Fifteen sermons preached at Rolls Chapel Author:Joseph Butler Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: S E R M O N IX. Upon Forgivenefs of Injuries. t ....--u|- .LJ - - -T---J -. ' - 1, MattH. v. 43, 44; Te have heard that it hath been faid, ThoU Jhalt... more » love thy Neighbour, and hate thine Enemy: But I fay unto you, Love your Enemies, blefs them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which defpitefully ufe you and per- fecute you, AS God Almighty forefaw the Irregu- S E Rm.: larities and Diforders, both natural and moral, which would happen i this State of Things ; He hath gracioufly made fome Provifion againft them, by giving us feveral Paffions and Affections, which a- rife from, or whofe Objects are thofe Diforders. Of this Sort are Fear, Refentment, Compaflion and others; of which there could .be RM.fee no Occafion or Ufe in a perfect State : But if in the prefent we mould be expofed to great- Inconveniences without them ; though there are very confiderable ones, which they themfelves are the Occafions of. They are Incumbrances indeed, but fuch as we are obliged to carry about with us, through this various Journey of Life: Some of them as a Guard againft the violent Aflaults of others, and in our own Defence; fome in Behalf of others; and all of them to put us upon, and, help to carry us through, a Courfe of Behaviour fuitable to our Condition, in Default of that Perfection of Wifdom and Virtue, which would be in all Refpects our better Security. The Paffion of Anger or Refentment hath already been largely treated of. It hath been fhown, that Mankind naturally feel fome E- motion of Mind againft Injury and Injuftice, whoever are the Sufferers by it; and even though the injurious Defign be prevented from taking Effect. Let this be called Anger, Indignation, Refentment, or by whatever Name any one fhall chufe ; the thing itfelf is under...« less