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CHAP. XIV. matter; or else our going to law may be as great a fin, as that man's injuftice that gives occafion for it.

(1.) FIRST then; let the injury we have fuffered, or the right we fue for, be fuch as is really of great moment to us, and that not in our own judgment only (for pride or covetoufness may impofe upon us when we make the estimate our felves) but in the judgment of fome wife, good, and peaceable neighbour, to whom we should discover freely our defign of going to law, before we take one actual step in it, together with the reasons which we think make it neceffary and fit for us fo to do; and be ruled by his opinion, whether it may be worth our while to proceed or not. For 'tis a fhame to Chriftianity, and even to the common bonds of good nature and good neighbourhood, that every trifling damage, every pitiful trefpafs, or every inconfiderable demand, fhould prefently create a fuit at law. Let us remember that a Chriftian is obliged to be of a merciful and forgiving temper, to ftudy his own peace, and the peace of thofe about him; which he can never be faid to do, while he is acted by fuch a litigious fpirit. I fuppofe the precept of our Saviour here to be levelled especially at this very thing, the going to law upon trifling occafions, where the injury or lofs is fuch as we can well bear, and is of little confequence to our fortunes or our families. However this certainly is the leaft that can be meant by it; and therefore if his authority have not influence to over-rule us in fo fmall a matter, 'tis in vain to pretend to call our felves the difciples of Christ.

(2.) WHEN We go to law, even upon the most allowable occafions, it must be without any malice or defire of revenge in the heart. How grievous foever the wrong that has been done us is, whatever we have fuffered, or are like to fuffer by it, be

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the juftice of our demands, and the injuftice of our adverfary's refufal ever fo great and apparent, let none of these things enflame us to a thirft of returning evil for evil, fo as to make that in any measure the principle we go upon in the fuit; remembring, that a Christian is not to use the law purely to punish or to hurt his adverfary, but to do himself and his family justice.

(3.) WE muft take care during the whole time the conteft is depending, and as well before it is commenced as after it is determined, that our behaviour towards him be with great meekness and civility, by no means giving our felves a loose of railing at him, and speaking ill of him; affronting or infulting him the while, as many do; who weakly imagine that a law-fuit is juftification enough for all the ugly things they can fay of an adverfary, or the rudeneffes they can fhew to him. Nor is this all; we must be ready to believe the best of him, and willing, whenever he can be brought to it, to make up the difference by the arbitration of friends; or any other easy way, that may prevent the many temptations to evil, and the inconveniencies on both fides, which may be expected in continuing the fuit; choofing rather by fuch an arbitration to recede a little from our right, than obftinately to difpute it inch by inch with him, to the disturbance of peace and charity. But if fuch an agreement be rejected on his fide, and the law takes its course, then,

(4) WHEN the matter is brought to an iffue, and the trial is over, we must be able to fit down cool and contented, whatever the determination be. Submitting to the lofs of our caufe, if it be given against us, without vexatioufly carrying the fuit from court to court; in hopes at length to ruin an adversary with the expence, or weary him out with the trouble of attendance. I do not fay, that

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CHAP. XIV. where there is evident injuftice done, corruption of witneffes, or bribing of juries (not fufpected only, but capable of fufficient proof) and this fuch as unquestionably turn'd the verdict against, which otherwise would have been for us. I do not fay in these cases we are always bound to acquiefce (tho' if our lofs or damage be tolerable, it may be our wifeft way) but that we may lawfully try our right a fecond time, or (if it be of very great moment to us and we have ftrong presumption of justice on our fide) a third time, &c. But we muft not do any thing like this for contention-fake, and to be troublefome, from a proud refentment of being caft, an obftinate humour of revenge, or a greedy appetite of what we fue for.

THESE rules are all neceffary to be observed by every Chriftian who endeavours to right himself by law, and perhaps the acquiring fuch a temper as is requifite, may be a more difficult tafk, and give a man more uneafinefs than the injury; and he might with lefs trouble and lefs danger fit down with the firft lofs, Thefe confiderations, if duly weighed, would, it is to be hop'd, cure many Christians of that litigiousness, to which they are too much addicted, and which is certainly a very great crime in them. Chriftians cannot well err on the other hand, in fuffering themselves to be ill treated; but they may be too fevere in their exactions of justice, in always infifting on the letter of the law,

III. THE third precept or direction concerning our behaviour under wrongs, is with refpect to the injuries received from fuperiors; when a man abuses the advantage he has over us by strength or power, to force us to do what he has no right to require of us; expreffed here by compelling us to go with him a mile. In this cafe our Saviour commands us not to be furly and inflexible, tenacious of every little privilege

privilege or exemption, which the laws have given us from fuch demands; but (if there be no moral evil in the thing) to do what is required, or twice as much, for the fake of peace, rather than tumultuoufly and clamorously to conteft it. If to this it be objected, what then do the protection of laws, the notion of liberty, or the favour of fpecial privileges, fignify, if we must give them up to the oppreffion of every infolent invader? I anfwer, in this, as under the former head of going to law, we are not forbid to maintain our felves in fuch legal advantages, as by the judgment of wife and good men, are of great confequence either to our felves or to the publick. Our Saviour never intended hereby to fet afide the force of laws; but what I prefume he would have us to do by this precept, is, that to impofitions of little moment, which are perfonal only, affecting our own private liberty, and even thefe fuch tolerable injuries, that they are rather a mere breach of privilege than any real or confiderable damage to us, we fhould patiently and calmly fubmit; the breach of charity and peace being like to end in much worfe confequences than the breach of fuch a privilege.

IV. THE fourth precept obliges us not only to that paffive difpofition which has been defcribed, excluding refentment and revenge, or requiring patience and fubmiffion under the injuftice of an enemy; but that we fhould fo perfectly set aside the confideration of the injuries he has done us, as to shew the fame active generofity in doing good to him, as to those who never gave us provocation. We muft do good to all men, whether friends or enemies, or indifferent perfons; and this is here cxpreffed by the two inftances of giving and lending. If he that has injur'd us fall into us fall into poverty, and either need the relief of alms, or upon occafion,

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when it may be serviceable to him, be fo far humbled, as to defire to borrow money of us; we must give as freely to him what we can afford to give, and lend as freely to him what he would borrow, if we can fpare it, as we would to any other indifferent perfon; not daring to refuse, upon any pique or refentment against him for what has formerly pass'd between us. That this is the true meaning of the precept, as it ftands in this part of our Saviour's fermon, I have no manner of doubt, nor can I better illuftrate it than by these verses from the Epistle to the Romans, which inculcate the very fame thing. * Dearly beloved, avenge not your felves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, faith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in fo doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. As for the objection from the nature of friendship, and what diftinction the Gospel allows us to make in favour of that, it will fall in to be confidered in the next paragraph; as what concerns in general the duty of almf-giving will in that which follows it.

Rom. xii. 19, 20, 21.

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