01,d'e attitude toward those who 11ecept it ie one of peace, "For the Father himJ1elf loveth you, beoauee ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God" (John xvi. 27), '!'hue faith ie the means by which we take hold of ChriAt-<Jur Sub- stitute, our Reconciliation. And therefore, being clothed upon with hie ri"hteousne88, we are received into the adoption of children. Being justified, we are resklrerl to that blissful state of sonship toward God which made Eden the nntroubled garden in which the Father came and walked at eventide. Once more God walks with ue. He will be to us a Father, and we are to him as his children. What a gift this is that, weak and sinful though we are, yet we can think of God with calm assurance, being reronciled to him by the death of his Son I 2. Peace with God as it concerns oor relaticm. to God.. (1) Peace with God means peace in ()'11,T own conscience. What a troubler of our peace conscience is I In the silent watches of the night its voice is loud. The darkness diillll not its light; nor is its voice hushed by the din of business or the jovial clamour of revelry. But he who is justified by faith has peace of conscience within. The great ocean will not wash away the ~ilt of sin. But "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin." (2) Peace with God means peaa amid care and tmTWJ. ]ile.ny trio.le of body and of mind may afflict us. But if we are justified by faith, then we have peace with God, and we know that, though no chastisement seemeth to be joyous, yet these our "light afflictions, which are but for a moment, are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." "Well roars the storm to those that hear A deeper voice across the storm." To those who rest their faith in Christ when in trouble, he will appear as he did to his disciples on the sea, and they ~ill hear through the gloom a voice calling to them, "It is I : be not afrRid I" (3) Peace with God means peace and security frr»n the assaults of temptation and sin. "The peace of God, which paaseth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesllil" (Phil. iv. 7). It is a bulwark of defence round about those who ore justified by faith. To them it is given to be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power. They have crucified the flesh with its e.ffections and lusts. Such is the effect of being jastified by faith. "'Although my house be not so with God, yet bath he made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure " (2 Sam. xxiii. 5). Here and now peace and fellowship with God; access into grace and strength; no fear of evil in the dark valley; and afterward an abundant entrance into the presence of the King.-C. H. I.
Vers. 3-5.-Blessedfruit off a bitter tree. The letters of St. Paul abound in strange and striking paradoxes, In another pince he speaks of himself" as sorrowful, yet al way rejoicing ; as poor, yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." Here he speaks of the Christian as" glorying in tribulation." He has been speaking of the effeote of justification by faith, and ends by ~ying, "We rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (ver. 2). Our joy, however, is not confined to the future. True, there are cares and sorrows in this present life. But it does not therefore follow that we are tp postpone nil joy until we reach the spirit-land. "No I" says the apostle, boldly ; "we glory even in our tribulations." The sorrows are there, 'tis true, but the light of the oross of Jesus transforms them with a glory all its own, even as the sun- shine makes a rainbow of the shower. "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous ; nevertheless afterwurd it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby." Tribulation is a bitter tree, but look at the fruits whioh it is capable of yielding. "We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience ; and patience, experience; and experience. hope." I. Tmt DITTER TREl!I, It is hardly necessary to speak of the bitterness of tribu- lation. "'l'he heart knoweth its own bitterness." We all know something of what sorrow J!lel\ns, and how hitter it is. 1. There is Ila. bitterness f!{ berea1JMM1it. Whrit agony of spirit when 0110 who hns been the light of your eyes, tho joy and comfort of your home, le tl\kon from you I What bitterness of sorrow is to oo comp,trc'li with the grief of parents for their children? How heart.rending is grief like David's, when he wont up to the chamber over the eate, e.ud as he went his sorrow over- HO THE EPIBTLB OF PAUL TO TBB ROMANS. [oli. v. 1-111.