Now in measuring these things, we must not follow the Dictates of our own Pride, and Corrupted Nature, which account nothing little; which magnify every Indignity, and Provocation into an Unpardonable Fault: Thefe will be ready to whisper to us, that every little Trefpafs deferves a Procefs; every reproachful Word a Stab; And every Actionable Affront a Suit at least, if not a Challenge. But in thefe Cafes, Pride and Anger, and the vain Opinions of Honour and Gallantry, muft not be our Counsellors: Thefe we folemnly renounced at our Baptifm, when we were made Chriftians; Thefe must be Mortify'd and Subdued, or we break Conditions with God, and forfeit the Benefit of that Covenant.

But here a Material Cafe offers it felf: The Stating and Refolving of which, will not, I fuppofe, be thought a Digreffion from our prefent Defign; and that is the Cafe of going to Law about Emergent Differences; and whether that be confiftent with this Doctrine of Christian Charity, and Reconciliation. Now I think there is no Queftion, but that (even upon the ftricteft Laws of Chriftianity) it is very Lawful to difpute a Title of Right, and to fix the Bounds of Property; provided that be done without Malice and Revenge; without Breach of Love and Charity. This appears. from the Neceflity of the thing it felf; because otherwife, neither Private, nor Publick Interests could be fecure. From the Magiftrate's Of fice, who, by God's Appointment is to diftri

bute

Acts,

22.

bute Justice; to determine in Doubtful Matters; to put an end to Strife; to protect the Innoçent, and to punish the Evil-Doers. From the practice of our Saviour and St. Paul, who claimed the Benefit, and Appealed to the Juftice of humane Tribunals; for when the Of ficer, in the presence of the High-Prieft, ftruck our Saviour with the Palm of his Hand, he openly complain'd of the Illegallity of the Act, and Expoftulates for the Redrefs of it. Jefus Jo. 18. 23. Anfwered him, if I bave Spoken Evil, bear Witness of the Evil, i. e. Implead me for it: but if well, why fmiteft thou me? And when r the Chief Captain commanded St. Paul to be Scourged, Uncondemned; he pleads the Legal Priviledge of a Free-born Roman. Is it Lawful for you to Scourge a Man that is a Roman, and Uncondemned? So that a Man may be Faultlefs, who commences a Suit at o Law, unlefs fomething more comes in to make him a Tranfgreffor. The Offence lies not in the Nature of the Action, but in the Caufe, the Defign, the Manner of its Management, and Profecution. In the Words of the fame St. Paul: We know that the Law is good, if a Tim. 1,8. Man use it Lawfully; and that it is not made for the Righteous, but for the Lawless and Difobedient. But it is certainly against the foremention'd Precept of Chrift, to go to Law upon every little Difference; for every flight Injury: 'Tis very unbecoming the Character and Profeffion, the Meeknefs and Forgiveness of a Chriftian, to contend for Trifles; It argues

25.

a great Intemperance of Spirit, a mighty Want of Charity, to engage the Authority of Laws; to trouble the Solemnity of a Court, with Actions about Petty Squables, or Trefpaffes, for a paffionate, or defamatory Word. In thefe Cafes, 'tis utterly a Fault among you, becaufe ye go to Law one with another: Why do ye not rather Suffer Wrong? Why do ye not rather fuffer yout 1 Cor.6.7. felves to be defrauded?

The Refult of the Cafe is this. If the Damage be fo unfupportable, and the Circumstances of the Matter fuch, that other ways of deciding it are found Infufficient; then it may be Innocent, and Neceffary to appeal to the publick Juftice of the Law: But even then we must be very careful of preferving the facred Bond of Chriftian Peace, Friendship and good Neighbourhood. Which when I confider, how feldome that is done; How Men's Spirits are hereby imbitter'd, and render'd implacable; methinks, he that in thefe Cafes fits down under a Wrong, and for Peace fake, récedes fomething from his Right, acts more prudently, I'm fure more Chriftianly. But above all, it concerns thofe, who are naturally turbulent, and vexatious; who take delight in difquieting their Neighbour; who ftudy Mifchief, and ftir up ftrife all the Day long: I fay it nearly concerns fuch to confider how far they are from Chriftian Reconciliation; and what Account they will be able to give of this Precept to the Prince of Peace. But

2dly, In Chriftian Reconciliation it is further required, that we forgive him that hath Injured us, from our Hearts; without retaining any fecret Grudge, or returning it upon him ; tho' it may chance to come into our Power, and we have the Opportunity to do it. The Providence of God has given us fuch Natures, and put us under fuch Circumftances in this World; that we have not only fair Opportu nities, but the ftrongeft Engagements laid upon us, to Mutual Kindnefs, and Good-Will. He has made us all of one Stock; we are like one another in the Features, and Proportions of Body; We ftand in need of each others help and Service; We make Voluntary Contracts; And enter into mutual Covenants, as well by the Inftitution of God, as the Appointments of Men. Love is the very Heart of Civil Society.

r

It is therefore a very falfe and fcandalous Account which Mr. Hobbs gives us, in his Imaginary and Utopian State of Nature: Wherein he reprefents Mankind as fo many Italian Banditti, or Irish Rapperees; committing the most horrid Plunders, and Maflacres one upon another; and Refolves all the Principles of humane Society, into thofe of Force and Fraud. But if Reason and Experience, if the Universal Consent, and Opinion of all Mankind, may prevail against the Confidence and Dicacity of one Ill-natur'd Philofopher, they

were

were the Generous Obligations of Love, Benevolence, and common Security, which firft led Men to Plant Colonies, and to Form Governments; Were the contrary Perfwafion admitted; Were Rapine and Cruelty tolerated by Law, what would follow, but Eternal Anarchy and Confufion, and the World become a Field of Blood, and a Den of Thieves? Moft certainly the Original Inftincts and Efforts of humane Nature, are thofe of Love and Peace; It delights itself in the Offices of Compaffion, Friendship, and Courtefie: And upon these our Saviour hath fuperinduced the Obligations of his Laws, and hath heighten'd, and improv'd thofe Natural Dictates by his Gofpel. I fay unto you, Love your Enemies, Bless them that Curfe you, and Pray for them that difpitefully ufe you. So that all Retalliation of Injuries is exprefly Forbidden, and without That, Chriftian Reconciliation cannot be perfected in us. Indeed there may be Worldly reasons, which reftrain us from outward Acts of Violence and Hoftility; It may be we are too Weak to do it ; Or we want Opportunity to execute our Evil Defigns; Or it may be against fome Interest we are driving on. Now, to forbear Revenge upon fuch Motives as these, is not Obedience to this Precept of our Saviour, Whose main Defign is to Correct the inward Difpofitions of our Souls, and requires that Forgiveness be from the Heart. Tho' we fhould forbear to return Evil upon our Brother; Tho' perG 2 chance