. But it will not, it cannot, tolerate the
individual who does, be it father, mother or dearest friend. Deut 13,
6-8. Love, then, must be exercised, not in relation to the doctrine
and faith of our neighbor, but relative to his life and works. Faith,
on the contrary, has to do, not with his works and life, but with his
doctrine and belief.

12. I think we must know by this time the meaning of "lowliness" of
mind--esteeming one's self least and others greater. As Christ
illustrates it, occupying the lowest seat at the wedding, and this
cheerfully. We are to serve even when our service is not desired, and
to minister unto our enemies. So Christ humbled himself before Judas
the betrayer, and before all of us. He came, not to be served, but to
serve. That humbleness of mind is a rare virtue is not to be wondered
at, for every Christian grace is a rarity. Particularly are graces
lacking with those who, professing to know most of Christ, find
something to censure in all Christians. Christianity Paul calls a
mystery of God; and it is likely to continue so.

13. "Meekness" is opposed to anger. The meek man is not easily excited
to exhibit anger, to curse, smite, hate, or wish evil to any, even an
enemy. To refrain thus is an art. Hypocrites--in fact, all the
world--can be meek toward friends and those who treat them well. But
true meekness and humility will remain only among the elect and
beloved saints of God, as Paul here implies. Even among these are many
deficient in all, or at least a large part, of the Christian graces.
Hypocrites may thus find something to censure, something whereat to be
offended, in the beloved, elect saints of God. And the true saints
have occasion to exercise mercy, humility, meekness and forbearance.
They whom Paul here terms elect and beloved saints of God, though
slightly deficient in humility, meekness and forbearance, are not
therefore unholy, not rejected and despised.

14. Paul makes a distinction between longsuffering and forbearance, as
in Romans 2, 4: "Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and
forbearance and longsuffering?" In "longsuffering" we have the thought
here and there expressed by God in the Psalms and elsewhere by the
Hebrew "arich apaim"--"slow to wrath." God patiently bears with evil.
Indeed, he repeatedly delays vengeance, apparently more ready to
forgive than to punish, even under extreme provocation and having just
reason to chastise. Longsuffering extends farther tha