do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother his trespasses." Consider too, my dear children, what are "the tormentors" to which we should be delivered, were God to insist on any part of His payment; consider how unspeakable is the difference between what we owe Him, and what any of us owe to each other; and we shall feel how grateful we ought to be for forgiveness upon such easy conditions.

Henry.-But we are quite sure, Mamma, that God will forgive us, if we forgive others?

Mrs. B.-Yes, my love, we have his word, which never faileth, to assure us that He will, if we from our hearts forgive each other. Nothing can be plainer than His declaration on this point: "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: for with the same measure that

ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again."*

This, my love, is one of the great branches of Christian charity-mutual forgiveness, as God for Jesus Christ's sake forgives us. Several of the others are alluded to and recommended by other parables, with which we will go on another day. For the present we have had enough. Indeed, I think our readings grow longer and longer every day.

Mary. I am sure, Mamma, I like them better and better every day. I hope you have a great many more parables ready.

Henry. And, Mamma, what is the name of the one for to-morrow? and what is it about?

Mrs. B.-To-morrow, my dear Henry, we shall take a branch of charity more nearly approaching to your first notion. The parable is called "The Good Samaritan."

* Luke vi. 36, 37, 38.

Henry.-Well, Mamma, and what is

it about?

Mrs. B.-No, no, Mr. Henry, I must not be cheated into beginning to-day; you must have patience till to-morrow, if you please, before you hear about the good Samaritan.

SEVENTH DAY.

The good Samaritan.

Luke x. 29.

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," said Mrs. B., was, you remember, the second great commandment; second only to that of "loving God with all our heart and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind ;"* and I think you have not forgotten what I told you was meant by this love of our neighbour.

Mary.-No, Mamma; you told us that it was the same as Christian charity, and

* Luke x. 27.

that one part of charity was to forgive one another; and that you would tell us another part of it to-day, in the story of the good Samaritan.

Mrs. B.-Very well, Mary.-Our Saviour, then, was in conversation with a Jewish lawyer upon this subject; and he, "willing," as the Bible says, "to justify himself" that is, willing to make out that the duty was very limited, and that he should do quite enough if he behaved kindly to those who were literally his "neighbours," his friends, or relationssaid unto Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?"

Jesus made him no immediate answer, but began a parable, at the end of which the lawyer might be able to answer his question himself.

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"A certain man," said He, went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that