injury. His kindness may sometimes tempt men to impose on him. His patience and forbearance may be abused. But at the last he will always be found a gainer^^-often, yery often, a gainer in this life : certainly, most certainly, a gainer in the life to come.
Such is the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ about charity. Few of His sayings are so deeply heart-search- ing as those we have now been considering. Few passages in the Bible are so truly humbling as these eleven verses.
How little of the style of charity which our Lord recommends is to be seen, either in the world or in the Church! How common is an angry, passionate spirit, a morbid sensitiveness about what is called honour, and a readiness to quarrel on the leeist occasion I How seldom we see men and women who love their enemies, and do good hoping for nothing again, and bless those that curse them, and are kind to the imthankfiil and evil ! Truly we are reminded here of our Lord's words, " Nar- row is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matt. vii. 13.)
How happy the world would be, if Christ's precepts were strictly obeyed ! The chief causes of half the sor- rows of mankind are selfishness, strife, unkindness, and want of charity. Never was there a greater mistake than to suppose that vital Christianity interferes with human happiness. It is not having too much religion, but too little, that makes people gloomy, wretched, and miserable. Wherever Christ is best known and obeyed, there will always be found most real joy and peace.
Would we know anything by experience of this blessed grace of charity P Then let us seek to be joined to
i