Rcafonswhy topray forour =omits. after Ailiwednefday. e4e"rm.3. felues with ftoriesofhis life, and that theywent from Tauerne to Tauern, and from one houfe to another , finging Songs indirifionof him , defcanting and playing vpon him ; but I, turning towards God prayed heartily for them, asknowing therewas notany timefitter than that, for the obtainingofmy re- queft,Tempua beneplaciti, An acceptabletime, rc.Thelikehe faith in the i 8 Pf lm, Proeo,vt medilïgerent,detrahebantmihi;They repaid my louewith hate,mygood aEtions with injuries : Ego&stemorabam , But I quitted their wrongs withmy prayers. Saint Cbry¡oflomefaith That Godcommanding me topray for my enemie,attendsthereinmore tnine,thanhis good ; fortheprayerthatI makefor myenemie thathathdone me wrongs; heapes coles vponhis head, butis a ple- nark indulgence forall thufethat Ihaue done againft my God : nor (hall any thingat theday of judgement plead harderfor vs. Now in another placehee faith,That thepleafure that God doth take inthe good that wedo vnto ourene- mies,isnot becaufe theydeferue it,butbecaufe we fhouldnot fatinto fogreat a finne as is hatredand malice. Twoprayers(faith the fame Father) wee muffne- wer be vnprouidedof; one for our enemie, anotherfor ourowne foule : For if thou fhait pray forthy enemie,though thoubeggeft nothing forthy felfe, yet shalt thouobtaine ofGodwhat thine owne heart defireth. Saint Ambrofcfaith, That Dauid in takingcare for the fauingof Abfalons life, SensatemihipuerumAb- fton, Preferiae metheyoung man Abfalon, didante himfelfeof the viCcorie, . and that hub and his fouldierswould crie out, Kill the Traitor,runne him through, &c. Owhat arich , thoughfecret andhidden Mine, is thepardoningof our eneniie. And hereupon hang twothings : Theone, howvnpleafing a Petition it wouldbein Gods Bares, andhowharfh it would found, that we call vnto him for vengeancevpon our enemie; defiring,that Ioabs dart mayftrikehim through the heart. Theother is Saint Auflens, who faith, That he thatof God (hall en- treat euill againft euill, does himfelfethat which is euill : and it comes by this meanes to be adouble euill ;twoeuills (I fay)fpring from thence, Theone,that he does ill ; theother,Thathe prayes ill. Sothat when hee that is wronged(hall pray vntoGodto deftroy this ill man ; Godmay verse well make him thisan- fwer, Which ofthe two dooft thoumeane? for in feeking tokill another,thou fiat killelt thy felfe : &sandodicis , Deuc, occide malum ;refßondebit, uemve- flrmm ? When thou(haltfay, Lord, kill thewicked one ; he fhall anfwer, Which ofyon ? Ytfitísfilij Patrís yefiri. Thatyeemaybee thechildrenofyour Father. By louing,by doinggood,bypray- ingand pardoning thy enemies,yee flat Phewyourfelues tobe thefuns ofGod. But the reuengefull, thecruel!,and themercilefle man, is ratheramonfter than any child of Gods.God is Loue,and asThomas proouesit outof Dyonifiuc,itis Gods effentiall name. Thereforehe that would be the fonne óf Loue, and yet is ahater of his brother, he is amonfter, andno fonne. To tholechildren that are likevnto their parents,wee vfe tofày,Gods biding, bewith ye,andmakeye like vntoyour parents in goodnefl'e,as in fauour. OurSauiour called thePhari- feesFilios Diabeti, Thechilderenof theDeuill, becaufe they followedhis hu- mours anddefine ;Meeutemhomicida eras ab initio,Andhewas a murthererfrom the beginning. Ifyouwill therefore be Gods children,yeemuff be like vnto God. Seneca tells , That hee didgood to him that didhim ill ; and cries outwithal!, What(hall I doe What Why that which Goddid and does for thee, who began todoegood to thee, whenthou diditnot knowwhat good was, nor how toefteeme it ; andnow thou dooft know it, andthat heftill continues goodvnto E 3 thee, Serm.dePro- ditor,l>sda. chrif. Hom.li. 4. in Gen. lmperfHom. Mat.Hom. a7.ad popwlä. Ambr. ia Apot. Dauid.
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