caſt our of any Church for proſeſſing, or ſtanding to any Truth of the Goſpel, or becauſe he will nor do what is fintul we muſt nor underſtand them bound in Heaven » tho" they be Bound on Earch , nor have any ſuch Excommunications any Terror in them. How forcible ave right Words, but theſe Argu- ings, what do they reprove * The Church is nor by chis Text made = cnn 3 nor 15 the Holy God, by it engaged co detend cl:eir rrors,
19 Again I fay unto you, That if two of you {hall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they thall * r Tot: ask, * it ſhall be done for them of my Father which 22- & < IS in heaven. "MN 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midſt of them:
Moſt Interpreters agree, a Connexion betwixt theſe Verſes. and thoſe immediately preceding, as if it were a further Con- firmarion ot what God had faid concerning his Binding and Loofing in He.zuen , wharſoever they ſhould Bind or Lyo9ſe on Earth; and fay, the Ashing mentioned in this Verſe, ſuppoſerh thar no Church will adventure upon ſo Grave an A as Excommunication, withour askiffz his Dire&ion or Counſel 3 Nor undertzke tach a thing as 4b/olution , without the like ſerious asking of God Par- don tor the repenting Sinner : Now, faith ke, Lec che Church be never fo fmall, chat fo joinerh in Prayers on this Occuiion; what they ask of God ſhall be done. Whether it hath any - ſuch reference or no, or be an independent Promiſe of Chriit's Preſence with his Church , I ſhal! not determine, Thote who think this Text hath ſuch a particular reterence, yet do alto zrant ic a more general Promiſe of Chriſt's Preſence wich his People; whenever they are mer by his Authoricy, or upon l:is Account or Command, whether ir be tor Counſel or Fudzment, or Prayer, or the Celebration of any Sacred Inſlitution of his, He is in the mid of them, to Prote& and Favour them : What they ak ſhall be dme fir them, ( that is, provided the thing asked be good, Chap. 7. 11.) and for a righr End , Fames 4.3. andin a righe manner, Luk. 18.1. Fames 1. 5,6,7. Chriſt in this Texr eſtabliſherh che Dury of Prayer in Communion with others. He doth not only require of his People Secret Prayer, Chap. 6. 6, but alfo Praying in Company with others; the gathering together of his People tor Prayer, whether in private Families, or more pub- lick Congregations.
21 Then came Peter to him, and faid, Lord, How often ſhall my brother fin againſt me, and I forgive him ? till ſeven times ? 22 Jeſus ſaith unto him, I ſay not unto thee. Until ſeven times : * but until ſeventy times ſeven. \, PIP
Luke hath ſomething like this, Chap. 17. 4. bur ic ſeemerh ro Mar. 11. have been ſpoken ar another time, and upon ſome other occa- 25: ſion , yer the ſenſe is much the ſame; and there are who think Col. 3. 133 thar Peter's mention of ſeven times, aroſe trom our Saviour's Command there, that we ſhould forgive our Brother, offending us ſeven times, when our Saviour by it intended nor a certain and definite Number, bur a Number incertain, and indefinice. Bur it is a greater Queſtion, What Sinning * and What Forgiveneſs is here meant ? I cannot chink that our Saviour here ſpeaketh concerning the Churches Abſolving Scandalous Sinners juſtly Excom- municated , but of the private Forgiveneſs of Injurics done ro us3 1t 15 not the Church, bur I forgive him; for altho*' che Doors of the Church ought to be as open to a repenting Sinner, as the Doors of Heaven are, yet methinks borh the Phraſe of the Text, and the following Parable ( which ſeemerh co me a Com- ment upon this Text ) ſeems to lead us to the Interpretation of theſe Verſes, as to private Wrongs or Injuries; they are properly Sins again us , and ſuch aSir 1s in every fingle Perſon's Power to forgive, But it ſeems hard, that Chriſtians ſhould be obliged ro torz1ve another his private Wrongs, ſo often as he doth them, it he will go on without end, multiplying Afferonts and Injuries ro us. © We muſt cheretore know, that our Saviour by this Pre- cepr doth not oblige any ro take his Enemy inro his Boſum, and. make him his Intimate, or Confident again; bur only to lay aſide all Malice, all Thoughts and Deſires of Revenge towards him, ro pur on a Charitable frame of Spirit rowards him, ſo as to be ready to do him any common Offices of Friendſhip: Thus far we are obliged to forgive thoſe that do us Injuries, fo often as rhey ſtand in need of Forgiveneſs. The Apoſtle, Colofſ. 3. 8; ſpeaks of Wrath, Malice, &c. as pieces of the Old Man, which every true Chriſtian hath pur off, and calls upon us, in alice 72 be Children,
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