PART t. SERMON VII. 99 becausethey have something in them that is criminal and worthy of blame ! Thus our judgment is abused by our passions ; and sometimes this folly reigns in us to such a degree that we can hardly allow a man to be wise or ingenious, to have a grain of good sense, orgood humour, that is not of our profession, or our party, in matters of church or state. Let us look back upon our conduct, and blush to think that we should indulge such preju- dices, sucha sinfulpartiality. 2d Remark. A man that has not true grace, nor holi- ness, may be the just object of our love : for we find several instances and several degrees of love were paid by Christ, the wisest and best of men, to a youth of a covetous and car- nal temper ! one whopreferred earth to heaven, and valuedhis present possessions above those eternal treasures that Christ had promised him. I confess, under the Old Testament, in thecxxxix. Psalm, ver. 21, 22. Davidappeals to God, do not I hate them, that hate . thee? and adds, I hate them with aperfect hatred. But this need not be construed to signify any malice ih his heart against them, as a private person ; but his design to fight against them, and suppress them, as a soldier, and a king, because' they appeared publicly against God ; forhe adds, I am grieved at those that rise up against thee, I count them mine enemies. Besides, these persons were ofso'abandoned a character, thatthey seem tohave had nothing good in them ; and he mightjustly hate them, con- sideredmerely as sinners, in the same sense that'we must hate ourselves, so far as we are sinful. I might add to all this, that they were cruel andbloody with regard to men, and they spoke wickedly against God, and were God's protested enemies, ver. 19. and 20. After all, it was much more allowable in David the Jew in the heat ofhis zeal, to talk thus, than it can be for us, christians ; while we read the words of our Saviour, Mat. v. 43, 44, 45. Wehaveheard thatit hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, andhate thine enemy: But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curseyou do good to them that hate you, andpray for them which despitefiallrl use you, and persecuteyou : thatye may be the children ofyour, Father which is inheaven; or he malseth his sun to rise on the evil' and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the .unjust: While we consider also in what a divine manner, our Lord Jesus has exemplified his own precept, and has loved many of his enemies, so as to diefor them; and manifested so much natural affection, even for the young sinner in my text, because therewere some good qualities found úi him. I will not say therefore within myselfconcerning any man, n2
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