2. In a special and limited sense, our brother is our fellow-citizen, whether in reality or profession only. With respect to them, love is called brotherly kindness, in opposition to that common love which is due to all men, 2 Peter i. 7 ; and the nearer the bonds are, the greater is the sin if we hate them ; as when united with us in the same common profession of purer Christianity, or give greater hopes of their sincerity therein, or of the same profession, society, and local communion, as to the worship of God, or related to us in bonds of nature as well as religion, as Esau hated Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 41. The rule is, 1 Peter ii. 17, ' Honour all men, love the brotherhood.' There is some respect due to all men, much more should christian society recommend them to our affection. All men partake of some excellency from God, and carry some resemblance of his image, and the best know more to loathe in themselves than they can do in the worst ; yet there is a respect due to the persons of other christians above that which we give to men as men.
Once more, the persons hated come under a fourfold considera- tion—
[1.] If you consider them as those that have done us an ill turn ; thus we read, 2 Sam. xiii. 22, that ' Absalom hated Amnon, because lie had forced his sister Tamar;' and therefore plotted to kill him. Now this doth not excuse us, because we are not to avenge ourselves, and become evil to others because they have been so to us ; this were to imitate them in their wickedness, and it is contrary to that lenity and meekness which should be in christians, who are to love those that hate them. Mat. v. 44 ; and if love did prevail, much mischief would be prevented : Prov. x. 12, ' Hatred stirreth up strifes, but love cover- eth all sins.' Where hatred is allowed, every offence will be grievous ; there is nothing but an interchange of mutual injuries, till one or the other be ruined or destroyed. But if men would mind the duties of christian love, lenity, and forbearance ; many and great offences would be eitiier excused or pardoned. This is not pusillanimity, but true
126 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR, XXI.
<;reatness of spirit, tlie real glory of a man ; and indeed it can be no disgrace to obey God,
[2.] When we hate one that loveth ns, and liath been kind to us. To hate an enemy is unchristian, but to hate a friend is inhuman ; and yet such monsters dotii corrupt nature afford, who reward evil for good, and hate others without a cause, yea, when much cause to the contrary : Ps. XXXV. 12, ' They rewarded me evil for good, to tlie spoiling of my soul.' Usually those who are over-obliged make this unkind return, injuries for benefits, and seek the life of those who, under God, have been the means of supporting and preserving theirs. Now this is a grievous unnatural evil, and their malice admitteth no terms of truce, much less of hearty reconcilement : Ps. cxx. 6, 7, ' My soul hath too long dwelt with liim that hateth peace. I am for peace ; but when I speak, they are for war.' Still prosecute tlieir revengeful courses, and will not be appeased by any tenders of reconciliation.
[3.] When men are haters of those that are good, and love the evil, hate the holy and tlie harmless, and esteem only the profane and disso- lute : 2 Tim. iii. 3, ' Despisers of those that are good ;' and Ps. xxxviii. 20, ' They are mine adversaries, because I follow the thing that good is ; ' Mat. xxiv. 9, ' Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.' They have no quarrel against them but their doing that which is good. Alas ! what have the righteous done ? for which good work do they lay Kuch a load on them ? But the better any man is, the less they can abide him ; and this is a heinous evil, to hate a christian the more, the more of Christianity there is in him. It is enmity to the image of God shining ibrth in his people, and they cannot endure this serious good conversation of theirs, because it is an upbraiding of their own slight- Kess and licentiousness.
[4.] When we hate them not only that are good, but with all pity and compassion seek to do us good : Gal. iv. 16, 'Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth ? ' John vii. 7, * The world hateth me, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil ; ' 1 Kings xxii. 8, ' I hate him, because he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil' Yet he told him still the mind of God, and that for his profit. Now this is the hatred that usually befalls not private christians only, but those that are employed in a more eminent ministry and service ; often instruments of public good are made objects of public hatred, and have no other recompense from an unthankful world but scorn and violence.