'· I Oj'lovini? our Enemi"eJ~ l71~ wi'th kii1dnefs and love. Such a fweet dif..; pofition will molify-the hardeft hearts, and' charn1 the n1oft froward hun1ours; efpc-~ cially if "~e ~arry ourfelves with fuch pru-· · den£~ and , difcretion, as- n1ay teHify tha~ we are a~9:ed by a noble and generous cha– ritY., and not by a-fiupid infenfibpity. Ho\v-– often does afo.lt a1}iuer turn awqy ·--wrath?' ·and"the overlooking- of an injury prevent farther trouble, throwing \Vater upon the , ~ fpark before it br.eak ·forth into a flame? Hence, if ·we look upon meek and quier perfons,. \Ye fhall· ordinarily find then1 hap-– py in the iJeace of their fatllilies, and fa– Your and kindnefs of all their neighbours: , vvhercas the angry, qua 1 elfome, and ma– -licious perfon, is an ey~-fore to all . about hin1; his neig-hbours fhun him, his fervants dread hin1, .and all abhor and avoid hin1. _And therefore the obfervation of this pre– cept of our Lord, is fo far from expofing us to new injuries, that by the n1crcy of God it will prove the befi means to fecure our ,tranquillity. Peace ,!halL be the re·ward , of :i peaceable ten1per. But, lafl:ly, fome will tell · us, that the. love of enemies, and pardC)ning injuries, ·is·. inconfiftent with the principles of honour; and will expofe us to contempt and pcri- · ,', P 2 , fion . .
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