Ver. 34.-Sin greater than it seems. "They know not what they do." Thero is more in our actions, and therefore in our life, than there seems to be to ourselves ( see "The l_argeness of our life," homily on eh. x. 16). There is more of good; more also of evil. 'l'hese soldiers imagined that they were doing nothing more than executing a. malefactor. They were murdering a Messiah; they were putting to death the Son of Man, the Saviour of mankind. 'l'hey knew not what they did; they did not recognize the extreme seriousness, the actual awfulness, of the crime they were commit,ing. Thus is it constantly. We suppose ourselves to be doing something of very little consequence; but he who knows the realities and the issues of all things sees in our action something far more serious than we see. We know not what we do when we err from the straight line of moral and spiritual rectitude. Vve do not know- I. How WE HURT A HUMAN SPIRIT WHEN WE WOUND IT. ,vhether this be by some- thing said or done, by a glance of the eye, by the withholding of the expected word or action, we often wound more deeply than we think. We suppose we have caused a momentary irritation. If we knew all, we should know that we have produced a sore- ness of feeling, a keenness of disappointment, or (it may be) a depth of distres~, which it will take weeks or months to heal. II. How WE WRONG OURSELVES WHEN WE SIN AGAINST OUB CONSCIE~CE. It is, we assure ourselves, a very slight deviation from rectitude; it is a negligence for which we can easily make up a little further on. But, in truth, we have beguu a slow, steady, spiritual descent, which will take us to the botlom. We know not what we do when we take the first step in moral laxity. We have started our soul on an evil course; we have done ourselves o. wrong which we quite fail to measure. III. How WE DAMAGE ANOTHER'S CHARACTER WHEN WE INJURE IT. we have only induced our neighbour to take a step which will open his eyes to that which he ought to know. So we say, and perhaps think. But, in fact, we have done much more than that. We have led him to do that which has injured his conscience, which has weak- ened bis self-respect, which has enfeebled his character. He will be less strong, hence- forth, in the evil hour of temptation; he will be more open to attack, less likely to resist and to conquer his adversary. When we lead into temptation al!d sin, we "know not what we do." IV. How WE GRIEVE OUB SAVIOUR WHEN WE DIB0DEY OR DISHONOUR HIM. we do not know how much he expects of his disciples, especirrlly of those who have such opportunities as we have of knowing and doing hi,; will-how much attachment, how strong an affection, how quick an obedience, how full and patient a submission, he has a right to look for, and does wait to receive. And we do not know the fulness and intensity of his feeling of disappointment and sorrow when we fail him. The disciples did not know what they did, how grievously they foiled, when they slept iu that hour through which they should have watched. What -lepth of touching, tenderest pathos we hear in these wo1·ds of geutle remonstrance: "Could ye no~ watch with me gne hour?" THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUim. [en. XXIII, 1-:i6.
Y. How WE BINDER THE CAUSE OF CHRIST "·hen we di~c1 ~dit it, \Ve think, perbe.ps, that the evil impression we have conveyed by our inconsistency will soon be forgotten, lost entirely in the current of human affairs. Ilut more harm is done than we know or think. Some souls are shocked, scandalized, injured; their faith is lessened, perhaps pierced; they will not count for Christ what they wonld have counted. Sprin"S 0 of anti-Christian influence are started: who shall s:i.y whither they will flow? YI. How WE SIN AGAINST Goo WIIEN WE WITHHOLD FllOM llIM OURSELVES AND oun. SERHCE. We may ime.gine that we are only delaying till a more suitable or conv~nient, time the duty we intend to discharge. Ilut we are really disobeying a Divine com- mand; we are refusing a Divine invitation; we are continuing in open rebellion, in unfilial estrangement. ,ve a,e seriously sinning against our heavenly Father, our merciful Sa\'iour, our rightful and righteous Sovereign. 1. Our ignorance of "what we do" is in part a necessity of ou1· fi11ite natw·e; for we cannot possibly look down into the depth of things; nor can we look on to the final issues. 'l'his is beyond the compass of our powers. 2. But it is in part also tlie fault of our character. We do not think, we do "not consider" (Isa. i. 3), we do not inquire. We do not use as w11 might our spiritual faculties. More patient, prayerful consideration of "what we do" would save us from many errors, many wrongs, and also from ruany painful memories :rnJ. much self-reproach.-C.