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← hóa. Ås ne de protones, that forgiving injuries will n be here done then grow bell, and be more hard inter caes; and that they will hereby take occasion to sch, and do the lake ritmes for the future: It may be r ed, that this very scldom happens; but if it should, we m consider that the ungrateful abuse of a kind and generous a

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ssibility of this consequence ensuing thereupon, excuse for our not performing it. But if there genuity of temper, or if it pleases God, by his ceed our kind behaviour toward them for their ave a far different effect; as it is observed, A soft th away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger, Thus concerning the obligation we are under to njuries that are committed against us: We are ider,

How this is an evidence, or may afford us ground. at we shall obtain forgiveness from God, when we g for it. Here let it be observed, that forgiving ay be considered barely as a virtue, proceeding from of temper, or the sense that persons have of the I reasonableness thereof, and from other motives light of nature may suggest, or, as it is recomy Seneca, Epictetus, and other heathen moralists: eed, it must be reckoned a very commendable qualiconvincing evidence that a person is, in a great deaster of his own passions; but we cannot from hence

that such an one is in a state of grace; and nothing --that can be evidence of our right to forgiveness: ore we must consider this disposition to forgive injua Christian virtue, or as containing in it some ingrediat manifest it to be a grace wrought in us by the Spirit, branch of sanctification, and, as such, having several graces connected with; and accordingly,

When our forgiving injuries is an evidence of our having ed forgiveness, we must do it out of a humble sense of any crimes that we have committed against God; and fore it is joined with, and flows from the grace of re

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It also contains in it several acts of faith; as hereby we in effect, acknowledge, that all we have is in God's hand, has a right to take it away when he pleases; and if he ers us to be deprived of our reputation and usefulness in world, or our wealth and outward estate therein, by the urious treatment we meet with from those, who, without ase are our enemies; we are sensible that this could not be me without his permissive providence, which we entirely acriesce in. The injury or injustice we wholly lay to the T arge of those who hate us, nevertheless, in obedience to our aviour's command, we desire to express our love to them, in he most valuable instances thereof, and, at the same time, to Acknowledge and bow down to the sovereignty and justice of God, in suffering us to be thus dealt with by men, hoping and trusting that he will over-rule this, and all other afflictive pro

fied him; Father forgive them, for they know not what they do, Luke xxiii. 34. These examples are worthy of our imita-i tion; and therefore we should reckon ourselves obliged to forgive those who have injured us.

Object. It will be objected by some, that the injuries done them, are so very great, that they are not to be borne; and it would be dishonourable for them not to take any notice thereof: Or, it may be, the ingratitude that is expressed herein, is such that it deserves the highest resentment; and if it should : be passed over, it might be reckoned a tacit approbation of their crime, and give occasion to them, that have committed the i. jury against them, to despise them, and do the like for th future.

Answ. To this it may be replied;

1st, That if the injury be great, it will be much more commendable, and a greater instance of virtue and grace to forgive than to resent it; for in this a man overcomes h...self, subdues his own passions, and thereby lets his enemy know. that he has a due sense of the divine command relating the unto, and that his spirit is sanctified and calmed by the po of divine grace. This is reckoned one of the greatest victories; as it is said, He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that tak:th a city, Prov. xvi. 32.

2dly, As for our honour, which is pretended to be conc herein, they who allege it, are very much mistaken in their sentiments about true honour; since it is said, The discretion of a man deferreth his anger, and it is his glory to pass over his transgression, chap. xix. 11.

3dly, This does not, in the least, argue, that the person who forgives, approves of his crime, who has done him the injury, since this is not inconsistent with our charging it on his conscience, and endeavouring to bring him under a sense of guilt, as having not only injured us, but done that which is highly displeasing to God; and he may be given to understand, that hereby he has wronged his own soul more than us, and therefore has great reason to be humbled before God, and repent of his sin committed against us, which, as it is committed against God, he only can forgive; though we let him know, that we are disposed to forgive him, so far as the crime is directed against us.

4thly, As to the pretence, that forgiving injuries will make those who have done them grow bold, and be more hardened in their crimes; and that they will hereby take occasion to insult, and do the like injuries for the future: It may be replied, that this very seldom happens; but if it should, we must consider that the ungrateful abuse of a kind and generous ac

ration, or the possibility of this consequence ensuing thereupon, is no sufficient excuse for our not performing it. But if there be the least ingenuity of temper, or if it pleases God, by his grace, to succeed our kind behaviour toward them for their good, it will have a far different effect; as it is observed, A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger, chap. xv. 1. Thus concerning the obligation we are under to ...forgive the injuries that are committed against us: We are now to consider,

Thirdly, How this is an evidence, or may afford us ground. of hope, that we shall obtain forgiveness from God, when we e praying for it. Here let it be observed, that forgiving injuries, may be considered barely as a virtue, proceeding from a goodness of temper, or the sense that persons have of the equity and reasonableness thereof, and from other motives which the light of nature may suggest, or, as it is recommended by Seneca, Epictetus, and other heathen moralists: And, indeed, it must be reckoned a very commendable quali

and a convincing evidence that a person is, in a great dego, master of his own passions; but we cannot from hence conclude, that such an one is in a state of grace; and nothing short of that can be evidence of our right to forgiveness: Therefore we must consider this disposition to forgive injuties, as a Christian virtue, or as containing in it some ingredithat manifest it to be a grace wrought in us by the Spirit, ana,a..branch of sanctification, and, as such, having several other graces connected with; and accordingly,

1. When our forgiving injuries is an evidence of our having obtained forgiveness, we must do it out of a humble sense of the many crimes that we have committed against God; and therefore it is joined with, and flows from the grace of repentance.

2. It also contains in it several acts of faith; as hereby we do, in effect, acknowledge, that all we have is in God's hand, who has a right to take it away when he pleases; and if he suffers us to be deprived of our reputation and usefulness in the world, or our wealth and outward estate therein, by the injurious treatment we meet with from those, who, without cause are our enemies; we are sensible that this could not be done without his permissive providence, which we entirely acquiesce in. The injury or injustice we wholly lay to the charge of those who hate us, nevertheless, in obedience to our Saviour's command, we desire to express our love to them, in the most valuable instances thereof, and, at the same time, to acknowledge and bow down to the sovereignty and justice of God, in suffering us to be thus dealt with by men, hoping and trusting that he will over-rule this, and all other afflictive pro

vidences for our good; as David says, when he speaks of God's suffering Shimei to curse him: It may be, that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day, 2 Sam. xvi. 12.

3. When we forgive those that have injured us, it is, with an earnest desire that God would give them repentance, that thereby his name may be glorified, and his interest promoted, whatever becomes of our name and usefulness in the world.When we are enabled to exercise such a frame of spirit as this in forgiving those that have injured us, we have ground to hope, that when we pray for forgiveness, the great God, who is the author of all that grace which we exercise in forgiving others, will grant us this invaluable privilege.

Having explained this petition, we shall now consider it as a directory, that so we may put up our requests to God, agreeable thereunto: Accordingly we are to cast ourselves before his footstool, with humble confession of sin, and imploring forgiveness from him, to this purpose: "We adore thee, O Lord, "as a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Thou hast "commanded us to keep thy precepts, and hast revealed thy "wrath from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteous"ness of men: We acknowledge that we are, by our trans"gressions, become debtors to thy justice; our iniquities are "increased over our head, and our trespasses grown up unto "the heavens; and thereby we have deserved to be banished "out of thy sight, and cast into the prison of hell, without hope "of being released from thence. We are not able to stand in "judgment, and therefore we dread the thoughts of appearing "before thine awful tribunal, as an absolute God. If thou "shouldest contend with us, we cannot answer for the least sin "that we have committed; and it would be an injury to thy "justice, and an increasing of our guilt, to expect or desire, "that thou shouldest pardon our sins without receiving satis"faction for them, which we are sensible that we are not, nor "ever shall be able to give thee. But we bless thy name, that "thou hast sent thy well-beloved Son into the world, who gave "his life a ransom for thy people; by which means thy justice "is satisfied, thy law fulfilled, and all thy perfections infinitely "glorified: He hath finished transgression, made an end of "sin, made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in ever"lasting righteousness; which is to and upon all them that "believe. Thou hast therefore given us leave, and encouraged. "us to come to thee by faith, to plead with thee for redemption and forgiveness through his blood, according to the "riches of thy grace. In him thou art a God, pardoning the "iniquity, and passing by the transgressions of the remnant of "thine heritage: Therefore we pray for this invaluable privi

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