The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 365

out from on high, irnitatecl their L'lrd's ex:a.mple. Oflioors were appointed in th'3 BOCie- tles for the ~inist, a.tion of a.lms;. gi~ts were volunt3:ril_y made for the support of the p~o~; collect1ons were made for indigent fellow:Chr1et1ane; men were raised up whose ministry ns hosts we.a deemed worthy of apostolic approval. All this was the workin"' of Obrist in the community; and in proportion as Christ lives in your hearts will yo~ fullow these ex:nn,ples. 4. Wisdom and discretion are nu<l,w, 1111, the fuJ,jilrrvmt of these honourable duties. Circumstances differ as the state of society changes. Impo~tors abound. Indolence must not be countenanced. Each Christian must be !!Uided in the 0 exercise of charity a.nd hospitality by his means and by his opportunities. II. CHBIBTU.N TREATMENT OF FOES. Those who curse, revile, calumniate, injure them, Ohristia.ns are bound, as followers of Christ, to bless, to pray for, and to benefit. 1. Christ himself has commanded such conduct. There can be no doubt tha.t the sermon on the mount was well known to Paul, and that he was quoting from it here. 2. Ohrist himself has e'1;emplijied it. In his life he never injured tho!ie who hated him, but rendered, contrariwise, blessing. When he came to die, he furnished the most amazing and Divine instance the world has ever known of returning good for evil. He prayed for and forgave his murderers; further than this he could not have gone. A.nd "he he.a left us an example that we should follow in his st.eps." Ver. 15.-0hriseian sympathy. Joy and sorrow are great facts of human life. If there is such an element as purpose in the universe, it is clear that men were made to experience gladness and grief, and that both experiences are intended to act as discipline by which human character may be tested and trained. Both emotions are experienced in childhood, and manifest themselves most strikingly in early life, when what the mature think trivial causes are wont to awaken feeling. In manhood. feeling is less easily enkindled, and it less easily dies a.way. To the selfish, causes of rejoicing must diminish, both in frequency and in force, with advancing years; whilst, probably to most, occasions of sorrow are multiplied, for bereavements, the causes of bitterest sorrow, naturally befall the most frequently those who have trodden the path of life the longest. The religion of the Lord Jesus does not seek either to subdue or to blame these natural emotions ; it aims at controlling them, at enlarging their scope, at purifying them, at making them all minister to our spiritual good. To quote from the Old Testament, " There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh." To quote from the NewTeste.ment,"lsany among you suffering? let him pray. Is any cheerful? let him sing praise." And, to bring out the special lesson of the text, Christianity teaches us that both joy and sorrow are to be shared, and yet extended; to be heightened, sanctified, and blessed, by true Christian sympathy. I. THE NATURE OF SYMPATHY. This habit of mind is simply sharing the feel.in,,as of others, enteriag into the experiences of their hearts, making them our own. We do this by virtue of a natural ~rinciple. Sinful selfishness often overcomes this prin- ciple, checks it, and prevents 1t from:displaying itself. Yet sympathy may svmetimes be observed where there is no reverence or faith toward our Saviour; and, alas! i~ sometimes absent where there is a loud profession of such faith. When we participate in n brother's feelings, a Divine law appoints that such participation shall be for his good; we relieve him of some of the burden of his grief and a=.iety, or we heighten his happiness. This quality of sympllthy is, perhaps, more natural to some minds tlun to others; yet it may be either cultivated or repressed. It may be manifested in various ways-by the expression of the countenance, by the langua.,'76 of congratulation or condolence, by the tones of the voice, by the offer of companionship, by the exten- sion of such assistance as the cl\se may render possible. If there be two stringed instru- ments in a room, and a note of one be struck, it is said that the corresponding string of the neighbouring instrument responds to the sister tone. When the hom is wou11<i nmoug the rooks of the winding river, the oliffs give back the music in repeated :wJ. orderly response. "Our eohoes roll from soul to soul, And grow for over and for ever; Dlow, buglos, blow I set tho wild eoho flying: And l\Dewor, ooho I l\nswor, dying, dying, dyiug I" "As In wator face onsworutL to faco, su tha hoart of ml\U to mau."  864 THE EPISTL£ OF PAtJL TO TH£ ROMANS. [ott, xn.1-21,