The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 137

,drnt ~hall be our experience. "In the world," said he," ye shall bavo tribulation." There ie no _discharge from this war. The Jews, indeed, often expected prosperity as a reward of piety ; and • great English writer hM said, " Prosperity was the bleee ing of the old c,o,enant, adversity of the new." The cup is pA.Ssed round in the household of God, Rnd every member of that household must drink of it. Those specially afflicted may be reminded that, though it is no relief to them to learn that others suffer, it is an indication of Divine providence that the universal fact is a law intended to work purposes in harmony mth the nature and character of the holy and benevolent Lawgiver. Il. Tm, PROCESS IS HERE DESCRIBED BY WHICH TRIBULATION PROVES BENEFIOJAL, The Apostle Paul took pleasure in showing the reasonableness of religious belief, He might have st;ood upon the authority of his inspiration, and have required his readers to accept tribulation as cert.a.in to benefit such of them as were true Christians. But he chose rather to show them how the discipline of Divine wisdom promotes the highest welfare of the faithful There is a ladder, by the several steps of which the follower of Christ mounts from earthly trial to heavenly joy. The foot of the ladder may be upon the cold soil of eArth, but its top reaches to the clouds. Let us bear in mind, howe-.er, that it is not a natural and necessary result of tribulation, that the afflicted should profit by it. It depends upon the light in which the sufferer views it, the spirit in v.hich he accepts it, whether affliction is or is not a discipline of good. It must be a fellowship with Christ to be serviceable to so high an end; and the teaching must be that of the Spirit of God. Consider the steps of the process. 1. " Tribulation worketh patieme." This assertion would be contested by many, who a.re made impatient by this experience. Those who see much of their fellow-creatures know that there are many cases in which affliction produces fretfulness and moroseness, which grow as the affliction is protracted. Yet in how many instances is this teaching of the t.en verified I The natnral.ly impetuous, hasty, wilful spirit is humbled, subdued, and curbed. In snHering, or in a position where it is neceesary to contend wn;h unreasonable men, or amidst many disappointments, there may be acquired a. habit of self-command and eelf-restraint, which may both tend to personal happiness and may natumlly increase influence over others. By "patience" here is to be under5t.ood something more than passive. quiet suffering; endurance and constancy are int.end.ed. The patient man is not he who lies down discouraged under difficulties, bat the man who holds on his way with cheerful resolution and persevere.nee. Christian I you are called t.o patient continua.nee in well-doing. 2. "Patience worketh ea;perience;" or, as in the Beviiled Version,probation, or, as in the •Speaker's Commentary,' approval. The man who endures affliction is put to the proof, is tested. And this is a true and scriptnral view of t.em.pt.ation.. "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life." The sword is bent t.o the utmost t.o prove the temper of the steel; the gun is heavily charged to prove the strength and HOund.ness of the metal ; the precious ore is cast into the furnace to separate the gold from the dross ; the wheat is threshed that the flail may, by the literal "tribulation," prove that there is grain as well as straw. So the good man is placed by a wise Providence in circumstances which bring out what there is in him, which give him cocuion to call upon the Lord for help and guidance and deliverance. Bo fe.r from calamity being a sign of God's displeasure, let the afflicted be reminded, for their consolation, that Scripture represents human trouble in a very different light. "Whom he loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." Call t.o mi.rid the experience of the saints of old. Daniel is an example of a man who was tried and proved, and who was ahown by his e.ffliction~ and persecutions to be a true and faithful servant of Jehovah. Paul himself led a life of labour, hardship, suffering, harasement, and sorrow ; but by Divine grace he was thereby made strong for service, qllick t.o 1ympathlze. 'l'he Btory of every good man'• life, if truly told, will teach the eame 1-on.. '1 he Lord doea noi wil.lirigly afflict; there ill a purpose in tribulation; U iii trial which brioga out and con1inns all Christian virtue. a. "Probaeum worketh 1.upc.• Here we M:cm to be getting out of the shadow Into t'he Hunehlne, "Hope" ia a plr,ua.nt, cheery word. Who hu not known, In Be&IOnB of adversity and iu moods of oepreasion., what it i, to be comforted by the sight of the rainbow which spa.us the cloudf 'l'lae "lltrength-i.twpirwg aid" of hope hall often made the feeble mighty, on, v.1-21.J THF} EPISTLE OP' PAUL TO THE ROMANS.