March 13

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."—Romans 15:13.

RELIGION emobbles the character, exalts the feelings, and promotes the happiness, of its possessor. It teaches him to cultivate a disinterested, kind, and benevolent spirit; such as Paul displayed. We have reviewed the nature and the measure of those blessings he desires for his friends; let us now contemplate

THE SOURCE FROM WHENCE THEY PROCEED. "The God of hope." He is the fountain of hope; its streams can only flow to us from him; he is the author and object of it; without him not one ray of hope can shine into the soul.

THE MEANS BY WHICH THEY ARE OBTAINED. "In believing." Without faith we can have no acceptance with God, no comfort in the soul. The blessings to which we have referred are peculiar to believers; they cannot be enjoyed while we are in a natural state—faith gives us a capacity for the delightful feelings which they impart.

THE AGENT BY WHOM THEY ARE BESTOWED. "Through the power of the Holy Ghost." And what are we, what can we do, or feel, or enjoy without his power? He turns our darkness into light, pours the oil of joy and peace on the troubled soul, and produces a heavenly calm; this power makes us to abound in hope. Oh! shall we not invoke it? Blessed Spirit, exert thy power on me, bear thy testimony with me, and seal me thine to the day of redemption.

"Come, heavenly Comforter! come, Sweet witness of mercy divine! And make me thy permanent home, And seal me eternally thine."

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