Vol. 2

390 ST. LUKE.pose himself to the rigour and severity of the divinevengeance, rather than to show some indulgence andtenderness towards his own brother." — Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:"The third kind of mercy extends to the forgivingthe injuries we have received. To imitate herein themercy of God, is not a bare counsel, since it is proposedas a necessary means in order to receive mercy.That which man has to pardon in man is almost amere nothing; that which he owes to God is an infinitedebt: and yet he cannot resolve to embrace soadvantageous an exchange ! But in the pagsion ofrevenge there is neither faith nor reason." 38. Give, and it shall be given unto you ;goodmeasure, pressed down, and shaken together, andrunning over, shall men give into your bosom.Forwith the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall bemeasured to you again."The fourth sort of mercy requires us to give orlend to others in necessity. Charity ought to makeno difficulty of giving that which truth promises torestore. It is not sufficient for Christian charity,either not to exact rigorously what is our due, or notto insist upon satisfaction for injuries ; but we mustgive of our own to those who have need of it.Letus give, neither out of a mere human generosity, norout of vanity nor interest ;but for the sake of God,if we would have him place it to account. There isno such thing as true generosity but only in God,because there is none but he who receives no advantagefrom his gifts, and because he engages himself,even to pay the debts of his creatures with an excessiveinterest. Since he promises to do this, it is