Of loving our Enemie1 177 did he bear the fupine negligenc~ and fiu– pidity of his ,difciples, who flept in the time of his agony. What charity and meeknefs did he evidenc~ toward· thofe who fought his life! He cot1ld have called for legions of angels to defhoy them, or n1ade the earth to· open her n1outh and fwallow then1 up: but he would not , eln– ploy h is n1iracul~us power, fave only for their good, .. refforing a fervant's ear, and reproving th~ .prepo!l'erous zeal of hitn - who -cut it eff. ·Yea, while he hung upon the crofs and was approaching to the gates of death, all the cruel pains of body and far n1ore intolerable preifure of fpirit w.hicl~ he than fufl:ained, did not leffen his won- . derful tcndernefs and affection for his · bloody n1urderers : Father, forgive them, for they know ntJt what they do. Le.t us be frequent and ferious in the ·meditation of thefe things. And if we have any venera– tion for the example of our Saviour, and any fenfe of his ·infinite mercy, this will clifpofe us to the practice ,of his precepts; and , the obedience of his laws ; and parti– cularly the obfervation of this neceffary, this reafonable, and delightful duty, that , we love our enemies. ~ THE
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