and the words in the original most naturally bear this sense1. This sense of them also exactly accords with our Lord's descrip- tion of the day of judgment8. Moreover, in this view the Apostle's argument is far stronger than on the other construc- tion of his words. Let it then operate as a strong incentive to mutual love ; for " with what measure we mete, it shall be measured to us again1.]
Infer —
1. How justly reprehensible are the generality of Christians !
[There is a proneness in all to receive and propagate reports ; but none are willing to have their own reputation blasted. Yet there are few who do not scatter defamation. Let us all be ashamed of and resist this sinful propensity ; let us watch against every temptation or desire to indulge it; let us regulate our conduct by the law of love ; let us study the Apostle's description of charity11; and let us attend to the exhortation of St. Johnx — .]
2. How worthy of acceptation is the Gospel of Christ !
[A sense of Christ's love to us produces love to him. When we love Christ aright, we shall love all his members y. This is the invariable effect wherever the Gospel prevails. The knowledge of our own sins will make us tender towards others. The forgiveness we have received will incline us to forgive others. The extent of Christ's love to us will be the ground of our love to our fellow-sinners2. Let the Gospel then bring forth this fruit in our hearts and lives ; we shall then experi- ence the truth of that Divine assertion a — . In the exercise of love is the foretaste of heaven itself.]
r KaXvipEi ufiapTiav means to cover sins from the sight of God, so that they shall not be noticed in the final judgment. See Ps. xxxii. 1, 2. and Neh. iv. 5. In Jam. v. 20, they will also bear that sense : and if we could divest ourselves of prejudice, we should more readily put that construction upon them in that passage ; since it is not the converting of souls merely, but the love exercised in seeking to con- vert them, that entails this blessing on us. If we put a different construction upon them, we make them a mere tautology : but in the sense here affixed to them, they afford a strong additional motive for exertion.
s Matt. xxv. 34 — 46. "Come, &c. For, &c." — "Depart, &c. For, &c."
1 Matt. vii. 2. u 1 Cor. xiii. 4 — 7. x 1 John iii. 18.
y 1 John. v. 1. z John xiii. 34. a Ps. cxxxiii. 1.