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infinitely more than my greatest enemy does mine *.

Such confiderations are of great use to foften our prejudices against perfons; and at once to discover the true fpring, and prevent the bad effects of them. And happy would it be for a Chriftian, could he but call to mind, and apply to his relief,

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*A man despises me: What then? Did he know me more, he would perhaps defpife me more. But I know myself better than he can know me, and therefore defpife myself more: And though his cor tempt in this inftant may be groundless, yet in others it would be but too well founded. I will therefore not only bear with, but forgive it.-Contemnendus eft ifte contemptus, faith Seneca. But retorted fcorn is more becoming the character of a Stoic than a Chriftian.

It has been reckoned a wife and witty anfwer which one of the philofophers returned to his friend, who advised him to revenge an injury that had been done him: "What (fays he) if an afs kicks me, must "I needs kick him again?" And, perhaps, there is more wit than wisdom in that reply. It feems, indeed, to carry in it fomething of a true greatnefs of mind; but does it not, at the fame time, difcover a kind of haughty and contemptuous fpirit? The truth is, (as a judicious writer obferves upon it), “it is at

beft but a lame and misfhapened charity; it has "more of pride than goodness. We fhould learn of "the holy Jefus, who was not only meek, but lorvly. "We fhould contemn the injury, and pity the weak"nefs; but fhould not difdain or defpife the perfons " of our enemies. Charity vaunteth not herself, is not puffed up, doth not bebase itself unfeemly." See Scougal's Duty of loving our Enemies.

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lief, half the good things which that excellent heathen emperor and philofopher Marcus Antoninus could fay upon this fubject; fome of which I have for the benefit of the English reader extracted, and thrown into the margin *.

(3.) The

In the morning, remember to say to thyself, This day, perhaps, I may meet with fome imperti-. nent, ungrateful, peevish, tricking, envious, churlish fellow. Now all thefe ill qualities in them proceed from their ignorance of good and evil. And fince 1 am fo happy as to understand the natural beauty of a good action, and the deformity of an ill one; and fince the perfon that difobliges me is of near kin to me; and though not just of the fame blood and family, yet of the fame divine extract as to his mind; and finally, fince I am convinced that no one can do me a real injury, becaufe he cannot force me to do a difhoneft thing: for thefe reafons, I cannot find in my heart to hate him, or fo much as to be angry with him. Marc, Anton. Medit. Book 2. § I.

You are just taking leave of the world; and have you not yet learned to be friends with every body? and that to be an honeft man is the only way to be a wife one? Id. Book 4. § 37

To expect an impoffibility is madnefs; it is impoffible for ill men not to do ill things. Id. Book 5. $17.

It is the privilege of human nature above brutes, to love thofe that offend us. In order to this, confider, 1. That the effending party is of kin to you; 2. That he acts thus, becaufe he knows no better; 3. He may have no design to offend you; 4. You will both of you quickly be in your graves; but above all, 5. You have received no harm from him; for

your

(3.) The mind is apt to be prejudiced against or in favour of certain things and actions,

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your mind of reason is the fame it was before. I' B. 7. § 22.

Think upon your last hour, and do not trouble yourself about other people's faults, but leave them there where they must be answered for. Id. B. 7. $29.

Do not return the temper of ill-natured people upon themselves, nor treat them as they do the reft of mankind. Id. B. 7. § 355.

Though the gods are immortal, yet they not only patiently bear with a wicked world through fo many ages, but, what is more, liberally provide for it: and are you, who are just going off the ftage, weary with bearing, though you are one of thofe unhappy mortals yourself? Id. B. 7. § 70.

Never difturb yourself; for men will do the famë untoward actions over again, though you burst with fpleen. I. B. 8. § 4.

Reform an injurious perfon, if you can; if not, remember your patience was given you to bear with him; that the gods patiently bear with fuch men, and fometimes beftow upon them health, and fame, and fortune. Id. B. 9. § II.

When people treat you ill, and show their spite, and flander you, enter into their little fouls, go to the bottom of them, fearch their understandings; and you will foon fee, that nothing they may think or fay of you need give you one troublesome thought. Id. B. 9. § 27:

That is the best thing for a man which God fends him; and that is the best time when he fends it. Id. B. 10. $ 20.

It is fometimes a hard matter to be certain, whether you have received ill ufage, or not; for men's actions oftentimes look wórfe than they are; and

actions, as well as certain fentiments and perfons.

If, therefore, you find in yourself a fecret difinclination to any particular action or duty, and the mind begins to caft about for excufes and reasons to justify the neglect of it, confider the matter well; go to the bottom of that reluctance, and fearch out what it is that gives the mind. this averfion to it; whether it be the thing or action itself, or fome difcouraging circumftances that may attend it, or fome difagreeable confequences that may poffibly

one must be thoroughly informed of a great many things, before he can rightly judge. Id. B. 11. $18.

Confider how much more you often fuffer from your anger and grief, than from thofe very things for which you are angry and grieved. Id. B. 1. § 18.

When you fancy any one hath tranfgreffed, say thus to yourfelf: How do I know this is a fault? "But admit it is, it may be his confcience hath cor"rected him; and then he hath received his punish"ment from himself." Id. B. 12. § 16.

To thefe I fhall add two more quotations out of the facred writings, of incomparable greater weight and dignity than any of the fore-mentioned. Prov. xix. 11. "The difcretion of a man deferreth his an(( ger: and it is his glory to pafs over a tranfgref"fion." Rom. xii. 20, 21. "If thine enemy hun"ger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in "fo doing, thou fhalt heap coals of fire on his head. "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with "mood."

poffibly flow from it, or your fuppofed unfitness for it at prefent. Why, all these things may be only imaginary. And to neglect a plain and pofitive duty upon fuch confiderations, fhows that you are governed by appearances more than realities, by fancy more than reafon, and by

inclination more than confcience.

But let fancy mufter up all the discouraging circumstances, and set them in the moft formidable light, to bar your way to a supposed duty; for inftance, "It is very "difficult, I want capacity, at least am so "indisposed to it at prefent, that I fhall "make nothing of it; and then it will "be attended with danger to my perfon, "reputation, or peace; and the oppofi"tion I am like to meet with is great, "&c." But after all, is the call of Providence clear? is the thing a plain duty? fuch as reafon, confcience, and fcripture, your office, character, or perfonal engagements, call upon you to discharge? if so, all the aforefaid objections are vain and delufive; and you have nothing to do, but to fummon your courage, and, in dependence on divine help, to fet about the bufinefs immediately and in good earnest, and in the best and wifest manner you can; and you may depend upon it you

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