that he has to
bear all the reproaches of God which impatient and rebellious
Israelites might utter; and that is the picture of Christ bearing our
infirmities. (The reproaches which fell on Him were for the very
largeness of His love; 'because He received sinners,' and because He
received them on the Sabbaths as well as on other days. They were
reproaches of God, like Jonah's, because He was too forbearing, too
generous.)

Then St. Paul pauses a moment to justify his use of the Psalms. These
ancient scriptures did not fulfil their purpose in their own time, or
for the old covenant. God intended them for Christians. Their
teaching is what they need. The burdens of life are so many, its
requirements upon their patience so constant, that they find it hard to
maintain their hope. Yet what is the Old Testament so full of?
Lessons of endurance and words of encouragement. The encouragement and
endurance then, which they gain from {162} the Old Testament, are to
help them to maintain Christian hope. They must not lose heart. The
end is a great one: it is the maintenance of a united spirit in the
Church, such as Christ can approve, such as can express itself in a
really unanimous adoration of Him whom Christ recognized as His God and
Father. May the God who inspires endurance and encouragement, grant
them not to fail in this great end!

Here is the central requirement, then, which a catholic church lays on
them. It is to be unselfishly inclusive, to welcome into fellowship
people who are not naturally to their taste. Our Lord did not
scrutinize us men, but received us, of whatever sort we were, that God
might be glorified in human brotherhood. He vindicated the truth of
God by fulfilling the covenant of circumcision: first, to confirm the
promises given to the fathers of Israel[2]; and, secondly, to enlarge
the compass of Israel, so that the Gentiles too might share its
blessings, out of God's pure mercy apart from any promises. And this
also--the fellowship of Jew and Gentile--was matter of ancient
prediction by psalmist {163} and prophet. The Roman Christians must
not therefore let themselves be discouraged because they have a
difficult task to fulfil. And the apostle prays that God, the inspirer
of hope, may fill them with such a rich sense of the blessings of
believing in Him, that His Spirit, dwelling in them, may make hope to
abound in their hearts.

Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmit