536 CSARACTEA OF A SOUND, evil, and is not suspicious, but ever apt to judge the best, till the d'orstbe evident; 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5. "It beareth all things, be- lieveth all things, (that are credible;} hopeth all things, endureth all things;" vet. 7. But it is no wonder to see childrenfall out, even about their childish toys and trifles; and what the dissen- sions of the childrenof the church have done against themselves in these kingdoms, I need hot, I delight not, to record. , See 1 Cor.,iii. 1-4.. "And I, brethren; could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto, carnal, even as untobabes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat ; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able, for ye are yet car- nal ; for whereas there is among you envying, and. strife, and dj- visions, are you not carnal, and walk as men?" . 3. 'The seeming Christianmay have some love to real Christians, 'even for their goodness' sake; but it is a love subservient fo his carnal self-love; and, therefore, it shall mot cost him much. As he bath some love to Christ, so he mayhave some love to Chris- tians; but he bath more to the world and fleshly ,pleasures; and, therefore, all his love to Christ or Christiàns will not make him leave his worldly happiness for them. And, therefore,.Christ, at the day of judgment, will not inquire after empty; barren love, but after that dove which visited, and relieved suffering saints. .A hypocrite can allow both Christ and Christians such a cheap, superficial kind of love; as will cost him little. He will bid them lovingly, " Depart in peace, he ye warmed and filled; ". James ii. 15-17. But still the world is most beloved. XLIV. L A Christian indeed doth love his enemies, ,and 'for- give those that injure him, and this out of a thankful sense of that grace whichforgave hima far greater debt. Not that he thinketh it unlawful to make use of the justice of the government which he is under for his necessary protection, orfor the restraint of men's abuse and violence. Nor is he bound to love the malice or injury, though he must love the man. Nór can he forgive a crime as it is against God or the common good,or against another, though he can forgive an injury or debt that is his own. Nor is he bound to forgive every debt, though . he is bound so far to forgive every wrong as . heartily to desire the goldof him that did it. Even God's enemies he. so far loveth as to. desire God to convert and pardon them, hile he their sin, and hateth them as God's enemies, and desireth their restraint; Psal. cxxxix. 21, 22. ci. 3. cxix. 4. lxvíii. 1. xxi. 8. But those that hate, and curse, and persecute himself, he can unfeignedly love, and bless, and pray for; Matt. v. 43-48. For he knoweth that else he cannot be a child of God,; Ver. 45. And that to love those that love him is not much praiseworthy, being no more than heathens and wicked
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