simply asks the touching question, " Why are ye so fear- ful ? How is it that ye have no faith ?,"
Let us mark well this lesson. The Lord Jesus is very pitiful and of tender mercy. " As a father pitieth his children, even so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." (Psalm ciii. 13.) He does not deal with be- lievers according to their sins, nor reward them accord- ing to their iniquities. He sees their weakness. He is aware of their short-comings. He knows all the defects of their faith, and hope, and love, and courage. And yet He will not cast them off. He bears with them continually. He loves them even to the end. He raises them when they fall. He restores them when they err. His patience, like His love, is a patience that passeth knowledge. When He sees a heart right, it is His glory to pass over many a short-coming.
Let us leave these verses with the comfortable recol- lection that Jesus is not changed. His heart is still the same that it was when He crossed the sea of Galilee and stilled the storm. High in heaven at the right hand of God, Jesus is still sympathizing — still almighty — still pitiful and patient towards His people. — Let us be more charitable and patient towards our brethren in the faith. They may err in many things, but if Jesus has received them and can bear with them, surely we may bear with them too. — Let us be more hopeful about ourselves. We may be very weak, and frail, and unstable ; but if we can truly say that we do come to Christ and believe on Him, we may take comfort. The question for con- science to answer is not, " Are we like the angels ? are we perfect as we shall be in heaven ? The question is,