XLIV. 1. A Christian indeed doth love his enemies, and forgive those that injure him, and this out of a thankful sense of that grace which forgave him a far greater debt: Not that he thinketh it unlawful to make use of the Justice of the Government which he is under, for his necessary protection, or for the restraint of mens abuse and violence: Nor is he bound to love the malice or injury, though he must love the man: Nor can he forgive a crime as it is against God or the common good, or against another, though he can forgive an injury or debt, that is his own: Nor is he bound to forgive every debt, though he is bound so far to forgive every wrong as heartily to desire the good of him that did it. Even Gods Enemies he so far loveth, as to desire God to convert and pardon them, while he hateth their sin, and hateth them as Gods enemies, and desireth their restraint, Psal. 139.21, 22. & 101.3. & 119.4. & 68.1. ⟨p. 107⟩& 21.8. But those that hate, and curse, and persecute himself, he can unfeignedly love, and bless, and pray for, Matth. 5.43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48. For he knoweth that else he cannot be a child of God, v. 45. And that to love those that love him is not much praise-worthy, being no more than Heathens and wicked men can do: v. 46, 47. He is so deeply sensible of that wondrous love, which so dearly redeemed him, and saved him from Hell, and forgave him a thousandfold worse than the worst that ever was done against himself, that Thankfulness and Imitation, or Conformity to Christ in his great compassions, do overcome his desires of revenge, and make him willing to do good to his most cruel enemies; and pray for them as Christ and Stephen did at their deaths, Luk. 23.34. Acts 7.60. And he knoweth that he is so inconsiderable a worm, that a wrong done to him as such, is the less considerable: And he knoweth that he daily wrongeth God more than any man can wrong him, and that he can hope for pardon but on condition that he himself forgive, Matth. 6.12, 14, 15. & 18.34, 35. And that he is far more hurtful to himself, than any other can be to him.
XLIV. 1. A Christian indeed doth love his enemies, and forgive those that injure him, and this out of a thankfull sense of that grace which forgave him a farr greater debt: Not that he thinketh it unlawfull to make use of the Justice of the Government which he is under, for his necessary protection, or for the restraint of mens abuse and violence: Nor is he bound to love the malice or injury, though he must love the man: Nor can he forgive a crime as it is against God or the common good, or against another, though he can forgive an injury or debt, that is his own: Nor is he bound to forgive every debt, though he is bound so farre to forgive every wrong as heartily to desire the good of him that did it. Even Gods Enemies he so farre loveth, as to desire God to convert and pardon them, while he hateth their sin, and hateth them as Gods enemies, and desireth their restraint, Psal. 139.21, 22. & 101.3. & 119.4. & 68.1. ⟨p. 107⟩& 21.8. But those that hate, and curse, and persecute himself, he can unfeignedly love, and bless, and pray for, Matth. 5.43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48. For he knoweth that else he cannot be a child of God, v. 45. And that to love those that love him is not much praise-worthy, being no more than Heathens and wicked men can do: v. 46, 47. He is so deeply sensible of that wondrous love, which so dearly redeemed him, and saved him from Hell, and forgave him a thousandfold worse than the worst that ever was done against himself, that Thankfulness and Imitation, or Conformity to Christ in his great compassions, do overcome his desires of revenge, and make him willing to do good to his most cruel enemies; and pray for them as Christ and Stephen did at their deaths, Luk. 23.34. Acts 7.60. And he knoweth that he is so inconsiderable a worm, that a wrong done to him as such, is the less considerable: And he knoweth that he daily wrongeth God more than any man can wrong him, and that he can hope for pardon but on condition that he himself forgive,
