[Jan. 11th, 1857.]
Every particular is a manifestation of something general. Every grace is a form of the same general principle of piety. The divine life manifests itself, 1. In the intellectual apprehension and belief of the truth; not of this truth to the exclusion or neglect of others, but of all revealed truth. It is not by urging the claims of any doctrine admitted to be revealed that it becomes a matter of faith, or that our experience of its power is increased, but by strengthening the principle of faith.
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It manifests itself in the affections, in love to God, to Christ, and to our fellow Christians.
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In the exercise of the social virtues. In all these cases the degree in which the effects are manifested depends on the vigor of the principle of life. It is analogous to the case of a tree. It is not so much by attention to the fruit, as by attending to the health of the tree which produces the fruit, that success is secured. This is a general remark, applicable to all questions of this kind.
By forbearance is meant abstaining from action. In a moral sense, it is abstaining from cherishing or exercising those feelings which insult or injury is adapted to produce. Such conduct, (i.e., insult and injury) is adapted to produce resentment and retaliation. Forbearance is abstaining from exercising such resentment, and from endeavoring to retaliate. Christian forbearance is forbearance exercised from Christian motives. A man, when insulted, or injured, may forbear from mere interested or prudential considerations, or from self-respect, or from the desire of approbation; but in such cases there is no religion in the act. It is only when the forbearance is determined by Christian motives that it is a Christian grace. What then are the Christian motives which give a gracious character to our forbearance?
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A sense of our own ill desert, i.e., vileness and unworthiness. The quickness to resent an injury or insult is in proportion to the value we set upon ourselves. If, therefore, we are truly humble, if we are really conscious of our vileness and unworthiness in the sight of God, we shall be little disposed to be offended when others manifest towards us a want of respect or of kind feelings. We shall know in our hearts that we little deserve the respect or affection of any human being. We often deceive ourselves in this matter, and call ourselves the chief of sinners, when, if men seem to think us so, we feel greatly injured.
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A sense of guilt; a consciousness that we are even greater sinners against God than any human being can be against us. Such is our moral hebetude that we are obliged to take extreme cases to awaken in us the feeling which we wish to describe. Suppose, then, a man guilty of patricide, or still worse, of matricide; suppose such an one brought to a sense of his guilt; would it be possible to awaken in his mind a feeling of resentment by any amount of insult or injury that could be heaped upon him? Would he not feel that he deserved it all? And what are we? I will not say that we are as wicked as a murderer of his father, but this I will say, that no patricide ever abhorred himself half so much as it would be just for us to loathe ourselves.
Can we look at the cross and ask why Jesus died, without feeling ourselves guilty of his blood? Put it to yourselves. If the conduct of a people had been so rebellious that it was impossible to pardon them unless their prince should die for them, would they not feel that they were the guilty authors of his death? And suppose further, that they, instead of being penitent and won to obedience by the exhibition of his love, treated him with neglect and continued in their rebellion, what would they think of themselves if they were brought to a right state of mind? It is impossible for us to exaggerate our guilt in the sight of God. We are more guilty than we ever have conceived, or ever can conceive ourselves to be; and depend upon it, the more honestly and truly we feel this, the more forbearing will we be towards those who neglect or injure us.
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The fact that Christ is so forbearing towards us, will render his true disciples forbearing towards others. Christ, notwithstanding our vileness, and notwithstanding our guilt, treats us as though we were pure and innocent. That is, he loves us and receives us into his favor. He not only forgives us offenses infinitely greater and more numerous than any we ever can experience from our fellow-men, but he continues to heap his favors upon us while we are trying his patience to the uttermost. If he forgives us ten thousand talents, should we not forgive our fellow-servant an hundred pence? He who feels that he has been forgiven much, will be disposed to forgive much.
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Another Christian motive is the peculiar relation in which believers stand to each other. They are children of the same Father, members of the same family, united to the same Saviour, heirs of the same inheritance, partakers of the same Spirit. Paul exhorts believers not to lie; not because of the obligation of truth, or the evils of falsehood, but because believers are members one of another. When the hand resents the imperfections of the eye, or the head execrates the stumbling of the feet, then may one believer be resentful against another.
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“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
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