Suppose by revenge thou shouldst destroy one enemy, I will shew thee how, by forgiving, thou shalt conquer three, thine own lust, the devil's temptation, and thine enemy's heart ; and is not this a more glorious conquest .? If by revenge thou overcome thine enemy, yet (as Bernard saith) Lifelix victoria, uhi s^iperans virum secumbit vitio : Unhappy victory, when, by overcoming another man, thou art overcome by thine own corruption. But this way you may ob- tain a glorious conquest indeed. What an honourable and dry victory, did David this way obtain over Saul, 1 Sam. xxiv. 16, 17. " And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking " these words, that Saul lifted up his voice, and wept ; and he said " to David, thou art more righteous than I."
It must be a very disingenuous nature indeed, upon which meek- ness and forgiveness will not work ; a §tony heart, which this fire will not melt. To this sense is that, Prov. xxv. 21. " If thine " enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink ; for in so " doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." Some will have it a sin-punishing fire, but others a heart-melting fie. To be sure it will either melt his heart, or aggravate his misery. Augus- tine thinks that Stephen's prayer for his enemies was the great means of Paul's conversion.
Remedy 5. Seriously propou7id this question to thy own heart, have I got any good by the ivrongs and injuries received, or have I not f If they have done you no good, turn the revenge upon yourselves : O that I should have such a bad heart, that can get no good out of such troubles ! O that my spirit should be so unlike to Christ's ! The patience and meekness of other Christians, have turned all the injuries thro\\Ti at them into precious stones ; the spirits of others have been raised in blessing God, when they have been loaded with reproaches from the world, they have bound them as an orna- ment to their necks. Superhus Jio (said Luther) quod video nomen pessimum mihi cr^scere. I could even be proud upon it, that I have a
473 HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FKor^I REVEN'GEFUL MOTIONS.
bad name among wicked men. To the same purpose Jerom said sweetly, Gratia ago Deo meo quod dignus sum quern mundns orderit; I thank my God that I am worthy to be hated of the world. Thus their hearts were provoked by injuries to magnify God, and bless him for them ; if it work contrary with me, I have cause enough to be filled with self-displeasancy.
If you have got any good by them ; if the reproaches and wrongs you have received, have made you search your hearts the more, watch your ways the more narrowly; if their wronging you, has made you see how you have wronged God, then let me say for them, as Paul did himself, Pray forgive them this wrong.
What ! can you not find an heart to forgive one that hath been instrumental of so much good to you ! That is strange ! what though they meant it for evil ? yet if God hath turned it to good, you have no more reason to rage against the instrument than he had who re- ceived a wound from his enemy which only brake, and let out that imposthume which otherwise had been his death.
Remedy 6. It is of excellent use to keep the heart from revenge^ to lool: up^ and eije the first cause hy which all our troubles are ordered. This will calm and meeken our spirits quickly : never did a wicked tongue try the patience of a saint, more than David's was tried by that railing Shimei ; yet the spirit of this good man was not at all poisoned v, ith revenge, though he goes along cursing, and casting stones at him, all the way. Yea, though Abishai offered David, if he pleased, the head of that enemy ; yet the king said, " What " have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah ? So let him curse, be- " cause the Lord hath said unto him, curse David : who then shall '' say, W^herefore hast thou done so.^" It may be, God uses him as his rod, to lash me, because I, by my sin, made his enemies to blas- pheme him ; and shall I be angry with the rod ? How irrational w^ere that ? This also was it that quieted Job ; he doth not rail, and vow revenge upon the Chaldeans and Sabeans, but eyes God as the orderer of those troubles, and is quiet ; " The Lord hath *' taken away, blessed be his name," Job i. 21.
Objection, But you will say, To turn aside the 7ight of a man^ to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. Lam. iii. 36.
Answer. True : but though it fall not under his approving, yet it doth under his permitting will, and there is a great argument for quiet submission in that ; nay, he hath not only the permitting, but the ordering of all those troubles. Did we see more of an holy God, we should shew less of a corrupt nature in such trials.
Remedy 7. Consider how you daily wrong God, and you will not be so easily inflamed with revenge against others that have wronged yoti. You are daily grieving, and wronging God, and yet he bears, for- gives, and will not take vengeance upon you ; and will you be so quick in avenging yourselves upon others ? O what a sharp and ter- rible rebuke is that ! Mat. xviii. 3% S3. '^ O thou wicked and
HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FIlo:\r liEVENGEFUL MOTIONS. 473
" slotliful servant ! I forgave thee all that debt because thou desirest *' me, shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow " servant, even as I had pity on thee ?'"* None should be so filled with bowels of pity, forbearance, and mercy, to such as wrong them j as those should be that have experienced the riches of mercy them- selves : methinks the mercy of God to us should melt our very bowels into mercy over others; it is impossible we can be cruel to others, except we forget how kind Christ hath been to us. Those that have found mercy, should shew mercy : if kindness cannot work, me- thinks fear should. " If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither "will your Father forgive you your trespasses,"" Mat. vi. 15.
Remedy 8. Lastly, Let the consideration of the day of the Lord, which draweth fiig'h, withhold your hands from anticipating it by acts of revenge.
Why are you so quick ? Is not the Lord at hand, to avenge all his abused servants ? " Be patient therefore, my brethren, unto the " coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth, &c. Be " ye also patient, for the coming of the Lord draws nigh : Grudge '^ not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned. Be- " hold the Judge standeth at the door," Jam. v. 7, 8, 9. This text affords three arguments against revenge : (1.) The Lord's near ap- proach. (2.) The example of the husbandman's patience. (3.) The danger we draw upon ourselves b}'^ anticipating God's judg- ment; Vengeance is vii?ic, saith the Lord; he will distribute justice more equally, and impartially, than you can : they who believe they have a God to right them, will not so much wrong themselves, as avenge their own wrongs.
Objection L Rut flesh and blood are not able to bear such abuses.