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we must forgive whether he says it or not. Usually it would be unwise to tell him so, but always good to show him that we hold ■no ill will. Kindness may convict him. 4. "Seven Times in a Day." Think how aggravating! Who forgives like that? Only he who has “the mind of the Master which empties itself of self, forgets the wrong and seeks the wrongdoer (1 Peter 2:23; 1 Cor. 4:12). Until we are more wronged than the Lord Jesus we may for give like as He. 5. Examples. Joseph and his brethren (Gen. 50:15-21); Moses and Miriam (Num. 12:13); Stephen and his murderers (Acts 7 :58, 59) ; and, above all, Jesus and His persecutors (Luke 23:34). It is said of General Jackson that, at his conversion, being asked, “Do you forgive your ene mies?” he said, “No.” After reflection he was asked again and said, “I do,” and, says his biographer, "He grated his teeth.” 1 stood at the bedside of a dying man. When he professed to yield to Jesus and accept salvation, he was asked, “Do you forgive Lizzie?” (his wife with whom he had quar reled), he answered, “No;” and fell back Q u a n tity and Q ua lity . 1. Quantity. “Increase our faith.” Evi dently they believed there were degrees of faith. The Lord had said (Matt. 8:26), “Ye of little faith;” and spoken (Matt. 15: 28) of “great"faith.” Paul said, to believ ers (1 Cor. 12:9), possessed of faith, “to another (is given) faith,” i. e. an extra ordinary faith; and again (1 Cor. 13:2), “If I have all faith so that,” etc.; and (2 Cor. 10:15, R. V.) “as your faith grow- eth.” Luther’s version has for "increase,” “strengthen our faith.” 2. Quality. Faith is trust in a person by a person. Saving faith (trust in God, or Jesus) is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8; 1 Cor. 12:8), but, in the nature of the case, not immediate but through means. Faith ts begotten by knowledge, or acquaintance with the person. God is known through His works, His providence, and specially on his pillow. III. F a it h :
His Word, His Son, His Spirit; and through experience, which is in continuous trusting and proving. He, therefore, in giving and increasing faith, does so by enlightening the mind and manifesting Him self to the soul; and the soul co-operates by seeking the knowledge, cultivating the communion, and practicing the faith of God. Faith is force, energy. It can do. An invisible atom of radium will emit light, heat, energy for ages, and, it is said, in fa vorable conditions might explode the globe. Faith “as a grain of mustard seed” can .uproot a great tree or transplace a moun tain (Matt. 21:21). But faith, founded on the knowledge ;of God, will work only in harmony with the mind of God; and the force of faith is not in itself but in the Personal Will—God; it is not the electric energy but the finger that makes the con tact. If so small a quantity of faith has such a quality to work marvels, how small the faith of the most of u s! Lord, increase our faith Answer, “C h ild , know M e .” IV. U nprofitable S ervants . 1. Duty. The servant of the parable (vs. 7-10) is a “bondservant,” a slave. Hu manly (Romanly) speaking he had no rights. He belonged absolutely to his owner. As every copper in a dollar to its possessor, so every faculty and fiber of the slave was due to his master—he could not exceed his duty, and thanks are not due for duties. Though men have, in God’s sight, no such rights in their fellow-man, God has such rights in every man, and owes no one thanks or ministry until they do more than their duty—an impossibility; nor until then can any profit accrue to our Owner since all that is done is due. 2. Grace. Christ does not teach that He so deals with His servants. The parable is against the Pharisaic claim to fulfill all righteousness; and of the Romanist to do works of supererogation (above what is re quired), and of the moralist to reach moral demands. The condition described must stand toward all who stand on law-keeping,' who could they do all would still have no
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