weight, and the sin which most easily besets us, and so to live that men can find no fault in us, except concerning the law of our God. Let us watch jealously over our tempers and tongues, and the discharge of our social duties. Anything is better than doing harm to souk. The cross of Christ will always give offence. Let us not increase that offence by carelessness in our daily life. The natural man cannot be expected to love the Gospel. But let us not disgust him by inconsistency.
We are taught, for another thing, in these verses, the great importance of a forgiving spirit The Lord Jesiss says, " if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him : and if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, sajring, I repent, thou shalt forgive him."
There are few Christian duties which are so frequently and strongly dwelt upon in the New Testament as this of forgiving injuries. It fills a prominent place in the Lord's Prayer. The only profession we make in all that prayer, is that of forgiving " those who trespass against us." — It is a test of being forgiven ourselves. The man who cannot forgive his neighbour the few trifling offencee he may have committed against him, can know nothing experimentally of that free and full pardon which is offered us by Christ. (Matt, xviii. 35 ; Ephes. iv. 82.)— Not least, it is one leading mark of the indwdling of the Holy Ghost. The presence of the Spirit in the heart may always be known by the fruits He causes to be brought forth in the life. Those fruits are both active and passive. The man who has not learned to bear and forbear, to put up with much and look over
Hvea miserable and shewing their onmeetness for the kmgdom of God. An unforgiving and quarrelsome spirit is the surest mark of an unregenerate heart. What says the Scripture ? " Whereas there is among you eovying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk aa m6n ? " (1 Cor. iii. 3 ; I John iii. 18—20 ; IT. 20.)
Xjetoa leave the whole passage with jealous self-inquiry. Few pass^es oi^ht to humble Christiaos so much, and to make them feel so deeply their need of the blood of mioaGxnent and the mediation of Christ. How often we havo given oSence, and caosed others to stumble I How often 'we have allowed unkiad, and angry, and revengeful