is, that they imagine it will be in vain. And were they but undeceived by any little Intimations of our Difpofition to forgive, they would repay us fully afterwards for that Goodness, to which they would gladly have applied before, if Despair had not withheld them. Or if they cannot even thus be brought to own themselves culpable in fo many Words: yet perhaps they will do it, readily and fufficiently, in a lefs direct Manner. And the Truth is, that fome Sorts of Acknowledgements may be unfuitable to fome Sorts of Perfons on fome Occafions. But if any one fhould by Miftake apprehend it beneath him to comply with what in Strictnefs he is bound to: yet, provided he fhews but any Way, that he is conscious of his Error, and purposes to avoid it for the future, both Charity and Humanity forbid rigorous Demands of more. Nay, though even fuch tacit Confeffions and Promifes may be somewhat imperfect and ambiguous, favourable and liberal Constructions ought to be put upon them: for we should ever encourage Perfons to amend by facilitating the Means of it, to the beft of our Power. Much more then is it incumbent on us to banish Resentment intirely, when all the Satis faction faction hath been offered us, that can be made, though perhaps a full Compenfation can never be made. For it is not the Damage, but the Injury done us, that justifies our Anger: And therefore, when the Injury is removed by Repentance, though the Damage continue, the Anger ought to ceafe: because the Offender being now returned to his right Mind, and become what he should, Displeasure against him afterwards is Difpleasure against a good Perfon, instead of a bad one. I do not fay, that we ought always immediately to believe every one, who profeffes Concern, and makes fair Promifes. But we certainly ought to be careful, that Paffion doth not keep us from believing what in itself is probable. Unless we are as ready to be reconciled, as we were to be provoked; and give as much Credit, upon equal Proof, to the Penitence, as we did to the Crime; we are not in a reasonable and Christian Temper. If therefore the Evidences of any one's Amendment be strong enough only to fufpend our bad Opinion of him, we fhould fufpend our Anger too: and as they grow fufficient to change it, we should change proportionably into kind Behaviour, and due Efteem. VOL. V. F Indeed, Indeed, fuppofing there be no Amendment in him, though we cannot poffibly think well of him in that Refpect, yet we may in others; for there are strange Mixtures in most People of Faults and good Qualities. Or, were we to think ever so ill of him upon the Whole, fo and with ever fo much Caufe, we should by no Means be at Liberty, even then, to cherish a conftant Indignation at him boiling in our Breasts: but our Disapprobation of his Character ought to be gentle and mild. For when Anger, from being an occafional Paffion for a Time, degenerates into a fettled State of Mind, it deserves a harfhre Name, that of Rancour. And though in fuch a State we may appear compofed, and may in Reality feel no vehement Emotions, this alone is far from proving us innocent. If ill Will be the Principle of our Conduct towards any of our Fellow-Creatures; if we suppress their Merit, undervalue their good Actions, give a bad Turn to fuch as are capable of a better, aggravate their Failures, and do them all the Harm that we fafely and quietly can; it is no Alleviation, but the contrary, that we are able to do it without lofing the Command of ourselves. And there are fome of fo calm a Malice, that they can can plot and execute fuch Mischief, as the most paffionate Man, in the very Fit of his Paffion, would recoil at; and yet preserve to others, and perhaps to their own Minds, the Shew of being very good-tempered. But this deliberate filent Hatred, as it is the deepest rooted and moft durable, fo it is the most horrible, Depravity of all others, and the farthest diftant from that Spirit of Forgiveness, without which, we shall not be forgiven. Let us therefore in Malice be Children; but in Understanding, Men: let us not be overcome of Evil, but overcome Evil with Good. f 1 Cor. xiv. 20 • Rom. xii. zip F 2 SER |
