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SERMON X.

WELL-DOING THE RIGHT ANSWER TO EVIL-SPEAKING.

1 ST. PETER, ii. 15.

"For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” ·

THE chapter of the Epistle of St. Peter, from which my text is taken, contemplates the Christians (at that time a small body in the world) as placed in the situation in which our blessed Lord warned them they would be placed at first, even as sheep amongst wolves. "Behold I send you forth as

sheep in the midst of wolves."

There they were, a weak and defenceless few, amongst hosts of Jews and Gentiles, all ready to cast at them a stone, and thirsting for their blood. We learn, from writings of the Christians who lived within the first two or three hundred years after our Lord's coming, some of the malicious charges which were brought against them in those times; for the Christian writings of those days chiefly consist in temperate defences against those charges. It was thrown in their teeth that they did not believe in a God, because it was seen that they would not worship images like their neighbours; that they met together for the purpose of eating the flesh of a man whom they first put to death, because, no

doubt, it was heard they met together to partake of the flesh and blood of the Saviour in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; that they assembled themselves in secret for purposes of chambering and wantonness, because it was perceived that it was a law of their sect to "love one another;" that they were disloyal to the government, and traitors to the Emperor or King of the country where they lived, because it had been reported that they had Christ for their King. These, and the like malicious charges, were perpetually made against the early Christians by the many enemies amongst whom they lived. And if charges so heavy and so unfounded as these were made, we may be sure a thousand others, of less weight perhaps, but still enough to gall, were constantly levelled against them; and that it was with them, as their master proclaimed to them it would be,— they would be delivered to councils, and brought before governors and kings, and would be hated of all men, and be persecuted from city to city, and have no peace in their own families, brother against brother, and father against child.

St. Peter, therefore, in the part of his Epistle I am bringing before you to-day, is employed in giving them advice and direction how they were to carry themselves under circumstances so difficult and dangerous, how they were to disarm slanders so malignant, and how they would best recommend their Saviour's cause which was thus spoken against. And that which he advises them to oppose to it all is simply this "well-doing." He does not suggest that they should dispute these points by word of mouth, much less that they should return railing for railing, and (what would have been very easily done) fault for fault; but the only reply he would have them make is" welldoing." "Dearly beloved," says he, "I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war

against the soul." If they accuse you of indulgences of the flesh, let manifest abstinence from them in your practice be your answer. Thus will you have "your conversation honest among the Gentiles;" your mode of life will plead for itself amidst the heathens who surround you and accuse you; and though they now speak against you as evil-doers, "they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation;" i. e. be led to give God glory, when they see how his servants behave themselves in the season of their trial. "Submit yourself to every ordinance of man," the Apostle then continues, "for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the King, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well;" i. e. if you are charged with not being true to the King, or the King's officers and laws, answer it by your deeds, by submis sion to every ordinance for the Lord's sake; for still it is God's will, that by "well-doing"-not by much talking, but by well-doing-ye put to silence the ignorant attacks of these foolish men who accuse you. "Being free," the Apostle then proceeds (for Christ hath made you so), abuse not that liberty, nor think that you may sin because grace abounds; but reply to any charge laid against you of dissolute living, by the soberness of your lives, and by showing yourselves still not men who run riot, but servants of God, controlled by His orders, kept within the compass of His authority and rules. "Honour all men," he then adds; if it be said of you slanderously, that you are enemies of the human race, of all except those of your own sect and profession of faith, make answer to that by your actual carriage towards all men, even towards heathens; whereby it will be proved, that you are so far from hating or despising them, that you would do them all service, body and soul, according

to the utmost of your power; seeing that both they and you have one Father, even God, and, when Christ shall call them, will have one Saviour, even Him. Nevertheless, "Love the brotherhood," the apostle subjoins. Such distinction between heathens and believers it is lawful and right to make, to cleave to the latter most, to consort with them, to feel keenly for them, to regard them above all as your own kindred, and to let men see by your behaviour towards them, that it is no sinful communion that subsists between you, as they wickedly lay to your charge, but a bond of pure affection, such as binds brothers and sisters together. Finally, "Fear God, and honour the King." Rebut their accusation that you have no God at all, by showing in your actions that a God you have, and a God whom you fear and reverence; and their slander that you are secretly false to your King, by giving hearty proofs, in your works and ways, that you desire to obey him and do him homage. From first to last, therefore, you see, the weapon which St. Peter would put into the Christian's hand, whereby he is to defend himself against evil laid to his charge, be it what it may, is simply this, "to do well." I will endeavour, therefore, in this sermon to recommend the like weapon of Christian warfare to you.

True it is that we are not exactly in the position the Christians were. We are not followers of Christ amidst a heathen world, a defenceless few amongst foes many and mighty. Nor can the grievous things which were laid to their charge be very well laid to ours. But all this makes the application of the principle for which I plead the better and more urgent; for, if even in the worst cases of persecution, if even under the bitterest and most biting wrongs, said and done, the apostle considered the best resistance to make was "patient continuance in well-doing," much more

would that be the right defence to adopt, where the things laid to a man's charge are comparatively trifling. Still, we cannot live amongst mankind and look about us, without seeing that there is room for the exercise of the principle, and great room too. Nobody can go about a parish without hearing many evil things said, one of another; many hard accusations brought, generally with little ground for them, and often with no ground whatever; uncharitable motives alleged for this action or that, when it is impossible to tell truly what the motives might be ; neighbour warring against neighbour, and smiting him secretly; and every opportunity taken, which the rubs of life present, of finding a failing against this party or that. This spirit, which delights in laying evil at others' door, being in turn met by their retorting upon their accusers, and saying the like ill-natured things of them, soon aggravates itself; exasperation follows on either side, and much hot blood is engendered which it may take many a long year perhaps to cool.

My friends, these things ought not to be in a Christian land; and so far as such things are permitted to be, the land is not Christian. For from whence come wars and fightings amongst us? come they not hence, even of our lusts that war in our members? of a spirit that dwelleth in us lusting to envy? Is not the Gospel precept this, - that we should not render evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing? Is it not the very essence of that Gospel, as described under the head of charity by the Apostle Paul, that we should think no evil, *nor rejoice in the iniquity of another? Was not our Lord's own example this,—that when He was reviled, He reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously? And when I said, therefore, that, so far as we speak evil of