172
THE PRIVILEGE
OF
TITS
tsE101.
x>;.
ingly; but
he
that
soweth
bountifully
in
his
distributions
to.the
poor,
for the sake
of
Christ,
shall also
reap
boun-
tifully
of
the
riches
of
glory, in the
great day of
reward,"
2 Cor.
ix.
6.
IV. Another
grace
which
only the living can exercise,
is,
charity
to
our
fellow-
creatures
under their
mistakes,
or
infirmities,
and
a charitable
and loving frame
of
spirit
to our
fellow
-
christians
who differ
from
us
either
in
prin-
ciple or practice.
Infirmities and
mistakes belong only to
the present
state:
This
life
is
the only time when
a
fellow
-saint
can
be
overtaken
in
a
fault,
and
when
we
are capable of
re-
storing
such a
one
in
the spirit
of
meekness.
It
is
here
only
that
the proposed motive has any room
or
place;
"
consider thyself lest
thou also be
tempted,"
Gal.
vi.
1.
And
though
we
are bound
to
maintain
an everlasting
aversion
to every
sin,
yet
we
should imitate and
honour
the
forgiving mercy
of our God,
by
speaking peace and
consolation
to
a
returning
sinner.
Be
not
too severe
in
your
censures, you who have
been kept
from
,temptation,
but
pity
others
who
are
fallen, and mourn over
their
fall.
Do
not
think or
say
the worst
things you can
of
those
who
have been
taken
in
the
snare of
Satan,
and
have been
betrayed
into
some
grosser iniquities.
When
you
see
them grieved and
ashamed
of
their
own
follies,
and bowed down
under
much
heaviness,
take occasion then
to
speak a softening
and
a
healing
word. Speak
for
them kindly,
and
speak
to
them tenderly.
"
Have
compassion
of
them, lest
they
be
swallowed up
of
over much sorrow,"
2
Cor.
ii.
7.
And remember
too, O
censorious christian,
that
thou
art
also
in
the
body,
it
is
rich.
grace
that
has
kept
thee
hitherto,
and the same
God,
who
for
wise
ends has
suf-
fered
thy
brother
to
fall,
may punish thy severity and re-
proachful
language,
by with
-
holding
his
grace
from thee
in the
next hour of temptation
;
and then
thy
own
fall
and guilt
shall
upbraid
thee
with
inward and
bitter
re-
flections, for
thy
sharp
censures
of
thy weak and
tempted
brother.
This
life
is
the
only time
wherein
we
can pity the
in-
firmities
of
our brethren,
and
bear their burdens.
This
law
of
Christ
must
be fulfilled
in
this world, for
there
is
no
room for it in the
next;
"
wherefore bear
ye
one
an-