Eighty Sermons, Candlemas · Sermon 10
SERMON X. Preached upon Candlemas Day.
ROM. 12.20.
Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him, if he thirſt give him drink; for, in ſo doing thou ſhalt heap coales of fire on his head.
IT falls out, I know not how, but, I take it from the inſtinct of the Holy Ghoſt, and from the Propheticall ſpirit reſiding in the Church of God, that thoſe Scriptures which are appointed to be read in the Church, all theſe dayes, (for I take no other this Terme) doe evermore afford, and offer us Texts, that direct us to patience, as though theſe times had eſpecial need of thoſe inſtructions. And truly ſo they have; for though God have ſo farre ſpared us as yet, as to give us no exerciſe of patience in any afflictions, inflicted upon our ſelves, yet, as the heart akes if the head doe, nay, if the foote ake, the heart akes too; ſo all that profeſſe the name of Chriſt Jeſus aright, making up but one body, we are but dead members of that body, if we be not affected with the diſtempers of the moſt remote parts thereof. That man ſayes but faintly, that he is heart-whole, that is macerated with the Gout, or lacerated with the Stone; It is not a heart, but a ſtone growne into that forme, that feeles no paine, till the paine ſeize the very ſubſtance thereof. How much and how often S. Paul delights himſelfe with that ſociable ſyllable, Syn, Con, Conregnare, and Convificare, and Conſedere, of Raigning together,2 Tim. 2.12. Eph. 2.1, 6. and living, and quickning together: As much alſo doth God delight in it, from us, when we expreſſe it in a Conformity, and Compunction, and Compaſſion, and Condolency, and (as it is but a little before the Text) in weeping with them that weepe. Our patience therefore being actually exerciſed in the miſeries of our brethren round about us, and probably threatned in the aimes and plots of our adverſaries upon us, though I hunt not after them, yet I decline not ſuch Texts, as may direct our thoughts upon duties of that kinde.
This Text does ſo; for the circle of this Epiſtle of S. Paul, this precious ring, being made of that golden Doctrine, That Juſtification is by faith, and being enameled with that beautifull Doctrine of good works too, in which enameled Ring, as a precious ſtone in the midſt thereof, there is ſet, the glorious Doctrine of our Election, by Gods eternall Predeſtination, our Text falls in that part, which concernes obedience, holy life, good works; which, when both the Doctrines, that of Juſtification by faith, and that of Predeſtination have ſuffered controverſie, hath been by all ſides embraced, and accepted; that there is no faith, which the Angels in heaven, or the Church upon earth, or our own conſciences can take knowledge of, without good works. Of which good works, and the degrees of obedience, of patience, it is a great one; and a hard one that is enjoyned in this Text; for whereas S. Auguſtine obſerves ſixe degrees, ſixe ſteps in our behaviour towards our enemies, whereof the firſt is nolle laedere, to be loth to hurt any man by way of provocation, not to begin; And a ſecond, nolle amplius quam laeſus laedere, That if another provoke him, yet what power ſoever he have, he would returne no more upon his enemy, then his enemy had caſt upon him, he would not exceed in his revenge; And a third, velle minus, not to doe ſo much as he ſuffered, but in a leſſe proportion, onelyonly to ſhew ſome ſenſe of the injury; And then another is, nolle laedere licet laeſus, to returne no revenge at all, though he have been provoked by an injury; And a higher then that, par atum ſe exhibere ut amplius laedatur, to turne the other cheeke, when he is ſmitten, and open himſelfe to farther injuries; That which is in this Text, is the ſixt ſtep, and the higheſt of all, laedenti benefacere, to doe good to him, of whom we have received evill, If thine enemy hunger, to feed him, if he thirſt, to give him drinke; for in ſo, &c.
The Text is a building of ſtone, and that bound in with barres of Iron:Diviſio. fundamentall Doctrine, in point of manners, in it ſelfe, and yet buttreſſed, and eſtabliſhed with reaſons too, therefore, and for; Therefore feed thine enemy; For, in ſo doing, thou ſhalt heape coales. This therefore, confirmes the precedent Doctrine, and this For, confirmes that confirmation.
But all the words of God are Yea, and Amen, and therefore we need not inſiſt upon reaſons, to ratifie or eſtabliſh them. Our parts ſhall be but two; Mandatum, and Emolumentum; firſt the Commandement, (for we dare not call it by ſo indifferent a name, as an Euangelicall Counſell that we may chooſe whether we will doe or no; It is a Commandement, doe good to thine enemy) And ſecondly, the benefit that we receive by that benefit, we heap coales upon his head. Each part will have divers branches: for, in the Commandement, we ſhall firſt looke upon the perſon, to which God directs us, inimicus, though he be an enemy, and inimicus tuus, though he be thine enemy; but yet it is but tuus, thine enemy; It is not ſimply inimicus homo, the Devill, nor inimicus veſter, a ſpreading enemy, an enemy to the State, nor inimicus Dei, an enemy to Religion; And from the perſon, we ſhall paſſe to the duty, Ciba, and Da aquam, feed, and give drink, in which, all kindes of reliefes are implyed: But that is, ſi eſurierit, if he be hungry; There is no wanton nor ſuperfluous pampering of our enemy required, but ſo much as may preſerve the man, and not nouriſh the enmity. In theſe conſiderations we ſhall determine our firſt part; and our ſecond in theſe; Firſt, that God takes nothing from us, without recompence; nothing for nothing; he ſeales his Commandement with a powerfull reaſon, promiſe of reward: And then, the reward ſpecified here, ariſes from the enemy himſelfe; And that reward is, That thou ſhalt caſt coales of fire upon his head; and congeres, accumulabis, Thou ſhalt heap coales of fire upon him.
It is not ill ſaid by a Jeſuit, of theſe words, Sententia magis Euangelica, quàm Moſaica; 1. Part. Mandatum. Peltanus.This Text, that enjoynes benefits upon our enemies, is fitter for the Goſpel, then for the Law, fitter for the new, then for the old Teſtament; and yet it is tam Moſaica, quam Euangelica, to ſhew that it is Univerſall, Catholique, Morall Doctrine, appertaining to Jew,Prov. 25.21. and Chriſtian, and all, this Text is in the old Teſtament, as well as in the new. In the mouth of two witneſſes is this truth eſtabliſhed, in the mouth of a Prophet, and in the mouth of an Apoſtle, Solomon had ſaid it before, and S. Paul ſayes it here, If thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirſt, &c.
Your Senecaes and your Plutarchs have taught you an art, how to make profit of enemies, becauſe as flatterers dilate a man, and make him live the more negligently, becauſe he is ſure of good interpretations of his worſt actions; So a mans enemies contract him, and ſhut him up, and make him live the more watchfully, becauſe he is ſure to be calumniated even in his beſt actions: But this is a leſſon above Seneca, and Plutarch, reſerved for Solomon, and Saint Paul, to make profit by conferring and placing benefits upon enemies: And that is our firſt branch, Though he be an enemy.
S. Auguſtine cites,Et ſi inimieus. and approves that ſaying of the morall Philoſopher, Omnes odit, qui malos odit, he that hates ill men, hates all men, for if a man will love none but honeſt men, where ſhall he finde any exerciſe, any object of his love? So if a man will hold friendſhip with none, nor doe offices of ſociety to none, but to good natur'd, and gentle, and ſouple, and ſociable men, he ſhall leave very neceſſary buſineſſes undone. The frowardeſt and perverſeſt man may be good ad hoc, for ſuch or ſuch a particular uſe. By good company and good uſage, that is, by being mingled with other ſimples, and ingredients, the very fleſh of a Viper, is made an Antidote: A Viper loſes not his place in Phyſick, becauſe he is poyſon; a Magiſtrate ceaſes not to be a Magiſtrate, becauſe he is an ill man; much leſſe does a man ceaſe to be a man, and ſo to have a title to thoſe duties, which are rooted in nature, becauſe he is of an ill diſpoſition. God makes his Sun to ſhine upon the good, Mat. 5.45.and upon the bad, and ſendeth raine upon the juſt, and upon the unjuſt. God hath made of one bloud all mankinde: how unkindly then, how unmanly is it to draw bloud? We come too ſoone to the name of enemy, and we carry it too farre: Plaintife and Defendant in a matter of Treſpaſſe, muſt be enemies: Diſputers in a Problematicall matter of Controverſie, that concernes not foundations, muſt be enemies; And then all enmity muſt imply an irreconcileableneſſe, once enemies may never be friends againe: we come too ſoone to the name, and we ſtand too long upon the thing; for there are offices and duties even to an enemy; and that, though an enemy in as high a Degree, as the word imports here, oſor, a hater, and oſor tuus, ſuch an enemy as hates thee, which is our next Branch.
We uſe to ſay,Tuus. that thoſe benefits are longeſt remembred, which are publique, and common; and thoſe injuries, which are private, and perſonall: But truly in both, the private, and perſonall makes the greateſt impreſſion. For, if a man have benefitted the publique, with a Colledge, with an Hoſpitall, with any perpetuall endowment, yet he that comes after to receive the benefit of any ſuch place, for the moſt part determines his thankfulneſſe upon that perſon, who brought him thither, and reflects little upon the founder, or thoſe that are deſcended from him. And ſo it is in injuries, and violences too, we hate men more for perſonall, then for nationall injuries; more, if he have taken my Ship, then if he have attempted my Country. We ſhould be more ſenſible of the publique, but becauſe private and perſonall things doe affect us moſt, the Commandement here goes to the particular.; Though he be thine enemy, and hate thee. If you love them that love you, Luk. 6.34.and lend to them that pay you, what thanks have you? Truly not much: Publicans doe the ſame, ſayes S. Matthew; Sinners doe the ſame, ſayes S. Luke: But love you your enemies; Mat. 5.22.For, in the ſame place, where Chriſt puts all thoſe caſes, If a man have been angry with his Brother, If a man hauehave ſaid Racha to his Brother, if he have called his Brother Foole, he ends all with that, Agree with thine adverſary; Though he be thine adverſary, yet he is thy Brother. If he have damnified thee, calumniated thee, pardon him. If he have done that to another, thou haſt no power to pardon him; Herein onelyonly thou haſt exerciſe of greatneſſe and goodneſſe too, If he be thine enemy, thou and thou onelyonly canſt pardon him; and herein onelyonly thou haſt a Supremacy, and a Prerogative to ſhew.
So far then,Non veſter. the text goes literally, do good to an enemy; to thine enemy; and literally, no farther: It does not ſay to a State, Si Inimicus veſter, It does not binde us to favour, or further a publique enemy; It does not binde the Magiſtrate to favour Theeves and Murderers at land, nor Pirates at Sea, who are truly Inimici noſtri, our enemies even as we are men, enemies to mankinde. It does not binde Societies and Corporations Eccleſiaſticall or Civill, to ſinke under ſuch enemies, as would diſſolve them or impaire them in their priviledges; for ſuch are not onelyonly Inimici veſtri, but Veſtrorum, enemies of you, and yours, of thoſe that ſucceed you: And all men are bound to transferre their juriſdictions and priviledges, in the ſame integrity, in which they received them, without any prevarication. In ſuch caſes it is true, that Corporations have no ſoules, that is, they are not bound to ſuch a tenderneſſe of conſcience; for there are divers lawes in this doctrine of patience, that binde particular men, that doe not binde States and Societies, under thoſe penalties.
Much leſſe does the Commandment bind us to the Inimicus homo, which is the devill,Inimicus homo. to farther him, by fuelling and advancing his tentations, by high dyet, wanton company, or licencious diſcourſe; and ſo, upon pretence of maintaining our health,Luk. 10.19. or our cheerefulneſſe, invite occaſions of ſinne. S. Hierome tells us of one ſenſe, in which wee ſhould favour that enemy, the devill, and that in this text, we are commanded to doe ſo: Benevolus eſt erga Diabolum, ſaies he, he is the devils beſt friend, that reſiſts him; for by our yeelding to the devils tentations, weſubmit him to greater torments, then, if he miſt of his purpoſe upon us, he ſhould ſuffer. But betweene this enemy and us, God himſelfe hath ſet ſuch an enmity, that, as no man may ſeparate thoſe whom God hath joyned,Gen. 3.15. ſo no man may joyne thoſe whom God hath ſeparated; God created not this enmity in the devill; he began it in himſelfe; but God created an enmity in us, againſt him; and, upon no collaterall conditions, may wee bee reconciled to him, in admitting any of his ſuperſtitions.
It is not then Inimicus veſter, the common enemy, the enemy of the State; leſſe, Inimicus homo, the ſpirituall enemy of Mankinde, the devill; leaſt of all, Inimicus Dei, they who oppoſe God, (ſo, as God can be oppoſed) in his ſervants who profeſſe his truth. David durſt not have put himſelfe upon that iſſue with God, (Doe not I hate them, Pſal. 139.21.that hate thee) if hee had beene ſubject to that increpation, which the Prophet Iehu laid upon Iehoſhaphat, Shouldſt thou helpe the ungodly, and love them, that hate the Lord? 2 Chron. 19.2.But David had the teſtimony of his conſcience, that hee hated them, with a perfect hatred: which, though it may admit that interpretation, that it is De perfectione virtutis, that his perfect hatred, was a hatred becomming a perfect man, a charitable hatred; yet it is De perfectione intentionis, a perfect hatred is a vehement hatred, and ſo the Chalde paraphraſe expreſſes it, Odio conſummato, a hatred to which nothing can be added;Hilar. Odio religioſo, with a religious hatred; not onelyonly that religion may conſiſt with it, but that Religion cannot ſubſiſt without it; a hatred that gives the tincture, and the ſtampe to Religion it ſelfe. The imputation that lyes upon them, who doe not hate thoſe that hate God, is ſufficiently expreſſed in S. Gregory; He ſaw how little temporiſers and worldly men, were moved with the word Impiety, and ungodlineſſe, and therefore he waves that; He ſaw they preferred the eſtimation of wiſdome before and above piety, and therefore hee ſaies not Impium eſt, but ſtultum eſt, ſi illis placere quaerimus, quos non placere domino ſcimus: It is a fooliſh thing, to endeavour to be acceptable to them, who, in our own knowledge, doe not endeavour to be acceptable to God.
But yet, Beloved, even in thoſe enemies, that thus hate God, Solomons rule hath place, There is a time to hate, and a time to love. Though the perſon be the ſame,Eccleſ. 3.8. De ſingularit. Cleric. the affection may vary. As S. Cyprian ſaies, (if that booke be not rather Origens, then Cyprians, for it is attributed to both) Ama foeminas inter Sacra ſolennia, Love a woman at Church, (that is, love her comming to Church,) (though, as S. Auguſtine in his time did, we, in our times may complaine of wanton meetings there) But Odio habe in communione privata, Hate, that is, forbeare women in private converſation; ſo, for thoſe that hate God in the truth of his Goſpell, and content themſelves with an Idolatrous Religion, we love them at Church, we would be glad to ſee them here, and though they come not hither, wee love them ſo far, as that we pray for them; and we love them in our ſtudies ſo far, as we may rectifie them by our labours; But wee hate them in our Convocations, where wee oppoſe Canons againſt their Doctrines, and we hate them in our Conſultations, where we make lawes to defend us from their malice, and we hate them in our bed-chambers, where they make children Idolaters, and perchance make the children themſelves. We acknowledge with S. Auguſtine, Perfectio odii eſt in charitate, the perfect hatred conſiſts with charity, Cum nec propter vitia homines oderimus, nec vitia propter homines amemut; when the greatneſſe of the men brings us not to love their religion, nor the illneſſe of their Religion, to hate the men. Moſes, in that place, is S. Auguſtines example, whom he propoſes, Orabat & occidebat, he prayed for the Idolaters, and he ſlew them; he hated, ſaies he, Iniquitatem, quam puniebat, that ſin which he puniſhed, and he loved Humanitatem, pro qua or abat, that nature, as they were men, for whom he prayed: for, that, ſaies he, is perfectum odium, quod facti ſunt diligere, quod fecerunt, odiiſſe, to love them as they are creatures, to hate them as they are Traytors. Thus much love is due to any enemy, that if God be pleaſed to advance him, De ejus profectu non dejiciamur, ſayes S. Gregory, His advancement doe not deject us, to a murmuring againſt God, or to a diffidence in God; And that when God, in his time, ſhall caſt him downe againe, Congaudeamus juſtitiae Iudicis, condoleamus miſeriae pereuntis, Wee may both congratulate the juſtice of God, and yet condole the miſery of that perſon, upon whom that judgement is juſtly fallen: for, though Inimicus veſter, the enemy that malignes the State, and Inimicus Dei, the enemy that oppoſes our religion, be not ſo far within this text, as that we are bound to feed them, or to doe them good; yet there are ſcarce any enemies, with whom wee may not live peaceably, and to whom we may not wiſh charitably.
We have done with all,Ciba. which was intended and propoſed of the perſon; we come to the duty expreſſed in this text, Ciba, feed him, and give him drinke. Here, there might be uſe in noting the largeneſſe, the fulneſſe, the abundance of the Goſpell, above the law: Not onelyonly in that the bleſſings of God are preſented in the Old Teſtament, in the name of Milke and Hony, and Oyle, and Wine, (all temporall things) and in the New Teſtament, in the name of Joy, and Glory, (things, in a manner ſpirituall,) But that alſo, in the Old Teſtament, the beſt things are limited, and meaſured unto them; a Gomer of Manna, and no more,Mat. 25.21. Heb. 12.2. Iohn 15.11. Iohn 16.21. for the beſt man, whereas for the joy of the Goſpell, we ſhall enter In Gandium Domini, Into our Maſters Ioy, and be made partakers with Chriſt Jeſus, of that Ioy, for which he endured the Croſſe; And here, in this world, Gaudium meum erit, ſaies Chriſt, My Ioy ſhall be in you; in what meaſure? Implebitar, ſaies he, Your Ioy ſhall be full; How long? for ever; Nemo tollet, your Ioy ſhall no man take from you. And ſuch as the Joy is, ſuch is the glory too:Eph. 1.18. 2 Cor. 4.17. 1 Pet. 5.4. How precious? Divitiae Gloria, The Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance; How much? Pondus gloriae, A waight of glory; How long? Immarceſcibilis Corona, A crowne of Glory, that never fadeth: We might, I ſay, take occaſion of making this compariſon, betweene the Old, and the New Teſtament, out of this Text, becauſe this charity, enjoyned here, in this text, to our enemy, in that place, from whence this text is taken, in the Proverbs, is but Lachem, and Maiim, Bread, and Water; But here, in S. Paul, it is in words of better ſignification, feed him, give him drinke. But indeed, the words, at the narroweſt, (as it is but bread and water) ſignifie whatſoever is neceſſary for the reliefe of him, that ſtands in need. And if we be enjoyn'd ſo much to our enemy, how inexcuſable are thoſe Datores cyminibiles (as the Canoniſts call them) that give Mint, and Cummin for almes, a roote that their Hogs will not, a broth that their Dogs will not eate. Remember in thy charity, the times, and the proportions of thy Saviour; After his Death, in the wound in his ſide, he poured out water, and bloud, which repreſented both Sacraments, and ſo was a bountifull Dole: provide in thy life, to doe good after thy death, and it ſhall be welcome, even in the eyes of God, then: But remember too, that this dole at his death, was not the firſt almes that he gave; his water was his white mony, and his blood was his gold, and he poured out both together in his agony, and ſeverally in his weeping, and being ſcourged for thee. What proportion of reliefe is due to him, that is thy brother in Nature, thy brother in Nation, thy brother in Religion, if meate and drinke, and in that, whatſoever is neceſſary to his ſuſtentation, bee due to thine enemy?
But all this bountifull charity,Si eſurierit. is Si eſurierit, ſi ſitit, If he be hungry, if he be thirſty. To the King, who beares the care and the charge of the publique, wee are bound to give, Antequam eſuriat, Antequam ſitias, before he be overtaken with dangerous, and diſhonorable, and leſſe remediable neceſſities: not onelyonly ſubſtantiall wants, upon which our ſafety depends, but circumſtantiall and ceremoniall wants, upon which his Dignity, and Majeſty depends, are alwaies to bee, not onelyonly ſupplied, but prevented. But our enemy muſt be in hunger, and thirſt, that is, reduced to the ſtate, as hee may not become our enemy againe, by that which we give, before wee are bound, by this text, to give any thing. No doubt but the Church of Rome hungers ſtill for the money of this land, upon which they fed ſo luxuriantly heretofore: and no doubt but thoſe men, whom they ſhall at any time animate, will thirſt for the blood of this land, which they have ſought before; but this is not the hunger, and the thirſt of the enemy, which we muſt feed: The Commandement goes not ſo far, as to feed that enemy, that may thereby be a more powerfull enemy; But yet, thus far, truly, it does goe, deny no office of civility, of peace, of commerce, of charity to any, onelyonly therefore, becauſe hee hath beene heretofore an enemy.
There remaines nothing of thoſe two branches, which conſtitute our firſt part,2. Part. the perſon, that is, an en… reduced to a better diſpoſition; and the duty, that is, to relieve him, with things neceſſary for that ſtate: And for the ſecond part, we muſt ſtop upon thoſe ſteps laid downe at firſt, of which the firſt was, That God takes nothing for nothing, he gives a Reward. When God tooke that great proportion of Sheep and Oxen out of his ſubjects goods in the State of Iſrael, for Sacrifice, that proportion, which would have kept divers Kings houſes, and would have victualed divers navies, perchance no man could ſay, I have this, or this benefit, for this, or this Sacrifice; but yet could any man ſay, God hath taken a Sacrifice for nothing? Where we have Peace, and Juſtice, and Protection, can any man ſay, he gives any thing for nothing? When God ſaies, If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, that's not intended, which Tertullian ſaies,Pſal. 50.12. Scriptum eſt, Deus non eſuriet nec ſitiet, It is written, God ſhall neither hunger nor thirſt, (for, firſt, Tertullians memory failed him, there is no ſuch ſentence in all the Scripture, as he cites there; And then God does hunger and thirſt, in this ſenſe, in the members of his myſticall body,) neither is that onelyonly intended in that place of the Pſalme (though Caſsiodore take it ſo) That if God in his poore Saints, were hungry, he could provide them, without telling thee; but it is, If I were hungry, I need not tell thee; for,Pſal. 24.1. The earth is the Lords, and the fulneſſe thereof, and they that dwell therein. God does not alwaies binde himſelfe to declare his hunger, his thirſt, his preſſing occaſions, to uſe the goods of his ſubjects, but as the Lord gives, ſo the Lord takes, where and when he will: But yet, as God transfuſes a meaſure of this Right and power of taking, into them, of whom he hath ſaid, you are Gods, ſo he transfuſes this goodneſſe too, which is in himſelfe, that he takes nothing for nothing; He promiſes here a reward, and a reward ariſing from the enemy, which puts a greater encouragement upon us, to doe it; Super caput ejus, In ſo doing, thou ſhalt heape coales of fire on his head.
God is the Lord of Hoſts, and in this Text,Ex Inimicis. he makes the ſeate of the warre in the enemies Country, and enriches his ſervants Ex manubiis, out of the ſpoyle of the enemy; In caput ejus, It ſhall fall upon his head. Though all men that go to the war, goe not upon thoſe juſt reaſons deliberated before in themſelves, which are … defence of a juſt cauſe, the obedience to a lawfull Commandment, yet of thoſe that do goe without thoſe conſcientienſe deliberations, none goes therefore, becauſe he may have roome in an Hoſpitall, or reliefe by a penſion, when he comes home lame, but becauſe he may get ſomething, by going into a fat country, and againſt a rich enemy; Though honour may ſeeme to feed upon blowes, and dangers, men goe cheerefully againſt an enemy, from whom ſomething is to be got; for, profit is a good ſalve to knocks, a good Cere-cloth to bruiſes, and a good Balſamum to wounds. God therefore here raiſes the reward out of the enemy, feed him, and thou ſhalt gaine by it. But yet the profit that God promiſes by the enemy here, is rather that we ſhall gaine a ſoule, then any temporall gaine; rather that we ſhall make that enemy a better man, then that we ſhall make him a weaker enemy: God reſpects his ſpirituall good, as we ſhall ſee in that phraſe, which is our laſt branch, Congeres carbones, Thou ſhalt heape coales of fire upon his head.
It is true that S. Chryſoſtome (and not he alone) takes this phraſe to imply a Revenge:Carbones. that Gods judgements ſhall be the more vehement upon ſuch ungratefull perſons, Et terrebuntur beneficiis, the good turnes that thou haſt done to them, ſhall be a ſcourge and a terror to their conſciences. This ſenſe is not inconvenient; but it is too narrow: The Holy Ghoſt hath taken ſo large a Metaphor, as implyes more then that. It implyes the divers offices, and effects of fire; all this; That if he have any gold, any pure metall in him, this fire of this kindneſſe will purge out the droſſe, & there is a friend made. If he be nothing but ſtraw and ſtubble, combuſtible ſtill, ſtill ready to take fire againſt thee, this fire which Gods breath ſhall blow, will conſume him, and burn him out, and there is an enemy marred: If he have any tenderneſſe any way, this fire will mollifie him towards thee; Nimis durus animus, ſayes S. Auguſtine, he is a very hard hearted man, Qui ſi ultro dilectionem non vult impendere, etiam nolit rependere, Who, though he will not requite thy love, yet will not acknowledge it. If he be waxe, he melts with this fire; and if he be clay, he hardens with it, and then thou wilt arme thy ſelfe againſt that pellet. Thus much good,Origen. God intends to the enemy, in this phraſe, that it is pia vindicta ſi reſipiſcant, we have taken a bleſſed revenge upon our enemies, if our charitable applying of our ſelves to them, may bring them to apply themſelves to God, and to glorifie him: ſi benefaciendo cicuremus, ſayes S. Hierome, if we can tame a wilde beaſt by ſitting up with him, and reduce an enemy by offices of friendſhip, it is well. … much good God intends him in this phraſe, and ſo much good he intends us, that, ſi non incendant, if theſe coales do not purge him,Aben Ezra. Levi Gherſon. ſi non injiciant pudorem, if they do not kindle a ſhame in him, to have offended one that hath deſerved ſo well, yet this fire gives thee light to ſee him clearely, and to run away from him, and to aſſure thee, that he, whom ſo many benefits cannot reconcile, is irreconcileable.