Part 62 (2/2)

_He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth_.--PROV. xiv. 21.

Look thou with pity on a brother's fall, But dwell not with stern anger on his fault; The grace of G.o.d alone holds thee, holds all; Were that withdrawn, thou too wouldst swerve and halt.

J. EDMESTON.

If, on hearing of the fall of a brother, however differing or severed from us, we feel the least inclination to linger over it, instead of hiding it in grief and shame, or veiling it in the love which covereth a mult.i.tude of sins; if, in seeing a joy or a grace or an effective service given to others, we do not rejoice, but feel depressed, let us be very watchful; the most diabolical of pa.s.sions may mask itself as humility, or zeal for the glory of G.o.d.

ELIZABETH CHARLES.

Love taketh up no malign elements; its spirit prompteth it to cover in mercy all things that ought not to be exposed, to believe all of good that can be believed, to hope all things that a good G.o.d makes possible, and to endure all things that the hope may be made good.

J. H. THOM.

December 2

_Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things_.--ROM. ii. I.

Search thine own heart. What paineth thee In others, in thyself may be; All dust is frail, all flesh is weak; Be thou the true man thou dost seek.

J. G. WHITTIER.

A saint's life in one man may be less than common honesty in another. From us, whose consciences He has reached and enlightened, G.o.d may look for a martyr's truth, a Christian's unworldly simplicity, before He will place us on a level even with the average of the exposed cla.s.ses. We perhaps think our lives at least harmless. We do not consider what He may think of them, when compared with the invitations of His that we have slighted, with the aims of His Providence we are leaving without our help, with the glory for ourselves we are refusing and casting away, with the vast sum of blessed work that daily faithfulness in time can rear without overwork on any single day.

J. H. THOM.

December 3

_Now the G.o.d of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost_.--ROM. xv. 13.

To heaven I lift my waiting eyes; There all my hopes are laid; The Lord that built the earth and skies Is my perpetual aid.

I. WATTS.

Grovel not in things below, among earthly cares, pleasures, anxieties, toils, if thou wouldst have a good strong hope on high. Lift up thy cares with thy heart to G.o.d, if thou wouldst hope in Him. Then see what in thee is most displeasing to G.o.d. This it is which holdeth thy hope down. Strike firmly, repeatedly, in the might of G.o.d, until it give way. Thy hope will soar at once with thy thanks to G.o.d who delivered thee.

E. B. PUSEY.

The snares of the enemy will be so known to thee and discerned, the way of help so manifest and easy, that their strength will be broken, and the poor entangled bird will fly away singing, from the nets and entanglements of the fowler; and praises will spring up, and great love in thy heart to the Forgiver and Redeemer.

I. PENINGTON.

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