Romans, But Not romanists

DELIVERED BY

C. H. SPURGEON, [PROBABLY NEAR FIRST OF YEAR, 1873]

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the Church
which is at Cenchrea: that you receive her in the Lord, as becomes
saints, and that you assist her in whatever business she has need of
you: for she has been a succorer of many, and of myself also. Greet
Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: who have for my life
laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also
all the Churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the Church that is in
their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits
of Achaia unto Christ. Greet Mary, who bestowed much labor on us.
Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who
are of note among the Apostles who also were in Christ before me. Greet
Amplias my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ,
and Stachys my beloved. Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them
which are of Aristobulus 'household. Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet
them that are of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.
Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute the beloved
Persis, which labored much in the Lord. Salute Rufus chosen in the
Lord, and his mother and mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas,
Patrobas, Hermes and the brethren which are with them. Salute
Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the
saints which are with them. Salute one another with an holy kiss. The
Churches of Christ salute you." Romans 16:1-16.

THIS chapter contains Paul's loving salutation to the various
Christians dwelling at Rome. Remember that it is an Inspired passage.
Although it consists of Christian courtesies addressed to different
individuals, yet it was written by an Apostle and written not as an
ordinary letter but as a part of the Inspired volume. Therefore there
must be valuable matter in it and though, when we read it, it may
appear to be uninstructive, there must be edifying matter beneath the
surface because all Scripture is given by Inspiration and is meant to
benefit us in one way or another. It shows to us one thing, at any
rate, that Paul was of a most affectionate disposition and that God did
not select as the Apostle of the Gentiles a man of a coarse, unfeeling,
selfish turn of mind. His memory, as well as his heart, must have been
in good condition to remember so large a number of names and these were
but a few of his many beloved Brethren and spiritual children all over
the world whom he mentions by name in his other Epistles.

His warm heart, I doubt not, quickened his memory and secured to his
remembrance the form, condition, history, character and name of each
one of his friends. He loved them too well to forget them! Christians
should love one another and should bear one another's names upon their
hearts, even as the great High Priest wears the names of all His saints
upon His jeweled breastplate. A Christian, because of the love he bears
to others, is ever anxious to please by courtesy and desires–never to
pain by rudeness. Grace makes the servant of God to be, in the highest
sense, a true gentleman. If we learn nothing more from this passage
than the duty of acting lovingly and courteously, one to the other, we
shall be all the better for it, for there is none too much tender
consideration and gentle speech among professors at this time.

I. Beyond this, our text is singularly full of instructive matter, as I
shall hope to show you. Without preface, let us notice, first, that
THIS PASSAGE REMARKABLY ILLUSTRATES THE VARIOUS RELATIONS OF FAMILIES
TO THE CHURCH. Note in the third verse that the Apostle says, "Greet
Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus." Here you have a
household in which both the father and the mother, or say, the husband
and the wife, were joined to the

Church of God. What a happy circumstance was this! Their influence upon
the rest of the household must have been very powerful, for when two
loving hearts pull together they accomplish wonders. What different
associations cluster around the names of "Priscilla and Aquila" from
those which are awakened by the words, "Ananias and Sapphira"!

There we have a husband and a wife conspiring in hypocrisy, and here a
wife and a husband united in sincere devotion. Thrice happy are those
who are not only joined in marriage, but are one in the Lord Jesus
Christ! Such marriages are made in Heaven. This couple appears to have
been advanced Christians, for they became instructors of others–and
not merely teachers of the ignorant, but teachers of those who already
knew much of the Gospel, for they instructed young Apollos–an eloquent
man and mighty in the Scriptures. They taught him the way of God more
perfectly and therefore we may be sure were deep-taught Christians
themselves.

We must usually look for our spiritual fathers and nursing mothers in
those households where husband and wife are walking in the fear of God.
They are mutually helpful and therefore grow in Grace beyond others. I
do not know why Paul, in this case, wrote, "Priscilla and Aquila," thus
placing the wife first, for in Acts we read of them as, "Aquila and
Priscilla." I should not wonder but he put them in order according to
quality rather than according to the rule of sex. He named Priscilla,
first, because she was first in energy of character and attainments in
Divine Grace. There is a precedence which, in Christ, is due to the
woman when she becomes the leader in devotion and manifests the
stronger mind in the things of God. It is well when Nature and Grace
both authorize our saying, "Aquila and Priscilla," but it is not amiss
when Grace outruns Nature and we hear of, "Priscilla and Aquila."

Whether the wife is first or second matters little if both are truly
the servants of God! Dear Husband, is your wife unconverted? Never fail
to pray for her! Good Sister, have you not yet seen the partner of your
joys brought in to be a partaker in Grace? Never bow your knee for
yourself without mentioning that beloved name before the Throne of
Mercy. Pray unceasingly that your life companions may be converted to
God.

Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers and were thus of the same trade
with the Apostle, who for this reason lodged with them at Corinth. They
had lived in Rome at one time, but had been obliged to leave owing to a
decree of Claudius which banished the Jews from the imperial city. When
that decree was no longer carried out they seem to have gone back to
Rome, which from the vast awnings used in the great public buildings,
must have afforded a fine sphere for the tent-makers' craft. It is very
likely that their occupation of tent making necessitated their having a
large room in which to carry on their work, and therefore they allowed
the Christians to meet in it. Paul spoke of the Church that was in
their house. It is a great privilege when a Christian family can
accommodate the Church of God. It is well when they judge that the
parlor will be honored by being used for a Prayer Meeting and consider
that the best room in the house is none too good for the servants of
God to meet in. Such a dwelling becomes like the house of Obededom,
where the ark of God tarried and left a permanent blessing behind.

To pass on. In the seventh verse you have another family. "Salute
Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of
note among the Apostles who also were in Christ before me." Now, if I
understand this passage right, we have here a case of two men, perhaps
they are both male names, Andronicus and Junia, or else a husband and
wife or a brother and sister–Andronicus and Junia–but at any rate
they represent part of a household, and part of a very remarkable
household, too, for they were kinsmen of Paul and they were converted
to God before Paul was, which interesting fact slips out quite
incidentally.

I have wondered in my own mind whether the conversion of his relatives
helped to irritate Paul into his murderous fury against the Church of
Christ–whether when he saw Andronicus and Junia, his relatives,
converted to what he thought to be the superstition of
Nazareth–whether that excited in him the desperate animosity which he
displayed towards the Lord Jesus Christ. I may leave that as a matter
of question, but I feel certain that the prayers of his two relations
followed the young persecutor and that if you were to look deep into
the reason for the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, on his way to
Damascus, you would find it at the Mercy Seat in the prayers of
Andronicus and Junia, his kinsmen, who were in Christ before him.

This should act as a great encouragement for all of you who desire the
salvation of your households. Perhaps you have a relative who is very
much opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that very reason pray
the more importunately for him! There is none the less hope for him
because of his zealous opposition–the man is evidently in a thoughtful
condition–and the Grace of God is able to turn his ignorant zeal to
good account when his heart has been

enlightened and renewed. There is something to be made out of a man who
has enough in him to be opposed to the Gospel–a good sword will make a
good plowshare! Out of persecutors God can make Apostles.

Nowadays the world swarms with milksops of men who neither believe in
the Gospel nor thoroughly disbelieve it. They are neither for nor
against, neither true to God nor the devil. Such men of straw will
never be worth their salt even if they should become converted. An
out-and-out honest hater of the Gospel is the man who with one touch of
Divine Grace may be made into an equally sincere lover of the Truth of
God which once he despised! Pray on, pray hard, pray believingly for
your relatives and you may live to see them occupy the pulpit and
preach the faith which now they strive to overturn! It is a happy and
hopeful token for good to a family when a part of the household is
joined to the Church of

God.

Passing on again, we meet with a third family in relation to the
Church, but in this case the master of the house was not a Christian–I
suppose not, from the 10th verse, "Salute them which are of
Aristobulus' household." Not, "Salute Aristobulus," no, but they that
are of his household. Why leave Aristobulus out? It is just possible
that he was dead, but far more likely that he was unsaved. He was left
out of the Apostle's salutation because he had left himself out. He was
no Believer and therefore there could be no Christian salutation sent
to him. Alas for him, the kingdom of God was near to him, yes, in his
house, and yet he was unblessed by it! Am I not speaking to a man in
this condition? Where are you, Aristobulus? That is not your name,
perhaps, but your character is the same as that of this unregenerate
Roman whose family knew the Lord. I might speak in God's name good
words and comfortable words to your wife and to your children, but I
cannot so speak to you, Aristobulus!

The Lord sends a message of Grace to your dear child, to your beloved
wife, but not to you–for you have not given your heart to Him. I will
pray for you and I am happy to know that those of your household who
love the Lord are interceding for you both day and night. It is a
hopeful connection that you have with the Church, though, perhaps, you
do not care much about it. Yet be sure of this–the kingdom of God has
come near unto you! This fact will involve dreadful responsibility if
it does not lead to your salvation, for, if like Capernaum, you are
exalted to Heaven by your privileges, it will be all the more dreadful
to be thrust down to Hell.

It is a sad thing in a family when one is taken and another left. Oh,
think how wretched will be your condition if you continue in unbelief,
for when your child is in Heaven and your wife is in Heaven, and you
see your mother who is there, already–and you, yourself, are cast far
off into Hell–you will remember that you were called but refused, were
bid, but would not come! You shut your eyes to the light and would not
see! You rejected Christ and perished willfully, a suicide to your own
soul.

Another instance of this, and I think a worse one, is to be seen
further on in our text where the Apostle speaks of the "household of
Narcissus" in the 11th verse–"Greet them that are of the household of
Narcissus, which are in the Lord." Now I fancy that Narcissus was the
master of the house and that the converts in the house were his
servants or his slaves. There was a Narcissus in the days of Nero who
was put to death by Nero's successor. He was Nero's favorite and when I
have said that, you may conclude that he was a man of no very
commendable character. It is said of him that he was extremely rich and
that he was as bad as he was rich. Yet while the halls of the house of
Narcissus echoed to blasphemous songs and while luxurious gluttony
mingled with unbridled licentiousness and made his mansion a very Hell,
there was a saving salt in the servants' hall and the slaves'
dormitory!

Perhaps under the stairs, in the little place where the slave crept in
to sleep, prayer was made unto the living God. And when the master
little dreamed of it, the servants about his house sang hymns in praise
of one Jesus Christ, the anointed Savior, whom they adored as the Son
of God. Wonderful are the ways of electing love which passes by the
rich and great to have respect unto the man of low degree! It may be
there is some bad master within reach of my voice. He is, himself,
utterly irreligious, but yet in his house there are those who wait upon
the Lord in prayer. He who blacks your shoes may be one of the beloved
of the Lord, while you who wear them may be without God and without
hope in the world. The little maid in your house fears the Lord, though
you are forgetful of His praises. An angel received unawares waits upon
you at table.

There was a good man some years ago who used to sit up for a certain
king of ours of wretched memory–let his name rot! This king was called
a gentleman, but other titles might better describe him. While his
master would be rioting, this man was communing with God and reading
Boston's, "Crook in the Lot," or some such blessed book, to

while away the weary hours. There are still at this day in the halls of
the great and wicked, and in the abodes of transgressors of all
classes, God's hidden ones who are the salt of the earth. They cry unto
God day and night against the iniquity of their masters. There shall be
an inquisition concerning all this–the godly shall not always be
forgotten–the golden nuggets shall not always lie hidden in the dust.
Think, O Masters, how will it fare with you when your humblest menials
shall be crowned with glory and you, yourselves, shall be driven into
the blackness of darkness forever! Seek you, also, the Lord, you great
ones, and He will be found of you.

We cannot afford to stay with Narcissus. Let us turn to the 12th verse.
Here we have another instance of a family in connection with Christ's
people. "Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord." I
suppose two sisters, the names sound like it. Where were their
brothers? Where was their father? Where was their mother? "Tryphena and
Tryphosa." How often have I seen them in the Church–two humble,
earnest, faithful women–the lone ones of the family and all the rest
far off from God! O Brother, let not your sister go to Heaven alone!
Father, if your daughters are children of God, do not, yourself, remain
His enemy! Let the examples of your godly children help you, O Parents,
to be yourselves decided for the Redeemer! Hail to you, you gracious
women who keep each other company on the road to Heaven! The Lord make
you a comfort to one another! May you shine both here and hereafter
like twin stars shedding a gentle radiance of holiness on all around.
There is work for you in your heavenly Father's House and though you
may not be called to public preaching, yet, in spheres appropriate, you
may with much acceptance, "labor in the Lord."

Further down, in the 15th verse, we have a brother and his sister,
"Nereus, and his sister." It is pleasant to see the stronger and weaker
sex thus associated. "They grew in beauty side by side" in the field of
nature, and now they bloom together in the garden of Divine Grace. It
is a sweet relationship, that of a godly brother and sister–they are
as the rose and the lily in the same bouquet–but had they no other
relatives? Were there no others remaining of their kindred? Had they no
trouble in spirit concerning others dear to them? Depend upon it, they
often prayed together and sighed because their relatives were not in
Christ, for concerning all the rest of the family the record is blank.
God hear your prayers, my dear Friends, when you, like Nereus and his
sister, unite in brotherly prayer and sisterly intercession.

One other very beautiful instance of a family connection with the
Church is in the 13th verse. "Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his
mother and mine." Now, this is a case of a mother and her son. I would
not wish to say anything that is far-fetched, but I think there is no
vain conjecture in supposing that this good woman was the wife of Simon
the Cyrenian, who carried the Cross of Christ. You will remember he is
said by Mark to be the father of Alexander and Rufus, two persons who
evidently were well-known in the Church of God at that time. And here
we have familiar mention of Rufus and his mother. Whether she was the
wife of Simeon, or not, she seems to have been a kind, good, lovable
soul–one of those dear matrons who are at once an ornament and a
comfort to the Christian Church. And such an excellent woman was she
that Paul, when he calls her the mother of Rufus adds, "and mine"–she
had been like a mother to him.

I do not wonder that such choice mothers have choice sons–"chosen in
the Lord." If those whom we deeply love carry their religion about with
them set in a frame of affectionate cheerfulness, it is hard to resist
the charms of their lovely piety. When a godly woman is a tender
mother, it is no wonder if her sons, Rufus and Alexander, become
believers in Jesus Christ, too, for their mother's love and example
draw them towards Jesus. There is a legend connected with Rufus and
Alexander. I have never read it, but I have seen it set forth in
glowing colors by an artist in a cathedral in Belgium. I saw a series
of paintings which represented Christ bearing His Cross through the
streets of Jerusalem. Among the crowd the artist has placed a
countryman looking on and carrying with him his pick and spade, as if
he had just come into the town from laboring in the fields.

In the next picture this countryman is evidently moved to tears by
seeing the cruelties practiced upon the Redeemer and he shows his
sympathy so plainly that the cruel persecutors of our Lord who are
watching the spectators, observe it, and gather angrily around him. The
countryman's two boys are there, too–Alexander and Rufus. Rufus is the
boy with the red head. He is ardent and sanguine, bold and outspoken,
and you can see that one of the rough men has just been cuffing him
about the head for showing sympathy with the poor Cross-bearing Savior.
The next picture represents the father taken and compelled to bear the
Cross, while Alexander holds his father's pick, and Rufus is carrying
his father's spade–and they are going along close by the Lord Jesus,
pitying Him greatly. If they cannot bear the Cross, they will at least
help their father by carrying his tools.

Of course it is but a legend. But who marvels if Alexander and Rufus
saw their father carry Christ's Cross so well that they, too, should
afterwards count it their glory to be followers of the Crucified One?
And that Paul should say, when he wrote down the name of Rufus, that he
was a choice man, for so we may translate the passage, "Chosen in the
Lord," or, "The choice one of the Lord"? He was a distinguished
Christian with great depth of Christian experience and in all respects
a fit descendant of a remarkable father and mother.

Thus have we observed the different ways in which families come in
contact with Christ. And I pray God that every family here may make up
a part of the whole family in Heaven and earth which is named by the
name of Jesus. May all your sons and your daughters, your brothers and
your sisters, your servants and kinsfolk, but chiefly yourselves, take
up the Cross of Jesus and be saved in the Lord with an everlasting
salvation!

II. The interesting passage before us shows WHAT ARE POINTS OF INTEREST
AMONG CHRISTIANS. Now,

among worldly people points of interest are very many and
characteristic. In any worldly community one very important point of
interest is how much is a man worth. That is an important point with
Christians, too, in the right sense, but the worldly man means by that,
"How much money has the man scraped into his till?" He may have gained
his riches in the worst way in the world, but nobody takes account of
that–the one all-important question among Mammonites is– "What is his
balance at the bankers?"

Now Paul does not, in his salutation, make a single reference to anyone
on account of his wealth or poverty. He does not say, "To Philologus,
our brother, who has 10,000 pounds a year, and Julia, our sister, who
keeps a carriage and pair"–nothing of the sort! He makes no account of
position or property, except so far as those may be implied in the
service which each person rendered to the cause of God. Neither is
there any allusion made to their holding important offices under
government, or being what is called exceedingly respectable people or
persons of good family. The points of interest with Paul, as a
Christian, were very different from those.

The first matter of which he made honorable mention was their service
for the Church. Phebe, in the first verse, is, "a servant of the
Church, which is at Cenchrea. She has been a succorer of many, and of
myself also." It is a distinction and honor among Christians to be
allowed to serve. The most menial employment for the Church of God is
the most honorable. Every man who seeks honor after God's fashion seeks
it by being abased, by undertaking that ministry which will involve the
most self-denial and will secure the greatest reproach. Foremost in the
ranks of the Divine peerage are the martyrs, because they were the most
despised. They suffered most and they have the most of honor. So Phebe
shall have her name inscribed in this golden book of Christ's nobility
because she is the servant of the Church and because, in being such,
she succored the poor and needy.

I doubt not she was a nurse among the poorer Christians, or as some
call them, a deaconess, for, in olden times, it was so, that the elder
women who had need were maintained by the Church. And they, in return,
occupied themselves with the nursing of sick Believers. And it were
well if such were the case, again, and if the old office could be
revived. Another special point for remark among Christians is their
labor. Kindly refer to your Bibles and read the sixth verse: "Greet
Mary, who bestowed much labor on us." This is the sixth Mary mentioned
in the Bible. She appears to have been one who laid herself out to help
the minister. "She bestowed much labor on us," says the Apostle, or,
"on me"–she was one of those useful women who took personal care of
the preacher because she believed the life of God's servant to be
precious–and that he should be cared for in his many labors and
perils.

What she did for Paul and his fellow laborers we are not told, but it
was something which cost her effort, amounting to "much labor." She
loved much and therefore toiled much. She was "always abounding in the
work of the Lord." Sister Mary, imitate your namesake! Then follow the
two good women, Tryphena and Tryphosa, of whom it is said, "who labor
in the Lord," and Persis, of whom it is written she "labored much in
the Lord." I do not suppose Tryphena and Tryphosa were angry because
the Apostle made this distinction, but it is certainly a very plain and
explicit one–the first two "labored"–but Persis "labored much." So
there are distinctions and degrees in honor among Believers and these
are graduated by the scale of service done!

It is an honor to labor for Christ, it is a still greater honor to
labor much. If then, any, in joining the Christian Church, desire place
or position, honor or respect, the way to it is this–labor, and labor
much! Persis had probably been a slave and was of a strange race from
the far-off land of Persia. But she was so excellent in disposition
that she is called, "the beloved Persis," and for her indefatigable
industry she receives signal mention. Among Believers the rewards

of affectionate respect are distributed according to the self-denying
service which is rendered to Christ and to His cause. May all of us be
helped to labor much, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

At the same time, another point of interest is character, for as I have
already said, Rufus in the 13th verse is said to be "chosen in the
Lord," which cannot allude to his election since all the rest were
chosen, too, but must mean that he was a choice man in the Lord, a man
of peculiarly sweet spirit, a devout man, a man who walked with God, a
man well instructed in the things of God–and a man whose practice was
equal to his knowledge. "Salute" him, says the Apostle. He who would be
noted in the Church of God must have real character–there must be
holiness unto the Lord, there must be faith–a man must have it said of
him, "he is full of faith and of the Holy Spirit." This shall get him
commemoration, but nothing else will do it.

Apelles is described as "approved in Christ," a tried, proved and
experienced Believer. Christians value those who have been tested and
found faithful. Tried saints are had in honor among us. Character, you
see, is the one noteworthy point in the society of the Church and
nothing else. Yes, there is one thing else. I find one person here
noted in the Church as a person around whom great interest centered,
because of the time of his conversion. It is in the fifth verse.
"Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia
unto Christ." You know what that means. When Paul began to preach in
Achaia, Epaenetus was one of his first converts, and while every
minister feels a peculiar attachment to all his converts, he has the
most tender memory of the first ones. What parent does not prize, above
all others, his first child?

I can speak from experience. I remember well the first woman who
professed to be brought to Christ when I began to preach the Gospel. I
have the house in my mind's eye at this moment. And though I cannot say
that it was a picturesque cottage, yet it will always interest me.
Great was the joy I felt when I heard that peasant's story of
repentance and of faith! She died and went to Heaven a short time after
her conversion, being taken away by consumption, but the remembrance of
her gave me more comfort than I have ordinarily received by the
recollection of 20 or even a hundred converts since then. She was a
precious seal set upon my ministry to begin and to encourage my infant
faith.

Some of you were the first fruits of my ministry in London, in Park
Street, and very precious people you are. How gladly would I see some
of you in this Tabernacle become the first fruits of this present
year–there would be something very interesting about you–for it would
encourage us all through the year. If you are brought to seek the Lord
just now, I shall always view you with love and think of you as I read
this chapter so full of names. I shall be as thankful for those born to
God tonight as for those regenerated at any other time, for my heart is
earnestly going out after you.

So I have shown you that there are points of interest about individual
persons in the Church of God and what they

are.

III. But as time has fled, though I have much to say, I must close with
the third point, which is this. This long passage REVEALS THE GENERAL
LOVE WHICH EXISTS (must I say which ought to exist?) IN THE CHURCH OF
GOD. For, first, the whole passage shows the love of the Apostle
towards the saints and Brethren at Rome. He would not have taken the
trouble to write all this to them if he had not really loved them. And
it shows that there were Christians in those days who were full of love
for each other. Their salutation, the holy kiss, marked their fervor of
love, for they were by no means a people given to use outward signs
unless they had something to express thereby.

O that Christian love reigned among all Christians now to a greater
extent! "Ah!" says one, "there is very little of it." I know you, my
Friend, very well, indeed. You are the man who is forever grumbling at
others for lack of love, when the truth is that you are destitute of it
yourself! I always find that those who say there is no love among
Christians, judge by what they see at home in their own hearts–for
those who love Christians believe that Christians also love one
another. You shall find the man of a loving heart, though he will say,
"I wish there were more love," will never be the man to say that there
is none. Brothers and Sisters, it is a lie that there is no love among
Christians! We love each other, still, and we will show it, by the
Grace of God, even more if the Spirit of God shall help us!

Note according to this passage the early Christians were accustomed to
show their love to one another by practical help. In the second verse
Paul says of Phebe, "Receive her in the Lord, as becomes saints, and
assist her in whatever business she has need of you, for she has been a
succorer of many, and of myself also." I do not think that the Apostle
alluded to any Church business, but to her own business, whatever that
may have been. She may have had moneys to gather in, or some complaint
to make at headquarters of an exacting tax-gatherer. I do not know what
it was and it is

quite as well that Paul did not tell us. It is no part of an Apostle's
commission to tell us other people's business. But whatever business it
was, if any Christian in Rome could help her he was to do so.

And so if we can help our Christian Brethren in any way or shape, as
much as lies in us we are to endeavor to do it. Our love must not lie
in words alone or it will be unsubstantial as the air. Mark you, you
are not called upon to become sureties for your Brethren, or to put
your name on the back of bills for them–do that for nobody, for you
have an express word in Scripture against it–"He that hates suretyship
is sure," says Solomon, and, "he that is a surety shall smart for it."
I could wish that some Brethren had been wise enough to have remembered
the teaching of Scripture upon that point, for it might have saved them
a sea of troubles.

But for your fellow Christians do anything that is lawful for you to
do. Do it for one another out of love to your common Lord, bearing one
another's burdens and so fulfilling the Law of Christ. We are bound to
show our love to each other even when it involves great sacrifices. In
the fourth verse the Apostle says of Priscilla and Aquila that for his
life "they laid down their own necks." They went into great peril to
save the Apostle. Such love still exists in our Churches. This is
denied, but I know it is so. I know Christians who could say honestly
that if their minister's life could be spared they would be willing to
die in his place. It has been said by some here and I have heard it,
and have felt that they who said it meant what they said. I know the
prayer has gone up from some lips here that they might sooner die than
I should. When your pastor has been in danger, many of you have
lovingly declared that if your life could stand for his life it should
be freely rendered before God. Christians still love each other and
they still make sacrifices for one another. I speak this to the honor
of many of you, that your love to your pastor has not been in word
only, but in deed and in truth, and for this may the Lord reward you.

Christian love in those days had an intense respect for those who had
suffered for Christ. Read the seventh verse. Paul says that Andronicus
and Junia were his fellow prisoners and he speaks of them with special
unction because of that. No one was thought more of among the early
Christians than the prisoner for Christ, the martyr, or the almost
martyr. Why there was even too much made of such sufferers, so that
while Christians were in prison, expecting to be martyred, they
received attentions which showed almost too great a reverence for their
persons. Now, Brethren, whenever any man in these times is laughed at
for fully following Christ, or ridiculed for bearing an honest
testimony for the Truth of God, do not be ashamed of him and turn your
backs upon him. Such a man may not expect you to give him double honor,
but he may claim that you shall stand shoulder to shoulder with him and
not be ashamed of the reproach which he is called to bear for Christ
his Lord.

So was it with the Church in the olden times–the men who went first in
suffering were also first in their love and esteem. They never failed
to admit that they were Brothers in Christ to the man who was doomed to
die. On the contrary, the Christians of the Apostolic times used to do
what our Protestant forefathers did in England. The young Christian
people of the Church, when there was a martyr to be put to death, would
go and stand with tears in their eyes to see him die–and why, do you
think? To learn the way! One of them said, when his father asked him
why he stole out to see his pastor burned, "Father, I did it that I
might learn the way." And he did learn it so well that when his turn
came he burned as well, and triumphed in God as gloriously as his
minister had done!

Learn the way, young man, to bear reproach! Look at those who have been
lampooned and satirized, and say, "Well, I will learn how to take my
turn when my turn comes, but as God helps me I will speak for the Truth
faithfully and boldly." Again, that love always honored workers. For
Paul says, "Mary, who bestowed much labor on us." And he speaks of the
laborers over and over again with intense affection. We ought to love
much those who do much for Christ, whether they are Christian men or
women. Alas, I know some, who, if anybody does a little more than
another, straightway begin to pick holes in his coat. "Mr. So-and-So is
very earnest, but, ah, yes! And Mrs. So-and-So, yes–God blesses her,
but, but, yes." For lack of anything definite to say, they shrug their
shoulders and insinuate. This is the reverse of the spirit of Paul, for
he recognized holy industry and praised it.

Dear friend, do not become fault-finders–it is as bad a trade as a
pickpockets. Till you can do better, hold your tongue! Did you ever
know a man or woman whom God blessed that was perfect? If God were to
work by perfect instruments, the instruments would earn a part of the
Glory. Take it for granted that we are all imperfect–but when you have
taken that for granted–love those who serve God well and never allow
anybody to speak against them in your

hearing. Silence cavilers at once by saying, "God honors them. And whom
God honors, I dare not despise!" We cannot be wrong in putting our
honor where God is pleased to place His.

Still, Christian love in Paul's days–though it loved all the
saints–had its specialties. Read down the chapter and you will find
Paul saying, "my well-beloved Epaenetus." "Amplias my beloved in the
Lord." "Stachys my beloved." And "Urbane our helper in Christ." All
these were persons whom he especially esteemed. There were some whom he
liked better than others and you must not blame yourself if you judge
some Christians to be better than others–and if you therefore love
them better–for even the Lord, Himself, had a disciple whom He loved
more than the rest. I desire to love all the Lord's people, but there
are some of them whom I can love best while I know the least about them
and feel the most comfort in them when I have not seen them for a month
or so. There are Christian people whom you could live with in Heaven
comfortably enough, but it is a severe trial to bear with them on
earth, although you feel that they are good people–and since God puts
up with them–so ought you. Since there are such peculiar people, do
not be always getting in their way to irritate them–leave them alone
and seek peace by keeping out of their way. Brothers and Sisters, let
us love one another! By all means let us love one another, for love is
of God. But let us all try to be loveable, so as to make this duty as
easy as possible for our Brethren.

Once more, love among Christians in those early days was known to
respect seniority in spiritual life, for Paul speaks of some who were
in Christ before himself. Among us I hope there always will be profound
esteem for those who have been longest in Christ, for those who have
stood the test of years, for our aged members, the elders and the
matrons among us. Reverence to old age is but a natural duty, but
reverence to advanced Christians is a privilege as well. Let it always
be so among us. And the last word is this–love to all Christians
should make us remember even the most obscure and mean members of the
Church. When the Apostle Paul wrote, "Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon,
Hermas," why, many of us say, "Whoever were these good people?"

And when he goes on to mention, "Patrobas, Hermes," we ask, "And who
were they? What did these men attempt or perform? Is that all?
Philologus, who was he? And who was Olympas? We know next to nothing
about those good people." They were like the most of us, commonplace
individuals–and they loved the Lord–and therefore, as Paul remembered
their names he sent them a message of love which has become embalmed in
the Holy Scriptures! Do not let us think of the distinguished
Christians exclusively so as to forget the rank and file of the Lord's
army. Do not let the eyes rest exclusively upon the front rank, but let
us love all whom Christ loves! Let us value all Christ's servants. It
is better to be God's dog than to be the devil's darling. It were
better to be the meanest Christian than to be the greatest sinner. If
Christ is in them and they are in Christ, and you are a Christian, let
your heart go out towards them.

And now, finally, may Divine Grace, mercy and peace be with all them
that love our Lord Jesus Christ. And may we labor to promote unity and
love among His people. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under our
feet shortly. May we, therefore, in patience possess our souls. O that
those who are not yet numbered among the people of the Lord may be
brought in through faith in Jesus Christ to His Glory! Amen.

PORTION OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SERMON–Romans 16.
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Onward!