The apostle argueth from another argument, Col. iii. 13 ; and Eph. iv. 32, ' Forgive others, as God hath for Christ's sake forgiven us.' There is no man can wrong us as much as we trespass against God ; and though we are but as the drop of the bucket, and the small dust of the balance, yet our great and many sins are freely forgiven to us ; therefore it should prevail with us freely and easily to pardon one another. The scripture urgeth this. Oh, when we consider Christ's example, how Christ hath forgiven us; when we consider the greatness of the wrongs which he pardons, sins that are of a scarlet and crimson dye, Isa. i. 18 ; when we consider our own baseness in comparison of him, Isa. xl. 22, ' Who sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers ; ' and when we consider his omnipotency to right himself of the wrongs done to him, how he ' can
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cast body .inJ soul into hell fire ;' surely this should move us to forgive others. Yea, and it is not only a motive, but a rule. Forgive others, as God forgives us; what is that? Sincerely, not hypocritically; freely, not unwillingly ; fully, not by halves ; irrevocably, not for a time only ; but as God forgives and casts all our sins into the depth of the sea, so should we forgive and pass by the sins of others.
Christians, shall I urge another argument in this case, what need there is of forgiveness? Hereby a man overcometh himself, hereby he shames the party that did him wrong, and hereby he takes God's course to get the victory over the person which hath done him the wrong. Hereby he overcometh himself, his own nature, which thirsteth after revenge : Prov, xvi. 32, ' He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty ; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.' He is able to rule himself, so it is his glory ; he doth overcome that revengeful and froward disposition which is in his own nature. And hereby he overcomes and shames the party that did him wrong ; there is no such way to do this as by forgiveness. Thus David did overcome Saul, 1 Sam. xxiv. 17, when David had him at an advantage and spared him, Saul said to David, ' Thou art more righteous than I.' Oh, what a victory was this, to overcome that fierce man's heart and reconcile him. And you keep God's way in overcoming him ; it is God's prescribed course that you should thus overcome him by kindness and meekness: Eom. xii. 21, ' Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
But wherein must we express this forgiveness towards others ? As to the wrong to be forgiven, we must consider it either as an offence against God, or sometimes against public laws, or as it is an offence against us. So far as it is an offence against God or the public laws, here we have not power to forgive, and punishment is due to the common good, Poena debetur. The Lord himself, that forgives us, and forgives for Christ's sake, hath secured the honour of his governing justice by satisfaction ; and if the law requires it, we cannot intermeddle there, only we must pray to God earnestly for them, that is our duty, James iv. 15 ; and in some cases we may intercede with the magistrate to take off the penalty, and are so bound.
This forgiveness'implieth two things— a removal of an inward grudge, and a readiness to do all duties of love and kindness to them.
1. A removal of an inward grudge and endeavours after private revenge : Lev. xix. 17-18, ' Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart ; thou shalt in anywise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suller sin upon him ; thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' Thou shalt not bear a grudge against him, for then you hate him in your heart.
2. There must be a readiness to do all duties of love and kindness to him who hath done the wrong, as God ministereth occasion and ability. There are many laws for this: Exod. xxiii. 4-5, ' If thou meet thine enemy's ox or ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again ; if thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lie under his burthen, and wouldst forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him ; ' Luke vi. 27, ' Love your enemies, do good to them
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that hate you, bless them that curse you.' Now, so flir arc we bound to remit the private grudge because of the offence done to us, and also to take all occasions to do them good.
Object. But whether may not we have recourse to the magistrate for the recovery of our riglit, and reparation of our wrongs ?
Ans. Certainly we may, provided we go not to law for trifles ; for when we go to law for small matters, and that before infidels, the apostle reproves it, 1 Cor. vi. 2 ; and wlicn after all lawful means and courses are used before, for taking away the occasion, as ver. 5, ' Is there not a wise man among you to take up the difference ?' And when it is not with a spirit of revenge and rigour, for a Christian should show his moderation in all things, Phil. iv. 5, and his lenity, gentleness, and readiness to forgive. But if it be out of a spirit of revenge, not the conscience of justice, we abuse God's ordinance to our private .passions, Eom, xiii. 3.