April 21

Romans v.—1. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ;

2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4. And patience, experience; and experience, hope;

5. And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

6. For, when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

12. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

Death as a physical event was in the world long prior to the fall of man. This geology teaches from the remains of races that had become extinct upon our globe as one man was created. But death, as we now conceive of it from the point of mere nature, with its pain and gloom and fear, and its forebodings of the judgment to come, is a perpetual witness for the divine displeasure at sin. Moreover, if man had not sinned, he might have been removed from this world to a higher sphere, as Elijah was, by a translation without death; or the natural body, untainted by sin, might have been transformed into the spiritual. Sin is disobedience to law; and since death, which to man is a consequence of sin, is universal,

13. (For, until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

15. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if, through the offence of one, many be dead; much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

16. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift. For the judgment was by one to condemnation; but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

17. For if, by one man's offence, death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ:)

18. Therefore as, by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so, by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

19. For as, by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

20. Moreover, the law entered that the offence might abound. But, where sin abounded, grace did much more abound;

21. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

therefore all men have transgressed the law of God. Those who have not, like Adam, transgressed a positive revealed command, are nevertheless convicted of having disobeyed the law written in their hearts; and so all men have followed Adam in his apostasy. The coming-in of a revelation has rendered more manifest this universal sinfulness of the race. But, through the coming of Christ, death itself has been transformed into a new agency of life. By his own death upon the cross he conquered death and sin, and provided for our justification with God; and now, to the believer in Christ, death has no more terror, no more power. Peace, patience, hope, love, joy, have entered in where once all was fear, darkness, despair.

APPROPRIATE HYMN.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 34, 39, 54.

Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord! and glorify thy name? We confess our great unworthiness; our sins of thought, word, and action; our sins against light and privilege, and providence and grace. We cast ourselves upon Him who came to seek and to save the lost. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Remembering at what price our redemption hath been purchased, we would consecrate our lives to Him who loved us, and gave himself for us.

Bless the members of this household. May they

walk before thee with a perfect heart! May the young adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things! Have mercy, O Lord! upon a world that lieth in wickedness and in the shadow of death.

Thankful for the mercies of the night, we commend ourselves to thee for this day. Guide us; provide for us; go before us with thy presence; defend us by thy grace.

And now, Lord, what wait we for? Our hope is in thee. Prepare us for living; prepare us for dying. And all we ask is for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.