Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Ver. 14. Depart from evil, and do good] For negative goodness helpeth not. A man must so abstain from evil as that he do good, or he doth nothing. It is said of Ithacius, that the hatred of the Priscillian heresy was the best that could be said of him; this was but a slender commendation.
Seek peace and pursue it] As hunters do the prey. If it fly from thee, make after it; it will pay thee for thy pains. It is said of Frederick III, emperor, that he putting up many injuries, he reigned quietly fifty and three years and five months. He had need be patient that would be at peace. Ut habeas quietum tempus, perde aliquid, was a proverb at Carthage; not unlike that of ours, Do anything for a quiet life. Concedamus de iure ut careamus lite (Val. Max. Christian. 304, Augustine). And if, in this pursuit of peace, thou meet with many rubs and remoras obstructions, yet be not discouraged, considering what follows in the two next verses.