20. They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries. Such would a wise man wish his enemies to be. Why should we seek to be
beloved of such graceless souls? It is a fine plea against our enemies when we
can without injustice declare them to be like the devil, whose nature it is to
render good for evil. Because I follow the thing that good is. If people
hate us for this reason we may rejoice to bear it: their wrath is the
unconscious homage which vice renders to virtue. This verse is not inconsistent
with the writer’s previous confession; we may feel deeply guilty before God,
and yet be entirely innocent of any wrong to our fellow-men. It is one sin to
acknowledge the truth, quite another thing to submit to be belied.
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