Now, of all men, the Christian baa most gronnd for hope. Hi.a expectation of direati,,n. guardianship, e.nd he.ppinoss rest, not upon the whisperings of fond imagin&tion, r,1 the promises of fe.llible fellow-men, but upon the word of a faithful and unchangin:; God. " Hope thou in God I " is the counsel religion offers to the downcast &nd th•, sscl. Such hope Bs is based upon the Divine character, as is directed rowarda objects gu&mnteed by Divine assurances, is indeed "e.n anchor unto the souL" Trial may be a bitter medicine ; but it works a. wc,nclrous, e.nd sometimes a speedy and a perfect. cure for spiritual ills. Probation may seem a harsh, unkindly soil; but the arop of hope it bears proves its ade.pte.tion and fertility. There have been person8 who in prosperity have known little of the brightness of the Christian's hope, who have then been slow to look upwards to the sunllo hills, but whom adversity has benignly taught to turn their eyes a.way fr..,m things seen e.nd temporal to things unseen md eternal, Hope may be despised by the worldly-wise and sensual ; but it is a Christlar. grace in which the Lord of our life takes pleasure, and by which he urges the travellers onwo.rds upon the road which leads to the blessed vision of himself. 4. " Hope makel,h fUJt ashamed." A common expression in Scripture. Men often cherish expectations which are never fulfilled, and those so disappointed are said to be put to shame; they have built on a sandy foundation, and in the storm of trial the edifice they have reare<l is swept away, and, as they gaze upon the wreck and ruin, they are overwhelme<l with shame. But those who have hoped in the Lord, and trusted in his Word, shall never be ashamed or confounded, world without end. The apostle may be understoo<i to say, "Hope worketh realization." Not that the hope fulfils itself; but that G.:id, in bis wisdom and love, fulfils it. We are all, in many respects, in the position of those that hope-that hope in the Lord. We are pilgrims, and we look for a city. We are warriors, and we look for victory. We are labourers, and we look for rest. We are afflicted, and we look for relief and release. We a.re on earth, and we look for heaven. "If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it" The best and purest hopes of the follower of Jesus, those which he inspires and warrants, those which respect himself, shall all be realized. We shall see our Saviour "as he is." We shall be" like him.'' We she.ii "serve him day and night in his temple.'' We shall be "ever with the Lord." Such hopes as these will not unfit us for the common duties of life; they will assist us to discharge those duties with diligence and cheer- fulness. Yet, being sons, we are heirs ; and the blessedness of inheritance casts the radiant light of heaven upon our earthly lot, Ill. WE ABE HERE REMINDED OF THE DUTY A.ND PRIVILEGE OF BEJOI=o. In the previous verse the apostle he.a summoned us to "rejoice in hope of the glory of God." 'l'his seems natural enough ; but it does sound strangely to hear him a.dd here, "Let us also rejoice in our tribulations" I This is paradoxical, against all ordinary notions of what is fitting. Yet it is just. If we ha.ve followed the steps of that process of discipline here described by St. Paul, we must see that it is reasonable enough that he should admonish us to rejoice in those experiences of human life which Divine providence so wisely and graciously overrules for our spiritual and eternal good. Paul himself exemplified his own lesson. When he and Silas were in prison at Philippi, with their feet in the stocks, at midnight they sang praises to God, and the prisoners heard them. When imprisoned in Rome, he could write, "Rejoice in the Lord alway : again I will say, Rejoice I" We may rejoice in tribulation, because it is the appoint- ment of our heavenly Father. Our joy Should be in our Father's will; for he will support nnd sustain under the burden which he has imposed. We may rejoic,i iu tribulation, because we nre Christ's people, I\Ild we share his lot when we su.ffet with and for him. "Insomuch," says Poter, " as ye a.re partakers of Christ's suffering:;, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy," "If we suffer with him, we shall nlso reign with him." We may rejoice io tribulation also, because we are assured thnt the patient and submissive shall, by the help of God's SJlirit, reap the hnrvest of spiritual profit and eternal life. " I reckou,8 says the npostle, "that the sufferings of this present life a.re not worthy to be compared with tho glory which shull bo rovco.lcd in [ or, •unto'] us." AI'l'LIOA'l'ION. 'l'ho tribulations of lifo a.re cowmon to aU. But the pn1 t1L ,,f tribnlation is for thoso only who receive Divine discipline iu submission, an.d. "ith faith iu a E'11tho1·'e wisdom aud lon. Sad is the posit.ion of those who h:m: tL, 134' THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [ott, v. 1-21.
endure the trials of lifu without the support ()f God's love, or the prospect or eternal glory I