• Ofloviitg otrr Enemies~·· .-175, he will tell us, that it is the honour if a man ·to ceafl from - flrifi; and that he· that iS? · JlovJ to anger is. better than tf;e. mighty; and he who ru/eth his fpirit., be·tler than he wh() t<.zketh a city~ . Thus you fee how unreafonable thofe prejudices are which .keep men from the· prat!:ice of this neccifary .duty. It ·remains , now, that \Ye hint at:· .fome · helps· for the · perforn1ance of it• The Heathens .were pretty inge~ious in devifi.ng ,motives·· of.patience. . They would. tell us, that if we· were newly offended, it was too flan to refimt it; if l9.ng.:. time (i.nce·, . it was too late. If the offinder be too flrong f0r us, .it were folly to contend_; if be were too weak,. it were ajhame-. Are 7lJe offend– ed by a· friend, let us rernember our old friend/hip; if by . an enemy, let us do hhn a: kindn~fs~ and he ·will do jO no :rnore. But .· G:hrifl:ianity will direcr us to better n1eans · for compofing the foul into the .lneekriefs, -a:nd charity :which .it does ~require. . _ The firft I {hall recom1nend, is -humili!j• . ~. Let us .learn to have low thoughts of our– felves; .an-d then we fhall ·have both fewer enemies, and be n1ore inclined to love them. Pride and feif:·conceit makes us over-rat-e c;rery p.ctty injuFy, and inclines . us . to re- - F . "' . , ~ - venge;
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