Ver. 12.-The cloak of charity. One of the devices of the parallelism or rhythm of ideas, which is the general characteristic of Hebrew poetry, is the alternative treatment of the same thought from two opposite points of view-from positive and negative poles. '.l.'he value of some good thing is emphasized by contrasting it with the repulsive nature of its contrary, e.s Venetian ladies tried to appear the more fair by having negro pages to attend them. Thus the beautiful work of love, in covering all sins, is here made most attractive by being brought out on the dark background of the ugly doings of hatred. It may be profitable, therefore, for us to glauce at the more painful subject first. I. TnE DARK BACKGROUND. "Hatred stirreth up strifes." 1. Where there is hatred, strifes will be stirred itp. This hideous passion is active, powerful, aud contagious. It is not content to consume itself in hidden fires; it will blaze out and spread its mis- chief abroad. (1) "Hatred stirreth up strifes" because it starts new quarrels; it is irritating, provoking. An incendiary will always find plenty of fuel. When the spark is struck the tinder is ready to receive it. It is not in human nature to submit tamely to insult. Though it takes two to make a quarrel, when one man shows himself offensively quarrelsome he will not be long in finding an antagonist. (2) Then "hatred stirreth up strifes" because it aggravates old quarrels. It pokes the fire. It freshens the smouldering embers.and shakes them up so that they break out iuto e. blaze again. It is the great mischief-maker, and where it finds a little rift it sets diligeutly to work to widen this into a great chasm. 2. Where strifes are stirred up hatred is behind them. The strifes are a sign of the presence of hatred. True, a benevolent man may be dragged into a quarrel; but he will not provoke it himself, and he will not maiutai.n it a moment louger than righteousness requires. A quarrelsome disposition is at bottom grounded on hatred. For if we loved one another, how could wo desire to be at variance? Tale-bearing, reporting words that one knows will ouly rouse ill foeliug between two people, presenting things in their worst light so as to suggest offensive thoughts, exaggerating the unkindness of a person by imputing bad motives,-nll such conduct is inconsistent with Christian charity; it is just the behaviour of the old serpent, who brought discord into Eden, and was "a murderer from the beginuing." II. THE BRIGHT PICTURE. " But love coveretb. all sins." This does not refer to one's own sins-to the fact that one who loves much is forgivon much (Luke vii. 47). It is the sins of others that love covers. 1. Love couereth all sins agafost one's self. "Love suffereth long, and is kind" (1 Cor. xiii. 4). 'rhe Christian must forgive his euemies because he is taught to love them. All forgiveness springs from love. God pardons us for nothing that we do, but for the sake of bis love in Jesus Christ. But our Lord has told us plainly that unless we forgive men their trespasses against us neither will our heavenly Father forgive us our trespasses. This is therefore no question of counsels of perfection, but one of the first elements of the Christian life. If we cherish a vindictive spirit against e.ny one, we are ourselves still unforgiven by God, still dead in trespasses and sins. If we do not prove our love by forgiving men, we do not possess it, and without love to our brethren wo can have no love to God. Therefore so long as we obstinately refuse forgiveness to any one who has wrouged us, 204 'fBE PHOVERBS. [on. ::r. 1-32,
our Christianity is nothing but hypocrisy; it is a lie. 2. Love covel'eth all sins in others generally, i.e. it leads us not to note them, not to report them not to a<To-ravato the guilt of them, not to make mischief by tale-bearing. Further, it is not c~~1tc11t to be ~egati,ely oblivious of sin. _ It mu~t be active in throwing the cloak of charity upon 1t. Of course, we must be Just and truthful. But these obligations leave us free in most ca~es to labour to prevent mischief by a charitable behaviour in our social influence. The Christian is not called to be an informer. At least Christian love will make a man a peacenrnker. If he cannot hide the sin without unfaithfulness to some trust, he can endmvour to prevent the rising of evil passions. This is the grand Christian method of conquering wickedness. 'l'he law chastises by punishment; the gospel reforms by forgiveness. So Christ, the incarnation of God's love, covers all our sins, and renews our hearts through the grace of forgiveness.