Cafes about forgi1iing ~thei·s. ~·. 25·. ~dl. 3· .A"! I h?uud to furgive anotber, if /Jt ark._ me not forgive;zcjJ ? Tbe reafon of the q"t}t.on u btca•ft Chrij! fauh, Luke 17· 3, 4· If thy brathtr trcfpaji againjl tlm, r<huf<.t him: and if he repent furgive him: And if he tre{paji againfl tbre {tven timu in a d.Jy, and fivrn timer in a da) tum a7..;in to thee, faying, I rrpwt, tbJu jhalt furgive him. An[w. In the refolvipg ot this, while fame have barely affirmed, and o;hers denyed, for w<~.nt of diltinguiihing, they have fdid worfe th;m nothing. It is necdLry that we: Uifiinguifl1, 1. Between the forgiving of an Cntrny, and of a flrangcr, and of a neighbour, 4ndof a bro. rhcr, as f!.lch. 2· B:.:twccn the fcvcral pcnalcics to be rcrnicted (as wtll as revenges to b: forborn). And fo brief~ ly the C<fc mull be thus refolvcd. Prop. I· An Enemy, a jlranger, and a mighbJur, aJ fuch, mu(\ beforgiven ( ill the cafes beforcaf– ferttd ) th:m?,b thq aJk,. not Jurgiv~nc{J, nor fay, I repent: Fa, I. Ma1~y odlt.r Scrip: urcs ab!Olu!t:ly requirt: ir. ~ 2. And forgiving tlmn rlJ fuch, is bur the co:uinuing them in our commm cb.Jri:y, as me it or m:igbbouf!; that is, our not cndea~ouring to ruine them, or do them any hurr, and our hc 1 uty dctiring and cndeavoluing their good, accotd!ng 'to their capilci:ies or ours; And thus far we mutt forgive thtm. Prop. 2. A Brother muft bt alfo th1u far forgivm, though he [ay not, I repent: that is, we mull Love him as a rn.m, and w:01 and endeavour his good to our power. Prop. 3· A Brother as a Brotbcr, it not to be [o f orgivw, as to be rtftorcd to our ejli1natim, and af· fcliion, and u[.1ge sf.him at a.BrotiJ~r, ~itber iit feiritual acc~tmt, ?' i~timalt [peci..Jl Love aild[Jmi· Ji:Jrity 1 as long as he 1s ImpcnHcnt m hJS gwfs otfcnccs; and that IS, tall he turn again and fay, I re~ pent. ANJIUl'al Brulh<r is fiill1o bt Loved as a NJtura\ Brother. For tlut kind of Love dr:per.dt:th . not on his homfly or rcpcncancc. Bur, 1. A Brothn in a Religious fcnfr. • 2· Or a boft'me familiar friend, arc bl·th unfit for to be received in thcfe caplcities, till they au~ penitent for grors off~ nc's; Therc:fcrc chc Cburcb is not to pudon the Impenitent, in point ofCom– muniou, I!Or fJrlicu/Jr Cbrijlians to p~rdon thtrn in their cftecm and c.uri.1ge: Nor am I boUnd to t3.ke an untit pcrfon to be my bo[omc friend to !mow my ft.crets: Thnefore if either of thefe cff ...nd 1 I mult not forgive them , that is , by forgivcntfs continue them in the rcfpcCl: and ufu,ge of this brotherhood, till they Repent: And this ( tidl efptcioily ) is rhe Brother mentioned in the Tc.:xt. 9· 26. Q!efl. 4• lJ it /awful to fue a Bratbtr at Law .l Tbe rcafun of the qu~1ion is, from die rrords of tbe Apojtlc Paul, I Cor. 6. 7· There it utterly a [aHll amcnh yon, htc.1Jt[t ye go to LaiP one with anotlur: lf?h)' do JOU not rather taJtt wrong? 1Yhy do you n:~t Ttlllur fojft·r your {tlvn tU be difraudcJ 1 Anfw. I· Difiinguifl1 betwixt goijlg to Law before Heathens, or other enemies to the Chrifiian Re– ligion, anO. before Chrifiian MagiHrates. 2. Between going to Law in malice for revenge, and going mecrly to fed< my right, or to feek the fupprdlion and reformation of fin. 3• Between going to Law when you arc bound to forgive, antl. when you are not. . . ·~·And between going roLaw in hafie and ncedlefly, and going to Law as the !all remedy, in cafe of IH.cdlity, when other means fail. S· And between going to Law when the hurt is like to be greater than the benefit, and going to Law whtn it is likely to do good. There is a great deal of difference between the[e ca.f~s. §. 27· J'rop. 1· Chrifiians mufi rat.her fuffcr wrong, than go to Law before the enemies ofReligion, when it is like to harden them, and t_o_ ~ring Chrifiianity into contempt. Pr 9 p. 2 , It is not lawful to make Law and Jufiice the means of private unlawful revenge; nor to vent our malice, nor to opprefs the innocent. Prop. 3· When ever I am bound to forgive the trefpafs, wrong, or debt, then it is unlawful to fctk my own at Law. For that is not forgiving. Prop. 4• There are many other remedies which mull firfl be trycd (ordinarily) before we go to Law; As t. To rebuke our neighbour for his wrong, and privately to ddiu: nrccJTary reparations. 2· To take two or three to admoni!h him : or to refer the matter to Arbitrators (or in fame caE:s to a lott ). And if any make Law their firfl remedy ncedkfly, while the other m<am lhould firfi be . ufed, it is a fin. Prop. 5· It is not lawful to go to Law-futes, when prudence may difcern that the hurt which may come by it, will be greater than the benefit; (either by lurdning the perfon, or difturbing our {tlves, or fcandalizing others againfi Religion, or drawing any to waycs of unpcaccablcncfi and revenge, e, ...,, ) The forefeen confcquents may over~tule tht cafe. · 9· 28. But on the other fide, Prop. 1. lt is lawful to make ufe of Chrifiian JudicatorieS', fo it be done in a lawful manner; yea, and in fomc cafes, of the Judicatories of Infidels. Prop. 2. The fupprdling of fin , and the defending of the innocent, and righting of the wronged, being the duty of Governours, it is lawful,to feek thefe benefits at their lunds. Prup. 3·
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