A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

This God required of the Jewish nation of old: If a stranger sojourn with you in your land, ye shall not vex him; but the stranger that dwelleth with you, shall be as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thy self. Yea; although he be an enemy, the case is the same, for so Christ resolves it: ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thine enemy; but I say unto you, love your enemies. Ye have heard: the Scribes and Pharisees might have taught them thus, blotting the text with their false interpretation; but Christ better informs them, and wiping away their blots with his sponge, restores the Law to its primitive beauty and perfection: I say unto you, love your enemies. And doth not the Law say the same also? we find a very fair text in the Law to this purpose; If thou meet thine enemies Ox, or his Ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again: ¹If thou see the Ass of him that hateth thee, lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. Doth God take care for Oxen? for mans sake doubtless this is written; and so it appears plainly in the text, Thou shalt surely help with him: thou shalt bring it back again to him; it was to be done, not only in mercy to the beast; but in love to the man.

This God required of the Jewish nation of old: If a stranger sojourn with you in your land, ye shall not vex him; but the stranger that dwelleth with you, shall be as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thy self. Yea; although he be an enemy, the case is the same, for so Christ resolves it: ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thine enemy; but I say unto you, love your enemies. Ye have heard: the Scribes and Pharisees might have taught them thus, blotting the text with their false interpretation; but Christ better informs them, and wiping away their blots with his spunge, restores the Law to its primitive beauty and perfection: I say unto you, love your enemies. And doth not the Law say the same also? we find a very fair text in the Law to this purpose; If thou meet thine enemies Ox, or his Asse going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again: ¹If thou see the Asse of him that hateth thee, lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. Doth God take care for Oxen? for mans sake doubtless this is written; and so it appears plainly in the text, Thou shalt surely help with him: thou shalt bring it back again to him; it was to be done, not only in mercy to the beast; but in love to the man.