intimates, when he says, " Be not overcome of evil ; but over- come evil with goocl°." Indeed, where there is a spark of in- genuousness left, we cannot but hope that such benevolence as this will at last prevail. We have some remarkable instances of this in the life of David. Saul had persecuted him with most relentless and bitter animosity : yet, when David twice had him in his power, and could easily have destroyed him, he spared his life ; and by this generosity constrained his perse- cutor to confess his own extreme injustice, and to take shame
to himself for his own malignant and cruel proceedings p
Such effects we also may hope to see produced on our enemies. It is well known that metals are fused, not by putting fire under them, but by heaping also coals of fire upon them : and thus shall the hard hearts of our enemies be melted by accu- mulated instances of undeserved love. True, we cannot convert their souls by this ; for nothing but omnipotence can effect so great a work as the conversion of a soul : but we may reason- ably expect to appease their wrath, perhaps also to slay their enmity against us : and one such victory will be a rich recom- pence for all the forbearance we have ever exercised, and all the love we have ever displayed.]
2. That we shall be rewarded by our God —
[This is plainly asserted in our text ; and to all who con- form themselves to the direction before us shall the promise be assuredly fulfilled.
It shall be fulfilled here : for such conduct v.ill bring un- speakable peace into the soul. It is said, that revenge is sweet : but with infinitely greater propriety may it be said, that the returning of good for evil is sweet. The one is a malignant pleasure, such as we may suppose Satan himself felt, when he had prevailed, as he thought, against the Lord of life and glory : but the other is such a sacred pleasure as Christ himself felt, when he prayed, " Father, forgive them ; for they know not what they do." What satisfaction did David expei'ience, when, in consequence of Abigail's interposition, he had changed his mind in relation to Nabal, and sacrificed his resentment to a sense of duty ! Again and again did he bless her for diverting him from his purpose "i. And we also, whenever love rises su- perior to resentment, and enables us to render good for evil, shall find imspeakable comfort springing up in our souls.
But the promise shall be yet more fully accomplished here- after. Every act of patient self-denial and of generous love will be noticed by God with special approbation; and, if a cup of cold water given to a disciple for Christ's sake shall in no
" Rom. xii. 21.
P 1 Sam. xxiv. 4, 11, IG— 19. and xxvi. 12, 21, 25.
q 1 Sam. XXV. 32, 33.