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Show [22] t' 23 1 flaould think themfelves, and be in fact, unjultly might have pleaded '4 legal exemption from paying treated by him. For there is a very great difl'erence between not being. obliged to give an sclive obedience, and being entitled to make an aCtive relif.tance. I‘admit that cafes may be fuppofed fo .' "roeioully barbarous, that nature would redair; agairzf‘. the 123.. Verity of this doctrine, and the heat-"t of e\ it a. To fuch particular cafes the precept, Rqflfl not evil, ought to be underflood as principally applicable. That we ought patiently to endure private injuries, rather than by endeavouring to obtain redreis, hurt a more important and public intereft, is alike the dictate of true patriotifm and genuine chrifiianity. y teeling perfon would jui'tify the opprellbd in givf 1;? way to W/Jy do ye not rat/Jar, fays Paul to the Corinthians, the impulfe of that mofl: natural and rooted pruciple, filf-n'g'mcc. But fuch cafes are uncommon any misc wrong :9 W/yy do ye not rat/Jar fafer yourfewn where, and hardly ever to be found in free or limit- lring {caudal on the chriitian community, rather ed. governments. Yet even in fuch cafes, the very lit-molt we can fay is, that humanity and candour than breed variances amongil yourfelves. lo be drfraudcdb ? Rather than what? Rather than port of authority a pofitive precept is pleaded; in I obferve further, that the caufe which juiliiies refif'tance would not only need to be both important and public, but clearly and by the community underflood to be f0. It were madnefs in one or a few, in a cafe wherein the peace and felicity of ALL are cona {upport of fuch a refiltance as has been now {appoied, the utmoi'c that could be urged is an implied exception refulting from extraordinary circumitrnn 's cerned, to decide for the whole. The immediate mifchiefs to fociety would be manzfcfl, the remote adNor is it lefs evident, that vantages uncertain. In every cafe in which the rule holds, to tranflr :is where the cafe is Lin any degree doubtful, our only {afe way is to follow the precept which enjoins obe- would admit the greatnefs of the provocation as an apology for the i‘ei'iltance, which would be confider- ed as oxen/ain't, not regarded as incumbent. In {up- ‘v' it is an invaiion of the rig/2t; of ot/zm, not only the rights of the magiil'rate, but the right of the feziety whole peace and onler we dilturb; whereas in the particular cafe above flated, not to avail one's felfof the exception, is only to yield of mac's own rut/3:, a thing which in aofl' cafes is entirely in one's) own power. .Our duty as chriftians often requires us to 19.6: this part, and to relign a private claim {or the Good of others. The example of our Lord teache;J it, who, to avoid contention and offence, provided him- felf miraculoully with the tribute money, when he dience, and not an exception, about the exifience of which we are dubious. Nor needs any other reafon be alligncd for this condué‘c, than that it is conformable to the general precept, which we are commanded to follow as our rule. As this there- fore is a chriflian duty in every cafe, unlefs where the exception afiually obtains, it is incumbent on us in every cafe, unlefs where we perceive that-the exception obtains. ll'bazfoewr if not offizilb, z: fin C. .4 s .' 7. c Ixom. " 7.4, &e. 5 Cor. vi. ...v. 23 . ‘ Mat. xvii. |