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PRELIMINARY PRINCIPLES

Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Benot wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil forevil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it bepossible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath : for itis written, Vengeance is mine ; I will repay, saith the Lord.If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink.Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” *

These passages all stand by the side of each other ; the NewTestament is full of such ; it is superfluous to quote more.Even among the mild virtues, which, as a class, take precedenceof all others, the preference is given to charity, or a good-willso diffusive as to embrace all mankind. This crowning virtueof Christianity, moreover, is preferred before that hope whichmaketh not ashamed, which is a helmet of salvation, and ananchor of the soul both sure and steadfast; f and before that faith,which is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence ofthings not seen, and without which it is impossible to pleaseGod. “ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three, butthe greatest of these is charity.” | St. Paul says, “ If there beany other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying,Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” And again, “Forall the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt lovethy neighbour as thyself.” § St. John says, “ This command-ment have we from him, That he who loveth God, love hisbrother also.” || St. James calls the same commandment, “ theroyal law.” IT

(5.) The peculiar doctrines of Christianity were, at its firstpromulgation, absolutely new to the world, and the character ofthe Christian is to be formed under the united influence of itsdoctrines and its morals. And, if it cannot be said of its moralsas of its doctrines, that there was any thing absolutely new inthem, still it can be said, with the most perfect truth, that Chris-tianity has improved and corrected our views of all the virtuesand duties of life, by infusing its peculiar spirit into them. This

* Rom. xii. 4-21. t Rom. v. 5; 1 Thess. v. 8; Heb. vi. 19.

t Heb. xi. 1-6; 1 Cor. xiii. 13. § Rom. xiii. 9; Gal. v. 14.

|| 1 John iv. 21. IT James ii. 8.