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SERMON XI.

THE UNIVERSAL RULE OF Equity.

MATT. vii. 12.

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them; for this is the law and the prophets.

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HEN our blessed Lord took upon him the public office of a prophet or teacher amongst men, he found it was not only necessary to instruct them in the sacred mysteries of religion, and inform them of their duty to God his Father, and to himself; but he employed much of his ministry also, to teach them the practice of social virtue, and how they should behave toward their fellow-creatures. In the

heathen world the rules of morality were lost in a great measure, as well as the rules of piety and worship; and the Jews, the peculiar people of God, had grossly corrupted both the one and the other. As our Saviour refined the practice of religion towards God, and raised it by his gospel, to a high and heavenly degree beyond what mortals had known before, so he explained and established the rules of

from unreasonable and unjust principles, either of a sinful self-love or indulgence to iniquity, are not to be the measure of our actions nor expectations; these are not just and reasonable desires, nor can our own conscience in our sedate and calm enquiries judge so concerning them.

Again, if we were poor and starving, it may be we would be glad if our rich neighbour would settle upon us a competent estate sufficient to maintain us for the term of our lives; but this we cannot reasonably expect, or reasonably desire and demand; therefore we are not bound (be our circumstances never so large) to settle such a competency upon our poor neighbours, be their circumstances never so mean. We cannot rationally expect these things should be done unto us, we cannot equitably desire them of another, therefore we are not bound to do thus to another.

But if we are placed as criminals at the bar of judgment, we may reasonably expect that all the favourable circumstances which attend our accusation should be well weighed, and all the kind allowances made which the nature of the charge or crime will admit; for our consciences would think it reasonable to allow so much to any criminal, if we ourselves were placed in the chair of magistracy.

Or if we, through the frowns of Providence; are poor and starving, we may reasonably expect our rich neighbour should bestow upon us a little of his bread, a little of his clothing, to supply our extreme nescessities now and then; and thus much our neighbour may expect from us, when he is fallen into decay by the providence of God, while our cir cumstances are large, and we are well furnished for such bounty.

Thus you see the true intent and meaning of this universal law of equity, viz. That we practise

toward our neighbour in such a manner as our own V hearts and consciences would think it reasonable he should practise towards us in the like case.

The second enquiry was this. What special argument doth our Lord use to inforce the observance of this sacred precept?

When our Saviour had laid down this general rule, he adds, "This is the law and the prophets ;" that is, this is the summary of all the rules of duty, which are written in the law of Moses concerning our carriage to our neighbour, and of all the laws which are explained by the succeeding prophets, and sacred writers under the Old Testament. They are all comprehended in this short line, "Do to others as you would have others do to you." It is very nearly the same thing, in other words, with the law of Moses," Love thy neighbour as thyself," Lev. xix. 18. but it is much plainer and more intelligible; and indeed this rule of Moses is to be understood and interpreted, and applied in practice according to this plainer rule of Christ, thus, "Let thy love to thy neighbour be as great as thou canst reasonably expect or desire thy neighbour's love sh uld thyself.

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When our blessed Lord gives an abridgment or abstract of the ten commandments, he doth it in these words, Matt. xxii. 37, 38, 39. Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul, i. e. Love God above all things; this is the first and great command. And the second is like unto it, love thy neighbour as thyself, i. e. Consider him as a piece of human nature, as a second self, and imitate thy love to thyself in thy conduct toward him; or, according to my text it may be explained thus, enquire of thine own heart how thou wouldst have him love thee, and let this be the rule and measure of thy love to him. All our duties to God or man, all the commands of the first and the second table, all the * Their tone the

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dictates of the law and prophets depend on these two commandments.

Then we answer the design of the law, then we obey the prophets, then we fulfil the commands of Moses and of Christ, when we give to God our supreme love, and when we put ourselves in the room of our neighbour, and then carry it toward him according to the love we expect he should bear to us. This is loving our neighbours as ourselves, and this love is the fulfilling of the law, Rom. xiii. 10.

When our Saviour delivers the words of my text, it is as if he had said to us, "If ye would practise all the duties that you owe to your fellow-creatures, and fulfil all the laws of the second table, in the most compendious and perfect manner, remember and practise this one general direction, deal with the rest of mankind as your conscience judges they should deal with you." But this thought leads

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The third enquiry, viz. Wherein do the peculiar excellencies of this rule appear?

This golden rule hath many excellent properties belonging to it. I shall mention a few on purpose to impress it on your consciences with more conviction, pleasure and power.

1. It is a rule that is easy to be understood, and as easy to be applied by the meanest and weakest understanding. It is so plain, that what is said by Isaiah concerning all the precepts of the gospel, is more eminently true of this," It is an high-way of holiness, and the wayfaring man though a fool shall not err therein," Isa. xxxv. 8.

The laws of man are often exprest in such obscure language and terms of art, that they puzzle us to find out the meaning of them; and the nice distinctions and subtle reasonings of men, oftentimes add to their darkness, and raise new disputes: but this

is a law that every man understands; nor is it easy to be clouded by the comments and glosses of crafty men, if we are but sincerely resolved to judge and practise aecording to it.

By the means of this rule, they who never studied the civil law, nor took pains in enquiring the moral dictates of the light of nature; they who never examined the statutes of a nation, nor the rules of natural justice, are all furnished with a law or rule of equity in their own minds, by which to manage their whole practice, with regard to their neighbours. Those who are not capable of long trains of reasoning, or of applying several general rules to all their particular cases; yet are able to look into their own hearts, and to ask this easy question, " Would I myself be content to have others deal thus with me? Why then should I deal thus with another?"

2. It is a very short rule, and easy to be remembered; the weakest memory can retain it; and the meanest of mankind may carry this about with them, and have it ready upon all occasions. It is of admirable use, to solve a thousand cases of conscience that may arise on the sudden, and may perplex our minds with difficulty. "It lies ready" (says a considerable author)" for present use upon all exigencies and occasions. We can scarce be so far surprized by an immediate necessity of acting, as not to have time for a short recourse to this rule, or room for a sudden glance (as it were) upon it' in our minds, where it rests and sparkles always like the Urim and Thummim on the breast of Aaron."

If we have no written cases of conscience, no books at hand to direct our practice, if we have no faithful minister near us, no wise and pious friend to consult on a sudden occasion, this one rule written. in the heart may serve instead of all other helps. This blessed precept strikes a sudden and sacred light into the mind, where the case may seem

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