The soul of man is naturally proud, irritable, vin- dictive b. An injurious act, or an insulting word, is sufficient to call forth all our angry passions, and, in many instances, creates within us a resentment, that can be pacified with nothing less than the blood of the delinquent. Behold David, when Nabal refused to administer to his wants ! This one act of churlish ingratitude must be expiated by the life of the of- fender, and not of the offender only, but of all the males belonging to him ; and David himself goes forth to execute the murderous sentence0. What an awful picture of human nature does this exhibit ! But the Gospel lays the axe to this " root of bitter- ness," and, by shewing us how much we have been forgiven, inclines us to exercise forgiveness. It teaches us to " turn the left cheek to him who has smitten us on the rightd :" and "in no wise to render evil for evil6." It enjoins us rather to love our ene- mies ; and, instead of retaliating their injuries, to relieve their wants f.
Without this disposition we are but ill prepared to surmount the obstacles which our subtle adversary will place in our way. The scorn and contempt that we shall meet with, will dismay us. Our feelings will be wounded every step we take : and we shall soon be weary of well-doing. In order to judge of the consequences that will ensue, if we be destitute of this part of Christian armour, let us only look at the most eminent saints, when, through haste and inadvertence, they had neglected to fasten on their greaves aright : Moses, the meekest of mankind, was inflamed with wrath ; and, by his angry, unad- vised words, provoked God to exclude him from the earthly Canaan g. Peter, when he beheld his Lord apprehended in the garden, began to fight after the manner of ungodly men ; and brought on himself that just rebuke ; " Put up thy sword ; for all who take the sword shall perish with the sword11." St. Paul
b Tit. iii. 3. c 1 Sam. xxv. 21, 22. * Matt. v. 39—41.
e Rom. xii. 17. f Rom. xii. 19, 20. and Matt. v. 44. e Numb. xx. 10 — 12. h Matt. xxvi. 51, 52.