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offender r » f his fault , ftmti ^ kl » f ^ v ^ vo ccamoti to revive h « |> ainftll ^ Hn ^ of remorse or shame . Such conduct is obviously only another inodeiof tpkwg ' revenge * and mty ^/ j * ndr&j ji ^ s | akte » nfl cruel jfor being Msfptised under the appearance # f f forg ^ eijess . The man of truly forgiving spjnt not only abstains from further pu ^ is ^ ment on pbserying the signs of sincere repentance , but casts off all animosity . Me seeks to bury the wrongs repented of , as much as possible ^ in jitW oblivion , and carefully avoids the snghtest Jiint or allusion which may awaken theineinory of them In the inind of the ¦ ¦•
contrite offender . > - ¦;• a .--. - " But the exercise of a forgiving spirit is not by any nieiitoi ^ nfibf e ^ ^ those cases where repentance is manifested and the power # f ^ uhfete ^ e t ^* is possessed . The greater part by far of the injuries ? we ^ uflferiar « i > siicki&s admit of no redress , and leave no hope of repentance , < orjeyen % cknffli ? itedg ^ ment of error , in those who inflict them . . The resei # ji ^ # |> i ^ cilhJi ; q ^ e £ excited can only in general operate as a source of disquiet Jo ^^^ arf ^ j ^ kh
it dwells , disposing it to brood continually upon the tortur ^^ og ^ joyj ^ wrongs , to view them in a light of the greatest possible a ^^ avanpa , to Hurst for opportunities of vengeance , or to imprecate evil fromfjfflkV fj uarterTOofe the head 6 f the offender . The spirit of forgiveness subdues tt % & ufiS 8 | tt ^ ttt and disquieting emotions . It prevents the mind from ruminating & | &ft f&-juries su ^ tainejd , and disposes it to soften them by every r ^ asQjaabJe , excuse . % ^ ugges ^ ts the possibility of good intentions , though aj ^ ear ^ nqe ;§ use ^ m tp indicate the contrary ; of some mistake existing in the mind of the , offenq ^ r , or of some previous provocation unwarily given on our part , wfiic / ti may
justify in his own eyes his injurious conduct . If this supposition cannot be admitited , it gallows due weight at least to every other extenuating plea which Candoupc may suggest , and at the worst , regards the offender with pity rather than resentinent ^ as |; he slave of evil passions , through which he is himself l > y ftr t 3 aevgjeaips ^^ ufi ^ er ,. v Nay more ; if opportunities present themselves of rendering a service to ^ e pflfender , the man of forgiving spirit will np $ , withhold tie good whict it . ia i&a his power to do , but will rather rejoice to maj ^ e tMa generous requi ^ ajfoi ] , ^ e wrongs he has sustained . Not satisfied with being not overcome of eyil , Jbe will overcome evil , if he can , with good ; cljsposed at all times to return benevolent wishes and kind offices for malicious
treatment ; to judge charitably of those who judge uncharitably of him ; to bless those who cuyseliii ^; to dp good to those who hate him ; and to pray for those who despitefully use and persecute him , ** —Vol . II . pp . 115—U ^ . The last chapter of tfiifc took , which treats of religion and the regulation of the religious affections as derived from the light , of nature , is perhaps the most elaborate disquisition in the whole work , and contains a view of this interesting inquiry which is highly ingenious and hi many respects original . The / first section is devoted to a statement of the evidences and doctrines of
natural religion , and contains a pleasing general view of the argument for the bein £ and providence of God , the effect of which is to shew , that the doctrines of pure and rational Christianity are in all respects conformable to the conclusions which sound philosophy would lead us to deduce from an f attentive observation of the phenomena of the universe . Hence it cannot / ail to , bei highly satisfactory to the advocates of revelation , who are naturally mpch > gmttiifiexi to observe the solicitude evinced by the most able and
en-JaghtenQd / totiaries of the religion of nature to establish its entire-coincidence ^ witiDit ( ia : ili 0 ading doctrines of the gospel . < We have afterwards arv ^ ry < able and intefe ^ tin ^ review of the natural arguments for a future slatei ^ haf / St id perfdcfefy satisfactory We are far from acknowledging , ! ahd * after bestowing uj ^ oa it > the m ost attentive , and wetriist iaijiArtialiexami ^ tion , we ! se ^^ no reason for departing ^ froni die co ' ndlmioTi ito ; wli > ob former ) statements of tliIs nrgumient bad brought us > c / rian « elr , that 3 / ^ bimp ^ nly be ^ conmdepfcil as test ^
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1827, page 896, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1803/page/40/
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