cannot forbear thinking, that if his son Alexander had displayed more of this clemency, he would have been far more deserving than he was of the appellation he bore.

But the sacred Scriptures furnish us more notable illustrations of this greatness of soul. The conduct of David in his treatment of Saul is a striking one. David had been anointed king, and well understood that he was to be the successor of Saul. He was exceedingly popular with the nation at large, and might with perfect impunity have taken the life of his enemy. Saul thirsted for his blood, and pursued him with deadly vengeance. David and his men were in a cave among the rocks of the wild goats in the wilderness of Engedi. Thither Saul with his three thousand men pursued after him. Unsuspicious of any immediate danger, the king turned aside into the very cave where David and his men were concealed. "And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do unto him as it shall seem good unto thee." Now observe the temptation. David anointed king, and destined to occupy the throne as soon as Saul was out of the way. Saul seeking his life. Himself sustained by the people. His enemy perfectly in his power. And his men using their best endeavours to induce him to put an end to his severe calamities of which Saul had been the sole author, and quoting in support of their advice the word of the Lord! Was ever such a cluster of temptations so nobly resisted, save in the history of the Son of David, the Saviour of the world? David merely drew near and cut off a part of Saul's robe that he might give him a convincing proof of his own innocence. And even for this his tender conscience seemed afterwards to smite him. "And when Saul rose up out of the cave, David also rose up after him, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My Lord, the King! And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. And David said unto Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord hath delivered thee to-day into mine hands in the cave; and some bade me kill thee; but mine eyes spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed! Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not; know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it." Such is the boldness with which conscious innocence and virtue inspire their possessor. Scarcely could we find in the history of this king or any other a grander illustration than this of a truly heroic and magnanimous spirit, "Surely the discretion of a man deferreth his anger, and it is his glory to

pass over a trangression." And we are not surprised that even Saul's stern heart was deeply moved by such an exhibition of magnanimity and clemency; and that, "when David had made an end of speaking these words unto him, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David; And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than 1: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil." Strange that so soon after this there should have been occasion for another manifestation on the part of David of the same noble spirit. But so it was. Saul and his three thousand pursued him again. He was by a deep sleep thrown into the power of David. And Abishai asked only that he should be allowed to smite him once, with the promise that he would not smite him again. But no. "David said to Abishai, Destroy him not. As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed." Repeated and malicious persecutions could not embitter his heart, nor stir him up to vindictive measures. Noble man! A king indeed!" He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."

The prayer of the dying Stephen is a sublime illustration of the highest glory to which man may attain. "Lay not this sin to their charge," is a prayer for one's murderers which never could have proceeded but from a heart beating fall in sympathy with him who on the cross of Calvary lifted his dying cry"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." It could only be the prayer of him who not once merely saw the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God, but who had daily intercourse with the unseen world, who lived as seeing him who is invisible, and like Enoch walked with God. And this is the true secret of such meekness of spirit, and such self-subjection as our subject contemplates. It is the realization of the Divine existence, and an unwavering confidence in the integrity of the Divine character and of the Divine government, that can allay effectually the spirit of revenge, and leave to the King of kings and the Judge of all the vindication of our rights, and the redress of our wrongs. Hence even Michael when contending with the devil, did not bring a railing acensation against him, but only said, "The Lord rebuke thee." And hence the fitness of the inspired exhortation, "Beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil; but overcome evil with good."

And yet we are not to understand that the Divine mind, in the

administration of law, exercises a vindictive spirit, or retaliates even upon the humblest of his creatures, the wrongs they have done. Far, far from it. On the contrary, the character and conduct of God furnish us with infinitely the highest illustration of the doctrine of the text, and the mightiest motive to embody it in our lives. Mercy is Jehovah's darling attribute; judgment is his strange work; and never at all is it entered upon, except upon the demand of infinite benevolence itself, and in no case from the impulses of revenge. And what is the glory of the Creator, may surely be esteemed the highest honor of the creature. The noblest impulses and the highest conceptions of the human mind; the greatness of the greatest of earth, the greatness of angel and archangel, are on the side of meekness and clemency. But all these vanish into infinite littleness when contrasted with the greatness of him who is the Maker of them all. We often place before us the example of the good and the great, that by contemplation, our characters may become assimilated to theirs. We think it an honor to be like such: how much more to be like God. The best advice which the heathen stoic philosopher Epictetus could give to his pupils was this: "Propose to yourself the example of wise and good men, whether alive or dead; and compare your conduct with theirs. When you are going to confer with any one, represent to yourself how Socrates or Zeno would behave in such a case, and you will not be at a loss to make a proper use of whatever may occur." But with the light of divine revelation shining upon us, we discern another and a higher way cast up for us, and the voice from Heaven speaks to us-"Be ye followers of God."

And here we discover the footsteps of Him who was "God manifest in the flesh,", and who, "when he was reviled, reviled not again." We are taught not merely by precept, but by example, that the wisdom which is from above, is full of mercy. We behold Immanuel, amid the death-groans of Calvary, crying in his agony, while the rocks were rent around him, and heaven and earth were bearing witness to his Divinity, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Here was displayed the transcendent glory of the Godhead! Surely it is the glory of A MAN to pass over a transgression. A gentleman once went to Sir Eardly Wilmot, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, exceedingly angry and indignant in view of an injury which he had received from a person high in the political world, and which he was meditating how to resent in the most effectual manner. After relating the particulars, he asked the Chief Justice if he did not think it would be manly to resent it. "Yes," said the knight, "it will be man-like to resent it; but it will be God-like to forgive it." The gentleman declared that this had such an instantaneous effect upon him, that he came away a different man and in a very different temper from that in which he

went. And I have only to add to this beautiful remark, that that only which is God-like is in the truest and highest sense manly.

But enough, perhaps, thus far, for the illustration of the doctrine of the text: and your attention is invited to a few thoughts suggested by it.

1. We see how strong and convincing is the internal evidence of the Bible. The very nature of its doctrines proves them to be from Heaven. Such a sentiment as that of my text never fell from the lips of any philosopher or moralist unacquainted with the sacred Scriptures. A sceptical lawyer, of considerable eminence, in New England, was some years since induced by a friend of his to commence the examination of the truth of the Christian Religion. After concluding, lawyer-like, to enter upon the investigation of the subject, he inquired of a pious acquaintance of his who was also a lawyer-" What books, sir, would you advise me to read on the evidences of Christianity?" "The Bible," said the other. "I believe you do not understand me," said the sceptic; "I wish to investigate the truth of the Bible. "I would advise you, sir," repeated his Christian friend, "to read the Bible, and, " continued he, "I will give you my reasons. Most infidels are very ignorant of the Scriptures. Now, to reason on any subject with correctness, we must understand what it is about which we reason. And in the next place, I consider the internal evidence of the Scriptures stronger than the external." "And where shall I begin." inquired the unbeliever, "at the New Testament?" "No," said the other, at the beginning-at Genesis." The infidel accordingly began ; liked many things and some he disliked. After he had read as far as through the 20th chapter of Exodus, the Christian lawyer called upon him one evening, and found him at home walking his room, with a dejected look, his mind apparently absorbed in thought. He continued, not noticing that any one had come in, to trace and retrace his steps. His friend at length spoke "You seem, sir, to be in a brown study. Of what are. you thinking? "I have been reading," replied the infidel, "THE MORAL LAW." "Well, what do you think of it ?" asked his friend "I will tell you what I used to think," answered the infidel. "I supposed that Moses was the leader of a horde of banditti; that, having a strong mind, he acquired great influence over a superstitious people; and that on Mount Sinai he played off some sort of fire works, to the amazement of his ignorant followers, who imagined, in their mingled fear and superstition, that the exhibition was supernatural. " "But what do you think now?" interposed his friend. "I have been looking," said the infidel "into the nature of that law. I have been trying to see whether I can add any thing to it, or take any thing from it, so as to make it

* Tracts of the American Tract Society, No. 321.

better. Sir, I cannot. It is perfect." He then proceeded to enumerate the ten Commandments, showing their appropriateness, and analyzing with legal acuteness, the nature of each and the classification of the whole, and proceeded :-" I have been thinking of this question, WHERE DID MOSES GET THAT LAW?" I have read history: the Egyptians, and the adjacent nations were idolaters; so were the Greeks and Romans; and the wisest and best Greeks and Romans never gave a code of morals like this. Where did Moses get this law, which surpasses the wisdom and philosophy of the most enlightened ages? He lived at a period comparatively barbarous; but he has given a law in which the learning and sagacity of all subsequent time can detect no flaw. Where did he get it? He could not have soared so far above his age as to have devised it himself. I am satisfied where he obtained it. It must have come from Heaven. I am convinced of the truth of the religion of the Bible." The infidel-an infidel no longer -remained to his death a firm believer in the truth of Christianity. And a thousand things which are found in this book of books infinitely transcend in the grandeur of their morality, the noblest sentiments that were ever incorporated in heathen systems of law, philosophy, or ethics. Revenge was generally regarded as the mark of a noble spirit, and inculcated in their systems of morals. Where, then, did Solomon, who lived before the time of Plato, or Socrates, Zeno, or Aristotle, Crysippus, or Epictetus, Cicero, or Seneca, and in a more uncivilized and barbarous age, (but for the influence of the Old Testament Scripture,) where did he get that exalted God-like morality, that sets it forth as "the glory of a man to pass over a trangression?" Before the infidel can have answered such a question he will be compelled to renounce his infidelity and embrace the Bible.

The

2. We see also the absurdity of that theology that extols the New Testament but discards the Old. Error is always blind, and frequently most grossly absurd and inconsistent. Of which fact a better illustration could not be found than that before us. Old Testament not inspired? Then was the eminent lawyer referred to, deluded after all. For he had only proceeded through its first pages, when he was convinced of its divine origin. And surely he could not have proceeded farther than to the words selected for the text, before incredulity itself would have yielded. We have heard a man who could enlarge eloquently upon the glorious doctrines of the New Testament, and especially that of forgiveness, and yet in the same sentences pour out his anathemas upon the Old Testament Scriptures, hurling them from their place in the book of God to dwell with the Koran or the Hindoo Shasters. Did he forget that there is not on any page of the Bible a more beautiful and sublime expression of that very doctrine than the one contained in the text?"It is the glory of a man to pass over a transgression." There is nowhere to be found a more ex