be sure of this, about which multitudes, we find, are daily mistaken; we should be very fearful of venturing beyond our depth; or, in Scripture language, exercising ourselves in great matters, which are too high for us*; and ought in many cases to go but little further, than our good wishes and prayers: leaving the rest to those that are entrusted with it, and studying to be quiet, and do our own business†.

But reproachful discourse, though our superiors be spared in it, is fully mischievous enough, to deserve being included, as doubtless the Apostle designed it should, in his general prohibition of evilspeaking. Private quarrels, arising from this source, have often produced very fatal public dissensions. And were it never to have that ill effect, it would still have many others of the worst kind. The good opinion of those, amongst whom we live, is by nature, and with great reason, extremely dear to us : and robbing us of it, is taking from us one of the chief things, that make life agreeable. Every one feels this in his own case. No injury occasions bitterer uneasiness, or keener resentments; yet none is more frequently done: not only in anger, which however, were it the best grounded in the world, is by no means an excuse for saying just what one will; but in perfect good humour, heedlessly and gaily, and for mere want of something else to say. An offence, committed with so little scruple, is usually retaliated with just as little. And thus the cruellest and most barbarous imputations, sometimes obliquely hinted, at others directly spoken out, make up a great part of the entertainment of conversation. They, who pretend to condemn them, hearken to them, and repeat them notwithstanding; and almost every body goes

* Psalm cxxxi. 2.

+1 Thess. iv. 11.

on, more or less, contributing their share to what they complain of, all the while, most heavily. Now though all the ill things, that we tell others, were true; yet both Christian charity, and common humanity, would forbid the needless publication of them. And one should think private interest too might incline us to set the example of such forbearance: as we ourselves either have, or may have, occasion for gentle treatment in return, and a friendly veil to be drawn over our failings. But if a report of this kind be false; then the raising it, and in proportion the carrying it on, is doing a most heinous injury to an innocent person; which may spread we know not how far, and last we know not how long, and do him we know not what harm; without our being able, were we willing afterwards, to restore to him, at all completely, the good name that we have taken from him: which yet we must heartily endeavour to do, whatever shame we may bring upon ourselves by it, before we can hope for our Maker's forgiveness.

The second prohibition of the Apostle is levelled against the vehement spirit of party and faction: to be no brawlers, not contentious. Doubtless there may be differences of opinion and conduct, about national concerns, of such importance, that every one ought to interest himself in them, and even zealously. But then it should be done upon reasonable grounds; and without passion or bitterness. We should imagine nothing to be of greater moment than it really is. We should neither speak nor think worse of the opposite side, than we find, on a cool enquiry, they deserve: we should judge of no man's character, by the hurtful consequences either of his notions or his behaviour; if there be any reason to think, that he doth not see them; we should on no

account violate the laws of truth, justice, and huma→ nity, to distress the most obstinate adversary; or to gain the most favourite and material point. In matters of more indifference, the contest, if there is any, should in all reason be carried on with less warmth: and every one be freely allowed, to follow his own way of thinking, and promote the interest of his own friends without offence. To this equitable temper we should first form our own minds, and then study to introduce it amongst others: making it our business to diminish the subject, and narrow the bounds, of contention; and each labouring to abate the vehemence of his own side, with whom he may hope to have credit. But how small soever his success may be in that, each may at least watch over himself: be on his guard against over-great credulity; resist the temptation of countenancing serviceable falsehoods; avoid as much as possible, whatever may seem an unkind action, and most resolutely abstain from doing an unjust one. For whatever is dishonourable and base, ill-natured or uncharitable, in our opposers, is so in us: neither our passions, nor our interests, nor the common practice of the world, is the proper rule of our behaviour, or will justify it another day before the holy Judge of the whole earth. All these things are extremely plain: every body owns them: yet few or none regard them. Bad persons have their ends to serve by transgressing bounds: very good persons are enticed, or provoked, to go on insensibly much further than they should: and each side is so full of indignation at the faults of the other, that they overlook their own entirely. The consequence of this is, that almost every body applying what is said against the iniquities of party, not at all to reform themselves, but solely to

load their adversaries with imputations, they grow worse by what is intended to make them better: whereas we should learn from the failings of others, whom we are but too like, to examine, whether we are not guilty of some of the same : and readily grant mutual forgiveness to those common errors, which we have all great need to be forgiven by our Maker. Thus we should soon quiet and subdue this evil spirit: which in private life makes men disagreeable and injurious, intemperate and riotous, idle and negligent of their proper business: and whilst it fills their minds with other distinctions, often unmeaning, yet always mischievous; destroys from off the earth, in proportion as it prevails, the most important and necessary of all distinctions, that between good persons and bad. For amongst the zealots on every side, the lowest and the vilest creature, that is useful to their cause, or even but noisy for it, shall meet with high favour and the worthiest who opposes them, be it ever so fairly and decently, be it in ever so great a trifle, or for ever so strong reasons, shall not only be slighted, but ill treated and abhorred. Then for public affairs: the effect of this unhappy temper on them is, if possible, still worse. The end of society and government is to unite men in promoting their general interest: and the aim of party is to disunite them entirely. The whole study of each faction is to advance their own separate strength, overlooking the public welfare; to prevent the other from doing any thing beneficial or popular, to deceive or force them into measures absurd and pernicious; then to accuse them for the omissions or mistakes, nay the unavoidable inconveniences, of which the accusers themselves have been the cause. Thus they labour unweariedly the ruin one of another: and too frequently, rather

than fail of it, will risk, or even contrive, the ruin of the whole. For this wicked vehemence increases in men by unexpected and astonishing degrees: and the wisest, when they once give way to it, cannot foresee how far it may carry them, amidst such a number of things to provoke, or entice, or entangle them so, that they may come to do at length, what they least thought of, nay, what they most abominated. But though party quarrels produce every where very hurtful consequences; yet, as they have room for rising to the greatest heights, so they are capable of doing the greatest harm, in countries of civil and religious freedom: the happiness of which, though on all other accounts invaluable, is grievously subject to this one alloy; that the bold and active spirit, which naturally accompanies liberty, hurries men on, in various instances, to wild behaviour; and particularly carries public disputes to most immoral and dangerous lengths. Here therefore St. Paul's advice* is of the utmost importance. God be thanked, that we have followed it much better of late than formerly; and God grant, that we never relapse into wrong behaviour on this head again. Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty: only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

This rule of being mutually serviceable by love, is the same, in effect, with that, which the last words of the text prescribe that we should be gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. Our passions frequently prompt us, not only to do the contrary, but even to defend it. And yet one should think it might be easily seen, that a proneness to resent and disoblige,

Gal. v. 14, 15, 16.