should heap coals of fire, or terrible punishments, on his Every act of beneficence is liable to occasion ingratitude; and ingratitude must be punished, whether we interpret Scripture rightly or wrongly. Is this timorous and tender-hearted person apprehensive that God will punish the ungrateful in any improper manner? Or is he unwilling that they should be punished properly? When he at all interferes with the punishment of particular men, he exceeds his own province. It is his business to perform all his duties with modesty and simplicity, and leave the rest to the Justice and Mercy of the all-wise Judge. Let him then relieve his enemy as he is commanded to do; should the heart of his enemy be hardened, that is no fault of his; he has done that which was most likely to soften it. To let our thoughts dwell on the fate of hardened sinners is not more prudent than it is reasonable: as it takes us from watching over ourselves, and improving our own principles and rules of conduct. 41. Those who understand the effect of the metaphorical coals of fire to be melting the hearts of the enemy relieved, affirm, that this sense agrees best with what immediately follows; ver. 21. "Be not overcome "of evil, but overcome evil with good". This remark could not be applied to interpret the passage as it stands în the book of Proverbs, where there is no such connection; can it then be a sufficient reason for interpreung St. Paul differently from Solomon, when he is citing that book? It may be imagined, that St. Paul, by put CC ting the expression of Solomon in such a place, shewed what idea he had of its meaning: but this surmise seems too weak to bear much stress to be laid upon it; especially as there is some connexion between the two verses according to our sense of the coals of fire. Overcoming evil with good is connected with relieving an enemy in distress, though it may not be with Solomon's motive; and that seems sufficient to account for the Apostle's transition from one precept to the other; indeed better than we can account for most transitions in the same chapter. Giving a starving enemy bread and water may prove, eventually, an instance of overcoming evil with good; but the general description of that Duty raises our conceptions much above such an instance. We might at the same time perceive a connexion and an immense disparity between the things expressed in these two verses, were we to suppose the Apostle to speak more fully; in some such manner as this; When your enemy is in your power, thro' some par⚫ticular distress, be not meanly impatient to take advantage of his necessities: afford him some supply: I say not now, take him to your bosom, put on him a ' wedding garment, kill for him the fatted calf; I only now say, give him bread to eat and water to drink. I hope by this good you may overcome his evil disposition, but should not that prove to be the case, leave him to God; ingratitude will be punished as it shall deserve. Only avenge not yourself. But whatever be the event of may forbearance to your your distressed enemy, think not that you are to rise no higher in overcoming evil with good than such an instance. It is a species of virtue most comprehensive and most sublime; there is an endless variety of evils to be overcome; there is also an endless variety of beneficent expedi⚫ents, by which they may be surmounted. To invent and apply these with success must demand the most consummate wisdom of improved philosophy, the • most perfect goodness of genuine Christianity'. Such is the connexion between relieving the necessities of an enemy, and overcoming evil with good; such is the disparity between the instance mentioned by St. Paul, and the whole duty. As men have become civilized and polished, those of generous dispositions, though they have held it a duty of honour to revenge, have always considered it as ignominious meanness to use an enemy harshly whilst he was under any calamity of nature or fortune. And national enemies have suspended hostilities whilst a ship was in extreme danger, from famine or the elements, though they would renew their attacks after the distress was removed. These things shew the excellence of the Apostle's advice: how desirable were it that men of improved and polished manners should be equally ready to adopt all other methods of overcoming evil with good! But with regard to the argument derived from the connexion of the two verses, we may add, what has been just hinted before, that it supposes the moral precepts of the Apostle in the Chapter before us to be more connected than we know them to be: interpreters do not seem to have a right to found an argument on connexion between two verses, unless they saw clearly connection between others. I doubt not but St. Paul had a series of thoughts linked together, even when he had no design of writing systematically; but as he does not labour to shew how one precept suggested or brought on another, it must be very difficult for us, at this time, to ascertain the connecting links; they were incidents and circumstances present to his mind, but unknown to us: the nearer we could approach to the knowledge of the particular state of Christians when he wrote, the more likely we should be to see the train of his ideas. One great event which must dwell upon the minds of all who were zealous for the cause of Christianity, was the persecution, to which Jews, and probably Christians, were subject, though it had in a good measure abated. Nothing is more likely to afford us a key to the connexion of St. Paul's moral precepts. Let us try the experiment: although we have already ventured upon some little illustrations of some expressions in the portion of scripture before us, we could not perhaps better conclude our remarks than by attempting a sort of connecting paraphrase of the whole. 42. The foundation of all true virtue is humility. It is necessary in forming your opinions, as well as in your practice: if you are wise in your own conceits, you will be governed by prejudice and passion: nothing more will be wanted to make you revengeful: but the Christian doctrine is, recompense to no man evil for evil; at all times such return is to be avoided, but particularly in such a situation as yours: you are surrounded by neighbours who are watching the effects of the new religion; some inclined to join you, others to persecute; do not injure the Christian cause, by any intemperate conduct, or by disreputable appear⚫ances of any kind. However you may be slandered, however injured by uncharitabte constructions of your mysteries, or sacraments, however censured for despising deities, or disturbing families, be patient; use your utmost endeavours to live at peace with all around you: provoke not others; be not yourselves easily provoked. Perhaps some who have lately been your persecutors, are now in your power; abuse not that power! I beseech you by all that is good; and with all possible affection I entreat you, not to be so rash as to take upon yourselves the dangerous task of avenging your own wrongs. Remember the Sermon of your Lord upon the Mount; remember the example which he has set you; be not hasty to resist evil; give it some scope; yield to it, in some degree. Nor murmur in your hearts as if Christianity deprived you of some right or privilege; in the Law of Moses it is said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord". With which I may connect the precept of the wisest of Princes, that if even an enemy is in want of the necessaries of life, he must be supported: are you afraid of neglecting the claims of justice if you let slip any opportunity of making a man to suffer as you think he deserves? neglect not the obligations of humanity on such a pretext; God will punish all men according to the measure of their several offences. Perhaps the metaphor of heaping coals of fire alarms or perplexes you; but remember, the practical direction is plain and clear; that contains no trope or figure: secure obedience to that, whatever becomes 6 6 of the rhetorical ornament. Nay, the righteousness of the Christian must exceed that of the old Law: a Jew ought to leave vengeance to God; a Jew ought to relieve his enemy in necessity; but a Christian ought to rise higher, and seize every opportunity of overcoming evil with good. Evil, in various shapes, may attack his good principles, and try to hurry them into ⚫ confusion and disorder; but he must thoroughly comprehend and feel the dignity and excellence of virtue; ' and the contemptible meanness of vice; he must learn to maintain for that which is good its due superiority : not by oppression or contumely, but by that ingenuous benignity, which must make men ashamed of being his enemies; by that generous kindness, which must 'soften the heart of the vindictive; by that wisdom, which shews at first view, that revenge is folly; by that steady uprightness, which proves, that what is wrong cannot be stable and permanent: by that prudence, which will bring the general indignation of ⚫ mankind to protect and secure whatever is truly valuable to human nature'. 43. Such are parts of Scripture relating to Anger or Resentment, which require a separate attention, and seem incapable of being referred to any remarks taken from mere reason and experience. We may add to them those expressions which declare, on divine authority, that our duly moderating our resentment, or our forgiving our brethren, will affect the operations of the Divine Mercy towards ourselves. The general meaning of these expressions seems to be, that though it has pleased the Judge of all the earth to publish a plan or system of remission of sins, founded on the merits of the Christian Sacrifice, yet no man must hope, or petition, to be included in that plan, who does not, on his part, forgive those, by whom he has been injured or offended. Nothing can be more reasonable than this; the Author of the book of Ecclesiasticus feels the absurdity and preşumption of asking that of God which we refuse to one another; and the parable of the Servant-debtor sets such |