now that ye are called thereunto, that ye
should inherit the blessing._ But this is a still further
illustration of love, showing how we should act toward those that
injure and persecute us. If any one does you evil--this is his
meaning--do him good; if any one rails at and curses you, then you
are to bless and wish him well; for this is an important part of
love. O Lord God! what a rarity such Christians are! But why should
we return good for evil? Because, says he, ye are called thereunto
that ye should inherit the blessing, so that ye should suffer
yourselves to be attracted towards it.

In the Scriptures we Christians are called a people of blessing, or a
blessed people. For thus said God to Abraham, Gen. xii.: "In thy seed
shall all nations of the earth be blessed." Since God has so richly
shed down this blessing upon us, in that He takes away from us all
the malediction and the curse which we have derived to ourselves from
our first parents, as well as that which Moses suffered to go forth
upon the disobedient, so that we are now filled with blessing, we
ought so to conduct ourselves that it shall be said of us, That is a
blessed people. So that this is what the Apostle here means: See, God
has shown you His favor, and has taken away from you the curse, and
the reviling wherewith you have dishonored Him; He neither imputes
nor punishes, but has bestowed upon you such rich grace and blessing,
while ye were only worthy of all malediction, inasmuch as ye reviled
God without intermission (for where there is unbelief the heart must
ever curse God): do ye also as has been done toward you; curse not,
rail not, do well, speak well, even though you are treated ill, and
endure it where you are unrighteously used. Hereupon he quotes a
passage out of the xxxiii. Ps., where the prophet David speaks thus:

V. 10. _Whoso will love life and see good days, let him keep his
tongue from evil, and his lips that they do not deceive._ That is,
whoever would have a pleasure and a joy in life, and would not die
the death, but see good days, so that it shall go well with him, let
him keep his tongue that it speak not evil, not only in respect to
his friends, for that is a small virtue and a thing which even the
wickedest of all may do, even snakes and vipers,--but also, he says,
maintain a kind spirit, and keep your tongue silent even against your
enemies, though you are even incited thereto--though you have cause
to rail and speak ev