Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1817-10-07

world. II humbIed human pride; IL blasted IFS
superciliousness and arrogance its hopes ITS anti
cpatons its pleasures, its joys; while II encoura-
ged self-denia and modification in this life, II rou
sed the sensualist and the epicure from the fatal
| sumber in which they were reposing, and in aw-
| ful, yet alfectionate language, portrayed before
| them the Insecure, as we'll as The unsolid founda
zion, on which they reared their transient super
structure of happiness it unveiled, in manner,
/ futurity before them it reminded them, that the
| brittle thread on which all their earthly hopes and
! prospects hung, would be and inevitably
broken that ltthey
Lean'd on EARTH 'ticould pierce them 10 The heart,
. 4 broken reed, 'tacottld often proUe a thorn"
II adduced every motive il added every PERSIA.
siye for its reception aud at the time it held
forth every terror it furnished every warning, to
deter from its rejection
Accordingly, we find its divine author and prop
agator, and bis primitive followers and disciples
reviled and prosecuted, exposed TO ignominy and
scorn, to the most brutal outrages, and inhuman
treatment, and even death itself, from bis ;nturia-
ted and unrelenting enemies But Notwithstanding
these attempts to stle his religion in its infancy,
its benignant rays dawned afar off, and the glad
tidings of great Joy which he proclaimed, were re-
ceived by nations then " sitting in darkness, and
i'm the regions of the shadow of deatho
Such being the general character of the gospel,
so refractory to the very nature Of our Species ITS
rapid propagation, under every disadvantage and
discouragement. must have been the work of that
being who governs the hearts and minds of his
creatures and bends the most stubborn and an
Welding to his Will. But, in no injunction OF our
Saviour, is human pride less lattered or self-love
less spared, or his followers more explicitly COM
manded 10 oounteract one of their strangest pro-
pensites than in Low ing their enemies, and in re-
turning blessings and benefits for injuries andln-
sults Revenge is one of those baeful passions
incidental to the human heart, in its native and
original state of corruption and dePravity vi all
our propensities, that return and retaate Tor
real or supposed injury, is surely the most diff
cult to overcome. BESIDES, the established customs
of the world and its prevailing notions oil honour,
would brand us with the mputation OF cowerdice,
insensibility and supineness and subject US TO the
most marke derision and contempt. Such are the
| sentiments of the world, but different are those in
| cuIcated in the gospel which the Messiah from
heaven has revealed.
/ The nature OF the forgiveness we are required to
extend to those who have injured US is clearly and
expressly defined by our Saviour. de has taught
us, that every natural propensity OF the human
heart must be subdued that every affection must be
| brought in humble and implicit obedience 70 has
laws. However wounding 10 our pride, however
mortfying to our self love, if found TO interfere
with our allegiance 10 him under whose banners we
have enlisted, it must be finally conquered by our
vigilance and rxertons 1t, against these COM
nands the right hand rebel IL must be cut oil 1t
the right eye il must he plucked out. he forgive
ness n are requied t. exercise towards those VINO
have inflicted upon injuries OF even Inc greatest
magnitude Is one of the principal crIterions by
which his real and sincere disciples may be distin
| guished. Ii is not sufficient that We refrain irom
retaiatng for the IN julles we have received, that
we are ready anu wiling 10 perform for the often
der every service in our power, il the smallest dis
gust still rankles in our bosoms. Ibis is but on
outward compliance with the letter OF the COM
| mand il is not internal acqniescence III It's
| spirit. Injuries are often resultel with Gavoafs,
| through wish to mortity the person fom whom
we have received them. This, also, is species OF
resentment aud revenge. twill not exonerate US
| from the impulation OF breach Of that law which
! is binding upon every professor OF the gospel Of
peace TO prevent every mistake OF this nature,
we are expressly instructed, that, on tie forgive
n s, We extend towards our brother or fellow crea-
! lure who has offended Us, depends the pardon we
| also shall receive ourselves from our hna and our
eternal Judge; that this forgiveness must iartaae
of the same nature with that which we supphcate
| from his mercy and compassion.
/ Nor did the divine author Of our religion harely
enforce this duty by his precept but fofcioiy iillis'
/ trated il by his example. Benevolence Nas a vlr-
the which shone with unequalled ustre, and formed
one OF the most prominent traits in his all-peFiecs
! character His enemies, well as his frlcnds,were
the objects OF his soiictnde IL was his constant
endeavour to console and support the one, 20 re-
claim and convert the other. When reylled nc
revied not again, when smitten on the figAt
cheek. he turned the left, rather than return the
blow, and, with his expiring voice, he inplofed the
forgiveness OF heaven on his infatuated prosecutors
/ and murderers.
But had the gospel been entirely silent unon this
! subject, our own reason would have taught us, q
we listened to its suggestions, the extreme sbsufdi-
ty and folly Of induIging these balclul and uuhoy
! passons What beoeli can We derive from pen.-
/ ing forth mpreeatons upon orr enemies Instead
| of rel aatng upon them, reuter our lives coa
| petelv wretohed, without obtaining the smallest
| redress for the injuries they had done Us AMI a.
the indulgence Of these feelings unfts q lor the
enjoyment OF happiness in the present llles Sc VIII
ii render us unworthy and incapable ut ever parti
cpatng in the unaliuyed pleasures and the exalted
| fecites Of that world into which nothing sinful
! or unhallowed can enter.
In every nation and community, there is dis,i'-
gushing trait by which estimate 81 rs general
character may be formed some striking peculiar
lies in their customs, their manners, and their
| habits which have attracted the notice and seman-
ed tic Attentions, OF the unlntefes,sd traveller and
observer A similar characteristics il attached 10
the followers of our Saviour, by ehich his disei