When Christ would put peculiar honour upon His servants, He often suffers them to be brought low in the sight of men. If the saints are favoured to suffer reproach for Christ's sake, then will they own the honour put upon them to be thus conformed to their Master. Paul and Silas, thrust into prison at Philippi, sang praises to God. Christ never allows any faithful servant of His to suffer loss, but He turns that loss to great gain. God always honours faithful servants, and comforts persecuted ones. Dealing with the Faults of Others If we would wisely reprove the flesh in our brethren, we must first, after the Lord's example, remember and commend the grace in them. Those who are much acquainted with the cross of Christ, and with their own hearts, will be slow to take the reprover's office: if they do reprove, they will make it a solemn matter, knowing how much evil comes of the unwise handling of a fault. Let us begin by searching ourselves, if we would be profitable reprovers of others. Much self-judgment makes a man slow to judge others; and the very gentleness of such an one gives a keen edge to his rebukes. In reproving sin in others, we should remember the ways of the Holy Spirit of God towards us. He comes as the Spirit of Love; and whatever His rebukes, He wins the heart by mercy and forgiveness through Christ. To forgive without upbraiding, even by manner or look, is a high exercise of grace—it is imitation of Christ. If I have been injured by another, let me bethink myself—How much better to be the sufferer than the wrongdoer! The flesh would punish to prevent a repetition of wrongs; but Grace teaches us to defend ourselves without weapons. The man who "seventy times seven" forgives injuries, is he who best knows how to protect himself. If one do me a wrong, let me with the bowels of Christ seek after him, and entreat God to move him to repentance. We partake in the guilt of an offending member of Christ, until we have confessed his sin as our own (Dan. 9), mourned over it, prayed for its forgiveness, and sought in the spirit of love the restoration of the erring one. If our tongue have been betrayed into speaking contemptuously or even slightingly of an absent brother, let us quickly say, Alas! we have wounded Christ. If in love I speak to a brother of his fault, it is because I hate the sin. If I speak of it with backbiting tongue, it is self-pleasing that moves me. If under the law, when the bond was only in the flesh, the Israelite must not suffer sin upon his brother (Lev. 19:17), how much less should it be suffered under the Gospel, which binds the saints together spiritually and eternally! The figure of the mote in the eye shows what skill and tenderness he has need of who would be a reprover to his brother. Who would trust so precious a member as the eye to a rough, unskilful hand?