it is, then it muft needs follow too, that, the more favourable Thoughts we entertain of our Brethren, and the lefs partial we are to our Selves, the nearer to a Level we come; And fo fhall be lefs apt, either to provoke, or to be tranfported beyond due Bounds, when We fhall, at any time, happen to be provoked, by Injuries and Indignities. Now to this Level no Confideration can be better fitted to reduce us, than That fo very often urged already, of our being, High and Low, Rich and Poor, Wife or Ignorant, ftill all one Body together in Christ, and every one Members one of another. Ver. 17. 1 Cor. x. 23. 2. The Next Expedient offered for this purpose, is to provide things honeft in the fight of all men. By which we are to look upon our felves obliged, not only to all thofe Duties, which the Laws of God or Man have bound upon us; but to all that Prudence and Decency in our Conduct, that may fecure to us the Character of Difcretion, as well as of Virtue. For there are infinite Occurrences in a Man's Life, wherein all that is lawful may be far from edifying or being expedient: Many Liberties no where forbidden, which yet are better not taken: Many Actions no where exprefly commanded, which yet are very fit to be done. And again, when we do thefe, or abftain from those, the very Manner and Circumstances of the Thing may prove of great moment, either for adorning or recommending, or for tarnishing the Luftre, and taking off from the Beauty and Acceptableness, of fuch Reftraints or Actions. This opens a fpacious Field for the exercise of our Wisdom and Caution, and the End it hath principally in view, is Reputation and ral Efteem. The feeking whereof, by all fair means, is a Refpect due to our Brethren: Who ought to be fatisfied, that we pay a juft Deference to their Judgment, and are exceedingly defirous to ftand well with gene them. them. And it is certainly a doing great right to our felves, by gaining Credit and Authority; Which, as it enables us to be more fuccefsful in doing good, fo will it prove one of the best Guards against fuffering Evil. 'Tis fo, by cutting off occafion from them that would be glad to find it; and by drawing down a general Cenfure and Deteftation of our Enemies, by providing us with Favourers and Friends; and by hindering Others from countenancing and abetting the unreasonable Attempts of them, who ufe us ill, where no occafion can be found for their doing so. Col. iv.5. 1 Pet. ii. 12. I Cor. X. 33. Tit. ii.9. This is the true ground of thofe Exhortations, fo frequent in thefe Epiftles, that the Converts to the Faith would be careful to walk in Wisdom toward them that are without; to have their Conversation honest among the Gentiles; to give none offence, neither to the Jew, nor to the Gentile, nor to the Church of God; to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; and a great many more to the fame purpose. All these are inculcated for this plain reafon more immediately; that the Mouths of Gainfayers might be stopp'd, the Hands of their Adverfaries tied up, and the Inoffenfiveness, as well as Innocency of their Lives be their Security, against the Malice and Cruelty of thofe perfecuting Ages. For, though many wicked People do really act against all Senfe and Reafon; yet none are fo abandoned, and loft to Shame, as not to defire to have it thought, they do otherwife. And therefore it is obfervable, that the Primitive Perfecutions were conftantly introduced by Calumnies; with an Intent, that ill Impreffions upon Peoples Minds might prepare the way, and reconcile them, to the Barbarities they were about to fee inflicted. And accordingly, the Champions of this Religion were always more follicitous to guard against the Slanders, than the Swords, of Perfecutors. F 2 fecutors. As knowing very well, that to wipe away thefe effectually, was the moft ready and effectual Course of fheathing, or at least of blunting the Edge of the Other. And furely, the Reflection upon our Union in Chrift is, or ought to be, a very prevailing Motive, to that Care and Circumfpection, which hath fo direct an Influence upon the Safety of the Body, and the Honour of the Head. A Care, which advances the Credit of that Religion, whereby we are thus knit together; ftrikes Gainfayers dumb, and is fo neceffary to preferve even our Good from being evil Spoken of. 1 Pet. iii. 13. 2 Theff. iii. 2. 3. The Third Thing here enjoined, as a probable Method for prevention of Outrage and Injuries, we have at the 18th Verfe; If it be poffible, as much as in you lieth, live peaceably with all men. St. Peter indeed asks that Question, Who is he that will barm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? And he had reafon; for none, but fuch as are monftrously brutish, will. But yet, fince fuch Monfters there are to be found in the World, (too many of thofe, whom our Apostle elsewhere mentions under the Character of unreasonable wicked men) the cautious manner of expreffing this Duty was no more than needful. For Peace with all the World, though a moft defirable Bleffing, may yet be bought too dear; and therefore we are not left free to feek it, upon any Terms, not confiftent with the reft of our Duty. When Stedfaftness to the Faith we ought to profefs, when Zeal for the Truth and Glory of God, when Conftancy and Courage in Virtue, are made Grounds of a Difference; and nothing less than our foregoing thefe, will be accepted, for an accommodation of it; in fuch like Cafes Peace becomes impoffible. All we have left to do then, is to convince the World, that we are not the the Aggreffors; that we neither begun the Quarrel, nor have a defire to continue it; that, whatever can be reconciled with our higher Obligations, we are ready to do; willing to depart from our Own Right, though we cannot give up God's; always difpofed to be reconciled, and to forgive the Wrongs, for which we never gave any Caufe or Provocation. This is as much as in us lieth, and This they who decline, are no longer true Subjects of the Prince of Peace, no Difciples of that Mafter, who at his Death bequeathed Peace to us, as the most valuable Legacy he could leave; no living Members of that Head, who vouchfafed to become our Peace-offering; no longer actual Parts of one another, when they rend the Body, difquiet and devour their Fellow-members; in fhort, when they do not endeavour to procure and preserve, as they are taught to pray for, Peace always by all means. And thus I am, almost infenfibly, brought within the compass of my Second Head, wherein I proposed to confider, 2 Theff. iii. 16. II. The Deportment becoming Chriftians, when they fhall at any time happen to fuffer, under Perfecutions and Wrongs of any kind. Ver. 17. The First Rule for which purpose I fhall offer from those Words, Recompence to no man evil for evil. The Words indeed, if taken in their utmost Extent, will include the Whole, faid here upon this occafion. But I chufe to treat of them, as a Rule diftin&t from the reft; because I find fome of the best Interpreters applying them to a lower Degree of Meeknefs and Charity, than thofe that follow after; and confining them to a Senfe, that denotes, not fo much the doing Evil, as the forbearing to do Good, after the Example of another. If any one (fay they) having been wanting to You in Offices of Kindness, which you have very well deferved, and had all the reafon in the World to expect from him; let not that Refufal or Neglect in Him, provoke You to the like Refufal and Omiffion; but be fure to do Your Part, even to Them, who have not done Theirs to You. Be the Reasonableness of thus understanding the Words before us as it will; yet to be fure the Rule it felf is reasonable, and a very neceffary one, to have Men put in mind of. For, how many may we meet with every Day, who difclaim all Thoughts of Malice and Revenge, and say, they would not, for the World, do their Enemies the leaft hurt; while at the fame time they hold themfelves privileged, and abundantly difpenfed with, from doing them any fort of good? Whereas, in truth, whatever it be of kindness or refpect, or any manner of courtesy, that others may justly claim, upon the account of Neighbourhood, or Relation, or their Condition and Quality in the World, or any Obligation, not directly founded upon Gratitude, or particular Friendship, or intimate Acquaintance, or the like; The denying this, upon any Offence or Omiffion of theirs, I apprehend to be a breach of Christian Charity, and of the Rule before us. The reafon is, becaufe fuch Omiffions or Offence can diffolve no Obligations, befides thofe, that refult from the doing what was omitted, or not doing what offended; But they cannot, in the reafon of the Thing, have influence upon thofe, that belong to Men in other Capacities; and would have done fo, whether any familiar Intercourfe, or Acts of Friendship, had pafs'd between us or not. And this may poffibly be one reafon for the place thefe Words have, in the Chapter. Such continuance of Our kindnefs and regards to Them, who have difappointed our Expectations of Theirs, being what the Wife and the Good cannot but value Us, and the Principle we are moved to do it by, very greatly for. So that the Connexion here is juftifiable enough, when after Recompencing to no man |