The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 439

tions of the times, and despised their degraded fellow-creatures, and saw no prospect of the ssh-at.ion of society ; the followers of Christ appeared, eaoh one with a l1ope tvhich d-ffl_fh c-o"!d ,wt fear from ht'.m,for himself; each one with a yet sublimer hope, that no du,appomtruent could quench, for the unhappy but not forsaken race of which be was a member. You remember the honour which was liestowed upon a patriot-- that, in days of_ d~rkness and of threatening, he did not despair of his country. Of every lowly Christian the yet more remarkable eulogy would have been true, that he d1'.d not de,q,air of hi$ race. And this, in days when Christianity had yet its triumphs to win, its grea.t renown to achieve I 'l'he Holy Spirit was given to reveal to the disciples of Christ a" God of nope." Men's dejection and despair arise from their want of faith in God. And nothing but a sound and rational belief in God can bring them to a better mind. What so fitted to inspire with cheerfulness as the connction that a God of righteousness and of grace lives and reigns, takes the deepest interest in men, and pro,ides for their true well-being? Now, when the Holy Ghost w:i.s gi,eu, on the Day of Pentecost, he was given as "the promise of the Father," as the bestowal of a gracious God. Let the truth be recognized that a good hope must begin in God. The counsel of the ancient psalmist was sound as well as pious: •• Hope thou in God." Fix your hopes, as many do, upon human beings, upon human institutions, upon human plans, and their failure will involve you in cruel disappoint- ment. But if for you the Lord liveth and reigneth, if be be the God of man, the God of sal'l"ation, then there is a.sound basis for your hopes-a basis which no powel' on earth, and no power from hell, can overturn or even shake. It was the power of the Spirit that ratifie,d the words ar.d sealed th~ authority and authenticated the mission of Christ. Jesus had promised that, if he went away, he would" send the Comforter," He knew that the approach of his departure fj.lled their hearts with sorrow, and he bade them rather rejoice, inasmuch as this was the condition of the gift of the Comforter. And when, in fulfilment 9f his assurance, be shed forth the gifts they needed for their spiritu.al quickening and for their qualification for apostolic service, the friends of Christ must have felt the encouraging and inspiring influence of the faithfulness and grace of their Lord. After his resurrection, the disciples were "glad when they saw the Lord." After his ascension, "they returned to Jerusalem with great joy." And when the Spirit wa.s poured out, their confidence in their Saviour was naturally con.firmed.; and their habitual demeanour was that of happy and hopeful spirits. They "at.e their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God ; " and, when persecnted., they '' rtjoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name." It was Jesus Christ who brought hope, even as he brought every other blessing, to this benighted and unhappy world. That he cherished hope, is known full well His parables regarding the progress of his kingdom, his assurance that when lifted up he would draw all men unto him, his prediction of his reign and his return-all show an unwavering confidence and a calm expectation regarding the future. And in order that this attitude might be shared by his disciples, he provided for the descent of his Spirit, by whose influences they should be brought into living sympathy with himself. Our hope may be said to have three main outlooks: (1) towards our personal future; (2) towards the prospects of Christianity and Christ's Chnrch; and (3) towards the progr8SB and destiny of humanity. In all these respects is apparent the power of the Holy Ghost to inspire UB with, and to cause us to rejoice • h m,L ope. lioPE CONOEBNING ONE'S BELF---COncernmg • ones ' own f11ture-1B • generaily supposed to be matter of temperament. There are persons of a sanguine temperament, who always expect the best possible, and sometimes are confident in hope, though on the slightest ground. And others are given rather to foreboding, and their forecasts are of evil Now, Christianity does not destroy temperament; but it gives a just bent to tht outlook of the hopeful, and instils into the despondent a different spirit. BIIBed, ~ t1t ChriBtiali life iB, upon faith, it m1ust procwi to hope. The God who has loved us with an everlasting love will "never leave and never forsake us." The Saviour who has "loved his own n will" love them unto the end." The Word in which we trwit iB a "Word which liveth and abideth for ever." It i.s the office of the Spirit of Gud to briog these great and inspiriting truths home to the minds of Ohriatians, to make them a i,ower real and effective. If hope were based upon confidence ln chance cttt. xv. 1-33.] THE EPIB'rLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 437