^ I often examine, with peculiar interest, the hymn-book we use at Carr's Lane. It was compiled by Dr. Dale. Nowhere else can I find the broad perspective of his theology and his primary helpmeets in the devotional life as I find them there. And is it altogether unsuggestive that under the heading of " Heaven " is to be found one of the largest sections of the book ? A greater space is given to " Heaven " than is given to " Christian Duty." Is it not significant of what a great man of affairs found needful for the enkindling and sustenance of a courageous hope ? And among the hymns are many which have helped to nourish the sunny endeavours of a countless host.^
Into the dusk of the East,
Grey with the coming of night, This we may know at least —
After the night comes light I Over the mariners' graves.
Grim in the depths below, Buoyantly breasting the waves,
Into the East we go.
On to a distant strand,
Wonderful, far, uuseen, On to a stranger land,
Skimming the seas between;
» P. J. Maclagan. « J. H. Jowett.
58 THE SAVING GRACE OF HOPE
On through the days and nights,
Hope in each sailor's breast, On till the harbour lights
Flash on the shores of rest!
3. Now it is obvious that when St. Paul says " We were saved in hope," he is not regarding hope as an unstable or uncertain thing, nor is he regarding it as a quality which we may either take or leave according to our several liking. Par from this, we shall see, if we read the passage aright, that St. Paul is regarding hope as permanent and certain, and as an essential characteristic of the salvation which has already been begun in us ; or, to put it more exactly, that very salvation itself is enshrined in hope. But it is noticeable that certain errors with regard to hope are constantly made. Let us see how these errors arise and how St. Paul's teaching refutes them.
(1) Hope is commonly conceived of as if there were the idea of uncertainty implied in it — as if to say, I hope for a thing, were to say, I look for it doubtfully — I expect it in a measure, but I am not sure of it. But it is not so. The Apostle says : " For we are saved in hope : but hope that is seen is not hope ; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for ? " Here he puts hope and present vision in contrast ; it is not certainty and uncertainty that he is contrasting, but things seen and things not seen ; and that there is no idea of uncertainty is plain from the 25th verse, " If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it," expressing the peaceful, calm security in which the thing is looked for. Not the slightest indication is there here of any uncertainty involved in the expression "hope." All that the Apostle conceived to be meant by it was the expectation of a future thing. Now, this being so, it is evident that a serious error is made, the moment we conceive of hope as involving in it uncertainty.
11 Every human hope is necessarily uncertain, because of the uncertainty of every thing under the sun, the uncertainty of our own life, the uncertainty, in fact, of every thing around us. No wonder that people accustomed thus to see hope doubtfully applied should have associated uncertainty with these words; but observe that the uncertainty is in that on which the hope rests; and, therefore, if a man gets a sure ground on which to
ROMANS VIII. 24, 25 59
judge, there is no need of uncertainty. Faith and nope, in religion, have a reference to the words of God, and these are sure and steadfast; there is, therefore, no reason why they should be uncertain things here. Introduce God as the teller, as the promiser, as the speaker, upon whose testimony our faith goes forth, upon whose promise our hope rests, and then all apology for uncertainty is removed.*
What can we do, o'er whom the unbeholden Hangs in a night with which we cannot cope?
What but look sunward, and with faces golden Speak to each other softly of a hope ?
Can it be true, the grace he is declaring ?
Oh let us trust him, for his words are fair! Man, what is this, and why art thou despairing ?
God shall forgive thee all but thy despair.^
(2) Hope has a reference to a future thing, not a reference to a present or a past thing, and it is confounding the objects of faith and the objects of hope to make that which Christ has done for us an object of hope, or to say that we hope that Christ died for us, or that we have an interest in His blood. What, then, is the object of hope ? Just that which God is yet to do. The Gospel reveals God as the Governor of the universe, and sets forth the plan of His government ; it makes us acquainted with what He has done, with what He is doing, and with what He has yet to do. The object of Christian hope is what God has yet to do. There is a personality, a reference to one's own self, involved in it ; but while this is the case, it is this great plan of God that is the direct object of hope, and the personality is just something arising out of what it tells us. We can find no words more definite than St. Paul's own words in the context of our text, as showing what is the great object of hope. " For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the mani- festation of the sons of God."