The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 403

each one, this need? The works of dl\rkncss will cling to us, if we do not ever reso- lutely cast them off. We may for!!et that tho day is shining, nnd sink baok into our sleep. 1. The wc>rks of dlU'kness? Yes, such works as pertain to the corruption of the night-time of the world-base revelry, impure pleasures, passion, and strife. The work~ of the flesh, which are manifest (Gal. v. 19-21). And oh, what a night-time the world has had I what a night-t.ime has been ours I Wo have loved the darkness, because our deeds were evil. 2. Ilut we, as children of light, are to put on the armour of light, to walk honestly, as in the day. The gleam of that dayspring has already caught our vision and lit up our brow; it is to irradiate all our path. We are to walk a.~ though the cloudless eternity were about us now. Your citizenship is in heaven I So then, while the children of the darkness "make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof," seek ever to gratify their low desires, and make their whole life subser- 'rient to this, we are to" put on the Lord Jesus Christ." He is to be our clothing and adornment; the pure, spiritual nature which he showed to the world is to be our array- ing for the new sunrise, bringing the world's new year I And that glorious goal of our best hopes, " salvation" in its fullest scope and work- ing, is "nes.rer to us than when we first believed." Let us gladden our hearts and rekindle all cur longings. We are not to be ever battling, weary, sad; but he whom we look for shall come; yes," the second time, unto salvation 1''-T. F. L. Vers. 1--6.-Submission to constituted ~authority. The reception of a new truth requires its adjustment to previously accepted truths. The introduction of a new system like Christianity necessitated an examination of its relationship to existing systems of government. There was a danger of Jewish fanaticism being fanned into heated sedition in Jewish converts to the gospel by the very joy of finding the Messiah and of hopes concerning a lit.era! temporal kingdom. And the novelty of the views opened up before Gentile converts might easily beget in them a feeling of freedom from and snperiority to all law and custom. Yet the advice to such, in order to be practical and effective, must be simple and concise. The apostle,· therefore, enunciates a principle, and leaves it.s limitations to be afterwards discovered. L THE Drvnm Fom.'T OF AUTHORITY, Government is traced to its source in God. .. Order is Heaven's first law." Where no order reigns, there is no security, no progress t.o better things. Absolute eqna.lity is impossible amongst men; society has no safe- guards, no cohesion, without a recognized tribunal of authority. Whether this authority is taken and exercised as a matt.er of course by the wisest or strongest, or is the acknow- Joo.,ued. result of station conferred. by the community, the necessity for such leadership and oversight manifests the will of God, and authority as such is seen to emanate from him. The Creator controls the works of his hands. The camp of Israel maintained a certain disposition of tents and tribes at rest and on the march, because of a Divine ordinance. Disorder would ill have befitted the presence of the Monarch Jehovah. Whatever the forme which government assumes, we are compelled to ascend in thought by rising steps and hierarchies up to him who si_tteth on the great white thron~, t~e mighty Arbit.er of all events, the Jadge of qwck and dead. Recall the maJest10 pa.ssaue from Hooker: "Of Law there can be no less acknowledged than that her seat is th; bosom of God, her voice the harmony of the world : all things in heaven and earth do her homage, the very least as feeling her care, and the greatest as not exempted from her power : both angels and men and c;eatur~s of what conditio~ ~oever, though each in different sort and manner, yet all with uniform consent, admmng her as the mother of their peace and joy." II. THE HUJUN ADMTh"l.BTRATOns OP JUSTICE. "The powers that be are ordaine~ of God." Not that he has placed each ruler in office or assents to each judicial func- tion. But the leaders of human society represent the authority of God on earth. 'l'hey are the "ministers" of God, acting in subordination to him; at least this ls the funda- meutal idea of their position, however overlooked in practice. "They bear the sword" for God, are his vicegerents, and herein lies the honour and accountability of their decisioWI. Let them recollect that "One hiithcr than the highest regardeth." " l:Io that rnleth over men right.eoW!ly, ruling in the fear of God, he shall boas the sunny light of a cloudleu moraiog." Cf. Samuel's account of hia judgeship, that ho had defrauMd z:..one. oppreeeed DODe, nor taken a ransom from any. As families are governed ! 011. xm. 1-14.J THE EPISTLE Oll' PAUL TO TIIE ROMANS. 401