Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-12-20
FORGIVENESS.
The Divine Law as Exemplified
by Jesus.


Notes From Sermon Preached by
bishop Hall In Emmanuel Church,
Bellows Falls, Friday Evening, Dec. o.
Forgiveness and forbearance with those
who do us wrong is a positive law of the
Christian religion. You remember the ia
miliar words of our Lord when he lays
down the law of the kingdom and says
"Love your enemies" 1t lava positive
command, an absolute law. 1t is an in
dispensable law of our whole being. We
are taught to pray in the words of our Lord
"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against u.s." What Is
the meaning of the petition, LEAD us not
into temptation" God never leads us into
temptation. He leads us up to temptation
to deliver us, leads us up to temptation that
we may get great gain, that we may gain
in character. What man would make a
stumbling block God would make a step
ping stone to better things.
Gods commands have always reason
back of them. He never says 'you must
do this just because l say So" Here is
this law of forgiveness laid down. There
is no repentance save where there is will
lingness to forgive those who have done us
wrong Perhaps we insist on it in others,
but when it comes to ourselves you know
how clever we are in making all sorts OF
excuses. We cheat and delude ourselves.
Our Lord never gives command without
a way in which we may fulfil it. 1t is al
ways, "Come, take up your cross and fol-
low me. Come and step where have been
before. / first of all was tempted; l first
of all suffered" So in this matter of for
giveness, you hear the cry of Jesus, "Fath-
er, forgive them, they know not what they
do
See this point of perfection in our Lord,
how He forglves the greatest injury. We
say, 80, of course we must forgive those
who do us wrong, but this person was so
cruel, so wanton, do you expect me to for
give him? No, not that" Nail to the
cross those hands, those feet that went
about doing good, hire false witnesses,
swear against Him-all is base and treach-
erous as you can imagine-and He says,
FEATHER, forgive them, they know not
what they do" He not only forgives the
greatest injury but at the very time. You
and find curious satisfaction in putting
off things. We talk about an injury, it
grows bigger as we talk. We brood over
it, the spark kindles into a flame. But
Jesus forgives at the time. While the blood
is flowing, while they are fastening Him
to the cross, he cries, Father, forgive
them"
We say, 81 will forgive when the person
apologies" and we lay down all possible
conditions. We must show ourselves ready
to meet a person half way We should
meet him willingly and welcome him back
We say eyes, think have forgiven that
person; don't wish him any harm" But
you don't care very much, or feel very
sorry if it comes to him. Is that the kind
of forgiveness we want from God? Learn
to forgive others as you hope to be for
given.
There is this limit to forgiveness. 1t is
on the condition of repentance. There
must be repentance. If we confess oui
sins, taking shame to ourselves, he is
faithful to forgive us. While we are
yet afar off it is God who gives us grace tC
say 81 will arise and 60 to my father. y
1t is He who recalls us when we wander
as well as receives us when we return.
We are not to cast aside prudence
Love is always based on reason. Forgive
ness does not mean the overriding of pru
dence. God does not by miracle place
you where you were. You have to regain
that trust, prove yourself worthy of that
confidence, and labor for years to regain it.
You say 81 can forgive, but l cannot
forget" Who asks you to forget? There
is an injury cannot forget. A guardian
has money left in his charge for child il
his care, uses the money for his own pur
poses, defrauds the child, cheats him out
of advantages he should have had. car
forgive that, / cannot forget it. There
has been some invasion of family life; il
is forgiven, but forgotten never. God see!
our sins but He also sees our repentance.
God makes excuses often. Father for
give them, they know not what they do
Dear friends, is it not a comfort to think
of Him so pleading for us? Very well
then, if we ask that allowance for our
selves we must make allowance for others
Remember there is never true justice with
ont mercy. God thinks of the wrong peo
pie do themselves rather than of the injury
they do him. No one ever did another
an injury but he did himself greater one
He Injuries himself in his moral being. Nc
one can really do us real and lasting in
jury but ourselves. No one can do us q
moral injury but ourselves. Somebody
led me on, you say. They may have en-
ticed you, they could not force you. Il
was your will that should have resisted
Learn to discriminate between the sin
ner and the sin. Hate the sin always, al
that is false and bad but pity the sinner
Forgving frankly, freely, making all allow
ance, thinking of the wrong the person
does himself, so learn to say, -"Forgive III
our trespasses as we forgive those whit
trespass against u.s."