I

Chap. I.] FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES. 371

It is not requisite, that all these virtues and vices should bemade the subjects of special consideration in a treatise of moralphilosophy ;—'most of them, perhaps all of them, have been oc-casionally adverted to, as circumstances suggested, and may beso adverted to again ; — but there are some of them, without thespecial consideration of which my labors would be too imperfectto expect the approbation of those whose favorable judgment Iam anxious to obtain.

CHAPTER I.

DUTY OF FORGIVING INJURIES.

I

In the prayer prescribed by our Saviour to his disciples, weare authorized to expect the forgiveness of our trespasses, onlyin the measure in which, and on the condition that, we forgivethose who trespass against us. And it is worthy of attention,that, after prescribing this prayer, the Saviour, omitting all noticeof the other parts of it, selected this clause, upon which to makea special comment. He says, “ If ye forgive men their tres-passes, your heavenly Father will also forgive you ; but if ye for-give not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgiveyour trespasses.” # As Christians, we are to “ recompense tono man evil for evil.” We are to “bless those who perse-cute us ; we are to bless and curse not.” We are not to“avenge ourselves, but rather to give place unto wrath ; for it iswritten, ‘ Vengeance is mine ; I will repay, saith the Lord.’ ” Ifan “ enemy be hungry, we are to feed him ; if he be thirsty, weare to give him drink. We are not to be overcome of evil, butto overcome evil with good.” f Again, “This is thankworthy,if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, sufferingwrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be punished foryour faults, ye shall take it patiently ? but if, when ye do well,and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable withGod.” I

* Matt. vi. 9 -15. t Romans xii. 14 - 21. 11 Peter ii. 19 - 20.