The New York herald., 1871-03-06
CHURCH OF THE DIVINE PATERsITY.

The Various Kinds or Sin-Christ's Love for
Sinners-The ssSocial Evip' and Its Condeu-
nation-Sermon by the Rev. DIR. Chaplin.
The attendance at Dr.. Chapin's church, In the
morning. was, as usual. very large, and after a
short earnest and eloquent prayer-that the
seed Of divine grace be sown IN oil hearts,
''some tenfold some sixty and some q hundred
fod;" we need Thy help always-in the pre-
sence OF the tempter. in the heat OF the day, In
the turmoil OF business; we pray Thy grace alike
for all men; that the peace which has been con-
cluded in Europe may be strengthened and lasting;
that plenty and harmony spring up in the red track
Of battle-tne reverend pastor commenced his dis
course taking his text from the forty seventh verse
OF tie seventh chapter OF ST. Luke-"Wheref0re say
unto thee her SINS. which are many, are forgiven,
for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little"
This passage was full OF the truth OF the Gospel
1t was the incident connected with 1t OF which
Gregory ILL had said that he was moro inclined 20
weep over 1t tnan.to preach about 1t. The speaker
retraced the narrative. Jesus, when Simon init.
mated that 1t was de1lement for the woman to
touch him, had rebuked him by the parable Of the
two debtors. The word "lor'' In the text deter.
mme1
A CoNTROvERTED INTERPRETATION
whether the woman loved because Of forgiveness or
loving much, was forgiven. TINS was undoubtedly
after that other incident In which Jesus had said
"Come unto me ye heavy laden" &c. 1t was the
Divine mercy that had awakened the love within
her. and given her the faith for which she was for.
given. What tender mercy that was for the poor,
degraded, taunted woman-what o light to CLEAN
through the shadow Of her glitterng but false and
fevered life Perhaps she had heard or had seen
the incident Of his raising the Widows son. and had
been moved by that love which passed no sin or
nf hor va
pentance, but had repented Of her shame. She had
sinned much, and
JESUS HAD NOT EXCUSED HER SIN,
but for her love and trust had forgiven her. she
no greater sinner than simon, although greater
Of regarding sin. one was the lax way, by which
every sin OF impulse or Of passion which
should suddenly overtake . man was excused
would punish sin with terrible, uncompromisipg
tooth ior tooth.H There was no laxIty IN Chrlsts
treatment OF sim All stn assumed its true darkness
II Woman Ove ae had
called them weak yielding to passion, but had
called them sins, and had not palliated that great
sin which is
THE CURSE OF ALL LARGE CITIES.
With tnat great love, mixed with oyernowing,
e no lie enc as as Il IN
nerve OF His holy nature. He suffered because Of
our sin; not because IL was for Him TO bear 1t.
FOOLS MAKE MOCK OF SIN,
but no one else. tis not IN the Gospel OF Christ
that men should die hopelessly In sin, but IL all
breatheS hope for the most wretched and iallen
who can discover the love OF Heaven. But in some
circles OF society there Is ruthless crusade against
forgiveness OF SIN, especially social SIN. and espe.
cially among women. II Is forgotten tnat the Gospel
OF Jesus Is the gospel Of hope aud mercy, after all.
When fallen, woman Is most merciessly Condemned
by her SEX In this case there is no distinction
made by society between
SINS OF PASSION AND SINS OF DELIBgRATIoN.
But Jes us makes this distinction, yet He makes
no excuse for passion. The man who excuses him.
self on this plea makes his sin deliberate. The man
who debases himself " drink and rejects that 1t ID
his appetite which CHAINS him, but which he cannot
bring himself to break makes himself by the renec-
tlon, deliberate drunkard. Jesus condemned all
such attempts to pallia.e sin, not muddy, but with
energy. DO YOU think that he always spoke softly
and complacentlyf No Not when he said, "Woe
be unto you ye Scribes and Pharisees.n There was
A LIGHTNING or CONDEMNATION
In that word ''woe.n Theirs were sins Of contempt
OF pride OF delberation, and not like the sins OK
this woman. And my hearers, there IS this about
the character OF Jesus Christ-He sought sin, He
pitied It, There are good men. calling themselves
good, who abnor sin, and these men repel sinners
drew sinners to Him, and they came, feeling the
agony OF great woe, but went away rejoicing.
THE BEST PEOPLE ARE THE MOST CHARITABLE
People who say the ost about sin usually possess
the UbRt, CHRIST had no knowledge or hopeless ain.