But here are certain cases that would come into debate.
First Case. Whether it be consistent with this temper, forgiving of others, to seek reparation of wrongs in a way of justice, and pursue men at law for offences they have committed against us ?
Ans. Yes. For,
1. Certainly one law doth not cross another. By the law of charity the law of justice is not made void. A magistrate, though he be a Christian, and bound to forgive others, is not bound up from executing his office against public offenders. Nor yet are private men tied from having recourse to the magistrate for restoration to their right, or reparation of their wrong. For to demand one's right is not contrary to love, nor to seek to amend and humble the party nocent by the magistrate's authority, who is ' the minister of God for good,' Eom.
190 AN EXPOSITION OF [MaT. VI. 12.
xiii. 4 ; and that others may ' hear and fear/ Deut. xix. 20 ; and the party damnified may for the future live in peace. Forgiving is an act of -jjrivate jurisdiction. The offence, as far as it is private to us, it may be forgiven ; but there are many such offences as are not only an offence to us, but to the public order, and that must be left to the process of the law.
2. Whosoever useth this remedy must look to his own heart, that he be uot acted with private revenge, nor with a spirit of rigour or rancour against the party offending ; but that he be carried out with zeal to justice, with pity to the person, that he and others may not be hardened in sin. For this is the general law of Christ, that ' all things should be done in love,' 1 Cor. xvi. 14. Therefore when we are acted by our private passion and secret desires of revenge, we abuse God's ordinance of magistracy, and make it to lacquey upon our lusts. And therefore there must be a taking heed to the frame of our own hearts, that they be upright in these things. Though it seem hard to flesh and blood, yet remember flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Grace must frame your hearts to the obedience of God's will.
3. These remedies from authority must be in weighty cases, and in matters of moment and importance. Their contending in law one with another about the smallest matters is that which the apostle taxeth : 1 Cor. vi. 7. Not upon every trifling occasion. It must be after other means are tried and used ; as the help of friends to com- pound the matter, for charity trieth all things : 1 Cor. xiii. 4. And the apostle saith, 1 Cor. vi. 5, ' Is there none to judge between you?' that is, none to decide and arbitrate the difference, for the refuge to authority should be our last remedy. And it must be too when the party wronging is able to make satisfaction, otherwise it is rigour and inhumanity: 2 Kings iv. 1. As when the creditors came to take the sons of the widow for bondmen. When you are rigorous with those that come to poverty, not by then- own default, but by the discharge of their duty brought poverty upon themselves, it is contrary to Chris- tianity. Look, as physicians deal with quicksilver, after many dis- tillations they make it useful in medicines ; so, after many preparations is this course to be taken.
Second Case. Whether, in forgiving injuries, we are bound to tarry for the repentance of the party ? The ground of doubting is, because Christ saith, Luke xvii. 3, ' If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and, if he repent, forgive him;' and because of God's example, who doth not forgive an obstinate sinner, but him that repents. Certainly, even before repentance, we are bound to lay aside revenge, and in many cases to go and reconcile ourselves with others. Saith our Saviour, ' If thou hast aught against any one, go reconcile thyself to him, and then come and offer thy gift.' It is not said. If any have aught against thee, but, If thou hast aught against any one*.^ I confess, in some cases, it is enough to lay it aside before the Lord, But at other times, we are to seek reconciliation with the party which hath wronged us. But this case is mightily to be guided by sphitual prudence. As for God's example, God is superior, bound to none, he acts
1 This seems to be inaccurate. — Ed.
Mat. VI. 12.] the lord's prayer. 191
freely ; it is his mercy that pardons any; and yet God gives us a heart to repent of his good pleasure, — hebeginswith asinner. But this is nothing to our case who are under law, w^ho are bound to forgive others.
III. The person to whom we pray, Our heavenly Father.
The note is, that God doth alone forgive sin.
There is a double forgiveness of sin — in heaven and in a man's own conscience ; and therefore sometimes compared to the blotting out of something out of a book, sometimes to the blotting out of a cloud. To the blotting out of a book : Isa. xliii. 25, ' I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins ; ' that it may be no more remembered or charged upon us. To the blotting out of a cloud : Isa. xliv. 22, ' I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins : ' as the sun when it breaketh forth in its strength dispelleth the mists and clouds. Sin interposeth as a cloud, hindering the light of God's countenance from shining forth upon us. Both these are God's work ; to blot the book and to blot out the cloud.