I 54 The indifpenfab!e Dufj · lefs from thence he ta}<e occafion to ·benefit and ob]ige the perfon who has offended hin1, and, as our text expr~fsly direCl:s, to do. him good, tiJ blejs andpray fir him. . Again, this precept does exclude and pro– hibit the taking or. procuring any revenge. By revenge, we n1ean fuch a fimple evi.l done to our adverfary, as does bring no real benefit or,reputation to ourfdves. For certainly it is not unlawful to feek the re– paration of our own ri ght by an au.thorifed judge, nor yet to provide for the pubiick fe..:urity by the punilhment of offenders, unlefs fome fpecial circumfiance n1akes it. fo. This may many times be dqne witl1out prejudicce or hatred, ~a with great kindnefs and compaffion tov..~ards the perfon, of the offender. But, if we have any charity or love to our adverfaries, we .!hall be really affliCted with -the evH that befals them ; and therefore will never '~illingly procure ourfelves that trouble by infli8:ing it on them. It is an evidence of a wicked and malicious hutnour to pleafe ourfelv~s in the mjfery of another, or delight in an evil that brings us no good.. Whatever– latitude the Jews either had or pretended to, it is not lawful for us to defire eye .for· eve, or. trJo.th jo,r tooth,, :unl~fs we could fay, · · t.hat~
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