AND DISCUSSIONS.

55

is the case with some much more than with others ; — patriotism,friendship, and humility, may serve for illustration. It was im-possible that a religion so benign as the Christian, destined to beuniversal, and being itself the ultimate standard of morals, shouldbe without an influence on the entire department of morals, — ifnot direct, still both real and beneficial.

Patriotism, as understood in Greece and Rome, and too oftenalso in later times, justified outrageous wrong towards every othernation, # provided the patriot could, by such wrong, advancethe supposed interests of his own country. Christian patriotism,while it permits and requires a just preference of our own coun-try, still enjoins good-will to all other nations. Again, many ofthe sentiments of the ancient writers respecting friendship are justand proper in themselves, and cannot be perused without admira-tion. They comprise tenderness, amiableness, faithfulness, anda willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of a friend ; but, atthe same time, they permit and encourage a spirit of exclu-sion and indifference to the welfare of all who are out of thepale of a man’s friendship, that has been softened by the universalbenevolence, which is the corner-stone of Christian morals. Soagain, humility (humilitas), which among the Romans signifiedmeanness, abjectness, in its Christian meaning signifies a lowestimation of ourselves and our deserts in the sight of God , butis not inconsistent with all suitable manliness and independence ofspirit and conduct in the sight of men. Finally, Christianity hassoftened and rectified the spirit and temper, which we shouldcarry into all the situations and relations, which we sustain in life,by enjoining on us the great law of love ; to wit, “ All thingswhatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even soto them.” f

But the character of our Saviour, as well as the doctrines andmoral precepts taught by him, is a part of the morality of the

* The Roman history, however, contains instances to the contrary. — SeeCicero, De Officiis, Lib. III. c. 11,22. “Non fraude, neque occultis, sed palamet armatum populum Romanum hostes suos ulcisci, ” — u Not by fraud, not bysecret machinations, but openly and armed, the Roman people avenges itselfon its enemies; ” was the answer of the Senate of Rome to the proposition ofthe king of the Catti, to take off Arminius by poison.

I Mat. vii. 12.