discouraged. Think not every one assimilated to dogs or swine because he resists the truth for a season ; but give " line upon line, and precept upon precept," and " instruct in meekness them that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, by whom they have been led captive at his will."
And whilst you take upon you to admonish others, be willing to receive admonition also yourselves. It is not every religious professor that is so open to conviction as he ought to be', and that will receive reproof like David, esteeming it as " an excel- lent oil, that shall not break his head"". Watch over your own spirit, therefore, and exemplify in yourselves the conduct you require in others.]
1 Gal. iv. IT). I" Ps. cxli. 5.
Matt. vii. 7, 8. Ask, and it shall he given you ; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall he opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall he opened.
WE need not look for a connexion in every part of our Lord's Sermon on the Mount; because the account of it which we have in this Gospel is nothinpf more than an epitome, in which only the principal heads, together with some important sayings, are recorded. But, if we suppose the words of our text to arise from what has just preceded them, the con- nexion may easily be found. The commands, to abstain from all uncharitable judgment, and to ba intent rather on searching out and removing our own imperfections, and even when the faults of our neigh- bour are most glaring, to exercise much prudence and caution in reproving him ; these commands, I say, are difficult to be obeyed: and therefore our Lord encourages us by the consideration, that we may obtain by prayer whatever wisdom or strength we may stand in need of. The import of the text, however, will be the same, whether we take it as detached from the preceding context, or as connected