The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 404

by their natural hco.d, the father, so is the univers~l family named after and ruled by the r;rcat Father in heaven, whom earthly pa.rents are to copy. The fact that parents uso d_ologated authority lends weight and responsibility to their behaviour. J<'or the supormtendenco of Israel the seve~ty elders received a S:p<lcial donation of the spirit of Moses. How needful that rulers m Church and state, ID households nnd in munici- palities, should seek wisdom from him that giveth to all men liberally! :l-Iany a riotous subject has become a thoughtful, self-restrained governor when realizin" 0 the momentous grandeur and obligations of his office. III. THE GENERAL RULE OF OBEDIENCE. Submission foliowe the reco<znition 0 of the Divine authority at the back of magistrates. To rebel, to disobey, is to cast off alle- giance to God. Even the apostle, smarting under the illegal order of Ananias reQ'Tetted his strong language when informed that he had reviled the high priest. To ;ef;se due honour to rulers and parents is to demoralize society. The Saviour resisted not the officers of justice, though he was unjustly condemned to death.. The apostle ur"ed slaves to be quiet, and subject to their froward masters, that by well-doin"' they might silence malicious accusers of Christianity. This did not signify that the°"Ospel sanctioned slavery and despotism when the time arrived for their peaceful overthrow. Submission to persecution has been mightier, more lasting in its effects than an armed resistance, for it enlightens public opinion without kindling strife, and prepares for a. change that shall be virtually unanimous. The two sanctions of the magistrate's authority are mentioned in ver. 5, viz. " wrath," that is, punishment, and "conscience," that is, the assurance which the peaceable subject has that he has acted in accordance with the mind of God. IV. PABTIOULAB EXCEPTIONS. No public edict has a. right to coerce any man's con- science. Let the ruler attempt to promulgate a law that sins against morality, and obedience must be refused at all hazards. When Caisar steps out of his province into the realm of religion, no regard for the " powers that be" can for a moment be suffered to suspend compliance with the felt dictates of the Almighty. The proclamations of Nebuchadnezzar commanding to worship the golden image, and of D:uius prohibiting prayer to any save the king, were rightly unheeded by God-fearing men. But let eaoh protester take great ea.re to have his conscience illumined, lest he erect his ic.di- vidual judgment into a law of God. Again, when a governmeot has shown itself incapable of protecting the good and punishing the transgressors, and is notorious for its reversal of the true principles which should guide its action and for its forgetfulness of the in tent of its functions, it has put itself outside the pale of respect and submission ; it may lawfully be overthrown and another substituted. Allowance must, however, be made for the human infirmities even of kings and councillors. In modem states agitation can effect needed reforms in public administration. It behoves each citizen to think, speak, and vote as he deems will best promote the interests of the state. Indifference, on whatever spiritual grounds, to evils which he can remedy, carelessness respecting the general welfare,-this is a. crime. It is a refusal to employ a talent which Providence has committed to his care. Modern legislation does not hesitate to with- draw children from the custody of pa.rents who aot with cruelty or surround their offspring with deleterious iufluences.-S. R. A. Vere. 8-10.-Love, the fulfilment of the Law. The Lord's Prayer speaks of forgiving "our debtors." But it is the bounden duty of every mo.n to strive to discharge his pecuniary oblige.tions, otherwise he is guilty of living contentedly on stolen gOOCI!. 'l'he command, "Owe no man anything," if obeyed, would hinder many a bankruptcy and prevent many a business scandal. The apostle proceeds, with one of bis skilful turns of thought, to speak of that debt which never can be entirely liquidated-a debt under which we must be content to rest, paying portions of it as opportunity occurs ; only to discover, and that with gle.dness, the.t the obligation magoifies with every attention to it. Oould a man by love so serve his neighbour as not to owe him auy more love, then might he feel free to disregard in future the interests of his neighbour, and he would thus sin against the second table of the Law. Love alone fulfils the Law, yet never exhausts the Law's requirements. J. OFFENOEB AGAINST OUII NEIOH00UBS ARB VIOLATIONS OF TilE LAW OF LOVE. The ton comm1mdmonts ru·e mainly prohibitory. 'l'he Levitical st,,tuoos, how,iver, BOLUIS. 2 D 402 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL 'l'O THE ROMANS. [en. xm. 1-14.