weight, and the sin which most easily besets us, and so to live that men can find no fault in us, except concerning the law of our God. Let us watch jealously over our tempers and tongues, and the discharge of our social duties. Anything is better than doing harm to souls. The cross of Christ will always give offence. Let us not increase that offence by carelessness in our daily life. The natural man cannot be expected to love the Gospel. But let us not disgust him by inconsistency.

against thee, rebuke him, and if he trespass against seven times in a day turn

We are taught, for another thing, in these verses, the great importance of a forgiving spirit. The Lord Jesus says, "if thy brother trespass and if he repent, forgive him thee seven times in a day, and again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him.” There are few Christian duties which are so frequently and strongly dwelt upon in the New Testament as this of forgiving injuries. It fills a prominent place in the Lord's Prayer. The only profession we make in all that prayer, is that of forgiving "those who trespass against us."—It is a test of being forgiven ourselves. The man who cannot forgive his neighbour the few trifling offences he may have committed against him, can know nothing experimentally of that free and full pardon which is offered us by Christ. (Matt. xviii. 35; Ephes. iv. 32.)— Not least, it is one leading mark of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. The presence of the Spirit in the heart may always be known by the fruits He causes to be brought forth in the life. Those fruits are both active and passive. The man who has not learned to bear and forbear, to put up with much and look over

much, is not born of the Spirit. (1 John iii. 14; Matt. v. 44, 45.)

The doctrine laid down by our Lord in this place is deeply humbling. It shows most plainly the wide contrariety which exists between the ways of the world and the Gospel of Christ. Who does not know that pride, and haughtiness, and high-mindedness, and readiness to take offence, and implacable determination never to forget and never to forgive, are common among baptized men and women? Thousands will go to the Lord's table, and even profess to love the Gospel, who fire up in a moment at the least appearance of what they call "offensive" conduct, and make a quarrel out of the merest trifles. Thousands are perpetually quarrelling with all around them, always complaining how ill other people behave, and always forgetting that their own quarrelsome disposition is the spark which causes the flame. One general remark applies to all such persons. They are making their own lives miserable and shewing their unmeetness for the kingdom of God. An unforgiving and quarrelsome spirit is the surest mark of an unregenerate heart. What says the Scripture? "Whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (1 Cor. iii. 3; 1 John iii. 18-20; iv. 20.)

Let us leave the whole passage with jealous self-inquiry. Few passages ought to humble Christians so much, and to make them feel so deeply their need of the blood of atonement and the mediation of Christ. How often we have given offence, and caused others to stumble! How often we have allowed unkind, and angry, and revengeful

thoughts to nestle undisturbed in our hearts! These things ought not so to be. The more carefully we attend to such practical lessons as this passage contains, the more shall we recommend our religion to others, and the more inward peace shall we find in our own souls.

NOTES. LUKE XVII. 1-4.

1.—[Then said he unto the discples.] Let it be observed that our Lord here turns again to His disciples and specially addresses them, as He had done at the beginning of the last chapter. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus had been specially spoken to the Pharisees. Christ now turns away from them to his own followers.

It is not easy to trace the connexion between the beginning of this chapter and the end of the last. Yet the two chapters seem to contain a continuous discourse of our Lord's without any pause, break, or intermission.-It is possible that our Lord may have had in his mind the stumbling block, that conduct like that of the rich man towards Lazarus put in the way of weak believers, and meant to warn His disciples not to be discouraged if they met with similar treatment.—It is possible that our Lord may be referring again to His lesson about "faithfulness in little things" in the parable of the unjust steward, and be warning his disciples not to give occasion to the enemy to blaspheme. Both these conjectures, however, may perhaps be needless. A great teacher, like our Lord, has an undoubted right to open up entirely new subjects at His discretion. Perhaps this is the case here.

[It is impossible...will come.] This expression means, that human nature is such, and the world is such, that it is useless to expect there will be no offences. There will be, as long as the world stands. Yet this does not lessen the guilt of those who cause them. Human infirmities are no excuse for the evil that is in the world, though they may explain its presence.

[Offences.] The Greek word so translated is rendered elsewhere in the New Testament, "stumbling block," -" occasion to fall,”—and “occasion of stumbling.” (Rom. xi. 9: xiv. 13. 1 John ii. 10.)

[Woe unto him, &c.] This woe has probably a wide application. It includes all who cause Christ's people to stumble and be discouraged, from the fiercest persecutor, like Nero, down to the least inconsistent believer.

2.-[A mill-stone hanged about his neck, &c.] This is a proverbial

expression. Anything is better than to give offence to a believer and make him stumble.

[These little ones.] This expression means here "believers." They are God's children, and as tenderly cared for by him, as the little infants in a man's family. (See Mark x. 42.) It is probable that our Lord pointed to some of the weak and unestablished followers who accompanied him and the twelve apostles. There are always many who are "babes in Christ." (1 Cor. iii. 1.) 3.-[Take heed to yourselves, &c.] The connection of this verse with that which precedes it is, again, not very clear. It would seem to imply that the "offences" of which our Lord had just been speaking, were such as are specially occasioned by the want of a charitable and forgiving spirit among Christians. It is like St. John's expression, "he that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him." (1 John ii. 10.)

[Rebuke him.] This expression shows the Christian duty of plain, straightforward, faithful dealing with those who injure us. To say that of a brother behind his back which we are not prepared, if needful, to say before his face, is not the conduct of a true servant of Christ.

[If he repent, forgive him.] This expression is remarkable. It doubtless cannot mean, that we are not to forgive men unless they do repent. At this rate there would be much bitterness constantly kept alive. But it does mean that when there is no repentance or regret for an injury done, there can be no renewal of cordial friendship, or complete reconciliation between man and man.

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4.-Seven times in a day.] Here, as in other places, we cannot doubt that the number "seven must be taken indefinitely. It means, very frequently," "very often." (See Matt. viii. 2; xii. 45; xviii. 22; and Luke xi. 26. See also 1 Sam. ii. 5; Ruth iv. 15; Isa. iv. 1; Psalm xii. 6; Micah v. 5.

LUKE XVII. 5-10.

5 And the Apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?

8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

9 Doth he thank that servant be

cause he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

LET us notice, in these verses, the important request which the apostles made. They said unto the Lord, "Increase our faith."

We know not the secret feelings from which this request sprung. Perhaps the hearts of the apostles failed within them, as they heard one weighty lesson after another fall from our Lord's lips. Perhaps the thought rose up in their minds, "Who is sufficient for these things? Who can receive such high doctrines ? Who can follow such a lofty standard of practice ? " These, however, are only conjectures. One thing, at any rate, is clear and plain. The request which they made was most deeply important: "Increase our faith."

Faith is the root of saving religion. "He that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. xi. 6.) It is the hand by which the soul lays hold on Jesus Christ, and is united to Him and saved. It is the secret of all Christian comfort, and spiritual prosperity. cording to a man's faith will be his peace, his hope, his strength, his courage, his decision, and his victory over the world. When the apostles made request about faith, they did wisely and well.

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Faith is a grace which admits of degrees. It does not come to full strength and perfection as soon as it is planted in the heart by the Holy Ghost. There is "little" faith and "great" faith. There is "weak" faith and "strong" faith. Both are spoken of in the Scriptures. Both are to be seen in the experience of God's people. The more faith a Christian has, the more happy, holy, and useful will he be. To promote the growth and progress of faith