Romans 5:5

It is not by ourselves but by the Holy Spirit who is given to us that this charity, shown by the apostle to be God's gift, is the reason why tribulation does not destroy patience but rather gives rise to it.

"And not only so, but we glory also in tribulations, knowing that tribulation works patience, and patience trial, and trial hope; but hope does not confound, because the charity of God is poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." The very first phrase of this chapter contains something of ambiguity; for it does not have in what follows anything to which what he said, "and not only so," ought to be referred. Whence see whether we can in this way resolve the ambiguity of the expression. Since in the foregoing he has taught us that many things have been granted to us through our Lord Jesus Christ — as when he says that we have been justified by faith through our Lord Jesus Christ, and that through him we have access into this grace, and that through him also we glory in the hope of the glory of God — to all these things which have been said I think that "and not only so" ought to be referred: that is, not only the things which I said above, but this also, that we glory in our tribulations, we have through our Lord Jesus Christ. For while others are made sad in tribulation, we, strengthened by the power of his grace, glory in tribulations. For we have learned a new discipline from his instruction, that through tribulations we may receive the good of patience; and having the good of patience we may be judged approved; and, tried through the patience of many tribulations, we may have the hope of the future reward from God — which hope, because it is certain and true, does not confound those who hope. […]

Tribulations; that is, are so far from confuting these hopes, that they even prove them. For before the things to come are realized, there is a very great fruit which tribulation hath-patience; and the making of the man that is tried, experienced. And it contributes in some degree too to the things to come, for it gives hope a vigor within us, since there is nothing that so inclines a man to hope for blessings as a good conscience. Now no man that has lived an upright life is unconfiding about things to come, as of those who have been negligent there are many that, feeling the burden of a bad conscience, wish there were neither judgment nor retribution. What then? do our goods lie in hopes? Yes, in hopes-but not mere human hopes, which often slip away, and put him that hoped to shame; when some one, who was expected to patronize him, dies, or is altered though he lives. No such lot is ours: our hope is sure and unmoveable. For He Who hath made the promise ever liveth, and we that are to be the enjoyers of it, even should we die, shall rise again, and there is absolutely nothing which can put us to shame, as having been elated at random, and to no purpose, upon unsound hopes. Having then sufficiently cleared them of all doubtfulness by these words of his, he does not let his discourse pause at the time present, but urges again the time to come, knowing that there were men of weaker character, who looked too for present advantages, and were not satisfied with these mentioned. "Because the love of God is," he does not say "given, "but "shed abroad in our hearts," so showing the profusion of it. That gift then, which is the greatest possible, He hath given; not heaven and earth and sea, but what is more precious than any of these, and hath rendered us Angels from being men, yea sons of God, and brethren of Christ. But what is this gift? The Holy Spirit. […]

When our mind has been filled with all these intellectual lights, it is inhabited by the divine Wisdom as a house of God, having been made a daughter of God, a spouse and friend; having been made a member of Christ the Head, a sister …

But it is fitting that the seal of truth be impressed upon the soul, by which also the soul becomes "an enclosed garden, a fountain sealed." The first seal consists in its having the indissoluble bond of charity, which occurs when the soul loves in …

And such hope is not fruitless; it "does not put to shame" the one who hopes. Human hopes, when unfulfilled, put to shame those who hoped, but divine hopes are not of this kind. For the One who bestows good things is immortal and good, …

When therefore this twofold knowledge has gone before in us, knowledge that may perhaps have grown up afterward does not at all puff up, since it can bring nothing of earthly advantage or honor that is not indeed inferior to the hope conceived, and to …

Furthermore, this revelation which is made through the Holy Spirit, not only conveys the light of knowledge but also lights the fire of love, as St Paul again testifies: "The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has …

When the bride received the gift poured into her, they at once perceived the fragrance—they who could by no means be far from the mother; and filled with that sweetness they say: "The love of God has been poured forth in our hearts through the …

The law was indeed given through Moses, and there it was determined by a heavenly rule what was to be done and what was to be avoided, but what it commanded was completed only by the grace of Christ. On the one hand, that law …

Then when he says, and hope does not confound, he shows the firmness of such hope. First, he asserts it, saying, hope, namely, by which we hope for the glory of the sons of God, does not confound, i.e., does not fail, unless the man …

Hope shameth us not - That is, gives us the highest glorying. We glory in this our hope, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts - The divine conviction of God's love to us, and that love to God which is both the earnest and the beginning of heaven.

Justification and Its Effects. 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.

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And hope maketh not ashamed,....

THE Apostle sets before us a ladder like that which Jacob saw—the foot rests upon the earth, but the top ascends to Heaven. Tribulation is the foot, but we mount as we see that it works patience. And we climb again, for patience works experience. And we ascend yet once again, for experience sustains hope, and hope that makes not ashamed climbs up to the very heart of God—and the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us.

PENTECOST is repeated in the heart of every Believer. Let me give you a little bit of historical analogy to illustrate the text. The Lord's disciples were made to sorrow at His Cross. Sore was the tribulation which came upon them as they thought upon His death and His burial in Joseph's sepulcher. But after a little patience and experience, their hope revived, for their Lord rose from the dead and they beheld Him ascending into Heaven.

And hope maketh not ashamed--putteth not to shame, as empty hopes do. because the love of God--that is, not "our love to God," as the Romish and some Protestant expositors (following some of the Fathers) represent it; but clearly "God's love to us"--as most expositors agree. is shed abroad--literally, "poured forth," that is, copiously diffused (compare Joh 7:38;

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THE Apostle sets before us a ladder like that which Jacob saw—the foot rests upon the earth, but the top ascends to Heaven. Tribulation is the foot, but we mount as we see that it works patience. And we climb again, for patience works experience. And we ascend yet once again, for experience sustains hope, and hope that makes not ashamed climbs up to the very heart of God—and the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us. I might compare these verses to those songs of degrees which were sung by the people as they went up to the Temple—as they halted at each stage of the pilgrimage they sang a fresh Psalm—and so David said, "They go from strength to strength; every one of them in Zion appears before God." The pilgrim sets out from the dull and desolate vale of tribulation. He journeys on to patience, and lifts up his Psalm under the shadow of the rock. He removes his tent and journeys on to experience—beneath its wells and palm trees he refreshes himself. Soon he marches on again from experience to hope, and never stops till the love of God is shed abroad in his heart and he has reached the New Jerusalem where he worships the ever blessed God and drinks full draughts of His eternal love. In this text it seems to me as though our great Melchisedec, the Lord Jesus, came forth to refresh His warring and wayfaring people with bread and wine. You read of tribulations—these are the battles of the faithful—and in them they overcome even as Abraham overthrew the kings and made them as driven stubble before his bow. The Lord's warriors are often faint and weary in them, but the love of God is graciously shed abroad in their hearts—and this is that sacred bread and wine that refreshes the Lord's people in their time of hunger.

PENTECOST is repeated in the heart of every Believer. Let me give you a little bit of historical analogy to illustrate the text. The Lord's disciples were made to sorrow at His Cross. Sore was the tribulation which came upon them as they thought upon His death and His burial in Joseph's sepulcher. But after a little patience and experience, their hope revived, for their Lord rose from the dead and they beheld Him ascending into Heaven. Their hopes were bright concerning their Lord who had gone into Glory and had left them a promise to come again and to make them takers of His victory. After that hope had been begotten in them, they were, in due time, made partakers of the Holy Spirit, whose Divine influence was shed abroad upon them so that they were filled with His power. Then were they made bold. They were not ashamed of their hope, but proclaimed it by the preaching of Peter and the rest of them. The Holy Spirit had visited them and, therefore, they fearlessly proclaimed to the world the Lord Jesus, their hope of Glory. Truly, history repeats itself. The history of our Lord is the foreshadowing of the experience of all His people! That which happens to the First-Born befalls, in measure, to all the Brethren. We have before us in our text an admirable example. First comes our tribulation, our agony, our cross-bearing. Out of our patience and experience there arises, in due season, a blessed hope—we are quickened by our Lord's resurrection life and come forth from our sorrow! He raises us up from the grave of our woe. Then comes the Divine visitation of the Holy Spirit and we enjoy our Pentecost—"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us." I trust we know what this means and are now enjoying it.

As one reads the opening verses of this Chapter, one cannot help saying, "What marvelous treasures are those which belong to the people of God!" Hezekiah took the Babylonian ambassadors through all his varied treasure houses and herein he did evil—but if you can conduct your mind through the spiritual treasure houses and the minds of your friends in the same direction, you will do well. What is the wealth of God's people? Who can count it? It is wondrous and beyond conception!

As one reads the opening verses of this Chapter, one cannot help saying, "What marvelous treasures are those which belong to the people of God!" Hezekiah took the Babylonian ambassadors through all his varied treasure houses and herein he did evil—but if you can conduct your mind through the spiritual treasure houses and the minds of your friends in the same direction, you will do well. What is the wealth of God's people? Who can count it? It is wondrous and beyond conception! The Apostle seems to have taken up a whole handful of brilliants in the first verses of this Chapter and he now holds them up, one by one, and lets them glitter in the light, no not merely a handful plucked at random, but they seem to be striving together, for one follows on after the other! "Therefore" is the link which connects justification with "peace," and then there is a connection between this "peace" and "access," and from this "access" to God we go on to "rejoice in hope of the glory of God." And when we have got as far as this string of pearls, the Apostle adds, "And not only so," and then he holds up a cluster—and when he has spoken of them he adds that "tribulation works patience, and patience experience, and"—another, "and"—"experience hope," and then another, "and"—"and hope makes not ashamed." And then at the end of this string ofjewels he brings up the language of the text—"Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given unto us." I suppose the allusion in the text is to the pouring out of water—the love of God being to us like a spring shut up, a fountain sealed until the Holy Spirit comes—and then the love of God flows in, a pure and crystal stream being shed abroad in our hearts! But perhaps another figure may suit us as well tonight. The love of God is comparable to precious spikenard, but it is in the alabaster box.

And hope maketh not ashamed - A hope that is not rationally founded will have its expectation cut off; and then shame and confusion will be the portion of its possessor. But our hope is of a different kind; it is founded on the goodness and truth of God; and our religious experience shows us that we have not misapplied it; nor exercised it on wrong or improper objects. Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts - We have the most solid and convincing testimony of God’s love to us, by that measure of it which he has communicated to our hearts. There, εκκεχυται, it is poured out, and diffused abroad; filling, quickening, and invigorating all our powers and faculties. This love is the spring of all our actions; it is the motive of our obedience; the principle through which we love God, we love him because he first loved us; and we love him with a love worthy of himself, because it springs from him: it is his own; and every flame that rises from this pure and vigorous fire must be pleasing in his sight: it consumes what is unholy; refines every passion and appetite; sublimes the whole, and assimilates all to itself. And we know that this is the love of God; it differs widely from all that is earthly and sensual. The Holy Ghost comes with it; by his energy it is diffused and pervades every part; and by his light we discover what it is, and know the state of grace in which we stand. Thus we are furnished to every good word and work; have produced in us the mind that was in Christ; are enabled to obey the pure law of our God in its spiritual sense, by loving him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and our neighbor, any and every soul of man, as ourselves. This is, or ought to be, the common experience of every genuine believer; but, in addition to this, the primitive Christians had, sometimes, the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit. […]