Secondly, as the guilt hath a respect to God, so it hath a respect to us; for as he is injured, so are we: when a man steals, it is not only a wrong to the Law of God, but also a wrong to me: So far as the sin doth respect God, he pardoneth it; and as it concerns me, I forgive him. And this is done when the heart is as willingly content to do all the good to a brother, as though he had never sinned against him. We say we forgive him, but not forget him, this is not to forgive; but between whom and me there is nothing to stop me, that is to forgive him; only remember this that a man doth sin in some kind; so that the Lord doth not require that a man should forgive him: As if a man that flatters me to my face and back bites me, I am not bound to trust him again: He that bears fire in one hand, and water in another, if he sin against me once, God forgive him: but if he sin against me the second time, and I forgive him, God forgive him and me. When a man cheats me I will never trust him again till I see good; and yet I forgive him when I am as willing to do him good, as ⟨p. 60⟩though he had never offended me; and withal entreat the Lord to pardon him, if he hath a lot in Christ seek for the pardon of those sins whereby he hath done us wrong. This our Saviour did, Father forgive them, they know not what they do: So also Stephen, Acts 7.12. thus we should do so far as it concerns us.
Secondly, as the guilt hath a respect to God, so it hath a respect to us; for as he is injured, so are we: when a man steales, it is not onely a wrong to the Law of God, but also a wrong to me: So farre as the sinne doth respect God, he pardoneth it; and as it concernes me, I forgive him. And this is done when the heart is as willingly content to doe all the good to a brother, as though he had never sinned against him. We say we forgive him, but not forget him, this is not to forgive; but between whom and me there is nothing to stop me, that is to forgive him; onely remember this that a man doth sinne in some kinde; so that the Lord doth not require that a man should forgive him: As if a man that flatters me to my face and back bites me, I am not bound to trust him againe: He that beares fire in one hand, and water in another, if he sinne against me once, God forgive him: but if he sinne against me the second time, and I forgive him, God forgive him and me. When a man cheates me I will never trust him againe till I see good; and yet I forgive him when I am as willing to doe him good, as ⟨p. 60⟩though he had never offended me; and withall intreat the Lord to pardon him, if he hath a lot in Christ seek for the pardon of those sinnes whereby he hath done us wrong. This our Saviour did, Father forgive them, they know not what they doe: So also Stephen, Acts 7.12. thus we should doe so farre as it concernes us.
