Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 44
Verse 44. But I say unto you, Love your enemies]
A hard task, … must needs say, but hard or not hard, it must be done, be it never … contrary to our foul nature, and former practice: The spirit …. 4. 5, 6.… is in us lusteth after envy, but the Scripture teacheth better …. And what are those? To go no further then the present …; 1. Love your enemies, for the inside, be tenderly affected … them, as heartily wishing their good every way; beingforeign. glad of their welfare, and grieved when it falls out otherwise:… 35. …. Thus David was a sorrowfull man when his enemies were in affliction, and put on sackcloth. 2. Seal up our love to them by all good expressions; which are here referred to these three heads. 1. Blesse them, that is, speak kindly to them and of them, let themforeign. … your good word. 2. Doe good, that is, be ready to help them and … them, at all assayes. 3. Pray for them, that God would pardon their sins, and turn their hearts. This is our Saviours precept, and this was his practice. He melted over Jerusalem (the … house of his Saints and himself) and was grieved at the hardnesse of their hearts. Next (for words) he called Judas, Friend, not devil; and prayed, Father, forgive them. And (forMark. 6. 5. deeds) he not only not called for fire from heaven, or legions of Angels against them; but did them all good for bodies and souls; for he healed Malchus ear, washt Judas his feet, &c. like that good Samaritan, he was at pains and cost with them, instructing them2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. with patience, and proving if at any time he might pull them out of the snare of the devil, by whom they were taken alive at his pleasure: foreign, … alive, and in … by that … ….Which also he did. For he converted the thief on the crosse (who at first had reviled him,) and graciously received those three thousand souls that had embrued their villanous hands in his innocent bloud, Acts 2. Thus our Saviour, full of grace and truth. And of his fullnesse (of redundancy, of his over-measure) we … …. 1. 16.all received, and grace for grace, as the childe receiveth from … father limme for limme, part for part, &c. He is the father … …. …. ….eternity, and all his children, in all ages of the Church, have … him (somewhat) in this sweet property. Abraham … his nephew Lot, that had dealt so discourteously … him. … … the wrong done him by Abimelech and his servants, and forgiveth and feasteth them. Absolom inviteth … to a …, and Alexander, Philotus, to kill them thereat: but … I … doth it, to shew there was no grudge, or purpose of … Jacob was faithfull to Laban, who changed his wages … times and ever for … worse. Ioseph entertained his … at his house. And whereas their guilty hearts … them, that he … himself upon them thereby, he feasted them … purpose to be reconciled unto them: As the Romanes had … foreign, to the which were invited none but kinfolks to … …. ….love, and to … reconciliation, if there had been any breach. … …. ….to … forward. Moses stands up in the gap for them that … so … him. … marcheth all night, and fighteth … day for the … that had deceived him. Samuel … (and God forbid he should doe otherwise) for an ungratefull people, that had rejected him. David put on sackcloth, he wept and …, when his enemies were afflicted; he spared Sauls life, and … Shimeis, when Abishais fingers even itched to be … See … 7 5.… their heads. … set bread and water before the … that came to … him: and provided a table for them,…. that had provided a grave for him. The Disciples were … of the salvation of the … that had accused them, at the same time, to our Saviour, Mat. 15. 12. St Stephen prayes beartily for his …, and prevailed (as S. Austin thinketh) for Pauls conversion: And being reviled (… he) we …, being defamed … pray. Doe my Lord of Canterbury a shrewd turn, und then … 1 …. 4 … … and … ….may be sure to have him your friend while he liveth: This … grown to a common proverb concerning Archbishop …. And Lawrence … the Martyr, being sent to prison by … Gardner, Bishop of Winchester (who …, Carry away this …, &c.) praised God for a place of rest and quiet, … …. 13, 8.to pray for the Bishops conversion.