In this course of instruction, he first mentions the civil relation of governours and subjects; and enjoins them to honour the supreme magistrate, and to respect all subordinate authority, which is established for the preservation of order, and the administration of justice. He then descends to domestick connections, and recommends to servants obedience and patience, and to husbands and wives their relative and respective duties, to husbands tenderness, and to wives obedience, modesty and gentleness; that the husband, who is not yet converted by the power of exhortation, may be drawn to the religion of his wife, by perceiving its good effects upon her conversation and behaviour.

He then extends his precepts to greater generality, and lays down a short system of domestick virtue to be universally adopted, directing the new Christians,

First, to be all of one mind.

By the union of minds which the Apostle recommends, it must be supposed that he means not speculative, but practical union; not similitude of opinions, but similitude of virtues.4 In religious opinions, if there was then any disagreement, they had then living authority, to which they might have recourse; and their business was probably, at that time, more to defend their common faith against the heathen, than to debate any subtilties of opinion among themselves. But there are innumerable questions, in which vanity or interest engages mankind, which have little connection with their eternal interest; and yet often inflame the passions, and produce dislike and malevolence. Sects in philosophy, and factions in the state, easily excite mutual contempt, or mutual hatred. He whose opinions are censured, feels the reputation of his understanding injured; he, whose party is opposed, finds his influence resisted, and perhaps his power, or his profit, in danger of diminution. It could not be the intention of St. Peter, that all men should think alike, either of the operations of nature, or the transactions of the state; but that those who thought differently, should live in peace; that contradiction should not exasperate the disputants, or that the heat should end with the controversy, and that the opposition of party (for such there must sometimes be) should not canker the private thoughts, or raise personal hatred or insidious enmity. He required that they should be all of one moral mind, that they should all wish and promote the happiness of each other, that the danger of a Christian should be a common cause, and that no one should wish for advantage, by the miscarriage of another.

To suppose that there should, in any community, be no difference of opinion, is to suppose all, of whom that community consists, to be wise alike, which cannot happen; or that the understanding of one part is submitted to that of another, which however would not produce uniformity of opinion, but only of profession; and is, in important questions, contrary to that sincerity and integrity, which truth requires; and an infraction of that liberty, which reason allows. But that men, of different opinions, should live at peace, is the true effect of that humility, which makes each esteem others better than himself, and of that moderation, which reason approves, and charity commands. Be ye therefore all of one mind, let charity be the predominant and universal principle that pervades your lives, and regulates your actions.5

Secondly, they are directed by the Apostle, to live as men, which have compassion one of another.6

The word7 which is rendered “having compassion,” seems to include a greater latitude of signification, than the word compassion commonly obtains. Compassion is not used, but in the sense of tender regard to the unhappiness of another. But the term used by St. Peter may mean mutually feeling for each other, receiving the same impressions from the same things, and this sense seems to be given it by one of the translators (Castalio).8 The precept will then be connected and consequential, ”Be all of one mind, each feeling, by sympathy, the affections of another.”

Sympathy, the quality recommended in the text, as it has been now explained, is the great source of social happiness. To gain affection, and to preserve concord, it is necessary not only to mourn with those that mourn, but to rejoice with them that rejoice.9

To feel sincere and honest joy at the success of another, though it is necessary to true friendship, is perhaps neither very common, nor very easy. There is in every mind, implanted by nature, a desire of superiority,1 which counteracts the pleasure, which the sight of success and happiness ought always to impart. Between men of equal condition, and therefore willingly consulting with each other, any flow of fortune, which produces inequality, makes him who is left behind, look with less content on his own condition, and with less kindness on him who has reduced him to inferiority. The advancement of a superiour gives pain by encreasing that distance, by difference of station, which was thought already greater than could be claimed by any difference;2 and the rise of an inferiour excites jealousy, lest he that went before should be overtaken by his follower. As cruelty looks upon misery without partaking pain, so envy beholds encrease of happiness without partaking joy.

Envy and cruelty, the most hateful passions of the human breast, are both counteracted by this precept, which commanded the Christians of Asia, and now commands us, who succeed them in the profession of the same faith, and the consciousness of the same frailties, to feel one for another. He whose mind is so harmonized to the interest of his neighbour, that good and evil is common to them both, will neither obstruct his rise, nor insult his fall; but will be willing to co-operate with him through all the vicissitudes of life, and dispensations of Providence, to honour him that is exalted, to help him that is depressed. He will controul all those emotions, which comparison produces: he will not consider himself as made poorer by another’s wealth, or richer by another’s poverty; he will look, without malignity, upon superiority, either external or intellectual; he will be willing to learn of those that excel in wisdom, and receive instruction with thankfulness; he will be willing to impart his knowledge, without fearing lest he should impair his own importance, by the improvement of his hearer.3

How much this generous sympathy would conduce to the comfort and stability of life, a little consideration will convince us. Whence are all the arts of slander and depreciation, but from our unwillingness to see others, greater, or wiser, or happier, than ourselves? Whence is a great part of the splendour, and all the ostentation of high rank, but to receive pleasure from the contemplation of those who cannot attain dignity and riches, or to give pain to them who look with malignity on those acquisitions which they have desired in vain? Whence is the pain which vanity suffers from neglect, but that it exacted painful homage, and honour which is received with more delight, as it is more unwillingly conferred? The pleasures of comparative excellence, have commonly their source in the pain of others, and therefore are such pleasures as the Apostle warns the Christians not to indulge.

Thirdly, in pursuance of his injunctions to be of one mind, and to sympathise one with another, he directs them, to love as brethren, or to be lovers of the brethren. (Hammond.)4 He endeavours to establish a species of fraternity among Christians; that, as they have all one faith, they may have all one interest, and consider themselves as a family that must prosper, or suffer, all together, and share whatever shall befall, either of good or evil. The highest degree of friendship is called brotherly love, and the term by which man is endeared to man, in the language of the gospel, is the appellation of brother. We are all brethren by our common relation to the universal Father, but that relation is often forgotten amongst the contrariety of opinions, and opposition of passions, which disturb the peace of the world. Ambition has effaced all natural consanguinity, by calling nation to war against nation, and making the destruction of one half of mankind the glory of the other. Christian piety, as it revived and enforced all the original and primaeval duties of humanity, so it restored, in some degree, that brotherhood, or foundation of kindness, which naturally arises from some common relation. We are brothers as we are men, we are again brothers as we are Christians; as men, we are brothers by natural necessity; but as Christians, we are brothers by voluntary choice, and are therefore under an apparent obligation to fulfill the relation; first, as it is established by our Creatour, and, afterwards, as it is chosen by ourselves. To have the same opinions naturally produces kindness, even when these opinions have no consequence; because we rejoice to find our sentiments approved by the judgment of another. But those who concur in Christianity, have, by that agreement in principles, an opportunity of more than speculative kindness; they may help forward the salvation of each other, by counsel or by reproof, by exhortation, by example; they may recall each other from deviations, they may excite each other to good works.

Charity, or universal love, is named by Saint Paul, as the greatest and most illustrious of Christian virtues;5 and our Saviour himself has told us, that by this it shall be known that we are his disciples, if we love one another. Every affection of the soul exerts itself most strongly at the approach of its proper object. Christians particularly love one another,6 because they can confer and receive spiritual benefits. They are indeed to love all men, and how much the primitive preachers of the gospel loved those that differed from them, they sufficiently shewed, when they incurred death by their endeavours to make them Christians. This is the extent of evangelical love, to bring into the light of truth those who are in darkness, and to keep those from falling back into darkness to whom the light has been shewn.

Since life overflows with misery, and the world is filled with evil, natural and moral, with temptation and danger, with calamity and wickedness, there are very frequent opportunities of shewing our unanimity, our sympathy, and our brotherly love, by attempts to remove pressures, and mitigate misfortunes. St. Peter, therefore, particularly presses the duty of commiseration, by calling upon us,

Fourthly, to be pitiful, not to look negligently or scornfully on the miseries of others, but to apply such consolation and assistance as Providence puts into our power.

To attempt an enumeration of all the opportunities which may occur for the exercise of pity, would be to form a catalogue of all the ills to which human nature is exposed, to count over all the possibilities of calamity, and recount the depredations of time, the pains of disease, the blasts of casualty, and the mischiefs of malevolence.

Wherever the eye is turned it sees much misery, and there is much which it sees not; many complaints are heard, and there are many pangs without complaint. The external acts of mercy, to feed the hungry, to cloathe the naked, and to visit the sick, and the prisoners, we see daily opportunities of performing, and it may be hoped, they are not neglected by those that abound with what others want.

But there are other calls upon charity. There are sick minds as well as sick bodies; there are understandings perplexed with scruples, there are consciences tormented with guilt; nor can any greater benefit be conferred, than that of settling doubts, or comforting despair, and restoring a disquieted soul to hope and tranquillity.

The duty of commiseration is so strongly pressed by the gospel, that none deny its obligation. But as the measures of beneficence are left undefined, every man necessarily determines for himself, whether he has contributed his share to the necessities of others; and amidst the general depravity of the world, it can be no wonder if there are found some who tax themselves very lightly, and are satisfied with giving very little.7

Some readily find out, that where there is distress there is vice, and easily discover the crime of feeding the lazy, or encouraging the dissolute. To promote vice is certainly unlawful, but we do not always encourage vice when we relieve the vicious. It is sufficient that our brother is in want; by which way he brought his want upon him let us not too curiously enquire.8 We likewise are sinners. In cases undoubted and notorious, some caution may be properly used, that charity be not perverted; but no man is so bad as to lose his title to Christian kindness. If a bad man be suffered to perish, how shall he repent?

Not more justifiable is the omission of duty, which proceeds from an expectation of better opportunities, or more pressing exigencies. Of such excuses, or of such purposes, there can be no end. Delay not till to-morrow, what thou mayest do to-day! A good work is now in thy power, be quick and perform it! By thy refusal, others may be discouraged from asking, or so near may be the end of thy life, that thou mayest never do what is in thy heart. Every call to charity is a gift of God, to be received with thankfulness, and improved with diligence.

There are likewise many offices of kindness9 which cannot properly be classed under the duty of commiseration, as they do not presuppose either misery or necessity, and yet are of great use for conciliating affection, and smoothing the paths of life; and, as it is of great importance, that goodness should have the power of gaining the affections, the Apostle has not neglected those subordinate duties, for he commands Christians, Fifthly, to be courteous.

For courteous some substitute the word humble; the difference may not be considered as great, for pride is a quality that obstructs courtesy.1

That a precept of courtesy is by no means unworthy of the gravity and dignity of an apostolical mandate, may be gathered from the pernicious effects which all must have observed to have arisen from harsh strictness and sour virtue:2 such as refuses to mingle in harmless gaiety, or give countenance to innocent amusements, or which transacts the petty business of the day with a gloomy ferociousness that clouds existence. Goodness of this character is more formidable than lovely; it may drive away vice from its presence, but will never persuade it to stay to be amended; it may teach, it may remonstrate, but the hearer will seek for more mild instruction. To those, therefore, by whose conversation the heathens were to be drawn away from errour and wickedness; it is the Apostle’s precept, that they be courteous, that they accommodate themselves, as far as innocence allows, to the will of others; that they should practise all the established modes of civility, seize all occasions of cultivating kindness, and live with the rest of the world in an amicable reciprocation of cursory civility, that Christianity might not be accused of making men less chearful as companions, less sociable as neighbours, or less useful as friends.

Such is the system of domestick virtue, which the Apostle recommends. His words are few, but their meaning is sufficient to fill the greater part of the circle of life. Let us remember to be all of one mind, so as to grieve, and rejoice together; to confirm, by constant benevolence, that brotherhood which creation and redemption have constituted! Let us commiserate and relieve affliction, and endear ourselves by general gentleness and affability; it will from hence soon appear how much goodness is to be loved, and how much human nature is meliorated by religion.