SECTION IV. CHAP. II. ver. 1—11. THEY WHO JUDGE OTHERS, CONDEMN THEMSELVES. THE solemn and important truths which were brought under our consideration in the latter part of the first chapter, fitly introduce, as I mentioned in the last section, that part of the argument with which the second chapter commences. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art, that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. Observe, I beseech you, the admirable manner in which the apostle gradually approaches the case of the Jewish brethren. From what he had been saying, in the first chapter, to prove the Gentiles to be inexcusable in their wickedness, he now justly infers that the sins of those who had such knowledge of the truth as to condemn the vices of others, were of a still more malignant character. This was evidently the case with the Jews; and yet, though he makes mention of them at the ninth and tenth verses, he does not fix the charge directly upon them until the seventeenth verse; but he draws the inference at first in I Ver. 1. such general terms as might also comprehend not only Gentile philosophers, but all persons whose own practice contradicts the instruction which they give, and who, while they judge and condemn others, are themselves justly exposed to condemnation. The word, in the original, which is rendered, thou that judgest, may be understood as denoting the habit, or practice, of so doing; and the frequent repetition of the same word, judging, in this opening verse, naturally prepares the way for the mention which the apostle proceeds to make of the divine judgment. 3 2 And But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth, against them which commit such things. The judgment of God, unlike the judgment of man, which is partial and "according to the appearance," is invariably according to the truth of men's actions and estates. well, therefore, may we fear this true and righteous judgment, which is not according to the blindness, the deceitfulness, and the corruption of the human heart, but according to the truth of God's holiness and justice, against them which commit such things. And, as the apostle continues, thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?5 That is; If thy fellow-sinner cannot stand before thee in judgment, how shalt thou, who art guilty of the same things, 2 ὁ κρίνων. 3 Ver. 2. 4 John vii. 24. 5 Ver. 3. escape the righteous condemnation of a heartsearching God? Or, says the apostle, indirectly but powerfully alluding to the advantages which the Jews had enjoyed, despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? In this verse, St. Paul distinctly represents the goodness of God, as a motive for repentance; and in the variety of expressions which are here employed, we behold only the exercise of this divine attribute in every variety of light. He speaks of God's forbearance, and long-suffering. Now, what is forbearance, but the goodness of God exercised in withholding the vengeance denounced against transgressors? And what is long-suffering, but the same goodness of God continued under repeated and obstinate provocations? There is, however, this distinction to be made between the goodness, and the patience, of God. Man, as needy, is the partaker of the one; while man, as guilty, is the object of the other. Goodness supplies our wants; patience bears with our sins. The one will endure for ever, and is inseparable from the divine nature; the other is adapted only to the present scene of things, and may end to-morrow. It is in the great mystery of redemption that we behold its manifestation; and when Christ's mediatorial work of mercy is accomplished, patience 6 Ver. 4. will be seen no more, but will remain hidden for ever in the bosom of Jehovah.7 In the mean time, the word of God appeals to every one whose heart remains untouched by the mercies which surround him, and says, Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile: but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: for there is no respect of persons with God. My brethren, on every fresh perusal of this passage, I seem to be more deeply impressed with the manner in which it illustrates the grand scriptural truth, viz. that God willeth man's salvation, but that man perversely chooseth his own destruction. Mark, I beseech you, the very emphatic language of the fifth verse; After thy hardness 7 Bradley's Sermons. 8 Ver. 4-11. and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. It is here plainly declared, not that God desires to inflict, but that man chooses to heap, or treasure up wrath unto himself. It is here plainly declared that man is his own destroyer; and the language of the apostle reminds us of that touching appeal in Hosea, "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help." The above observation is strengthened by the apparent unwillingness of the apostle to make express mention of that eternal death which awaits all impenitent sinners. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality, God, he says, will render eternal life. But how does he express himself with respect to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness? It is evident that, in order to complete the sentence, as also to preserve that correspondence between the clauses of the several verses which is so characteristic of the sacred idiom, St. Paul should have said, He will render eternal death. But as if he desired that these words should be supplied by the conscience of the sinner, he suddenly changes the structure of the sentence, (a change which is plainly marked in the original by the transition from the accusative to the nominative case,) and says, In 9 Hosea xiii. 9. |