Now this want of a firm assent to the Divine Authority of the Scriptures in such as yet profess to own them for the word of God, is unquestionably evident when such Men acquiesce not in the Precepts of the Gospel, as the Rule of their Actions, any farther than they find those Precepts to be Authoriz'd by the Testimony of their Reason: Of which manner of acting many very common examples may be easily brought. It is true that how much soever a Man is perswaded of the Authority of any Rule, a strong Passion, or Apparent Interest may yet seduce him from the Obedience due to its prescriptions; but such a Transgression being accompanied with Regret, or followed with Repentance, the Rule is still as much acknowledg'd as if it were obey'd; and none, on the score of a contrary practice, are chargeable with a disbelief thereof, but such who do, on a deliberate Choice and without Remorse, transgress against it; which many professing to be Christians not only themselves do, but even teach their Children the like: in which latter case it cannot be suppos'd that they are misled by the strength of any prevailing Passion. That we should forgive our Enemies and be patient under injuries (for instance) are, as plainly as words can make them so, commanded in the Scriptures; yet how many are there professing to believe that the Scriptures are the Word of God, who, as if no such Commands as these were deliver'd by Christ, or his Disciples, do both Practice and Teach, the not putting up Affronts unreveng'd; and this only because the Fashion of the Country has establish'd it, that a Gentleman cannot do so with _Honour_? A Term which herein signifies nothing, but agreeably to certain measures of acting that Men have Arbitrarily made for themselves, and which are not founded upon any Principle of right Reason; however to be obey'd, it seems, by a Gentleman preferably to the Commands of Christ. If there are Cases wherein from want of a due provision in Governments against some sort of Injuries it may be thought that Men are excusable in asserting their own Cause, yet thus much is at the least certain, That this Precept of Forgiveness could not be transgress'd against, as it very frequently is, by Men professing to believe the Authority of the Scriptures, if such were indeed fully perswaded that it was a divine Command which prohibited the avenging of our selves.