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SERMON ON ANGER.

ROм. xii. 19, 20.

Dearly beloved; avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay," saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him; if he thirst give him drink; for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

FEW of the subjects which occupy
the attention of all teachers of man-
kind, present more difficulties or re-
quire to be treated with more deli-
cacy and caution than the feeling of
anger. On the one hand it is plain
that the feeling itself is not only be-
neficial, but is even essentially ne-
cessary to our self-preservation; and
were we not impelled by it to resist
immediately some of the assaults
which are made upon us, our exist-
ence could hardly continue through
a single day. It may be observed
likewise, that, without anger, the ne-
cessary authority which is vested in
every superior, whether it be a prince,
a master, or a parent, would never be
exerted. Our individual security
therefore, and the welfare of society
are greatly indebted to this salutary
feeling; for these and other beneficial
purposes it was made a part of our
nature, and not even the mischiefs
which it occasions could lead us to
wish that it might be rooted out from
our hearts, if the gratification of such
a wish were possible.

But though the benefits which we
REMEMBRANCER, No. 43.

[VOL. IV.

derive from this feeling of anger, more than compensate for the mis. chiefs it occasions, these last are so numerous and important as to shew the necessity of restraining that feeling as much as possible. "Be ye angry, and sin not;" is the Apostle's precept, and is the best that has yet been given. All that is beneficial in the effects of anger is thereby permitted, all that is hurtful is forbidden; the common sense of mankind, acquiesces at once in the justice and propriety of this command; and all that remains for other teachers, is to enforce obedience by the suggestion of such motives as have most influence upon the actions of men.

It is the peculiar advantage of the preachers of the Gospel, to have it in their power to urge the strongest of all motives upon their hearers. "Dearly beloved; avenge not yourselves, (let your anger be free from all thoughts of revenge) rather give place unto wrath. For it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay saith the Lord." Once knowing that the right and the power of punishing injuries is reserved by the Almighty entirely to himself, no wise and prudent Christian will ever think of revenge, lest in any way he should be called to account for presuming to fight against God. The utility of this motive for not avenging ourselves is moreover of the greatest importance, as appears at once from the inferences which the Apostle pro

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ceeds to draw. "Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him, and if he thirst, give him drink, for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." The propriety of these inferences, and the obligation we are under to make our practice conformable to them, I shall presently have occasion to shew.

But first, some observations are necessary on this dispensation of God, whereby he has taken all vengeance to himself. To men who, like the Romans, had lived so long without God in the world, it was a new and perhaps a hard lesson to hear, that they must forego all purpose of revenge, and therefore the Apostle strengthens his exhortation by the authority of the Scriptures. "It is written, (says he) Vengeance is mine, I will repay saith the Lord." To us however it ought not to be either a new or hard lesson, since, to take vengeance is evidently one part of the duties of our Lord and Judge. For in every enumeration of the sins which he will punish, we find all those offences by which men become enemies to each other; and in the sentence of their condemnation before him, the exercise of the vengeance of God is evidently and necessarily implied.

Merciful and wise are all the dispensations of God, and truly grateful ought we to be that he has been pleased thus to take out of our hands, an office which we are so little qualified to fill. In whose hands it should be placed, there can be no doubt. We know not the nature and extent of the injury which is done to us, until we have ascertained all its effects. We know not, either, the intention of the person who injured us, nor, while we rouse his pride by immoderate resentment, can we expect to know it. Need I proceed any farther, in shewing the unfitness of man to avenge himself, even on his open and avowed enemy? Suppose then, for a moment, that it is admitted as a right. If the measure of resentment exceed the injury, and it

ever will, where the sufferer is the judge, he becomes the aggressor in his turn, and must be subject to a suitable retaliation. But what a world would this then become! how could we live in such mutual animosities; and in acts of revenge which, when once begun, it is plain, would know no bounds, would find no end! Hence it is that as members of civil society, we find it necessary to commit the power of punishing our enemies to the higher orders in the State, that the peace of the community may remain unbroken.

Now that which, as members of civil society, we are content to do; for our mutual advantage and protection, as Christians, we are commanded to do, that we may not interfere with the prerogative of God; we are commanded not to avenge ourselves, but to make our anger give place to the wrath of God; for "vengeance is mine," saith the Lord, "I will repay." It follows indeed of necessity from this declaration of the Lord, that we must not presume to avenge ourselves; as a very slight consideration will shew.

There can be but one just measure of punishment for an injury, whatever its nature may be; consequently, when he that offends is once punished in due proportion to the offence he has committed, the claims of justice are satisfied. It is repugnant to our natures, that any one should be twice punished for the same offence-Now the Almighty Lord of all, has declared that he will repay, that he will render unto every man according to his deeds; and we know that, what he has promised he will also make good, what he has declared will assuredly come to pass. All manner of transgression, and all manner of sin, whether done against him or against our neighbours, will be inquired into at the last great day; then will he shew his vengeance, then will he repay-Hence therefore it follows, that whoever avenges himself of his enemies, exposes them to a twofold punishment; and as among

Christians, he that does so, must of necessity know that vengeance be. longeth to the Lord, and that he will repay; in avenging himself he is guilty of wilful injustice against his enemy, for which he stands accountable before God.

The peculiar force and the great importance of this motive in making us check our anger, and lay aside all thoughts of revenge are by this time, I trust, made sufficiently plain. We may be enjoined to forego our revenge, because it is more noble to forgive, or because we cannot judge impartially of the offence, or because we may endanger ourselves thereby, or for other reasons which might be mentioned. And these are all strong motives, more or less honourable, more or less effective; but they are all uncertain, and therefore all insufficient. No teacher, who has these motives only to urge, can hope to produce any great and permanent effect. The slightest acquaintance with human nature will convince us that so strong a passion as anger, cannot always be restrained from acts of revenge, by feelings of generosity, of justice, or even of interest; it requires the curb of resistless authority; it requires a command, such as the text affords, to commit all vengeance to God, lest by invading his prerogative, and by injustice towards our enemies, we draw down displeasure and indignation on our heads. To avenge ourselves therefore, be it always remembered is not only an act of uncharitableness towards a fellowcreature, and of hostility to the peace of that society whereof we are members, but it is an offence of infinitely more importance, it is an act of disobedience to the commandments of God.

To forego revenge, and thus to give place to the wrath of God, is not the only precept which my text contains; and it is now time to consider the other. It is thus expressed, "If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst give him drink." This precept is introduced with the word

"therefore" in which is implied its connexion with the duty of not avenging ourselves; this connexion which is natural and important, I shall next endeavour to shew.

When, in the former part of the text, the Apostle exhorts us not to avenge ourselves, he means, it is plain, not only that we should abstain from doing harm to our enemies, but also that we should put away as soon as possible all hatred and anger from our hearts. Nay yet more, that as far as respects the exercise of Christian charity and brotherly love, we should put them on a footing with the rest of man. kind. If the precept of the Apostle have any meaning, it must mean thus much at least. And in fact, when he bids us minister to the wants of our enemies, he does but inculcate the duties of a Christian. To "love our enemies" is the command of Christ; to love them as brethren, as heirs of the same immortality, as believers in the same God, and looking to the same salvation. Nature indeed compels us to bear a yet stronger affection to our relatives and friends, to hold them as it were within our hearts; nor does Christianity forbid this, there was one disciple whom Jesus loved. When therefore the Apostle bids us minister to the wants of our enemies, he simply enjoins us to discharge that duty which we owe to all men and specially unto them that are of the household of faith, a duty which we are but too apt to neglect whenever it respects our enemies, and which in their case it would be impossible for us to discharge, if to "

avenge ourselves" were not forbidden. But since it has pleased God to take all vengeance into his own hand, our duties towards our enemies remain untouched, and it follows necessarily that we are bound to minister to their wants, and to do them good whenever it is in our power.

There remains but one passage more to be explained, viz. that with which my text concludes, and in which the Apostle describes the effect

which the kindness shewn to our enemies will produce; "in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." The whole passage, it is worthy of remark, is taken from the 25th chapter of the book of Proverbs. There are two interpretations both of which have good authority; according to the one," coals of fire," is a metaphorical expression for the judgment of God, a sense in which it is frequently used in the Old Testament, to which, as I have already observed the passage belongs. The other interpretation is less obvious, though more congenial to a Christian spirit, viz. that "to heap coals of fire," is a metaphor borrowed from the practice of those who are employed in melting metals; and who, as is well known, heap coals upon the metal for that purpose-A moment's consideration will shew that both interpretations may be true.

It is an undoubted fact, that while we continue to resent an injury, and to pursue our enemy with a view to revenge, we can neither hope nor expect to convert him to a friend. If, indeed, we are the stronger, he may be restrained from farther offence by fear, but his hatred against us, will be proportionably increased. But if, on the contrary, we banish all thoughts of vengeance, and shew him kindness particularly when he needs it, we shall in the best sense, "heap coals of fire on his head," and melt him into sorrow and gratitude; sorrow for ever having done us harm, and gratitude for kindness, so seasonable, so unlooked for, so undeserved. It may be, however, though we will hope, that it rarely is the case, that kindness to an enemy has not this effect. There are men, who avow feelings which disgrace our nature, who obstinately refuse all offers of reconciliation,and persist in suffering to the utmost, rather than receive kindness from one whom they have wronged, too truly illustrating that well known maxim, that he who receives an injury may soon forget it, he who in

flicted it, never. In this case, indeed, the kindness shewn to an enemy "heaps coals of fire on his head," in the worst possible sense; for such obstinate rejection of forgiveness on earth, will necessarily add greatly to the wrath laid up in Heaven.

But to feed our enemy, and to give him drink, when in so doing it is even possible that we may heap the divine indignation upon him! Is not this to do good with an evil view? An objection such as this deserves a moment's notice. I have already observed, that to love our enemies, and to do them good, are included in the duties which as Christians we owe to all men; and are here mentioned of enemies in particular, because most likely to be neglected in that point: to love our enemies is the Christian's virtue, and, as Christians, we must do them good. The effect produced on them is not in our power; if it were we should not have heard this objection, for to do good to an enemy, with a view to his future everlasting destruction, is a crime from which our nature recoils. In the Christian religion, to take a parallel case, we are plainly instructed in the nature of our offences, in the causes from which they arise, and in the means by which they may be avoided. This, and more than this, was done for us, yet being enemies; and if, by obstinacy, by weakness, or by neglect, we turn these mercies to no account, they will in like manner heap coals of fire upon our heads. Now, if the objection be just, that we may be said to do good to our enemies with an evil view, because by their obstinacy our kindness may draw down God's indignation upon them; think for a moment of the force of this reasoning, when applied to the Christian religion. It is too impious to express, it is a direct contradiction, nay, even an inversion of Christ's gracious declaration: "I came not to destroy

men's lives, but to save them." To a Christian such an objection needs no farther refutation.

Many and indeed nearly all of the most important reflections on this subject, I have already laid before you; I have only now to exhort you, that as by this dispensation of Almighty God, taking all vengeance unto himself, the line of our duty to our enemies is plain and easy, therefore carefully follow it.

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"Remember thy end, and let enmity cease; remember corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.""Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and mor, be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." T. F.

SCRIPTURE CRITICISM.

To the Editor of the Remembrancer. SIR,

THE Book of Revelation contains many prophecies, so closely (as it appears to us,) applicable to the Papal Apostacy, denouncing its defection from the faith, and predict ing its final overthrow, that our curiosity is naturally excited to know what the Romanists have to say for themselves upon the subject. Still more, when they take up the Apocalypse as a weapon of offence, and endeavour to apply its description of antichristian powers to the Protestants, we must be anxious to examine the arguments which they bring forward for the support of their interpretation.

The prophecy of the destruction of Protestantism, which you state, (p. 299,) to be in the possession of the Catholics of Ireland, must certainly be a curious document: and should it obtain public notice, will, I have no doubt, be fully answered by more able pens than mine. But upon perusing your account of Pastorini's work, I cannot refrain from noticing one or two striking errors, which appear to me entirely to upset his interpretation.

In the first place, the seven seals, and the seven trumpets, relate to distinct periods of the history of the Church, and are not different me

thods of denoting the same events. This may soon be made evident. At the opening of the first seal (vi. 2.) St. John says, "I saw, and behold, a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth, conquering and to conquer." This image can only be applied to a prosperous time of Christianity, viz. that of its first diffusion. At the sounding of the first trumpet (viii. 7.) "There followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth, &c." Here a period of slaughter and distress is clearly denoted. This may be sufficient to prove (without pursuing the comparison further,) that the periods of the seals, and those of the trumpets, do not correspond with each other.

Secondly, without entering upon a discussion of the question, whether the five months during which the locusts were to prevail, allude merely to the period of the year in which those insects make their ap pearance, or whether they denote in the prophetic sense, one hundred and fifty years; we have no warrant for supposing that the five months mentioned in verse 5. and verse 10. of chapter ix. are two separate periods. The obvious sense of the passage is, that the words in the latter verse are nothing else than a repetition of what was stated in the former. The

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