IX.

Serm. be no Occafion or Use in a perfect State : But in the present we fhould be exposed to greater Inconveniences without them; though there are very confiderable ones, which they themselves are the Occafions of. They are Incumbrances indeed, but fuch as we are obliged to carry about with us, through this various Journey of Life: Some of them as a Guard against the violent Affaults of others, and in our own Defence; fome in Behalf of others; and all of them to put us upon, and help to carry us through, a Course of Behaviour fuitable to our Condition, in Default of that Perfection of Wisdom and Virtue, which would be in all Refpects our better Security.

The Paffion of Anger or Refentment hath already been largely treated of. It hath been fhown,that Mankind naturally feel fomeEmotion of Mind against Injury and Injustice, whoever are the Sufferers by it; and even though the injurious Defign be prevented from taking Effect. Let this be called Anger, Indignation, Resentment, or by whatever Name any one shall chufe; the thing itself is understood, and is plainly natural. It has likewife been obferved, that this natural Indignation is generally moderate and low enough in Mankind, in each particular Man, when the

Injury which excites it doth not affect himself, Serm. or one whom he confiders as himself. There- IX. fore the Precepts to forgive, and to love our Enemies, do not relate to that general Indignation against Injury and the Authors of it, but to this Feeling, or Refentment when raised by private or perfonal Injury. But no Man could be thought in earneft, who fhould affert, that though Indignation against Injury, when Others are the Sufferers, is innocent and just; yet that the fame Indignation against it, when we ourselves are the Sufferers, becomes faulty and blameable. The Precepts therefore cannot be understood to forbid This in the latter Cafe, more than in the former. Nay they cannot be understood to forbid this Feeling in the latter Cafe, tho' raised to a higher Degree, than in the former: Because, as was also observed further, from the very Constitution of our Nature, we cannot but have a greater Senfibility to what concerns ourselves. Therefore the Precepts in the Text, and others of the like Import with them, must be understood to forbid only the Excess and Abuse of this natural Feeling, in Cafes of personal and private Injury: The chief Inftances of which Excefs and Abuse have likewife been already remarked; and all of them, excepting that of Retalia

Serm. Retaliation, do so plainly in the very Terms IX. express fomewhat unreasonable, disproporti

onate and abfurd, as to admit of no Pretence or Shadow of Juftification.

But fince Cuftom and falfe Honour are on the Side of Retaliation and Revenge, when the Refentment is natural and juft; and Reafons are sometimes offered in Juftification of Revenge in thefe Cafes; and fince Love of our Enemies is thought too hard a Saying tỏ be obeyed: I will fhew the abfolute unlawfulness of the former; The Obligations we are under to the latter; And then proceed to fome Reflections, which may have a more direct and immediate Tendency to beget in us a right Temper of Mind towards those who have offended us.

In fhewing the Unlawfulness of Revenge, it is not my prefent Defign to examine what is alledged in Favour of it, from the Tyranny of Custom, and false Honour, but only to confider the Nature and Reason of the Thing itself; which ought to have prevented, and ought now to extirpate, every thing of that Kind.

First, Let us begin with the Suppofition of That being innocent, which is pleaded for, and which fhall be fhewn to be altogether vi

cious, that we were allowed to render Evil Serm. for Evil, and fee what would be the Confe- IX. quence. Malice or Resentment towards any

Man hath plainly a Tendency to beget the fame Paffion in him who is the Object of it; and this again increases it in the other: For it is of the very Nature of this Vice to propagate itself, not only by way of Example, which it does in common with other Vices, but in a way peculiar to itself. Put the Cafe then that the Law of Retaliation was univerfally received, and allowed, as an innocent Rule of Life, by all; and the Obfervance of it thought by many, (and then it would foon come to be thought by all,) a Point of Honour: This fuppofes every Man in private Cafes to pass Sentence in his own Cause; and likewise, that Anger or Resentment is to be the Judge. Thus, from the numberless Partialities which we all have for ourselves, every one would often think him. felf injured when He was not: and in most Cafes would represent an Injury as much greater than it really is; the imagined Dignity of the Person offended would scarce ever fail to magnifie the Offence. And if bare Retaliation, or returning just the Mifchief received, always begets Refentment in

the

Serm. the Perfon upon whom we retaliate, what

IX.

would that Excess do? Add to this, that he likewife has his Partialities-There is no going on to reprefent this Scene of Rage and Madness: It is manifeft there would be no Bounds, nor any End. If the Beginning of Strife is as when one letteth out Water, what would it come to when allowed this free and unreftrained Courfe? As Coals are to burning Coals, or Wood to Fire; fo would these contentious Men be to kindle Strife *. And fince the Indulgence of Revenge hath manifeftly this Tendency, and does actually produce thefe Effects in Proportion as it is allowed; a Paffion of fo dangerous a Nature ought not to be indulged, were there no other Reafon against it.

Secondly, It hath been fhewn that the Paffion of Refentment was placed in Man, upon Suppofition of, and as a Prevention or Remedy to Irregularity and Disorder. Now whether it be allowed or not, that the Paflion itself and the Gratification of it joined together are painful to the malicious Perfon; it must however be fo with Respect to the Perfon towards whom it is exercifed, and upon

*Prov. xxvi. 21.