-- Tit. 2. Directions to love our Neighbours as ourselves
Quest. X. 'May I not wish hurt sometimes to another, more than to myself?'
Answ. You may wish a mediate hurt which tendeth to his good, or to the good of others; but you must never wish any final hurt and misery to him. You may wish your friend a vomit or blood-letting for his cure; and you may wish him some affliction, when it is needful and apt to humble him and do him good, or to restrain him from doing hurt to others: and on the same accounts, and for the public good, you may desire penal justice to be done upon him, yea, sometimes unto death; but still with a desire of the saving of his soul.
And such hurt you may also wish yourself as is necessary to your good; but you are not to wish the same penalties to yourself, 1.
Because you have somewhat else first to wish and do, even to repent and prevent it. 2. Because you are not bound ordinarily to do execution upon yourself. It is more in your power to repent yourself, and make repentance less necessary by humble confession and amendment, than to bring another to repentance. Yet I may add also, that hypothetically you may wish that destruction to the enemies of God in this life, which absolutely you may not wish: that is, you must desire first that they may repent, and secondly, that they may be restrained from hurting others; but if neither of these may be attained, that they may be cut off.
Tit. 2. Directions for Loving our Neighbours as ourselves Direct. I. 'Take heed of selfishness and covetousness, the two great enemies of love.' Of which I have spoken more at large before.
Direct. II. 'Fall out with no man; or if you do, be speedily reconciled:'
For passions and dissensions are the extinguishers of love.
Direct. III. 'Love God truly, and you will easily love your neighbour:'
For you will see God's image on him, or interest in him, and feel all his precepts and mercies obliging you hereunto. As 1 John 3:11, 23., and 4:7, 12, 20, 21.
Direct. IV. 'To this end let Christ be your continual study.' He is the full revelation of the love of God; the lively pattern of love, and the best teacher of it that ever was in the world: his incarnation, life and sufferings, his Gospel and covenant, his intercession and preparations for our heavenly felicity, all are the great demonstrations of condescending, matchless love. Mark both God's love to us in him, and his love to man, and you will have the best directive and incentive of your love.
Direct. V. 'Observe all the good which is in every man.' Consider of the good of humanity in his nature, and the goodness of all that truth which he confesseth, and of all that moral good which appeareth in his heart and life; and let not oversight or partiality cause you to overlook it, or make light of it. For it is goodness which is the only attractive of love: and if you overlook men's goodness, you cannot love them.
Direct. VI. Abhor and beware of a censorious disposition, which magnifieth men's faults, and vilifieth their virtues, and maketh men seem worse than indeed they are.' For as this cometh from the want of love, so doth it destroy that little which is left.
Direct. VII. 'Beware of superstition and an erring judgment, which maketh men place religion where God never placed it.' For when this hath taught you to make duties, and sins of your own humour and invention, it will quickly teach you to love or hate men accordingly as they fit or cross your opinion and humour: thus many a Papist loveth not those that are not subjects of the Roman monarch, and that follow not all his irrational fopperies. Many an Anabaptist loveth not those that are against his opinion of rebaptizing: one loveth not those who are for liturgies, forms of worship and church-music; and many love not those who are against them; and so of other things (of which more anon).
Direct. VIII. 'Avoid the company of censorious backbiters and proud contemners of their brethren: hearken not to them that are