conduct™. Nor would the exercise of forgiveness be so diffi- cult, if only we considered how much greater injury people do to themselves, than they can possibly do to us. Do what they will, they can never injure us, except in mere external things : our souls are beyond their reach : but, whilst they endeavour to injure us, they do the most irreparable injury to their own souls. Let us suppose for a moment, that a person, robbing us of a little worthless fruit, were to fall down, and break every bone of his body ; would not our pity for his misfortune swallow up all resentment for his fault ? So then it should be with us towards all who injure us : there is no comparison at all between the injury they do to us and to themselves; and there- fore we should be ready to exercise forgiveness towards them, and to implore forgiveness for them at God's hands.]
Learn then, from this subject,
L How rare a thing real Christianity is —
[^This is Christianity : all, without this, is an empty sound. Look then through the world, and see how little there is of it any where to be found : yea, let the saints themselves see how little of true Christianity they possess. This view of Christian duty may well fill every one of us with shame and confusion of face.]
2. How necessary a renewed spirit is, either to a right discernment of religion, or to the practice of it —
[The precepts of religion are no less foolishness to the na- tural man, than the doctrines. What heathen ever inculcated such lessons ? or what unconverted Christian ever thoroughly approved them in his heart. People fancy that they have power to do the will of God : but can they do these things ? As well may they attempt to turn the course of the sun, as so to turn the current of corrupt nature. We must have an understand- ing given us that we may know these things"; and strength, that we may do them".]
3. How ornamental true religion is to every one that possesses it —
[Who can see a person acting up to the spirit of these pre- cepts, and not admire him ? Who can help admiring this spirit in Christ and in his holy Apostles ? Surely, such are ^^beauti- fied with salvation," and God himself must admire them p.]
4. How happy the world would be, if vital Chris- tianity universally prevailed —
m Col. iii. 12, 13. Eph. iv. 31, 32. « 1 Cor. ii. 12.
o 2 Cor. iii. 5. Pi Pet. iii. 4.