him (viz. Adam) who (through his sin) made it subject,” (to vanity;-to its frail, mortal, corrupt condition).

We may now attempt a paraphrastic exposition of the whole passage;-omitting that parenthesis for the sake of clearness.

"I reckon that our sufferings in this world are of no account (in estimating the love of our heavenly Father) when we compare them with that glory which is about to be revealed in us. I speak of future glory. I am not speaking of an unsubstantial vision of my own, or of a hope now first imparted to them that suffer. No! I appeal to all creation, to every creature under heaven. The universal instinct of humanity (which instinct is a Divine gift,) knows of the world to come. There is no race of barbarians who have not some hope of Elysian fields hereafter, in which sorrow and suffering have no place. A revelation of future glory for the sons of God, adopted into His everlasting mansions, is the creed of creation. For that revelation the creation is waiting in earnest expectation.

I say, "the creation," for the creation was made subject to vanity;-"vanity of vanities, all is vanity," frail, brief, corrupt, perishing,—each and every thing, -most beautiful and most beloved,-" surely every

* St. Paul might use such language; it was true of every race of whom he had knowledge. But it is not true of some of the savages of Africa, nor is there much hope in the Nihilism of the Buddhist.

man living is altogether vanity,"-"man walketh in a vain shadow and disquieteth himself in vain." (Psalm xxxix, 6, 7.) Over the portal of the earthly house of this tabernacle is this legend written, "Vanity of Vanities:" but (blessed be the God of all consolation!) not that wretched line also:

"Who enter here, leave hope behind!"

For though the creation was made subject to vanity, yet it was not doomed also to despair, for God granted it a hope, a hope (verse 21) that it, even the creation itself, shall be delivered from bondage into liberty, from corruption into glory, such as that which awaiteth the children of God.

Such a hope there is, for we know (verse 22) that the whole human race (yea! perhaps even every created thing,) groaneth and travaileth in pain, with mutual and universal sympathy, from the beginning until now: yea! brethren, and not only (verse 23) until now, but now also,-now in the Kingdom of Christ on the earth,—for even we ourselves, who are now sons of God by adoption, and have the first-fruit of the Spirit (the earnest of our inheritance,) we also groan within ourselves, waiting, still waiting for, that final Adoption of God, the Redemption of our bodies. For (verse 24) here upon the earth our salvation is not completed, but only commenced,-for "in hope were we saved." "Saved" indeed we were by God's mercy,

when we were adopted into His family here on earth, but saved in hope, admitted into a state of salvation, which has not the fruition, but the hope, of glory. That hope of things unseen is daughter of that faith which is "the evidence of things not seen;"-but hope that is seen, and realised, is no longer hope;for what a man seeth, and hath in possession, why doth he yet hope for it? But if we know that "here we have no continuing city,"—if we have a lively hope for things still unseen, for glory yet to be revealed,then do we with patience wait for it."

Be patient, therefore, brethren, in all your sufferings, (this is the evident purpose of this passage,) be patient unto the coming of the Lord. Now are we sons of God. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God now. But there is a further adoption,-a redemption still to come,-" in hope" of which "we were saved."

Moreover, once more, your sufferings are no strange thing happening unto you, and your hope is no dream: for, behold! the whole creation sympathises with you in both, subject itself to vanity, groaning, travailing in pain; yet hoping, waiting, earnestly expecting deliverance at His hands Who made all things at the first

very good," and will yet again make "new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter iii, 13.)

SERMON XXIV.

ROM. viii, 26, 27: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

I PROPOSE first to examine these words, with a view to ascertain their strict grammatical sense; and then to try to determine the place they occupy in the Apostle's train of thought.

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities." There seems to be no doubt that the Apostle wrote "infirmity,"—" weakness:" and "The Spirit helpeth our weakness must needs signify "helpeth us in our weakness."

In what weakness? We cannot suppose that the Apostle is here speaking generally of human weakness or inability to resist sin. It is true that in such

weakness the Holy Spirit doth vouchsafe help, without which effectual resistance would become impossible; but here the Apostle is not introducing a general statement having no connection with his subject. He is speaking of the sufferings of a persecuted Church, and is offering them strengthening and consolatory words.

The whole passage, from verse 17, in which their sufferings are first mentioned, to the end of verse 30, is suggestive to them of comfort under suffering. If we would understand an author we must bear in mind the topic of which he is speaking, and we may be quite sure that he will introduce no remark wholly unconnected with that topic. We are obliged therefore to understand the "weakness" here mentioned to signify, the depressed condition of a weak minority of Christians suffering persecution at the hands of the heathens. In this our weakness, our low estate, the Spirit of God doth help us to bear with patience.

"Likewise He doth help us," says the Apostle. This word "likewise" has gradually come to be synonymous with "moreover:" but when our translation was made it meant "in like manner," and so, agreeably to the Greek, it must be understood. "In like manner doth the Spirit help us." In what manner ? This question has puzzled the commentators, and there is no answer to it which is entirely