Love is not rude
It does not behave itself improperly. It is not rude, or willingly offensive to anyone. It gives everyone what is due: fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due, courtesy, civility, and humanity to all the world, honoring all people in their several degrees. A later writer defines good breeding, indeed the highest degree of it, politeness, as a continual desire to please, appearing in all one's behavior. But if so, no one is so well bred as a Christian, a lover of all mankind. For he cannot but desire to please all people, for their good, for their building up. And this desire cannot be hidden. It will necessarily appear in all his dealings with people. For his love is without pretense. It will appear in all his actions and conversation. Yes, and it will constrain him, though without deceit, to become all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9:22), if by any means he may save some.
1771 text
8. It doth not behave itself unseemly. It is not rude, or willingly offensive to any. It renders to all their due; fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour: courtesy, civility, humanity to all the world; in their several degrees honouring all men. A late writer defines good-breeding, nay, the highest degree of it, politeness, “a continual desire to please, appearing in all the behaviour.” But if so, there is none so well-bred as a Christian, a lover of all mankind. For he cannot but desire to please all men, for their good, to edification. And this desire cannot be hid: it will necessarily appear in all his intercourse with men. For his love is without dissimulation; it will appear in all his actions and conversation: yea, and will constrain him, tho’ without guile, to become all things to all men, if by any means he may save some.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 22 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 5:5-7.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.