rnar,el of the universe, t.he oentral mystery of revelation, that God, In Ohrl1t, oonverted folll! and rebels into frionds and subject&. If we oa.n reooive this, we need have no hesitation in reooiving t.he supplementary doct,rine that God will eternally eave those whom he hu graciously justified. If ouemies are reoonoiled, surely fri81MU 1hall be IMlldl Ver. lL-"'Joy '" God." Men cherish the moat dlftl'88, varied feelings towards God. Some are hat.en; of God, regarding him as their enemy. Othera are lndlft'erent to God, utwly forgetting him, acting as though he were not. Others, again, have so f&r a just apprehenalon of God that they fear him, standing in awe of his rlghteoUB authoiity. ~ there are those who love God and rejoice in bim. Theae last are they who appre- ciate the privileges which have been prepared for the true believers in Ohriat, the true people of God. I. Observe '1'HE ELEJIElfi' OF SPIBl'l'tJAL .JOT, It is joy in God. In God, as their Patber, their all,;nfficient and eternal Portion. In God, 88 faithful to his promises, as graaious and benevolent, as wise to guide and strong to keep and save. This is the dai!Y exclarnatfon of the Christian, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be JOyful in my God." II. There is mentioned THE CAUSE FOB JOY. 1. This is to be found in reconciliation. There is DO joy in hostility or estrangement; but, when those who have been alienated are brought into harmony, peace brings gladness t.o the souls of reunited friends. Remembering what moment.ous issues depend upon onr friendship with our Great.or and Judge, we may well regard reoonciliation with him as matter for gladneas and glorying, 2. But this reconciliation takes effect when it is received. God provides it; man &ooeptll it. Man's acceptance does not procure, but it appropriates, the blessing. Alas I men may live in a dispensation of peace, of reconciliation, but may know nothing by experience of this joy, for want of receptive faith. III. The t.ext reminds us of THE BBINGEB OF SPIBITUAL JOY. It ie "through our Lord Jesus Christ" that we have received the reconciliation. The Mediator between God and man secures to us this greatest of boons, and, with it, all other good things that can truly enrich and blees us. In the context the apostle magnifies the grace of Christ. We are summoned to recognize in him the means through which true joy becomes possible to us, becomes onr possession and inheritance. IV. It is well to think of THE FllUlTB AND EFFECTS OF JOY IN Go». 1. Joy is strength for service. "The joy of the Lord is your strength." 2. Joy is comfort in outward afflictions and tribulation. "We rejoice, glory, in tribulation also." It is the Christian only who can say this. 3. Joy is attractive t.o others. The happiness of the Christian often produces a most beneficial impreesion upon those who remark it, and who ask for an explanation of the fact. 4. Joy is an anticipation of heaven. For we are a.ssured that the faithful servant shall be welcomed into "the joy of his Lord_., Vera. 20, 2L-Grace al,uwnd,i,ng. This passage seems to trace the course of two mighty rivers. The one has its source in the Law; the stream ia sin and trespe.es. As it proceeds it ia distinguished by abundance (and is said to reign, to dominate the land- scape), and it flows at last into the black ocean of death. The other he.e its source in Divine grace; the stream is righteousness. And it becomes even more abundant than the other; it flows irresistibly, victoriously, until it is loet in the sea of life eternal. There is a well-known spot in Switzerland, where the Rhone, after issuing from the Lake of Geneva, is jc,ined by the turbid, tawny waters of the Arve, which, after flowing for some distance side by side with the blue waters from the lake, speedily stain ancf BpOil them. The verses before UB reverse thie acene, for they represent the stream of righteowm- aa overpowering and pnrifying the river of sin; where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly. L THS ABUWDililOE OF mr. Sin, in the course of ages, multiplied, abounded, noeeded, 1JVerfiowed. We have mauy inotanccs of this in the early hiHtory of our race. 'l'be e.bnndance of iniquity occasioned the Deluge. The exceeding vileness of Sodom oceaaioned the overthrow of the cities of tho plain. 'l'he sins of Isrr.el occasioned the Captivity. As for the Gentile world, the apostle, at the opening of this Epistle, ox hi bite t.b.e c ~ 'fioea, and I:, urrible 11iD1 of the natione in such an appalling manner that we GIL v. 1-21.) THE EPISTLJI 011' PA.UL TO THll BOM:ANB. 137
do not wonder at hl11 denunolatlon of the wrath of God apinat thoee who do imch things. Yet, ae Ohrletlane, we feel that there is nothing wliich eo amazinuly displays the exceeding elnfulneBB of ein 88 the crucifixion and death of our Lord J;sus Christ. The sin of humanity culminated when it brought the holy Saviour to the cross. The greatness of the ransom pa.id proved the awful nature of the captivity from which men oould only at such a price be delivered. In exp~ini~g the abundance of sin, it is necessary to refer to the many and various forms which em assumes; to the reproductive power with which, as a principle of action, it ie endowed; to its widespread dominion • to its lengthened sway over mankind. ' II. THE BUPEBAJIUNDANOE OF GBAOE, Mighty as is sin, the grace of God is miuhtier still, It is ne a breeze which overflows the pestilential air of a city; as the tide ~f the ocean, which enters a vast harbour and overflows and sweeps away accumulated pollu- tions, Its victorious superabundance must be explained by referring to its omnipotent Author and Bestower, God; to its Divine channel, Christ, the Mediator; to its appointed means, the gospel, at once the wisdom and the power of God; and to its Agent, the Holy Spirit of God. If we look at ein a.lone, it appears invincible, beyond all hnman power to deal with; but when we regard the Divine provision of grace, we can under- stand how even sin may be vanquished and utterly overcome.