z 3 z The Life of yeJus Chri/i Vol. IL anfwers their Malice and Rage, not with boifterous Paillon, but by cairn Rea- fon and Argument; and notwithftanding it had little Effe&, he continues this Way to the Taft, and as the Malice of Ms Enemies was invincible, fo was his Meeknefs. In his Taft Sufferings when he was fo rudely and injurioufly treated at his Trial, and one of the High- Priefts Officers Itruck him in the open Face of the Court, he onlyPays to him, IfI havefpaken Evil, bearWitnefr of the Evil: but i well, why fmitefl thou me.? What could be faid more meekly ? What more reafonably ? And when, in the Extremity of his Sufferings, the High- Priefls, and the Soldiers, and the People, all joined together to revile him, and infult over his Mifery, in the molt barbarous and cruel Manner ; inftead of breaking out into Patíion in this Anguithof his Soul, he pours out his Prayers to God on their Behalf, and makes the molt charitable Excufe and Apology for them, that their Crime was poflibly capable of : Father, forgive them; for they 4nownot what they do. While he felt the bitter Effe&s of their Malice, he imputes it to their Ignorance. Here is an Example of Meeknefs fit for the Son of God to give, and much more fit for the Sons of Men to follow ; for as the wife Sonof Syrach fays excellently, Pride mar not madefor Men, nor furious .Angerfor him that was horn of a Woman. And having filch an Example left us of this great Virtue, let us do likewife, fince as St. Peter tells us, He fufered, with all this Meeknefs and Patience, to leave us an Example, thatye might follow his Steps ; who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he fu$ered, he threatned not ; but committedhimfelfto him thatjudg- eth righteonfly. When we confider this Example, can we refent fo highly every petty Injury and Provocation ? And upon every fighting Word proceed to a Challenge and aQuarrel, and entertain fierce and implacable Thoughts of Re- venge ? When the Son of God with fo much Meeknefs endured the continual Contradiflions ofSinners, and put up fuck"outragious Affronts and Indignities from his Creatures, thofe ungrateful Wretches whom he had made, and whom he came to fave, and for whom he offered to give that very Blood, which they fo cruelly and malicioufy flied, for the Expiationof their Guilt ? To all which I (hall add, his Readinefs to forgive Injurjes, confidering the Temptations he had to Wrath and Revenge, from the fpiteful Reproaches, and injurious Calumnies, and continual Perfecution of his bitter and implacable Enemies without a Caufe; who purfued him with inceffant Rage and Malice, and never gave over 'till they had wrought his Ruin, and by falfe Accufations, and a molt violent Perfecution, and feditious Tumults and Clamours, they had forc'd the Roman Governour, contrary to his Inclination, and the Convi&ions of his own Mind and Confcience, and againft all Reafon and Juftice, to pafs Sentence uton him, when he declared hefew nothing in him worthy of Death, and to condemn him to a moil painful and ignominious Death. Nor did their Malice end here; but they aggravated his Sufferings with fcurrilous Taunts and Re- proaches, and all the Rudenefs and Indignities imaginable: And yet, all this in- jurious and cruel Ulage, did not provoke him to one revengeful Thought; could not extort from him fo much as one peevifh, or misbecoming, or threat- nine Word. When he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he fafered, he threat- sled not. But notwithftanding all this Provocation, he was more ready to for- give the lnjuries and Indignities they put upon him, than they could be to offer them, and implored the Mercy and Forgivenefs ofGod for them, as heartily and as earneftly as they had folicited his Death and Deftru&ion. It is eatie to give Precepts of Forgivenefs, to bid Men Love their Enemies, biefs them that curt them, dogood to them that hate them, andpray for them that de f ightfidly of them, and perfecute them, and to forgive oar Brother that ofends us, not only to [even Times, but to feventy Times feven, without Stint and Limit but the Pra&ice of this is exceeding difficult; for how hard do we find it to pats by little Provocations, and upon a very fmall Affront and Indignity offer'd to us to fup- prefs the Thought and Delire of Revenge, and to command our Pafiìon from breaking out in Word or Deed ? But much more difficult is it perfe&ly to for- give, to love our Enemies, to prayfor them, and. to be ready to do them good. 4 Such
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