Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
MATT. 18. 21, 22.
Then Peter came to him and ſaid, Lord, how oft ſhall my Brother ſin againſt me, and I forgive him? till ſeven times?
Jeſus ſaith unto him, I ſay not unto thee until ſeven times: but until ſeventy times ſeven.
THere were two Doctrins raiſed from the Words, the firſt was this,
1. Doct. That the thoughts of the Lord and the waies of the Lord, in this matter of Forgiving Offences, are far above the thoughts and the waies of man, as far above ours as the Heavens are above the Earth. The ſecond was this,
2. Doct. That the often Forgiving Offences is a Duty which Chriſt Commends unto, and Commands all his Diſciples to follow. I made it clear from Scripture, both by Precept and Example of holy men of old, who have deſired to walk up to this Command of the Lord. But to proceed to the Anſwering ſome Objections concerning this point. It may be Queried,
Queſt. Firſt of all, How comes it to paſs that meer natural men may go ſo far as to out-ſtrip many Chriſtians in this particular, in the paſſing by of wrongs and injuries?
Anſw. I Anſwer, Firſt of all, There are ſome natural men walk up to their principles; though there are no natural men (in all things) walk up to their light, yet there are ſome natural men walk up to their principles; and it is true, a Chriſtian hath a more excellent principle than the natural man, which would carry him out (if well improved) far beyond all the actings of natural men; Ay, but when a Chriſtian doth not improve his principle; when he doth not walk up according to what the Lord hath given him, and the natural man doth improve his principle, and walk up unto it, the natural man, the meer natural man, may be a ſhame unto ſome Chriſtians. A man that hath a principle of reaſon, he hath a more noble principle than a principle of ſenſe, yet if the principle of reaſon lie hid, and be clouded, it is poſſible that he may then act beneath a beaſt, and a natural man that hath but a natural principle, he may excel the Chriſtian that hath the more noble principle, by walking up to his principle. But,
2. Secondly, A meer natural man, that hath but a natural principle, may out-ſtrip ſome Chriſtians in this work of forgiving wrongs and injuries, becauſe there is many a natural man places his life and righteouſneſs in this, he hath nothing elſe to commend him to God, nothing elſe to truſt to for ſalvation, nothing elſe: He is quiet, peaceable, loving, and one that will do no wrong, rather put up wrongs and injuries, than do wrongs unto any: Now, whenas a man doth truſt to any of his works for life, it is a wonder to ſee what a great deal ſuch a man will do, whenas a man works for life; there is ſuch a deſire in ſuch men to work for life, and to work for righteouſneſs, and work for Heaven: It is very admirable to ſee what a natural man will do upon ſuch an account; Oh what a ſhame is it to Chriſtians? yet there is no true Believer but is bound to do as much for God, and as much for Chriſt as if he were to earn Life and Salvation by doing: Chriſt having laid down his life for him, he accounts himſelf as much ingaged to do for Chriſt, as if he were to gain life by doing, it is a ſhame to Chriſtians to conſider what a natural man will do for life and ſalvation. But
3. Thirdly, There is many a natural man will outſtrip a Chriſtian in this, becauſe ſome natural men have the advantage of a natural diſpoſition; there are ſome that are more mild, and more peaceable, and more loving and gentle: ſome men are ſo, and do exceed others in natural qualifications: now ſuch a man hath a great advantage, whenas he is put upon ſuch a work as of paſſing by wrongs and injuries. The Lord many times, and for the moſt part, makes choice of, and brings in to himſelf the worſt of Natures, the moſt crooked, the moſt rugged, the moſt knotty pieces, the Lord is pleaſed to make choice of ſuch; and this is for the glory of the great Maſter Builder, for the glory of his Wiſdom, and the glory of his Power, and the glory of his Grace: I ſay this doth appear, in that he is pleaſed to make choice of the moſt crooked pieces of Timber for his Building; his Wiſdom doth appear the more in making theſe crooked things ſtraight, taking away the knottineſs, and unevenneſs that is in the natures of poor creatures. But now a man that is of a mild nature, a ſoft diſpoſition, he hath a great advantage, it is no hard matter for him to paſs by wrongs and injuries; but now there are many of Gods people that have crooked natures, when God takes them to work them for his Building: Oh they cannot come up to their Duty without much ſtriving, ſtruggling, wraſtling, praying and crying unto the Lord: That is another cauſe why ſome natural men may exceed a Chriſtian in that work of paſſing by wrongs and injuries. And then
4. Fourthly, A natural man may not meet with ſuch oppoſition from without, a natural man may not be ſo much hindred in this work when the Lord calls him thereunto: for the Devil ſuits his temptations according to the qualification and diſpoſition of the creature, where he ſees them mild, he will not put them upon ſuch rugged temptations; the Devil will let a natural man alone and will not ſeek to hinder him, no, when he is in the practice of ſuch a good as this, for the Devil knows that theſe his works are nothing, and he knows that ſuch a man when he hath done never ſo much, forgiven ſeventy times ſeven, his beſt works are nothing without Faith, if he hath no intereſt in Chriſt; yet ſuch a one, I ſay, will out-ſtrip many a Chriſtian, which ſhould be our ſhame, and a provocation unto us. But
Queſt. 2. Again, A Chriſtian may forgive, and a natural man may forgive, the one may forgive as often as the other: But what is the difference? Oh a great deal of difference betwixt a gracious heart and a meer natural man; and I pray take notice of it, for it may be for the diſcovery of the great deceitfulneſs of mans heart in this particular. There is many a man may look upon himſelf as forgiven, and he may think he forgives a great deal, and yet God and Chriſt look upon him, and ſee he hath forgiven nothing at all! Well, the difference betwixt a natural man, and a gracious heart, in the forgiving of wrongs and injuries, lies in theſe particulars.
Anſw. 1. Firſt of all, A natural man may forgive wrongs and injuries, but it is not from a principle of love unto God in Chriſt, it is meerly from reaſons that are taken from himſelf; I ſay, the natural mans arguments are from himſelf, they are out of the ſhop of reaſon, and not from the apprehenſion of the love of God, nor from any perſwaſion of his Duty, or any deſire that he hath to expreſs his likeneſs and conformity unto God in Chriſt: I ſay, his reaſons are from himſelf; He may reaſon thus, Alas, this is unworthy of a man to expreſs wrath, to take revenge, or this will but diſturb mine own peace, this will but lay me open to others, it will but diſcover my nakedneſs, and frowardneſs, my paſſion which is my nakedneſs: He reaſons thus, Why ſhould I meddle with one that is ſo much beneath me, it will be no great conqueſt if I do overcome him? And thus his Arguments are from himſelf. But now a gracious heart, when God comes and puts him upon the work of forgiveneſs, his arguments are taken all from God: By this I ſhall expreſs my love unto God, and my obedience unto Chriſt; by this I ſhall ſhew my ſelf like unto God, more conformable unto Chriſt who is the Image of the inviſible God; upon this account, I ſay, a gracious man is brought off to forgive wrongs and injuries. But
Anſw. 2. Again, A natural man when he forgives, it is in his own ſtrength that he doth it: when he ſets upon this Duty, it is in his own ſtrength; he is never ſenſible of the contrary workings of his own heart, which do lie in the way to hinder him; he is not ſenſible of his own contrary motions that are in his own ſpirit againſt this Duty, he is not ſenſible of the need he ſtands of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt to help him herein: and therefore he doth not make uſe of Chriſt, he doth not run unto the Lord and cry to him for ſtrength, and reſt upon him for ſtrength to perform his duty: but now a gracious heart doth not move upon his own hinges, but is made ſenſible of the contrary motions and workings of his own heart and ſpirit unto this duty, he ſees how hard his ſpirit and heart is brought off to this duty, he ſees what need he hath of a better principle, and of further ſtrength than that he hath in himſelf, and therefore he runs to Chriſt, and cries unto him, Oh Lord, ſaies he, here is an opportunity for me to expreſs my love to thee in the forgiving ſuch and ſuch wrongs and injuries, here is an opportunity for me to do ſome ſingular good thing for thee: but I have no ſtrength of my own, and therefore he cries unto the Lord, and waits upon the Lord for ſtrength; but as for the natural man, he is as the Ship upon the Sands, and beats and ſtaves himſelf there. But
Anſw. 3. Again, A natural man when he forgives wrongs and injuries, he aims at himſelf; as ſelf is the beginning, ſo ſelf is the end: he forgives indeed, but it is not for Chriſts ſake, but for his own ſake, and oh it is a great deal that a man will do for himſelf, for his own credit, for his own reputation, that he may be taken for a good man, for a loving man, for a peaceable man, that he may not diſcover his nakedneſs: for his own credit and name a man will do a great deal, and ſo for his own eaſe, and for his own peace, that he may not be diſturbed in his own ſpirit, and he ſaies, to render evil for evil will be an occaſion of diſturbance to his own ſpirit, if he retains wrongs and injuries it will prejudice his health, and bring down his ſtrength; and ſo for ſuch ends a meer natural man may be brought to forgive: But now a gracious heart when he forgives, he eyes the Lord, and does forgive for the Lords ſake: he eyes the honour of God, and the glory of God, that ſo he may do ſomething for the lifting up of the name of God, that truth may be well ſpoken of, that God and his waies and Chriſt may be well ſpoken of, that he may be lifted up in the world.
Anſw. 4. Again, A natural man when he hath forgiven wrongs and injuries, commonly he preſently reflects upon himſelf, and is lifted up becauſe of what he hath done, and this tends to the nouriſhing of pride in his heart, and ruine of himſelf; as Jehu ſaid in another caſe, Come and ſee my zeal for the Lord: And ſo in this caſe of a natural man, when he hath forgiven wrongs, Come and ſee my meekneſs, come and ſee my patience, come and ſee my long-ſuffering, there is no man would have paſſed by ſuch a wrong as I have done, and taken no revenge: you ſhall have it oft repeated by himſelf, and that's an aggravation after he hath done it, becauſe he makes it his work to lift up himſelf: But now a gracious heart acts contrary to this, he reflects upon the Lord when he hath been inabled to forgive any wrong or injury, he deſires to give God the glory, he is ſenſible that if the Lord had left him, he had done as evilly as others: at ſuch a time my heart was boiling, and rolling up and down and meditating revenge, and the Lord was pleaſed to bring off my heart to this duty of forgiving wrongs, and then gives glory unto the Lord; and thus did David, in 1 Sam. 25. whenas the Lord had ſent Abigail, and took off David from his purpoſe of revenging himſelf upon Nabal, at the 32, 33 Verſes; Oh how doth David give all the glory to God! and ſo he doth not take any thing to himſelf, but acknowledge that the free Grace of God was in it, and it was the hand of God that did keep him, his heart was as prone as any other; Oh bleſſed be God, and bleſſed be the inſtrument that God ſent to prevent me from revenging of my ſelf.
Anſw. 5. Another difference is, That a natural man many times may forgive, but it is through length of time that he wears out the Impreſſion of the wrong and injury that is done unto him: But now a gracious heart doth not let nature alone to wear it out by length of time, but it is deſirous to ſet grace at work for the preſent ſilencing of that corruption which is boiling and ſtirring in the heart; you know Eſau's heart was filled with a great deal of revenge againſt Jacob, yet when Jacob fled and kept out of his preſence twenty years and more, at laſt Eſau begins to fall from that paſſion of anger, and when he comes to his brother he falls upon his neck and kiſſes him: There is many a natural man, may through continuance and length of time forget: But a gracious heart (though corruption may be boiling up) yet Grace will take hold of its heel, and will preſently be fetching in arguments, ſuch arguments as have been ſpoken of before, fetch'd from God, from Chriſt, from the love of God, from the command of God, from conformity unto Chriſt, and by theſe arguments laid before the ſoul, it is deſirous to come up unto its duty.
Anſw. 6. Again, There is this difference, A natural man may forgive; Ay, but it is a hard thing for him to render good for evil, and …o overcome evil with good: It is poſſible he may not revenge the wrong that is done unto him; Ay, but it is a hard matter to overcome evil with good. Now a gracious heart looks to the Commandment of Chriſt, of overcoming evil with good, and looks to the example of Chriſt, who overcame evil with good; and to the examples of the Saints, Joſeph did good for evil, and Moſes did good for evil, and Eliſha did good for evil, and David did good for evil; and he deſires herein to be a Follower of Chriſt, and to come up to his duty: Now, I ſay, it is a very hard thing for a natural man to come up to this duty; though he may forgive and paſs by wrongs and injuries, yet to requite evil with good, and to love them that hate him, and to pray for them that perſecute him and deſpitefully uſe him, this is a hard leſſon for a natural man. But then
Queſt. 3. A third Queſtion is, Whether is a man bound to forgive wrongs and injuries, whenas a man doth not confeſs, when they are not confeſſed and acknowledged? The place that ſome make uſe of to uphold their corruption, is Luk. 17. 4. And if he treſpaſs ſeven times in a day, and ſeven times in a day turn again to thee, ſaying, I repent, thou ſhalt forgive him. Therefore ſome think from hence, that they are not bound to forgive a man the wrong and injury that is done unto him, when that they be not confeſſed. But to this
Anſw. I Anſwer, That a Chriſtian ought to forgive wrongs and injuries, though not confeſt. The ground of my aſſertion is this, Becauſe we are bound to forgive as God forgives, and the Lord brings forth a pardon before one word of acknowledgement can be made: As in that Inſtance, Before the ſon ſpake one word of confeſſion, the Father gave him a pardon, and ſealed up his pardon unto him, and fell upon his neck and kiſſes him, and then he makes confeſſion. Our rule and practice muſt be from God himſelf, that we are bound to pardon and forgive, though there be not an acknowledgement and confeſſion of the wrong.
Object. But you will ſay, How can I forgive him the wrong, that will not come at me, and hearken unto me?
Anſw. Thou maiſt forgive in thine own ſpirit, there ought to be a readineſs in thy heart to forgive; as the Lord was ready to forgive, ſo thy heart ſhould be prepared, and ready at all times for forgiving and paſſing by wrongs and injuries. Nay, it is not only required that thou ſhouldſt be in a readineſs to forgive: but the Lord requires that thou ſhouldſt paſs by wrongs and injuries, ſo far as not to meditate upon them, and ſo far as not to be hindred in holding forth love unto thy brother. And to ſay further in anſwer to this Objection, Whereas thou ſaiſt, thou can'ſt not; Why? Becauſe he will not come to thee. I anſwer, Thou art bound to go to him, if he will not come to thee: thou art bound to go to that man, or that woman that hath done thee wrong, if they will not come to thee; in Matth. 18. 15. If thy Brother ſhall treſpaſs againſt thee, go to him, and tell him firſt privately betwixt thee and him, and if he ſhall hear thee, thou haſt gained a Brother.
Object. This is ſtrange you will ſay, He hath done me the wrong, it is he that hath heaped injuries upon me, and what, ſhould I ſeek him firſt?
Anſw. Yes, If he will not ſeek thee, then thou muſt ſeek him: It is true, it's his duty to come to thee, but if he will not come unto thee, then Chriſt hath impoſed the duty upon thee to go unto him, and this is the pattern of God himſelf. Poor creatures, we had offended the Divine Majeſty, and we are far from coming to God, nay the louder God calls, the further are we from God, he purſues after them, they will not come to him, now he will come to them, by his Word and by his Spirit, and bring his pardon, and make them ſenſible of their fault and tranſgreſſion; ſo that what the Lord doth unto the ſons of men in this particular, it is for our imitation.
Queſt. Again, There is another Query, or caſe of Conſcience, Whether may not a man, in caſe of wrongs and injuries, endeavour to right his wrongs; as, Whether may he not uſe lawful means to right himſelf? Whether may he not go to uſe the Magiſtrate, or to the Church?
Anſw. A man may upon theſe cautions,
1. Firſt to deal with him in a private way, and ſo to labour to convince him of his fault, ſo far as it is a ſin againſt God; now if a man cannot prevail in a private way, then he may proceed further, he may take two or three witneſſes, and ſeek unto the Church. But
2. Secondly, Take this caution, That before a man doth this, he muſt be ſure to forgive it in his own heart as to himſelf, to paſs by the wrong and injury as to him, and to retain no grudge in his heart as to himſelf. And then further,
3. Thirdly, Take this caution, In ſuch a caſe a man may not make himſelf the laſt end, and the great end for which he doth theſe things, for he is bound to ſeek the glory of God in the firſt place, and to do this, that God may have honour; and in the next place, he is to eye the good of his brother, that his brother may be reclaimed, that his brother may be convinced, that his Brother may ſee the ſin that he hath committed againſt God: a man ought to ſeek opportunity to right himſelf, but not for himſelf, but he ought to eye the glory of God and the good of his brother, and then he may uſe ſuch lawful means as God lays before him.
Queſt. There is another Query, as a Caſe of Conſcience, Whether may not a man that is wronged by another, go and ſpread his wrong before God, and complain unto God of the wrong and injury that is done unto him by another?
Anſw. I anſwer unto this, That a man may go unto the Lord and make his complaint whenas others have done him wrong, but take heed it be not for this end, that thou maiſt be avenged of thy brother; if there be any deſire of revenge, nay, if there be any deſire that the Lord ſhould revenge▪ this is not that forgiveneſs that the Lord calls his people unto.
Object. But you will ſay then, Why, upon what account may we ſpread our wrongs and injuries before the Lord? If we may not deſire that God would revenge them, and requite them according to what they have done unto us, to what end ſhould we make our complaints before the Lord?
Anſw. I Anſwer, We may complain for this end, That the Lord might conſider us, that the Lord may pity us, that the Lord may deliver us, from the wrongs, and from the preſſures and grievances which are happened to us, but there ought not to be a deſire of revenge; ſee Prov. 20. 22. Say not thou, I will recompence evil; but wait on the Lord and he ſhall ſave thee: What then, may I not go unto the Lord? Yes, for this end that the Lord may ſave thee, but not that the Lord may take vengeance for thee upon another: he doth not ſay, Go and wait upon the Lord that he may take vengeance; no, but wait upon the Lord and he ſhall ſave thee, he ſhall clear up thy good name, and make thine innocency to appear. But there ought not to be a waiting upon the Lord that he may take vengeance for thee; this is far from that forgiveneſs which Chriſt calls for in the Text.
Nay further, The Lord would have his people to be ſo far from deſiring revenge, that he would have them to pray that the Lord would forgive others the wrong which they have done unto them: mark thoſe Examples of Chriſt and Stephen, Father forgive them, they know not what they do; and ſaith Stephen in the like caſe, Lord lay not this ſin unto their charge; ſo that I ſay the Lord would have his people ſo far from ſpreading the wrongs and injuries that others have done unto them, that he would rather have them with Chriſt to pray, Father forgive them; and with Stephen, Lord lay not this ſin to their charge; and to pray for them that perſecute you, and that ſpeak all manner of evil of you: The Lord would have his people ſo far from ſpreading their wrongs before him upon this account, that the Lord would avenge them. The deceit of mans heart is ſuch that man will forgive, that the Lord may reward it, and revenge it; no, this is not the forgiveneſs; but that forgiveneſs which Chriſt here calls for, ought to be a thorow forgiveneſs, to forgive ſo far as to pray for them, that the Lord would forgive their ſin unto them; that the Lord would not lay their ſin unto their charge.