has offended me may be made sensible of his Fault, and be sorry for
it; but if there be no Hope of that, I leave all Vengeance to God.

_Er._ That's a hard Task.

_Ga._ Is it hard to forgive a small Offence to your Brother, whose
mutual Forgiveness thou wilt stand in frequent need of, when Christ has
at once forgiven us all our Offences, and is every Day forgiving us?
Nay, this seems to me not to be Liberality to our Neighbour, but putting
to Interest to God; just as tho' one Fellow-Servant should agree with
another to forgive him three Groats, that his Lord might forgive him ten
Talents.

_Er._ You indeed argue very rationally, if what you say be true.

_Ga._ Can you desire any Thing truer than the Gospel?

_Er._ That is unreasonable; but there are some who can't believe
themselves to be Christians unless they hear Mass (as they call it)
every Day.

_Ga._ Indeed I don't condemn the Practise in those that have Time
enough, and spend whole Days in profane Exercises; but I only disapprove
of those who superstitiously fancy that that Day must needs be
unfortunate to them that they have not begun with the Mass; and
presently after divine Service is over they go either to Trading,
Gaming, or the Court, where whatsoever succeeds, though done justly or
unjustly, they attribute to the Mass.

_Er._ Are there any Persons that are so absurd?

_Ga._ The greatest part of Mankind.

_Er._ But return to divine Service.

_Ga._ If I can, I get to stand so close by the Holy Altar, that I can
hear what the Priest reads, especially the Epistle and the Gospel; from
these I endeavour to pick something, which I fix in my Mind, and this I
ruminate upon for some Time.

_Er._ Don't you pray at all in the mean Time?

_Ga._ I do pray, but rather mentally than vocally. From the Things the
Priest reads I take occasion of Prayer.

_Er._ Explain that a little more, I don't well take in what you mean.

_Ga._ I'll tell you; suppose this Epistle was read, _Purge out the old
Leaven, that ye may be a new Lump, as ye are unleavened_. On occasion of
these Words I thus address myself to Christ, "I wish I were the
unleavened Bread, pure from all Leaven of Malice; but do thou, O Lord
Jesus, who alone art pure, and free from all Malice, grant that I may
every Day more and more purge out the old Leaven." Again, if the Gospel
chance to be read concerning the Sower sowing his Seed, I thus pray with
my self, "Happy is he that deserves to be that good