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

The fifeenth Treatise. The Duties of a Christian towards Enemies, Divided into five Sections. (Book 15)

§. I.

The precept of loving Enemies, sweetned by miny Reasons drawn from Christs injoyn∣ing it, and his acting it.

NEver ••an spake like this, said our Saviors enemies of * 1.1 him, when they came armed with Malice, and Au∣thority to offer him violence: This singular attribu∣tion was due to all he said, but cannot, me thinks, be more apposite to any thing he uttered, then to this injunction of, Love your enemies, as good to them that hate you; The * 1.2 strangeness of this precept seemeth to imply, That the Au∣thor of Nature onely could be the proposer of it, because the complyment with it seemeth to require a reversal of the instincts of Nature, and looks like a greater undertaking, then the re-edifying the Temple in three days; this seem∣ing as many miracles proposed, as there are Humane tempers in the world to be wrought upon: For the answering of Hatred and Injury with Love and Charity, seemeth more incompetent with our Nature, then the proposition which posed Nicodemus, since i•• may be said to be less strange for * 1.3 Nature to revert to what she hath once been, then to tran∣scend so much her own dispositions, as to be raised from a Humane to an Angelical temper: For in this state of Charity,

the spirit seems no ways acting by the impulses of the sense••.

Me thinks those Coelestial Doctrines should have at∣tested to his enemies, that it could be no less then the Creator of Men and Angels, that could undertake these Conversions of old men into children, and all men as it were into Angels; and he it was indeed who proposed this renovation and ex∣altation of our Nature: and well might he do it, who had in his person brought God into Infancy, and Man into Divi∣nity. We may ••i••y then proclaim of him, with them that heard him, referring specially to this article, of Loving ene∣mies, that he taught not as the Scribes, but as having power: For the Doctors of the Law durst so little press this duty up∣on the people, though it were contained in their Command∣ments, as in complyance with the hardness of their hearts, they ventured rather to allow a Bill of Divorce to their loves, in this case of consorting with enemies; and in this per∣verted liberty, Christ found the people strongly habituated.

Insomuch as we may say not improperly, That o•••• High Priest found the fire of this Charity, which came * 1.4 out of the flames of Mount Sinia, as much altered in ap∣parence, as Nehe〈…〉〈…〉 did the fire of the Altar, that had been hid during the Captivity, which seemed turned into a thick water: And Christ Jesus, like Nehe••••as, took the same mat∣ter of the former precept, and spread it again upon the Altar, and extracted the first fire out of it; for our High Priest ex∣plicated and unfolded this precept of Loving our neigh••••••••, the vertue whereof had long layen concealed, and seemed rather turned into a thick water of bitterness against enemies, then to retain any spark of love for them: But Christ by his explication and dilating of this precept, hath revived the fire that lay covered in it, and replaced it on his Altars, which kindleth now one of the best smelling Sacrifices we offer up in the Temples of the Holy Ghost, which is the loving of enemies, and doing good to those that hate us.

This may at first sight seem such a burthen laid upon Christians, as their fathers could not ••ear; but when we look

upon the donative given at the same time that the imposition was laid, we may acknowledge these retributions, not to be tythes or first-fruits of that treasure which is dispensed to us for our inablements to this discharge, since the grace of Christ Jesus passeth all understanding much more, then this precept transcendeth natural reason; For single morality hath by the hands of the Philosophers, affected to draw an exterior colouring of this image of Charity, in arrogating impassiveness unto humane wisdom: We then, unto whom the Divine wisdom hath imparted it self in so admirable a maner, teaching and acting this office, may well avow the gift to be much greater then the charge: And truly, when they are ballanced together, this order seemeth more an in∣franchising, then a fettering of our Nature, which without it seemeth rather bound, then free to revenge, such is the do∣minion of our irritated passions; so that Christ, by this in∣junction, may be said to have set us at liberty, not to seek our own vindications, wherein the violence of our Nature seemed before to ravish us of Free-will: wherefore even in this point, wherein the Gospel seemeth the most co••rcive and constraining, it may rightly be said to be The Law of Liberty; he that in our Nature led captivity captive by this sort of Cha∣rity, hath given the same gift unto men, as his members, * 1.5 whereby they are inabled to triumph by the same love over all foraign and in••rinsique enmities.

We then who may own a participation of the Divine Nature, cannot justly except against this obligation, of acting more by the inspirations of that Nature, then by the instincts of our own; and our Savior seemeth to have affected so much, the inviscerating this disposition in our hearts, as he claimeth the first introduction of this precept, to recommend it to us, as a special property of his mission, that the kindeness to his person might sweeter the asperity of the command, he saith, he giveth us this as a new commandment, To love one an∣other, * 1.6 and thus owneth the having instituted, what he did but redintegrate; it seemeth he meant (by setting the most he

could of himself to this order) to work the better upon our Nature, by that sympathy which is more sensible between him and us, then between us and the other persons of the Trinity; and surely all the prints of this duty were so efaced, as these conjunctions co-existing in Christs person, seemed requisite to induce this renovation, viz. Man for a capacity of suffering from enemies for our example; and God for a power of imparting an ability of imitating such returns of love, to injuries and violations.

But supposing these two capacities, united in the person of the precepter of this conformity, the newness of such a per∣son taketh off all wonder, from any innovation can be in∣duced by such a Ministery; And, me thinks, we may say of this Doctrine of Loving enemies, as S. Paul did of that of * 1.7 the Resurrection of the dead (though in this point Christs infirmity and passiveness promoteth the Commandment, a•• in the other his prerogative and exemption evinceth the arti∣cle) That if Christ had not risen from the dead, the preaching of the Gospel would have been vain: So if Christ had not forgiven his enemies his death, and returned them love and benefits for all their provocations, the preaching of this article would have been of little efficacy; for we know Christ found it wholly antiquated in the Law, and how little is it actuated in the time of the Gospel, with the help even of Christs prece∣dent? though he dyed for his enemies, and requires of us but the living with ours as if they were our friends; this is but a favorable exaction, were the retribution claimed but by an equal: when God himself is then the sufferer, as well as the imposer, how can we be affected more with Humans enmity, then with this Divine friendship; and leave follow∣ing of Gods patern of charity, to copy out Mans draught of malignity, in his offending both God and his Brother?

Must not this preference of the example even of them we hate, before that of God, appear a strange ingratitude, when we calmly reflect upon it, since God hath been so solicitous, both for the cure and comfort of our infirm Nature, as he

himself, in the person of Christ Jesus, chose to want all those things, the cupidities whereof do use to deprave and vitiate our affections, that by his contemning them, they might be deprised and vilified to our appetites; nor hath he staid at this privation, but passed on, even to an assumption and tole∣ration of all those things, whereof the terror and apprehensi∣on useth to divert us from the preference of his verities, that by his society we might be reconciled to these aversions, and animated in the pursuance of his preferences.

Would we but consider then the remission of Offences to one another, as a debt we owe our Savior Christ, we might repute it a blessing to have some of that species of Charity to repay unto him, wherein he hath given us no less a trea∣sure then our own Salvation; and without the help of ene∣mies we could have none of this precious species of love, which Christ so highly valueth, insomuch as our friends and favorers may be said not to be so useful to us, as our afflicters and maligners, when we make the best of them; for they indebt us more and more to God, and these help towards our discharge and acquittance, by a means of paying, in some part, of the most difficult conformity we owe in Christi∣an Religion: And we may observe, That Christ hath intailed * 1.8 most of his Beatitudes upon such estates as come to us by enemies, not by friends, as all sorts of sufferances; and that friends commonly do less for us then we require, whereas enemies in this respect do more for us then we can wish, since out of their iniquity we may raise friends, that shall receive us into the eternal Tabernacles.

This bitter fruit, planted in the middle of Christianity, and commanded to be tasted of, is as it were the counter∣poyson of that which was at first forbidden; the breach of which order induced the necessity of this, and this whole∣some plant, as it is designed to cure the venome of the other, so hath it contrary properties, as the first was fair to the eye, and pleasant to the taste, but mortal in the operation; so this is unpleasant to the fight, and unfavory to the palate,

but medicinal in the effect; this allayeth the heat of our feaverish passions, expectorateth all such obstructions as might impostume in our breasts, and draweth away the viru∣lency of all those poysoned arrows that wound our flesh; insomuch as that promise seemeth truly annexed to this, which was deceitfully given with the forbidden fruit; for this doth really open our eyes, and shew us the true distin∣ction between good and evil, whereof we are commonly ignorant, till the dilection of enemies giveth us this light, to discern injuries and offences to be no evils to us, without our helping them to that mischief, since the evil of pain can ne∣ver change the species into that of guilt, but by our own voluntary translation.

§. II.

The averseness to this Duty ariseth from our corrupted Nature, promoted by divers subtile Temptations of our great Enemy.

SInce our first Parents Reason was vitiated by this Tem∣ptation, of discerning good and evil, there is descend∣ed on us a curiosity of having them in this life still of our own making, and so out of our fellow creatures we make this composition of good and evil, by the rule of our private appetites: Thus cometh in that supposed variety of these two qualities (the objects of all our passions) which God hath no hand in; for we attribute commonly these properties to things, as they respect our sensitive appetite, by which means, as many false goods as our fancies compose, so many true ills we frame by the same work; for the wa〈…〉〈…〉 of such apprehended goods, is always accounted a real evil, and the fruition of them is likely in effect, what the priva∣tion is but supposed. Thus God suffereth things which

have no true goodness, to work upon our imagination, under real apparances, and so to anxiate us as effectually, as if they were sincerely what they are fancied by us; this is verified by the common experiment of our being so truly afflicted and perplexed, either by the defeature, or in the pursuit of vain desires; and this vassallation is a penalty set by the true Judge of all things, upon our attempt to design, of our own heads, the forms of good and evil, whereof the right ap∣prehension consisteth in judging of all things, as they re∣spect the supreme and ultimate good of our being; by re∣ference whereunto we shall discern nothing to be an evil, that doth not deflect from the rectitude of that line which is drawn to the Centre of goodness, by the hand of him who is himself this Centre, Truth it self, and the way to it, as he * 1.9 termeth himself; and our path is lined out to us by his hand, which hath drawn for us a trace of self-denial.

So that in our peregrination through this world, we are not to go as if we were taking the air, where the fairest and pleasantest way leadeth always to our end, but as Travellers and Pilgrims we must keep on the straight narrow way, which Christ hath marked us, though it seem never so aspe∣rous and unpleasant, resolving with the Royal. Prophet, for the * 1.10 words of his lips to keep hard ways: Nay, in this our passage, our enemies seem to be our surest guides, since we may take a certain mark from them of our being in the way, which is our loving them; and from our friends we can take no such assurance, for our kindeness and love to them doth very of∣ten mis-lead us into the by-ways of our inclinations; so while we love but those that love us, we know our leader telleth us, we may be still in the ways of the Gentiles; but when we love those that persecute us, and do good to those who hare us, this is an unquestionable mark of The straight and narrow way, treading in Christs very prints and vestages, in confor∣mity to this rule of his dear Disciple, in this point of Charity, He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also to walk as * 1.11 he hath walked.

The great enemy of our Nature, who findeth the ob∣servance of this new difficult command, a proper expedient to repair the transgression of the first so easie precept, inter∣poseth all his subtilty to divert this obedience, and he findeth this atempt nothing so hard a work as his first circumvention: for in this point he hath our Nature already gained to help him, whereas in his first enterprise it was fortifi'd against him; in this case he maketh use of our eyes, being unhappily open, and presenteth us injuries, persecutions and hatred, as so hor∣rid objects, that in their company he covereth even his own deformity, and appeareth lovelyer then they, to our imagi∣nation, in that light he setteth himself by them; so as his own fouler enmity in the suggestion of malice and revenge is not discerned: and he is much bolder in this counsel, then he was in his first perswasion, for then he was fain to flatter us with the hope of having our eyes opened, and becoming like Gods, to be able to deceive us; but now he presumeth to carry our wills by another kinde of insinuation, which is that of fear to become like inanimate creatures, having the eye of sense shut up and blinded by the conformity to this precept, the submission whereunto is represented by him as an examination and destruction of our sense: And our Na∣ture (which standeth too well affected to all propositions that seem to defend the rights of Sense) is ready to take this ene∣mies part in this determent and initation against all our other enemies, whereby the Serpent is commonly successful, in the discrediting this counterpoyson of mortification, prescribed for the killing of his first venome of disobedience.

If we but reflect upon our first constitution and integrity, we shall easily confess this to be but just, that our Nature, which had but one commandment for her restraint, and broke that through a curiosity of enlarging her lights and capacities, should now be enjoyned to expiate part of this fault, by this closing of her eyes, and contradiction of her own sense, in submission to this commandment, so repug∣nant to our vitiated Reason; so that were this imposed

simply as a punishment upon our criminal Nature, it could seem but equal, that she who had introduced enemies and in∣juries into this world, should be obliged not onely to for∣give, but to love and benefit them; yet God is so indulgent, as in stead of exacting this duty, as a fine set upon our first forfeit, he seemeth to treat with us for the sale of our Re∣venges, as if they were Proprieties he would purchase from us, and offereth us no less then his eternal Love for our tem∣porary dilection of enemies: Nevertheless, how few are there that will part with this illegitimate title to Revenge, even up∣on these terms. Our passions truly considered, are stated only upon Reversions, by reason they lay out always our present peace upon some succeeding expectation, yet they had ra∣ther trust their own powers, which can give them no se∣curity of their wishes, then resign their interests to God for such an exchange, as his promise of an eternal Triumph over all enemies; and so likely, in stead of accepting this proffer of God (which he is so gracious as to make even his own propriety, which is all Revenge; our chief stu∣dy seeketh how to evade the obligation of this precept, and how we may draw our particular aversions and animo∣sities our of the compass of this order) whereby we often make the party declared against it (viz. Our private vicious Reason) judge of the sence of this Commandment of, Love your enemies, and do good to them that hate you.

The most part of the world take the same course to solve the difficulty they apprehend, as Alexander did with the Gordian knot, they will not take the pains to bow this pre∣cept, but break it out-right by a neglect and inconsideration of it: Others that would seem more reverent, are ingenious to elude it by way of explication; by this means many bow it, so as to make it seem standing bent to their peculiar dispo∣sition; and such humors use these words, Love your enemies, as some do, This is my body; they strip them of all their li∣teral sence, because they seem so cross and opposite to their Reason in a literal admission, they will not receive them in other then a figurative meaning, rejecting the reality signi∣fied

by those words: Thus do those that would elude this precept of Love your enemies, because they finde this Com∣mand so averse to Humane sense in the literal acception, they would have it understood but as a kinde of figurative ex∣pression, to evade the reality of this duty, and so pretend to be obliged onely to some exterior shew and superficies of civility and fair behavior to enemies (which is indeed but the figure or representation of Love) while they decline the real presence of Fraternal Charity; the reality whereof hath no less substantial a patern, then that of Christ Jesus's love unto us, given in this form, A new commandment I give * 1.12 to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you.

It is not therefore so much the obscure, as the hard saying that averteth the conformity of our Capharnaites in this Ar∣ticle; and alas, how many are there who are not scanda∣lized at this hard saying, which seemeth so to their Reason, in the point of Faith concerning Christs Natural body, who do notwithstanding go back upon this Article of love to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mystical? It is therefore requisite to plain and smoothe somewhat the rough surface of this Command; for which effect there needeth onely an unfolding and deplication of the inside of this order, to shew, it is not so asperous and thorny as our Nature apprehendeth it by the first glances that light upon it.

§. III.

The relation wherein all Enemies are to be loved, and what offices are indispensably due to them, the omissions whereof can be redeemed by no other sort of Pieties.

IF ever there were a just occasion of hatred given, it was that man had when he first perceived the injury he had received from woman seeing his own and her nakedness

become as it were a minoir that reflected to him the figure of Death in his own face: How came it then to pass, that this passion of Revenge (which is likely the strongest at the first straining, all passions being now so newly broken loose in the minde of Adam) did not declare some violent resent∣ment of this provocation, and fall into an aversion against his Temptress? Sure it was, that he (who had still so clear a light of his own Nature left shining in him) discerned the Image of God remaining still upon her; which object he saw deserved love and affection.

This character, as it was not efaced by this occasion (which was the seed of all injuries that have sprung up ever since) so it remaineth still indelible in all Humane enemies: And as no iniquity can expunge that Image, so is there al∣ways left that object for our love in Humane Nature, even when it is the worst disfigured to us by any demerit of in∣dividuals to our particular: Unto this character is that love referred, which is by command assigned to our private ene∣mies, whom we are not ordained to love under the notion of haters of us, nor to bless in relation to their cursing us, for this were to propose that for the object of our love, to which God cannot be reconciled, as Evil and Viciousness; not could out Master and Law-giver love any, because they hated him: we may rather say, That because he did not love to be hated, he came even from Heaven to make friends of his enemies, that were capable of this Conversion, and shewed no love even unto Angels, in respect of the inflex∣ibleness of their Nature, after their declared enmity; but we can have no irreconcileable enemies, since Humane Na∣ture is not invariable after judgement, like Angelical.

Therefore all our Charity commanded for enemies, is in order to the working on them, by differing impressions, being designed to rectifie their enormity, not to confirm their crookedness; for we are not obliged to any offices towards enemies, that are likely to continue and foment their pravity or malevolence. After our sincere and cordial forgiveness, all the assistance we are bound constantly to render them,

is Spiritual, in fervent and devout intercessions to God for their recipiscence and restitution to his Grace. Temporal be∣nefits are precisely due to them onely in cases of their ex∣treme necessities, and in such proportions as rise not to the enabling them for those ill effects we may justly apprehend from their ability, what falls within our ordained duty, is, The not excluding them in any publike distribution of our benificences, in relation to our private discords, and the keeping our mindes disposed to succour and accommodate their particular distresses, in case of their occurring and pre∣senting themselves to our charity.

This is the term our Charity is positively commanded to reach unto, what it exceedeth this point is a free-will-offer∣ing, which passeth forward from the precept towards the perfection of Piety; so that the positive exaction in this du∣ty, can seem severe onely to such as are pinched with any of the straight orders of Christian Religion; for all the ex∣terior offices of obligation, respect onely the necessities of enemies, which our Nature hath no aversion to look upon, and it must be a very perverse temper that must not be moved to Charity by the state of superiority over an enemy; be∣sides, all our Supplies and Ministeries, both Spiritual and Temporal, are directed by God towards the conversion of our enemies into friends; and in that respect we seem alow∣ed a prospect of some present interest in all our offices, for the coals we are to intend the heaping on the heads of our adversaries by our benevolences, are such as are kindled in our own hearts, of Fraternal Charity; they are not to be proposed as fuel to Gods fiery indignation against them, as is familiarly misconceived by many semi-Christians.

When we ponder then (even but rationally) this duty, we shall finde it lighten in our hands the more we weigh it; for what is commonly said of Death, sorteth well with this precept, viz. That is looketh horridly at the first aspect, but the longer it is looked upon, the less formidable it groweth, and by degrees it becometh familiar and unoffensive to our minde. In like maner the terror of this precept consisteth

in the first aboard of it to our vicious Nature: the discour∣sing and acquaintance with it openeth to us the understand∣ing of it, by which we are easily reconciled to our first pre∣judice of the severe countenance of this commandment; and when we behold it in the form reflected from the light of the Gentiles, all Christians see themselves fellow members of one body: In which respect the resentment of offences may seem as unnatural, as our hating a wounded part of our body, because it paineth and distempereth the other: Doth any body project a revenge against his feet, for having stum∣bled and faln and hurt his face? All wrongs and injuries done to one another, are (in the constitution of Christianity) but the failings and defects of one portion of the body, whereby another is prejudiced.

Let them therefore who are so mindeful of those words of the Apostle, in not hating, but cherishing their own flesh, * 1.13 remember of these of the same hand, That we are all mem∣bers of one another; and so malice seemeth to incur this in∣congruity of hating part of our selves, if we allow our neighbor that relation to us which S. Paul assigneth him: If we would rather follow this method, of giving more * 1.14 abundant honor to the infirmer members, considering all injuries proceeding from some weakness and infirmity in the offen∣sive portion of the body, this would be a prevention of that Schism so much censured by the Apostle; and this course would keep the part offended from pain and vexation, whereas the other of resentment doth but indeed chase and inflame the sore.

The Stoicks with the Ninevites will rise up in judgement against the viperous generation of our Non-Conformists to this Doctrine, when they upon the preaching of the voyce of Nature, undertook to suppress and mortifie these pas∣sions of Anger and Revenge: May not we then (who have another maner of Dictator of this precept, even the Au∣thor of Nature personally acting this proposition, as well as preaching this observance) fitly say to the Rationalists of this Age, what our Master did to the refractory of his, upon

no unlike occasion, being upon the casting out of evil Spi∣rits, if even your own children pretend to dispossess their mindes of all malignity, and to have the dominion of all passions, shall not they be your Judges, and condemn such, as with the succour of Grace conjoyned to reason, do not undertake the subjection of this passion to the precept and * 1.15 example of our Divine Directer?

The Holy Ghost intended this surely as a high reproach to Christs nearest kindred, when he telleth us that they did not believe in him; and we are as much nearer a kin to God (as I may say) then the Heathens were, as Brothers are to one another, then Strangers: So that a Christians unconformity to this Doctrine, riseth to the highest degree of ill Nature and Malignity: They who remain wavering between the ob∣servance and the excuse of a punctual compliance with this order, are loose and unsettled in the foundation of Chri∣stianity, and all their superstructures of Alms and other materials of Religion, are but raised upon that sandy foun∣dation Christ slighteth so much, which the least storm re∣moveth and dissipateth: Such then (who retain any uncha∣ritableness in their hearts, while their hands are full of good Works, and their lives gilded over with the leaf gold of external Charity shining in the eyes of the world) seem to me to do but as if a Leper should be very curious to make himself brave against the time of the Priests visiting his na∣kedness, since to our Searcher of Hearts, all cogitations are naked and discovered; and if the interior be leprous and in∣fected, we know even the finest garments and coverings it hath are accounted but unclean.

Yet alas, how many are there who use this supervesture and palliation of their Souls, covering private Malices under specious Pieties? all which are but like perfumes which one that hath an ill breath rising from perished lungs, em∣ployeth about him, which may take away the ill smell from such as converse at usual distances with him, but his bed∣fellow will not be deceived by those exterior Odours; it is the breath of the Spouse which exhaleth those Odours after

which the bridegroom runneth▪ and smelleth them when he kisseth * 1.16 her with the kiss of his mouth: If the soul have not the sound∣ness of interior Charity, all the gums and spices of Prayers and Alms do not sweeten her breath to her Divine Lover: In this case of her pretending to exterior beauty, tainted by this intrinsique blemish, she may be said to have the con∣trary properties to the beloved Spouse, for then it may be reported of her, That she seemeth beautiful, and yet is black; * 1.17 though the complexion of her life be fair, yet the consti∣tution of her substance is foul and unhealthful: Let none then conceive their Devotion sufficiently qualified, without the integrity of Charity for enemies.

God is so gracious, as I have said before, that he offers to purchase of us all our claim to Revenge; and men by spe∣cious acts of Religion, consorting with covered Malice, seem in stead of accepting this offer of God, to make him a proffer of a recompence in other actions, for his pretence of this alienation of their interests, and conveyance of their wils over to his pleasure: But alas, in this bargaining as it were with God by this offer of Pious exercises, we do but forfeit all we advance, and God applyeth them to the necessities of others, and accounteth nothing to our selves for the di∣soursement; for God can accept nothing, in lieu of this conformity to Christ, it might seem a derogation from his exemplary remission of all injuries, if our obligation in this point were redeemable by any commutation.

Let none then abuse themselves with this hope, to make such friends of the Mammon of Iniquity, as may protect their iniquity to enemies, let them leave their other offer∣ings at the Altar of their distressed Brother, and go make their own unreconciled hearts an Altar, whereon they offer up to Christ crucified all their angers and animosities, which have this property of smelling very ill, while they are grow∣ing, and of making an excellent perfume when they are burning and consuming in the fire of Charity; God smel∣leth these divers savors in them, in both these conditions: and surely S. Paul leaveth us no hope, that any act can move

God which turneth not upon the Centre of Charity to on•• Brother, since even that compassion which should break down our own houses, to build up harbors for others, and that Faith which did remove our Mountains and our Mea∣dows, into the possession of our necessitous neighbors; all these actions, I say, would be but painted schrines, wanting the substance of what they figure and represent, if Charity were not the engine that carryed all these motions; there may be many works that hold this analogy with a tinckling Cymbal, the making their sound out of their hollowness, the being conscient of this emptiness of sincere Charity, may counsel the raising noise and voyce of their Piety, by the sound and report of exterior Charities, to such the Angel declareth, I finde not your works full before my God. * 1.18

Nor can we now excuseably mistake in the measures of this Charity, since Christ Jesus hath left us impressed and stampt upon his own life a new model of compliance with this new Commandment; how unanswerable then is the method of many, who in stead of copying this exemplar, draw their charity to enemies by their own designs, by fitting this figure rather for their own Cabinet, then the Church of Christ; this is the course of such as form their observance of this pre∣cept by the square of their disposition and facility to for∣give some particular offences, that do not much sting their Nature, and allow enemies but such a sort of love as sa∣voreth of contempt, which taketh away the taste and gust of Revenge: And so this maner doth indeed rather but change the dyet of our Nature, then keep her fasting in this precept from all her flattering appetites, for her vicious palate relisheth no less scorn and undervalue of enemies, then revenge and vindication.

So that the figure of this Charity is lame and mis-shapen, and appeareth not taken, off from that mould which we have of our original, the form whereof is, Loving one another, as he hath loved us; and in his model we shall not finde the least oblique angle of contempt to enemies: and sure though we cannot keep, in the forming of our Charity, an Arithmetical

proportion to that of Christ, yet we must observe a Geome∣trical one in this our conformity; which is to say, Though we are not able to attain to an equality of his Charity in point of quantity and greatness, yet our love may be in some sort at least adequated to his, in point of form and propor∣tion, loving just so as he did, though not just as much as he; therefore we are commanded to be perfect, as our heavenly * 1.19 Father is perfect, upon this occasion of our demeanor to enemies, which signifieth a conformity and similitude, not an equality or commensuration to the Divine per∣fection.

As little Lodges may be built by the same model of the greatest Pallaces, so we are to design our Charity to our enemies, by the figure of Christs unto his, which excludeth all sort of animosity or malevolence against adversaries, and interdicteth all self-reparation, by contempt or despection of them, which voideth all the merit of sufferance and for∣giveness; and they who neglect the making their charity like unto that of Christ, in these proportions I have ex∣plained, will finde it so ill done, when it cometh to be set by that figure it ought to resemble, as it will not be known for Charity, so far will it be from becoming eternally like the Original Charity by looking on it, when every well copyed Charity shall pass into that configuration.

§. IV.

The inordinateness of our love difficilitateth this Duty, dissimulation in this conformity reproached, and many benefits derivable from a sincere compliance, represented: As also presumption upon the Theory of this Duty, disswaded.

THe misapprehension of the Nature of Love seemeth a great occasion of our mindes being so aliened from the love of enemies; pleasing objects do common∣ly strain our affections into such excesses, as we of∣ten know no love, but under the notion of a distemper in the concupiscing faculty; and while our affections are ac∣customed to this inordinateness, we can hardly comprehend how love should be compatible with displeasures and con∣trarieties: So that the perversion of our amities, induceth this alienation from our enemies: Could we then hold love from straining into passion, we might easily stay anger from passing into sin, as is evidenced by the lives of all those who have discarded the pleasures of this age, whom we see keep in their hands so contentedly the injuries and offences thereof: We finde it verified in such estates, the growing po∣tent when they are infirm, and the imitation of receiving Judas with, Friend, why art thou come? they who are past be∣ing betrayed by the worlds kisses, are beyond the being dis∣ordered by the spittings of his ministers: But that even those, who are not called to this upper story of Christiani∣ty, may not mistake the nature of this love assigned to ene∣mies by the image of that love they figure due to friends, they may be satisfied, That we are not enjoyned the same

state and composure of minde to the adversaries and offen∣dors, as to the friends and allies of our Nature.

There is a certain inviscerate tenderness of affection, growing in our hearts for children and kindred, which is a kinde of spring of natural love, rising in our mindes, and running from thence in our blood, through our senses, and carrying with it a sensible joy and delectation in such affe∣ctions: This sort of love is not ordained to be communi∣cated to enemies; and there is an intimacy and union be∣tween friends, resulting from an intercourse of mutual sym∣pathy, which raiseth a pleasant alteration in the sensitive appetite, referring to such correspondencies: These sorts of consonancies and kindeness, are not assigned by God to the persons of our enemies and maligners; this constraint is not put upon our Nature: To finde a refreshing air in the furnace of Babylon, is a transcendent grace, and rarely con∣ferred * 1.20 but upon such as have been polluted with the meats of the Kings Table: Those who from their youth have dis∣relished the vain pleasures and honors of the world, may be gratified with this special benediction, of being tenderly affected to the persons of enemies, and the being solicitous to serve them, in conformity to the perfection of our patern, our Savior Christ.

But our precise obligation reacheth no farther, then a sin∣cere and cordial remission and forgiveness of all our offen∣dors; never seeking the least indirect retaliation upon the per∣sons, fame or fortunes of our enemies. Upon the defici∣ency in these points, is our Saviors judgement denounced in * 1.21 the Parable, of our being delivered over to the Tormentors, in case every one forgive not his brother from his heart; and in point of benefiting of enemies, the disposition is onely exacted, in order to their extreme necessities; so that a tem∣perate consideration of the terms of this Duty, will easily resolve with the Apostle of love, That even this command * 1.22 ment is not heavy.

We must remember then, that this order doth not allow

the common shift of the world, which is, The raking up our passion in the ashes of civil prudence, where malice is still kept alive, though it neither blaze nor smoke, to the perce∣ption of others: This allowance would make this precept the easiest to be observed, where it seemeth now the most incompetent; namely, in courts where hatred, as well as * 1.23 many other mean things, is usually dressed up in so fine clothes, with so much art and dissimulation, as it looketh familiarly liker all things, then what it is.

This disguise is the more criminal, as it seemeth to make even God of the party, by putting out his colours of love and sincerity, when all the exterior civilities and correspon∣dencies are but set out as false flags, by which the enemy may be boarded with the more safety: for here the acts of enmity are commonly suspended, not so much out of fear of Gods prohibition, as of his defeature of the success, which is Judas's art, this watching an opportunity that the people might not spoil his bargain; and so the attempt of revenge is but deferred by many, till it seem sure to the wis∣dom of the flesh, which we know is an enemy to God: In this sort * 1.24 Gods enemy shroudeth himself under his wings, while ma∣lice remaineth masked with sociable civility; but indeed this dissimulation is so mean and irreligious a thing, as it may be said to brave God, and to fear Man: And having brand∣ed it with this infamous Character, I hope I shall not need press any farther the detestation of this counterfeit con∣formity.

There may be so great advantage made of enemies, as certainly no ill-willer would act his malice upon one from whom he expected but a return of love: For the scope and aim of all violence and mischief, is the pain and resentment of the patient; so that did we believe our harms designed would prove satisfaction instead of sorrow, malice would ne∣ver alow the maligned party this gain upon her; Envy would never set up her frames, if she thought that she did but weave her Rivals Nuptial garment: Christian Charity maketh this

conversion of the works of her enemies, she cloatheth and adorneth her self by the same hands that invade her.

Therefore we see most commonly, that they are such as are little skill'd in the nature of Charity, that offer injuries and studies revenges; and it must needs be, upon their ex∣pecting such a temper of grieving and vexation in their pa∣tient, as they finde in themselves, otherwise they could not assail an enemy whom they conceived they should fortisie by their attempt: But true Christian Charity hath this ex∣cellent property, unknown to such strangers, and so impro∣veth by her invaders by this unexpected capacity; for there may be truly affirmed much more of the vertue of Charity, then was fained of the estate of Antheus, who was said to raise new strength from his fall, but this was onely after his being overcome; he had been more invincible then Hercu∣les, if he had doubled his forces by the gripes and compres∣sions of his Adversary; and this is the Prerogative of Cha∣rity, which therefore is insuperable by all violences, because she deriveth fresh vigor, even from the pressures of the hands that impugn her: In order to this, I have seen Charity paint∣ed with her hand upon a Compass, and this Motto, While I am press'd, I am inlarged, which aptly expresseth her true nature, and informeth us, That if we do not finde this open∣ing and dilatation of ours, upon the pressures of enemies, we should resort to Christ with this sute of his Apostles upon this same occasion, Lord, increase our Faith: This re∣quest sincerely pursued in all our provocations, is always * 1.25 answered with this grant Saint Paul proclaimeth, of glory∣ing in our probation, as it produceth hope, which is not to be confounded, because the Charity of God is poured forth * 1.26 in our hearts by the Holy Ghost; and this infused love can be tested at nothing more approving, then Enemies and Persecuters: for true Charity must not onely have the clarity of Christal, but the solidity of Gold, it must not onely be lucid and shining in good Works, and firm, until some Violence strike upon it, but it

must be like gold, by which it is so often symbolized, malle∣able and induring all percussions, without shivering or dis∣sipation.

This sort of Charity, hammered by the hands of ene∣mies, and refined in the ardors of persecution, is that fire∣tryed gold, which the faithful and true Witness counselleth us * 1.27 to buy of him to be made rich; but this precaution is very re∣quisite to be given such as intend this purchase, not to reckon on the possession thereof, until they have actually laid out some of it, since this error of the Angel of Laodicea is very familiar, to account our selves rich in it, when we are poor and void of it; for the speculative promises we make to our selves of this treasure, are but such an account, as if one should calculate his wealth upon great Bonds and Obliga∣tions which he had made to himself; our perswasions of this capacity proving often such self-deceivings, when this Cha∣rity is to be issued out in practise: For while the will may take this vertue upon trust, and pay no ready constraint and pain for it, upon these terms it freely engageth it self for fu∣ture discharges of this Obligation; but commonly when God sendeth enemies, affronts and indignities, to call in for the discharge of this Charity, our will doth oftner break and run away from them, then make good and acquit our Con∣tracts: It is therefore but very bad Security which we use to give our selves, the presumption on this vertuous habit, before the practical demonstration; for sure there is no precept of Christianity, wherein the speculation and the practise are more distant from one another then in this of, Loving our enemies, and benefiting our disobligers.

§. 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, * 1.28 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; * 1.29 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 * 1.30 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 * 1.31 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 * 1.32 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. * 1.33

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iohn. 7.
• * 1.2

  Matth. 5. 44.
• * 1.3

  Iohn 3.
• * 1.4

  2 Mac. 1. ••1.
• * 1.5

  2 Pet. 1.
• * 1.6

  Ioh. 13 34.
• * 1.7

  1 Cor. 15. 14.
• * 1.8

  Mat••h. 5.
• * 1.9

  Iohn 14. 6.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 16. 4.
• * 1.11

  1 Iohn 2. 6.
• * 1.12

  John 13. 34.
• * 1.13

  Eph. 5. 29. Eph. 4. 26.
• * 1.14

  1 Cor. 12. 24.
• * 1.15

  Luke 11. 19. John 7. 5.
• * 1.16

  Cant. 1▪
• * 1.17

  Cant. 1. 4.
• * 1.18

  Apoc. 3. 2.
• * 1.19

  Mat. 5. 48.
• * 1.20

  Dan. 1.
• * 1.21

  Mat. 18. 32.
• * 1.22

  1 John 5.
• * 1.23

  Luke 22.
• * 1.24

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.25

  Luke 17. 5.
• * 1.26

  Rom. 5.
• * 1.27

  Apoc. 3.
• * 1.28

  Matt. 11.
• * 1.29

  Matth. 3.
• * 1.30

  Mat. 6. 14.
• * 1.31

  John 14. 36.
• * 1.32

  1 Cor. 6.
• * 1.33

  Mat. 11.