Thirdly.
A compassionate heart even towards enemies is a Christian heart.
A third tryal of spirituall health and strength is a compassionate and pitifull, melting-heart over the afflicted or miserable, yea, although our enemies, or enemies of their owne Salvation.
Thus the Lord Jesus sighs for the hardnesse of the heart of his Enemies: thus he weeps over Jerusalem that was to kill him, and prayed for his persecutors and enemies.
Thus Jeremy powres forth his Book and Rivers of Lamentations for Jerusalem of old, as Christ for the latter.
2 Tim. 2. 26.
Thus Gods people are commanded to weep with them that weep: And when any oppose themselves, wee ought in meeknesse and patience to bear it, as knowing their wofull and miserable bondage and slavery to Sathan: And who knows whether it will please God in infinite mercy and compassion to deliver them by vouchsafing repentance in Christ Jesus, as he hath done to us?
Object. But may not Gods children exceed and over-grieve for others?
Gods people mourn for others.
Yea doubtlesse, and therefore God chideth Samuel for over-grieving for Saul, because God hath rejected him: Gods children may as well exceed the bounds of griefs as of joy and anger, and any kind of Passion or affection: but it is ever safer to fall on the right hand of too much mercy and compassion, then on the left of Anger, Wrath and Cruelty.