Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-09-04
Religious Miscellany.
Do You forgive all your Enemies
There are many good reasons for doing

There are. many good reasons for doing
so.
he who does not forgive his enemies
Will often mistake friends for foes. Being
revengetul, he will be suspicious. He
will misconstrue mems actions, and mis-.
Judge their motives. Should any give
him that rare token of valuable friend Shin
which consists in afectionate reproof. he
would esteem it unkind. For the same
reason, he would cherish jealousy. and
would mark almost all actions with an
evil eye. Turning friends into foes, in
this way, Is most injurious it is selftor-
ment.
But suppose that some are your real
enemies. Perhaps you have given them
much provocation. Ii so. remember their
fault does not cancel yours, nor can their
sin be cloak for your criminaltv. At
least, be honest, and take as much blame
to yourself as you ascribe to them.
Although your enemy wantonly intends
to do you evil, yet God mag superintead
10 40 go@ good. So his hatred shall not
| hurt, and may even benefit you. Thus
the plotting ofJoseph's brethren led to his
promotion at the court of Pharaoh. The
curses of Shimei were the precursors Of
Davld's triumphant return, to the holy
city. Let him alone, said the royal fu,
gltive, and let him curse, for the Lord
hath hidden him. 1t mag be the Lord
nail reqaate me good for his carsimg TIL.
day. In like manner, when your enc.
mics assall you, look up to God and say
when men of spite against me Join,
They are the sword, the hand is thine
/ and he willnot suffer the sword to prosper
against you.
God commands you to lay aside all
malice--to put off anger, wrath, and bit.
terness-to recompense to no man evil fol
I-evil-to forbear and TO forgive. He who
breaks Gods commandments must bear
Gods anger.
They who do not exercise forgiveness:
shall not reeeive IL. He who lives and
dies unpardoning, lives and dies unpar
doned. The true Witness hath SAID /
| We forgive not men their trespasses, Meth
Ter will your Father forgive your trespa IS
| es.' What terror these words bear TO al
the unforgivingl
Not to forgive is daring assumption
of the awfuL prerogatire of Cod
: Vengeance is mine, | will repay, saith
the Lord. Who art thou that ind gest an
4 other mans servant? To his own mas
ter he standeth or falleth.' Surely, God
will rebuke the intrusion Of yourself iptc
his iudoment-seat. SO the blow which
you aim at your fellow-sinner and fellow.
servant will return upon your own soul
The best and aoisest men in every age
have practised forgiveness. When Steph
en- was enduring that dreadful death b,
stoning, he cried, : Lord, lay not this Sill
to their charge All the martyrs follow
led his example. When reviled.. they
4 blessed. And saints of later times hav,
! done the same. How creditable,. it is II
the memory of one of the Reformers, tina
he never forgot any thing except inju
ries.', Who would not be like such
man2
To forgive the most bitter enemies is I
!, be like Jesus, who, beholding the unfeeI
! ing cruelty of his enemies in mocklnl
|, his dying agonies, vet in that dreadfu
I hour not only prayed for their forgiveness
! but framed an argument in extennatlon
J their guilt. Father. forgive them TO
they know not what they do Woul
4 you not be like Christ? Can you eve
: !. be satisfied, until you awake IN ms TAX
ness?