The Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy

finding out provocations, and which renders anger fo impetuous, is that which the gofpel propofes; namely, that we ourfelves are, or fhortly fhall be, fuppliants for mercy and pardon at the judgment feat of God. Imagine our fecret fins difclofed and brought to light; imagine us thus humbled and exposed; trembling under the hand of God; cafting ourselves on his compaffion; crying out for mercy-imagine fuch a creature to talk of fatisfaction and revenge; refufing to be entreated, difdaining to forgive; extreme to mark and to refent what is done amifs; imagine I fay this, and you can hardly feign to yourself an inftance of more impious and unnatural arrogance.

The point is to habituate ourselves to thefe reflections, till they rife up of their own accord when they are wanted, that is, inftantly upon the receipt of an injury or affront, and with fuch force and colouring, as both to mitigate the paroxyfms of our anger at the time, and at length to produce an alteration in the temper and difpofition itself.

CHAP.

CHA P. VIII.

REVENGE.

LL pain occafioned to another in confequence of an offence, or injury received from him, farther than what is calculated to procure reparation, or promote the just ends of punishment, is fo much revenge.

There can be no difficulty in knowing when we occafion pain to another; nor much in diftinguifhing whether we do fo, with a view only to the ends of punishment, or from revenge; for in the one cafe we proceed with reluctance, in the other with pleafure.

It is highly probable from the light of nature, that a paffion, which feeks its gratification immediately and exprefsly in giving pain, is difagreeable to the benevolent will and counfels of the Creator. Other paffions and pleafures may, and often do, produce pain to fome one; but then pain is not, as it is here, the object of the paffion, and the direct caufe of the pleafure. This probability is converted into certainty, if we give credit to the authority which dictated the feveral paffages of the Chriftian feriptures that condemn revenge, or what is the fame thing, which enjoin forgiveness.

We will fet down the principal of thefe paffages; and endeavour to collect from them, what conduct upon the whole is allowed towards an enemy, and what is forbidden.

If ye forgive men their trefpaffes, your heavenly Father will alfo forgive you; but if ye forgive "not men their trefpaffes, neither will your Father forgive your trefpaffes." And his lord was wroth, "and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should

pay

pay all that was due unto him: fo likewife, fhall "my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their "trefpaffes." "Put on bowels of mercy, kindness, "humblenefs of mind, meeknefs, long fuffering,

forbearing one another, forgiving one another: if "any man have a quarrel againft any, even as Chrift forgave you, fo alfo do ye." "Be patient to"wards all men; fee that none render evil for evil "unto any man. Avenge not yourselves, but "rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, faith the Lord. "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in fo doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."*

give him drink,” † which are examples of imperfect rights. If one who has offended us, folicit from us a vote to which his qualifications entitle him, we may not refufe it from motives of refentment, or the rememberance of what we have fuffered at his hands. His right, and our obligation which follows the right, is not altered by his enmity to us, or by ours to

him.

* Matt. vi. 14, 15. xviii. 34, 35. Col. iii. 12, 13. Theff. v. 14, 15. Rom. xii. 19, 20, 21.

+ Seè alfo Exodus xxiii. 4. "If thou meet thine enemy's ox, or his ais, going aftray, thou fhalt furely bring it back to him again: if thou fee the ais of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldeft forbear to help him, thou fhalt furely help with him.”

On the other hand, I do not conceive, that these prohibitions were intended to interfere with the punifhment or profecution of public offenders. In the eighteenth chapter of St. Matthew, our Saviour tells his difciples," if thy brother who has trefpaffed "against thee, neglect to hear the church, let him "be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican." Immediately after this, when St. Feter afked him, "how oft fhall my brother fin against me, and I "forgive him? till feven times?" Chrift replied, "I fay not unto thee until feven times; but until feventy times feven;" that is, as often as he repeats the offence. From thefe two adjoining paffages compared together, we are authorized to conclude that the forgiveness of an enemy is not inconfiftent with the proceeding againft him as a public offender; and that the difcipline eftablifhed in religious or civil focieties, for the reftraint or punifhment of criminals, ought to be upheld.

If the magiftrate be not tied down by these prohibitions from the execution of his office, neither is the profecutor; for the office of the profecutor is as neceffary as that of the magiftrate.

Nor by parity of reason, are private perfons withheld from the correction of vice, when it is in their power to exercife it; provided they be affured that it is the guilt which provokes them, and not the injury; and that their motives are pure from all mixture and every particle of that spirit which delights and triumphs in the humiliation of an adverfary.

Thus it is no breach of Chriftian charity, to withdraw our company or civility, when the fame tends to discountenance any vicious practice. This is one branch of that extrajudicial difcipline, which fupplies the defects and the remiffnefs of law; and is exprefsly authorized by St. Paul, (1 Cor. v. 11.) "But now I have written unto you, not to keep "company, if any man, that is called a brother, "be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a "railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with

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pay all that was due unto him: fo likewife, fhall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if ye from "your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trefpaffes." "Put on bowels of mercy, kindness, "humbleness of mind, meeknefs, long fuffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another: if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Chrift forgave you, fo alfo do ye." "Be patient to"wards all men; fee that none render evil for evil unto any man. Avenge not yourselves, but "rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, faith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirft, 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 good."*

I think it evident from fome of thefe paffages taken feparately, and ftill more fo, from all of them together, that revenge, as defcribed in the beginning of this chapter, is forbidden in every degree, under all forms, and upon any occafion. We are likewise forbidden to refufe to an enemy even the most imperfect right; "if he hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink," † which are examples of imperfect rights. If one who has offended us, folicit from us a vote to which his qualifications entitle him, we may not refuse it from motives of refentment, or the rememberance of what we have fuffered at his hands. His right, and our obligation which follows the right, is not altered by his enmity to us, or by ours to him.

*Matt. vi. 14, 15. xviii. 34, 35. Col. iii. 12, 13. Theff. v. 14, 15. Rom. xii. 19, 20, 21.

See alfo Exodus xxiii. 4. "If thou meet thine enemy's ox, or his afs, going aftray, thou fhalt furely bring it back to him again if thou fee the afs of him that hateth thee lying under "his burden, and wouldeft forbear to help him, thou fhalt furely help with him."

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