h the opponents of that truth will have much
difficulty in legitimately putting aside.

II. Secondly, let me ask you to consider how this man's experience is an
exhibition of the love of the living Lord.

That is the main point on which the Apostle dwells in my text, in which
he says that in him Jesus Christ 'shows forth all long-suffering.' The
whole fulness of His patient, pitying grace was lavished upon him. He
says this because he puts side by side his hostility and Christ's love,
what he had believed of Jesus, and how Jesus had borne with him and
loved him through all, and had drawn him to Himself and received him. So
he established by his own experience this great truth, that the love of
Jesus Christ is never darkened by one single speck of anger, that He
'suffereth long, and is kind'; that He meets hostility with patient
love, hatred with a larger outpouring of His affection, and that His
only answer to men's departures from Him in heart and feeling is more
mightily to seek to draw them to Himself. 'Long-suffering' means, in its
true and proper sense, the patient acceptance, without the smallest
movement of indignation, of unworthy treatment. And just as Christ on
earth 'gave His back to the smiter, and His cheeks to them that pulled
off the hair'; and let the lips of Judas touch His, nor withdrew His
face from 'shame and spitting'; and was never stirred to one impatient
or angry word by any opposition, so now, and to us all, with equal
boundlessness of endurance, He lets men hate Him, and revile Him, and
forget Him, and turn their backs upon Him; and for only answer has,
'Come unto Me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest.'

Oh, dear brethren, we can weary out all loves except one. By
carelessness, rebelliousness, the opposition of indifference, we can
chill the affection of those to whom we are dearest. 'Can a mother
forget? Yea, she may forget,' but you cannot provoke Jesus Christ to
cease His love. Some of you have been trying it all your days, but you
have not done it yet. There does come a time when 'the wrath of the
Lamb'--which is a very terrible paradox--is kindled, and will fall, I
fear, on some men and women who are listening now. But not yet. You
cannot make Christ angry. 'For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me
Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, _for a pattern_'--for
the same long-suffering is extended to us all.

And then, in like manner, I may remi