SERM. And as to Faith; How can that be foundVIII. ed without Command, without Promise, without Power to help, or (for ought we know) to hear? But let me pray and conc'ude with St. Paul; Now our Lord Jefus Christ himfelf, and God even our Father, which bath loved us, and hath given us everlasting Confolation and good Hope thro' Grace; comfort your Hearts, and establish you in every good Word and Work. SERM. IX. SERMON IX. Of the Forgiveness of Injuries. PART I. LUKE XVII. 4. If he trefpafs against thee feven F you look on the pre- SERM, thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive P 2 bim. SERM. him. And if he trefpafs against thee Feven IX. times in a Day, and feven Times in a Day turn again to thee, faying, I repent; thou Shalt forgive him. Some have thought this a hard Saying. Seven Times a Day is an Expreffion at least as strong against limiting our Forgiveness, as feventy times feven at large; which is our Lord's Answer to St. Peter, Matth. xviii. 21. How oft fhall my Brother fin against me, and I forgive him? By which Question it appears, that even be prefum'd, there ought to be fome Bound fixed to this Duty. But our Lord fhewed him, that he allow'd of none. And what Wonder, that he who receives us after never fo many Tranfgreffions, upon a true Repentance, should at our Hands require a like Behaviour towards our offending and penitent Brother? Nevertheless there are at this Day, not only whofe Practice is contrary, (for that every body knows too well,) but who avow a contrary Principle; who pretend that the Tenderness exacted in the Text, ferves to no End, but the Encouragement of Infolence and Injuri.oufnefs. They propose therefore, to pu IX. nish every wilful Wrong without Remif- SER M. fion; and invite all that love Justice to fet a Hand to it, and affift the Injur'd in taking his Revenge. And this they urge as the only hopeful Method (if well follow'd) to reftrain Fraud and Violence, and establish in the World a juft Security for innocent Perfons. It must be confefs'd, that this Notion has fomething in it that flatters Men of ftrong Minds at firft Sight; as if it put us in a Way, tho' very rigorous to Particulars, yet wholsome and profitable to the whole State of Mankind. And they that have large Experience of the World, are tempted to give into it, by the abundant Hypocrify, Ingratitude, and Incorrigiblenefs, which they encounter with. Now to bring this Objection home, and make it bear against the Precept of Forgiveness; it is fuppos'd, that every Body of Laws given by God to his Creatures, must be so fram'd, as to promote the Discipline of Order and Justice amongst them, and fo provide for their general Good and Quiet, even in this prefent Life. And this ought to be admitted; fince we are taught, that SERM, Godliness (which is the Practice of Chriftian IX. Precepts) is profitable unto all Things, hav ing Promife of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come: And therefore, notwithstanding the many and great Sufferings which that Practice brings upon particular Perfons, and, at certain Times, upon whole Societies; yet is the Chriftian Law, as to its main Tendency and Effects, admirably calculated for the prefent, as well as future Welfare of its faithful Profeffors. Thus we are obliged to take under our Confideration the pretended Motal of profecuting all Offences with Rigour, which they would fet up; and the Dif paragement offer'd to the contrary Moral of Chriftianity, as noxious to the State of Mankind. And here we might be content to anfwer; That being affur'd (as we are) that the Rule of Forgiving our Brother's Of fences is enjoin'd by God, we ought not to doubt of its ferving most effectually his. declared Purpose in promoting the Good of the World; although by our own Obfervation and Judgment, we could not dif cern its Aptnefs for that End Although the |