.Againft Malice and fi\.ewnge. think of? Ohearkcntothe dreadful uumpetof God, which is fummoning you all rocome . way and mcthink~ this·!kould foun_q a retreat to the malirious, from perfecudng rhofc with whom they ar~ going to be JUdl\ed•. G~d w,U{houly ll)•ke the third, if you will needs be quarrelling t UnlcCs it be malbri D{)gs or hghtmg Cocks, there are fence any creatures but will give over fighting, jf man or beaft do come upon.th 1 .:m, that would defiroy or hurt them both. 9· 20. Coniid. 14· fVr'athful and hurtful creaturu are commOJJly baud and purfucd by aU: and love· Con/id 14 • iJ 1 g, gentlt, harmltfs, profitable creaturu, &re commonly bclfJVed : And will you nuke your [dves • Jikr: wild Bcafis or Vermine, that all men naturally hare and. fcek to detlroy ? If a Wolf or a Fox or •n Adder do bur appear 1 every man is ready eo fct:k rhe death of him, as a hunful cr~ature a11J an ent rr,y to mankind : But harmlefs crearures no one medierh with ( unlcfs for their own b'enctit and ufe ): So if you wili be malicious hurtful Serpents that hifs, and fling, and trouble o:hcrs, you will be the common hatred of the world, and it will be thoug,ht a meritorious work to mifchicf you : Whereas it you will b~: loving, kind and profitable, it will be taken to be mens interdl to love you, and ddirc your good. 9· 21· Con!id. 15· ObCe1ve how you unfit your frlvu for .u holy dutiu, and communion with God, Co•Jid. , 5 , JVbile )'flU chtrifh wrath and maliCl~ mJ'OKr heart!. Do you find your felves fit for M\:dJtatmn, Conference or Puyer while you are in wrath ? 1know you cannot: It both undifpofeth you to the duty and the guilt alfrightcth ¥DU, and tellcth you that you a1·e un~t to come near to God. As a Feavo; taktth aw•y a mans appc:tite to his mc:ar, and his difpofition to hbour, fo doth wrath and malice de~ llroy both your diJP >firi<H to holy duties, and your pleafure in them. And confcience wjl\ reil you thal it is fo ftn iblc to draw near God in fuch a caf(', that you will be readier were it pofilble to hide ynur {elves as Ad.nn and Evt, or fly as Cain, as not enduring the prefence of God. And therefore the Ct•n1mon-Praycr Boo]{ above all other tins, 01ableth the Pallor 10 keep away the malicious from the.. Sacrament ot Communion; znd confciericc maketh many that have lictle confcit·nce in any"rhing eUC, that thly dare not come to that Sactarnent, while wrath and malice are in their breail:s : Aud ChriHhilrJdt faith, M:m h. 5· 23, 24, 2 )· If thou hri11g rlry gift unto the Altar, and tb~·re remembrcft that thy brother hatb ou~ht againjt tln:e; Leave there thy gifi b1[.Jre tbeAltar , and go thy way, firjt bt rccuntiltd to dry br"'ther, ar.d thnt come and offer thy gift. Agree rvitb rhi;:e advcrfary quicl!,.ly while t iiiJU '"' in tbt way witb him, ltjt Jt u-ny time tht adverj"ary ddivtr tbee to the ]sedge, and the Judge deli;:llr tiJCC tu the Officer, and 1bou be ctJft intoprifon, &c• . 9· 22· Con!id. 16. And your!in is aggravated, in th" you hinder the good ofthofe that you are Colljid. 10 • otknd1..d with, and alfo provoke them to add fin to fin, and w be as furious and uncharitable as yvm ldvcs. If your neighbour be nor faulty, why are you fo difpleaftd with him> If he be, Why will you make him worl(. ? Will you bring him to amendment by h:ured or cruelty ? D0 you think one v1c,_ \\ill cure anothtr? 10r is any man like to hearken to rhe counfd of an enemy? Or to love the words of one that hactrl~ him? 1s mJl(ce and fiercenefs an attractive thing? Or rather Is it not the way re dJi,•e men further, ftqrn their dury 1 and intb fiil, by driving them from you who pretend to re.. form rhcrn by fuch unlikely contrary means as the[e? And as you do your worfi: to hard(:n them in thtir f3.ults, and to make them hate what c:vc:r you woulllperlwadc them to: fo at prefent you ft:t:k m kindle in their breails, the fame tire of malice or p1ffion which is kindled in your fCives. As Lf'JvC is the muft eff~..6tual way to caufe Love; fo paffion is the moft dfcd-ual caufc of paffion; and malice js the mofi dftctual caufe of malice; and hurting anotht:r is the powerfuHeft means, to provoke him to hurt you again if he be able : ( And weak things arc oft times able to do hurt, when inju~ ries boyle up their paOions to the height, or make them dtfpcrate. ) If )'OUr finful provocations till him aUO wilh rage, and make him curfe, or fwcar, or rail, or plot revenge, or do you a mifchief, you are guilty of {his tin, and have a hand in the damnation of his foul, as much as in you ly<tb. 9· 23. Confid. '7· Confider howm•ch fitter mean1 there art •• hand, to right your fclf, and attain C {Id , 7 any 1..11ds rhat are good, than by paffior., malice or revenge. If your end be nothing but to do on ' ' • m1khid, and make another mi{~_rahle, yeu arc to the world as mad Dogs, and Wolves, and St:rpents to theC11untrey; and they t~at know you will be as glad when the world is rid of you, as wht:n an Addlr or a Toad is killed. But if your end be only to right your filvt s, and to reclaim your c:ne.. my, or rdorm your brother, fury and revenge is not the way. God hath appointed Governours to do jullicc in Common-wealths and Families, and to thoft you may repair, and not take: upon you to rc:vengc your fdves : And, God himfelf is the rnotl righteous Govcrnour of all the world, and to him you may confidently rcferr rhe cafe, when Magifirates and Rulers fail yqu: and his judgc:ment will be foon enough and feVerc enough. And if you would rather have your neighbour reclaimed th01.n defhoyed, it is Love and gentlencfs that are the way, with peaceable convictions, and fuch rcafonings as fi1ew that you dcfire his Good! Overcome him with kindnefs , if you would melt him into repentance, and heap coals of fire on his head. If rhy enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirft, give him drink : This is overcoming evil with good, ( and not by beaHly fury to ov'ercomc: him); bur when you arc: drawn to tintu! paffion and revenge, you arc: O'IJttcQmt of e"Vil, Rom. I 2· 19, 20, 21· If you would do good, it muft be by gllnd, and not by evil. ~· 24· Confid. 18. Rcmem~er alfo how lit[Ie you aie concetried in the words· or ad:i"ons of other Conjid. 1 8. men towards you, in cnrnpar1fon of )Bitr carriaJ!.e to your feh·es antl them. You have greater mauers to mind, than your liu le: tufferings by them; even the prefcrving of your inuocency and your peace with God! It is your own a{iions, and not theirs that you muft anfwer for. You fh&ll not becondemn~ cd for fnffering wrung, buuor d1i11g wrong you may. A:ll their injuries againft you, make you 110t the
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