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hath many persuasions which bring him to the contrary. Against all which reasons, we ought as well to set the teaching as the living of our Saviour Christ, who, loving us, (when we were his enemies) doth teach us to love our enemies: he did patiently take for us many reproaches, suffered beating and most cruel death therefore we be no members of him, if we will not follow him. Christ, saith St. Peter, suffered for us, leaving an example that we should follow him.

Furthermore, we must consider, that to love our friends is no more but that which thieves, adulterers, homicides, and all wicked persons do; insomuch that Jews, Turks, Infidels, and all brute beasts, do love them that be their friends, of whom they have their living, or any other benefits. But to love enemies, is the proper condition of them that be the children of God, the disciples and followers of Christ. Notwithstanding man's froward and corrupt nature weigheth over deeply, many times, the offence and displeasure done unto him by enemies, and thinketh it a burden intolerable, to be bound to love them that hate him. But the burden should be easy enough, if (on the other side) every man would consider, what displeasure he hath done to his enemy again, and what pleasure he hath received of his enemy; and if we find no equal, or even recompence, neither in receiving pleasures of our enemy, nor in requiting displeasures unto him again; then let us ponder the displeasures which we have done unto Almighty God, how often and how grievously we have offended him, whereof if we will have of God forgiveness, there is none other remedy but to forgive the offences done unto us, which be very small in comparison of our offences done against God. And if we consider, that he which hath offended

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1 Peter ii.

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us deserveth not to be forgiven of us, let us consider again, that we much less deserve to be forgiven of God. And although our enemy deserve not to be forgiven for his own sake, yet we ought to forgive him for God's love, considering how great and many benefits we have received of him without our deserts, and that Christ hath deserved of us, that for his sake we should forgive them their trespasses committed against us. But here may rise a necessary question to be resolved. If charity require to think, speak, and do well unto every man, both good and evil; how can magistrates execute justice upon malefactors or evil-doers with charity? How can they cast evil men in prison, take away their goods, and sometimes their lives, according to laws, if charity will not suffer them so to do? Hereunto is a plain and a brief answer, That plagues and punishments be not evil of themselves, if they be well taken of the harmless: and to an evil man they are both good and necessary, and may be executed according to charity, and with charity should be executed. For declaration whereof, you shall understand that charity hath two offices: the one contrary to the other, and yet both necessary to be used upon men of contrary sort and disposition. The one office of charity is, to cherish good and harmless men, not to oppress them with false accusations, but to encourage them with rewards to do well, and to continue in well doing, defending them with the sword from their adversaries; as the office of bishops and pastors is, to praise good men for well doing, that they may continue therein; and to rebuke and correct, by the word of God, the offences and crimes of all evildisposed persons. The other office of charity is, to rebuke, correct, and punish vice, without regard of persons, and is to be used against them only that be

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evil men, and malefactors or evil-doers. And that it is as well the office of charity to rebuke, punish, and correct them that be evil, as it is to cherish and reward them that be good and harmless. St. Paul declareth, writing to the Romans, saying, That the high powers are ordained of God, not to be dreadful to them that do well, but unto malefactors, to draw the sword to take vengeance of him that committeth the sin. And St, Paul biddeth Timothy stoutly and earnestly to rebuke sin by the word of God. So that both offices should be diligently executed, to fight against the kingdom of the devil, the preacher with the word, and the governors with the sword: else they neither love God, nor them whom they govern, if, for lack of correction, they wilfully suffer God to be offended, and them whom they govern to perish. For as every loving father correcteth his natural son when he doth amiss, or else he loveth him not; so all governors of realms, countries, towns and houses, should lovingly correct them which be offenders under their governance, and cherish them which live innocently, if they have any respect either unto God and their office, or love unto them of whom they have governance. And such rebukes and punishments of them that offend must be done in due time, lest, by delay, the offenders fall headlong into all manner of mischief, and not only be evil themselves, but also do hurt unto many men, drawing others, by their evil example, to sin and outrage after them as one thief may both rob many men, and also make many thieves; and one seditious person may allure many, and annoy a whole town or country. And such evil persons that be so great offenders to God and the commonweal, charity requireth to be cut from the body of the commonweal, lest they corrupt other good and honest persons;

1 Tim. i.

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like as a good surgeon cutteth away a rotten and festered member, for love he hath to the whole body, lest it infect other members adjoining unto it. Thus it is declared unto you, what true charity, or christian love is, so plainly, that no man need to be deceived; which love, whosoever keepeth, not only towards God (whom he is bound to love above all things) but also toward his neighbour, as well friend as foe, it shall surely keep him from all offence of God, and just offence of man. Therefore bear well away this one short lesson, That by true christian charity, God ought to be loved, good and evil, friend and foe, and to all such we ought, as we may, to do good; those that be good, of love to encourage and cherish, because they be good; and those that be evil, of love to procure and seek their correction and due punishment, that they may thereby either be brought to goodness, or at the least, that God and the commonwealth may be less hurt and offended. And if we thus direct our life by christian love and charity, then Christ doth promise and assure us, that he loveth us, that we be the children of our heavenly Father, reconciled to his favour, very members of Christ; and that after this short time of this present and mortal life, we shall have with him, everlasting life in his everlasting kingdom of heaven. Therefore to him, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

This admirable Lecture enforces the duty of Christians to love their enemies from the consideration that a man may have given just cause to his enemy to be offended, he may in time past have received many acts of benevolence from him, which were not requited; and he may himself have committed offences against God with great aggravations, while those of the enemy against him have been trifling; yet for him there is no remedy, but pardon from God through Christ.

HOM. VII.

Against Swearing.

HOMILY VII.

Against Swearing and Perjury.

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ALMIGHTY God, to the intent his most holy name should be had in honour, and evermore be magnified of the people, commandeth that no man should take his name vainly in his mouth, threatening punishment unto him that unreverently abuseth it by swearing, forswearing, and blasphemy. To the intent therefore that this commandment may be the better known and, kept, it shall be declared upto you, both how it is lawful for christian people to swear, and also what peril and danger it is, vainly to swear, or to be forsworn. First, when judges require oaths of the people for declaration or opening of the truth, or for execution of justice, this manner of swearing is lawful. Also, when men make faithful promises, with calling to witness the name of God, to keep convenants, honest promises, statutes, laws, and good customs, as christian princes do in their conclusions of peace, for conservation of commonwealths; and private persons promise their fidelity in matrimony, or one to another in honesty and true friendship: and all men, when they do swear to keep cominon laws, and local statutes, and good customs, for due order to be had and continued among men; when subjects do swear to be true and faithful to their king and sovereign lord; and when judges, magistrates, and officers swear truly to execute their offices; and when a man would affirm the truth to the setting forth of God's glory. (for the salvation of the people) in open preaching of the Gospel, or in giving of good counsel

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