[ 836] How Enemies are to behated.
IF a Generall of an Army,* 1.1 laying siege to some great Fort or Castle, and being upon the storming of it, the guns from off the walls playing fiercely upon him, should do abundance of execution; were it not madnesse in him, upon goining of the place, to cast away those guns? It were so. VVhat doth he then? He lets flie at the gunner that fired them, but preserves the guns, as serviceable for himself. Thus must we deal with our enemies: They abuse us, they evilly entreat us, they spite∣fully use us,* 1.2 they seek to destroy us, and utterly to ruine us: What, shall we hate them, abuse them again? No, we must love them, and do good unto them; preserve the guns, but destroy the gunner; love their persons, they may be afterwards in∣strumentall to Gods glory; but hate their vices, that will be the undoing of our souls. This is that perfect hatred, wherewith David hated his enemies, Psal. 139. 22.