ld be suffering our compassion to degenerate into
weakness. It would in fact be hardness of heart. It would betray a
spirit of indifference to their dearest interest, as by our silence,
they might remain in blindness to the demerit of their deeds, and
hurry on to the ruin of their reputation, and consequently, of their
earthly happiness. True tenderness of heart makes us watchful over the
conduct of those we love, and with whom we are connected in life--
moves us to lay naked before them their faults, so that they may early
correct them, and thus inspires their hearts with tenderness, and
prompts them to regard the happiness, feelings and welfare of others.
It is immaterial how near and dear your friend may be, you should, by
the feelings of mercy, be induced to tell him his faults, however much
it may wound his heart. The wise man says "the wounds of a friend are
faithful; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Too many parents,
for want of determination of character, and for suffering their
compassion to degenerate into weakness and remaining blind to the
faults of their children, having seen them come to some disgraceful
end--a state prison, or even the gallows. This, instead of being true
tenderness of heart, was infatuation and the worst species of hardness
and insensibility to the welfare of their offspring. On the other
hand, we ought never to suffer a spirit of revengeful indignation to
slumber in our bosoms, ready on every trivial occasion to awake into
resentment and retaliation. In fine, we ought to imitate our God in
feelings and conduct towards each other, as it is expressed in our
text. But many suppose that God is filled with feelings of revengeful
indignation towards his creatures, and that the period is rolling on
when he will cease to be merciful, and will commence torturing us in
the future world for the sins committed in this, and that too, when
punishment can do no good to the sufferer--when reformation will be
out of his reach. To torment a frail dependent creature, under such
circumstances, would be the most degrading species of revenge. And if
this is the conduct of God, then we must practice the same, because we
are commanded to imitate him. Our text says--"Be yea kind one to
another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another; even as God for
Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

In this passage, our Father in heaven is held up to the world as the
model of _kindness tenderness and forgiveness_, tha