the striking parable of the ten thousand talents and the punishment inflicted on the unrelenting servant, our Lord adds, So likewise shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespassess.

The expression, Forgiving one another, implies that we are all in danger of committing injuries against our neighbour, and that therefore we should exercise that pardon to others which each needs himself by turns: whilst the indefinite statement, if any man have a quarrel against any, seems designed to guard against those evasions by which we endeavour to elude the real force of the duty. All is here put.universally. If any man, whoever he may be, whether a relation or a stranger, a superior or inferior-have a quarrel, any cause of complaint on account of an injury done, or supposed to be done, in word or deed-against any, in whatever connexion, or under whatever circumstances he may stand. It is impossible to escape these general and comprehensive terms. Forgiveness of injuries is a fundamental grace of the Christian character, from the obligation of which nothing whatever can release us,

Are, then, these things so? Does the statement we have been making describe the temper of a Christian Must he be tender, meek, forgiving; must he be distinguished by compassion when

he meets with afflictions, by lowliness of spirit, when he is assailed by inconveniencies, and by a readiness to forgive when he suffers injuries; must he put on these lovely virtues and appear clad in them continually; must he mortify the natural unkindness, pride, and love of revenge which brood in his heart; and must all this be done habitually and towards all persons? Then, what motives can be proposed sufficient for such a series of duties; of duties so opposite to the corrupt bias of his nature?

This leads me to consider,

II. THE CHRISTIAN MOTIVES BY WHICH THE APOSTLE ENFORCES THESE virtues.

The motives are three: our Christian profession, the love of God, and the forgiving mercy of Christ.

THEIR CHRISTIAN PROFESSION is a motive which the Apostle urges on the Colossians, in the first words of the text, Put on, THEREFORE. This has the force of an inference. The Apostle had been speaking of Christians being risen with Christ, of their setting their affection on things above, of their being dead, and their life being hid with Christ in God, and of their future appearing with him in glory. He had just stated to them that the wrath of God came on the children of disobedience for those things in which they had lived before their conversion;

and had reminded them that they had put off the old man with his deeds, and had put on the new man, where Christ was all in all. Hence he draws the conclusion, Put on, THEREfore, bowels of mercies. He thus urges them to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called, to act agreeably to the new privileges they enjoyed and the new and heavenly birth they participated. As they had put on the new man which was renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him, it became them to put on more and more all the properties of it. Thus only could they prove the sincerity of their Christian profession, and adorn and recommend the doctrine of their Saviour: whilst, if they walked in the lusts of the flesh, and indulged in apathy, selfishness, fretfulness, and revenge, they would appear to be children of disobedience,' and justly suffer that unutterable punishment which such hypocrisy would deserve.

But besides this general motive, the Apostle insinuates another in the affectionate terms in which he addresses them. He calls them the elect of God, holy and beloved. This is to prepare for the exhortation, and is an argument why the particular graces to which it relates are to be exercised. It is drawn from the LOVE OF GOD. This is the bond of obedience; and the three blessings which the terms before us comprehend, as they all refer to divine love, are

powerful inducements and motives to every part of holiness.

For if we can humbly hope that we are THE ELECT OF GOD, and that he has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world; to what has he so chosen us, but that we should be holy and without blame before him in love? If we, on Scriptural evidences, know our election of God; what are those evidences but our work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope? If we indulge any trust that we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father; is it not through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience? If we would make our calling and our election sure; is it not by giving all diligence to add unto our faith, virtue, and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness godliness? For the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his ; and, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. Those, therefore, who profess a hope of being the elect of God, are to be especially and urgently exhorted to the practice of those virtues which are the proofs of that blessing, the effects which it produces, and the suitable and indispensable marks of gratitude to God for it.

This is still more evident by the expressions,

holy and beloved, which are connected with it. These describe the character and the privilege of those whom the Apostle had just named the elect of God: they are set apart for his service, and they are blessed with the tokens of his peculiar favour. They are HOLY; being made so by the operations of the Holy Ghost. They are renewed in the spirit of their minds. They yield themselves unto God as alive from the dead, and their members as instruments of righteousness unto God. They aim at being holy in all manner of conversation. They are far from being entirely free from sin, but they are earnestly engaged in cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. To put on, therefore, the Christian graces of compassion, lowliness of mind, and forgiveness, is a duty which by virtue of their character and their actual state of separation to God, they should feel themselves bound both to remember and to practise.

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Nor does the special favour of God by which they are distinguished, less powerfully impel them in the same course. They are BELOVed. God bears a most tender love toward them. He so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life: God is love. But this is not all. For after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards