On the words of the gospel, Matt. xvii. 21, "How oft shall my
brother sin against me," etc.
1. Yesterday the holy Gospel warned us not to neglect the sins of our
brethren: "But if thy brother shall sin against thee, rebuke him between him and
thee alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he shall
refuse to hear thee, take with thee two or three more; that in the mouth of two
or three witnesses, every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to
hear them too, tell it to the Church. But if he shall neglect to hear the
Church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican."1 To-day also the
section which follows, and which we heard when it was read, relates to the same
subject. For when the Lord Jesus had said this to Peter, he went on to ask his
Master, how often he should forgive a brother who had sinned against him; and he
enquired whether seven times would be enough. "The Lord answered him, Not only
seven times, but seventy times seven.2 Then he added a parable very full of
terror: That the "kingdom of heaven is like unto an householder, which took
account with his servants; among whom he found one that owed ten thousand
talents. And when he commanded all that he had, and all his family, and himself
to be sold, and the debt to be paid, he fell down at his lord's feet,"3 and
prayed for delay, and obtained4 entire remission. For as we have heard, "His
lord was moved with compassion, and forgave him all the debt." Then that man
free from his debt, but a bondslave of iniquity, after he had gone out from the
presence of his lord, found in his turn a debtor of his own, who owed him, not
ten thousand talents, the sum which had been remitted to him, but a hundred
denarii; and "he began to drag him by the throat, and say, Pay me that thou
owest."5 Then he besought his fellow-servant as he had done his lord; but he did
not find his fellow-servant such a man as the other had found his lord. He not
only would not forgive him the debt; but he did not even grant him a delay. He
hurried him along with great violence6 to make him pay, he who had been but just
now set free from his debt to his lord. His fellow-servants were displeased; and
"went and told their lord what was done;" and the lord summoned his servant to
his presence, and said to him, "O thou wicked servant, when thou didst owe me so
great a debt, in pity to thee I forgave thee all. Shouldest not thou also have
had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?"7 And he
commanded that all which he had forgiven him should be paid.
2. It is then for our instruction that He put forth this parable, and by this
warning He would save us from perishing. "So," said He, "shall My heavenly
Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his
brother their trespasses."8 Lo, Brethren, the thing is plain, useful is the
admonition, and a wholesome obedience is by all means due, that what hath been
bidden may he fulfilled. For every man is at once God's debtor, and hath also
some brother a debtor to himself. For who is there who is not God's debtor, but
he in whom there can be found no sin? And who is there who hath not a brother
his debtor, but he against whom no one hath sinned? Think you that any one among
mankind can be found, who is not himself bounden to his brother by some sin? So
then every man is a debtor, yet having himself his own debtors too. The
righteous God therefore appointeth a rule for thee toward thy debtor, which He
also will observe with His. For two works of mercy are there, which deliver us,
which the Lord hath Himself briefly laid down in the Gospel: "Forgive, and ye
shall be forgiven: give, and it shall be given unto you."9 "Forgive, and ye
shall be forgiven," relates to pardoning. "Give, and it shall be given unto
you," relates to doing kindnesses. As to what He saith of pardoning, thou both
wishest thy sin to be pardoned thee, and thou hast another whom thou mayest
pardon. Again, as to the doing kindnesses; a beggar asks of thee, and thou art
God's beggar. For we are all when we pray God's beggars; we stand, yea rather we
fall prostrate before the door of the Great Householder, we groan in
supplication wishing to receive something; and this something is God Himself.
What does the beggar ask of thee? Bread. And what dost thou ask of God, but
Christ, who saith, "I am the living Bread which came down from heaven "?10 Would
you be forgiven? Forgive. "Forgive, and it shall be forgiven you." Would you
receive? "Give, and it shall be given unto you."
3. But now hear what in so plain a precept I may cause a difficulty. In this
question of forgiveness when pardon is asked, and it is due from him who should
grant it, it may be a difficulty to us as it was to Peter. "How often ought I to
forgive? Is up to seven times sufficient?" "It is not sufficient," saith the
Lord, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times
seven."11 Now reckon up how often thy brother hath sinned against thee. If thou
canst reach the seventy-eighth fault, so as to get beyond the seventy times
seven, then set about revenge. Is this then what He really means, and is it
really so, that if he shall sin "seventy times seven," thou shouldest forgive
him; but if he shall sin seventy times and eight, it should then be lawful for
thee not to forgive? Nay I am bold to say, that if he should even sin
seventy-eight times, thou must forgive. Yea, as I have said, if he shall sin
seventy-eight times, forgive. And if he sin a hundred times, forgive. And why
need I say, so and so often? In one word,12 as often as he shall sin, forgive
him. Have I then taken upon me to overpass the measure of my Lord? He fixed the
limit of forgiveness in the number seventy-seven; shall I presume to overleap
this limit? It is not so, I have not presumed to go at all beyond. I have heard
the Lord Himself speaking in His Apostle where there is no measure or number
fixed. For He says, "Forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against
any, as God in Christ hath forgiven you."13 Here you have the rule. If Christ
have forgiven thee thy sins "seventy times and seven" only, if He have pardoned
up to this point, and refused to pardon beyond it; then do thou also fix this
limit, and be loth to forgive beyond it. But if Christ hath found thousands of
sins upon sins, and hath yet forgiven all; withdraw not then thy mercy, but ask
the forgiveness of that large number. For it was not without a meaning that the
Lord said "seventy times seven;" forasmuch as there is no trespass whatever
which thou oughtest not to forgive. See this servant in the parable, who being a
debtor was found to have a debtor, owed ten thousand talents. And I suppose that
ten thousand talents are at least ten thousand sins. For I will not say how but
one talent will include all sins. But how much did the other servant owe him? He
owed a hundred denarii. Now is not this more than "seventy and seven"? And yet
the Lord was wroth, because he did not forgive him. For not only is a hundred
more than "seventy-seven;" but a hundred denarii, perhaps are a thousand"
asses." But what was this to ten thousand talents?
4. And so let us be ready to forgive all the trespasses which are committed
against us, if we desire to be forgiven. For if we consider our sins, and reckon
up what we do in deed, what by the eye, what by the ear, what by thought, what
by numberless movements; I know not whether we so much as sleep without a
talent. And therefore do we daily beg, daily knock at the ears of God by prayer,
daily prostrate ourselves and say, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
debtors."14 What debts of thine? All, or a certain part? Thou wilt answer, All.
So then do thou with thy debtor. This then is the rule thou layest down, this
the condition thou speakest of; this the covenant and agreement thou dost
mention when thou prayest, saying, "Forgive us, as we forgive our debtors."
5. What then, Brethren, is the meaning of "seventy times seven"? Hear, for it
is a great mystery, a wonderful sacrament. When the Lord was baptized, the
Evangelist St. Luke has in that place commemorated His generations in the
regular order, series, and line in which they had come down to that generation
in which Christ was born. Matthew begins at Abraham,15 and comes down to Joseph
in a descending order; but Luke begins to reckon in an ascending order. Why does
the one reckon in a descending, and the other in an ascending order? Because
Matthew set forth the generation of Christ by which He came down to us; and so
he began to reckon when Christ was born in a descending order.16 Whereas,
because Luke begins to reckon when Christ was baptized; in this is the beginning
of ascension, he begins to reckon in an ascending order, and in his reckoning he
has completed seventy-seven generations.17 With whom did he begin his reckoning?
Observe with whom? He began to reckon from Christ up to Adam himself, who was
the first sinner, and who begat us with the bond of sin. He reckoned up to Adam,
and so there are reckoned seventy-seven generations; that is, from Christ up to
Adam and from Adam up to Christ are the aforesaid seventy-seven generations. So
then if no generation was omitted, there is no exemption of any trespass which
ought not to be forgiven. For therefore did he reckon up his seventy-seven
generations, which number the Lord mentioned as to the forgiveness of sins;
since he begins to reckon from the baptism, wherein all sins are remitted.
6. And, Brethren, observe in this a yet greater mystery.18 In the number
seventy-seven is a mystery of the remission of sins. So many are the generations
found to be from Christ to Adam. Now then, ask with somewhat more careful
diligence for the secret meaning of this number, and enquire into its hidden
meaning; with more careful diligence knock, that it may be opened unto thee.
Righteousness consists in the observance of the Law of God: true. For the Law is
set forth in ten precepts. Therefore it was that the servant in the parable
"owed ten thousand talents." This is that memorable Decalogue written by the
finger of God, and delivered to the people by Moses, the servant of God. He
"owed" then "ten thousand talents;" which signifies all sins, with reference to
the number of the Law. And the other "owed a hundred denarii;" derived equally
from the same number. For a hundred times a hundred make ten thousand; and ten
times ten make a hundred. And the one "owed ten thousand talents," and the other
ten times ten denarii. For there was no departure from the number19 of the law,
and in both numbers you will find every kind of sin included. Both are debtors,
and both implore and beg for pardon; but the wicked, ungrateful servant would
not repay what he had received, would not grant the mercy which had been
undeservedly accorded to him.
7. Consider then, Brethren; every man begins from Baptism; he goes out free,
the "ten thousand talents" are forgiven him; and when he goes out, he will soon
find some fellow-servant his debtor. Let him note then, what sin itself is;20
for the number eleven is the transgression of the law. For the law is ten, sin
eleven. For the law is denoted by ten, sin by eleven. Why is sin denoted by
eleven? Because to get to eleven, there is the transgression of the ten.21 But
the due limit is fixed in the law; and the transgression of it is sin. Now when
you have passed beyond the ten, you come to eleven. This high mystery was
figured out when the tabernacle was commanded to be built. There are many things
mentioned there in number, which are a great mystery.22 Among the rest, curtains
of haircloth were ordered to be made not ten, but eleven;23 because by haircloth
is signified the confession of sins. Now what do you require more? Would you
know how that all sins are contained in tiffs number "seventy-seven"? Seven then
is usually put for a whole; because in seven days the revolution of time is
completed, and when the seventh is ended, it returns to the first again, that
the same revolution may be continued. In such revolutions whole ages pass away:
yet there is no departure from the number seven. For He spoke of all sins, when
He said "seventy times seven;" for multiply that eleven seven times, and it
makes seventy-seven. Therefore would He have all sins forgiven, for He marked
them out by the number" seventy-seven." Let no one then retain against himself
by refusing to forgive, lest it be retained against him, when he prayeth. For
God saith, "Forgive, and thou shalt be forgiven." For I have forgiven thee
first; do thou at least forgive after that. For if thou wilt not forgive, I will
call thee back, and put upon thee again all that I had remitted to thee. For the
Truth doth not speak falsely; Christ neither deceiveth, nor is deceived, and He
hath said at the close of the parable, "So likewise shall your Father which is
in heaven do unto you."24 Thou findest a Father, imitate thy Father. For if thou
wilt not imitate Him, thou art devising25 to be disinherited. "So likewise" then
"shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not
every one his brother their trespasses." Say not with the tongue, "I forgive,"
and put off to forgive in the heart; for by His threat of vengeance God showeth
thee thy punishment. God knoweth where thou speakest. Man can hear thy voice;
God looketh into thy conscience. If thou sayest, I forgive; forgive. Better is
it that thou shouldest be violent in words, and forgive in the heart, than in
words be soft, and in the heart relentless.
8. Now then unruly boys will beg, and take it26 hard to be beat taking
exception against27 us when we wish to chastise them after this fashion. "I have
sinned, but forgive me." Well, I have forgiven, and he sins again. "Forgive me,"
he I cries, and I have forgiven him. He sins a third time. "Forgive me," he
cries, and a third time I have forgiven him. Now then the fourth time let him be
beat. And he will say, "What! have I tired you out to seventy-seven times?" Now
if by such exceptions the severity of discipline sleep, upon the suppression of
discipline wickedness will rage with impunity. What then is to be done? Let us
reprove with words, and if need be with scourges; but let us withal forgive the
sin, and cast away the remembrance of it from the heart. For therefore did the
Lord add, "from your hearts," that though through affection discipline be
exercised, gentleness might not depart out of the heart. For what is so kind and
gentle as the surgeon with his knife? He that is to be cut cries, yet cut he is;
he that is to be cauterized cries, but cauterized he is. This is not cruelty; on
no account let that surgeon's treatment be called cruelty. Cruel he is against
the wounded part that the patient may be cured; for if the wound be softly dealt
with, the man is lost. Thus then would I advise, my Brethren, that we love our
brethren, howsoever they may have sinned against us; that we let not affection
toward them depart out of our hearts, and that when need is, we exercise
discipline toward them; lest by the relaxation of discipline, wickedness
increase, and we begin to be accused on God's behalf, for it has been read to
us, "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."28 Certainly,
if one, as is the only true way, distinguishes the times, and so solves the
question, all is true. If the sin be in secret, rebuke it in secret. If the sin
be public and open, rebuke it publicly that the sinner may be reformed; and
"that others also may fear."
_________________
1 Matt. xviii. 15-17.
2 Matt. xviii. 22.
3 Matt. xviii. 23-26.
4 Meruit.
5 Matt. xviii. 28.
6 Contortum.
7 Matt. xviii. 31-33.
8 Matt. xviii. 35.
9 I.uke vi. 37, 38.
10 John vi. 51.
11 Matt. xviii. 21, 22.
12 Vid. Serm. lxiv. (cxiv. Ben.) 1.
13 Col. iii. 13; Eph. iv. 32.
14 Matt. vi. 12.
15 Matt. i. 1.
16 Vid. Serm. i. (li. Ben.) 31-5 (xxi.-iv.).
17 Luke iii. 23, etc.
18 Sacramentum.
19 Legitimo numero.
20 Observet ergo ipsum peccatum.
21 Vid. Serm. i. (li. Ben.) 34 (xxiii.).
22 In magno sacramento.
23 Exod. xxvi. 7. Cilicina; trixi/naj, Sept.
24 Matt. xviii. 35.
25 Disponis.
26 Nolunt.
27 Praescribunt.
28 1 Tim. v. 20.
