And so Jesus gives his people pardon in such promises as these: "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool," Is. i: 16. "Let them return unto the Lord, for he will _abundantly pardon_." Is. lv: 7. "All that believe are justified from _all_ things." Acts xiii: 39. These promises are like the king's pardon which the officer had received. Faith in these promises brings pardon, and the pardon brings peace. And so, by what he is doing now, as well as by the miracles he performed when on earth, we are taught the precious truth, that--"The Son of man hath power to forgive sins." Then when we think of the wonderful miracles that Jesus did, let us always remember the illustrations they afford of the power he had to _help_--_to comfort_--_to encourage_--_to protect_--_and to pardon_. Let us seek to secure all these blessings to ourselves, and then we shall find that what Jesus taught by his miracles will be very profitable teaching to us! CHRIST TEACHING LIBERALITY If we should attempt to mention all the parables which Jesus spoke, and the miracles which he performed, and the many other lessons which he taught, it would make a long list. As we have done before we can only take one or two specimens of these general lessons which Jesus taught. We have one of these in the title to our present chapter, which is--_Christ Teaching Liberality_. This was a very important lesson for Jesus to teach. One of the sad effects of sin upon our nature is to make it selfish, and covetous. We are tempted to love money more than we ought to do. We are not so willing to part with it as we should be. And we never can be good and true Christians unless we overcome the selfishness of our sinful hearts, and not only learn to give, but to give liberally. The Bible teaches us that God not only expects his people to give, but, as St. Paul says, in one place, to give "_cheerfully_." II. Cor. ix: 7. And this is the lesson Jesus taught when he said to his disciples,--"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosoms." St. Luke vi: 38. And when we come to consider these words of Jesus, there are three things to engage our attention. _The first of these is the_--LESSON OF LIBERALITY--_here set before us_. _The second is_--THE PROOF--_that this lesson is taught all through the Bible_. _And the third is_--THE ILLUSTRATIONS--_of this lesson_. And then, when put into its shortest form, our present subject may be thus expressed--_the lesson of liberality; its proofs; and its illustrations_.