Rom. xv. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
CHRISTIANS, even in the purest ages of the Church, have been too ready to indulge a spirit of bigotry and contention. The Jewish and Gentile converts in every place were much addicted to it. St. Paul, studious to counteract it in those at Rome, shews that Christ, though a minister of the circum- cision, intended to incorporate the Gentiles into his Church ; and prays for both parties, that, as the
means of restoring union among themselves, they might be endued with more grace. His words shew us,
I. The privileges of true Christians —
The world forms a very false estimate of the Chris- tian's portion ; and Christians themselves too often live below their privileges. It is their privilege to be be filled,
1. With lively joy —
[No one in the world has so much cause for joy as they The man healed by Peter and John fitly, though im- perfectly, represents their state Nor is their joy like
that of sinners, which soon expires in spleen and melancholy3. They may " rejoice evermore," and without ceasing.]
2. With abiding peace —
[It would be thought by many that " peace" should have preceded "joy"; but the experience of God's people accords exactly with the Scriptures13. Being freed from the tor- ment of a guilty conscience, they have peace with Godc. Christ has both purchased for them, and bequeathed to them, his peace, which passeth all understanding d. Their " peace may well be as a river, since their righteousness is as the waves of the seae."]
3. With assured hope —
[This is the fruit, rather than the root, of peace and joy. They have the promise and oath of God on their side1", and have already received in their souls an earnest of their inhe- ritance g. Well therefore may they enjoy a confident expec- tation of the promised land. All indeed are not sufficiently studious to "walk thus in the light:" but, what the Apostle prayed for on the behalf of all, it is the privilege of all to possess.]
The Apostle further directs us,
II. How we may attain the enjoyment of them —
In this short and comprehensive prayer we are taught to seek them,
1. From God as the fountain — [God in himself is " a consuming fire :" but in Christ he
a Eccl. vii. 6. and Prov. xiv. 13.
b Compare Isai. lv. 12. with the text. c Rom. v. 1.
d John xiv. 27. and Phil. iv. 7. e Isai. xlviii. 18.
f Heb. vi. 17, 18. s Eph. i. 14.