The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 224

holinoss manifests hie presence and his powel', by calling int0 existence the fruits c,f the Spirit, whoso quality and abundance leave no room for doubting the Divinity of the agency to whioh they owe their existence. Ver. 17.-The twofold fellowship. A person may be the heir to a title and to a great estate, and yet, in some circumstances, he may in his minority and ev<;n after- wards be exposed to some privations. He may even be a homeless wanderer, thrown into uncongenial society and unfamiliar scenes and undesirable occupations. If such be the case, it ma.y well happen that his experience may be profitable and serviceable. He may taste" adversity's sweet milk, philosophy." He may learn many a lesson of self-control and self-denial, of forbearance, pa.tience, a.nd considerateness. His character may mature, his best qualities may be called out. He may learn to sympathize with the afflicted, and to make allowances for the tempted. And when the time comes for him to enter upon his inheritance, he may fulfil the dutiea of his exalted position all the more wisely and faithfully for the discipline he has passed through, stem and harsh though that experience may have been. In like manner, the Christian, who is a joint- heir with Christ, has appointed for him a. period of proba.tion, of humiliation, of spiritual conflict and suffering. This is the decree of infinite wisdom and lo..,e. Onr Father would, by subjecting us to earth's discipline, fit us for the heavenly inherit.a.nee, the eternal glory. The Christian's exile is the preparation for his home, his inheritance, his crown. I. CHRISTIANS HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH CIIBIBT IN BUP'FER.ING. They may suffer for Christ. Doubtless, to Paul and to the early Christians, this was a familiar thought and a not infrequent experience. The apostles, the martyrs, and confessors, all in the primitive Church who by their steadfastness in the faith incurred men's displea.,,-ure and hostility, were partakers of the sufferings of Christ. And in our own time, and amongst ourselves, there are those whose witness to the Saviour is borne amidst petty persecution and half-concealed hostility from their unbelieving and scoffing companions. And, even amongst professing Christiane, those who prefer fidelity to Christ and hill gospel to compliance with current fashions a.nd opinions must make up their minds to endnre much for the Lord's sake. There a.re, however, other senses in which Christians may be justly said to she.re Christ's sufferings, to suffer with their Master. 1. There was anguish and distress peculiar to the Son of God. The burden of our sins he bore in his own Person ; he " trod the wine-press alone; " he " bore our sins and carried our sorrows;" he "tasted death for every man." His sacrifice wa_q his alone. But there was suffering which he endured because he lived in a sinful world, beca11sc he submitted io the buffetings of Satan and endured the contradiction of sinners. To Christ's people their necessary contact with a sinful world is painful, even as such contact was conspicuously painful to the holy Saviour himself, who in character a.nd conduct was empha.tically "sepa.rate from sinners." As he also sorrowed over this sinful race, could not look upon the multitudes without grief and commiseration, could not gaze upon the guilty Jerusa.lem without weeping over it; so true Christians 3.l"e constrained to sigh and cry for the a.bomina.tions that a.bound in the world, for they ha.,e learned to look upon humanity with the eyes of their Lord himself. 2. Yet again, we are called to share our Master's sufferings by reason of the tempta.tions to which we are exposed. What Christ endured from the assaults of the tempter, the adversary, we can never know; yet the record of his temptation implies that it was the occasion to him of sore distress; "he suffered, being tempted." He only overo.'Ulle through resist- ance and bitter strife. That this must be our experience is well known tu every follower of the Lo.mb. "Wo wrestle not with," etc. "He knows who.t sore temptations mean, For ho has felt the same." In this matttir 1\ll the Lord's servants must, in his own l1LDgua,,c-re, "deny themselw,, t,\ke up the oross, and follow him." Their path is one not of compliance with the tempter, but of opposition to him. They die with their Lord unto siu; in this respect l1eing crucified with him untJ) the world, knowing the fellowship of his sufferings, t\Ild, bcing planted together in the likoncss of his death. 3. Thero is a wider and more gc>neral ff!lDBO In which we may be said to suff1,1r with Christ. There are afflictions which a.re  THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [on. vm. 1--89,