our reach ; or be too powerful for us to contend with ; or be so low, as to be deemed unworthy of our notice. But in our hearts we shall find the vindictive principle strongly operative, disposing us to take pleasure in any evil that may have befallen our enemy, and to decline yielding him any service, which, under the influence of a better principle, we might have ren- dered him. The man under the workings of hatred scarcely thinks of his enemy but with pain, and with a direct reference to the injuries received from him : and though from want of opportunity he may not retaliate, he has in him the spark, which might soon, by a concurrence of circumstances, break forth into a flame. In proof of this we need only see how this spirit has operated in others ; sometimes rankling for years, till an opportunity to gratify itself should offer ; and sometimes bursting forth at once into furious resentment. The sons of Jacob, Simeon, and Levi, full of indignation against Shechem for defiling their sister Dinah, formed a plan to murder, not Shechem only, but every male of the city in which he dwelt : and, to put them oflf their guard, and disable them for resist- ance, they devised a scheme the most hypocritical, and most infernal that could enter into the heart of man ; having suc- ceeded in which, they executed their bloody purpose without pity and without remorse *'. In Absalom's bosom the deter- mination to avenge the wrongs which his sister Tamar had sustained, and to expiate them by the blood of Amnon, her offending brother, rankled two full years ; till by artifice he was enabled to effect his murderous design ''. More rapid, but not less cruel, was the vindictive wrath of David, when Nabal had refused to recompense his services in the way he desired : he instantly hasted with an armed force to cut off Nabal, and every male belonging to his numerous household'^. Alas! alas! what is man, when left to the workings of his own corrupt nature ? His every thought accords with that Pharisaic prin- ciple, " Thou shalt love thy friend and hate thine enemy."]
But religion requires us to render good for evil — [Every species of revenge it absolutely forbids, even in thought. " Say not, I will do so to him, as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work ®." To this effect were those ordinances of Moses: "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people : but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself^." And, " If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou must surely bring it back again to him : and if thou seest his ass lying under his burthen, and wouldst forbear to help him, thou shalt surely
^ Gen. xxxiv. 13— 1'>, 25. " 2 Sam. xiii. 15, 28.
'• 1 Sam. XXV, 21, 22. <^ Prov. xxiv. 29.
^ Lev. xix. 18.