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SERMON XXVIII.

LUKE VI. 37.

Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

FORGIVENESS of injuries may be SERM.

ranked amongst thofe fingular and exalted virtues which all men univerfally agree to praise and admire, but very few have strength and refolution to practise. It feemeth indeed to foar above the common perfections of our nature, and to shine with a fuperior luftre, and is therefore highly becoming the purest and most refined religion, the religion of Jefus Chrift; who did himself not only ftrongly enforce it by his doctrine, but most VOL. II, ļ power

XXVIII.

SERM. powerfully recommend it also by his own divine example.

XXVIII.

But whilst we fo juftly admire the peculiar grace, dignity, and perfection of this truly Christian virtue, we cannot at the fame time but acknowledge, that there is no fmall difficulty in the attainment of it: it is a part, and doubtless a very confiderable one, of the duty of felfdenial, and in direct oppofition to fome of our most violent and unruly paffions, who will strenuously oppose it with all their strength and vigour. The victory over fuch powerful and confpiring foes cannot, we must own, be an eafy, though it must always prove a glorious conqueft,

Judgment, humility, patience, and fortitude, are all neceffary to form a kind and forgiving temper: we must have judgment to distinguish, patience and hu mility

XXVIII.

mility to fuffer, generofity and fortitude SERM. to contemn injuries, before we can rightly, easily, and heartily forgive them.

In the following difcourfe therefore I defign to enforce and recommend that union and love which are the diftinguishing marks of Christianity. I fhall endeavour to point out to you the neceffity of mutual forgiveness, by convincing you,

First, That revenge is directly contrary to our duty both towards God and towards man: And,

Secondly, That it is contrary also to our interest, and our happiness, both in relation to this life, and that which is to

come.

And First, then: Revenge is directly contrary to our duty towards God and

man.

XXVIII.

SERM. To fubmit ourselves with pious refignation to the will of our Creator, to rely on him under every evil, oppreffion, and calamity, is the leaft return which we can make for all the unmerited bleffings which he bestoweth on us. When we are injured and oppreffed, therefore, it will become us to confider, first, that we are not proper judges either of the nature or degree of the injury received by us, and, fecondly, that though we are not proper judges, God undoubtedly is; to him therefore, and to him alone, should be left the estimation and the punishment alfo.

God, whofe mercy is over all his works, hath graciously ordained, that even our wants and imperfections fhould be of advantage to us, and that both our weaknefs and our ignorance fhould contribute to our happinefs. Man is neither wife enough

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