on the Lord'r Prayer. than vigoroufly purfue it with Srrifes and Quarrels. And we ought w be fo fn from · fceking Revenge for fuch petry Injuries, as are not defiruilive nor greatly pttjudicial to us, as robe willing rather to filffer a Second, t~an to rcvehge the Firfi. For if all that Ciln be caUed our Due and our R1ghr mull he exaEted ro the very utmoft what Debt is there that we are bound to fOrgive? Thofe therefore are jufily ro b<! co~demned chat take every Advanrageagainfr their Neighbours; and althoUgh the Of. fi::nce be bur trivial, a pafiionate Word, or a fuddcn and light Blow, that proceeded not from any propenfe and intended Malice, or the like, prefendy purfUe fuch Advama· ges with rigou r and extremity; and becaufe they may do it according to the La-..v' ot Man, regard nor the L~w of Go~, whic~ commands us ro_forg_ive fuc~ J?ebtorr, And this is the firft Thmg wherem Forg1venefs dorh con{JtJ, In abfiammg fi-om the 'outward Afls of Revenge, and exaEling SatisfJEl:ion from thofe who have wronged us where we have feen how it is limited, and how to be ohferved. 'secondly) Forgiving our Debtors confifts in the inward Frame and Temper of our Hearrs towards them, that we bear them no Malice, no Jil-wil1; bur be as much in Cbariry wich them as rho' they never had offended us. And rh is Forgivenefs we are bound always to exercife, even in thofc:: Cafes in which we may feek fOr SJtisfaEH~ on- yea altho' we could ne\'Cr profecure them for SatisfiEHon, yet if we recain f(!..; ere: Grudgings and Animofities in our Hearts againfi them, this is nor an entire Forgivenefs and fuch as will be acceprable ro God; fOr he efiimares the Heart, and not only the'ourward AElions, which may have many By-ends w fwJy and direa them. And rhus I have, as briefiy as I couJd, fhewn you wharforgiving of our Debtors is, and bow far we are bound to do ir. And now, Chrittians, I know you cannot but refle8: ferioufly upon ir, how hard and difficult a Duty this of Forgivenefs is. It is that which the .whole lntetefr of Flerh and Blood, and all the Party that Paflions and AfM.lions can mufter up within us will certainly rebel againft this DoElrine. And alas, how feldom is it that Men ea~ conquer themfelves fo as to yield Obedience unto it really and cordially! WhenCe is it that all Places are fo fUll ofRailing and Reviling, Quarrels and Chlllenges, vexatious Contentions, and endlefs Suits, Warrants, Arrefis, AClions, and lmprifonmcms. and that upon flight Cnjuries and Provocations, but only that they have nor learned this neceffary Dury, oj forgiving one another? Nay, many think it the Part of a high Spirit and generous Nature to make themfelves Terrible ro thofe whom they fuppofc bave in the leaft wronged and affronted them; and upon the lea£! Difguft fly our intoall Extremities ofThreatnings and Revenge; whereas in Truth this is bur the F.fttEt of a mean and ford id Spirir. It is a Difpofition brearhed into Mens Souls by the Devil, and demonfirares, as a great dtal of Pride, fo a great deal of Vilenefs and Bafenefs: The trueft Gallantry and Generoufnefs is to imi rate the Great God, in being Patient and Long-fuffering, and ready to Pardon and Forgive. This is rhat heighth ofSpirit, the true Magnanimity and Greatnifs; and if we would be perfeft we mufr ftoop; ftoop did I fay? Rather we muft afpire to this Heavenly Temper. And ro excite umo this, confider, Firj1, That it is infinitely more honourable to forgive a Wrong than to revenge it : ~ . ~ Firft, The one makes thee like to God, the other makes thee like the Devil : Yea, it is the cbiefeft Excellency by which God delights to be f~t forth. /, even I, am he that blotteth out thy Tran.f.gre.f/iont, lfa. 43· 2 5· And who iS" a God like unto thee tbat pardonS" Iniquity? Mic, 7· 18. Now how Glorious is it to imhate God in that ~hich he himfelf counts his chiefeft Glory' The Great Ones of the Earth imitate him io Power and Authority, and are fome kind of glimmering Types of his Majefry, who daunts and dazles allApproachers. Bur a pooi', contemptible, Chrifiian, whofe mean.. ~cfs lays him open and expoled to oil the Wrongs and Injuries of abufive and infult• mg Wretches; tJ1ay reprefenr a far greater Glory of God than that wherein Prinas and Monarchs fhine. even his Forbearance, Pity, Long-fuffering, and Pardon: He ~ay repre~n~ God fitti~g upon his Throne of Grace, whereas the other reprefems b1m only humg upon h1s Throne of Powrr. Now God ne\'er Triumphs more in any Amibure than that of his Mercy : See with what fair Flourilbes he writes his Name, Exod. 34· 6. The Lord) th~ Lord God; infinire in Power, that fpreads forth the H:avens,and rangethallthe Haft of rhem; that hangs up the Earth inrhemidftofche Air, and the whole World in the midft of a vaft and boundlefs Nothing l thar pours OUt
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