Direct. 7. Keep up Charity to all, even unto enemies; and special Love to all the Godly. And therefore hate back-biting and slandering, and making the worst of other mens actions: Take them as thieves that come to rob you of your Charity: He that speaks evil of another, persuadeth you so far to hate him (unless it be in Charity, persuading you to seek his cure.) Hear the reproacher and back-biter understandingly, as if he said, in words, as he doth in sense, [I pray you hate such a man, or abate your Love to him.] As the way to cause Love is to represent the object Lovely, which doth much more then to command me to Love it: So the way to cause Hatred, is to represent the object hateful or unlovely, which is more then to bid us hate our brother. And he that hateth his brother is a man-slayer; and none such have eternal life abiding in them. Away therefore with those Volumes of Learned slanders and reproaches, begotten betwixt uncharitableness and self love, (or pride;) and take them as the Devils Books, that are written to draw thee to hate thy Brother. Frown also upon the censorious: Take heed also of divisions and parties, because they are enemies ⟨p. 22⟩to universal Love; and are but Imposthumes or Boils of the Church, where Zeal and Love are diseasedly drawn into a narrow compass; and that is appropriated to a few, that should be common to all Believers. Cherish meekness and patience, and reject all that carnal Zeal or Envy, Contention and Animosities, which are contrary to Love. Read and study well the third Chapter of St. James, and the Epistle of John.
Direct. 7. Keep up Charity to all, even unto enemies; and special Love to all the Godly. And therefore hate back-biting and slandering, and making the worst of other mens actions: Take them as thieves that come to rob you of your Charity: He that speaks evil of another, perswadeth you so far to hate him (unless it be in Charity, perswading you to seek his cure.) Hear the reproacher and back-biter understandingly, as if he said, in words, as he doth in sense, [I pray you hate such a man, or abate your Love to him.] As the way to cause Love is to represent the object Lovely, which doth much more then to command me to Love it: So the way to cause Hatred, is to represent the object hateful or unlovely, which is more then to bid us hate our brother. And he that hateth his brother is a man-slayer; and none such have eternal life abiding in them. Away theresore with those Volumes of Learned slanders and reproaches, begotten betwixt uncharitableness and self love, (or pride;) and take them as the Devils Books, that are written to draw thee to hate thy Brother. Frown also upon the censorious: Take heed also of divisions and parties, because they are enemies ⟨p. 22⟩to universal Love; and are but Imposthumes or Biles of the Church, where Zeal and Love are diseasedly drawn into a narrow compass; and that is appropriated to a few, that should be common to all Believers. Cherish meekness and patience, and reject all that carnal Zeal or Envy, Contention and Animosities, which are contrary to Love. Read and study well the third Chapter of St. James, and the Epistle of John.
