Miscellanea spiritualia: or, Devout essaies: composed by the Honourable Walter Montagu Esq.

§. V.

The best preparatory disposition for the acting this Duty, which maketh no opposition to the course of Justice; as also powerful persons ad∣monished of their temptation in the point of Revenge, and animated by their exceeding merit in this fidelity.

SInce it seemeth so unsafe, to presume upon the interior habit of this conformity before an actual probation, this question may well be made, What is the best pre∣paratoty disposition, in order to the compliance with this precept, in all emergencies and occurrences of Injuries? Whereunto I answer, The habit of sincere Humility, a vertue every one lays claim to, but most do it upon evidence which they forge themselves; so as commonly, when the possession thereof cometh to be questioned before God, it indureth not the tryal; In this case, we cannot recuse our Enemies for our Jury, since they are more proper then indifferent persons for this tryal, which is to be judged upon the testimonies of our humble and patient sufferings; few will protest against flexi∣bleness, under the depression of Gods hands, but most would fain hold the screw themselves, whereby they are let down, for fear of falling too violently or too low; but true Humi∣lity abandoneth it self to the supreme hand, under which all other move but instrumentally, not excepting against any violent motions of secondary hands, whereinto it is delivered to be exer••ised.

And if upon the pain we feel from our Enemies hand, we would with the eye of Humility look strictly inward upon

our selves, we should for the most part discern, that it is dres∣sing some defect we apprehended not before, as either the cancer of Self-love, which we have all in our breasts, or some tumor rising in Prosperity, or the Ulcer of Sensuality, or the vertigo and giddiness of youth, or the drowsiness and tepidity of Ease and Accommodation; All which may be said to be like worms to Ships, that breed in us, eating and consuming us under water most, when we lie still in the har∣bors of temporal rest and security; so that perfect Humility, understanding the unsoundness of Humane Nature, appre∣hendeth Enemies as Gods Surgeons, making all their opera∣tions, rather Cures of some Infirmity, then woundings of any vertuous quality.

I may then safely propose to you the study of Humility, as the best qualification for the discharge of this precept, * 1.1 since he who commandeth us to take this yoke upon us, biddeth us, learn of him to carry it, because he is meek and humble of heart; * 1.2 therefore by the same disposition we must needs be the best enabled in his method, to fulfil all righteousness.

Nor doth this precept, of Loving enemies, and Forgiving offences, any way slack or retard the exercise of Justice, whose sword, though it draw blood, yet it sheddeth none, for it striketh onely in application to Gods order, not mans passion; Princes therefore (who are but Gods sword-bearers by the right of their offices, when they are provoked by any personal injury, as Ingratitude, or any other infidelity not le∣gally criminal) should remember, That though they have many other arms about them, yet they are warranted to strike with none but the sword of Justice.

Revenge is justice that Nature would do her self, where∣by that power which hath the command of regular Justice, may easily be deceived by our Nature, which (when it is checked by the Law of God in this point of self-righting) seeketh to slip in this appetite, under the cover of the Law of Man: Thus the animosity which powerful persons have in their hearts, easily runs through their veins into their

hands, which hold and deliver out the publike Justice; into which private interests do so commodiously insinuate them∣selves, as it requireth a great attention of grace to discern this surreption, and reject this intrusion of Revenge into the train and comitancy of Justice.

Me thinks Princes, not being exposed so much as others to personal irritations, have it discounted to them in the equal imposition of this duty on them, of Forgiving private offences, and repressing the sence of particular displeasures; since this Bridle must needs set the most uneasily upon their heads, the Crown seeming to take up so much room, as there is little left for the reins of this Command: In others, the violence of their Nature is often easily staid and repulsed by the steepness of the rise up to Revenge, but they are put to hold it pressing downhil, so that unless Grace bear the reins very hard, Nature will easily run away in this precipitate passion; but as this difficulty maketh the restraint of this impetus the more painful, so the mastery thereof becometh more meritorious to them, then it is to less tempted Con∣formists.

Certainly Princes who faithfully observe this command, make more of their provocations then they do of most of their bounties; for by this subjection, they lay up their power in Heaven, in stead of laying it out on Earth: and at that day when all the Treasures of their Civil Liberalities shall be melted and dissolved, these their Sufferings and Self denials shall remain impassible, in that fire, which the Apostle saith, shall try all our works.

Blessed then are onely those, who while they live here in greatness and authority, build their Monuments of such ma∣terials as may endure the fire of that day, when even the light affections of this life shall prove hay and stubble about their owners, passing through a flame, and the heavy pas∣sions of Anger and Malice shall sink their bearers into such flames as are never to be passed.

Wherefore the best Monuments Princes can erect for

their eternity, are arches of these solid Vertues, of Humility, Patience and Charity, which are the more strengthned, the more they are charged with the remission of injuries, and the dilection of enemies: These will out last all their Pyramides of secular Ostentation and Magnificence, the King of Hea∣ven & Earth hath left them the model of this arch in his life, who was then in the strongest point of his Oharity, when he was bowed into this triumphant arch of Humility, bear∣ing his Cross, under which as his body sunk, so his love to his enemies grew the more erected: none then can be so great, as to be exempted from this conformity, nor any so miserable, as not be solaced by this association.

I may well then cast up all my divisions, respecting se∣veral conditions, and different provocations, into this total, That whosoever confess they have any sins, whereof they expect a forgiveness from God, must resolve to forgive their Brother, what offences soever shall require their re∣mission, since this condition is expresly set upon their own pardons, If you forgive not men, neither will your Father * 1.3 remit unto you your offences: And our Savior Christ at his re∣move from his Disciples, left them this specifical distinction from the worlds dependants, The loving one another; so as * 1.4 we may say, That our suffering King and Master hath set his Arms upon this Precept, for all his followers to wear, and to be discerned by. O let us then cast off our old Badges of Envy and animosity, which are indeed but the Cognizances of Cain, and let us put on his Livery, to whom we rightfully belong, remembring we are not our own, having been bought by a great * 1.5 price to glorifie and bear God in our body: And when we carry Christ crucified in our thoughts along with our own Crucifi∣ers, the pretensions of our Nature to her resentments, will be out of countenance in that company; and drawing all the grievances and aversions of our Nature, as coupled in the yoke with Christ, we shall easily confess, That even the bur∣then of this precept of dilection of enemies, sits but light upon the carriage of the Cross of Christ. * 1.6

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matt. 11.
• * 1.2

  Matth. 3.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 6. 14.
• * 1.4

  John 14. 36.
• * 1.5

  1 Cor. 6.
• * 1.6

  Mat. 11.