144 'The indi)penfable Duty meaning and itnportance of the precept will appear, if we confider, rjl, Who they . are whom \ve are comm~nded to love ·; .and, zdly, Whcr'ein the love we owe them ·does conG.fi; The perfons wl)o1n we are con11nanded to love, are called our enemies. And, left we ihould n1ifiake _them, ·they . are <:learly defcribed in the following words•. (T~1e fountain of their enn1ity is within. They are thofe 7J!Jho hate us; who envy , ()Uf h~ppinefs, who wiih our mifery, and a,bhor our perfons and fociety. But, were this .fire kept within ~heir breaft, it might ' well fcorch themfelves it could not pre– judice us: but out of the abundance of 'the heart the mouth /peaketh; their n1alice does .fharpen thc;ir tongues. They are farther defcribed as thofe that curfe us j they vent .their wrath in oaths and imprecati– ons, fecret caluninies, and open reproaches. Nor are their ,hands always bound · up; theyufe uJ defpiteful!J, and procure us Jnif– chief. Now, if our love 1nufi be exten'ded to all thefe, we fhall hardly find any whom·· we dare fafely exclude. Of our . private enemies there can be no q~efiion. But what ihall be laid of the enemies .of our country, I fee no warrant to exclude them from. ·
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