Romans 12:21

Be not overcome, &c. The verbs are in the singular; individualizing the appeal. The verse runs, lit., Be not thou overcome by the evil, but overcome the evil in the good. "The evil," "the good;" that of the evil-doer and the sufferer respectively. Q. d., "Do not let his evil principles and acts conquer the better mind that is in thee by grace, but use -the good" given to thee the good of Divine peace and love shed abroad in thy heart to subdue the evil in him." "In the good:" = under its influence.

Out of countless examples in Christian history we quote a recent one, from the Native Church in China. In 1878 a small and new Christian community was severely persecuted, and some of the converts, grownup men, were cruelly ill-used by a petty official, without the least resistance on their part. Some time after, this official was summoned before a superior officer, and sentenced to severe punishment. But one of his former victims, who meanwhile had not been his accusers, interposed and procured his pardon; and their enemy was turned forthwith into a grateful and cordial friend. (A. E. Moule's Story of the Chehkiang Mission, Exodus 2, p. 120.)