Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 1.pdf/40

 of a forgiving spirit towards an erring brother. O what unbounded love and charity are comprehended in this seventy times seven! it is a divine sentence, expressing what is holy, and a forgiveness that is unlimited and perfect. Thus the Lord, in Luke vi. 37, says—"Forgive and ye shall be forgiven;" and "if thy brother trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him." (Luke xvii. 4.) O God of heaven, grant us thy help, that so, like the children of thy kingdom, we may learn to practise that heavenly disposition which not only forgives injuries, but delights to cast the mantle of oblivion over the faults and failings of the erring. O how solemn is the truth that states, "with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again." (Matt. vii. 2.) By this we are taught in the very language of heaven, that blessings are granted abundantly to him who blesses, forgiveness to him who forgives, and that withering curses are the bitter fruits of the violent man, whose mischief, which he intends for others, returns upon his own head, (Psalm vii. 16.) When Noah erred by drinking wine to intoxication, and lay uncovered in his tent, Ham saw the nakedness of his father, and went and exposed it to his brethren. In this he seemed to delight; but the curse followed the un-natural pleasure. How different the conduct of Shem and Japheth, who would not even see the error of their father, but took a garment and went backward to cover his shame. (Gen ix. 23.) For this act of filial love they were blessed; and we may thus see of what that charity consists that "covereth the multitude of sins." (1 Pet. iv. 8.}

O God of mercy, grant us thy grace that we may