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

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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.)

MONDAY.

The Sermon on the Mount.— I.

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