A guide to go to GodA guide to goe to God

3. For the Necessity of it;¹ it is absolutely necessary for Society with men, and Communion with God. In regard of society with men, there is no living in this world without a mind willing and ready to forgive wrongs: and that by reason of the wrongs which others from time to time will do to us, and we to others. We live here among many and sundry sorts of people, and those of divers and different dispositions: some giving offence in one kind, others in another. If we be forward to take revenge of every wrong, and have not a mind forward to forgive, we shall never have a quiet mind. Revenge will be as a poison continually working in our souls, ⟨p. 167⟩exceedingly disturbing and disquieting them. And for our selves, flesh is in us all: it abideth in the best, so long as they abide in this world. By reason of the flesh in us we are subject to many infirmities, whereby sundry offences are given to others, sometimes on weakness, and sometimes on wilfulness: sometimes on sudden passion, and heat of blood, and sometimes again on deliberation and cold blood. By reason hereof we need that others should bear with us, and forgive us. But if we forgive not others, how can we look that others should forgive us. 1. Our example in taking revenge of others, is a pattern to others to take revenge of us. 2. It is just with the Lord to suffer men so to do, according to that which Adoni-bezek said,^a As I have done, so God hath requited me. ^bSo much is oft expressly threatened. In regard of Communion with God, ⁴there is no hope, no possibility of reconciliation and atonement with God for such as are ready to take revenge of men. Christ hath set it down, as a ruled case, as an inviolable Law, more stable, and unalterable then the Laws of the Medes and Persians established by the King, ⁵that, if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses. ⁶