"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." (Heb. 10:24.) "If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (Gal. 6:1:) "For consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." (Heb. 12:3.)

In these passages, three objects are presented for our consideration:our brother, ourselves, and the Lord. Cain's question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" is for the child of God answered in the first verse quoted-"Let us consider one another."We are not only members of His body (Eph. 5:30), and quoted to our glorified Head, but from that very fact are members one of another, and are to have the same care one for another (i Cor. 12:) Indifference to his brother's spiritual condition is impossible for the Christian. " If one member suffer, all the members suffer with it." Selfish indeed is that heart which has room only for its own interests, that sees unmoved by concern the coldness or failure of a fellow-Christian. Such a state of itself is proof of a low condition. We are to consider one another, and this not in a merely incidental way in passing, but to thoroughly look at and examine the condition. This is the thought conveyed in the word in the Greek. It is the boast of Rome that in the confessional, she gains a full and intimate knowledge of the walk, and even thoughts, of her followers. But here, as in much else, she has only the counterfeit of what is true. The tyranny, insolence, and wickedness of the confessional cannot be too strongly condemned; but a counterfeit must, in some particulars, resemble the real,-and Protestantism, in exalting the right of private conscience, has gone to the other extreme in the almost total neglect of discipline, and godly care for one another. Farthest removed from the spirit of a prying busy-body is that loving and watchful care suggested by the passage we are considering. The object of this care is also stated:"To provoke unto love and good works." The word translated "provoke" is suggestive. The literal meaning is "to sharpen," and we are reminded of that passage, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." (Prov. 27:17.) It is by rubbing two knives together that they are sharpened, and so godly care and intercourse stir up the people of God. Love and good works are what we are to provoke to, the root and the fruits. Alas! we know what it is to provoke to anger, but how little of this kind of stirring up ! The Lord arouse us all to this. There may be real self-denial required to carry it out. Rebuke may be necessary, faithfully pointing out the wrong, checking the hasty zeal; and much wisdom and prayer is needed.

This we find in the second exhortation, "Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." A busy-body might be defined as one who meddles in the affairs of others without any conscience. In morbid physical conditions a person will eat earth, or ashes, with relish. Alas! how great an appetite many have for evil, not to remedy it', but apparently for its own sake! Now the remedy for this is suggested in the passage before us, "Considering thyself." What am I? What have I been doing? What am I capable of doing? These and such like searching questions will have the effect of giving us " low thoughts of self;" we will "each esteem others better than ourselves." Considering himself, the apostle could say, "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints." It has often been remarked that if we are to wash our brother's feet, we are to take a lower place than he-to be his servant; we can only do this as we realize that we also may be tempted, that we have often failed. Beloved, how little fault-finding there would be if we first considered ourselves ! How little of that carping spirit of criticism which magnifies the errors of a brother, and dwells upon evil! How little of that harsh inflexible spirit of so-called righteousness which will exact the "pound of flesh" at all costs! The severest judges are those who do not judge themselves. Even in a matter requiring discipline, God often has first to humble those who would act for Him. See in Judges, where He permits all eleven tribes, who would deal with Benjamin for permitting terrible sin, to be beaten once and again, until thoroughly broken they come with tears and sacrifices, and ask, " Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin, my brother? (Judg. 20:26-28.) Now they are in the place of acknowledged weakness, and from that go forth in power for God. In principle, the Lord often has to say to us, "Let him that is without sin among you cast the first stone." This does not mean that we are not to attempt the restoration of a brother, but that it must be done in the spirit of self-consideration, or it will be worse than useless.

Lastly, we are to "consider Him." The word here is much stronger than the other two. It might be rendered " reckon up," " reason about fully," " consider attentively." No mere glance at the Lord is necessary, but a fixed and constant gaze. Here He is set before us in view of the trials and persecutions of the way. What did He do ? did He grow weary and faint? Nay, "For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross and despised the shame." If He were ever before us, our walk would be more like His, unswerving from the path. How easily we are turned away by a frown, or a sneer! Specially is this the case in what we are considering-our dealings with our brother. The flesh in him stirs it up in us often times in a way that shows we are not "considering Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself." What meekness He showed in the presence of those who spat upon, smote Him on the head and buffeted Him! No word of self-vindication in any angry way, no answering back, all shows us the One who "was led as a lamb to the slaughter," and who "left us an example that ye should follow His steps. . . . Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously." If He did this in presence of sinners can we not bear the little we may meet with in saints f There is no excuse for us, if we fail in this-and it is just, here where so much hurt and damage, not only to our own souls but to the Church, has come in. How blessed it is that the Holy Spirit would ever keep our eye on Christ, from the first time when we looked to Him lifted up on the cross (Jno. 3:15) and got life and peace, in every trial and step of the way, till no longer by faith, but face to face we see Him, having been made like Him. In view of that day, we can well afford to wait in patience and weakness during this "little while."