A26981:240
A paraphrase on the New Testament with notes, doctrinal and practical, by plainness and…A paraphrase on the New Testament with notes, doctrinal and practical, by plainess and…
A paraphrase on the New Testament with notes, doctrinal and practical, by plainness and brevity fitted to the use of religious families, in their daily reading of the Scriptures : and of the younger and poorer sort of scholars and ministers, who want fuller helps : with an advertisement of difficulties in the Revelations / by Richard Baxter.A paraphrase on the New Testament with notes, doctrinal and practical, by plainess and brevity fitted to the use of religious families, in their daily reading of the Scriptures : and of the younger and poorer sort of scholars and ministers, who want fuller helps : with an advertisement of difficulties in the Revelations / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for B. Simmons, 1685
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
43.44. God did let out the Israelites to execute so great slaughters on their Heathen enemies, that occasioned many of old to restrain Love to too narrow an object, and to incline to hatred and hurtfulness to enemies, too much: But I tell you, that you must Love all your enemies according to the degree of amiableness in them; that is, All men as men; All sober moral men as such; all visible members of the Church as such: And all notably sincere, eminent, excellent and useful Christians as such; And let not enmity to you, suspend this Love; (Tho you be not bound to love all alike, nor to trust any mortal man too far.) And it is not enough that you do your enemies no hurt; nor will their hating, cursing, or spiteful usage and persecution of you, excuse you from your duty: But notwithstanding all this, you must love them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, speak well of them and bless them that speak ill of you and curse you; for you are not God's children if you be not like him, and imitate him, who maintaineth the life, health and natural comforts of the just and unjust.
43.44. God did let out the Israelites to execute so great slaughters on their Heathen enemies, that occasioned many of old to restrain Love to too narrow an object, and to incline to hatred and hurtfulness to enemies, too much: But I tell you, that you must Love all your enemies according to the degree of amiableness in them; that is, All men as men; All sober moral men as such; all visible members of the Church as such: And all notably sincere, eminent, excellent and useful Christians as such; And let not enmity to you, suspend this Love; (Tho you be not bound to love all alike, nor to trust any mortal man too far.) And it is not enough that you do your enemies no hurt; nor will their hating, cursing, or spightfull usage and persecution of you, excuse you from your duty: But notwithstanding all this, you must love them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, speak well of them and bless them that speak ill of you and curse you; for you are not God's children if you be not like him, and imitate him, who maintaineth the life, health and natural comforts of the just and unjust.
N. O how little Conscience do most Christians, even the Religious make of this command of Christ? How freely do they speak evil of their enemies, and think themselves excused by saying, It is as they are Christ's enemies and not as ours: Hate the sin, and dislike the sinner as such; so you will but love all that is lovely in him, and remember, that it is Love that must overcome evil, and make bad men lovely.