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DUTIES PECULIARLY CHRISTIAN.

[Part VI.

The forgiveness of injuries, therefore, is a preeminent Chris-tian virtue and duty, and the highest place among the virtuesis assigned it by our Saviour. It seems to have been unknownto the ancient heathen moralists ; and moreover, even at thepresent day, it seems to have made comparatively, and surpris-ingly, small progress in the world. Many men refuse to forgiveoffences, who would consider themselves very much wronged,by the imputation, that they live in the habitual transgression ofone of the fundamental points of Christian morals. The prac-tice of this duty is admitted to be difficult, in the highest degreedifficult. It requires a command over those passions, which, ofall others, are most violent in their impulses, anger, resentment,revenge, and malice, — passions which have filled the earth withevery kind and degree of violence and wrong, of sorrow andsuffering. Our Saviour knew how difficult the practice of thisduty is, how much self-command, how much self-discipline, howmuch expansion of mind, how much benevolence of heart, howenlightened a conscience, how firm a sense of duty, it requires ;but he has not made this difficulty an excuse for neglecting it.On the contrary, he admits the difficulty, and requires his disci-ples to rise superior to it. “ Ye have heard,” says he, “ thatit hath been said, ‘ Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thineenemy.’ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them thatcurse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them thatdespitefully use you and persecute you ; that ye may be thechildren of your Father who is in heaven ; for he maketh his sunto rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the justand on the unjust. For, if ye love them (only) that love you,what reward have ye ? do not even the publicans the same ?And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more thanothers ? do not even the publicans so ? Be ye, therefore, per-fect (in your benevolence and good-will), even as your Fatherwho is in heaven is perfect.” *

The duty itself, then, of forgiving injuries, and the importanceof the duty, are as clear as the bright shining of the sun at noon-day ; still the nature, measure, and rule of the duty admit andrequire further illustration.

* Matt. v. 43 - 48.