ferreth his anger, and it is his glory to pass over a tranfgreffion.The practice of forgiveness therefore is not a fervice fo lean and uncomfortable as is generally thought; and as it is always our duty, so it seldom so happens, but it is our interest to gain over an enemy by kindness and condefcenfion.

Those are the methods of reparation from one man to another, but what power have they of making any fuch fatisfaction to God? What proper requital can they make him for the violation of his laws, and the lasting reproach they have, by their disorders, brought upon that holy name by which they are call'd?

Most certainly finful mortals cannot, by any power or merit of their own, make fufficient reparation to an offended God. Their requests for pardon have in themselves no more title to be heard and accepted, than the petitions of a rebel to his injur'd Sovereign; and their future cares cannot be faid truly and properly to make up what was wanting before, fince all they can do is still but duty, and they at best are only unprofitable servants. Repentance, which is the only method of reconciliation to God, cannot be call'd a fufficient fatisfaction, because it is rather a caution for the future, than amends for what is past;

past; and tho' he is pleas'd to admit of this condition of pardon, yet this is not from any real merit in the action it self, but from his undeferved goodness in accepting it.

God doth notwithstanding this our infuffiency grant us forgiveness of our fins, but his love in Chrift Jefus is the only foundation of it, and our Prayers and endeavours for it are accepted in and through him. We have no other hope of being reconcil'd but by the terms of our redemption, and that redemption is the contrivance of his mercy and the gift of his love. In fhort, we are capable of making reparation for injuries to each other, but can make none for those against God: which farther fhews the different forgiveness which he mercifully grants to us, and that which we fhew to each other.

Thirdly, The difproportion of God's forgiveness and ours appears from the grounds of it.

The pardon of God to men, and that of men to each other, is different in this respect, that they are oblig'd to it by the strictest tyes of duty and intereft; whereas he hath no other reafon for it than his own goodnefs and compaffion. The reconciliation to an enemy is very often in common life an expreffion of great wisdom, and, if we

were

were to look no farther than this world, hath already its reward. The wife man fells not his revenge for nothing, and, by parting with a lean, fruitless, unprofitable passion, purchaseth to himself much efteem and fecurity.

But howfoever this difpofition to peace may feem to want the wisdom of this world, it most certainly hath that of the other. The Christian reafon for forgiveness of Trespasses is founded in the will of God, who commanded it, and hath right to exact what obedience he pleaseth. This is the fole condition of that merciful Covenant, by which we are entitled to eternal happiness. We have many and grievous fins of our own, the punishment of which is dreadful; and we have no other way of obtaining their pardon, than by being reconcil'd to our offending brethren. We must forgive, if we will be forgiven; Matt. vii. and with the fame measure with which we mete, it will be meafur'd to us again.

2.

Our neighbour hath injur'd us in fome poffeffion, and the Lord of all the earth, who hath given us that and every thing besides, requires us for his fake to remit the injury. He fets against our charity his own much greater condefcenfion, and, for reconciliation with our brethren, he promifeth eternal peace

with himself. He doth in truth out-bid all the low temptations to revenge, and makes this reasonable goodness the wifeft instance of concern for our felves. How reasonable and neceffary is forgivenefs from Chriftians to each other, when the Judge of all men, upon whofe pleasure their whole welfare depends, is himself the interceffor, and the pardon of their own fins the price and reward of it? We forgive an offender, not for his own fake, but God's, or more truly for our own, fince we are to expect no mercy, except we fhew it.

These are the motives of mens forgiveness to each other, but how different are they from those for which God is pleas'd to be reconcil'd to them? They forgive, because it is both their duty and intereft to be merciful; but he doth it from no influence of this fort, but only from his own undeserv'd compaffion. They forgive others their trefpaffes, because they purchafe by that a more valuable pardon for themselves; but our heavenly Father hath no other end in these his ftipulations, but to make both parties eternally happy. The disproportion of our forgiveness and that of God is very great as to the grounds of it, fince we, as a pious Father

well

well obferves, practise it out of necessity, whereas he doth it out of both unmerited and difinterested goodness.

Upon the whole, there is no comparison between the charity of Men and the mercy of God in their different forgiveness of Trefpaffes. If we view this pardon in the nature of the offence, those against men are concern'd in trifling affairs amongst a few equals, independent of each other, for their being and happiness; those against God are a grievous complication of rebellion against our Maker, and ingratitude to our best friend: if we confider this pardon in the means of reparation, the injuries of men may be repair'd in their own kind; and if there be no means for that, yet a wife man will receive abundant interest for his reconciliation, in gaining an enemy. But what requital can we make to God for our feveral fins of omiffion and commiffion, when our most diligent and moft fuccessful performances are still duty, and no more than we are oblig'd to do?

Lastly, If we compare this forgiveness in the different grounds of it, the difproportion

b

* Καν ἀφῆς τῷ σιωδέλῳ, καὶ παρ' ἐμὲ τὸ αὐτῆς ταύξῃ χάριτο καί τοιγε ἐκ ἴσον τᾶτο ἐκείνῳ· σὺ με ηδ δεόμβρου ἀφίης, ὁ ἢ θεὸς τῷ δέλῳ, σὺ μὲ ὑποθεωσ ὢν μυρίοις κακοῖς, ὁ ἢ θεὸς ἀναμάςnl v. Chryfoft. in locum.