EVIDENCES OF FO GIVENESS. '209 ness in God is far more clearly exhibited, especially in the nature and cause of it, in the Gospel, which hath brought life and immortality to light, than it was under the law. This forgiveness of others is made an express con- dition of our obtaining forgiveness from God. Matt. 6 : 14, 15. Our forgiving others will not procure forgive- ness for ourselves ; but our not forgiving others proves that we ourselves are not forgiven. All these things show what weight God himself lays on this duty. 2. This duty is such, that there is nothing more come- ly, useful, or honorable, than a due performance of it. To be morose, implacable, inexorable, revengeful, is one of the greatest degeneracies of human nature. To re- member injuries, to retain a sense of wrongs, to watch for opportunities of revenge, to hate and be maliciously perverse, is to represent the image of the devil to the world in its proper colors ; he is the great enemy and self avenger. On the other hand, no grace, no duty, no ornament of the mind is in itself so lovely, so praise- worthy, or so useful to mankind, as are meekness and readiness to forgive. This is that principally which ren- ders a man a good man, for whom one would even dare to die. And I am sorry to add that this grace or duty is recommended by its rarity. It is little found amongst the children of men. There is no grace, virtue, or perfection in any man, but is an emanation from the Divine goodness and boun- ty, and so expressive of some excellence or perfection that exists in God in a way infinitely more excellent. We are created in the image of God. Whatever was good or comely in us was a part of that image ; espe- cially the ornaments of our minds, the perfections of our souls. These things had in them a resemblance of, and a correspondence to some excellences in God. This being for the most part lost by sin, a shadow of
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