-~ Of loviltg our Enemies I 69 .. Were it t'lot far more rationa1 to .atgtte thus: It is indifpenfab-ly con1n1anded, there... fore it n1ufi needs be poillble? And fo it bas been to ·aH good ITien that ever lived; and fo it will be, ·by God's affifl-ance, to all that n1ake it their fiudy~ } f~yh an·d blood cannot do it. True enough; ·but then take this into the account, Flefh ·an.d blood }hall 1Jever enter into the kingdom of ~caveJt. It is indeed againft the propet1fion of our ·cor– rupt nature; but it is the work of Chr·i"' fiians to n1ortify their co'rruptions. And if we think it impoffible, at the con1n1and of God, and .for the purchafe of heaven) to love an enemy, and pardon an injury, how would we bear thofe hard trials which ChrifHans have fuffered by the crue'hy of perfecutors? Whether is it eafier to fuflcr a wrong, or t_o give our bod to be burned? . Certainly ·,vhen we ·have obeyed thi-s pre– cept, we:have not yet refifiedurrto blood; and therefore · that obedience -can never be itn– poffible, fince harder . things may be ex– pected from us. Ther~fote ,ferioufly fer about the work, and endeavour to- bring your n1inds to a compliance with it; and then your own experience fhall confute thefe idle pretences, and evince the poffibi~ iity of the pcrfonnance. P Another
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