The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 283

pute it to tho uee for which the former portion wae first intended : are we in a position to eay, "Why?" God knows beet I 'l'he race of mankind is dealt with by God according to hie own wiedom, and there are vessels of mercy unto glory, and vessels of wrath unto destruction. Egypt was a vessel of wrath, while I!ll'ael wae taken for fashioning into a vessel of mercy; by-and-by Israel, as a nation, becomes a vessel of wrath, and a new people, of Jews and Gentiles, is the vessel unto honour. God knows what he is doing beet. But all shall subeerve his glory. Just as Pharaoh's stubborn- ness was made by God the occasion for a greater display of delivering power, so the 11tubbornnese of the Jews, and their wickedness even unto the crncifixion of their Lord, were made subservient to the world's salvation. And while the wrath towards some was for mercy towards others, yet towards the children of wrath lcJng-suffering wae shown, not merely that the purpose of mercy towards others might be more con- spicuously and effectually fulfilled, but that they, bad they repented, might have mercy shown them. The very wrath ie in love. II. AN UNBCBIPTUBAL PRESUMPTION. The presumption was not only unreasonable in itself, but according to their own Scriptures it was altogether unwarranted. Hosea (ii. 23 ; i. 10) bad spoken words of prophecy concerning the ten scattered tribes, which involved the same principle as that on which God was acting now-the right to reprobate for idolatry, and the right to restore. And, a.s they had lapsed into idolatry, and ae they were furthermore eo intermingled with the Gentiles that a definite separation might be impossible, theirs was not only a new election, as of Gentiles themselves, but actually involved the election of Gentiles also. Isaiah, too (L 22, 23), speaking of Israel, sets forth the other principle, or another aspect of the same, on which God was dealing with the world now-his right, while reprobating Israel from the great work of the world's salvation, to spare a remnant, with whom the Gentiles should be joined, and who with the Gentiles should form the new Church for the extension of the kingdom of God. So, then, their Scriptnres pointed to this very selfsame, twofold principle for the formation of the new society. And all their history, as recorded in the Scriptures, had been one repeated manifestation of the same. Yes, God had the right, and he had already used it from the be,,oinning, to take or set aside, as he would, nations or individuals, in the great economy of the redemption of the world. The apostle goes on to show (ver. 30-ch. x. 21) that there were reasons for God's dealings in all cases, and what, in the main, these reasons were; also (eh. xi.) that the very reprobation of Israel now, in accordance with such reasons, should ultimately redound to the good of the world. Let us remember this for ourselves as a nation. We may think," God bath not so dealt with any people." But-he does not pledge himself rigidly to deal so with ns to the end. Our earnest quest.ion must be-not captiously, or he would not answer, but devoutly, and he will answer-Why are we now exalted? and how may we secure a continuance of his blessing which maketh rich? And so for ourselves, as individuals, we can ask no more important question than-How may I become "a chosen vessel," "11. vessel unto honour, meet for the Master's W!e" (Acts ix. 15; 2 Tim. ii. 21) ?- T. F. L. Vera. 30-33.-The reasonableness of God's working. 1'he question hitherto has been -How can God set aside an elect people? And the answer-God cbOOlles whom he will for the carrying on of his saving work. But now a 1eason is adduced. For though God does what he will, yet we may be sure he never wills what is not right. And here the great reason of the rejection of Isrnel, l\lld the choice of the Gentiles, for the carrying out of God's purposos, is this-that the former have altogether failed to apprehend the nature of salvation, when all has been done by God to teach them its true character; whereas the latter, left, it might seem, to themselves, have uagerly received the proffered gift when once it was presented. Needs it any arguing to show that they are better fitted to work for God than the others ? I. GENTILES. 1. 'l'ho provious history of the Gentiles, from tho religious point of vit!w, ls set forth iu this-that !hoy" followed not aftor righteousness." 'l'hat i8, thl'Y sought not justilleatiou with God. ]!'or a subjective righteousness thoy did set•k after, t\S i:s witnessed by tho earnest inquiries of the ~rent ethical lenders, e.g. Sol'rnll''-', Pbto, Aristotle; 11.ud of their poets and historinns, who nldo sought to sot lorth th,i J.lri.uciploa  THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [c11. 1x. 1-33.