A Guide to Go to God, Petition 5 · Section 136
§. 136. Of mans forgiuing another.
Q. VVHichWhich are the words wherein the Condition annexed to the fifth Petition is expreſſed?
A. As we forgiue our debters.
Q. What are the diſtinct points here to be conſidered?
A. 1. The Dutie required, FORGIVE.
2. The Perſons tied thereto, WEE.
3. The Parties to whom it is to be performed, DEBTERS.
4. The Reſtraint thereof, OVR.
5. The Reſemblance, As.
In ſetting downe the dutie we are to note
1. Wherein it conſiſteth.
2. When it is to be performed.
Q. What is the maine dutie here required?
A. Mon muſt forgiue one another. Many precepts of Scripture tend hereunto: as,aMat. 5. 39. Reſiſt not euill. bRom. 12. 19.Auenge not your ſelues. cCol. 3. 13.Forbeare one another. Forgiue one another. dRom. 12. 21.Ouercome euill with goodneſſe. And anſwerable hauehave the practiſe of the Saints bene from time to time. InſtanceeGen. 50. 17, 20. Ioſeph, fNum. 12. 13.Moſes, g2. Sam. 19. 23.Dauid, hGal. 4. 12.Paul, and others like them.
This is an eſpeciall propertie of a Saint,Iam. 3. 17. and child of God, in whom the wiſedome that commeth from aboue abideth. For that wiſedome is peaceable, gentle, eaſie to be entreated, full of merciemercy and good fruites. Hereby a manifeſt difference is diſcerned betwixt that Spirit which cometh from aboue, and that ſpirit which ariſeth from the fleſh: betwixt a regenerate and a naturall man. By nature man is exceedingly proane to reuenge.Heathen hold reuenge lawfull. The heathen, who were guided onelyonly by the light of nature, diſcerned not the excellencie and neceſſitie of this grace.Vlciſci te laceſſitus potes. Cic. de Orat. Their Philoſophers, who were their Diuines, accounted it not vnlawfull to reuenge wrongs.Odi hominem & odero: vtinam vlciſci poteram. Cic. ad Attic. Sophocles in Electra. Euripides in Oreſte. Yea they held it a bounden dutie, and a glorious vertue to ſeeke and take reuenge: inſomuch as if any notorious wrong were done to a man and he taken away, before reuenge taken, & the ſuruiuing friends were negligent in reuenging the ſame, they imagined that the ghoſts of the deceaſed would neuer leaue haunting and terrifying thoſe suruiuing friends till they had taken reuenge.
Many among vsus,Mans pronenes to reuenge. that are taught better diuinitie, do too much nouriſh this corruption of nature. If they be wronged by word or deed, they thinke it diſhonourable to put it vp, or paſſe it ouer without reuenge: which is the cauſe of ſo many chalenges as from time to time are giuen and taken: and of the many mortall monomachies, and deſperate duells which are daily vndertaken: yea and of many ſecret plots and practiſes for doing ſome notorious miſchiefe, and for taking away the very life of ſuch as hauehave done them wrong. If ſuch as are able with better diſcretion, and more moderation to temper their outward actions, well obſerue, and throughly trie their inward diſpoſition, they ſhall find this ſprout of corrupt nature, reuenge, too deepely fixed in them: yea they ſhall find many bitter fruites thence ſprouting, in reuengefull thoughts and deſires, wiſhing many miſchiefes to fall vponupon them by whom they thinke themſelues any way wronged. What is this but inward reuenge? Surely reuenge is one of the moſt incurable ſores of the fleſh. It is moſt hardly ſubdued and mortified. A good ſigne therefore of renewed nature it is to forbeare reuenge and forgiue wrongs: if at leaſt it be done in truth, from the heart, for the conſcience ſake.
Farre ſhort of the Chriſtians Goale doe they come,Euill to bee ouercome with goodneſſe. though they thinke they goe farre in the Chriſtians race, who onelyonly are milde, gentle, kinde, and courteous till they be wronged, but then are implacable, and will accept of no reconciliation, till they hauehave taken reuenge for that wrong. They thinke it a great glory that they can ſay, I runne into no mans debt, I doe wrong to no man, I euen hauehave beene, and euer will be ready to doe all offices of kindneſſe that I can. But if any abuſe mee any way and wrong mee, they ſhall know whom they abuſe: and I will make them repent the wrong which they hauehave done. My friend ſhall taſte of my kindneſſe: but mine enemy ſhall know what I am able to doe. The pretended goodneſſe of ſuch men wanteth the ſubſtance of goodneſſe: it hath but a ſhew and ſhadow thereof. That is ſound, ſolide, pure gold that abideth the flaming heate of the fiery furnace. A mans goodneſſe cannot be proued to be ſound till it bee tried by the fire of wrong, or offence. Dogs, Beares, Tygers,Saeuis inter ſe conuenit vrſis. Iuiuen. Lyons, and the moſt ſauage beaſts that bee, can bee quiet, and gentle till they be ſtirred and incenſed. A Prouerbe ſaith The Diuell is good while hee is pleaſed. Behold then what kinde of goodneſſe it is, whereof ſuch men boaſt. No better then the goodneſſe of the moſt cruell creatures, not the Diuell excepted. Doe what you can to a ſheepe, you cannot make it ſnarle or bite. Doe but clap a Dogge on the backe, hee will be ready to fly in your face. He therefore that being prouoked is ſtirred vp to reuenge, retaineth his naturall doggiſh diſpoſition. Hee that may iuſtly bee accounted a Lambe, or ſheepe of Chriſts fold, and to hauehave the Spirit of the Lambe of God in him, will recompence to no man euill for euill, but ouercome euill with good. Rom. 12. 17. 21.To this height of goodneſſe doth the condition of this Petition call vsus.Non haec dixiſſe contentus eſtſed abundanius oftendere volens, quantum buius rei curam gerit, idipſum etiam ſpecialiter incul cauit poſt impletam orationis formulam, &c. Chryſ. bom. 20. in Mac. 6.
This dutie of forgiuing one another being the maine and principall point intended in this condition added to the fift Petition, which is the onelyonly bie clauſe in the whole Lords Prayer, and which Chriſt thought not enough to inſert in the Prayer, but ſo ſoone as hee had ended his forme of prayer returned to this point againe, and againe and againe preſleth it both affirmatiuely, and negatiuely, ſhewing the aduantage of forgiuing, and the damage of not forgiuing. For a further preſſing and enforcing of it, I will endeuour to ſet out the Excellency, Vtilitie, Neceſſity, Difficultie, and Raritie of it.
1. For the Excellencie of it,Excellency of forgiuing. it is one of thoſe excellencies wherein God himſelfe glorieth, thataExod. 34. 7. he forgiueth ſinne. Therefore with great Emphaſis he ſaith,bIſa. 43. 25. I, I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſion for mine owne ſake. And with great admiration of this excellencie ſaith the Prophet,cMic. 7. 18. Who is a God like vntounto thee that pardoneth iniquitie? They therefore that forgiue wrongs ſhew themſelues like to God in this his excellencie. Whereupon the Apoſtle hauing exhorted vsusdEpheſ. 4. 32. to forgiue, addeth, as a further motiue to preſſe the dutie, this clauſe,e—5. 1. Bee ye followers of God as deare children. Herein man ſheweth himſelfe a God to man: as on the contrarie by reuenge, hee ſheweth himſelfe a very Deuill: Many, likefGen. 4. 23. Lamech, boaſt and glorie in taking reuenge, as in a matter of great manhood, whereas in truth it is a part of much baſeneſſe, and great puſilanimitie.
2. For the Vtilitie of it,Vtilitie of forgiuing. If this queſtion bee asked, What profit is there of forgiuing? I anſwer as the Apoſtle did of Circumciſion,gRom. 3. 1, 2. Much eueryevery way. Thereby aſſurance of Gods forgiuing our ſinnes is obtained. Wee are made more capable of receiuing mercy from God. We ſhall hauehave much quietneſſe in our ſoules. We ſhall appeare more amiable before men, bee the better loued of them, and receiue more kindneſſes from them. We ſhall auoid many miſchiefes whereinto wee might implunge our ſelues by taking reuenge, and which both God and man might bring vsus vntounto for taking reuenge.
3. For the Neceſſitie of it;Neceſſitie of forgiuing. it is abſolutely neceſſary for Society with men, and Communion with God. In regard of ſocietie with men, there is no liuing in this world without a mind willing and ready to forgiue wrongs: and that by reaſon of the wrongs which others from time to time will doe to vsus, and wee to others. Wee liue here among many and ſundry ſorts of people, and thoſe of diuers and different diſpoſitions: ſome giuing offence in one kinde, others in another. If we be forward to take reuenge of eueryevery wrong, and hauehave not a minde forward to forgiue, we ſhall neuer hauehave a quiet minde. Reuenge will bee as a poiſon continually working in our ſoules, exceedingly diſturbing and diſquieting them. And for our ſelues, fleſh is in vsus all: it abideth in the beſt, ſo long as they abide in this world. By reaſon of the fleſh in vsus wee are ſubiect to many infirmities, whereby ſundry offences are giuen to others, ſometimes on weakneſſe, and ſometimes on wilfulneſſe: ſometimes on ſudden paſſion, and heate of bloud, and ſometimes againe on deliberation and cold bloud. By reaſon hereof we need that others ſhould beare with vsus, and forgiue vsus. But if we forgiue not others, how can we looke that others ſhould forgiue vsus. 1. Our example in taking reuenge of others, is a patterne to others to take reuenge of vsus. 2. It is iuſt with the Lord to ſuffer men ſo to doe, according to that which Adoni-bezek ſaid,aIudg. 1. 7. As I hauehave done, ſo God hath requited mee. bMat. 7. 1.So much is oft expreſſely threatned. In regard of Communion with God, Luke 6. 37.there is no hope, no poſſibilitie of reconciliation and atonement with God for ſuch as are ready to take reuenge of men. Chriſt hath ſet it downe, as a ruled caſe, as an inuiolable Law, more ſtable, and vnalterable then the Lawes of the Medes and Perſians eſtabliſhed by the King, Math. 6. 15.that, if yee forgiue not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your heauenly Father forgiue your treſpaſſes. Math. 18. 27, 32, 33, 34.In the Parable wee reade that the Lord who forgaue his ſeruants debt, recalled his grant, when hee heard that ſeruant would not forgiue his fellow ſeruant.
Q. May then that remiſſion which God granteth be reuerſed?
A. 1. That which hypocrites preſumptuouſly aſſume to themſelues,How remiſſion is recalled. without due conſideration of the conditions and qualifications of the Goſpell, may. For it is an abſolution vniuſtly taken before it is fully giuen. 2. That circumſtance in the Parable is noted not ſimply to declare any reuerſing of Gods grant, but to aggrauate the hainouſneſſe of reuenge, and Gods hatred of it, and indignation againſt it. And it ſheweth that though God in himſelfe be ready and forward to forgiue, and could and would otherwiſe forgiue ſuch a Debtor, yet if that debter bee hard-hearted to his brother, and forgiue not him, neither will God forgiue.
4, For the difficulty of it,Difficultie of forgiuing. wrath and reuenge cannot eaſily be ſubdued. A combate, and a conqueſt in that combate is requiſite thereto. The combate muſt be with our owne paſſions, and the conqueſt muſt be ouer them, which conqueſt fleſh and blood can neuer get. He that ruleth his ſpirit is mightier then he that taketh a Citie. Prou. 16. 32.Paſſions are exceeding violent, very dangerous and pernicious. In vsus there is a great proneneſſe to yeeld vntounto them. Our fleſh is very loth to ſtriue againſt them. What hope then is there of any victory ouer them. Surely there muſt bee more in vsus then fleſh and bloud to ſubdue them.
5.Scarcitie of forgiuing. For the Raritie, or ſcarcitie of it, I may iuſtly in the Prophets ſence vſe theſe words of the Prophet,let. 5. 1. Runne yee to and fro thorow the ſtreets, and ſee now and know, and ſeeke in the broad places, if ye can finde a man, if there be any that forgiueth wrongs, and paſſeth by offences. View the world, obſerue ſuch as are reputed to hauehave a generous minde. Among them yee ſhall finde Challenges ſent and taken, and deſpera…e Combates vndertaken for eueryevery flight wrong, for eueryevery diſgracefull and diſpleaſing word. Enter into the Citie, goe about the Country, marke the diſpoſition of inhabitants in Citie and Country, and ye ſhall finde among them for petty iniuries, and ignominious ſpeeches, complaints to Iuſtices, Warrants, Arreſts, Actions, Impriſonments, and ſutes in Law to the vtter vndoing of one another. Innes of Court, Seates of Iuſtice, Vniuerſities, Yea, and Pulpits are full of bittet inuectiues, ſpightfull calumniations, and reuengefull defamations for eueryevery offence, and that ofttimes when the offence is rather taken then giuen. Men, Women, Old, Yong, Rich, Poore, Brothers and Siſters, Fellow-ſeruants, Neighbours, Friends, all of all ſorts, are exceedingly giuen to reuenge. If the thoughts of men could bee ranſacked, and the deſire of reuenge that therein lurketh be diſcouered, it would then more euidently appeare that this grace of forgiuing wrongs, which is indeed rare in the excellency of it, is alſo exceeding rare in the ſcarſity of it: hardly to be found any where.
If now the Excelleucy of a thing in it ſelfe, if the Vtilitie and benefit which it bringeth to them that hauehave it: if the abſolute Neceſſitie thereof for communion with God or Man: If the Difficultie of attaining thereto: If the Raritie of it, being ſuch as very few attaine vntounto it, bee motiues to ſtirre vsus vp diligently and earneſtly to ſeeke after it, Motiues are not wanting to ſtirre vsus vp to vſe all meanes that may bee to ſuppreſſe reuenge, and to worke in vsus a readineſſe, and willingneſſe to forgiue.
This of the Dutie here required. The Time when it is to be performed followeth.