vER. 3, -t. ST. LUKE. 579 trespasses,lestany one through despairshould not be reclaimedfrom hisfault; and hence itissaid,Takeheedto yourselves.THEOPHYL. As ifHe says,Offencesmust needs come;but itdoesnot followthatyou must perish,ifonly youbeon yourguard: as itneednot thatthesheepshould perishwhen the wolfcomes,ifthe shepherdiswatching. And sincethereare greatvarietiesof offenders,(forsome areincurable,some arecurable,)He thereforeadds,Ifthy brothertrespassagainstthee,rebukehim. AMBROSE.That theremight neitherbe hard-wrung par don,nor a too easyforgiveness,neithera harsh upbraid ing,todishearten,nor an overlookingof faults,to inviteto sin;thereforeitissaidin anotherplace,Tellhim hisfaultMatt.18, betweenhim and theealone. For betteris a friendlycor rection,than a quarrelsomeaccusation.The one strikes shameintoa man, the othermoves hisindignation.He who is admonished willmore likelybe saved,because hefearsto be destroyed.For it iswellthat he who is correctedshouldbelieveyou tobe ratherhisfriendthan his enemy. For we more readilygiveeartocounselthan yield toinjury.Fear is a weak preserverof consistency,but shameisan excellentmasterof duty. For he who fearsis restrained,not amended. But He has well said,If he trespassagainstthee. For itisnot the same thingto sin againstGod, and to sin againstman. BEDE. But we mustmark, that He does not bid us forgiveeveryone who sins,but him only who repentsof his sins. For by takingthis course we may avoid offences,hurting no one,correctingthe sinnerwith a righteouszeal,ex tendingthe bowelsof mercy to the penitent.THEOPHYL. Butsome one may wellask,If when I have severaltimes forgivenmy brotherhe again trespassagainstme, what mustI do with him? In answerthereforeto thisquestion He adds,And if he trespassagainsttheeseventimesin o day,and seventimesin a day turnagainto thee,saying, /repent;forgivehim. BEDE.By usingthe number sevenHe assignsno bound tothegivingof pardon,but commands us eitherto forgive allsins,or alwaysto forgivethe penitent.For by seven thewholeof any thingor time is frequentlyrepresented. 2 p2