Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 18:35

35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father, do also unto you, if ye from your hearts, forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

All these Verses (except the last) are but a Parable, which (as I before shewed) Is a Similitude brought from the usual Actions of Men, and made use of to open, or apply some spiritual Doctrine. The main Scope, or the Proposition of Truth, which our Saviour designes to open, or Press in that which is first and Principally to be considered, and intended, that as I before shewed, is to be known, either, by the particular Explication given by our Saviour, or by what went immediately before, or followeth immediately after. The Scope of this Parable is plainly exprest, v. 5. So also shall my Heavenly Father do unto you, if you from your Hearts, forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses. Nor is it obscurely hinted to us, in what went before, where our Saviour was instructing Peter in the great Duty of forgiving Men their Trespasses: This being agreed, as we use to say, that Similitudes run not on four Feet, so we are not to expect, that all the Actions of Men mentioned in the Parable, should be answered by some Correspondent Actions of God, as Similitudes always halt, so never more than when by them, Gods Actions are expressed, and represented to us. The main points which this Parable instructeth us in are. 1. That it is our Duty, especially theirs, who have received forgiveness from God, to forgive their Brethren. 2. That if they do not, they may justly question, whether God hath forgiven them, and expect the same Severity from him, which they shew unto their Brethren. These being the main things for instruction, in which, this Parable is brought, and which we ought chiefly to Eye, as the things taught us by this Parable, nothing hindreth, but that it may also instruct us in some other things, tho we cannot raise a Proposition of Truth, from every Branch of the Parable, and some things be put in according to the Passions, and usual dealings of Men, which possibly are in them unrighteous Actions, and may follow from their ungoverned Passions, which will by no means agree to the pure, and Holy Nature of God. I will first open such terms in the Parable, as may be less intellegible to Vulgar Readers. The Kingdom of Heaven. My Administration of my Kingdom: I am come to purchase Remission of sins, and to dispense out Remission of sins, to those who are indebted to the Justice of my Father, but in the Application of my Blood, to Men and Women, for the Remission of their sins, both my Father and my self, will do as a King, that took Account of his Servants, &c. Men must look for Pardon from my Father, and benefit from me as their Redeemer, upon the following terms. Ch. 6.15. [ten Thousand Talents] a certain, for an incertain Number, a very great Sum. Those who have computed it, say it amounteth to a Million, and Eight Hundred, seventy five Thousand Pounds. [He commanded him to be sold, and his Wife and Children, and all he had.) A thing which our Law will not suffer, but in use amongst other Nations, and amongst the Iews in particular, as may be learned from, 2 Kin. 4.1. [and he delivered him to the Tormentors] that is, to the Keepers of the Prison, so the next Words teach us, and the Greek Word often signifieth no more, tho it doth indeed sometimes; An Hundred Pence, v. 28. signifieth a small Sum, hardly exceeding in our Mony Fifty shillings. This Parable, excellently instructeth us in these Truths. 1. That as Men by the Law of Nature, and God, and the Laws of Men, may be Debtors to us, to our Reputation, to our Estate. So we are all Debtors, to the Glory, Honour, and Justice of God. 2. That it is a vast Debt we owe to Gods Honour and Justice; to which no Debt owning by any to us, can bear any Proportion. 3. That we have nothing to pay to God, in Satisfaction for our Debt. 4. That God hath a right to demand a full Satisfaction of us. 5. That God for Christ's sake, upon our Applications to him for Mercy will forgive us our Debts. 6. That we are not so ready to forgive our Brethren their little Injuries, as God is to forgive us. 7. That our Difficulty to forgive our Brethren, after Gods Liberality in forgiving us, is a great Charge, or will be a great Charge against us, in the Court of Heaven. 8. That we ought to set before us Gods Compassion towards us, and free Love in forgiving us, potently to move us, to forgive those who have done us Injury, and to forgive them out of that Consideration. 9. T[illegible: 1 letter]at we ought from our Hearts, to forgive Men their Trespasses, that is, so as not to hate them, bear them any Grudg, or Malice, seek any private revenge upon them, nor publick Satisfaction, beyond what they are able to give, but be ready to do them what common Offices of kindness in their s[illegible: 1 letter]raits, are in our Power. 10. That the not doing of this, will be an ill Evidence to our Souls: That God hath not indeed forgiven us, as well as a Bar against such forgivness, and an ill Omen, that some Punishment from God expecteth us in this Life, to bring us to a Temper more Conformable to the Gospel, and if not, in this Life, yet in the Life which is to come.

Marginal references: Mar. 11.26. [illegible: 1 word] 2.13.