The Most Difficult Duty Made Easy, Part 2
Concerning the Duty, ſeriouſly tell thy ſelf to this Effect.
1. It is my Duty. Therefore I will Forgive. If it be not a Duty, where is God's Authority? He Commands it. If it be not my Duty, I muſt not be God's Subject. For his Law binds all his Subjects. If I do not Forgive my Enemy, I deny my God. But, How can I do this Evil? Gen. 39.9.
2. It is my DIFFICƲLT Duty. Therefore I will induſtriouſly Forgive. Not with a Forgiveneſs that ſhall coſt me nothing. I will go to the Expence of much Pains for it. Though I am glued to my Wrath, I will tear my ſelf from it: And with ſtrong Cries pray Almightineſs to bring me to brotherly Kindneſs. Labour in Duty is never loſt. That which requires it moſt, requiteth it beſt. Wherefore, My Heart ſhall ſtir me up, my Spirit ſhall make me willing, though it find me not ſo, Exod. 35.21.
3. It is my EQƲITABLE Duty. Therefore I will Forgive without grudging. What more Equal? If God will Revenge my Injurer, What need I wiſh him Evil? If God will Reward me, how juſt is it that I obey his Command, and render an evil Man Good for Evil? If others be bound to forgive me, as righteouſly I am bound to forgive them. 'Tis a plain Caſe; I am in Bedlam as long as I am in a vindictive Paſſion. Return O my Reaſon, and let me do my moſt reaſonable Service, Rom. 12.1.
4. It is a Duty of my own COMMANDING. Therefore for very ſhame I will Forgive. Alas, I charge my Children to forgive each other's Wrongs; and ſtill leave it to me to right them. Do I look that my Wormſhip ſhould be obſerved more than my Creator's Godhead? Or, Dream I that my Power is more Soveraign over my Babes, than his over me and my Paſſions? With what Face can I anſwer it, Thou that preacheſt and commandeſt a Man, ſhould not hate his Enemies, doſt thou hate thine? Rom. 2.21.
5. It is a Duty moſt GLORIOƲS. Therefore I will ambitiouſly Forgive. Wherein is God himſelf more Glorious, than in letting go his Anger? Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth Iniquity? Mich. 7.18. Fools think it ignoble to digeſt Injury. But be it ever my Motto, what the wiſe Man writes; It is the Glory of a Man to paſs over a Tranſgreſſion, Prov. 19.11. To Forgive a malicious Wrong, is to put on a very glorious Crown.
6. It is my BENEFICIAL Duty. Therefore I will covetouſly Forgive. More is got by true Forgiving one Treſpaſs, than by Receiving many a Kindneſs. Are the King's Dominions worth an Evidence for Heaven? Forgiving an Injury is a good Evidence; it is ſo, if Chriſt's be a good Authority. If you forgive Men their Treſpaſſes, your Heavenly Father will forgive you, Mat. 6.14. O my Soul, have a reſpect to this Recompence of Reward.
7. It is my FREQƲENT Duty. Therefore I will Forgive, of deſire to learn to Forgive. Injuries be not rare, as Thunder; but common as Day-light. And they muſt be Remitted, or God muſt be Denied. I had need learn therefore very perfectly, what I am to do daily. But (foreign) what we would learn to do, by doing it we muſt learn. I will Forgive, to perfect me in Forgiving; as Children write, to perfect them in Writing. I will abound in this Work of the Lord, that I may get from ſtrength to ſtrength in it, Pſal. 84.7. God rewards Grace with Grace, Pſal. 119.55, 56.
8. It is my VOWED Duty. Therefore I will Forgive in the dread of Perjury. Conſtructively, was I ſworn in my holy Baptiſm; and ſo have I been at the Holy Supper, full often, to Forgive my Treſpaſſers. Wherefore, Having Vowed unto God, I will not delay to pay it, Eccleſ. 5.4.
9. It is my CONSOLATIVE Duty. Therefore I will, for Comfort's ſake, Forgive. Never, never, never, do God above, Men below, and Conſcience within, ſpeak more kindly, than when we do Forgive moſt eminently. If ever, then it's ſaid as unto Abraham, Now I know thou feareſt God, Gen. 22.12. Ordinarily more ſenſible Comfort is given in the Remiſſion of one Injury, than in hearing of ſeven Sermons.
10. It is my DEFENSIVE Duty. Therefore I will Forgive, were it but to ſilence the Ignorance of fooliſh Men. By this Duty, I ſingularly Convince profane Men, that I am acted by a Spirit much better than theirs. This Good overcomes their Evil, quencheth their Wildfires; and ſometimes extorteth their Praiſe of Religion. Speak Experience! This Wiſdom is a great Defence, Eccleſ. 7.12.
11. It is my FAITH-EXERCISING Duty. Therefore I will Forgive, to Keep my Faith in Action. Faith's exerciſe, is Faith's encreaſe. And to good purpoſe is it exerciſed in Forgiving. A Duty, we can do nothing of, till Faith come and ſhows us; that, whatever the Wrong be that's done us, it was ordered by God's Providence; and we ſhall be benefited by it through his Grace. A Duty, then indeed eaſy. David can then bear Shimei's Curſing, when Faith ſays, that God bid him. And we, as he, uſe to be Dumb and Calm, when Faith ſaith of a bitter Event, God did it. Then we can tell our Enemies, as Joſeph his Brethren; It was not you that VVronged us. Gen. 45.8.
12. It is but my MOMENTANY Duty. Therefore I will thankfully Forgive. What, can I not have Patience, one ſhort Vapor's continuance! My Life's no longer in the Treſpaſſing World. And in Heaven, there will be no Wrongs done me. I ſhall love my ſelf, no better than every one will Love me there. At the Judgment Day, if my Treſpaſſers Repent not before, it will be my Duty and Privilege to laugh at their Calamity, and mock when their Fear comes. It is certain, The Saints ſhall Judg the World, 1 Cor. 6.2.