The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-10-05

r,
it is a positive command, as is clearly
shown by the forcible language used.
And elsewhere we are told not TO let the
sun go down upon our wrath. If anger
is aroused, let it not be of as long dura-
ton as the day that so rapidly passes
away; it was intended only to produce
action when there was no time for rehec-
ton, and hence need not endure for all
hour.
And however frequent our brother
may offend, if he repent, yea, if he sag
he repents, we must forgive him. Peter
thought that it would be going as far as
could reasonably be expected to forgive
an offending brother seven times, and he
asked the Saviour if he should continue
to forbear even to that extent. But
Christ tells him in effect that there is to
be no limit. So long as he continues to
ask forgiveness it must be granted. So
1T will not do for us to say, "Well, have
tried him dozen times, and he repeats
the offence as often as 1 forgive: 1 do
not believe that he is sincere, and he
ought not to expect his trespass to be
overlooked again This may appear
very reasonable to man, but God says if
he sag, repent, you must forgive him
We must take his word for it. Though
he has given evidence of hypocrisy four
hundred and eighty-ni times, this time,
for aught we know, he may be sincere.
See also Matt. v: Al AS; Elk. xiii: 4, s.;
Col. iii: II, Is.
2. Gods example. While the example
of our Master should always be strong
incentive to duty, it is peculiarly so in
this particular, since His condescension
in forgiving the smallest sin is greater
than ours in pardoning the most grievous
offence. There is no sin SO repulsive to
us, as the most insignificant violation of
the law is to Him. Indeed no transgres-
sion is insignificant in His eyes. He
looks upon all sin with holy horror
And yet as loathsome as sin appears to
Him, He has condescended to pardon our
iniquities. How then can we, vile worms
OF the dust, refuse to forgive those who
are our equal? The Scriptures appeal to
His example, "Be ye kind, etc., forgiv-
ing one another eUena as God for Christ s
sake hath forgiven you." So again in
Col. iii; Ii. And how forcibly is this
impressed upon US by the parable in the
eighteenth chapter Of Matthew. A man
who owed ten thousand talents-a vast
sum that perhaps no king in that day
could have paid-was freely forgiven :;
and yet when he met one of his fellow
servants who owed him the paltry sum
of hundred pence, he laid violent hands
upon him, saying, "Pay me that thou
owest. And when his debtor fell at his
feet and besought him to wait till he
could pay, he relentlessly turned deaf
ear to the humble petition of one whose
master had forgiven him, and cast him
into prison till he should pay the debt.
Vile migrate! we are ready to exclaim,
how could he, after being excused from
payment of so great debt, refuse to ex-
erclse torbearance toward one who owed
him such a trifing sum? And yet how
many of us expect our Lord to forgive
the incompatible debt that an eternity
OF suffering would not pay, while we re-
fuse to forgive His servants their COM
paratively insignificant trespasses against
u.s.
3. The consequence of not torgivinq.
The greater number of protesting Chris
tians seem to be oblivious to what the
Scriptures say on this subject. They
know they are not doing what God COM
mands, but they continue to cherish their
untorgivlng spirit with some kind of an
expectation that it will work out well
after awhile. Now we are told that if
we hate our brother whom we have seen.
we cannot love God whom we have not
seen. Until this malignity is torn from
our hearts, we have not the evidence of a
renewal of our natures. Hence God tells
us that we cannot have our debt of guilt
forgiven unless we also forgive our fell
lowmen. We are authorized to pray for
pardon, only as aOe forgive those q0ho tres
pass against as. "For if ye forgive men
their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you. But if ye forgive
not men their trespasses, neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses." dFor
he shall have judgment 1Oithout m,ercy
that hath showed no mercy" Accord
ing to Gods word, we are still heirs of
eternal death, without hope of mercy at
the judgment bar Of the Almighty, unless
we can forgive even the most unworthy
of our enemies.
And this forgiveness must be from the
heart. A mere willingness to speak and
appear friendly, in order to retain your
place in the church, is base hypocrisy.
You may deceive the officers of the church
and escape discipline by such stimulation
but God who knows your every Thought