every Christian to remember his own heart first, and to look at home.
Of course our blessed Lord does not wish us to neg- lect the souls of others, or to take no interest in their condition. Such a state of mind would be nothing less than uncharitable selfishness, and would prove plainly that we had not the grace of God. The servant of Christ will have a wide, broad heart, like his Master, and will desire the present and eternal happiness of all around him. He will long arid labor to lessen the sor- rows, and to increase the joys, of every one within his reach, and, as he has opportunity, to do good to all men. But, in all his doing, the servant of Christ must never forget his own soul. Charity, and true religion, must both begin at home.
It is vain to deny that our Lord's solemn caution to His impetuous disciple is greatly needed in the present day. Such is the weakness of human nature, that even true Christians are continually liable to run into ex- tremes. Some are so entirely absorbed in their own in- ward experience, and their own heart's conflict, that they forget the world outside. Others are so busy about doing good to the world, that they neglect to cul- tivate their own souls. Both are wrong, and both need to see a more excellent way ; but none perhaps do so much harm to religion as those who are busy-bodies about others' salvation, and at the same time neglecters of their own. From such a snare as this may the ring- ing words of our Lord deliver us ! Whatever we do for others (and we never can do enough), let us not for- get our own inner man. Unhappily, the Bride, in Can- ticles, is not the only person who has cause to complain : "They made me keeper of the vineyards ; but my own vineyard I have not kept." (Cant. i. 6.)
We learn, lastly, from these verses, the number and