Love your enemies
The meekness and love we are to feel, the kindness we are to show to those who persecute us for righteousness' sake, our blessed Lord describes further in the following verses. Oh, that they were engraved on our hearts.
You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy (Matthew 5:43). God indeed had said only the former part, You shall love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). The children of the devil had added the latter, and hate your enemy. But I say to you, first, love your enemies (Matthew 5:44). See that you bear a tender good will toward those who are most bitter in spirit against you, who wish you every kind of evil. Second, bless those who curse you (Matthew 5:44). Are there any whose bitterness of spirit breaks out in bitter words, who are continually cursing and reproaching you when you are present, and saying every evil against you when you are absent? So much the more, bless them. In talking with them, use all mildness and softness of language. Reprove them by repeating a better lesson before them, by showing them how they ought to have spoken. And in speaking of them, say all the good you can, without breaking the rules of truth and justice. Third, do good to those who hate you (Matthew 5:44). Let your actions show that you are as real in love as they are in hatred. Return good for evil. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Fourth, if you can do nothing more, at least pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44). You can never be disabled from doing this, nor can all their malice or violence hinder you. Pour out your souls to God, not only for those who did this once but now repent. This is a small thing. If your brother, seven times a day, turns and says to you, I repent (Luke 17:4), that is, if after ever so many relapses he gives you reason to believe that he is really and thoroughly changed, then you shall forgive him, so as to trust him, to take him to your heart, as if he had never sinned against you at all. But pray for, wrestle with God for, those who do not repent, who now spitefully use you and persecute you. Forgive them this far, not until seven times only, but until seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). Whether they repent or not, yes, though they appear further and further from it, still show them this instance of kindness, so that you may be the children, so that you may prove yourselves the genuine children, of your Father who is in heaven, who shows his goodness by giving such blessings as they are capable of, even to his most stubborn enemies, who makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have (Matthew 5:46)? Do not even the tax collectors do the same (Matthew 5:46), who claim no religion, whom you yourselves acknowledge to be without God in the world? And if you greet, show kindness in word or deed, only to your brothers and sisters, your friends or relatives, what do you do more than others (Matthew 5:47), than those who have no religion at all? Do not even the tax collectors do so (Matthew 5:47)? No. Follow a better pattern than theirs. In patience, in long-suffering, in mercy, in kindness of every kind, to all, even to your bitterest persecutors, be, Christians, perfect, in kind though not in degree, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
1771 text
13. The meekness and love we are to feel, the kindness we are to shew to them which persecute us for righteousness sake, our blessed Lord describes farther in the following verses. O that they were graven upon our hearts!
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thy enemy. (God indeed had said only the former part, Thou shalt love thy neighbour. The children of the devil had added the latter, and hate thy enemy.) *But I say unto you, 1. Love your enemies. See that you bear a tender good will, to those who are most bitter of spirit against you, who wish you all manner of evil. 2. Bless them that curse you. Are there any whose bitterness of spirit breaks forth in bitter words? Who are continually cursing and reproaching you when you are present, and saying all evil against you when absent? So much the rather do you bless. In conversing with them, use all mildness and softness of language. Reprove them, by repeating a better lesson before them, by shewing them how they ought to have spoken. And in speaking of them, say all the good you can, without violating the rules of truth and justice. 3. Do good to them that hate you. Let your actions shew, that you are as real in love as they in hatred. Return good for evil. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 4. If you can do nothing more, at least pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you. You can never be disabled from doing this; nor can all their malice or violence hinder you. Pour out your souls to God, not only for those, who did this once, but now repent. This is a little thing. If thy brother seven times a day, turn and say unto thee, I repent; that is, if after ever so many relapses, he give thee reason to believe, that he is really and throughly changed, then thou shalt forgive him, so as to trust him, to put him in thy bosom, as if he had never sinned against thee at all. But pray for, wrestle with God, for those that do not repent, that now despitefully use thee and persecute thee. Thus far forgive them, not until seven times only, but until seventy times seven. Whether they repent or no, yea tho’ they appear farther and farther from it, yet shew them this instance of kindness: that ye may be the children, that ye may approve yourselves the genuine children of your Father which is in heaven, who shews his goodness by giving such blessings as they are capable of, even to his stubbornest enemies; who maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the Publicans the same? Who pretend to no religion: whom ye yourselves acknowledge to be without God in the world. And if ye salute, shew kindness in word or deed, to your brethren, your friends or kinsfolk only: what do ye more than others? Than those who have no religion at all? Do not even the Publicans so? Nay, but follow ye a better pattern than them. In patience, in long-suffering, in mercy, in beneficence of every kind, to all, even to your bitterest persecutors: Be ye, Christians, perfect (in kind, tho’ not in degree) even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 23 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 5:8-12.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.