and as such calls upon us to "learn of him, that we may find rest to our souls."

The man who is ornamented with a meek and humble spirit is prepared to put on

5 Long suffering forbearance.

Being subdued under a deep conviction of his own manifold faults and provocations, he is qualified to bear long and patiently with the faults and provocations of others. Solomon says "he that is soon angry dealeth foolishly" and again "the discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." And our Lord in his sermon on the Mount supposes three extreme cases of provocation; a personal assault, an aggression upon property, and an intrusion upon time; and inculcates in each, the very extreme of forbearance. "I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." That these strong expressions are not to be acted upon to the letter is readily admitted: but it is much to be feared that this admission has been abused into a neglect of their spirit also; and that instead of

being understood as including every minor species of provocation, which is manifestly the just view to take of them; they are evaded as something wholly inapplicable to human practice.

When the sons of Zebedee would have called down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritan village which refused to receive their divine Master, Jesus rebuked them for their want of forbearance, saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of; for the son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

When Peter drew his sword in defence of his Lord and smote the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear, Jesus said "Suffer ye thus far, and he touched his ear and healed him." But to Peter he said "put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Dear Brethren, put ye on as the elect of God holy and beloved, this spirit of long suffering and patient forbearance. Yet suffer it not to degenerate into a want of zeal for the glory of your God and Saviour. "Be ye angry, and sin not." That man has made no ordinary attainments in the christian character, who can

earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints," and yet be gentle and patient following peace with all men, swift to hear,

slow to speak, slow to wrath, remembering that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Aim my beloved friends at this heavenly combination of fervour and forbearance and not only forbear one another, but also

6. Forgive one another

if any man have a quarrel against any. Not only refrain from every species of retaliation in conduct, but also cease from harbouring any ill will in your mind against the offenders. Unfeigned forgiveness is more difficult than forbearance; a man may exercise forbearance with such success as to gain credit amongst his fellow men for an angelic temper, while yet his heart, as seen by the eye of God, may rankle in the unforgiving malice of a fiend. To this accords the familiar saying I can forgive, but never forget,' the true meaning of which is, I can forbear but never forgive, I can refrain from outward retaliation or revenge, but not from inward malice. Forbearance is forgiveness in manner: forgiveness is forbearance in heart. As the heart is, so is the man: a hypocrite may forbear, but whosoever forgiveth hath the infallible test of sincerity. Forbearance is an attainment which even the natural man may acquire under a persevering system

of watchful self-controul; but forgiveness is the exercise of that new spiritual life, which it is the inalienable prerogative of the Holy Ghost to bestow.

Our divine Teacher inculcates this forgiveness upon his children to the very uttermost. "Peter came to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven." And the concluding words of our text supply the true measure for the exercise of this forgiveness. Christ forgave you, so also do ye.'

"Even as

Christ for

gave you freely without requiring on your part any condition or qualification whatsoever: go, and do ye likewise one to another. Christ forgave you completely, without any secret reservation, and cheerfully without any lingering reluctance, and kindly without any upbraiding reproaches: go, and do ye likewise one to another. And what words can express the long suffering perseverance with which Christ forgives you? If he withheld his forgiveness after seventy times seven, or seven thousand times seven thousand provocations, who could stand? But his property is always to forgive, "his mercy endureth for ever," bearing the contradictions and ingratitudes, and neglects, and rebellions of the children of men, and over

coming their evil with good: go, and do ye likewise.

I do not say, my brethren, that no man is a Christian who is not clothed in all these precious graces. On the contrary, a man must be a Christian before he can possibly wear a single feature of this heavenly character. These are the perfect lineaments of the full-grown man of God, and incalculable mischief has arisen from placing them in array as indispensable at the very threshold of the gospel of Christ, as if they were all instantaneously perfected in the new-born babe of grace. But I do say, that no Christian should rest satisfied with any attainments in holiness short of these, or advocate any system of doctrine as a substitute for these.

Are we desirous then, my dear friends, to enjoy while in this world a calm and holy peace, and an abiding fulness of the assurance of hope before God? and in the next world to enter upon a more abundant measure of those gracious rewards which God has promised to bestow upon the active diligence in his service of his elect children? Are these indeed the objects we have in view? Then, "let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth; and hereby we shall know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts. before him." Without this true loving dili