170 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.

much, and forgive much, when He sees true grace in a man's heart. As a mother deals gently with her infont, and does not cast it away because of its little wayward- ness and frowardness, so does the Lord Jesus deal gently with His people. He loved and pitied them before con- version, and after conversion He loves and pities them still more. He knows their feebleness, and bears long with them. He would have us know that doubting does not prove that a man has no faith, but only that his faith is small. And even when our faith is small, the Lord is ready to help us. " When I said, my foot slip- peth, thy mercy, 0 Lord, held me up." (Psal. xciv. 18.) How much there is in all this to encourage men to serve Christ ! Where is the man that ought to he afraid to begin running the Christian race, with such a Saviour as Jesus ? If we fall. He will raise us again. If we err. He will bring us back. But His mercy shall never be altogether taken from us. He has said, " I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," and He will keep His word. May we only remember, that while we do not despise little faith, we must not sit down cgntent with it. Our prayer must ever be, " Lord, increase our faith."