Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/369

 He revenge  wickedness  exceedingly."  (Job  xxxv.  15.) He  will  rather  supply  your  defects,  forgive  you  your debts,  and  restore  to  you  by  this  holy  grace,  the  goods, which  you  have  misspent.  Hereafter  He  will  come  with an  iron  rod,  to  do  judgment  and  justice,  and  to  "  search Jerusalem with  lamps."  (Sophon.  i.  12.)  Endeavor,  therefore, now  to  please  Him,  by  an  exact  performance  of your  duties,  for  by  no  other  means  can  you  make  Him any  atonement  for  your  past  carelessness.

III. The duties  which  you  have  to  perform  are,  1. That you should  humbly  beg  His  pardon,  according  to  St.  Matthew, "  I  forgave  thee  all  the  debt,  because  thou  besoughtest Me." (Matt.xviii. 32.)  2. Frequent and  constant  love are required,  "  Many  sins  are  forgiven  her,"  says  Christ  to penitent  Magdalen,  "because  she  hath  loved,  much." (Luke vii.  47.)  3. You must  forgive  from  your  heart,  ail offences and  injuries  done  against  you  by  others;  "forgive and  you  shall  be  forgiven." (Luke, vi.  37.)  With these affections  introduce  your  God  into  the  closet  of your  heart  and  adopt  the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  "  Enter not  into  judgment  with  Thy  servant," but  "  look  upon  me, according  to  the  multitude  of  Thy  mercies." (Ps. cxlii. 2  and  lxviii.  17.)

I. "  Seeing  the  multitude,  He  went  up  into  a  mountain, and  opening  His  mouth,  He  taught  them." (Luke v.  1. 2.)  Reflect  deeply  on  the  circumstances  that  attended this memorable  sermon  on  the  mount. The uncreated Wisdom of  God  was  the  preacher,  His  pulpit  was  the bare ground,  His  auditors  were  His  disciples  and  other