PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

LitigaticlZ. 187
whilst others despised it. St. Paul, thongl1 no one
inculcated forgi\1eness and forbearance \\~ith a deepel·
sense of the \'aIue and obii~g3.tion of these \~irtue~, ,
did not interpret either of t~·iem to require an unresisting
:;ubmission to every (rjntumelv~ or a neglect
l ~ J ~
t.1f ti1e means of safety and self-defence. He took
.J
~·efuge ill the laws of his CQUIltry, and in the privileges
ot' a RfJilJt1n citizen, from the conspiracy of the
.. feu}s, (Acts xxv. 11.) and from the clandestine vi ...
oIencc of the chief captain. (Acts xxii~ 25.) And
yet this is the same Apostle who reproved the litigiousness
(If his COrilJthilllZ converts \vith so much
severity. "Now, therefore, there is utterly a fault
a~ong you, because ye go to la\v one \vith ancther ;
why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not:
rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded ?"
()n l;je one hand, therefore, Christianity excludes
ail \'indictive motives, and all frivolous causes of
prosecution; ~o that where the injury is snlall, \vhere
110 good purpose of public example is ans\\7ered, whel-e
farbearance is not likely to in\1ite a repetition of8 the
injury, or where the expense of an action becomes a
punishment too se\~ere for the ofieI1Ce;" there the
Christian is withholden bv the authority of his relj{T·
· f · I J 0
Oln rom gC)lng to a\\r.
On the other 11and, a la\v-suit is inconsistent \,7itl1
no rule of the Gospel, \vhen it is instituted,
1. For the e.;tabiishing of some important right.
2. For the procuring a compensation for ~onlC:
t:unsiderable da1l12ge.
3. For the preventing of future injury.
But since it is supoosed to be undertaken sinlo})'
i ~
with a view to the ends of justice and safety, the pro:.-
ecutor of the action is b()und to cOIlfinc rJinl~el[ t()
the cheapest process which will accompli~h these c!Hls,
as well as to consent tp any pc~ceabll' expedient for
the same purpose; as to a rcjerence, in which the ar·
bitrators can do, what the law cannot, divide t11e