A Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practically resolvedA Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practicaly resolved

I know many are apt to justify themselves in their animosity, and bitterness of spirit, towards others, upon a pretence that they bear the same disaffected mind towards them. But besides that it is the most manifest, and indefensible injustice; if they charge the innocent, or such as they are not sure are guilty, if their own wrath and enmity be so potent in them as to enable their tainted vicious imagination to create its object, or so to disguise and falsely clothe it, as to render it such to themselves, as whereupon they may more plausibly pour out their fury. I say besides that, how contrary is this vindictive spirit to the rules and spirit of the Christian Religion! Is this to love our enemies, to bless them that curse us, and despitefully use us, &c? How unlike the example of our blessed Lord, when, even in dying agonies, he breathed forth these words and his soul almost at once, Father forgive them, &c: Or of the holy Martyr Stephen, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. How unlike is that aptness to the retaliating of injuries, to the Christian temper which the renowned Calvin discovers in an Epistle to Bullinger, speaking of Luther's severity towards him. If Luther a thousand times (saith he) call me devil, I will acknowledge him for a famous servant of God; which Passage both Bishop Morton and Bishop Davenant, magnify him for, and the former saith, he herein spake so calmly, so placidly, so indulgently, as if it were not a man, but humanity it self that uttered the words.

I know many are apt to justify themselves in their animosity, and bitterness of spirit, towards others, upon a pretence that they bear the same disaffected mind towards them. But besides that it is the most manifest, and indefensible injustice; if they charge the innocent, or such as they are not sure are guilty, if their own wrath and enmity be so potent in them as to enable their tainted vicious imagination to create its object, or so to disguise and falsly clothe it, as to render it such to themselves, as whereupon they may more plausibly pour out their fury. I say besides that, how contrary is this vindictive spirit to the rules and spirit of the Christian Religion! Is this to love our enemies, to bless them that curse us, and despitefully use us, &c? How unlike the example of our blessed Lord, when, even in dying agonies, he breath'd forth these words and his soul almost at once, Father forgive them, &c: Or of the holy Martyr Stephen, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. How unlike is that aptness to the retaliating of injuries, to the Christian temper which the renowned Calvin discovers in an Epistle to Bullinger, speaking of Luthers severity towards him. If Luther a thousand times (saith he) call me devil, I will acknowledge him for a famous servant of God; which Passage both Bishop Morton and Bishop Davenant, magnify him for, and the former saith, he herein spake so calmly, so placidly, so indulgently, as if it were not a man, but humanity it self that uttered the words.