We are spared, and may consider our ways, and cherish the sorrow that works repentance. This being our case, it may not be without use to consider the duty of mutual forgiveness and reconciliation.

The Lord declares to us that our own sins are not forgiven, except we extend forgiveness to others. He saith, "Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven;" "for if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." He teaches us that our prayers are heard, and our worship accepted, only as we forgive and are reconciled again. He saith, "When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any, that your Father which is in heaven may forgive you." Again, "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." He even teaches us to pray, and we do pray, for pardon on the same condition. We say, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;" or, as many say, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.”

In considering the subject before us, let us first see what forgiveness is in itself. We hear much about the pardon of sin, and men pray for it, without any definite ideas respecting it. Of sin itself, men think that it consists of acts which simply offend the Almighty, who, if men repent, will grant forgiveness, by ceasing to be offended, and foregoing his right to punish them. Here, however, there is great misconception. Sin consists in acting from evil affections, which, as they are cherished, become incorporated in our being, and form our life, according as we say, Every man is his own good and his own truth, or his own evil and his own falsity. And with respect to God, he is never offended, as men are offended, for he is unchangeable; he is mercy itself, and ever waits to forgive. To repent of sin is not simply to feel sorry for it, but also to put the evils of sin away. It comprises every duty by which evils are shunned as sins against God. When he forgives, he is not, as it were, brought back to us, but we are sin we alienate ourselves from Him as to Our sins separate between us and our God. repentance, and they are forgiven to us truly and fully, or are remitted when they are removed, or when the Lord removes the concupiscences and evils of which sin consists; and we know when our sins are remitted by no longer feeling that we love to do evil, but feel delight in doing good for the sake of good, and in worshipping the Lord at all times.

brought back to Him. By our state of mind and life. We fight against them by

This, then, is forgiveness. The Lord forgives, and requires us to

imitate Him, for he saith, "I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you." He is love itself, and mercy itself. He came "to reconcile the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." He was exalted to "give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins," as a means of reconciliation. We, as his followers, are to extend forgiveness, and be reconciled one to another.

This duty is made indispensable, not as an arbitrary requirement on the Lord's part, but as coming under the law of divine order. He made man a form of order; He made him to be an image and likeness of Himself. As God is essential good and truth, so must man be finitely a form of good and truth, and reflect the divine image before men. The divine love, as it acts upon fallen man, becomes mercy, and, therefore, man is to be a form of mercy. To receive eternal life, or heavenly happiness, he must receive that which makes such life and happiness. It is the divine life which makes heaven and its bliss, and man must therefore receive and appropriate, in his degree, the divine life, which is love and wisdom, or good and truth proceeding from the Lord. That he may receive this, he must shun whatever is opposed thereto. Remembering that only the merciful can receive mercy, he must shun all unmercifulness, in doing which he becomes a form of mercy, and mercy is implanted in his will and life. He forgives and is forgiven. He is reconciled to the brethren, and at the same time with his God.

In imitating the Lord's example, or obeying his precepts relative to brotherly love, we should first be careful never to do that which in reason may offend, or wound the feelings of others. It is not enough that we never intend to give offence, for men often do this unintentionally; but we should be circumspect lest we offend inadvertently, or by some omission or neglect. On the other hand, we should be guarded as to taking offence at what is done to us. If we follow Him who is unchanging love, in whose mouth were no reproofs, and who, when reviled, reviled not again, we shall seek to maintain an equal temper, even under the most trying circumstances. We shall not retort upon him who says severe things, but shall answer him with gentleness, and shall show a meek spirit even when defending ourselves against injustice. We shall try to put a charitable construction upon what is said or done by others. Rather than accuse, we shall seek to excuse them, remembering that "charity thinketh no evil," and even "covereth a multitude of sins," that is to say, it draws a veil over them. If any thing is done against us which seems decidedly uncharitable, we are not

in silence to harbour thoughts of it, and be cool or distantly civil towards the doer of it, but we are to make it known, and use every means to convince the offender that he is blameable, and induce him to acknowledge his fault. The Lord saith, "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him, alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more, that in the mouths of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he neglect to hear them, tell it to the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen and a publican." (Matt. xviii. 15-17.) If such a brother repent, we are to forgive him; and even if he does not repent, we are to cherish a willingness to forgive. We are to forgive a repenting brother even to seventy times seven times a day, and, forgetting his trespass, always resume the relations of brethren towards him. If we still cherish the remembrance of such trespasses, it is plain that we have not truly forgiven them. We are not to say, I will forgive, but not forget an offence. If, again, it is we ourselves who are blameable, we should not hesitate to acknowledge it, for it is said, "Confess your faults to one another." By confession and repentance, we are entitled to receive from our brother forgiveness and reconciliation. If, as a duty, we overcome our reluctance to confess our faults, we gain a great victory.

The foregoing observations may be profitably considered by some in the New Church. There are many who may not have thought sufficiently on the duty of mutual forgiveness. Some, or many there may be, who cherish thoughts of some offence or offences done to them. In families this is sometimes the case. In societies we know that some members have differences with other members, and some, for that reason, will even absent themselves. Measures have perhaps been adopted contrary to their wishes or views of propriety, or words hastily spoken of a nature to give them, in their opinion, just grounds of offence. In this case, we think they should consider again such slight grievances. If motions are carried by majorities, according to rule, they are carried, whether proper ones or not, in an orderly way, and we should submit to order. In deeming them improper, against a majority of opinions, we may think from too high an estimate of our own judgment. At all events, it must be a great fault to estrange ourselves from the brethren in any way. Let all causes of difference be considered, and difficulties removed. That which separates brethren from brethren may, perchance, separate them from angels, and from the Lord.

It too often happens that reconciliations are difficult, and yet it sometimes happens that they are easy. We have known a case at sea, when many persons of different countries and creeds, and cherishing their usual differences, were easily reconciled to one another. A storm came on, and so threatened certain destruction that one and all forgot every difficulty, and merged every feeling into that of mutual love! Go to a death-bed, and see the reconciliations there. What forgiveness, what embracing at such a time! And when we view for the last time the cold remains of one we loved, how the heart softens and reproaches itself for any hasty words or unkind things we may have said or done to him! It would indeed be well if such states of mind were cherished while men are in perfect freedom. It were well if they would live as they would wish to die, yea, if they would "die daily."

To some it may seem a slight matter to neglect the duty of forgiveness. Is it not a "venial sin ?" Is not the precept one of the "lesser morals"? Beware, we would answer, how you think of palliating sins, or lessening positive obligations. Consider that "the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." An unforgiving spirit is not a venial fault, and the Lord does not see as man sees in regard to greater or lesser duties of life. He even saith, "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment." And James, the apostle, saith, "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one, is guilty of all." Would you, or could you, in one thing, deliberately wound the feelings of a cherished friend? Would not this alone mar your mutual friendship? Even so with the Christian life: it must be an integral work. The Christian must " have respect to all the commandments ;" and so strive to show forth the beauty of holinesss, that it may be as a web that is entire, and its texture perfect.

How blessed is Christian love! How lovely the spirit of forgiveness ! To forgive is to exercise mercy. And how blessed is mercy! With earthly kings it is called the brightest attribute of royalty. And even in the Lord Himself, if we would admire one attribute more than another, it would doubtless be that of mercy. How glorious it is in Him to show mercy and forgive! to pardon all our offences, receive us graciously, and bless us freely again! When will men, when will Christians, practically deem it a duty and a privilege to imitate His example?

Finally, let us now, as we enter on a new year, renew our best purposes and resolutions. Let us examine, let us try and prove our

selves. Let us think on the angel's words to Hagar, "Whence camest thou, and whither wilt thou go?" What is our state, our fallen state, and whither are we tending? What is our ruling purpose? What is the end we would attain to? How are we obeying the precept given us to "love one another?" Let us thus prove ourselves; and let us consider how grievous it is to act against the claims of love in any way. It is losing that mercy which is free to all, and which brought down a Saviour to establish mercy on the earth. His precepts all regard one end-that men may "dwell together in unity." They are the steps of Jacob's ladder, by which men may rise to heaven, and heaven and angels descend to men. They are the golden girdle around the breast of the Son of Man. They are a chain by which he would bind men together in the bonds of affection, of kindness, and of goodness; and fit them for those nearer circles of his throne where divine love makes the life of all, and where nothing contrary to love can ever come.

Y.

TIMES AND SEASONS.

WHILE to the poet and the thoughtful man the changes of times and seasons are in the highest degree beautiful and suggestive, even to the most indifferent and selfish they are surrounded with an agreeable interest. None view their progress without regard, however little they may be attracted by their sweet pictures and phenomena, or moved by the amenities and wisdom of their ministry. This is because the changes incidental to nature are, on the one hand, a kind of counterpart or image of the occurrences and vicissitudes of human life; and on the other, the circumstances by which its business and pleasures are in large measure suggested and controlled. The consummation of the old year, and the opening of the new, brings with it, accordingly, a fine significance, and a pleasurable importance. So, in their degree, the transitions of Winter into Spring, Spring into Summer, Summer into Autumn; and so, in their degree, the alternations of day and night. The longer the interval, the more memorable is the change.

The close of the year occupies the foremost place in this universal interest, from its completing a well-defined and comprehensive cycle of natural mutations. It is by this circumstance rendered an appropriate epoch for the measurement of life and being; and hence there fasten on it a peculiar momentousness and solemnity, which remain inseparably attached though the reason be unknown or forgotten. Days and nights