Wben we mr>ft forgilJe, artd whm not. 6) ----------------------------------------- of more worth than ~ne ; and becaufe Gods honour ( c.eterit paribus ) is more concerned in the good ~f many than .ot one. Therefore I mull not fec_k ":Y own right to the hurt of many, either of thcll fouls or bod1es, unkfs fame greater good requtre tt. 9· 21• 3· The good or hurt of publick perfons Magifirates or Pafiors is ( c.tt<ri1 paribiH) of more rrgard.rhan the good or hurr of fingle men : Therefore c.tttrii p.srihu1 I mull not right my ~elf to the d1il1onour or th~ hurt of. ~overnours (no th~ugh 1. were none of their charge or fub. Jt'ds ) : becaufe the pubhck good u more concerned 10 then honour or wcllfare than in mine. The fame may be fa id of pcrfons by their Gifts and interefls more eminently ferviceable to God and rhe common good chan 1am. 9· 22. 4· The good or hurt of a neer relation, of a dear frien9, of a worthy perfon, is more to be regarded by me utc~is paribus than the good or hurt of a vile unworthy pe1~on, or a firan~er : And t hercf_ore the lfraelites might not take U[ury of a poor brother, whJCh yet they m1ght do of an al1cne of another Land ! The Laws ol nature and Friend– Chip may more oblige me to one than to a.n?ther, though they were fuppofed equal in them– fdvts : Therefore I am not bound to remit a d(bt or wrong to a Thief or deceiver or a vile perfon, when 3. necrer or a worthier perfon would be equa1Jy damnified by his benefit : And thus for, ( if without any pmi•l !elf-love a man can jullly cfiimate himfclf) he may not only as he is necrdl hirnfdf> but alfo for his real worth, prefer his own commodity before the cornmodiry of a more unworthy and unfcrvicc:able pcrfon. §. 23. 5· Another mans Nectffities are more rcgardable than our own {uptrfluitiu; as his life is more rcgardable than our corpJral delighu. Thuefore ir is a great fin for any man to re– duce ar.other t6 cxtremiry, and deprive him of necetTaries fot his life, mecrly to vindicate his Own right in fupetf\ui1ics for the farisfaditm of his concupif,ence apd fc:nfual defires : If a poor fnan Ileal to fave his own or his Childrcns lives, and the rich m1n vindicate his own, meerly to live in greater fulncls or gallantry in 1he , World, he. finneth both the fin of fenfuality and uncharitablenefs : ( But how far for the common good he IS bound to profecute the Thief as "triminal, is a cafe which depends on other circumfiances) And this is the mofi common cafe, in which the for~iving of debrs and damages is required in Scripture, viz. when the other is poor and we are rich) and his neceffities require it as an act of Cflarity ( An~ alfo the for– mer cafe, when the hurt by our vindication is like to be greater than our benefit will coun· tcrvail.) 9· 24 • <h_efi, 2· What i1 the meani~tg of thofe word1 of Chrift, Matth. 5· 38, 39, 40, 41, 42• ~eft.;, .Ye have heard that it bath beCJJ [aid, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth : BHt I fay unto ym that ye refift not evil ; but wbofoever jh#Tl {mite thee on the right chetJt) tUrlt tO him tbe other alfo : •nd if any man will fue thee at the Law and tal<! away thy Coat, let him have ihy Cloai(, alfo: _And Whofoevtr jhaU compeU thee to go amile, go with him two : Give to him tb.u askJth thee ; and from him that would borrowof thee tUrn thl)i"t n!lt away. . Anfw. The meaning of the Text is this : as if he had ftid [" Becaufe you have heard that "M.agiftratcs are required to do jufiice exactl_y between man and man, and to take an eye for " an eye, &c. therefore you may perh:~.ps believe thofe Teachers who would perfwadc: you u that for any man to cxa& tJ"lis fatisfaCtion, is no fault : But I tell you that duties of Cba– " rity mufi be performed, as well as· Juffict muft be done : And th9ugh it be the Magi– et firates duty to do you this 1u.Jlice, it is not your duty a1waycs to require it, but Charity ''may tnake the contrary to be your duty. 'therefore I fay 14Nto yott, overvalue not the co11~ et ~cfnmeMu of )'our flcjh, 11or tbe trifles of t1Jis world, but if a man abufe you, or wrong y fJu in " tbife trifles, msk._e no grtat matter of it; and be not prefently inflamed ·to revenge, and to right c< your filves; but cxerci[e yvur patience, and your Charity to him that wrengeth you, and by a ha~ et bituated {tedfaftnr[s hereilt, bt ready to receive another injury with equal p~tience, yea many Jitcb, '' rather than to fly to an mlneccffary vindicatiou of your rigbt : For whtJt if he give you another "Strok._e ? Or fflhat if be alfo tak._e yottr Clo~e ? er what if he compel yoH to another mile for him·! 't Let him do it; Let him tak._e it ; How fmaU i1 your hurt ? TYhat inconfiderable things ar.e theft .? "Tour ref~bnce and 'VindicatiM of your right, may violate Charity tSud Peace, and inflame hi1 "puffion, and k.jndle your own, and hurt.botb your foulJ, ant.l draw you into other jin1, 811d coft yoli "deartr than your right wa1 worth : Whereas yo:tr patience, andjieldingnefi, ant.l [uhmiffion> and "readinrfs to fcrve another, •,znd to let go your oJJ~n for Peace ~Jn Charity, may jhame him, or "melt him, and prcvtnt contention, and ~<ftp your own and the publick, peace, and m"y {hew tbc " exccUency of your Holy ReJ;gim, and win mens foul! to lbe Love of it, that tbty may be {aved. " Thrrefore inj!tad of exalli~tg or vindi<ating your utmof! right, [et light by _your eorporal (uffer, "ings and wrongs, and jludy ar.d labuur with aV )'our power, to txctl in Charity, and to d!l good u to aU, and to jtoop to any {ervice to aitother, and humblt yuur [elves, and exercife patitnce, and et give and lend accvrding to your abilitiCJ; and pretend not· jUftice againft the great du1ie1 of Cba– tt rity and Patience. J So that here is forbidden both violent and legal revenge for our Corpo– ta1 abufcs, when rhe Law of Charity or Patience is againfi it : But this difobligeth not Ma· gil\rues 1o do Juflice; or men to Ceek it, in any of the Cafes mentioned in 1he feven fir!\ Pro• pofitions. li i i i i i 2
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