JOHN BIRD SUMNER, D. D.

BISHOP OF CHESTER.

"A Series of Sermons on the Christian Faith and Character." 1829. 8vo. Hatchard and Son.

CHRISTIAN CHARITY.

Matthew, v. 7.

Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.

WHEN we reflect on the situation of men in the world, and their relation to one another, we might reasonably suppose that MERCY, in its fullest sense, would be the natural feeling of their hearts, and rule of their conduct. All are creatures of the same heavenly Father, and as such, brethren. All are liable to the same wants, the same evils, the same afflictions; and we might expect this common lot to produce a general feeling of sympathy and compassion. All are heirs of the same corruption, exposed to the same temptations, subject to the same infirmities ;- —we might suppose, therefore, that frailties into which all are equally liable to fall, would be treated by all with tenderness and pity. But we know that the fact is otherwise: and that though examples, beautiful examples of charity, sometimes appear where least looked for, and delight us, like a verdant spot on a sandy desert; yet whoever were to affirm that the natural disposition of mankind is to show mercy and pity towards their

fellow-creatures, would affirm it in the face of all record, experience, and observation. As the public history of mankind is little else than a history of wars and fightings, so their private history is but too often stained with envy, malice, and revenge. But this must not be among Christians. He, whose sole object in coming into the world was a merciful object, has pronounced his blessing on the merciful, and has pointed out mutual love as the distinguishing token of his followers: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, that ye love -one another."

I shall, first, endeavour to show what this mercy is, which our Saviour thus strongly enforces and recommends; and next, the grounds on which he recommends it,-why the merciful are blessed.

I. 1. Mercy, in the text, is pity, compassion, charity. And it is exercised, first, in a willingness to forgive, wherever we have been offended, instead of persecuting the offender. Yes; though the right may be altogether on our side, nothing short of absolute necessity, in order to preserve ourselves, or absolute duty, in order to prevent future harm to others, should persuade us to inflict punishment upon one who has trespassed against us. Observe our Lord's command,-"If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him."*

* Luke, xvii. 3.