Page:Sermons preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia.djvu/93

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ser. iv.]
and forgiveness.
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your trespasses."[1] As we desire forgiveness at the hands of our heavenly Father, let us see to it that we cultivate the spirit of forgiveness towards our brethren.

How are we to forgive?

To this, the apostle answers in the latter clause of the text, "As Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

How does he forgive?

1. He forgives universally His language is—"Thy sins which are many, are forgiven."[2] We should imitate Christ in this respect. We should make no re-serves, but forgive all and every one of our brother's offences against us.

2. Christ sincerely forgives;—He never upbraids us for those sins he once forgives. He blots out the hand-writing against us. He remembers our sins against us no more. There is a pretended forgiveness that falls from the lips only, without

  1. Matt, vi., 15.
  2. Luke vii., 47, 48.