Of lovi11g· our Enerrri,e.r !·53 barm, but will ceafe to do them good? This is a lame and imperfect· charity; ex– rrefsly con traGicrory tiO the precept in the .text, injoining us to blefs tbt:m that cmje 1ts ,_to do _.o.;ood to tbem that hate us,. and to pray f;r t!jenz that dejpi~efully uje us. Nor n1uft \\ e expecr the blcffing of God, if this be all we allow to others ;J&.r with what meajitre 'We mete, it]half be meafit red to us. l{f!;ant. There is but one way we may la\v– fully ren1ember an injury and that is fo as to be n1ore cautious in trufiing one who hath deceived us·, or expofing ourfdves to tb.e· power of hin1 who bath wronged us. In this cafe religion does allow and dire& us tb join the ferpent's wifdon1 with the dove's - innocency. But then, I am fure, it is neither neceffary nor fit to threaten thofe who have wronged us, with our refolutions to re– n1ember ~he injury. We may be as eau~ tious as we pleafe without it; and thofe threats do nothing but rankle and difpleafe our adverfary, which o·ught to be no part of a Chrittian's ddign. A meek and cha– ritable perfon will be loth to have his tne– n1ory infefh:::d, and l~is. thoughts foun.~d with refentment of wrorigs: and if the·yoccur to his 1nind, he will make no other ufe of them, than to put hhnfelf on his guard un~ lefs
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