[ afes about Injuries, andJeeking riglJt. CHAP. X. Cafes re(olwd about forgilJinz. i•~uries and debts, and abont Jelf,defmce, and Jeek.o i1Jg rig/,t, by Lmv or ot/,envije. 61 THE Cafes about forgiving, and revenging are many, and' fome of them difficult: llhall refolve thofe of ordinary ufe in our practice:, and pafs by the rdl. . · ~· r. ~efi. r. Ir amanbound.tofo~give aUinjuriesanddamagetthatare done himllfnot, ~~ft. Io TYhat injuries bt tEcy which every man 11 obliged to forgive. ? Anfw. To both thcfe Q!)efiions I briefly anfwer, r. We mull ditlinguilh between a Crime or fin agai 11 jf God, and the common good, and an injury or Jammage to our felvth 2. And between pub~ fi,k,_ jujlice and private rcvinge ; 3· Af.J betw<en thofe damag<s which fall upon my felf only, and thofe that by me redound to others ( as.W1fe or Ch!ldren, &c.) 4· ·And between the remitting of a punijhmtnt, and the rern1ftl~g of reparatJOns of my Jofs. 5· And between the varioJH punifhmentt to be remitted. He that w!ll confound any of theft lhall loaner deceive himfelf and others, than refo!ve the doubts. 9. 2• Prop. r. It frequently falleth out, that it is not ih our power to remit the penaity of a crime ; nonot the temporal penalty. For this is a wrong to God the Univcr(at Governour; and · God only can forgive it, and lnan no f3rther than God hath commiffioned him : Murder, whore– dome, drunkennefs, fwearin@,&c. as they are fins againll God, the M"giflrate is bOund to puni!h; and priv:atc men to endeavour it by. the Magi!lrate : And if it may be faid that the Soveraign Ruler of a Nldon, hath power to forgive fuch crimc:s; the meaning is no more than this, r. That as to thefpecier of the[e fins, if he do forgive t~e tem.poral ~unilhmcnt which in his Office: he fhould have inflicted, yet no humane power can quelhort h1m for 1t ; bec:aufe he hath none o Earth above him : But yet God will queftion him, and thew him that he had no power to dilf>enfc wich his Laws> 11or difoblige himfdf from his duty. 2· And thar: in feme cafes an ii1dividu-,l crime may be for.. given by the Magillrate as to the temporal punilhment, even where the Ends of rhe Law and Go~ vtrnmC:nt require it: But this mufi not be ordinary. ~· 3• Prop. 2· It if not a/way in the power of the Magiftrate to remit the tempor.z.! pu;tijbfnent, of beptoJH crimes againft tht common-good. Becaufe jt is ordinarily necdfary to the common good that r:hey be punifhtd : and his power is for the c~mmon good, and not againfl it : T heenemies of the publick peace mufi by punilhmeni be rcflrained. 9· 4· Prop. 3· Much lefs is it in the power of a private man, to remit a penalty to be inAid:ed by a Magiflrar:e. And what I fay of Magifirates, holdeth of P-.srentJ, and mhcr Gov(.·rnours, ceurit p.:z~ rihJH, according to the proportion of their Authorit}'· , 9· 5· Prop. 4· I may by jufi means exact fatisfaction for damages to my fdf, in my reputation or eftate, when the Ends of Chrifiianity, ~ven the honour of God and the publick good, and the be– nefit ot mens fonls requirerh it; that is, when I only vindicate thc:fe by lawful means, as they are the Talents whid1God hath committed to me for his fervice, and for which he will call me to ac– count. It m.ay fall out rhat the vindicating of a Minifters or other Chrifiians name fro\n a flander, may become very needful for the interdl and honour of Religion, and for the good .of many fouls ; And \f I have an efiare which I refolve to ufe for God, and a Thief or a deceiver take it from me, who will do no good witb it but hurt, 1may be bound to vindicate it ; that I may be enablc:d ro do good, and may give God a comfortable account of my Stcwardlhip : belidcs the fuppreaing of thievery aDd deceit as they are againtl: the common good. ~· 6. Prop. S· When my efiate is not entirely my own, but Wife or Child or any other is a lharcr in it, it is not wholly in my power to remit any debt or damma.ge out of it, but 1 mufl: have the Confent of them that are joynt·owncrs ; Unlefs I beentrufled for them. §. 7· Prop. 6. If I be primarily obliged tO maintain Wife and Children or any others with my Efiate, l am l>ound on their behalf to ufe all JUH means ro vindicue it from any that £lull injuri– oufly invade it: 0 1herwife I am guilty of their fuffcrings whom I!hould maintain : I may no more fuffer athitf than a ilog to go away with rny Childrens mt:at. §. 8. Prop. 7· And as I mufi· vindicate my EHate for orhers to whom I ar:n cntrufled to Admi– niner it by God, fa mufll for my [elf alfo, fo fat as God would have me-ufe it my (elf. .For he that hath charged me to provide for my Family, rrquirfth alfo that I famifh not my (elf: And he hath tequired me to love my Neighbour but as tny felt: And therefore as I am bound to vindicate and help my Neighbour if a Thief !Jr Opprdfour would rob him, ( according to my place and power ), fo tnufll do alfo for my felf: In allrhefe feven cafes I am not obliged to forgive. I ii i i i i
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=