The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 154

He saw the needs of hie creatures, pitied their forlorn wretchednees, woul,l shelter them from the storm, and lavish on them proofs of kindness. Peace reigns there a sense of blissful security, Every article of furniture, every picture on the walls,'every robe worn, every meal provided, speaks of Divine mercy, of a changed attitude towards those received within the sacred precincts. It i, a permanent home, which we enter to go out no more for ever, Grace alters not, is not fickle ; therefore "we stand " (abide) therein without fear of one day losing our situation from the arbitrariness of the Master. Il, THE GATE OF ENTRANCE. "Through onr Lord Jesus Christ." He is " the Door of the sheep," a living Way to the holiest of all. He is our in trod action(" acce.~s ") to the court of the King. His work of mercy and righteousness has availed to procure free entry into the inheritance. The cherubim and flaming sword no longer bar the way to the Paradise of God. Man's own moral power availed naught to force a way into the temple. He could make no breach in the walls of governmental justice. III. 'l'HE ONLY PASSPORT REQUIRED. "By faith" we enter into this state of grace. The inquiry at the gate is, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" To trust in Christ is to feel the longing for a renewed heart, for Divine forgiveness, and to recognize in him" the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Scepticism may keep men at a distance, unbelief may tum the back upon the mansion, timid doubt may remain gazing wistfully at the portico, but the believer is impelled to march humbly yet fearlessly through the appointed entrance into the halls of light and song, IV. THE JOY OF THE INMATES. They are filled with exultation because of their present condition; they are already encompassed with so many marks of Divine favour. They are constantly finding new beauties in the construction of the rooms, and new evidences of Divine skill, forethought, and love. But they know that this ii! but the foretaste of further bliss; they triumph in the expectatfon of roming glory. They have the promise and many a sign of a fuller revealing of the character and purpose of God. He comes nearer to his guests, till at last the veil of sense shall be removed, and e,ery occupant of the palace be e..iwrapped in the radiance of his throne. All the dust of the journey to the home, every vestige of defilement, vanishes from the pilgrims crowned with the brightness of God's heavenly presence.-S. R. A. Vere. 3-5.-THlndation made subsidiary to hope. Trouble is usually considered antagonistic to joy. A ready objection might occur, therefore, to the apostle's decla- ration of Christian rejoicing. How was this possible, seeing the many hardships to which the profession of Christianity exposed its votaries? The text refutes such an objection. I. THE CHRISTIAN FACTORY, Tribulation is God's method of disciplining his people. Sin having entered the world, bringing sorrow in its train, the very afflictions of life are forced by Divine grace to contribute to the improvement of those who undergo it religiously. This was evident in Old Testament times, but is still more visible under tho dispensation of the Spirit, where chief stress is laid upon graces of character. The faith of the Christian is the material on which the machinery of trouble operates. spinning out of it the thread of patience. In the school of trouble are the meaning and the mercy of pain leo.rnt; only those who ho.ve experienced opposition have been taught true resigno.tion to God's will, content not to hurry events or to quarrel with them, but confidently to awo.it his time and issue. With the threads of patience is wo,en the cloth of probation. He who continues steadfast in the will of God proves for himself the truth of the promises, the accuracy of the Divine forecasts, and the success of the Divine methods. The long succession of days nnd nights produces its gl:\d ho.r,est, when the fruits of patience attest that not in vain did the sower sow. .And the mill of God's training ceo.ses not its work, till out of probation is constructed thd beaut[f11l garment of liope, in which the Christian is gloriously arrnyed. \\'hnt can ho do who ho.s tested tho faithfulness of God, but entertain unshaken confidt•nce respecting all that yet awaits him? '!'he evolution of grnce is seen to produce ever better results as timo passes, o.nd tho sure oxpeotntion is begotten of a grandeur of glory casting nll past oxperience into tho shade. Thus tho npostle _ha~ _returne~ t~ an~i demL,u~tmt~,l. bi~ l)ruvious stntomont. 1. Obsorvo that tribulntion 1~ n~t m. 1tse]t the ohJL'L't <'t rejoicing. The maohiuory sorms ofton hnrJ 1md cruru 1\11:\rt trom its :um. Ouly wh,iu 160 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [on. v. 1-21.