to be believed in what they say and this fondness they discover even in telling things which they have only by hear-say and very often false and that tempts them to these extravagant Additionals I have mention'd and since that fondness is the occasion of it even that must be subdued and mortified It 's true a Man ought to be desirous to be believed but then it must be in things Serious and Weighty and of Importance and such as he hath a Moral assurance of that they are true and that desire must go no farther than God hath allowed of And since not only in things Trivial and Complemental and telling of Stories but also in ordinary Promises Bargains and Negotiations he hath forbid these solemn Confirmations and Protestations as pleasing as they may be to Flesh and Blood and as Customary as they are and as agreeable as they are to the humor of the times they must be forborn What 's the Reason that we hear People say sometimes of a Man that they will take his Word for a Thousand pound and that if such a one hath said it they 'll believe it sooner than they will do another Man upon his Bond. Is it not because they are assured of his Honesty Sincerity Piety Constancy Veracity and unfeigned Goodness Is not this a mighty Commendation Is it not an excellent Character And are not these fit Examples for us to follow Doth a Principle of real Goodness give a Man such Reputation among his Neighbours and is it not fit we should imitate these Patterns We that stand so much upon our Credit why are we loth to venture upon that which will procure us such Credit not only with Men but with God too Were we Christians indeed and did Men see that we live up to the Rules of our Great Master without wavering they would depend upon our Promises as much as they do upon other Mens Oaths and more too But when they see us Treacherous and Persidious and Regardless of our Words and that we take no heed to our Ways when they find that we pretend to Religion and yet can be Knaves that we call our selves Children of God and yet can Cheat and Defraud that we commend good Men and talk well and can undermine and over-reach another in a Bargain no wonder if they do Mistrust us And then we run our selves into a necessity of helping out our Want of Sincerity with Protestations and needless Asseverations and thus by degrees we come to venture upon Oaths and to other Sins and undoe our Souls Our Religion was intended to make us the honestest Men in the World and were we true to our Principles there would be no need of so many Bonds and Obligations and Indentures and Counterparts and giving of Securities and Sollicitations to second our Word and Promises with Oaths and Vows and Protestations as now there is But all that can be said in this point is this If Men be truly converted to the Laws of Christ they will be Just and Honest and Sincere and Upright and Faithful and True and Invincibly so if they are not their Conversion is Nonsense their Regeneration a Fable their Love to God a Romance their Repentance a fancy and their Piety Paint and Varnish II. We see here that the Government of our Tongues requires our special Care He that offends not in Word is a perfect Man saith St. James Jam. iii. 2 and able also to bridle the whole Body It 's one great Lesson of our Religion to labour after Perfection as appears by the frequent commands 2 Cor. xiii 9 Hebr. vi 1 Jam. i. 4 2 Cor. xiii 11 and this Perfection is not to be attained except our Care and Watchfullness extend to our Speeches and Words and Discourses and Communications in Conversation and how this Care is to be expressed I shall briefly shew in the following Directions 1. Let 's always propose to our selves a good end in Speaking either to rectifie the Mistakes of others or to Instruct or to Counsel or to Exhort or to Comfort or to Reprove or to Edifie others or to acquaint them with the true Merit of the Cause or to prevent frothy or impertinent Discourses This is part of that Discretion which is made a good Man's Character Psal. cxii 5 He that speaks with an intent either to be applauded for his Wit or Learning or Piety or to make the Company Laugh or meerly to trifle away the time or to provoke others to Wrath c. such a Person hath no great Care of his everlasting Concerns and puts no Oyl to his Lamp and therefore if the Bridegroom should come unawares he 'll have Oyl to buy when the Doors are going to be shut 2. Let 's speak Circumspectly so that in our Discourses neither God be abused by Profaneness nor Scripture undervalued by wrong Applications nor our Neighbour rendred contemptible by Calumny nor our Souls wounded by Lying nor Religion blacken'd by misrepresentations nor weak Christians scandaliz'd by immoderate Liberty nor other Men harden'd in their Sins by flattering Compliances To this purpose Solomon Eccles. v. 2 Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thy Heart be hasty to utter any thing before God 3. Let 's speak modestly of our selves especially and of our Duties and Performances and Accomplishments and not only with respect to our selves but in regard of others too when Kindnesses and Obligations and admiration of their Gifts prompt us to speak in their Commendation There is great modesty requir'd particularly when Inferiors speak to their Superiors Disciples to their Teachers Servants to their Masters Children to their Parents and Hearers to their Spiritual Pastors Young Men to the Aged This is part of that Submission and Subjection and Humility most earnestly pressed upon us 1 Pet. v. 5 4. Let 's speak opportunely suitably to the time and place we are in A word fitly spoken is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. xxv 11 Comfort is proper for the Afflicted Reproof for the Obstinate Admonition for the Tractable Instruction for the Ignorant and Colloquies Divine and Spiritual for the House of God and when God sends the Sword the Prophet asks very justly Should we then make Mirth Ezek. xxi 10 5. Let 's talk sparingly In the multitude of Words there wants not Sin but he that refrains his Tongue is wise Prov. x. 19 A Man that talks much had need be a very accomplish'd Person if he doth not run out into something contrary to Truth or good Manners This Rule deserves to be observ'd so much the more because multitude of Words is made the Character of a Fool Eccles. x. 14 6. Let 's use our selves to talk Piously It is a commanded Duty Ephes. iv 29 This is wanting in most Companies nay it is become a piece of Rudeness and a mark of ill breeding to talk of Jesus Christ when People visit one another and that 's one great Reason of the decay of Piety
with greater Terrour they may fall a Sacrifice when they die to hellish Furies Nor can Duels and single Combats upon an Affront receiv'd and Challenging one another to fight be excused from sharing in the Heinousness of this Guilt for whatever fine Names and plausible Descriptions the Law of Honour may have made of such Actions he that kills another in a Duel though he gets a Pardon of his Prince will be Arraign'd in the last day among the Murtherers who shall have their Portion in the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone I do not deny but that in the dark Times of Popery such Combats have been allow'd of and publick Prayers have been said for success in such Duels but what Credit can a Cause receive from Ages in which to understand Greek was a Crime and Hebrew next to Heresie We need not wonder that Babylon the Mother of Harlots should permit such things whose Garments have been died Red with the Blood of the Saints of God and which hath Tricks and Ways to Canonize Assassins to consecrate Murther and to Christen Massacres Services of Religion To call upon you to take heed of having a hand in Blood were to discourage you from drowning or poisoning your selves or running a Sword into your own Bowels for indeed this is no better and whatever varnish may be put upon it it is precipitating your selves headlong into the Gulf of Perdition There is in this Sin all that can aggravate a Deed it is to raise a Hell in your Bosom and the thing it self speaks so much abomination that to name the Sin is to give you a thousand Arguments against it But then that ye may not be under any temptation to this Sin let bitterness and wrath and anger be put away from you with all Malice which leads me to the third Proposition III. That Wrath and Anger without a just Cause have their Degrees and according to them the Punishment in the next Life will be proportionable For whosoever shall be angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Judgment and whosoever shall say to his Brother Raca shall be in danger of the Council but whosoever shall say thou Fool shall be in danger of Hell-fire That some anger is lawful is evident from hence because Christ himself was angry and very angry sometimes and so were the Apostles and we are permitted to be so but with this Caution be angry and sin not i. e. so as not to Sin Eph. iv 26 So that all Anger is not a mark of Damnation But then when the Author and Captain of our Salvation Christ Jesus and his Holy Apostles were angry it was only against Sin and out of a Zeal to Vertue and when Men were obstinate and would not be perswaded to do their Duty and a Sense of God's Glory kindled the fire of their Passion in which Case to be angry is a Perfection and to be passionate a Christian accomplishment provided still that the bounds of that Anger be observed and it's heat do not turn into Wild-fire that it be not attended with unseemly Expressions nor accompanied with furious Gestures and Actions I do not deny but a Man may be angry with his Servant a Father with his Children and a Master with his Scholars and proceed even to Correction but then it must be because they neglect their Duty or will not hearken to wholsome Admonitions and when gentler Addresses will do no good and the Anger must be more upon the account of their Sin than out of any Desire to revenge and it must be an Anger mingled with Pity and Compassion and which ends in Prayer for the Offenders and it must be free from Fury and reviling Language And being kept within these Bounds I find no fault with this Anger But this is not the Anger my Text speaks of and against which Christ levels his Commination here for that 's Anger without sufficient Cause even Anger because our worldly Interest is not promoted as we expected or because our Honour and Reputation is touch'd or because something which gratifies our Lusts is with-held from us or because our vain Desires are not cocker'd and flatter'd or because such a Person hath not given us the Title and Respect we look'd for or because we cannot digest a Reproof or because we are cross'd in our Designs or because such a Man is not of our Opinion or because he will not conform to our Humour These are the things which commonly provoke to Passion and this Anger the farther it goes the worse it grows if from Thoughts and secret Grudges it proceeds to contumelious reproachful and reviling Language to calling the party ill Names Fool and Rogue and Villain and Rascal and Knave and Cheat and Hypocrite and such other Titles as Modesty will not suffer us to Name it becomes greater and if from Words and Expressions it goes farther yet even to Actions of Revenge and settles in Hatred in Rancour and inveterate Malice it then shuts out the Righteousness of God and lets in the Devil and invites evil Spirits to come and Lodge in that House and the last Estate of that Man grows worse than the first And is not this the Case of abundance of you Do not you see something in this Glass that 's very like you and resembles your Temper And do but consider what weakness what impotency of Reason and Spirit you betray and discover by such doings Is not this an inlet to confusion and every evil work Jam. iii. 16 Is this the Christian Spirit Is this to know what manner of Spirit you are of Is this treading in your Masters steps Is this following his Example Who when he was reviled reviled not again Dare you appear before the Son of Man in the last day with such a Disposition of Soul never yet seriously repented of Is this to resist the Devil Is this to purifie your Hearts Have you so learned Christ Is this to be Children in Malice as you are bound to be by your Profession Is this to crucifie the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts upon the least Provocation presently to be in a huff presently to let your Tongues loose and to break forth against your Brethren in Language fitter for Turks and Indians than for Christians Is this to be meek as Doves Is this to Love one another with a pure Heart fervently Is Hell-fire nothing but painted Flames Hath our great Master threatned it and do we make light of it Can you seriously reflect upon this Commination and be unconcerned And is not this threatning a Call to Repentance What a Mercy is it that God will accept of a sincere Repentance after such Provocations But how can you repent of your Passion if you do not mortifie it How can you mortifie it if you do not conquer it How can you conquer it if you do not strive How can you strive if you do not use the proper means and weapons
If thou hast thou hast deliver'd thine own Soul provided thou didst it unfeignedly with Sincerity with Humility with bowels of Compassion and from a Sense of the Love of God But now that I am talking of Sincerity it will be necessary to represent to you the manner of this Reconciliation that in case any be wrought upon by this Discourse they may not mistake their Measures 1. Then according to the hint given in the Text Here must be a Remembrance a Calling to Mind and Recollecting our selves whether we have given any of our Neighbours either lately or formerly any just Offence and that which makes this Recollection necessary is this because we are apt to forget and to overlook Quarrels which are past and consequently to overlook the Endeavours we ought to use in order to a Reconciliation 2. Strict enquiry must be made if there is or hath been any Variance betwixt us and our Neighbours and this enquiry must be impartial rather favouring our Neighbours Cause than our own who it was that began the Quarrel who gave the first ill Word the first Blow to the Friendship the first Provocation the first Injury and who kindled the Fire first After it is once kindled there are mutual Injuries offered and the offended party provokes the other by Opposition therefore an impartial Enquiry must be made whether we gave the first Occasion of the Breach and if once we find we did we may justly charge our selves with all the evil which ensued upon it and run and leave no Stone unturn'd to reconcile our selves to our fellow Christians for without it no Prayers no Gifts no Sacramental Vows can be acceptable 3. If the Party whom we have offended live at Distance that we cannot speak to him nor send to him then the Reconciliation must be made in our Wills and Minds and with appeals to the Omniscience of God Lord Thou knowest I love my offended Brother and that the desire of my Soul is after Peace with him And after this we may come and offer our Gift yet with this Proviso that if afterward we meet the offended Party and with an Opportunity to manifest this Reconciliation in Words and Behaviour to our offended Neighbour we must not be wanting in the larger Expressions of it 4. If in the Offence given there hath been any Wrong done to our Neighbours Goods or Estate the Reconciliation must be begun with Restitution without which if we are able to compass it all Endeavours of Reconciliation are vain Where no hurt hath been done to the Possessions of our offended Brother the Practice of St. Jame's Rule is sufficient James v. 16 Confess your Sins one to another Which Confession our Saviour bids us express by saying I repent Luc. xvii 4 5. The ordinary method of this Reconciliation is intimated by our Great Master the Lord Jesus Matth. xviii 15 First we our selves are to Address to our offended Neighbour if that attempt proves ineffectual then one or two must be desired to join with us in the Entreaty If they cannot prevail with him then the Church must be told of it i. e. principal Men of the Society we are Members of Men of Probity Gravity and Sincerity and if he refuse to hear them too then he is to be look'd upon as desperate as a Heathen and Publican So that 6. If the Party offended be entreated to be Reconciled the Person who hath given the Offence being penitent and craving Pardon it is as much as his Life is worth if he forgives not his penitent Brother Nay if the Party which gave the Offence should out of Stubborness forbear seeking a Reconciliation after we have waited some time to see whether he will be sensible of his Errour and seek to be at Peace with us if we see he minds it not we our selves who are the Persons Offended are in some measure bound to seek a Reconciliation not only because I told you just now that some Heathens have done it but chiefly because God seeks to the Sinners to be reconciled to him even to the Party offending and we are to be followers of God as dear Children Eph. v. 7. Even Superiours are concerned here if they have offended their Inferiours there being but one way to Heaven and in Matters of Duty the Prince is equally obliged with the Beggar for God is no respecter of Persons And here I could give you a notable Instance in one of our own Kings who having accused his Servant wrongfully and charged him with Perfidiousness and Treachery finding afterward that he had wrong'd him sent for him and being come the King fell upon his Knees and formally begg'd of him to forgive him and would not rise off of his Kees till the Servant had given him a formal Absolution 8. This Reconciliation must not be slight and superficial not meerly Negative which consists in doing no hurt to the Person we are Friends with but there must pass besides mutual Prayers one for another real Acts of Love of Kindness and Charity and the Peace begun must be preserved to the best of our Skill and Power and this is the true Nature of Reconciliation And now whatever Difficulties there may be in the beginning sure I am that when we have Conquered our selves and our rugged Temper and embraced him that was our Enemy before nothing can be sweeter and upon this Peace flows in the Peace of God and our Prayers become sweet and all our Devotions and Religious Services become sweet and refreshing and effectual and comfortable and our Hopes of Pardon from God become Solid and Rational and afford true Content and Satisfaction and our very Death-bed becomes soft a Bed of Down and a Bed of Roses for now the Conscience is easy and free from the Burden that lay upon her and presages our lying forever incircled in the Arms of him who is all Love all Mercy all Goodness all Compassion To whom be Glory forever Amen ADDENDA IN this Sacrament particularly you bring your Gift to the Altar not only your Alms and Prayers and Praises but you pretend to present your Souls and Bodies living Sacrifices to God And is it likely these Gifts will be accepted there when there is a Root of bitterness in your Heart Is this the way to procure the Smiles of Heaven Is it not rather the way to procure the Frowns of God to be sent away with a Curse even with the Curse inflicted on the Man that came to the Marriage Feast without a Wedding Garment Hither you come to receive Pardon and to secure your Everlasting Salvation but have not you read 1 John III. That he that hates his Brother is a Murtherer and we know that a Murtherer hath not Eternal Life in him SERMON XXIV St. Matth. Ch. v. Ver. 25 26. Agree with thine Adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him lest at any time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and
Powers Ordain'd of God and Whoever resists that Power resists the Ordinance of God Rom. xiii 1 2 3. 5. There is no place in all the New Testament which forbids a Christian to be a Magistrate nay we have several Examples of Men who were Magistrates actually and converted to Christianity and yet neither quitted nor were they requir'd to quit that Office after their Conversion such were Nicodemus Joseph of Arimathea Both the Centurions Matth. viii and Act. x. and Sergius Paulus the Proconsul Acts xiii even the Soldiers in St. John the Baptist's Time Men who are the great Instruments of that Justice which the Magistrate sometimes executes were not oblig'd to lay down their Military Girdle or to forsake their Station and Employment 6. We are expresly commanded to pray for Kings and those who are in Authority 1 Tim. ii 1 2 3. and the Reason is given because God would have all Men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth which shews that we are therefore to pray for Magistrates especially if Infidels or Idolaters that they may be Converted and that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty which End could not be obtain'd if immediately upon their turning Christians they were oblig'd to lay down or divest themselves from their Office 7. The Office of the Magistrate doth not at all clash or interfere with the Genius or Temper of the Gospel For what is the Office of a Magistrate but to make wholesome Laws for Governing the People under their Power with suitable Sanctions and to defend their Subjects from Wrong Violence and Mischief Neither of which acts are contrary to our Religion not making Laws for governing the People under their Charge for the Gospel as well as the Law of Nature permits every Master of a Family to make good Orders for those over whom God hath set him and it would be strange if Masters of a greater Family might not have this privilege God even in the New-Testament hath declar'd himself to be a God of Order and protests against Confusion and since without Magistrates and Laws and Sanctions it would be impossible to prevent Confusion He that allows of the End must needs be supposed to allow of the Means conducive to that End In a word without these Helps Cities and Common-wealths would be Dens of Thieves and Pest-Houses rather than civiliz'd Societies nor is defending their Subjects from Wrongs and Injuries contrary to the nature of the Gospel which prescribes Justice and Charity and who sees not that the defence of the Subject from Wrongs and Injuries is founded upon these two Cardinal Vertues Even inflicting Penalties upon the stubborn and obstinate rests upon these Principles so that the Office of the Magistrate must necessarily be lawful and commendable I grant were the whole World Christian and did all Christians live up strictly to the Rules of the Gospel there would be no Quarrels no Dissentions no Wrongs no Injuries and consequently there would be no need of Magistrates but such a blessed State we do not look for till we come to Heaven and till then there must be Magistrates Nor doth St. Paul 1 Cor. vi 1 2 3 4 5. find fault with the Office of the Magistrate but with those who upon every light occasion quarrel'd one with another and accused one another to the Magistrate and particularly to the Heathen Governors Nay the Apostle is so far from condemning the Office that he seems to advise them to erect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Tribunals of Judgment among themselves to decide Controversies and Quarrels betwixt Man and Man thereby to avoid running to the Heathen Magistrates whereby Christianity was like to become contemptible So that all these Particulars being laid together since God cannot be supposed to contradict himself this Precept of our Saviour must concern only Private Christians and must be intended to direct them how they are to behave themselves one toward another in their Conversation but is not level'd against the Power of Magistrates in a Christian Common-wealth not but that even a Magistrate may Sin against this Precept of our Master if private Revenge guides him in the execution of Judgment and Justice but where he doth the Duty of a Magistrate out of Love to the Publick Good there this Command cannot be suppos'd to interfere with his Power and Authority II. Since the Precept of the Text is the standing Rule whereby Christ's Disciples are to govern themselves it is very necessary I should press it upon you who came hither on purpose not only to hear but I hope to do what the Lord your God requires of you viz. Not to return Evil for Evil. Not to run in lesser Injuries such as a Blow or smiting on the Cheek to the Magistrate in order to have the Offender punish'd And Rather than return Evil for Evil to suffer a greater Evil or a greater Injury But I foresee an Objection which is like to dash all that I can say or alledge in order to persuade you to a conscientious Observance of these Rules of Holy Living Why should you urge this will some say for the thing is impracticable Not practicable Sirs It 's strange our great Master in whom are all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge should prescribe a thing that is not Practicable What did not he know our Frames Was he ignorant of what our Shoulders would bear Did not he consider the state and condition of our Souls I grant it is not practicable by Men who will not step out of the common Road of their carnal Interest and Lusts and sinful Inclinations I grant it is not practicable by Persons who will not make use of the Means and Motives and Enforcives and Helps which God affords to raise corrupted Nature into a nobler Temper I grant it is not practicable by Persons who will do nothing toward their own Happiness that will be Naked and Poor and Blind wretched and miserable in despight of all the Collyriums and Eye-salves and Medicines and Remedies which are offer'd and tender'd to them for their Cure But when there are a Thousand Moral Arguments before you and the Spirit of God and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ are ready to give Life to those Arguments in your Souls when Heaven is willing to assist and Omnipotence offers to help you to raise you from the Ground and to inspire you with Courage and Valour suitable there to talk of the unpracticableness of these Rules is to blaspheme the Goodness of God and with that unprofitable Servant to accuse your Master That he gathers where he hath not strow'd and reaps where he hath not sown What should make it unpracticable What because Flesh and Blood saith it is so Is not Flesh and Blood that which you are oblig'd to fight against What are all the Arguments that are brought against the practicableness of it but what are borrow'd from the Opinion of the World
Office of a Magistrate is not superseded by this Command Nor 3. Doth this Law of loving our Enemies forbid us reproving an Enemy for the Sins he involves himself in by hating us much less doth it import that we are to love his Sins and Follies or flatter him in his Undecencies and Insolencies There is no doubt we may lawfully tell him of his Faults in a meek and rational way and seek to reduce him to a better Temper and in doing so we do nothing against that Love we owe him so far from it that it is an Argument of Hatred not to Rebuke him Lev. xix 17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him Nor 5. Doth this Command import that we are to make an Enemy our Bosom Friend to whom we are to unburden our selves and make him acquainted with the Secrets of our Souls Friendship in this strict sence is Master of Discretion more than Duty nor is our Love to our Enemies prejudic'd by not making them Friends in this sence Indeed if by the Coals of Fire we heap upon their Heads if by the warmer kindnesses we shew them we melt them into a tractable and docible Temper and then prove occasions of their becoming new Men we may if we see it convenient raise our Love Unto a higher degree even to that of Friendship and make him that was an Enemy as our own Soul but while he is an Enemy he is not a Subject capable of entring into the Bond of Friendship with him except by Friendship we mean the acts of Love hereafter mention'd 6. As an Enemy is a Person who cherisheth a secret Spleen and Malice against us in his Heart and as occasion serves vents and expresses it either in his Words or Actions either by Reviling or Abusing us or doing Unkindnesses or attempting to Betray or Bespatter or to Ruine and Undoe us in which sence even a Husband a Wife and the nearest Relatives may be Enemies so this Love we owe them imports an inward Affection to them even Bowels of Mercy and Compassion and a certain tenderness within The acts whereby our Love to them is to be expressed must have some Root and that Root must be the Heart the true seat of Love and let no Man plead here that Love arising from the agreeableness of the Object it 's impossible there should be any real Love in the Heart toward an Enemy because of the disagreeableness of the Object to our Temper and Contrariety to our Humour and Interest for though there may be no agreeableness with respect to the Wrong he doth or hath done us yet there are other Respects and those more weighty and of greater Concernment in which a likeness and similitude appear and consequently a suitable Foundation for this Love For 1. He is God's Creature and so are we 2. He is a Man and so are we 3. He is a Neighbour still nor doth the Wrong he doth us deprive him of that Relation 4. May be he is a Christian too and professes the same Faith the same God the same Jesus and the same Religion all which Respects make even an Enemy an agreeable Object of our Love Nay his very Enmity doth formally dispose and qualifie him for our Love for the nature of Love is That it is not easily provoked 1 Cor. xiii 5 And I need not tell you that Men are not provoked by Kindnesses but by Injurious Acts and these being the acts of an Enemy Love not being easily provoked by such acts the Enemy must be a very proper object of our Love But let 's go on and consider II. The particular acts of this Love or whereby this Love is to be expressed And the first is 1. Bless them that curse you This is to give good Language for bad kind Answers for Revilings praising the good that is in the Enemy for his denying that there is any in our selves and gracious Wishes for his base and horrid Imprecations The Apostles did so for being reviled we bless being defamed we entreat saith St. Paul 1 Cor. iv 13 This look'd great What a lovely excellent sight was this How pleasing to God how pleasing to Angels how pleasing to all rational and understanding Men Do but take a serious view of it you your selves cannot but like it approve of it and commend it What harmony what beauty what sweetness what evenness what perfection must there be in such a Soul What a command over his Passions must we suppose in such a Person and can any thing look more stately and magnificent And if there be such beauty in it why are not we enamour'd with it Why should we think much of it to cry God bless you when the Enemy cries God damn you Is not the one as easily said as the other and is there not far greater satisfaction in the one than in the other What if the brutish Man do curse us what hurt can his Cursing do us while we do not answer him according to his Folly The Curse may fall on his own Head but cannot singe a Hair of ours His ill Language doth it not look very odious in him and doth it change its Face or Nature if we use it by way of Retaliation Can that be lovely in us which all Men take to be deformity in him Doth not the Enemy sin grievously against God when he doth Revile or Curse us And shall not we be concern'd at his Sin How are we concern'd if we do not mourn for it How do we mourn for it if we do not pity him How do we pity him if we do not endeavour to reform him How shall we reform him except we shew him a good Example How can we shew him a good Example if we do not let him see that there is a better Spirit in us And how shall he be convinc'd of that if we do not return soft Answers for his rough and insolent ones even Blessings for Curses Such Christian returns God blesses sometimes with Conversion of the Enemy and thinks himself concern'd to reward the Self-denial with an extraordinary Providence To this purpose Moschus tells us That three Religious Men Travelling and losing their way and thereupon belated were forc'd to lie down on the Ground the Night coming on and the Sky growing very dark But so it happen'd that ignorantly they laid themselves down at the edge or corner of a Corn-field whereby they pressed a portion of Corn on the Ground Early in the Morning the Owner of the Field coming by and seeing what was done began to be in a Passion and cursed them bitterly saying You Religious Men if you had had the fear of God before you you would not have done so The innocent Men let him run on and then with all gentleness imaginable told him Truly you say right if we had had the fear of God before us we should never have done so