"Let me think.
The use of punishment, I believe, is to make people better."
"Right. Now, Ned, you have allowed that Tom's being turned away is not
likely to make him better, but worse; so that I am afraid the true
reason why you rejoice at his disgrace is because you bear resentment
against him, for having been ill-natured to yourself. Think a minute,
and tell me if this is not the case."
Ned owned that his grandmother was right; and then observed, "It is very
difficult not to bear ill-will against any one who has done us wrong."
"Yet," rejoined his grandmother, "it is our duty to pardon those who
have injured us. St. Paul says, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, 'Be ye
kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God
for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.' And our blessed Saviour has
commanded us to 'love our enemies,' to 'do good to them that hate us,
and to pray for those that despitefully use us, and persecute us.' If
you will look at the fourteenth and fifteenth verses of the sixth
chapter of St. Matthew, you will see what else our Lord says on the
subject."
Ned took the Bible, and having found the place, read, "For if ye forgive
men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if
ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father
forgive your trespasses.
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