We are not called on tamely to surrender all our rights. St. Paul repelled, with proper spirit, the insult offered to him, being a Roman citizen; and on another occasion, when he saw that he was likely to become the victim of the bigotry and malignity of the Jews, he availed himself of his privilege of appealing to the supreme tribunal of the empire. There are offences of so peculiar a nature, or committed under circumstances of such aggravation, or followed by consequences so disastrous, as to make it next to obligatory to bring the offender before a legal tribunal. Otherwise, many of the best and dearest interests of mankind would be hazarded and sacrificed, insult would be invited, and oppression would trample all underfoot. A tradesman whose honesty has been slanderously impugned, may find it needful to take such a course. "The powers that be are ordained of God ;" and there are many instances in which it may be right and proper to invoke their protection. How could civil society exist, if it were the universal habit to connive at offences against reputation, property and life? Its very foundations would be undermined. Its peace, security, and order would be desolated by an overwhelming flood of ungodliness. "I may," says Baxter, "by just means exact satisfaction for damages to myself, in my reputation or estate, when the ends of Christianity, even the honour of God, and the public good, and the benefit of men's souls, require it."*

It

Some may think that there is not much need to make remarks like these, men being ready enough to seek redress. Nor are they made to instigate any to take such a course. is good to cherish a conciliatory and pacific spirit,—to leave off contention before it be meddled with,"-sometimes to waive an unquestionable claim-and rather to recede and give way, than to insist on the utmost reparation. It is good, on all accounts, "if it be possible," to "live peaceably with all men." Still, it is not unimportant to show that the morality of the Bible is perfectly consistent with good sense and sound reason, and not the romantic and impracticable thing which some imagine, and accordingly denounce and neglect. The Christian should also be able clearly to discern the bounds and limitations of duty. Let it, therefore, be stated explicitly, that there is nothing in the spirit of the Gospel which broadly forbids an appeal to magistracy and law.

In taking such a line of procedure, however, the following points should be remembered :-It should not be a precipitate act time should be taken for calm and prayerful deliberation. We should guard against the impulses of vindictive feeling. The offender should be pursued, not because we thirst for revenge or could take pleasure in his sufferings; but, only because it would be wrong to allow him to escape with impunity. There

*Christian Directory, part iv., chap. 10.

should be no private retaliation, no avenging of ourselves, no taking of the law (as it is called) into our own hands. And, moreover, we should regard our antagonist with compassion and goodwill; remembering who has said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."

II. There are wrongs which do not require such punishment or reparation. Either because they are trifling in themselves, or because their influence is circumscribed, and they do not spread baleful effects, on our homes, neighbourhoods, or churches, they need not be dragged before the public eye. When greater evils would not ensue, we ought, for peace' sake, silently and meekly to suffer wrong, committing ourselves to Him that judgeth righteously.

Here, again, however, we must discriminate between those who manifest no sorrow for having injured us, but refuse to acknowledge the offence, and, it may be, persist in it; and those who confess their fault, and seek reconciliation. Very different are our duties in these cases respectively; though the parties are often confounded, and it is assumed that both should be treated alike, and fully and frankly forgiven.

And, first, of those who commit injuries against us which do not require public exposure or redress, and who do not evince or express any compunction: What is our duty toward them?

(1.) To abstain from all retaliation. This is constantly and peremptorily forbidden by Him whom we serve. His language is, "I say unto you that ye resist not evil." (Matt. v. 39.) "Recompense to no man evil for evil." (Rom. xii. 17. See also 1 Thess. v. 15; 1 Peter iii. 9.) Not only should there be no taking of great revenge, but nothing that would do another harm, -no "paying back in their own coin,"-none of those mean and petty acts, or bitter and damaging words, in which some will indulge their spite. Unless we keep from repaying injury by injury, even in the slightest degree, we cannot expect mercy at the hands of God.

(2.) So, equally, must there be no cherishing of hatred, or of a secret desire that, though our hand shall not be upon him who has injured us, he may yet suffer in some way. The indulgence of a feeling of satisfaction when such a one becomes in his turn the victim of another's vice or rapacity, or is smitten by the hand of Providence, so that, if our thoughts were vocal, we should be heard exclaiming, "Aha! so would we have it," can never comport with the holy and benign spirit of the Gospel.

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(3.) Our enemy is to be regarded with compassionate love; and, prompted by this love, we should do him any good in our power. All hatred and malice are to be banished from our breast, and unfeigned pity to take their place. "love our enemies." It is not meant that we

We are to are to feel

towards them a love of complacency, or to regard them with approval or delight. This is manifestly and utterly impossible. We can never entertain such feeling for a treacherous friend, a lying defamer, or a fierce persecutor; any more than we can take pleasure in hideous deformity, or approve of flagrant vice. But we may regard him with such forbearing and compassionate love (according to our measure) as God displays toward impenitent sinners. This is possible,-not to unassisted and unrenewed human nature, it is true; but as an element in that "victory which overcometh the world;"and being possible, it is imperative. The bowels of our pity should yearn over our foe, the voice of our supplications should ascend to heaven on his behalf. Nor from him even should we "withhold good," when "it is in the power of our hand to do it." (See Matt. v. 43-45.)

(4.) We are, moreover, to strive to bring the offender to repentance. By calm expostulation, "in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves," we should seek to make them sensible of their wrong-doing. We are not, generally speaking, to leave them sullenly and in disgust, and thus suffer sin to lie upon them. But we are to be followers of Him who continues to shed providential blessings upon sinners, in order to melt and subdue their impenitent hearts. (Rom. ii. 4. "The goodness of God, instead of turning its back upon the unrepenting sinner, and retiring from him in wrath, turneth upon him its lovely countenance, and even taketh hold of his hand to lead him to repentance."

2. What, then, of those who have injured us, but not in such a manner as to make it needful to seek public redress, and who confess the wrong?-These, and these only, are we bound to forgive, in the full sense of the term. Their repentance is an essential condition of our extending to them the token of full, sincere, and hearty reconciliation; but when this is manifested on their part, such reconciliation becomes our bounden duty. As we would obtain mercy, we must show this mercy to him who acknowledges his offence, and offers all the reparation in his power. Nor must an evil heart be allowed to restrain us from putting the most charitable construction on his professions. Unless his conduct palpably belie his words, we have no right to say that he is not sincere, and therefore to withhold from him our forgiveness.

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Now let it be considered what is included in forgiveness. It implies an endeavour to forget the injury, even as God graciously assures us that He will not remember against us our former transgressions. A perfect oblivion as to the past is impossible; none of us can absolutely and for ever erase its events from thought and memory. The records on the inner tablet are 66 graven as with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever;" and we cannot say that any one of them shall never

again be brought into view. Still, if we truly and properly forgive, we shall not brood over the injury; we shall rather refuse to think of it, and strive to banish it from our minds; we shall cover it out of our sight with the mantle of love; we shall, so far as in us lies, bury the whole in forgetfulness. There will also be a restoration of the offender to our favour. We shall treat him as if he had never been guilty of the wrong. When we forgive from our hearts, we not only cherish no vindictive or malevolent feelings, but we also abstain from a cold, repulsive, and suspicious bearing toward him who is now contrite. It is thus that God forgives; thus must we forgive. There are, it is granted, some extreme cases, in which the offence may have been of such a nature, or may have given evidence of such inherent and uncontrolled propensities, that we cannot, without being reckless of our duty to ourselves, restore the offender to the very same place in our esteem, love, and confidence as he once had. Here, it may be with reason argued, God's example does not apply as a guide or rule to us. However vile the man who implores His forgiveness, He can change the sinner's heart and remould his whole character: and, with the assurance that his heavenly Father is pacified toward him, there comes an influence on his spirit that makes him "a new creature." No such power, however, can be wielded by us; and until we have proof that he who has betrayed or aggrieved us is a thoroughly altered man, it may be due to ourselves not to put ourselves again in his power. But, as a general rule, such a restoration to our favour as if the estrangement had never occurred is included in forgiving from the heart.

Now, such forgiveness is required of us only when the injurious party confesses and forsakes his wrong doing. Through inadvertence to this condition, many truly conscientious and upright Christians are needlessly distressed, as if they fell below the standard of God's word. No sounder canon for the interpretation of holy Scripture is there, than that what is briefly expressed in one place should be understood according to the fuller or more definite declaration found elsewhere. Apply this rule to the matter in hand, and it will be apparent that the repentance of the offender is required in order to his receiving forgiveness. "If thy brother," says our Lord, "trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him." (Luke xvii. 3, 4.) And are we not commanded to be merciful even as God is merciful? to forgive, even as He for Christ's sake hath forgiven us? On what principle, then, does He proceed in extending pardon? He never forgives until man is humbled for his crimes, confesses his guilt, and sues for mercy. He is ever "ready to forgive;" but, in fact, He bestows his

pardoning and reconciling love on those alone who with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto Him. Evidently, therefore, the repentance of the wrong-doer is pre-supposed, when we are enjoined to forgive our fellow-men who trespass against

us.

"If,"

As this seems to be frequently forgotten, and men talk as if it were our incumbent duty to pardon indiscriminately,—those who persist in impenitence, insult, and injury not excepted,let us fortify the exposition of Scripture above given, by quoting the sentiments of two or three eminent divines. "A brother," says Baxter, "is not to be so forgiven, as to be restored to our estimation and affection, and usage of him as a brother, either in spiritual account, or intimate special love and familiarity, as long as he is impenitent in his gross offences."*" says Wesley, in his note on Luke xvii. 3, 4. "If he gives sufficient proof that he does really repent, after having sinned ever so often, receive him just as if he had never sinned against thee. But this forgiveness is due only to real penitents." So also Chalmers: "In the grace of forgiveness there is something more than an abstinence from revengeful deeds, or even from revengeful inclinations. Forgiveness from the heart implies more than this-not only that we should forget the injury, but that we should have the same feeling towards its author, be restored to the same state of mind in regard to him, as if the injury had never been committed... ... Now, to feel thus on our part, we should hold repentance upon his part to be indispensable- —or that repentance is as indispensable to forgiveness as the element of light is to vision.. There is a difference between forbearance and forgiveness; and, in adapation to this, there is a counterpart difference between the objects of these two virtues. And the whole difference seems to lie in this, that the one has not repented-the other has, or at least stands with the profession and the aspect of repentance before us. We do not think that even the Spirit, who is given to help our infirmities, ever helps or enables us to forgive in any other circumstances than these........ Repentance in every instance is pre-supposed, when called on, as we are by the Apostle, to forgive our fellow-men, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us."

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Such appears to be the teaching of the Bible on this essential part of Christian morals. Whoever may ill-treat, or defraud, or oppress us, we are not to retaliate, but to bless; not to indulge malice, but to show genuine and godlike pity. And when confession is made, and all possible atonement offered, then must we fully, frankly, and at once forgive. No other course is open to us. On no other terms can we hope to be accepted of God, or to obtain everlasting life. He who will be * Christian Directory, part I. chap. 10.

+ Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans, Lect. xci.