And because this is such an especial means to resolve thy soul of the pardon of thy sins, be the rather moved to subdue thy passion, when thou art provoked to cast out wrath and readily to forgive. Seeing it is requisite that we offer up prayers to God for mercy and pardon, let us by the testimony of our conscience get to our selves, that we may make our carriage an Advocate to our prayers, and truly say, We also forgive our debtors. They who feel the weight of sin would give all they have, and do what possibly they could to be eased thereof. If thou never feltest the burden of sin on thine own soul, enquire after such as are wounded in conscience: ⟨p. 201⟩and, because things seen are more sensible, and make a deeper impression, got to them, mark their agonies and their outcries; thereby judge what an heavy burden sin is, when the soul feels the burden of it. If once thou feelest the weight of it, I make no question, but that, if Christ should ask thee, as once he asked a blind man,1 What wilt thou that I should do to thee, thou wouldest answer, Lord, that I may be eased of the burden of sin. Behold here how thou mayest be eased. As any occasion is offered, Forgive. Thus in doing goodness to man, thou doest the best and greatest goodness to thy self, in that God (whose goodness infinitely surpasseth thine) is moved thereby to do good to thee. This is a great encouragement, a ground of much comfort to such as can and do forgive men. Though they have no recompense from man, though they be laughed at for it: yea though they be worse dealt withal (as aDavid was) and more wronged because they are so ready to forgive, yet Gods gracious acceptation thereof, his merciful dealing with them for it, is recompense enough.
And because this is such an especiall meanes to resolue thy soule of the pardon of thy sinnes, bee the rather moued to subdue thy passion, when thou art prouoked to cast out wrath and readily to forgiue. Seeing it is requisite that wee offer vp prayers to God for mercy and pardon, let vs by the testimonie of our conscience get to our selues, that we may make our cariage an Aduocate to our prayers, and truely say, We also forgiue our debters. They who feele the weight of sinne would giue all they haue, and doe what possibly they could to bee eased thereof. If thou neuer felt'st the burden of sinne on thine owne soule, enquire after such as are wounded in conscience: ⟨p. 201⟩and, because things seene are more sensible, and make a deeper impression, got to them, marke their agonies and their outcries; thereby iudge what an heauy burden sinne is, when the soule feeles the burden of it. If once thou feelest the weight of it, I make no question, but that, if Christ should aske thee, as once he asked a blind man,1 What wilt thou that I should doe to thee, thou wouldest answer, Lord, that I may be eased of the burden of sinne. Behold here how thou maist be eased. As any occasion is offered, Forgiue. Thus in doing goodnesse to man, thou doest the best and greatest goodnesse to thy selfe, in that God (whose goodnesse infinitely surpasseth thine) is moued thereby to doe good to thee. This is a great encouragement, a ground of much comfort to such as can and doe forgiue men. Though they haue no recompence from man, though they be laughed at for it: yea though they be worse dealt withall (as aDauid was) and more wronged because they are so ready to forgiue, yet Gods gracious acceptation thereof, his mercifull dealing with them for it, is recompence enough.
- 1Mar. 10. 51.
- aPsal. 35. 12.—120. 7.
