nearer together. And men, in the extravagance of mifguided zeal in Religion, have thought to promote the cause of love and mercy, by the most frightful exceffes of cruelty and rage.-Even on lefs important fubjects, variety of opinion and diversity in the habits of taste and education, become fources of mutual alienation and contempt, that create many imaginary causes of diffention, and augment and imbitter those that are real. What ridicule, what fneer, what obloquy enter into different parties, and often form the spirit of the different circles into which society is divided? Do not these causes nourish the paffions of hatred and pride? Do they not represent the actions and defigns of men in a false and injurious light? Do they not contribute to render their diffentions unforgiving and eternal? Ah! my brethren, are not all these occafions of mutual alienation, when seriously and calmly estimated, unworthy and unreasonable? And yet, do we not see them every day violationg, in the groffeft manner, the spirit and the law of charity?

2. Another cause of revenge, as little justifiable, is oppofition to our pleasures or our interests.

Interest and pleasure form thofe objects of purfuit that usually occupy the minds of men with the greateft ardour. If these are frequently and pointedly oppofed, they are apt to create ftrong and lafting refentments. How can I love the man, you say, who on all occafions fets himfelf against me? How can I forgive the malice that is perpetually thwarting my purposes and defeating my views?-Let us examine the validity of these reasons.Perhaps the malice you impute to him is only the colouring which your refentment gives to his fuccessful rivalship. He is engaged in a pursuit of pleasures or interelts fimilar to your own. Your common views happen to

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terminate on the fame objects, and your paffions reprefent the interference that fprings from the lawful exercise of his own rights, as flowing from malicious defign. But admitting that he is an enemy as well as a rival,-do you not acquit him on your own principles by your hoftility to him? And will you add to the injury he hath already done you a greater evil, by cherishing those unhallowed paffions that offend God and difquiet your own peace? No, these enmities are at once ill founded and pernicious to your own fouls. If oppofition to our interests or our pleasures is not fufficient to juftify the spirit of revengeneither is,

3. Injustice to our character and reputation.

Character is the deareft poffeffion to a good man. No wound afflicts him fo deeply as an imputation on his honour or his virtue? But is it fufficient to authorise the purposes of revenge?-No, Religion prohibits all retaliation, except of good for evil.-Is it the proper way to vindicate our injured innocence? No, a gentle difpofition and a virtuous conduct are the most effectual refutation of every flander. Is it even certain we have suffered the injury of which we complain?-In innumerable instances, if we carefully examine its grounds, we fhall find it founded in mifreprefentation. How many rafh and imprudent perfons take up a tale before they comprehend it, and propagate it with the colouring of their own imagination? How many malicious perfons love in this way to augment the diffentions of fociety? How many vain and talkative perfons permit themselves, without reflection, to diffeminate the most pernicious and unfounded hiftories? What additions are made to the truth in paffing only through a few mouths? How often have we known our own words to be distorted and invenomed

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by the malice or indifcretion of others?-And shall we, notwithstanding, take this uncertain ground to vindicate the most atrocious of all the paffions? Poffibly we do our brother a high injury by believing him capable of the injustice.

But admitting that he hath calumniated our character, -may it not have been the fruit of inconfideration merely? May it not have been occafioned by the officious zeal of false friends, who have poifoned his mind? May it not have sprung from dark and fufpicious circumftances in our own conduct, which we have not condefcended to explain? It becomes a good man rather to find àpologies for fuch actions than to profecute them with rage. He ought to attribute them to the want of reflection, to the artifice of others, to the furprise of paffion, to any cause rather than a malignant difpofition. A great wit once faid, "It is neceffary only for mankind to converse together freely every day to make them all of one Religion." We may fay with at leaft equal truth, that it is neceffary only for men to converfe together freely, to remove a thousand prejudices, to extinguith a thousand animofities in their origin, and notwithstanding all the caufes of divifion that exist in the world, to make them friends.—But if there are fome who, through weakness of mind, or the violence of paffion cannot be reclaimed, how ought a Chriftian to treat their obloquy? Not furely by imitating their crime. This is ufually the proof of a vulnerable character in ourfelves. The most clear and honourable vindication of ourfelves is virtuous conduct. In the consciousness of innocence, virtue may be filent. There is, befides, a dignity in filence that makes a favourable impreflion on the world, and humbles an enemy much more than any retaliation of reproach or

flander.

Hander. But the most equivocal vindication of character, and even of that courage which modern ideas have made a substitute for character, is the fingle combat. No affault on our good name can juftify this crime.-The spirit and the laws of the gospel condemn it.-A brave and virtuous man does not need it.-The most illuftrious natious of antiquity, who civilized the earth, and who adorned human nature by their talents, knew no fuch methods to vindicate their injured honour, or to prop an infirm reputation. On this fubject, however, I have already made the neceffary reflections, and fhall now difmifs the whole by remarking, that as they are our vanity and pride that are chiefly hurt by the tales of calumny, so they are these principles, fo little becoming the imperfection of human nature, that give to the refentful paffions their greatest force. Thus weak and infufficient are all thofe caufes which are ufually urged to juftify the spirit of revenge.

And now, in the conclufion of this difcourfe, let me call your attention to the following reflections.

1. The first that I make is, that as it becomes a good man never to give juft occafion of offence to others, it becomes him alfo, if he has been at any time surprised by his paffions, to efface his fault by a fpeedy and candid acknowledgment. There is often more goodness and greatness of mind difplayed in acknowledging than in not having committed an error. Caution in offending, and candour in confeffing, are neceffary perhaps to enable us with fincerity to forgive. Obedience to this law is lefs difficult when we are not confcious of a fault ourfelves. There is a dignity in innocence that does not fear to be degraded by ftooping to pardon. But if we have been betrayed to do wrong, and have not fortitude

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of mind enough to confess it, our own fault becomes the greatest obstacle to our duty, and an unforgiving spirit is cherished by a false fentiment of honour.

2. This duty I might recommend from the generofity and nobleness of its principle, from the approbation of mankind, and from the tranquillity and peace with which it will be accompanied in our own breasts.—But apart from all these confiderations, which can touch only a great and worthy mind, it is a duty that addreffes itself to our interest and our fears,-it is enjoined by all the authority, and enforced by all the terrors of Religion ;— for if ye forgive not men their trefpaffes, neither will your Father, who is in heaven, forgive your trespasses.-Haughty and revengeful spirits! look up to that tribunal where your own punishment awaits you, and let the awful majefty of Divine juftice restrain your pride and rage! Remember that the measure which you mete to others shall be measured to you again. A refentful unforgiving temper can hope for no indulgence from the righteous Judge. On the other hand, meekness, gentleness, forgiveness, as they are abundant fources of inward confolation on earth, so they lead alfo to the regions of eternal peace in heaven.

3. This fubject fuggests the ardent charity with which we ought to embrace our brethren who have not injured us. If hoftile intentions are to be forgiven,-if actual injuries are to be forgotten,-if enemies are to be beloved, with what warm affection ought we to regard those who are innocent?—Those who embrace us with kindness?Those who are our fincere and active friends?—Thofe who are connected with us by the most tender relations? -And above all, thofe who add to thefe endearing ties their union with us in the household of faith?-The

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