A Body of Practical Divinity, Sermon 83 · Part 8
Mat. 6.12.
As we forgive our Debtors, or, as we forgive them that trespass against us.
I proceed to the second part of the Petition. As we forgive them that trespass against us.
As we forgive] This word As, is not a note of Equality, but Similitude; not that we equal God in forgiving, but imitate him.
This great Duty of forgiving others, is a crossing the stream, 'tis contrary to flesh and blood. Men forget kindnesses, but remember injuries. But it is an indispensable duty to forgive, we are not bound to trust an Enemy, but we are bound to forgive him. We are naturally prone to revenge. Revenge (saith Homer) is sweet as dropping Honey. The Heathen Philosophers held revenge lawful. Vlcisci te lacessitus potes. Cicero. But we learn better things out of the Oracles of Scripture, Mar. 11.25. when ye stand praying, forgive, Mat. 5.44. Col. 3.13. If a Man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Quest. 1. How can we forgive others when it is only God forgives sin?
Answ. In every breach of the second Table, there are two things; an offence against God, and a trespass against Man: so far as it is an offence against God, only he can forgive, but so far as it is a trespass against Man, so we may forgive.
Quest. 2. When do we forgive others?
Answ. When we strive against all thoughts of revenge, if it be in our power to do our enemies mischief we will not, we wish well to them, grieve at their Calamities, we pray for them, we seek reconciliation with them, we shew our selves ready on all occasions to relieve them, this is Gospel forgiving.
Object. 1. But I have been much injur'd and abused, and to put it up, will be a stain to my reputation.
Answ. 1. To pass by an injury without revenge is no eclipsing ones credit; the Scripture saith, Prov. 19.11. It is the glory of a man to pass over a transgression. 'Tis more honour to bury an injury than revenge it; wrathfulness denotes weakness, a noble Heroick Spirit overlooks a petty offence.
2. Suppose a Mans Credit should be impaired with those whose censure is not to be valued, yet consider the folly of challenging another to a Duel; 'tis little Wisdom for a Man to redeem his Credit by losing his Life, and to run into Hell to be counted valorous.
Object. 2. But the wrong he hath done me is great.
Answ. But thy not forgiving him is a greater wrong, he in injuring thee hath offended against a Man, but thou in not forgiving him offendest against God.
Object. 3. But if I forgive one injury I shall occasion more?
Answ. If the more injuries thou forgivest the more thou meetest with, this will make thy Grace shine the more; often forgiving will add more to the weight of his sin, and to the weight of thy glory. If any shall say, I strive to excel in other Graces, but as for this of forgiving, I cannot do it, I desire in this to be excused. What dost thou talk of other Graces? the Graces are inter se connexae, link'd and chain'd together, where there is one there is all, he that cannot Forgive, his Grace is Counterfeit, his Faith is Fancy, his Devotion is Hypocrisie.
Quest. 3. But suppose another hath wronged me in my Estate, may not I go to Law for my Debt?
Answ. Yes, else what use were there of Law Courts. God hath set judges to decide cases in Law, and to give every one his right. It is with going to Law, as it is with going to War, when the just rights of a Nation are Invaded, here i… is lawful to go to War. So when a Mans Estate is trespass'd upon by another, he may go to law to recover it. But the Law must be used in the last place, when no entreaties or arbitrations will prevail, then the Chancery must decide it. Yet this is no revenge, it is not so much to injure another as to right ones self, this may be, yet one may live in Charity.
USE. 1. Here is a Bill of inditement against such as study revenge, and cannot put up the least discourtesie. They would have God forgive them, but they will not forgive others, they will Pray, come to Church, give Alms, but as Christ said, Mark 10.21. Yet lackest thou One Thing, they lack a forgiving Spirit, they will rather want forgiveness from God, than they will forgive their Brother. How sad is it that for every slight wrong, or disgraceful word, men should let malice boil in their Hearts. Would there be so many Duels, Arrests, Murders, if Men had the art of forgiving. Revenge is the proper sin of the Devil; he is no Drunkard, or Adulterer, but this old Serpent is full of the Poison of Malice; and what shall we say to them who make profession of Religion. yet instead of forgiving pursue others despightfully; it was Prophesied the Wolf should dw…ll with the Lamb, Isa. 11.6. but what shall we say when such as profess to be Lambs become Wolves? These open the mouths of the prophane against Religion, they will say, these are as full of rancour as any. O whither is Love and Mercy fled? if the Son of Man did come should he find Charity on the Earth? I fear but a little. Such as cherish Anger and Malice in their Hearts, and will not Forgive, how can they pray, Forgive us as we forgive others? either they must omit this Petition, (as Chrysostom saith some did in his Time) or else they pray against themselves.
Vse. 2. Let it persuade us all as ever we hope for Salvation, to pass by petty injuries and discourtesies, and labour to be of forgiving Spirits, Col. 3.13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another.
1. Herein we resemble God. He is ready to forgive, Psal. 86.5. He befriends His Enemies: He opens his Hands to relieve them who open their Mouths against Him. 'Twas Adams Pride to go to resemble God in omnisciency. But here it is lawful to resemble God in Forgiving Enemies. This is a God-like disposition, and what is Godliness but God-likeness?
2. To forgive is one of the highest evidences of Grace. When Grace comes into the Heart, it makes a man as Caleb, of another Spirit, Numb. 14.24. It makes a great Metamorphosis, it sweetens the Heart, and fills it with Love and Candour. When a Siene is grafted into a Stock, it partakes of the Nature, and Sap of the Tree, and brings forth the same fruit. Take a Crab, graft it into a Pepin, it brings forth the same fruit as the Pepin. So he who was once of a sour crabby disposition, given to revenge, when he is once ingrafted into Christ, he partakes of the Sap of this Heavenly Olive, and bears sweet and generous fruit, he is Full of Love to his Enemies, and requites Good for Evil. As the Sun draws up many thick noxious Vapours from the Earth, and returns them in sweet showers: so a gracious Heart returns the unkindnesses of others, with the sweet influences of love and mercifulness, Psal. 35.13. They rewarded me Evil for Good; but as for me;, when they were sick, my clothing was Sackcloth: I humbled my Soul with Fasting. This is a good Certificate to shew for Heaven.
3. The blessed example of our Lord Jesus, He was of a Forgiving Spirit, His Enemies reviled him, but he did pitty them. Their words were more bitter than the Gall and Vinegar they gave him, but Christs words were smoother than Oil. They spat upon him, Peirced him with the Spear and Nails, but he prayed for them, Father forgive them, he wept over his Enemies, he shed tears for them that shed his Blood; never such a pattern of amazing kindness. Christ bids us learn of him, Mat. 11.29. he doth not bid us learn of him to work Miracles, but he would have us learn of him to forgive our Enemies. If we do not imitate Christs Life, we cannot be saved by his Death.
4. The danger of an implacable unforgiving Spirit. It hinders the efficacy of Ordinances. It is like an obstruction in the Body which keeps it from thriving. A revengeful Spirit poisons our Sacrifice: our prayers are turned into sin; will God receive prayer mingled with this strange Fire? Our coming to the Sacrament is sin. We come not in charity: so that ordinances are turn'd into sin. It were sad if all the Meat one did eat should turn to Poison. Malice poisons the Sacramental Cup, men Eat and Drink their own Damnation, Iudas came to the Passover in malice, and after the Sop Satan entred, Iohn 13.27.
5. God hath tyed his Mercy to this condition, if we do not forgive neither will he forgive us, Mat 6.15. If ye forgive not men their Trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your Trespasses. A man may as well go to Hell for not forgiving, as for not believing. How can they expect mercy from God whose Bowels are shut up, and are merciless to their trespassing Brethren? Jam. 2.13. He shall have Iudgment without Mercy, that hath shewed no Mercy. I cannot Forgive said one, tho I go to Hell.
6. The examples of the Saints who have been of forgiving Spirit. Ioseph Forgave his Brethren, tho they put him into a Pit and sold him, Gen. 50.21. Fear not, I will nourish you, and your little ones. Stephen pray'd for his Persecutors. Moses was of a forgiving Spirit. How many injuries and affronts did he put up▪ The People of Israel dealt unkindly with him, they murmur…d against him at the Waters of Marah, (the Water was not so bitter as their Spirits,) but he fell to prayer for them▪ Exod. 15.24. He cried unto the Lord, and the Lord shewed him a Tree, which when he had cast into the Waters, they were made sweet. When they wante… Water they fell a chiding with Moses, Exod. 17.3. Why hast thou brought us out of Egypt to kill us with thirst? As if they had said, if we dye we will lay our Death to thy charge, here was enough to have made Moses call for Fire from Heaven upon them, but he passeth by this injury, and to shew he forgave them, he becomes an intercessor for them, ver. 4. and set the Rock abroach for them, ver. 6. The Prophet Elisha feasted his Enemies, 2 Kin. 6.23. He prepar'd a Table for them who would have prepared his Grave. Cranmer was famous for forgiving injuries. When Luther had revil'd Calvin, saith Calvin, Etiamsi millies me diabolum vocet, tho he call me Devil a thousand times, yet I will love and honour him as a pretious Servant of Christ. When one had abus'd and wronged a Christian, asking him, What wonders hath your Master Christ wrought? saith he, He hath wrought this wonder, that tho you have so injured me, yet I can forgive you, and pray for you.
7. Forgiving and requiting good for evil, is the best way to conquer and melt the Heart of an Enemy. Saul having pursued David with Malice, and hunted him as a Partridge upon the Mountains, yet David would not do him a mischief when it was in his power. Davids kindness melted Saul… Heart, 1 Sam. 24.16, 17. Is this thy voice, my Son David? and Saul lift up his Voice and Wept, and said, Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast rewarded me good. This forgiving is heaping Coals, which melts the Enemies Heart, Rom. 12.20. This is the most noble Victory, to overcome an Enemy without striking a blow, to conquer him with love. Philip of Macedon when it was told him that one Nicanor did openly rail against him, the King instead of putting him to death, sent him a rich present, which did so overcome the man, and make his Heart relent, that he went up and down to recant what he had said against the King, and did highly extol the Kings Clemency.
8. Forgiving others, is the way to have forgiveness, from God, and is a sign of forgiveness.
1. It is the way to have forgiveness, Mat. 6.14. If ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But one would think other things should sooner procure forgiveness from God, than our forgiving others. No surely, nothing like this to procure forgiveness, for all other acts of Religion may have leaven in them. God forbad Leaven in the Sacrifice, Exod. 34.25. One may give Alms▪ yet there may be the leaven of Vain-glory in this. The Pharisees sounded a Trumpet, they did not give Alms, but sell them for applause, Mat. 6.2. one may give his Body to be burned, yet there may be leaven in this, it may be a false zeal, there may be Leaven in many acts of Religion, which soures the whole lump, but to forgive others that have offended us, this can have no Leaven in it, no Sinister aim, this is a Duty wholly Spiritual, and is done purely out of love to God▪ hence it is God rather annexeth forgiveness to this, then to the highest and most renown'd works of Charity which are so cried up in the World.
2. It is a sign of Gods forgiving us. It is not a cause of Gods forgiving us, but a sign. We need not climb up into Heaven to see whether our sins are Forgiven, let us look into our Hearts, and see if we can Forgive others, then we need not doubt but God hath forgiven us. Our loving others is nothing but the reflection of Gods love to us. Oh therefore by all these arguments, let us be persuaded to the forgiving others. Christians how many offences hath God pass'd by in us? Our sins are innumerable, and Heinous; is God willing to forgive us so many offences, and cannot we forgive a few? no man can do so much wrong to us all our life as we do to God in one day.
Quest. But how must we Forgive?
Answ. As God Forgives us.
1. Cordially, God doth not only make a show of forgiving, and keeps our sins by him, but doth really forgive; He passeth an act of Oblivion, Ier. 31.34. so we must not only say we Forgive, but do it with the Heart, Mat. 18.35. If ye from your Hearts forgive not.
2. God forgives Fully; he forgives all our sins. He doth not for fourscore write down fifty, Psalm 103.3. who Forgiveth all thy iniquities. Hypocrites pass by some offences but retain others. Would we have God deal so with us? to remit only some trespasses and call us to account for the rest.
3. God forgives often, we run afresh upon the score, but God multiplies pardon, Isa. 55.7. Peter asks the question, Mat. 18.21. Lord how oft shall my Brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Ie…us saith to him, I say not, until seven times, but until seventy times seven. If he say, I Repent, you must say, I Remit.
Quest. But this is one of the highest acts of Religion, Flesh and Blood cannot do it? how shall I attain to it?
Answ. 1. Let us consider, how many wrongs and injuries we have done against God; What Volume can hold our Errata? Our sins are more than the Sparks in a Furnace.
2. If we would forgive, see Gods hand in all that men do or say against us Did we look higher than Instruments, our Hearts would grow calm, and we would not meditate revenge. Shimei reproach'd David and Cursed him, David look'd higher 2 Sam 16 11. Let him alone, let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. What made Christ that when he was reviled he reviled not again? He look'd beyond Iud…s and Pilate, he saw his Father putting the bitter Cup into his Hand, and as we must see Gods hand, in all the affronts and Incivilities we receive from men, so we must believe God will do us good by all if we belong to him, 2 Sam. 16.12. It may be the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day; quisquis de…rahit famae meae addet mercedi meae▪ Aug. He that inju…es me …hall add to my reward, he that Clips my name to make it weigh lighter, shall make my Crown weigh heavier. Well might Stephen pray For his Enemies, Lord lay not this sin to their charge, Act. 7.60. he knew they did but encrease his Glory in Heaven, every Stone his Enemies threw at him added a Pearl to his Crown.
3. Lay up a stock of Faith, Luk. 17.4 If thy Brother trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day, …urn again to thee, and say, I Repent, thou shalt forgive him. And the Apostles said to the Lord, Encrease our Faith. As if they had said, We can never do this without a great deal of Faith; Lord encrease our Faith. Believe God hath pardoned you, and you will pardon others, only Faith can throw dust upon injuries, and bury them in the Grave of forgetfulness.
4. Think how thou hast sometimes wronged others, and may it not be just with God▪ that the same measure you mete to others should be measured to you again? hast not thou wronged others, if not in their Goods, yet in their Name? If thou hast not born false witness against them, yet perhaps thou hast spoken falsly of them; the consideration of this may make Christians bury injuries in silence.
5. Get humble Hearts. A proud Man thinks it a disgrace to put up an injury. What causeth so many Duels and Murders as Pride? Be cloth'd with humility, 1 Pet. 5.5. He who is low in his own Eyes will not be troubled much, tho others lay him low. He knows there's a day a coming, when there shall be a Resurrection of Names as well as Bodies, and God will avenge him of his Adversaries, Luk. 18.7. And shall not God avenge his own Elect? the humble Soul leaves all his wrongs to God to requite, who hath said vengeance is mine, Rom. 12.19.
Vse of Comfort. Such as Forgive, God will forgive them. You have a good argument to plead with God for Forgiveness, lo, I am willing to Forgive him who makes me no sactisfaction and wilt not thou Forgive me, who hast received satisfaction in Christ my surety: so ends the fifth Petition.