The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 87
MEDITAT. LXXXVII. Of Implacableneſs, and implacable Wiſdom.
AN implacable ſpirit, is a Worldly ſpirit.
The onelyonly holy Implacableneſs is, never to be reconciled to ſin, to hate it with a perfect hatred.
The Nature of God can never be reconcil'd to Sin, till Light and Darkneſs be reconcil'd:- But God is eaſily reconcil'd to the penitent Sinner, and ſo ought we.
Good men are very placable, as appears in the Examples of Joſeph towards his Brethren, of David towards Abigail, and Shimei, and many more. For they remember what is charg'd upon them, If thy Brother ſin againſt thee ſeven times a day, and ſo oft repent, thou ſhalt forgive him. I ſuppoſe alſo they think and argue with themſelves, What are the Injuries done to me, in compariſon of the Offences that I commit againſt God? And have not I much more reaſon to forgive, than to expect Forgiveneſs?
It is not Implacableneſs to ſuſpend truſt and confidence towards a perſon, that has Notoriouſly deceiv'd, though he profeſs Repentance, till we have had good experience of his faithfulneſs; but when we have good proof, we ought to reſtore him into the ſame place in our hearts, that ever he had.
It is implacableneſs, when men will not forgive and forget; that is, not to remember, as to retaliate, or upbraid, or ſo much as to bear a grudge. Eſpecially if ſatisfaction be offer'd, or repentance profeſt; yea though neither be, yet we ought to be eaſy to forgive, and of a readineſs to be reconcil'd, when ever terms are offered. Yea though no terms of reconciliation be offer'd, no ſatisfaction made, no repentance profeſt, we ought on our part to lay down all enmity, to be free from all hatred towards our brother.
Hatred (ſays the excellent Dr. Moor) lies croſs in the heart of a good man.
If thy brother repent, forgive him: True, but that does not imply, that if he do not repent, we ſhould not forgive him. We ought after the Example of God, to ſeek reconciliation, and propound terms of reconciliation though we be the party offended; and to ſeek to bring an offending brother to repentance, not ſo much in order to our forgiving him, as becauſe it is a ſaving a Soul from Hell, becauſe it is for his good to repent. For vengeance is not ours; the Sun ſhould not go down upon our wrath. Anger may paſs through the mind of a wiſe man, but it reſteth and lodgeth onelyonly in the boſom of fools.
Some are ſo implacable, that no tract of time ſhall wear out their reſentments, no ſubmiſſion can allay, no gifts remove, no interceſſion aſſwage them; but they demiſe their hatred unto heirs and executors, and entail the quarrel upon poſterity. If theſe men could alledge an Ordinance of God for this, ſuch an one as Iſrael had to authorize them to an endleſs war againſt Amalek, it would excuſe them well: but till then, it muſt paſs for a work of the fleſh, and an imitation of the grand hater of mankind.
The Implacable Wiſdom is cunning to conceal its reſentments that they ſhall not be diſcern'd, that in due time it may execute revenge ſo as not to be avoided.
It inſtructs men in many wily methods, to contrive ways of revenge, to make and take fit opportunities. Abſalom made as if he took no notice of the injury done his Siſter for the ſpace of two full years: After that he invites his Brother Amnon to a Feaſt, to make him drunk, that he might then quarrel with him, and kill him: He conceals his anger from his Brother, He … neither good nor bad to Amnon (a Hebrew Phraſe, ſ…gnifying to take no notice of a thing:) nay I ſuppoſe he conceal'd it from his Siſter too, praying her not to regard it, becauſe he was her Brother. He makes ſhew of extraordinary love, he invites him eſpecially to the Sheep-ſhearing: All this while his heart gathers miſchief to it ſelf, and treaſures up wrath againſt the day of the execution of it.
Bleſſed God, the moſt graciouſly-natur'd Being, who haſt forgiven me an hundred Talents, let it not ſeem grievous in my eyes to remit a f…w Pence to my offending Brother. Let thy forgiving be my Example to encourage me to forgive; and let my ap…neſs to forgive, be my Argument to prove that I am forgiven!