accuses us of guil_t. The very condemnation of con- science is in itself a testimony to the freedom of the will and human responsibility. '!'here would bo no accusing voice within if we did not feol that we were free agents. Daniel Webster, tho great American statesmau, was once dining with a few friends in New York. In the course of tho evouing he was asked by the gentleman who sat nti:xt to him, "Mr. Webster, what is the greatest thought that has ever occupied your mind?" Pausing for a moment, he replied, "'l'he mOJt solemn thought that ever occu- piod w.y wind is f;he thought of w.a.n's responsibility to GoJ,"-C, H. L Ver. 33,-Jcsu, aa th1J Stvmbling-slo11e. "Dohold, I lay iu Zion a Stumblin!;-Stl,ne nud Hook of olfouco: I\Ud who3011vol' boliuveth on hiw shall uot w ashamod." It seema 2i6 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [on. IX, 1-88,