Nevertheleſs it may well be queſtioned, whether S. Luke's relation reſpects the ſame time with that of S. Matthew: (1.) Becauſe we find him not ſo preciſely mentioning our Bleſſed Saviours Sermon in the Mount; and (2.) Becauſe the words of this Precept are ſomewhat varied, and the later Clauſe, as well as the Particle of Inference, omitted. It may therefore be conjectured, that theſe two Evangeliſts have not reſpect to what was deliver'd at one and the ſame time, it being very likely, that as our Bleſſed Saviour did more than once inculcate the Precepts of Chriſtian Charity upon his Diſciples, ſo he might in like manner more than once deliver the ſum of them in this Golden and Comprehenſive Rule. Nor is it at all probable, that S. Matthew's Inference in this ſeventh Chapter ſhould extend as far back as to the later end of the fifth Chapter, the other Chapter that comes between treating of other Subjects: And therefore,

(2.) I ſhall rather chuſe to refer it to what is compriz'd in the foregoing Verſes of this ſeventh Chapter.

Two things there are eſpecially, which our Bleſſed Saviour inſtructs them about.

(1.) He cautions them againſt raſh cenſures of others. Judge not,Ch. 7.1, 2, 3. that you be not judged; for with what Judgment ye judge, ye ſhall be judged; and with what Meaſure you mete, it ſhall be meaſured to you again. And why beholdeſt thou the mote that is in thy Brothers eye, but conſidereſt not the beam that is in thine own eye? &c. Whereto it may ſeem a concluſion not altogether impertinent, Therefore all things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, do ye even ſo to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. He before calls off their thoughts from others to themſelves; and in this concluſion he warns them to afford the ſame meaſure to others wherewith they ſerve themſelves: q. d. None of you are willing to be cenſured and judged raſhly of by other men; what therefore you would not have others do to you, do not ye offer unto them; and ſo judge them not without cauſe, cenſure them not unadviſedly. This I conceive to be good ſenſe; but cannot ſay, 'tis properly meant and intended by our Bleſſed Saviour, or his Evangeliſt, in this Inference. For,

(2.) Between that and the Text there follows another Diſcourſe, wherein our Bleſſed Saviour urgeth his Diſciples to the great Duty of Prayer, and confirms their hopes of receiving from God what they pray for, if not always in kind, at leaſt always for their good, from the 7 verſe to this 12. Ask, ſaith he, and it ſhall be given you;Ver. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. ſeek, and ye ſhall find; knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that ſeeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it ſhall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his Son ask Bread, will he give him a Stone? or if he ask a Fiſh, will he give him a Serpent? If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children, how much more ſhall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him?— And now immediately upon this it is added, Therefore all things, &c.

With this coherence then it may be conſidered by us, as a neceſſary Condition to be carefully heeded and obſerved by us, that our Prayers to God may be effectual: As if he had ſaid more at large, You may be ſure of ſpeeding with God in your Prayers, if you be not your own hindrances: There will be no defect in his goodneſs, which is far beyond that of any earthly Parent to his Children. The onely obſtacle will prove in your ſelves, viz. if you are not rightly diſpoſed to receive good things from him; and therefore, that you may be thus rightly qualified for ſpeeding with God, 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. Or, as ſome read it by an Hebraiſm, (of whichSect. 4. hereafter) Whatſoever ye would to be done unto you, (even by God himſelf, as well as men) be ye prepared according to your power to do unto others.Non ſolummodo nolite judicare, ſed & omnia quaecun que vultis — & tunc impetrabiliter poteritis orare. Super Matt. Hom. 18. —Not onely, judge not others raſhly; but alſo whatſoever ye would, &c. and then you may be ſure to ask and have, to pray and obtain. So S. Chryſ. That they might pray ſucceſsfully, Chriſt puts them upon pious endeavours; for theſe two muſt go together, as Hierocles well admoniſheth: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .Hierocles. What we work and endeavour, we ſhould alſo pray for; and what we pray for, we ſhould alſo work and endeavour that it may ſpeed. Our Lord would demonſtrate,Vide Citat, in Catenâ D. Thornae. ſaith S. Chryſoſtom, that men ought both ſuperiùs inquirere auxilium, to ſeek help from above; & quae à ſeipſis ſunt ſimul inferre, and to contribute in like manner what they can themſelves: and therefore after that he had ſaid, Ask, ſeek, knock, he plainly teacheth men themſelves to be ſtudious and diligent, and therefore ſubjoyns, All things whatſoever— And again, ſaith he, Non ſimpliciter dicit omnia, ſed addidit ergo: He ſaith not barely, All things whatſoever; but he adds a Therefore to it: q. d. Si vultis audiri, cum illis quae dixi & haec facite; If you would be heard of God, mind this with the reſt that I have ſpoken of, All things whatſoever —

A good Diſpoſition and Life muſt accompany our Prayers, to render them acceptable and ſucceſsful. The Sacrifice of the wicked,Prov. 15.8. ſaith the Wiſe man, is an abomination to the Lord; but the Prayer of the upright is his delight: and,Chap. 28.9. "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law, his Prayer ſhall be abomination. Impeditur orationis effectus per impiam converſationem; The effect and ſucceſs of Prayer is hindred by a wicked life and converſation.S. Jam. 5.16. The effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous man, ſaith S. James, availeth much. It muſt not only be fervent and importunate, (ſuch as is intimated by our Saviours Phraſes of asking, ſeeking, and knocking) but it muſt be alſo of a righteous man, that it may avail much.Iſa. 1.15, 16, 17, 18, 19. When ye ſpread forth your hands, ſaith God unto the wicked, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many Prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. And therefore that ſuch may pray ſucceſsfully, the direction is, Waſh you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well, ſeek judgment, relieve the oppreſſed, judge the fatherleſs, plead for the widow: Come now, and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord.— Particularly, there muſt be a diſpoſition of goodneſs and charity towards others, that we may our ſelves obtain good things from God.Prov. 21.13. Whoſo ſtoppeth his ears, ſaith Solomon, at the cry of the poor, he alſo ſhall cry himſelf, but ſhall not be heard. To this ſenſe S. Auguſtine enlargeth upon the Text. God,Vide Citat. in Caten. D. Tho. ſaith he, had promiſed that he would give good things to them that ask: But that he may own us his Beggars, let us in like manner look upon ours; and that we may know what we ought to beſtow on our Neighbour asking of us, (begging Alms of us) to the intent that we in like manner may be heard in what we crave of God, we may conſider from this, what we would that others in a like caſe ſhould beſtow upon us, & ideò dixit, omnia ergo— And for this cauſe our Bleſſed Saviour ſaid, Therefore all things—

One thing more I find ſuggeſted by the ordinary Gloſs upon that of the precedent Verſe: How much more will your Heavenly Father give good things to them that ask. For which S. Luke reads,S. Luke 11.13. "The Holy Spirit. Whereupon, ſaith the Gloſs, Omnium bonorum ſpiritualium diſtributor eſt Spiritus Sanctus, ut opera charitatis impleantur: unde ſubdit, Omnia ergo quaecun que — The Holy Ghoſt is the diſtributer of all ſpiritual goods, to the end that the works of Charity may be fulfilled; and thence he ſubjoyns, All things therefore whatſoever—

The Holy Spirit given by God is within us a Principle of Goodneſs, a Principle of Good Works: Wherefore, ſince God is ſo ready to beſtow on us his Holy Spirit, and therewith all ſpiritual Goods, upon our Prayers unto him, we ſhould for that very reaſon ſhew forth the fruits of that good Spirit in all goodneſs our ſelves, in ſuch good Works as are the reſult of this General Rule here preſcribed, "Therefore all things—

Therefore, viz. that you may not pray without ſucceſs, that you may ſhew your ſelves rightly diſpoſed and qualified for prevailing with God in your Prayers, and that you may bring forth fruit becoming of that great gift of the Holy Ghoſt obtained of God by Prayer.—

But ſo much ſhall ſuffice to have ſpoken of that Illative Particle, and the dependent Senſe of the Words on the account thereof.

WE will now look upon them as abſolute and compleat in themſelves, as an entire Map of Chriſtian Duty, without that Fragment of bordering Vertues decyphered in the word of Inference, Therefore. And, ſetting aſide that Particle, we have conſiderable in the words,

(1.) A General and Comprehenſive Rule of Life; All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, do ye even ſo to them. And,

(2.) The enforcement of this Rule or Precept; For this is the Law and the Prophets.

Of both which I ſhall treat by Gods help in their order.

I begin with the General and Comprehenſive Rule of Life, as it is here laid down.

Wherein we may obſerve more diſtinctly,

(1.) Regulatum or Regulandum; the Actions ruled or to be ruled hereby, viz. our own Actions, and our own Actions towards other men, i. e. our Neighbours: [Do ye even ſo to them.]

(2.) Regulam, the Rule it ſelf; and that is, [All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you,—]

Concerning the former I have onely two or three things briefly to ſuggeſt.

(1.) We are prone enough to preſcribe to other men, to overſee, and order, and appoint their Actions: We are generally willing enough they ſhould act by Rule towards us: But our Bleſſed Saviour here calls his Diſciples thoughts home to themſelves, and gives them every one the ſpecial charge of directing and managing their own Actions aright: Quae dicis aliis, dic tibi ipſi, ut audias. We are principally concerned to regulate our own Actions: We are every one to amend our own ways, to ſweep before our own doors, as we are wont to ſpeak. And,

(2.) The Actions here ruled are ſuch as concern our Neighbour, ſuch as have reſpect and reference to our Neighbour, i.e. to all other men with whom we live and converſe; for ſo we are taught in Holy Writ to reckon every man our Neighbour. S. Paul ſignificantly puts 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .Rom. 13.5. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law of loving his Neighbour. In our Actions towards one another we are not left without Law and Rule; we may not do as we liſt, as it ſeemeth good in our own eyes. Nay,

(3.) Together with our outward Actions, our Will it ſelf is to be ordered by the Rule here preſcribed; for it muſt be always remembred, that the Laws of Chriſt are ſpiritual, and reach alſo to the inward man. —Scelus intra ſe tacitus qui cogitat ullum, facti crimen habet.— To will, covet, reſolve, and intend, is, in the account of our ſupreme Law-maker and Judge, to do. The Thoughts, Deſires, and Affections of our Souls (i. e. our inner man) are reputed and cenſured by him as our Actions: So that, what we may not do, we may not will to do, we may not deſign or reſolve to do, we may not approve or allow of, we may not joy or delight in.— But I proceed now to the later and principal Point, the Rule it ſelf whereby we are to ſquare both our Choice and Practice: All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, even ſo do ye unto them. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , even ſo in all things, as ye would that men ſhould do unto you; or, as S. Luke hath it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , likewiſe, in like manner do ye unto them.— This Poſitive plainly includes in it a ſevere Prohibition of doing that to others, which we would not they ſhould do unto us. So pious Tobit inſtructed his Son;Tobit 4.15. Quod ab alio oderis fieri tibi, vide ne tu aliquando alteri facias. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Do that to no man which thou hateſt. See that thou do not that to another, which thou art unwilling another ſhould do unto thee. Admit not of that in thy ſelf,Quod damnaturus ſis in aliis, in te ne admiſeris. which thou condemneſt and reproveſt in another. This Prohibition, I ſay, is included in our Bleſſed Saviour's Precept. Abſtinentiam mali ponit per operationem boni, Hom. 13. ad Pop, Antioch. ſaith S. Chryſoſtom. He expreſſeth the Negative by the Affirmative; the abſtinence from Evil, by the doing of Good. So do ye, —ſo, and not otherwiſe, —ſo, and not the contrary. Fac quod vis pati, as S. Auguſtine abbreviates it: Do as thou wouldeſt ſuffer; i. e. as thou wouldeſt be done by or to. Quod vis tibi fieri, fac alteri: Whereto the Negative ſhould ever-more be added for illuſtration ſake, Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris: Do not to another what thou wouldeſt not have done unto thy ſelf.

FIrſt, It is requiſite that we underſtand this Rule of ours aright, being liable unto ſome miſtakes, if we are not duly cautioned againſt them. In order therefore to the explaining of it, and that ſo as the meaneſt Capacity may truly comprehend it, I ſhall proceed,

(1.) Per remotionem, negatively, and by way of removal of thoſe falſe Rules which men are apt enough to ſubſtitute in the room of this. And,

(2.) Per poſitionem, to declare poſitively what this Rule of ours imports, and what we are to obſerve in order to the right underſtanding of it.

By the firſt I ſhall ſhew, what it is not; by the ſecond, what it is.

Moſt men in the world obſerve either no Rule at all, or elſe ſome falſe and crooked Rules, in their Actions towards others: And therefore it will not be amiſs here to glance at ſome Particulars which are too frequently put in the room of the Preſcription in the Text.

(1.) Then the Rule is not thus laid down, [All things whatſoever other men would have you do to them, let them do even ſo to you.] We are willing enough to hear of other mens duties, as I before alſo intimated, even whilſt we moſt neglect our own. We are apt enough to exact our right of other men, whilſt we refuſe our ſelves to do what is right and juſt unto them. We are prone enough to ſay to others, Do as you would be done by; we like it very well in the practiſe of others; but the Law here runs not in that form, Quaecunque ſibi fieri voluerint— Let others do as they would be dealt withal: but it calls upon every one of us eſpecially to regulate our own Actions, and to mind our own duty. Much leſs is it,

(2.) [All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, let them do unto you.] Our Wills and Pleaſures are not the rule and meaſure of other mens duties towards us. It doth not follow that other men do us wrong and injury nakedly becauſe they diſpleaſe and offend us, becauſe they do unto us what we would not have them. This indeed is more or leſs the corrupt humour of us all: We are too prone and willing to make our Wills and Pleaſures the Law and Rule of other mens Actions; and every thing that offends us, that is contrary to our humour or fancy, is cenſured forthwith as unjuſt and unlawful in our Neighbours, upon the ſame account.

(3.) The Rule is not, [Do ye unto others all things whatſoever they would have done unto them.] Men are very apt to covet more than what is their ſhare, more than belongs to them: And were we bound to do unto every man as he wills and deſires, we ſhould quickly undo our ſelves, and turn all things into confuſion.

(4.) The Rule is not, [All things whatſoever ye will, do ye unto others.] 'Tis not Omnia quaecunque vultis, and there a ſtop; follow the ſway of your own inclinations and luſts. That were to licenſe all manner of iniquity, and to ſet open ſuch a floodgate to ſin and injuries, as would quickly overwhelm and drown the World. Quod libet, licet. And, Sic volo ſic jubeo, ſtat pro ratione voluntas, will not be admitted of here. Our own Will abſolutely is not the meaſure of our Actions towards others; but it is it ſelf to be ruled by ſomewhat elſe. An Action is not therefore juſt and warrantable, becauſe we will it; but our Will muſt have ſome Reaſon or Rule to juſtifie its choice and determination by.

(5.) The Rule is not, Omnia quaecunque poteſtis, [Do all that ye can to others,] all things that ye are able or have power to do, all things you have an opportunity to do. Power of it ſelf juſtifies nothing, but muſt be ever in conjunction with Juſtice and Goodneſs, that all the acts and effects of it may be warranted. Men may not wrong the weak, becauſe they are ſtronger; nor the poor, becauſe they are richer; nor the ignorant and ſimple, becauſe they are more learned and cunning; nor any that are under them, becauſe they are in Authority above them, and have a Sword able to defend their Injuſtice againſt all Diſputers. Nay,

(6.) 'Tis not Omnia quaecunque jure poteſtis, [Do all that you can do with a ſpecious pretence of Law to countenance what you do.] Summum jus ſumma injuria. The rigour of the Law proves often great injuſtice; and a man may wrong his own Conſcience by proſecuting of the Law to the height and utmoſt upon his Neighbour. Such is theQuod ſi populorum juſſis, ſi principum decretis, ſi ſententiis judicum jura conſtituerentur, jus eſſet latrocinari, jus adulterare, jus teſtamenta falſa ſupponere, ſi haec ſuffragiis vel ſcitis multitudinis probarentur. — Cicero de Leg. l. 1. imperfection ſometimes of Humane Laws, and ſuch the many Arts and Tricks in the execution of them, the ſhifting of Courts, the Demurs, the tedious manner of Proceſs, and the like, that it is in the power of many legally to undo others, ſometimes in the recovery of their own right and due: And the poorer ſort, though they ſhould certainly in the iſſue be protected from the violence and wrong intended them by others, yet are ſure, like the ſilly Sheep running in a Storm for ſhelter to an Hedge of Thorns and Brambles, to leave their Fleece for that Protection. We muſt nor do all to others which we may by Law poſſibly defend the doing of. Every one ſhould keep a Court of Chancery in his own Breaſt, to mitigate the rigor and ſeverity of the Law, which cannot provide againſt all particular inconveniences and abuſes. They are not Humane Laws which are the immediate and adequate Rule of our Conſcience and Practice; but a good Conſcience ſhould evermore regulate us in the proſecution of the Law upon others.

(7.) And laſtly, The Rule is not, Omnia quaecunque fecerint vobis, [All things whatſoever other men have done unto you, do ye even ſo unto them;] requite others according to their doings: By no means. Say not,Prov. 20.22.24.29. I will do to him as he hath done to me: Say not thou, I will recompence evil, I will render to the man according to his work. Thus Solomon adviſeth, agreeably to the Precepts S. Paul gives us, having learnt them firſt of his and our Maſter Chriſt: Recompence to no man evil for evil. Rom. 12. Dearly beloved, avenge not your ſelves: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. We cannot juſtifie the doing others an injury, becauſe they have done us one firſt; the grieving of others, becauſe they have grieved us: Whereof Seneca pronounceth, Qui dolorem regerit, tantum excuſatiùs peccat; He that returns grief for grief, ſins only the more excuſably; i. e. he ſins, though he hath ſome pretence for it. But Maximus Tyrius the Platoniſt goes higher,Diſſert. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : If to do an injury be an enormity, to return one is the like. Nay, he riſeth yet a ſtep higher, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : He that avengeth himſelf, ſeems guilty of the greater injuſtice: for, ſaith he, the former (viz. that did firſt the wrong) incurr'd a reprehenſion as his only reward; which this avenger by imitation of him, doing of the like, takes away upon himſelf; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he bears away his reproach. The like Argument Lactantius makes uſe of to prove,Lactant. l. 6. that it is not leſs evil [referre injuriam quam inferre] to return an injury, than to do one: For, ſaith he, whoſoever labours to return an injury, eum ipſum à quo laeſus eſt geſtit imitari, glories in imitating his evil doings by whom he was injur'd. 'Tis not what others have done to thee, but what thou wouldeſt have them do unto thee. Ask thy ſelf then, when thou waſt wronged and injured by another, whether thoughteſt thou him to have done well or ill in ſo wronging or injuring of thee? And if ill, why ſhouldeſt thou attempt the like? Why ſhouldeſt thou be ambitious of his guilt, ſeeing eſpecially thou haſt had a more real ſavour and taſt, if I may ſo ſpeak, a more feeling ſenſe of the evil of ſuch an injury, than one that hath not received it? It is therefore well determined by a Reverend Divine,Dr. Jackſon on the Creed. That whoever harh been moſt hardly dealt with himſelf, ſins moſt in dealing ſo with others, doing what he is moſt unwilling to have done to himſelf, and the evil of which doing he is himſelf moſt ſenſible of.— Anothers fault therefore cannot be our juſtification for doing of the like: nay, we are ſo much the more condemned, as we judge and cenſure it a fault in others ſo to have done unto us.

But, ſome may object, is there not a viſible Juſtice in the Law of Requital? for any man to ſuffer quod prior ipſe fecerit, the ſame which he hath done? Doth not Nature it ſelf dictate that this is equal, for a man to be rewarded according to his doings?

There cannot be any thing more juſt than this, that one ſhould be taken himſelf in the ſnares which he hath laid for others.

All this is yielded, as moſt certainly true and unqueſtionable; and no man can deſervedly complain for undergoing himſelf what he hath firſt done to others. But then it muſt be conſidered, that private perſons are not made Judges by God in their own concerns, have no commiſſion to execute Vengeance. We know who hath ſaid, Vengeance is mine: I will repay it, ſaith the Lord. And he hath appointed his peculiar Miniſters and Avengers under himſelf, to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. The injury of requital of injuries is not in him that ſuffers, but in him that doth it without warrant and commiſſion from God, only to ſatisfie his own grieved mind, and make another ſmart as he hath done him already.

The Jews themſelves, though in their Publick Judgments a Lex talionis were allowed,Exod. 21.24, 25. viz. Eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, ſtripe for ſtripe: yet in their private converſation and deportment each towards other, revenge was plainly forbidden them;Levit. 19.18. Thou ſhalt not avenge nor bear any grudge againſt the children of thy People; but thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf: I am the Lord. Mutual revenge is forbidden, as a Branch deducible from this Law of Nature, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf: of which more by and by. The Prohibition here is clear and poſitive,, Thou ſhalt not avenge nor bear any grudge againſt the children of thy People: i. e. Thou ſhalt not be mindful of wrong, to requite it: For that is properly to avenge, to do to others as they have done to us. So we find it expreſs'd in the Vengeance God commiſſioned them to take of Babylon, Take vengeance upon her,Jer. 50.15. as ſhe hath done do unto her. And that none might miſtake this for any rule of ſelf-revenge, or private revenge, 'tis call'd in the words immediately before, the vengeance of the Lord, that Lord to whom vengeance belongeth, to whom vengeance belongeth, as the Pſalmiſt reduplicates. Whereas the Law, as we have ſeen, is expreſs to the Jews, in reference to their private relation and converſe each with other, Thou ſhalt not avenge nor bear any grudge againſt the children of thy people: i. e. Thou ſhalt not return injuries, nor keep them in mind. The Hebrew Doctors expound it to this purpoſe. To avenge, ſay they, is to deny a good turn to one who hath formerly denied it to him; and to be mindful of a wrong, is to do a good turn to one who formerly would not do ſo much for him; but at the doing thereof, to upbraid with his former unkindneſs, in ſuch like words as theſe, I will not deal with thee as thou haſt dealt with me. And both, ſay they, were here forbidden: And according to this explication their Law required them both to forgive and forget injuries.— Now look what was thus the mutual duty of the Jews each to other, our Bleſſed Saviour requires from us to all men, having taught us to eſteem every man as our Neighbour, whom we are to love as our ſelves. He requires, I ſay, the ſame good diſpoſition in us towards all men, which among the Jews was reſtrained more to their own Countrey-men, the Children of their People. See, ſaith S. Paul, 1 Theſ. 5.15. that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among your ſelves, and to all men. Thus had he learned Chriſt, having been inſtructed in the Truth, as it was in Jeſus.S. Mat. 5.39, 40, 41. I ſay unto you, ſaith Chriſt, that ye reſiſt not evil, or that ye avenge not evil: But whoſoever ſhall ſmite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other alſo, (an expreſſion of patience) and if any man will ſue thee at the Law, and take away thy Coat, let him have thy Cloke alſo; and whoſoever ſhall compel thee to go with him a mile, go with him twain. So far would Chriſt have his Diſciples from the Principles of Retaliation, that he enjoyns them patience under ſupportable and tolerable injuries (ſuch as thoſe here mentioned) if they cannot right themſelves without revenge, rather than to oppoſe violence to injuſtice. It was well adviſed by Seneca, Percuſſit te? recede: referiendo enim & occaſionem ſaepiùs feriendi dabis & excuſationem. Sen. de Irâ, l. 2. S. Hieron. citat. in Cat. D. Tho. in S. Mat. 5. Hath another ſtricken thee? Give place: for by ſtriking him again thou wilt both adminiſter occaſion of, and excuſe for his ſtriking often, his repeated blows. And therefore, as S. Hierom notes, Dominus noſter viciſſitudinem tollens truncat initia peccatorum; Our Lord and Saviour in taking away the return of contumelies and ill turns, cuts off the beginnings and occaſions of ſin. It was never queſtionleſs his deſign to licenſe the injuries of others,Si potes malum ſine tuo malo vel eff • gere vel de • ellere, nemo te vetat facere: ſin minùs, cave dixeris, facere ſarius eſt quam pati: ſi potes, emenda, vel beneficiis obruens vel manſuetudine vincens: ſin aliter, praeſtat alterum perire, quam utrum que praeſtat te patientiae lucro diteſcere quam mutuâ talione mali malos ambos fieri. Eraſm. Enchir. Militis Chriſtiani, p. 150. & ſimilia p. 206. or to forbid his Diſciples the innocent defence of themſelves, or recovery of their right and due; much leſs to take away from Magiſtrates, and thoſe in Authority, the power of ſecuring the good by the puniſhment of evil doers: but only to root out all principles of Revenge, by a ſtrict injunction of Chriſtian Patience. The Rule then we are to be guided by, is not, What others have done to us; but rather, What they ought to have done to us.

It concerns indeed Publick Perſons to ſee Juſtice executed upon Offenders, ſuch as ſhould make them as unwilling to do wrong, as others are to ſuffer it, the better to diſcipline them to the practice of this Rule in the Text: and in ſo doing, they are ſo far from breaking, that they well obſerve that Rule themſelves, doing that for the good, welfare, and ſecurity of the Society and Community wherein they live, which they would deſire to be done for themſelves in the like caſe. A Judge or Magiſtrate muſt not look on himſelf as a private perſon, but,Rom. 13. a Miniſter of God for the puniſhment of evil doers, and the praiſe of them that do well, yea bearing and repreſenting the perſon of the Community whoſe good he is obliged to ſeek and ſerve; and therefore he is to do that for the benefit of the Community, whoſe great intereſt it is to have the Laws obſerved, and Offenders puniſhed, which he underſtands in ſuch a caſe might be reaſonably required of him. Private revenge indeed ſhould not be ſatisfied, under the cloke and colour of doing Juſtice; but neither muſt the Offices of Juſtice be overturned and diſclaimed by us, whilſt we ſpeak againſt Revenge. The correction of notorious Offenders is both an office of charity unto them, to bring them to repentance; and of goodneſs and juſtice to the Society wherein they live, for the warning of others not to do the like, and for the ſecuring of the innocent: Yet this is no warrant for private perſons to ſnatch the Magiſtrates Sword to avenge their own quarrel, or to appeal unto the Magiſtrate out of any principle of Malice or Revenge, to wreak their ſpleen upon ſuch as have done them wrong, in order to a requital.

In good turns indeed, and benefits, gratitude ſuggeſts a retribution;Quid retribuam? Pſal. 116.12. Nature teacheth the very Publicans and Sinners to return love for love, good will for good will, courteſie for courteſie: And thus far to obſerve the Rule of doing to others as they have done to us, would reform the World, by the removal of that horrid Vice of unthankfulneſs from men, whereby they are ready ſometimes to requite good with evil, or prove forgetful and neglective of the good turns others have done unto them. To theſe therefore it is ſeaſonable to ſay, Do to others the ſame good you have received from them; be not evil to thoſe who have been exceeding good and beneficial unto you; return not hatred to them for their good will and love to you. — But then in injuries and evils, curſes and imprecations, ill words and actions, we muſt take heed how we retaliate, and do to others as we ſuffer from them: Say not thou, I will do to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work.

THus much in the Negative, what the Rule is not: I proceed, ſecondly, to a more poſitive declaration of what it is: [All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, do ye even ſo unto them.]

That we may underſtand and conceive of this Rule as we ought,

(1.) We may compare it with that other Summary of the Second Table, which acquaints us with the genuine and inward Principle of it, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf. And therefore we are wiſely inſtructed in our Church-Catechiſm, in anſwer to that Queſtion, What is thy duty towards thy Neighbour? to joyn both theſe together; My duty towards my Neighbour is, to love him as my ſelf, and to do to all men as I would they ſhould do to me. The former of theſe is ſtyled by S. James, S. Jam. 2.8. the Royal Law according to the Scriptures. Lex Regia, the Royal Law, that is, ſay ſome,Vide Druſium in loc. & Prov. ſacra. the Law of Chriſt our King; to which purpoſe the Syriack reads it Legem Dei, the Law of God: The Royal Law, ſay others, for its eminency, a moſt excellent Law: The Royal Law, ſay others, becauſe, like the King's High-way, 'tis plain, without windings and turnings, rubs and hinderances, common to all, and belongs to every one in particular as well as to all: The Royal Law, laſtly, ſay others, becauſe of its latitude and extent, upon which all other Laws depend, which takes in and comprehends all other Laws in it ſelf. This is the Royal Law, the Law of Laws, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf: And this preſcribes affectum eundem, the ſame affection and diſpoſition to our Neighbour as to our ſelves; as the other we are conſidering of preſcribes officia eadem, the ſame offices towards our Neighbour as we deſire in him towards our ſelves, i. e. the ſame fruits of Love towards our Neighbour, as the love we bear to our ſelves ſuggeſts to us to wiſh, expect, and look for from him. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ariſt. Rhet. lib. 2. The Philoſopher's definition of Love is, To will ſuch things to another as we conceive good, without ſelf-ends; and to promote and do the ſame according to our power. Whereby if we meaſure the loving of our Neighbour as our ſelves, it muſt needs run into this we are upon, All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo unto them. Amoris tui erga proximum menſura es tu ipſe: ſingulos ſic dilige, quomodo tu ab iis diligi velles, ſi eſſes illorum loco. Camero. Thou art thy ſelf become the meaſure of thy love towards thy Neighbour, as Camero hath it: ſo love thou others, as thou wouldeſt be loved by them if thou wert in their place and ſtead: i. e. Love thou others with the ſame ſincerity wherewith thou loveſt thy ſelf, and give proof of this love by doing the ſame to them as thou wouldeſt deſire they ſhould do to thee in the like condition. The Law refers us to our ſelves, becauſe we are naturally inclined to ſelf-love, and in our own intereſt and concerns plerun que rectiùs videmus quid aequum ſit, Grot. in loc. we do for the moſt part ſee more rightly what is equal; at leaſt, we are not apt to wrong our ſelves.Saluſt. Nemini ſuae injuriae leves videntur; No man thinks his own injuries light.Camerarius. Sua quiſ que maxima eſſe judicat mala; Every one judgeth his own evils greateſt; every one is concluded trueſt to his own intereſt and concerns.

So then to love our Neighbour as our ſelves, is the ſoul and life of this Precept, to do to our Neighbour as we would be done by our ſelves: And thus the Rule before us preſcribes, not only to our outward actions, but to our inward affections alſo. There muſt be an agreement between our heart and practice, our will and doings. What we are to do to our Neighbours, the ſame we are to wiſh, intend, love, deſire, chuſe, reſolve upon; and what we ought not to effect, we may not inwardly covet or delight in without tranſgreſſion.Quid refert mala non facere quae affectu concupiſcis? Quid refert bona foris agere, quibus diverſa fiant intus? Eraſm. Euchir. Mil. Chriſt. p. 119. The Laws of Chriſt reach to the Principles of our Actions, as well as to the Actions themſelves; to the hidden and inviſible, as well as to the open and viſible part of them; to the fountain, as well as to the ſtreams; to the cauſe, as well as to the effects. Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf; and, All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, do ye even ſo unto them, have the ſame reference each to other as the cauſe and the effect, as the fountain and the ſtrram, as the inſide and outſide of one and the ſame Duty.

(2.) We may farther enlarge our conceptions by viewing together this Affirmative Precept, and the Negative that is deducible from it, and (as hath been ſaid before) to be referr'd unto it: for every poſitive Precept includes a double Prohibition in it. (1.) Of the omiſſion of the duty required: And, (2.) Of the commiſſion of the contrary evil. Whoever commands the doing of any good, forbids at the ſame time the neglect of that good, and the evil oppoſite unto it. He that injoyns us to do well, doth as certainly bid us ceaſe to do evil, and includes withal ſomewhat more in his Injunctions, than if he had nakedly bid us ceaſe to do evil. A negative Religion only will not ſerve our turns; we muſt be alſo poſitively good: and yet ſo we cannot be, without ceaſing firſt to be evil, this being the beginning of our wiſdom, ſtultitiâ caruiſſe. The poſitive Precept then is the more perfect and intire, as including both the Prohibition and Command in it ſelf: And thus we are to interpret the Rule of the Text, by ſupplying it with its Negative, that is, the advice of Tobit to young Tobias, Do that to no man which thou hateſt; what thou wouldeſt not that men ſhould do unto thee, do not thou thy ſelf that unto them.

(3.) To prevent all miſtakes and miſapplications of this Rule to Practice, there are two or three things farther to be noted by way of caution about it.

(1.) In the general we muſt remember, that this Rule may never be ſo underſtood or applied as to contradict or ſubvert any other of the more particular Laws and Appointments of Chriſt,Quod tibi bonum praeſtari velles, idem debes ipſe alteri praeſtare in eiſdem circumſtantiis, quoad fieri poteſt citra tertii alicujus injuriam. Quod malum tibi fieri nolles à faciendo illud alteri ipſe debes abſtinere quoad fieri poteſt abſque tertii alicujus injuriâ. Dr. More Enchir. Eth. p. 22. or the Order eſtabliſhed and approved by him. We are to conclude, that it is not at odds with any particular Laws of Charity and Juſtice, being indeed deſigned only for a brief and univerſal comprehenſion of them, and as a fence and ſecurity to them; that we tranſgreſs not at any time through inordinate love of our ſelves; but ſince we are every one preſumed to be hearty proſecutors of our intereſt and concerns, we make this our pattern, example, and ſquare in our dealings with others, as ſincerely to have reſpect unto their good as our own, that we have not a meaſure and a meaſure, unjuſt balances, one for our ſelves and another for our neighbours; it having been generally obſerved in the World,Homo in ſe aliud fert, in alterum aliud cogitat. Laberius. that men have one judgement for themſelves, and another for their neighbours, ſo as to condemn others at the ſame time, and in the ſame things, wherein they acquit and juſtifie themſelves; and deem that evil in others towards them, which they continually practice themſelves towards others; and that good in others towards them, which they deny continually unto others. To prevent now this undue bias of ſelf-love and ſelf-ſeeking, Chriſt requires us to uſe the ſame meaſure to others as to our ſelves, as ſincerely to love others as our ſelves, and do for them as we deſire they ſhould do for us: To ſell as we would buy: for,Prov. 20.10. Divers weights and divers meaſures are both of them alike an abomination unto the Lord. This now being the purpoſe of the Rule, to prevent or remove that grand prejudice which makes us ſwerve and decline from the particular Precepts of Order, Juſtice, and Charity towards our Neighbour, we cannot, we muſt not at any time ſo underſtand or apply it as to croſs and oppoſe any of thoſe Precepts.

(2.) Therefore when our Bleſſed Saviour ſaith, All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, he muſt be underſtood only de voluntate regulatâ & ordinatâ, of a well-ordered and regulate Will, a Will following the dictates of right Reaſon and Religion, and conſequently onely converſant about things truly good and meet to be done; and therefore whether we add the word [bona] or no, as ſome Latin Verſions have done, [quaecunque bona— Whatſoever good things ye would that men ſhould do unto you] 'tis moſt certain that we are ſo to underſtand and conceive of it, as to exclude omne maleficium, every evil work or thing from being the object of our will. 'Tis S. Auguſtines Obſervation,De Civ. Dei, l. 14. c. 8. that Voluntas non est propriè niſi in bonis, in malis cupiditas dicitur; Will is proper to good objects, but we call it Luſt in evils. And, Hoc loco modo quodam proprio voluntas poſita eſt, quae in mal • accipi non poteſt: In this place (ſaith he) Will is to be taken in that proper manner as not to be conceived of that which is evil. None in his right mind wiſheth to himſelf what is evil and inconvenient: we muſt not imagine that our Saviour refers us to our corrupted and vitiated Wills; but he ſuppoſeth them according to their natural and true ſtate and temper, not according to what they may prove by degeneracy, evil habits and cuſtoms; as they ſhould be, as they were made by God and appointed to be, and not as they are through our default and corruption; as they are in the beſt of men, and not in the worſt: for, ſpecimen naturae— capiendum ex optimâ naturâ; and as Biſhop Andrews ſomewhere obſerves, the Scripture often ſpeaks of things, not as they are corrupted, but as they ought to be. The ſenſe of the Rule then is clearly this, ut aliis praeſtemus ea, Grot. in S. Mat. 7. quae ratio dictat non iniquè nos ab aliis poſtulaturos; That we do unto others ſuch things as reaſon dictates we ſhould not unjuſtly deſire from others our ſelves. Whatſoever ye would,] i. e. reaſonably and regularly.

(3.) There muſt be conſiderata perſonarum mutatio, a conſiderate change of perſons; that is, we muſt ſuppoſe other men in our condition, rank, and place, and our ſelves in theirs; and ſo deal with every one, as if we had exchanged perſons and conditions with them: Ʋt rectè judicemus perſona mutanda eſt, idemque ſtatuendum in altero quod in nobis aequum ſimus exiſtimaturi, Id. ibid. as Grotius ſpeaks: That we may judge aright, the Perſon muſt be changed, and we muſt determine the ſame for another which we would judge equal for our ſelves were we in his room. If 'tis bitter unto thee to bear an injury (ſaith Lactantius) and he that does it ſeems unjuſt in thy account,Lactant. l. 6. transfer in alterius perſonam quod in te ſentis, & in tuam quod de altero judicas; remove that by way of ſuppoſition to another perſon which thou feeleſt in thy ſelf, and that to thy own perſon which thou judgeſt of another, and thou wilt preſently underſtand tam Te injuſtè facere ſi alteri noceas, quam Alterum, ſi tibi; That thou thy ſelf doſt as much unjuſtly in injuring of another, as another in hurting thee. We ſhould therefore, as he ſpeaks, in aliis hominibus nos ipſos cogitare, cap. 10. in nobis alios, think of our ſelves in other men, and of others in our ſelves, a due reſpect being had to the ſeveral circumſtances and diſtinctions of our qualities and conditions: That is, So obedient ſhould we be to our Governours, as we deſire and expect thoſe under our Government ſhould be unto us; ſo are we to honour our Parents, as we would deſire our Children ſhould honour us; be ſo reſpective to our Inferiours, as we deſire our Superiours ſhould be to us. Of which, with many other Inſtances, hereafter.

Laſtly, The ſcope and meaning of the Rule will be as clear and full as may be, if we add one Obſervation more to what hath been ſaid. The learned Dr. Hammond notes,Pract. Cat. p. 299. That [Whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you] by an Hebraiſm imports [Whatſoever ye would have done to you] i. e. by whomſoever, and ſo by God or Chriſt as well as Man. We may obſerve indeed many inſtances in the New Teſtament, wherein the third perſon Plural is put to expreſs a paſſive ſenſe: Thus S. Luke 6.38.S. Luk. 6.38. Give, and it ſhall be given unto you, good meaſure, preſſed down, and ſhaken togerher ſhall men give into your boſom; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſhall they give into your boſom, is all one with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſhall be given unto you. Again, ch. 12.20.ch. 12.20. where we read not amiſs in the Engliſh, Thou fool, this night thy ſoul ſhall be required of thee, 'tis in the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , this night do they require thy ſoul of thee. Again ch. 16.9.ch. 16.9. where it is ſaid, Make to your ſelves friends 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 of the mammon of unrighteouſneſs, that when ye fail they may receive you into everlaſting habitations; 'tis probably no more than, that ye may be received into everlaſting habitations. And to name but one place more, ch. 23.31.ch. 23.31. when 'tis ſaid, If they do theſe things in a green tree, what ſhall be done in the dry? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is no more in ſenſe than, If theſe things be done in a green tree. — And thus now if we read alſo the third perſon Plural in the Text in a paſſive ſenſe, the words will run thus, [All things whatſoever ye would have done to your ſelves, or to be done to your ſelves:] And accordingly the Latin Style of this Precept generally runs, Quod tibi fieri vis; which, if we follow it, extends, as hath been ſaid, to whatſoever we deſire or wiſh to our ſelves from God or Chriſt as well as from Men, that to the utmoſt of our power we be ready alſo to do the ſame unto others. Whether the Hebraiſm will enforce it here, or no (the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , men, being expreſſed before the Verb Plural, which I find not in the original of any of the other Inſtances) ſure I am, the Illative Particle uſhering in the Text, whereof I have before diſcourſed, fairly ſuggeſts this ſenſe unto us, inferring this our duty towards men from our expectation of good things from God, as hath been ſhewed. The general Inforcement of thoſe particular Precepts of Charity and Mercy wherewith S. Luke conjoyns this of the Text, and which are eaſily to be deduced from this, is the Divine Pattern towards us, Be ye therefore merciful even as your Father is merciful:S. Luk. 6.36. And 'tis the Petition of our daily Prayers, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſs againſt us: And of all Petitions in the Lords Prayer, our Bleſſed Saviour beſtows a Comment upon none but that, to fix and engage our thoughts the rather upon it; For,S. Mat. 6.14, 15. (ſaith he) if ye forgive men their treſpaſſes, your heavenly Father will alſo forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your Father forgive your treſpaſſes. And we are given more than once to underſtand, that we muſt expect the ſame meaſure from God our ſelves, as we mete to others: Of which more hereafter. This ſenſe we may the rather embrace,Optimè hoc exemplum Principi conſtituam, ad quod formetur, ut ſe talem eſſe civibus quales ſibi Deos velit. Expedit ergo habere inexorabilia peccatis at que erroribus numina? Expedit uſ que ad ultimam infeſta perniciem? Ecquis regum erit tutus? Cujus non membra Aruſpices colligant? Quod ſi Dii placabiles & aequi delicta potentium non ſtatim fulminibus perſequuntur, quanto aequius eſt hominem hominibus praepoſitum miti animo exercere imperium & cogitare utrum mundi ſtatus gratior oculis pulchrior que ſit ſereno & puro die, an cum fragoribus crebris omnia quatiuntur & ignes hinc atque illinc micant? Atqui non alia facies eſt quieti moderatí que imperii, quam ſereni coeli & nitentis. Crudele regnum turbidum tenebríſ que obſcurum eſt inter trementes & ad repentinum ſonitum expaveſcentes, nec eo quidem, qui omnia turbat, inconcuſſo. Sen. de Clem l. 1. c. 7. becauſe even the Heathen Seneca hath mounted to this pitch alſo: Speaking of that mercy which becomes a Prince, he thus proceeds. I may very well ſet this Example before a Prince to imitate, viz. That he ſhew himſelf ſuch to his Citizens, as he would have the Gods to be unto himſelf. Is it therefore deſirable or expedient, ſaith he, for him to have the Deities inexorable, as to his ſins and errors, and ſo provoked to, and reſolved upon the utmoſt deſtruction? Who among Kings would then be ſafe? If therefore the Gods are placable and equal, and do not preſently perſecute the faults of thoſe in Power with Thunderbolts, how much more is it reaſonable that a man ſet over men ſhould exerciſe his power with a meek mind, and think with himſelf whether the ſtate of the world be not more grateful to the eyes, and beautiful, in a ſerene and clear day, than in Thunder, Storms, and Tempeſts? &c.—

Eraſmus intending to ſhew how men abuſe the words of Love and Hatred, Jam amoris & odii vocabulis vide quam mundus abutatur. Cum adoleſcens inſanus puellam deperit, id vulgus amorem appellat, cum nullum verius ſit odium. Verus amor vel ſuo diſpendio commodis alienis conſulere cupit. Ille quo niſi ad ſuam voluptatem ſpectat? Igitur non illam ſed ſemetipſum amat, quanquam ne ſe quidem amat: nemo enim alium amare poteſt, niſi ſe prius amarit, ſed rectè: nemo quenquam odiſſe poteſt, niſi ſe prius oderit: verum bene amare nonnunquam bene odiſſe eſt & rectè odiſſe amaſſe eſt, &c. Eraſm. Enchirid. Mil. Chriſtiani, p. 135, 136. diſcourſeth thus: —When a Youth is mad of a young Maid, that the common people call Love, when as there is not a truer hatred. True love conſults anothers benefit, though with his own loſs. But what doth this fond Youth look at, ſave his own pleaſure? He loves not her therefore, but himſelf: nay, he loves not indeed himſelf; for none can love another, unleſs he firſt love himſelf, and that aright: none can hate another, unleſs he firſt hate himſelf. But then to love well is ſometimes to hate well, and to hate well is to love well: Therefore he that for ſo ſmall an advantage by his flatteries and gifts lays ſnares for the Maid, that he may deprive her of that which is her beſt, to wit, her integrity, her modeſty, her ſimplicity, her good mind, her fame, does this man, think you, hate or love her? Certainly there can be no hatred more cruel than this. So when fooliſh Parents indulge their Childrens Vices, men ſay commonly, How tenderly do theſe Perſons love their Children! But rather, how cruelly do they hate them, who whilſt they give way to their own affections, neglect their Childrens ſalvation? For what other thing doth our moſt envious enemy the Devil wiſh us, than that here ſinning with impunity, we ſhould fall into eternal puniſhment? Again, Men call him a gentle Maſter, and a merciful Prince, who either connives at, or favours certain wickedneſſes, that they may ſin the more licentiouſly, being left without the dread of puniſhment. But what elſe doth the Lord threaten by his Prophet to thoſe whom he thinketh unworthy of his mercy? And I will not viſit upon your daughters, ſaith he, when they commit fornication, &c. And what did he promiſe to David? I will viſit, ſaith he, with the rod their iniquities, and with ſtripes their ſins; but my mercy will I not take away from them.— In Chriſt all things are made new, and the names of things are changed. He that loves himſelf amiſs, doth bear a deadly hatred to himſelf. He that miſplaceth his mercy is cruel. Well to take care of a mans ſelf, is to neglect himſelf. Well to hurt himſelf, is to profit himſelf. Well to deſtroy himſelf, is to preſerve himſelf. Thou wilt then ſhew a care to thy ſelf, if thou ſhalt contemn the deſires of the fleſh. Thou wilt do that man a courteſie, whoſe vices thou ſhalt be cruel againſt; if thou ſhalt ſlay the ſinner, thou ſhalt ſave the man; if thou ſhalt deſtroy what Man hath done amiſs, thou ſhalt reſtore what God made.— Thus far Eraſmus, whoſe words I have tranſlated hither, as a pertinent illuſtration both of that pretended love which is ſo common among men, and that genuine and ſincere love to our ſelves, which the Rule I am ſpeaking of preſuppoſeth and is built upon.

(2.) This Rule preſuppoſeth farther a continual converſe with our ſelves, a living in the daily exerciſe of conſideration and ſelf-reflection, that we may not act towards others raſhly and unadviſedly, but upon a true underſtanding and compare of anothers condition with our own; that we may know what we ſhould expect from other men, and ſo what they in like manner may reaſonably challenge and require of us. The Rule is wholly and altogether in vain, if men never give themſelves to conſider, or live at ſuch a rate that they are indiſpoſed for the exerciſe of ſelf-reflection. It is in vain, as I ſaid, to preſcribe to any, that they would do unto others as they would others ſhould do unto them, if they never reflect upon their own thoughts and deſires, if they never take time impartially to ſuppoſe themſelves in anothers ſtate, and make anothers caſe their own. This Preſcription therefore of our Bleſſed Saviour ſuppoſeth men to live a ſober and temperate life, in the free exerciſe of their reaſonable and deliberate thoughts; not ſo to immerſe themſelves in the cares of the world, or a multitude of imployments; not ſo to drown and beſot themſelves with ſenſual entertainments, to make their ſouls heavy with drunkenneſs and exceſs; not ſo to tranſport themſelves with paſſion and luſt, as to indiſpoſe themſelves wholly for conſideration, or the unbyaſſed and unprejudicate application of it, for the ſquaring and direction of their actions. God having made us reaſonable Creatures, and written certain Laws of equity upon the Tables of our Conſcience, expects from us that we ſhould find time to reflect and conſider with our ſelves, and keep our ſelves in a temper capable of inferring from our own thoughts the Principles of our doings, that we may even of our ſelves judge that which is right: and we ſhall never act according to this Rule of doing as we would be done by, unleſs our thoughts continually hold a looking-glaſs before our eyes, or preſent a balance to our hands, for the due pondering and weighing of our own ſtate and condition and other mens together, that ſo our own rational deſires and expectations from others, may regulate our actions towards them. This Law of Chriſt, you ſee, clearly preſuppoſeth much of ſelf-converſe, and ſuch a way of life as may diſpoſe us thereunto; that we never ſo devote our ſelves to any drudging Imployment, as to hinder the making of a pauſe now and then with our own thoughts; and that we lead not ſuch a brutiſh courſe, as to be left uncapable of conſideration to any good effect or purpoſe, never to underſtand what is fitting for our ſelves to deſire of others, never to mind and obſerve the caſe of others, or never to be like Men or Chriſtians affected therewith; like thoſe mentioned in the Prophet Amos, Amos 6.1, 3, 4, 5, 6. who are at eaſe in Sion, and ſecure in the Mountain of Samaria; who put far away the evil day, and cauſe the ſeat of violence to come near; that lie upon beds of ivory, and ſtretch themſelves upon their couches, and eat lambs out of the flock, and calves out of the midſt of the ſtall; that chant to the ſound of the viol, and invent to themſelves inſtruments of muſick like David; that drink wine in bowls, and annoint themſelves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joſeph: That is, Who lay to heart no more the troubles of the Poſterity of Joſeph, than his Brethren did his in particular, when they caſt him into the Pit, and ſold him to the Merchants, never minding or careing what became of him; but indulge themſelves in the mean while to all exceſs of riot, even whilſt other of their Brethren languiſh under want and oppreſſion. Such perſons as theſe, who live in jollity, and ſpend their time in pleaſure, to the ſatisfaction of the fleſh, do uſually caſt off all thoughtfulneſs about others, who are in miſery and adverſity: that is, they never conſider the hardſhips and calamities that others undergo, and ſo what they would look for at others hands were they in their caſe.

Theſe two are the more general Suppoſitions which the Rule of the Text buildeth upon, to wit, our natural and genuine love to our ſelves, and our living in the due exerciſe of thoughtfulneſs and conſideration, ſelf-converſe and reflection, that we may know upon every occaſion what we ſhould reaſonably deſire of others for our ſelves.

Secondly, The ſame Rule reads us a Lecture of Humility, and gives a fair occaſion to declaim againſt Pride and Arrogance: For who is there that allows and approves of the proud mans carriage towards himſelf? Who is there to whom high looks, inſolent anſwers, contemptuous neglects, a lofty and ſcornful carriage in other men, are not burthenſom and grievous? Who is there to whom the humanity, courteſie, and reſpect of the humble, is not grateful and acceptable? Pride is a moſt unſociable Vice: No man cares for bearing the proud man company. He muſt ſet Laws to all he converſeth with: He muſt be pleaſed, and obſerved, and humoured, or 'tis impoſſible to preſerve quiet; and no man loves to be confin'd to ſo much obſervance. He can be content to abuſe and deride others, to make a mock and jeſt of them; but will not endure the leaſt reflection upon himſelf. He will contradict every one, but none may gainſay him: And if any croſs or offend him, he becomes inexorable; nothing will ſuffice but revenge, and that in the higheſt degree: A word miſplaced ſhall forfeit the mans life. Pride is made up of ſelf-admiration, and deſpiſing or diſdaining of others; an over-weening eſteem of a mans own excellency, and a ſupercilious undervaluing of others: And both theſe diſpoſitions are at great odds with that temper which is fitted for comfortable and delightful Society with other men. So far is every one in love with himſelf, that he cannot endure to be trodden under foot, nor will he patiently ſuffer another to inſult over him. 'Tis irkſom unto every body to converſe with ſuch who are continually boaſting of themſelves, and diſparaging or detracting from others:Terent. Qui niſi quod ipſi faciunt nihil rectum putant, who like nothing but what they do themſelves, and are continually blaming or finding fault with other men.

The proudeſt man that lives is yet a profeſſed enemy to his Brother Pride, treads on Pride with greater pride, and cannot endure his darling and beloved ſin in another.Vide Caſaub. ad Theoph. Charact. p. 353. Pride, I find, was a vice of ſo odious and ignominious a name of old, that Tarquin for many Vices together received the Title of Superbus, as comprehenſive of all; Tarquin the Proud. This was their execratio poſtrema, the greateſt Curſe they could load his Memory with. Hominem, libidine praecipitem, avaritiâ caecum, immanem crudelitate, fruore vaecordem, vocaverunt Superbum, & putaverunt ſufficere convitium: They call'd him Proud, and thought this a Reproach big enough to take in his other ill qualities of notorious Luſt, and Avarice, and Cruelty, and Rage. We Chriſtians have not a word including more of malignity in it, than that of Devil; and yet Pride, we know, made him ſuch, transform'd him, of an Angel of Light, into a Devil: So S. Chryſoſtom ſpeaks;Homil. quomodo fratrum peccata reprehend. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

How many, nevertheleſs, be there herein ambitious of the Devils Likeneſs and Image? There is a Generation,Prov. 30.13. O how lofty are their eyes! and their eye-lids are lifted up: They ſeem to forget the duſt out of which they were raiſed, and into which they muſt return: They forget that they are Members of a Community with others, and that other men are of the ſame kind and make with themſelves: They are apt to reckon themſelves made on purpoſe to domineer over others, and others made on purpoſe to be their Slaves and Vaſſals: They dote on themſelves as Gods, and are angry at every one that will not fall down and worſhip them: If there be a Mordecai in the Gates, that will not bow and do humble reverence, he ſhall be devoted to the Gallows, and his Kindred to deſtruction. If the poor and mean man have a Requeſt to prefer, he muſt wait all opportunities, from time to time dance attendance, and at length, it may be, be diſcountenanced with a ſurly look, or peeviſh reply, or receive poſſibly his own juſt Dues with a Curſe and Rebuke, if not a Blow, for being ſo ſawcie and preſumptuous as to ſeek the maintenance of his Charge and Family, from thoſe who have rioted with his Moneys. Let ſuch men think of themſelves as they pleaſe, we muſt needs reſolve with Solomon, That Proud and haughty Scorner is his name,Prov. 21.24. who dealeth in proud wrath, or the wrath of Pride. —But what a bleſſed Reformation would the Rule I am upon introduce in this point? How ſoon would humility, meekneſs, friendlineſs, affability, humanity, take the room of pride, and haughtineſs, and moroſeneſs, thoſe moſt unſociable diſpoſitions? Men would reſpect the Dignities of Humane Nature and Divine Grace in the meaneſt: Nothing would be done through ſtrife or vain glory,Phil. 2.3. but in lowlineſs of mind men would eſteem others better than themſelves: They would live and love together as Brethren, being pitiful and courteous.1 S. Pet. 3.8. There is not a more obliging quality than this in the world. We all deſire others ſhould approve themſelves humble, and lowly, and reſpective in their words, and actions, and geſtures towards our ſelves; and therefore we are engaged to diveſt our ſelves of arrogance, to put off pride and inſolence towards others, to be "clothed with humility,1 S. Pet. 5.5. and wear it as our Badge, by which we may be known; for ſo the Apoſtle's word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is thought to import: Nothing certainly more becomes us, as Men, or Chriſtians, than this Garb.

This inclination is ſo much and ſo commonly taken notice of in men, viz. a love and deſire to be reſpected, that the beſt Politicians are wont to make their advantage of it, gaining upon the affections of the People by crouching, and humbling themſelves in their deportments to them. And Rehoboam the Son of Solomon loſt ten Tribes irrecoverably, by his neglect of this piece of Policy: He hearned not to the advice of the Old men, who ſpake to him, ſaying, If thou wilt be a ſervant to this people this day,1 Kings 12.6, 7, &c. and wilt ſerve them, and anſwer them, and ſpeak good words unto them, then they will be thy Servants for ever. But he cloſed with the raſh and heady Counſel of the Young men that grew up with him, who ſpake unto him, ſaying, Thus ſhalt thou ſpeak unto this People, who ſpake unto thee, ſaying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter to us; thus ſhalt thou ſay unto them, My little finger ſhall be thicker than my fathers loyns; and now whereas my father did lade you with an heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: My father hath chaſtened you with whips, but I will chaſtiſe you with ſcorpions.

This Counſel now took with him, and he anſwered the people roughly after this faſhion: Whereupon the incenſed people, headed by Jeroboam, make a revolt from him, and rebellion againſt him, ſaying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the Son Jeſſe: To your tents, O Iſrael. Now ſee to thine houſe, David. Had this King liſtned to the aged, whoſe paſſions were tamer, and their judgments better inſtructed by long obſervation; or had he duly weighed his Fathers Maxime,Prov. 15.1. A ſoft anſwer turneth away wrath, but grievous words ſtir up ſtrife: Had he condeſcended a little to theſe diſcontented people; had he ſhewed himſelf humble and courteous, and relieved at leaſt their heavy burdens and grievances with mild and gentle words; he had prevented this Revolt: But his rough Anſwers raiſed thoſe Winds and Tempeſts, which all his Power could never after charm down or allay again. So deeply is that Principle rooted in men, they cannot endure to be ſlighted, and trampled on with the foot of Pride. That Traytor Jeroboam took hold of this advantage of diſguſt given by the King to the People, and eaſily tempted them by his ſmoother Promiſes into an open and unappeaſable Mutiny and Rebellion; in like manner, we may preſume,2 Sam. 15.1, 2, 3, &c. as Abſolom inſinuated himſelf into the Peoples favour, by courteous ſpeeches, and ſalutations, and flatteries, complaints of others miſgovernment and abuſes, and declarations of what relief he would afford them were he but once in power: O, ſaith he, that I were made Judge in the Land, that every man which hath any ſuit or cauſe might come unto me, and I would do him Juſtice! And it was ſo, that when any man came nigh him to do him obeyſance, he put forth his hand and took him and kiſſed him. So Abſolom ſtole the hearts of the men of Iſrael. Pſal. 10.10. "He crouch- and humbleth himſelf, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, that the poor may fall by his ſtrong ones. The like Obſervations to which have occaſioned our Proverb, Full of Courteſie, full of Craft: and we have ſeen enough of this kind of Practice, with the Effects of it, in the Demagogues and Popular Orators of later Times, who have ſcorned no ſervile fawnings in order to the compaſſing of their own Deſigns.

THirdly, This Rule trains us up to an univerſal Innocency, that we do wrong to no man, but in the Language of the Apoſtle,Phil. 2.15. Be blameleſs and harmleſs, the Sons of God without rebuke, though in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe Generation.

Now wrong we may do to others either in their Perſons, or Relations, or Poſſeſſions, or Good Names and Reputation; and in reference to each of theſe we are taught Innocency: that Innocency, or Negative Juſtice, Pythagorean Juſtice, which, as Hierocles Hierocl. defines it, conſiſts 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In abſtaining from what is anothers, and not hurting of another, nor raiſing ones own Profit and Gains from anothers Miſery and Calamities.

Firſt, We muſt not wrong or injure the Perſon of our Neighbour, becauſe we would not that any other ſhould wrong or injure ours. Now a Mans Perſon, you know, conſiſts of theſe two parts, Soul and Body; in either of which he is capable of receiving wrong and injury: and therefore, in reference unto both, we are obliged by this Rule before us, to preſerve and maintain Innocency.

(1.) Then we may not wrong and injure the Soul of another: And that we do aither in the natural ſenſe, as often as we grieve and offend anothers mind, occaſion the trouble of his thoughts, and the diſquiet and diſcompoſure of his ſpirit, that ſorrow of heart, whereby, as Solomon ſpeaks,Prov. 15.13. the ſpirit is broken; or in the ſpiritual ſenſe, as often as we make others to ſin, whereby they wrong their own Souls in the higheſt degree, and hazard their eternal loſs and puniſhment.

We muſt not, where we may avoid it, vex and diſturb the mind of our Neighbour, give our ſelves to croſs and diſpleaſe others; for we would not that others ſhould do ſo to us. Thus to do, is an apparent wrong and injury; for when once the mind is broken with grief, and vexed with diſquiet, the man is expoſed to great temptations, and unfitted for the chearful ſerving of God, or enjoyment of himſelf. 'Tis a chief part of our happineſs to be at eaſe within our ſelves, contented and pleaſed in our own minds, tranquil and calm in our thoughts; and this we rob another of by wilful offences. 'Tis a deviliſh piece of malice and ſpite, of which we can give no tolerable account, to delight our ſelves in the affliction and trouble of anothers Soul. We are not willing others ſhould provoke us, we ſhould not therefore, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, "provoke one another.Gal. 5.26.

But the chiefeſt ſort of Offences is, when we cauſe others to ſin: This is that ſcandal which the Holy Scripture denounceth ſo heavy and ſevere a Woe againſt the Authors of; Wo be to that man by whom ſuch offences come! Sin is indeed the greateſt injury of the Soul, the diſeaſe and the death of the Soul; the ſpiritual death and torment of that, which can never undergo a natural death or deſtruction; the eternal undoing of that, which can never ceaſe to be. 'Tis ſin only which ſeparates the Soul from God the Fountain of Life and Happineſs: 'Tis ſin only which breeds the Worm that dieth not, and kindles the Fire which cannot be quenched: And therefore the greateſt hatred we can ſhew to another, is to be a means either of his committing ſin, or continuing in it unrepented of, as I noted alſo before from Leviticus 19.17.

True it is, in propriety of ſpeech we cannot make another man to ſin, we cannot force any man to ſin. Sin, as it is the greateſt wrong unto the Soul, ſo it is alſo at the ſinners choice, whether he will admit of it or no. Voluntas non cogitur: And ſo in this caſe, Nemo laeditur niſi à ſeipſo. Every ſinner ſtands accountable for the injury he doth himſelf.

But yet we may be capable of doing very much towards the determining of his choice, towards the tempting of him into ſin, or the encouraging of him in it: And whenever we do that willingly, upon the occaſion whereof our Neighbour is drawn and moved to conſent unto ſin, or continue in it, we are ſo far guilty of his ſin: We bring the guilt of anothers ſin, and of the wrong redounding to him by it, ſo far upon our ſelves, as we are Authors or Acceſſaries; for here, as in caſe of High-treaſon, both Principal and Acceſſary are deemed alike guilty. Now many are the ways Divines reckon up, whereby we may become acceſſary to the ſins of others, reputed authors and occaſions of their ſins.

If we are Superiours in Authority over them, by commanding them to ſin; by "decreeing of unrighteous Decrees,Iſa. 10.1. in the language of the Prophet Iſaiah. Thus was Nebuchadnezzar guilty of the Peoples Idolatry,Dan. 3.4, 5, 6. by commanding that a Golden Image ſhould be ſet up, and that all at the ſound of a Trumpet ſhould fall down and worſhip it.1 Sam. 22.18. Thus was Saul guilty of killing the Prieſts, whom Doeg ſlew at his command.3 Sam. 11.15.12.9. Thus David of Ʋriah's death, by commanding Joab on purpoſe to put him in the front of the Battel. Or elſe by toleration, permiſſion, or connivence at others ſins, not reſtraining of them when we may.1 Sam. 3. Thus Eli became guilty of his Sons wickedneſs, becauſe he reſtrained them not: And the wicked Kings we read of in the Old Teſtament, of the Peoples Idolatry, who deſtroyed not their High-places, thoſe Neſts of their Idols.

But all men may become partakers, inſtruments, and means of others ſins, by counſelling, adviſing, provoking, urging, perſwading, alluring, or enticing them to ſin; by aſſiſting and helping them in their ſins; by giving their conſent and furtherance; by going before them with a bad example; by undue ſilence, and not reproving men for ſin, as we have opportunity; by commending and pleading for their ſin; by juſtifying of, or flattering them up in their ſin; by bringing up an evil report on the ways of Religion, and affrighting others from Goodneſs and Vertue, by threats or reproaches.

I ſhould be over-large in giving you particular Inſtances of all thoſe Heads and Methods whereby directly or indirectly we may become the cauſes of other mens ſins, of their profaneneſs and irreligion, of their drunkenneſs and uncleanneſs, of their Sacrilege and Idolatry, of their Schiſm and Diſorder, &c. of all thoſe ſins whereby our Neighbours Soul, as well as our own, may be eternally ruined.

Yet how often, alas! do men offer this greateſt of wrongs and injuries to others, under pretence of Good-fellowſhip, Love, and Kindneſs?

Nor will it boot any here to alledge, that they are willing others ſhould do as much by them. I have before prevented this Exception; and they have certainly neither a right Judgment, nor a regular Will, nor any true love for themſelves, who profeſs themſelves willing to ſin, and unwilling to leave ſin, i. e. willing to damn themſelves.

(2.) We may not wrong or injure the Body of our Neighbour; viz. either by Stripes or Wounds maiming of it, or hurting of its Senſes; by drawing men to ſuch courſes as are prejudicial to their Health and Strength; and in the higheſt degree of all, by Murder, that crying ſin of diſpatching our Neighbour by violent hands our ſelves, or the employment of bloody Aſſaſſinates, or ſome more ſecret means and conveyances. Now in all theſe caſes we may take a true and impartial eſtimate of the wrong and injury accruing to another, by ſuppoſing our ſelves in his place, rank, and condition. We are here capable, to be ſure, of judging uncorruptly; for we ſeldom fail in loving of our Bodies, or in valuing the injuries inflicted upon them. What a rate do we ſet upon our bodily health and eaſe? upon any of our Limbs and Senſes? How much are we readily willing to part with, either to ſecure or to recover them? But then we ſtake all to ſave our Lives: Skin for skin,Job 2.4. yea all that a man hath will he give for his life.— Who is there willing to be put to pain himſelf? to loſe an Eye, an Hand, a Leg, &c. himſelf? to be mangled or murdered himſelf? And therefore in all theſe and the like caſes, we have a Principle within us rebuking us for the wrongs of this nature which we offer to our Neighbour, and telling us plainly, that we ought not ſo to do.

Secondly, We are farther inſtructed hence, not to wrong or injure another in his near Relations, which are indeed a part of himſelf; ſuppoſe the Husband or Wife of another, and the Children of another.

Apparent wrong and injury is done to the Husband or Wife of another by Adultery, bringing of them thereby to the guilt of that horrid ſin of Perjury, and breach of their Marriage Vow and Covenant; taking away that which Husband or Wife concern'd do or ſhould eſteem moſt precious, viz. the Love and Faithfulneſs of each other; and it may be robbing of the right Heirs of their due by a Baſtard and unlawful Brood, the Children of the Adulterer or Adultereſs, beſides many other inconveniences.

Nor will it here excuſe the adulterous Wife, that poſſibly her Husband might be conſenting; or the adulterous Husband, that his Wife poſſibly might yield thereto, and ſo they do no more than they are willing to ſuffer: for in this caſe their Wills are irregular: This their willing ſpeaks their corruption the more, but the wrong and injury no whit the leſs. No man diſpoſed as he ſhould be, is willing that another ſhould wrong him in aſſaulting the Chaſtity of his Wife: no man rherefore ſhould attempt anothers in that kind. No Woman diſpoſed as ſhe ſhould be, is willing that another ſhould draw aſide her Husband to unlawful Embraces; and therefore ſhe ſhould not entice or allure or admit of the Husband of another.

Next, as to the Children of others, I will inſtance in two Particulars.

The former reſpects thoſe who have the care and charge of the Nurſing and Education of Children committed to them; they are to take great heed that they wrong not thoſe committed to their care, by denying or withholding from them any thing fit or convenient, Food or Lodging, Inſtruction, Correction, or Encouragement; by negligence or indiſcretion. Theſe ſhould ask themſelves what care and conſcience they would deſire and expect in others towards their own Iſſue? and ſo deal with the Children of others left to them. Believe it, 'tis a great and conſiderable wrong, that is often done both to Children, and Parents in thoſe Children, by the ignorance, or ſloth, or baſeneſs and diſhoneſty of Nurſes, Guardians, School-maſters, and others that over-look them in their Infancy and younger years, who are concerned in their Education, and the forming of their Minds and Manners, or training them up to ſome Trade and way of Life.

The later ſhall be of the Children of others grown up, and ripe for Marriage; I mean, the ſtealing or forcing away of ſuch, without the privity and conſent of their Parents. Muſculus in his Comment upon S. Matthew's Goſpel makes this very application of the Rule: 'Tis, ſaith he,Muſcul. in S. Mat. c. 7. 12. diſputed ſometimes about clandeſtine and ſtoln Marriages, ſuch, to wit, as are made without the knowledge and againſt the will of Parents, whether they be juſt and valid; and here ſome demand a clear word of God, whereby they are forbidden, and that out of the New Teſtament: for neither the Law of Moſes, nor the Law of Caeſar will ſatisfie them. Now therefore, for their reſolution, interrogent illi ſeipſos, num velint ſibi tale quid fieri; Let them ask themſelves impartially, whether they would have any ſuch thing done to themſelves; whether they are willing their own Daughter ſhould be fraudulently, and againſt their liking, taken away by one whom they would by no means admit of for their Son-in-Law: Certè nequaquam hoc volunt; Aſſuredly, ſaith he, they would in no wiſe. Why therefore do they not ſee, according to our Saviours Rule, that it is unlawful for them to do ſo to others? Why do they not ſee that here is a Word of the Lord, a Law of the Lord, the ſum to wit of the Law and Prophets, whereby ſuch a thing is forbidden? Is not this plain Scripture? Is not this the Word of God, which Chriſt here avoucheth to be the Law and the Prophets, That we ſhould do unto others as we would our ſelves in a like caſe be dealt with?

Thirdly, By the ſame Rule we muſt not wrong or injure our Neighbour in his Goods and Poſſeſſions, either openly by force, or covertly by fraud, being our ſelves unwilling to be ſo ſerved. We ſhould neither rob nor defraud our Neighbour,Levit. 19.13. if we obſerved this Precept. We all cenſure this wickedneſs in other men: we ſay to our Neighbour, "Thou ſhalt not ſteal; and give the name of Thief as an Epithet of reproach. Nathan therefore took this wiſe courſe with King David, to make him in the iſſue accuſe, condemn, and ſentence himſelf in the perſon of another, whoſe caſe he had firſt propounded in a Parable:2 Sam. 12.1, 2, 3, &c. There were two men, ſaith he, in one City, the one rich, and the other poor; the rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing ſave a little Ew-lamb, which he had bought and nouriſhed up, and it grew up together with him and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drink of his own cup, and lie in his boſom, and was unto him as a daughter: And there came a Traveller to the rich man, and he ſpared to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dreſs for the wayfaring man that was come to him, but took the poor mans Lamb, and dreſs'd it for the man that was come to him: Whereupon, ſaith the Text, David's anger was greatly kindled againſt the man; and he ſaid unto Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing is worthy to die, and he ſhall reſtore the Lamb four-fold, becauſe he did this thing, and becauſe he had no pity. Now after this, Nathan needed no more to ſatisfie and convince David of the wrong done in taking the Wife of Ʋriah, than to wiſh him to ſuppoſe the caſe he had already judged his own: "Thou art the man, ſaith he, —mutato nomine,Horat. de te Fabula narratur.— And David readily acknowledgeth upon it, "I have ſinned againſt the Lord. There cannot be a more effectual courſe to make a true eſtimate of the evil of thoſe wrongs we do at any time to others, than thus to conſider of the caſe as repreſented to us in a Parable of other men, that we may in the iſſue and reſult apply the ſame Sentence unto our ſelves, which we ſhould readily pronounce upon a like offender.

'Tis plain and evident, that thoſe malicious ſpirits, who delight in miſchief and ſpite, who give themſelves to the prejudicing of their Neighbours without any regard to their own benefit, nay, and ſometimes to their own damage alſo, act not by this Rule I am ſpeaking of. He that lets his Cattel into his Neighbours Field of Corn, to ſpoil it, by devouring or trampling of it; He that ſets fire to his Neighbour's Houſe or Barn; He that wilfully hurts his Neighbours Beaſts or Goods, is yet unwilling that another ſhould do ſo by him. Did men act as they would chuſe for themſelves, all theſe malicious wrongs, to be ſure, would ceaſe, yea, and all the oppreſſions, and cozenage, and uſurpations, and extortions in the World, which men are tempted to, in order, as they imagine, to ſome private gain.1 Kings 21. Honeſt Naboth might have kept his Vineyard and Life together, had his neighbouring Prince Ahab, or Jezebel his Queen, dealt thus with him. Abraham's Servants might have kept their Maſters Well,Gen. 21.25. which was violently taken from them, had the Servants of Abimelech walked by this Law towards them. There would be no room left for ſuch complaints and charges as frequently abound in the Writings of the Prophets:Iſa. 1.23. Thy Princes are companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherleſs, neither doth the cauſe of the Widow come before them.Iſa. 3.14, 15.— "The Lord will enter into judgment with the Ancients of his People, and the Princes thereof, (ſuch as he had before ſpoken of) for ye have eaten up the Vineyard, and the ſpoil of the Poor is in your Houſes. What mean ye that ye beat my People to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor, ſaith the Lord God of Hoſts? And again,ch. 5.7, 8. The Lord looked for judgment, but behold oppreſſion; for righteouſneſs, but behold a cry. Wo unto them that joyn houſe to houſe, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midſt of the earth! i. e. Who care not what deſolations they make, or how many they ruine, ſo they may raiſe themſelves. To the ſame purpoſe another Prophet;Ezek. 22.27, 28, 29. Her Princes in the midſt thereof are like Wolves ravening the Prey, to ſhed blood, and to deſtroy ſouls, to get diſhoneſt gain; and her Prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, ſeeing vanity, and divining lies unto them; and the people of the land have uſed oppreſſion, and exerciſed robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy; yea, they have oppreſſed the ſtranger wrongfully. — And another Prophet;Mich. 3.1, 2, 3. Hear I pray you, O Heads of Jacob, and ye Princes of the Houſe of Iſrael; Is it not for you to know Judgment? who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their fleſh from off their bones: who alſo eat the fleſh of my People, and flay their skin from off them, and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces as for the pot, and as fleſh within the Cauldron. And another, Her Princes within her are roaring Lions;Zeph. 3.3. her Judges are evening Wolves (waiting for, and greedily catching at and devouring of their prey) they gnaw not the bones till the morrow: i. e. Their onely mercy is, that they devour not all at once, that they make not a full and utter conſumption of them, that they ſwallow not fleſh and bones together. And yet another; Ye who turn Judgment into Wormwood,Amos 5.7. and leave off Righteouſneſs in the earth.6.12. And again; "Ye have turned Judgment into gall, and the fruit of Righteouſneſs into hemlock: that is, as I conceive, the Law, which ſhould have been the remedy of injuſtice and wrong, a comfort and relief to the oppreſſed, into the greateſt inſtrument of bitterneſs, of doing them wrong and injury. — But this Rule would leave no more room for theſe and the like complaints: There would be ground no longer for the taunting Proverb mentioned by Habakkuk, Hab. 2.6. He encreaſeth that which is not his: Congregat non ſua: He gathers from his Neighbours heaps. None would invade anothers property by uſurpation: None would exact beyond right and due, by colour of their Places and Offices: None would take advantage of their Neighbours preſent neceſſities, to pinch and undo them by a griping Uſury: The Traveller might paſs ſecurely on the High-way, without fear of Robbers: The Merchant might fail ſecurely on the Seas, without dread of Pyrates: Every one might ſleep ſecurely at his own home, without dreaming of Thieves: The laborious Tenant would no more be ruined by over-rack'd Rents under an unreaſonable Landlord: The Poor would be no more cheated by their rich and potent Neighbours, removing the ancient Landmarks, encloſing their Common from them, and excluding them from their right and due: Tradeſmen would no more be bankrupt by the Engroſſers of Monopolies: We ſhould hear no more of Sycophantizing Publicans,S. Luk. 19.8. who drive a trade of Injuries, and under the cloak of Publick Authority and Commiſſion, enrich their private Coffers with the ſpoil of the Needy: We ſhould hear no more of thoſe who falſifie the Balances by deceit,Amos 8.5, 6. that they may buy the poor for ſilver, and the needy for a pair of ſhoes, yea, and ſell the refuſe of wheat: — i. e. who raiſe their own Eſtates purely out of the neceſſities and miſeries of others: The Shop-keeper would caſt away his divers Weights and Meaſures, and no longer vend his corrupted Wares for ſound, or take an unconſcionable Rate for the Buyers ignorance and ſimplicity: No man would go beyond,1 Theſ. 4.6. or defraud his Brother in any matter: The common Inſtrument of Merchandiſe and Traffick, our Coin and Money, would be no more corrupted by Counterfeits and Clippers, to the general prejudice: The painful Labourer would not famiſh for want of his Hire, withholden by thoſe from whom it is due; nor any be caſt in Priſon themſelves for Debt, whilſt others withhold that unjuſtly from them which would enable them to pay: We might ſafely commit our richeſt Treaſure, even untold Gold, as we ſpeak, to the cuſtody of any Neighbour, without a jealouſie of the hazard or impairing of it: There would be none to ſteal and pilfer, nor any Receivers of Goods known to be ſtoln: for in this caſe, The Receiver (as we ſay) is as bad as the Thief, and is alſo a Theef; to hold the Sack, and to fill it, being, a like crime: There would be no Family peſtered with domeſtici fures, falſe and unfaithful Servants, who purloin and waſte their Maſters Goods, turning them to their own, in ſtead of their Maſters gain; or thoſe Sons of ſloth and idleneſs, who, as Solomon notes, "are brethren unto great waſters:Prov. 18.9. The Goods of the Church would be ſecure from Sacrilege; the Parſons Tythes, from ſtealth or plunder; and every mans Eſtate from being diminiſhed by craft or power: The poor and rich, the weak and mighty, the ignorant and learned, might dwell together at caſe and quiet, without the leaſt ſuſpicion of a wrong or injury from each other.

FIfthly, This Rule obligeth us to a reſpective obedience and ſubmiſſion to all our Superiours, becauſe this is the temper that we like, and wiſh, and commend in all that are under our ſelves.

Notwithſtanding the great equality between us all by Nature, as we are Men, and by Grace, as we are Chriſtians, before ſpoken of; we are yet by the Will and Providence of God, in compliance with the neceſſities and convenience of Society, ranked, diſpoſed, and ordered into ſeveral degrees and ſtations, ſome above others. Order can never be in Families and Kingdoms, Church or State, without Government; and Government is in vain, and impoſſible indeed, without Obedience and Subjection. Now this Vertue, which is ſo neceſſary to the well-being of the World, I am to recommend from the Rule diſcourſed on; & the more effectually to do it, I will briefly run through the ſeveral ſorts and degrees of Superiority and Authority which we are by this Precept engaged in our ſeveral places to be ſubmiſſive and obedient to. And,

(1.) I begin with that which is firſt in Nature, the Authority of Parents over their Children. Many are the complaints and lamentations we have heard from Parents about the obſtinacy and rebellion of their Children. Many heart-breaking ſighs, many cutting thoughts, many tears of ſorrow have had this original. The moſt ungracious Children themſelves, when they afterwards live to become Parents, demand and expect reverence and obedience from the Fruit of their own Loins; loath, and execrate, and puniſh, what in them lies, the undutifulneſs and diſobedience of their own Children, when they will not be ruled by them, when they refuſe their lawful Commands, reſiſt and rebel againſt their corrections, or diſpoſe of themſelves in the World without and againſt their conſent and liking. How many, otherwiſe dear enough in the eſtimation and affections of their Parents, have yet upon this laſt account only been abandoned and caſt off in utter diſpleaſure, ſo as never to be owned and regarded more, becauſe they took not their advice along with them, or made them not privy to their matching in the world? I will not deny, but the extremities and rigours of ſome Parents in this caſe may ſeem a little to intrench upon Humanity; but yet theſe are undeniable documents that every one approveth, wiſheth, and looketh for the obedience and ſubmiſſion of his Children in all reſpects. Let thoſe therefore who are Children remember their obligations unto this obedience, dutifulneſs, and ſubmiſſion to their Parents; becauſe, if ever they live to be Parents, they would deſire the ſame from their Children: Let them be as dutiful, ſubmiſſive, and obedient to their Parents now, as were they Parents themſelves, they would wiſh their Children ſhould be to them. Hadſt thou Children thy ſelf, thou wouldeſt expect they ſhould go and come at thy bidding, they ſhould obſerve thy beck, they ſhould be awed with thy preſence, they ſhould humbly ask thy Bleſſing, and in caſe of a default they ſhould beg thy pardon, and kiſs the rod wherewith thou chaſtiſeſt their folly; that whilſt they are at thy proviſion, they ſhould reſt contented with what Cloathing, Food, and Maintenance thou judgeſt to be fitteſt for them; and when they are entring themſelves into the World, they ſhould take thy conſent and counſel with them, in the choice of that way and courſe of life they deſign, or that Conſort they intend a Marriage with: and therefore thou art beyond diſpute concerned in theſe Particulars to give proof thy ſelf of thy obedience to thy Parents.

The undutifulneſs of Children towards their Parents is oftentimes requited by God in kind by the heavy Plague of undutiful Children.

(2.) I will next inſtance in the Authority of Maſters over their Servants. What, I pray, is the good quality that every Maſter wiſheth and looketh for in his Servant, but Obedience? Servorum hic contemptus maximus eſt, Salvian, l. 2. ſi non faciant quod jubetur: This is the greateſt contempt Servants are capable of, not to do what is commanded them; for the very notion of a Servant ſpeaks dependence upon the will and pleaſure of another. Let Servants therefore ſuppoſe themſelves a while in their Maſters place, and put the queſtion home to their own Conſcience, what kind of Servants they would then wiſh to themſelves; and ſuch let them be to their own Maſters. This would ſpeak out to them as fully as the expreſs command of the Apoſtle,Eph. 6.5, 6, 7. Servants, be obedient to them that are your Maſters according to the fleſh, with fear and trembling, in ſingleneſs of heart, as unto Chriſt: not with eye-ſervice, as men-pleaſers; but as the ſervants of Chriſt, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing ſervice as to the Lord, and not to men.— For who would allow of ſuch a Servant, the motions of whoſe labour, and induſtry, and obedience kept pace and time only with his Maſters eye; whoſe duty and diligence are ruled wholly and altogether by his Maſters obſervance, who doth not his work out of love and conſcience, but fears more to be taken idle and negligent, than to be ſo indeed?— This would ſpeak out as much as the Exhortation S. Paul commiſſions Titus to give Servants,Tit. 2.9, 10. That they be obedient to their own Maſters, and pleaſe them well in all things, not anſwering again, not purloining, but ſhewing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. — For who is there but abominates unfaithfulneſs, croſneſs, ſawcy replies and anſwering again in Servants; when in ſtead of doing their duty chearfully and conſcionably, they parly, and mutter, and debate upon the Commands given them, or echo back the laſt words of their Maſters Admonitions and Reproofs, as if they intended to fling them in his face again?

(3.) Come we next to the Authority of Princes over their Subjects, and Magiſtrates over thoſe who are under their reſpective Juriſdictions; where indeed the caſe is ſo much the ſame as between Father and Children, Lord or Maſter and Servants, that both the ſame Names are communicated to them, and the ſame Commands interpreted of them.

Could Subjects but once impartially ſuppoſe themſelves in the place of their Princes, having a charge from God to provide for the welfare and ſecurity of the People, and that charge clogg'd with many difficulties in the performance of it, with many an interruption to their private eaſe and quiet, with many an hazard of their Life and Perſons, they would certainly learn to think the Obedience of Subjects highly reaſonable: and, whereas an upſtart Generation hath been very eager to ſnatch from their Prince all manner of Power about the ordering of Religion, they would queſtionleſs be of another mind.

Religion is the chiefeſt Policy in order to a Kingdoms happineſs; Religion is the chiefeſt means of God's Honour in the World; Nothing moves men ſo violently as Religion doth: Nothing therefore can do more harm and miſchief than falſe perſwaſions about Religion, falſe Doctrines ſpread abroad under the colour and pretence of Religion. How then can any Prince give account of himſelf to God, whoſe Miniſter he is in the World; or how can he ſecure the Honour of God, and the Intereſt of his People, yea the Crown upon his own Head, where the Power of Commanding and forbidding in Matters of Religion is denied him, or taken from him? Certainly no conſidering Subject would be willing to this, were he in his Princes place. What good Parent would not take it ill to be abridged of the Power of Religiouſly Educating his own Children? What good Maſter would not take it ill to be reſtrained from this in his Family? And yet the furious Zealot will deprive his Prince of that poor degree of Authority, which himſelf is willing to uſurp as a Father or Maſter, nay, it may be, where himſelf is neither Father nor Maſter, in his Princes Dominions. The conſcientious Rebel (ſuch I mean who pleads Conſcience for his Obſtinacy and Rebellion) labours to ſalve all by the diſtinction of Civil and Religious Obedience: Obey his Prince he will in Civil Matters, (though here too ſometimes 'twere well if he were more civil in his Obedience) but in the Matters of Religion, ſaith he, what hath the Prince to do to command? Every one muſt follow the light of his own Conſcience. A moſt dangerous Principle, that tends to the undermining and ſubverſion of all Order in Societies. And 'tis very obſervable, that the moſt eager Aſſerters of this univerſal and unbridled Liberty to Private Spirits in Matters of Religion, whenſoever themſelves have mounted into Authority, have ſeen a plain neceſſity of curbing and reſtraining it by Laws and Power.

If then Subjects were once diſpoſed to do to their Princes as themſelves, were they in their room and ſtead, would deſire to be done unto, they would queſtionleſs approve themſelves moſt ready and dutiful, not only in Civil Obedience, as 'tis call'd, to the expence both of their Blood and Fortunes for the Publick welfare, upon their Princes commands; but in a Religious Obedience alſo, welcoming and obſerving the Publick Orders for God's Worſhip and Honour, which are not plainly contrary to ſome Divine Command, they would ſtick at the doing nothing enjoyned them, but that the doing whereof were apparently ſinful, the tranſgreſſion of ſome known Law of God: and were the matter it ſelf doubtful, they would judge it equal for the weight of Publick Authority to turn the Scale; they would determine, that in ſuch matters where they muſt venture to err on the one ſide or on the other, 'twere beſt for them to take the ſurer ſide; that ſide, I mean, which, beſides the equality and probability of Reaſons to counterbalance ſuch as are laid againſt them, hath the overweight of Authority, requiring Obedience, by vertue of God's general Command, in all things that are not manifeſtly ſinful: For certainly the Publick Peace and Quiet cannot be upheld and provided for with a more limiting determination.

The ſame Rule obligeth inferior Magiſtrates to be as truly obedient to the Supreme, as they expect the meaneſt Subject ſhould be to them. Inferior Magiſtrates ſtand in a double capacity, the one of Governours, the other of Subjects. Governours they are, according to the extent of Power communicated to them over thoſe that are under their Charge and Juriſdiction: but Subjects they are themſelves ſtill, in reference to the Higher Powers by whom they were ſent, and from whom they receive their Commiſſion and Authority. 'Tis in an Army no leſs a Crime for any Officers to oppoſe and diſobey their General, than for Common Souldiers to oppoſe and diſobey their reſpective Officers; and 'tis no leſs a Crime for the General himſelf to oppoſe and diſobey his Prince, from whom he hath his Commiſſion, than for any of his Officers to oppoſe and diſobey him: Nay, the crime of diſobedience is ſtill the higher, according to the eminency of the Authority diſobeyed and oppoſed. And the truth is, that which aggravates the contempt ſhewn to the meaneſt Officer in a Kingdom, is the violation of ſome or other degree of Authority communicated from the higheſt, though through divers hands, unto him. There is no man but expects as much to be obeyed himſelf by the Officers whom he commiſſions and employs, as they can do by any over whom ſome meaſure of Authority is delegated to them. A Noble-man juſtly looks for as true obſervance from the Steward of his Houſhold, as he doth from the meaneſt Servant under him.

Were this Leſſon therefore of doing as we would be done by, inwardly digeſted, there would be no danger at all of the Rebellion of Subordinate Powers againſt the Supreme and Sovereign, nor indeed of any Subjects againſt the Subordinate Powers ſent and placed by the Supreme over them.

(4.) My next inſtance ſhall be in the Authority of Prieſts and Miniſters over their People, Spiritual Paſtors over their Flocks, the Congregations committed to their care, inſpection, and government. And here I will not meddle with that ſhare of Authority which is derived purely from the Supreme Magiſtrate to them; wherein yet they are as dutifully to be obeyed, as any other Officers commiſſioned and employed by the Prince: but with that ſpiritual Obedience which is due unto them, by vertue of their ſpiritual Authority derived from Chriſt himſelf. Such as that which S. Paul commends in his Corinthians towards Titus, and which endeared Titus his affections unto them:2 Cor. 7.15. His inward affection, ſaith he, is abundant towards you, whilſt he remembreth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him; viz. out of reverence to his ſpiritual Function, Power, and Authority.

'Tis not now an external Reverence I am pleading for, the Cap and Knee, 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 courteous Salutations, good words, an outwardly reſpectful demeanour towards Gods Clergy. 'Tis uſual with People to ſuſpect ſuch Pleas as the iſſue of their Author's pride and ambition; and he is of a poor, mean, and unworthy ſpirit, who ſets any great value upon thoſe trifles and formalities. Bu • the thing I aim at is more ſubſtantial and weighty; ſomething without which our Office loſeth much of its proper effects and ſucceſs in the World; ſomewhat, by the denial of which our People offend God, and wrong their own Souls, tranſgreſſing theſe and the like plain Commands and Exhortations of Holy Writ;1 Theſ. 5.12, 13. We beſeech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admoniſh you, and to eſteem them very highly in love for their works ſake.Hebr. 1 • .17. "Obey them which have the rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves; for they watch for your ſouls, as they that muſt give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.Mal. 2.7. "The Prieſts lips ſhould keep knowledge, and they ſhould ſeek the Law at his mouth; for he is the meſſenger of the Lord of Hoſts.1 Cor. 4.1. "Let a man ſo account of us as of the Miniſters of Chriſt, and Stewards of the Myſteries of God: I might add, as Embaſſadors of Chriſt; for ſo the Apoſtle elſewhere,2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are Embaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead.— Be the perſon of the Miniſter what it will, his Authority is to be conſidered and reverenced: That of our B. Saviour extends to the very worſt;S. Mat. 23.2, 3. The Scribes and Phariſees ſit in Moſes Seat, all therefore whatſoever they bid you obſerve, that obſerve and do; but do not ye after their works, for they ſay and do not. The Vices of their Perſons you muſt beware of; but the Authority of their Place and Function is ſtill to be heeded by you.

It hath been almoſt the ruine of the Proteſtant Church, upon a deadly diſlike of Popiſh Tyranny, to caſt off this yoke of Ch • iſtian Obedience; and it was ſeveral years ſince conſiderately pronounced by a grave and reverend Divine, now with God, That an open,Dr. Jackſon, l. 2. c. 9. malapert, ſcoffing diſobedience to all Eccleſiaſtick Power, profeſſed by the meaneſt, and countenanced by many great ones of the Laity, is a ſin that to all that know Gods Judgments, or have been obſervant to look into the days of our Viſitation, cries loudeſt in the Almighties ears for vengeance on this Land.— We, I confeſs, of the Clergy do ſometimes, by our vain and ſinful lives, too much forfeit our credit and Reputation among the People, and expoſe our Authority to the contempt and deſpiſing of the diſobedient, when we live in ſuch ſort as he on whom Sir Thomas More jeſted, That he would not for any good hear him ſay the Creed, leſt he ſhould take it for a lie coming out of his mouth. But whatever be, as hath been ſaid, our perſonal miſcarriage, that will not abſolve our People and Hearers from the guilt of their diſobedience, in contemning or diſobeying that Authority from whence we have our Commiſſion, and in the Name whereof we propound Divine Truths to them. Thus far at leaſt they ought to obey, to believe what he delivers in the Name of God for a Divine Truth, as ſuch, unleſs they know the contrary, or till they have taken the pains to examine it; to ſet about the Duties which he calls them to, and to ſhun and avoid the Sins he warns them of; remembring that he is to them the Meſſenger of the Lord of Hoſts, the Embaſſador of the living God, ſpeaking in Chriſt's ſtead; and ſo the contempt of their ſlighting of, and diſobedience unto him, will be interpreted as done unto Chriſt himſelf; for ſo he hath ſaid of and to his Miniſters,S. Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me; and he that deſpiſeth me, deſpiſeth him that ſent me.

'Tis ordinary for People here to make the Exception againſt their Teachers Life; or to pretend, that he may go beyond his Commiſſion; or to alledge, that they are not convinc'd there is any expreſs command from God for ſuch things as he delivers, and preſſeth on them in God's Name, &c.

But 'tis well replied here,Vide D. Jackſon ut ante, l. 2. c. 9. That although a man ſhould know a Conſtable, or ſome greater Officer, pretending Commiſſion from the King, to be a notorious lying Knave, or treacherous Companion, yet were it not the ſafeſt way to tell him that he lied, when he charged him to obey him in the King's Name, nor to make a ſcoff of his Authority, or to reply he would not believe he had any, becauſe he might abuſe himſelf and it at other times: If ſo he do at this time, he may anſwer it before his Betters hereafter; but in the mean while it were beſt for the Party commanded to obey him, till he be certain that he did either feign Authority where he had none, or elſe abuſe it in this particular. And if Officers ſhould not be obeyed in the King's Name, until men ſought out the truth, whether they had a lawful Commiſſion, or but a counterfeit one; or whether they did not exceed and go beyond their Commiſſion, the King's Majeſty would want a great deal of neceſſary Service, and the Common-weal be at an ill paſs for the continuance of Publick Peace.

Now, as my Author excellently adds, did moſt men fear God as much as men, or the Son of Man, the Judge of quick and dead, as much as earthly Judges, they would not ſo often withdraw their neck from the yoke of Chriſtian Obedience (being charged to undertake it in Chriſts Name, and as they will anſwer it at that dreadful day) upon ſuch ſilly exceptions as they do. Be the Miniſter as they liſt to make him for his life, it hath pleaſed God to make him his Meſſenger, his Officer to demand Obedience of them; and ſhall it ſerve their turn to ſay, We will not believe that God ſent him with this Meſſage; or ſure he goes beyond his Commiſſion; when they know nothing to the contrary, but only will take occaſion from his Perſon to diſcredit his Doctrine, if it controul them in the purſuit of worldly affairs, or croſs and gainſay their humours and pleaſures.

Thou replieſt, it may be, thou ſeeſt no evidence that Chriſt commands thee. But doſt thou abſolutely and infallibly know that he doth not call thee at this time to try thy Obedience in this particular? If not, how wilt thou anſwer thy Judge, when thou ſhalt appear before him, why thou out of the ſtubbornneſs of thy heart didſt more reſpect thy private gain or humour, than his heavieſt diſpleaſure? Should thy anſwer ſtand for good, when thou ſhalt ſay to his Meſſenger, 'tis more than I know that Chriſt commands me, then ſhould the damned be juſtified at the day of Judgment, when they ſhall truly reply, they knew not that ever Chriſt did ſupplicate to them ſub formâ pauperis, Lord, when ſaw we thee an hungred, or a thirſt, or a ſtranger, &c. Moſt of them queſtionleſs had leſs probabilities to believe this in their life time, then thou haſt now to perſwade thee of this particular: For thou mighteſt have known that God had commanded thee by thy Paſtor, unleſs thy bad deſires and corrupt affections had made thee blind. But neither ſhall theirs nor thy ignorance herein help; for ignorance, which is bred of bad deſires, corrupt affections, or greedy appetites, brings forth hardneſs of heart and infidelity; ſo that ſeeing thou ſhalt not ſee, and hearing thou ſhalt not hear, nor underſtand the warnings for thy peace, becauſe thou haſt formerly ſhut thine ears at thy Paſtor's Admonitions, or raged at his juſt Reproof; and the Law of God binds thy Soul, upon greater penalties and better hopes than all the Laws in the World beſide could bind thy Body (even upon the hope of everlaſting life, and the penalty of everlaſting death) to lay aſide all carnal ſelf-love, and all worldly deſires, for the finding out of the true ſenſe and meaning of it, as well as to obey it when thou haſt known it; and when any point of Doctrine or Practice in general or particular is commended to thee by thy Paſtor, God's Word doth bind thee to ſearch with all ſobriety and modeſty the truth and force of all the motives and inducements which he ſhall ſuggeſt unto thee, all private reſpect laid aſide, leſt thou become a partial Judge of evil thoughts: and if thou canſt not find better Reſolution, it binds thee to rely upon his Authority, and that ſo much the more, as thou haſt more perſwaſion of his fidelity and ſincerity alſo.

I have digreſſed the rather in this point, becauſe I look on this as a chief and principal reaſon why we ſo much beat the air, why the Labourers in Gods Harveſt do gather the wind, why Paul doth plant and Apollo water to no purpoſe, viz. We are not believed and received as the Stewards and Diſpenſers of the Myſteries of God, as the Meſſengers and Embaſſadors of God, ſent and appointed by him to teach his Will and preſs his Commands, to reprove, and admoniſh, and exhort in his Name. No more is allowed to a Miniſter by the generality of People, than what they would to a ſtranger, to any inconſiderable perſon in the World, who ought to be believed and obſerved by them, in whatever carries the expreſs face and ſtamp of a Divine Command viſible in its Countenance.

But that whereby I am to preſs this Obedience here, is the Rule of our Bleſſed Saviour. Were you in our ſtead, had you, as we have, the care of inſtructing, informing, and admoniſhing others committed to you; did you watch for their ſouls, as they that muſt give account; were you appointed the Miniſters and Vicars of Chriſt among them, you would certainly expect they ſhould reverence your Authority, they ſhould hearken obediently to your Doctrine, they ſhould never dare to reject or ſlight it, but upon clear evidence to the contrary; they ſhould ſet themſelves about the doing thoſe good things in particular, which in the Name of God you recommend to them in order to their eternal Good, and decline thoſe evil and vicious courſes in particular, which you reprove them for, and admoniſh them to leave and forſake. You would not take it well, that ignorant Perſons ſhould give you the lie in Points whereof they are no capable Judges. 'Tis true both of Scholars and Chriſtians, Oportet diſcentem credere, Learners muſt at firſt believe and receive on truſt what is delivered to them, till they are able themſelves to gainſay upon knowledge, and evince the contrary. What School-maſter would not ſeverely rebuke and chaſtiſe the ſawcineſs of that Child who ſhould oppoſe the Rules he underſtands not, in ſtead of receiving and admitting of them on his Teachers Authority? What Pilot would not condemn and chide thoſe pragmatique Paſſengers, who having themſelves no skill in Wind and Weather, in Stars or Compaſs, ſhould yet boldly intrude into his place, and teach him how to ſteer the Ship.

Men do not certainly as themſelves would be done by were they in their Miniſters ſtead, when in a doubtful and ambiguous matter, which themſelves are not able to examine or look into, his Authority may not determine, or at leaſt move them to an impartial weighing of thoſe Arguments, and Motives, and Conſiderations which in Gods Name he propounds to them; when his Reproofs and Counſels can find no entrance; when they will not ſo much as draw near to the place appointed for their inſtruction by him, or if they are there, trifle away their time in other matters than a diligent attention to what is ſpoken to them by the Meſſenger and Embaſſador of the Living God.

Prov. 25.12. As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, ſo is a wiſe reprover upon an obedient ear, ſaith Solomon: But 'tis the diſobedient ear that renders all Reproofs impertinent and miſplaced, makes them loſe their grace and efficacy.

Why do we preach, if not to be believed and obeyed by our Hearers? And wo is to us if we preach ſuch things as are not fit to be believed and obeyed by you. But obeyed we cannot be, unleſs we are firſt believed, and believed we cannot be underſtandingly, unleſs we are firſt heard and attended to. So then you muſt give proof of your Obedience, firſt by coming to Gods Houſe, where you may be inſtructed; and when you are there, by reverent attending on the Teacher, and not rejecting what he offers to you from God, without full and clear evidence to the contrary; and when you are gone home, by an impartial examination of that which ſeemed at the hearing of it moſt doubtful to you, and a practice according to whatever goodneſs you have been perſwaded and directed to. And all this is no more than what is moſt juſt and equitable in order to your own good and ſalvation, a due you owe to the Authority of your Miniſters Place and Office, and what, if you could once ſuppoſe your ſelves but in his room and ſtead, you would judge moſt fitting to be done.

Were the Miniſters of God obeyed and reverenced by us, as by vertue of this Rule they ought to be, the diſorders and exorbitances of private ſpirits would ſoon be reduced to an humble compliance with all good, uſeful, or innocent Appointments; and the higheſt Cenſures of the Church would ſtrike more dread on People than they now do: Men would be afraid of being ſentenced by the Miniſters of Chriſt as cut off from the Communion of Saints, and ſo all viſible Title unto Heaven.

(5.) I will inſtance a little in the Superiority and preeminence of the Ancient above the Younger, according to that Law of God given to the Iſraelites, Thou ſhalt riſe up before the hoary head,Levit. 19.32. and honour the face of the old man. Theſe are in a ſpecial manner the Image of God, as he is the Ancient of Days; their long life hath learnt them much experience, and that experience is the way to wiſdom: There is wiſdom with the Ancient,Job 12.12. and in multitude of years is underſtanding: And therefore ſome veneration, the ſigns and tokens of reverence, are a natural due to old men. 'Tis a woful degeneracy which the Prophet Iſaiah points at, when he ſaith, The child ſhall behave himſelf proudly againſt the ancient,Iſa. 3.5. and the baſe againſt the honourable: A degeneracy 'twere happy the World had never been acquainted with. There is no aged perſon but thinks he deſerves ſome reverence from the younger; we our ſelves, when we come to be old, ſhall expect as much, and therefore moſt ſhameful 'tis we ſhould need to learn this piece of good manners: But moſt of all abominable, that any ſhould deſpiſe and mock at the ordinary infirmities which attend upon Age, eſpecially in their own Parents. 'Tis extremely unworthy, when they will not give the Ancient leave to ſpeak, or ſport at their uſeful Admonitions, till they come by years to ſee their own folly; but more odious ſtill, when they revile them for the weakneſſes incident to their Age; and moſt inhumane and barbarous, when they will not bear and relieve, as they are able, the infirmities of thoſe aged Parents who brought them into the World, pitied and provided for them when they were weak and unable to provide for themſelves, and gave, it may be, that Staff out of their hands, whereby they are at laſt, in the decay of their Age, beaten themſelves.

Whoever they are that deal thus with the Ancient, may look themſelves hereafter to be ſo dealt with by Youth of an inſolent and rude behaviour; and then they will remember ſadly this wickedneſs of their youth; this ſin of their youth will take hold of them. Hearken to thy Father that begat thee,Prov. 23.22. ſaith Solomon, and deſpiſe not thy Mother when ſhe is old. This we ſhould learn of our ſelves, if we conſidered what we our ſelves, after ſo long a life in the World, ſhould expect from Youth, our own Children more eſpecially.

But whilſt I ſpeak of this, what muſt we conclude of ſuch Novelliſts both in Church and State, who deſpiſe and diſparage, oppoſe and riſe up againſt whatever Conſtitutions the Wiſdom of the Ancients have made, for Decency and Order, Peace and Devotion, the promotion of Piety, and the ſecurity of the Common Welfare and Happineſs? This is Pride notorious, and beyond all Appology.

I might proceed farther to urge the reſpect of reverence which we owe to any others that are above us in the gifts of Mind, or the outward good things and Riches of the World; but it ſhall ſuffice to have inſtanced thus far, by way of declaration of the fifth Particular.

SIxthly, The ſame Rule obligeth us to all the poſitive Acts of Juſtice towards others ſince we deſire and expect that others ſhould be ſo juſt to us.

The Negative part of Juſtice, i. e. To do no wrong or injury unto any, hath been already ſpoken to under the notion of Innocency. The Poſitive Acts of it come here to be conſidered of, whereby we do ſuum cuique tribuere, render unto others that which is right and due; according to that of the Apoſtle,Rom. 13.7, 8. Render unto all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, cuſtom to whom cuſtom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour; owe no man any thing, but to love one another.

I will inſtance,

Firſt, In the diſtributive part of Juſtice, that which concerns chiefly ſuch as are in Authority and Eminency over others, in the diſtribution of Rewards and Puniſhments where they are needful.

(1.) This Rule will train them up to the Rewarding part of Juſtice. 'Tis the great defect in Diſtributive Juſtice,Charron of Wiſdom, p. 399. as it is commonly practiced in the World, that it puniſheth only, and rewardeth not: 'Tis lame of this Right hand, and enclineth only to Puniſhment. The greateſt favour men uſually receive from it is Indemnity, a Pay too ſhort for them that deſerve well. But this is that which every one naturally deſires and expects, that his good works towards the Publick, his uſefulneſs and ſubſerviency to the Common Good, be anſwerably acknowledged and rewarded. Gratitude is an undoubted branch of Juſtice; and Seneca Seneca. brands the contrary Vice for intolerable and unſociable: Grave vitium intolerabile, quod diſſociat homines. Now men in Place and Authority are the Diſpenſers of the Publick Thanks and Gratitude for Good offices and Deſerts, and therefore ſtand obliged accordingly to diſtribute Honours and Rewards for the encouragement of Well-doers. There is none that deſerveth well, but, though he act not purpoſely and only for Reward, and can be content to do well though he miſs of it, yet he reaſonably hopes and expects ſome grateful return proportionable to the degrees of his Merits.

(2.) This Rule leads alſo to the Puniſhing part of Juſtice, when there is need for it. At the firſt view indeed it may ſeem otherwiſe; for what Malefactor is there who deſires to be puniſhed, who would be puniſhed if he could help it? And therefore one would think, if the Judge dealt by him as he would be done by himſelf in his caſe, he ſhould ſpare and acquit him, in ſtead of condemning and puniſhing of him. But here we muſt call to mind what was premiſed in the explication of our Rule, to wit, that we are to underſtand it of no other Will but that which is regular and well-ordered, and complies with the Dictates of religious and ſober Reaſon. Now if the deſires and expectations of the Malefactor were ſuch, he could not but will the Corrections and Puniſhments which are for his own amendment, or for the Publick good, the warning and ſafety of others. Punitive Juſtice is really a Branch of Goodneſs, aiming at the Offenders reformation where the caſe will allow it, and the Common Good, to caution and terrifie others from imitating ſo bad an example, leſt they ſhare in the like ſhame and puniſhment. It may be ſo, I confeſs, that the Common Good may prove inconſiſtent with the Private and Particular Good of the Offender. A Murderer or Traytor, for inſtance, that hath forfeited his Life to Juſtice; the Common Good requires that Juſtice ſmite him with her Sword; his Particular Good, that he have a longer time of Repentance vouchſafed him; and were the Judge in his caſe, he would no queſtion wiſh the later for himſelf. What therefore muſt he do here? I anſwer, What he can, to promote the real good and repentance of the Offender; but yet the Common Good is far more valuable and deſirable than any Private and Particular Intereſt; and Publick Perſons, men in Authority, are to look on themſelves as Repreſentatives of the Society, whoſe Good they are to ſerve, and muſt conſequently do for it whatſoever they ſhould reaſonably expect to be done for their own ſecurity. Now 'tis unqueſtionably for the good and benefit of the whole Community, that inſolent, ſtubborn, and notorious Offenders be put to open ſhame and puniſhment. A private and perſonal pity in this caſe is the publick wrong and damage. Magiſtrates therefore are not to weigh ſo much what they would deſire themſelves were they in the Offender's room, as what they ſhould reaſonably deſire and expect, were they in the place of the whole Community and Society whoſe good their Office is deſigned to ſerve. He that ſpares a notorious Offender, gives him liberty to do more wrong and injury, and countenanceth many to follow his example, in hopes of the like impunity, to the great prejudice of the common welfare. He that ſpares a Murderer, entails Gods Curſe upon the Land; and he that ſpares a Traytor, winks at a notorious Murderer, and declares but little value for the Publick Safety, bound up in the Life and Welfare of a King or Sovereign.— But then, beſides this, the execution of Juſtice is the beſt means to ſecure the common practice of this excellent Rule, which hath ſo great an influence upon the Publick welfare; and 'tis the Magiſtrates charge and duty, in order to the Common Good, to teach Offenders, who have certainly broken the Rule by doing wrong and injury, how ill they have done, by making them to ſuffer and ſmart for it, and ſo to warn others not to follow them in ſo doing. As no body therefore is willing to be wronged, ſo he is to diſcipline others not to be willing to do wrong, by inflicting thoſe Puniſhments which the Offender is as unwilling to undergo, as the Party offended was to ſuffer the wrong done. It were better, no queſtion, for Offenders, if ſuch Puniſhments and Corrections were more conſtantly inflicted, whereby they might be brought in time to repentance and amendment; and 'twere better for the whole Community, if the punitive acts of Juſtice were more impartially applied than they are. Certainly, could a Child chuſe reaſonably, he would rather ask the wholeſom ſeverities of Diſcipline from his Parents, than a fond indulgence of that Liberty which is like to prove his bane and undoing: And therefore when Children are grown up to years of maturity and underſtanding, they find reaſon to beſtow thanks both on their Parents and Maſters for this part of Nurture as well as any other. And there is as little queſtion but, would Maſtiſtrates, and thoſe who are in Authority, liſten to the cry of the Community, to the cry of Church and State, they would be more vigilant and diligent in the inflicting of puniſhment upon the Tranſgreſſors of the Laws than they are, for the ſecurity and promotion of the Common Good and Welfare.— I proceed,

Secondly, to the Commutative part of Juſtice; thoſe Offices, I mean, which concern Commutations, Contracts, and Agreements, with the like Inſtruments of Humane Converſe. And here I will declare in like manner by Inſtances how the ſeveral Branches of Juſtice are deducible from the Rule before us. And,

(1.) 'Tis a common due we owe to all men with whom we are linked together in Society, to ſpeak the truth; Putting away lying,Eph. 4.25. to ſpeak every man truth with his Neighbour, as the Apoſtle hath it. Speech is the Key which unlocks and opens our Minds and Thoughts to each other, the chief means of all our converſe and intercourſe each with other: but lying altogether fruſtrates and diſappoints the ends of Speech: In ſtead of acquainting others with our mind and thoughts, it deceives and miſinforms them; and ſilence is more ſociable than untrue ſpeech. We deſire other men ſhould ſpeak the truth to us, to inform and ſatisfie, and not to cheat and delude us; and therefore we are obliged our ſelves to ſpeak the truth, and not to lie unto others.

(2.) The ſame Rule trains us up to all Juſtice in Buying and Selling, ſo that the Tradeſman ſhall neither by an under-price, below what the reſt of his Occupation can live by, gain away their Cuſtom from them, nor yet inhance the price of any Commodity above the value of it, that I mean for which it may be ſold, and which is the ordinary Rate of it; ſo that the Buyer ſhall have a valuable matter for the Money which he gives, and the Seller alſo a valuable Price for that which he parts with, but neither of them make their Gains out of each others Loſſes. Every honeſt man would ſo buy as the Seller might live by him, and have a moderate and ratable conſideration for his Art, and Pains, and Hazards; and every one that ſells juſtly can deſire no more.

The Rule of Juſtice in all Commerce and Traffick in the World is aequalitas accepti & redditi, an equality of proportion between what is received and what is returned, that there be a valuable given for a valuable, which cannot be ſecured more effectually than by the Rule we are upon; The Buyer to ſuppoſe himſelf in the Sellers place, and the Seller again in the Buyers, the difference of circumſtances allowed for. The one is to ſell, not as himſelf buys, for he cannot live without ſome gains; but as he would reaſonably deſire to buy were he in his Cuſtomers room, i. e. for moderate and conſcionable gains: And the Buyer again ſhould willingly give thoſe moderate and conſcionable Allowances which the thing he purchaſeth, rated together with the Pains, and Hazard, and Art of the Seller is valuable for; i. e. ſuch as were he himſelf in the Sellers room he would deſire from another.

(3.) The ſame Rule obligeth us to all Juſtice in the performance of our Words, Promiſes, Covenants, Contracts, or Oaths. He that promiſeth to another (be it by word of mouth or writing, it matters not) conveys away a Right and Title unto that which he promiſeth; but is deeper ſtill engaged to the performance, if he have called God in as a Witneſs to the Contract and Promiſe made by him. The good mans character is,Pſal. 15.4. that though he ſweareth to his own hurt and damage, he changeth not: So regardful is he of thoſe Promiſes he hath ſealed by Oath, that he will perform them, though it be to his own prejudice. And certainly this Rule will train us up to make Conſcience of the ſame, to keep our Promiſes, to perform our Covenants, to make good our Words and Oathes; for this we deſire and expect from other men: we build upon their Words, we truſt to and rely on their Engagements, Bonds, and Covenants; we look they ſhould ſtand to their Agreements; we brand it for the higheſt injury and wickedneſs, for any that have given us the greateſt ſecurity upon earth, I mean an Oath, to ſhew themſelves perſidious and perjured together. But 'tis a ſhame to ſpeak how much the Chriſtian World degenerates in this Point: Famous was the inſtance of that eminent Heathen the Roman Regulus, who being taken Priſoner of his Enemies the Carthaginians, and obtaining leave of them to go home to Rome, to treat with the Senate for a Commutation, or exchange of Captives, with promiſe if he ſped not, to return again; firſt gave weighty Reaſons to the Senate to diſſwade them from the Commutation, and then return'd back himſelf unto cruel uſage, rather than he would falſifie and violate his Faith and Promiſe.— But we muſt renew the Pſalmiſts complaint,Pſal. 12.1, 2. Help Lord, for the godly man ceaſeth, the faithful fail from among the Children of men; they ſpeak vanity every one with his Neighbour, with flattering lips and with a double heart do they ſpeak.— They lie in their hearts, when they promiſe, and after their promiſe made lie again to men in their performance; they eſteem their words but as wind, and their Covenants in writing little more than ſcribbled Papers, wherein they are not concerned. In the exacting of their Debts from others they are like the Servant in the Parable, who finding his fellow-ſervant that ought him an hundred pence,S. Mat. 18. laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, ſaying, Pay me what thou oweſt, deſpiſing his ſubmiſſion, ſlighting his entreaties, ſtopping his ears to his Requeſts, uſing no forbearance, but caſting him forthwith into Priſon till he ſhould pay the Debt.— But when they ſhould come to diſcharge their own to others, good words at beſt are their preſent payment, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay you all; Forbearance is the thing they intentionally drive at, but the payment of all goes ſlowly on. Now, did men as they would be done by, they would not only in caſes of apparent neceſſity forbear others upon their requeſts, as themſelves in the like caſes would deſire to be forborn; but would as faithfully and ſeaſonably pay their Debts to others, as they deſire other men ſhould diſcharge theirs to themſelves. Every one would look upon the violation of his own Word, Promiſe, or Oath, with as evil and cenſorious an eye, as he doth on the unfaithfulneſs of others.

SEventhly, To draw towards a Concluſion, We are by this Rule obliged to all the acts of Love and Charity unto others; & this I ſhall demonſtrate, as I have done the foregoing, by ſeveral Inſtances that are moſt properly to be referr'd unto, and ranked under this Head. And,

(1.) I will begin with the common act of Love and Charity, I mean, Pity and compaſſion towards, ſympathy and fellow-feeling with the afflicted and diſtreſſed; a due conſideration of, and being affected with the ſufferings and calamities of others.Heb. 13.3. Remember them who are in bonds, ſaith the Apoſtle, as bound with them; and them which ſuffer adverſity, as being your ſelves alſo in the body; i. e. as being your ſelves Members of the ſame Body, and dwelling in like manner in a Body ſubject to the very ſame evils and calamities: So remember them therefore in their bonds and adverſity, as you would deſire your ſelves in a like caſe to be remembred. 'Tis natural for us in the time of affliction to covet and be pleaſed with the pity and commiſeration of others; the yearning of their bowels and expreſſion of their compaſſion towards us, is as a Cordial to our ſpirits, and eaſeth us in a great meaſure and degree of our burden: But on the contrary, 'tis a vexation and trouble, ſometimes beyond other troubles, not to be regarded and ſympathized with. In ſuch caſes we are ready to ſigh forth the Churches Lamentation,Lam. 1.12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that paſs by the way? Behold, and ſee if there be any ſorrow like to my ſorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. We are apt to cry out with Job, Jod 19.21. Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me. Nothing cuts and wounds more, than when others, in ſtead of condoling our ſtate, add affliction to our affliction, by their cruel hard-heartedneſs; neglects, diſdains, and deriſions: We then complain with the Pſalmiſt,Pſa. 69.20, 21 Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heavineſs, and I looked for ſome to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me alſo gall for my meat, and in my thirſt they gave me vinegar to drink; i. e. vexation where I expected comfort. That was the great aggravation of Job's tryals,Job 19.13, 14, 15. He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily eſtranged from me; my kinsfolk have failed me, and my familiar friends have forgotten me: they that dwell in mine houſe count me for a ſtranger, I am an alien in their ſight. —We bear thoſe common deſires of being pitied by others in our calamities and ſufferings, about us, which will upbraid and reprove us, if we do not in like manner take pity upon others.

Such was the ſympathy of S. Paul's ſpirit with all the Churches of Chriſt, that he ſaid of himſelf, Who is weak,2 Cor. 11.29. and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not. Quae Eccleſia adfligitur & ego non adfligar? Grot. in loc. Quis eſt cui offenſa objicitur in viâ pietatis, ut non ego urar? What Church is afflicted ſo, as I am not afflicted for and with it? Who is there ſcandalized in the way of Piety, and I am not extremely troubled for it? for ſo the word [burn] is taken figuratively pro animi cruciatu, for vexation of ſpirit. Ʋro hominem, in Terence is as much as, I vex or nettle the man.

The good Courtier Nehemiah was very inquiſitive after the ſtate of his Brethren the Jews left in Captivity,Neh. c. 1. and of Jeruſalem; c. 2. and however he was himſelf of a chearful temper (for he had not been before-time ſad in the King's preſence, as he ſaith of himſelf) yet, when he heard of their great affliction, reproach, and miſery, his heart was ſorrowful, and his countenance changed, and he ſate down and wept and mourned certain days, and faſted and prayed before the God of Heaven. Theſe were the manifeſtations of his compaſſionate diſpoſition.

But they are inhumane with a witneſs, who, in ſtead of ſympathizing and condoling with, deride and make a mock of others ſufferings, as if it were an acceſſion to their joy that others were troubled. Rejoyce not,Prov. 24.17, 18. ſaith Solomon, when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he ſtumbleth, leſt the Lord ſee it, and it diſpleaſe him.

(2.) The Apoſtle ſaith, Rejoyce with them that rejoyce,Rom. 12.15. as well as Weep with them that weep: And the ſame Rule will train us up to both, as well to delight in,Bonis proximi congaudere & de triſtibus dolere. and be glad of the happineſs of others, as to commiſerate them in their afflictions: for we therefore condole the miſery of others ſincerely, becauſe we wiſh them well; and whom we wiſh well unto, we ſhall take pleaſure proportionably in the well-doing of, we ſhall be glad to hear the tidings of their felicity. Thus moſt certainly we would have other men to do to us.S. Luk. 15. The man in the Parable that found his loſt Sheep, not only laid it on his ſhoulders rejoycing, but, when he came home, call'd together his friends and neighbours, ſaying unto them, Rejoyce with me, for I have found my Sheep which was loſt. The woman alſo that had found her loſt piece of Silver, called together her friends and neighbours, ſaying, Rejoyce with me, for I have found the piece which I had loſt. The Father, in like manner, of the Prodigal, after his return commands his ſervants to bring the fatted Calf and kill it; and, Let us eat, ſaith he, and be merry; for this my Son was dead and is alive again, was loſt and is found.

So far would we have others from envying and repining at our happineſs, that we deſire they ſhould congratulate and rejoyce together with us for it. Did we therefore regard other men as our ſelves, their happineſs would be eſteemed by us as part of our own, after the ſame ſort as each Member ſhares in the health and welfare of any one in the Body.1 Cor. 12.25, 26. Unius corpoporis membra- ut intelligamus nos ipſos accepiſſe beneficium cum beneficium praeſtitimus proximo, nos laeſos cum nocitum eſt fratri. Eraſm. Enchir. Mil. Chriſt p. 145. That's S. Paul's obſervation, The members ſhould have the ſame care one for another, and whether one member ſuffer, all the members ſuffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with him. The practice of this Rule would put out the envious eye, and rid the world of thoſe many diſcontents and murmurings which Perſons of an inferiour rank, degree, and deſert are too apt oftentimes to entertain againſt thoſe that excel them, or are preferr'd before them. This would be a rare expedient to add to the happineſs of every one, by all the acceſſions of happineſs which accrue unto any; becauſe it would diſcipline every one to rejoyce and take pleaſure in the happineſs of another, which many now wax lean and pale with diſcontent at. It would inſtruct men,Eraſm. Ench. Mil. Chriſt. p 14 • . as hath been ſaid, Omnium commodis perinde ut ſuis aggratulari, omnium incommodis non ſecus quam ſuis indolere; to congratulate the good fortunes of others as their own, and lay to heart their calamities no otherwiſe than their own.

(3.) The ſame Rule obligeth us to the Charity of an hearty forgiveneſs of all thoſe injuries and wrongs which others, through infirmity and paſſion, have done unto us, or for which they profeſs themſelves ſorrowful. This is that we all deſire and hope for from God Almighty our ſelves, and miſerable were we without the aſſurance of it; and yet we are given to underſtand, that there is no grounded expectation of this from God, unleſs we forgive others alſo;S. Mat. 18.35. Our Heavenly Father will never forgive us, if we from our hearts forgive not every one his brother their treſpaſſes. Nor is this limited to once, or twice, or thrice, or ſeven times; but,ver. 21, 22. as Chriſt ſaid unto Peter, Till ſeventy times ſeven, i. e. toties quoties, as often as he ſhall chance to offend, and ask forgiveneſs at thine hands. And this is the meaſure we not only hope for from God, but wiſh our ſelves from other men alſo. We often through infirmity, paſſion, and humane frailty, offend others; and in theſe caſes we would not have them implacable and unappeaſable upon our acknowledgments: We would not have them over-ſevere and rigorous in exacting ſatisfaction at our hands; and therefore we ſhould pardon others upon eaſie terms, who often need it our ſelves. Theſe two ſhould always go in conjunction, —hanc veniam petimus, dabimuſque viciſſim, That we be as ready our ſelves to forgive others, and be reconciled to them, upon the ſame conſiderations of equity we would deſire our ſelves to be accepted on in their condition: And therefore,

(4.) As a good ſtep and means to this forgiveneſs, the ſame Rule will lead us to all charitable cenſures of other mens failings, and whatever qualifying interpretations their actions and offences are capable of.S. Luke 6.37. Judge not, and ye ſhall not be judged; condemn not, and ye ſhall not be condemned; forgive, and ye ſhall be forgiven. Let equity evermore hold the balance wherein you weigh other mens tranſgreſſions, and caſt in all the grains of allowance that a charitable mind will admit of. I mean not that we ſhould at any time call evil good, more than we may call good evil; but where the fault is moſt cenſurable,Adjuvant & haec, ne dolori mentis obſequare, ſi commodè collectis rhetorum circumſtantiis paritèr & tuum incommodum extenues & alienam eleves injuriam, his fermè modis. Laeſit, ſed facilè reſarcietur, tum puer eſt, rerum imperitus, adoleſcens, mulier eſt; alieno fecit inſtinctu, imprudens, probè potus, aequum eſt ignoſcere. At contrà, gravitèr quidam laeſit, ſed pater eſt, frater, praeceptor, amicus, uxor. Par eſt hoc doloris illius vel charitati vel authoritati condonari. Aut paria faciens injuriam cum aliis illius in te beneficiis compenſabis, vel cum tuis in illum offenſis exaequabis. Hic quidem laeſit, ſed aliâs quam ſaepe profuit? Illiberalis eſt animi benefactorum obliviſci, injuriolae meminiſſe. Nunc me offendit ſed quoties à me offenſus? Ignoſcam illi, ut mihi meo exemplo ignoſcat & ipſe delinquenti. Eraſm. Enchir. Mil. Christ p. 204. let the committer of it have all the juſt excuſes that the circumſtances of his ſtate will allow of: Let his ignorance, his unwarineſs, his miſtakes, his paſſions, his age, his good meanings, be all conſidered: Let Charity thus interpoſe on his behalf; The matter, it may be, is not ſo bad as report ſpeaks it; the mans heart and tongue kept not pace together; paſſion and earneſtneſs tranſported his language beyond the bounds of his thoughts and meaning; or he meant well, poſſibly, in that which hath now in the iſſue proved otherwiſe; or he knew not well what he did, and he teſtifies as much by his after-ſorrow for the miſcarriage, that he deſigned not the wrong out of any ſpite or malice.

Theſe, and the like, are the mitigations wherewith we deſire others ſhould leſſen our offences: We would not have them judge raſhly of the thoughts and purpoſes of our minds, which they know not; and as favourably as may be of our miſcarriages, which they know: And therefore thus ſhould we be minded and diſpoſed towards others. We ſhould put on bowels of mercies,Col. 3.12, 13. kindneſs, humbleneſs of mind, meekneſs, long-ſuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel againſt any, expreſſing that Charity which is not ſuſpicious, but apt to believe the beſt,1 Cor. 13. and hope the beſt; not Eagle-eyed in others faults, but ready to over-look and cover a multitude of infirmities and imperfections; that Charity which the Members of the Body bear to each other:See Ecclus 19.13, 14, 15, 16. It may be he hath not done it.— It may be he hath not ſaid it.— Many times it is a ſlander. —There is one that ſlippeth in his ſpeech, but not from his heart. —And who is he that hath not offended with his tongue? for if one Member chance to hurt or wound the other, all care is taken preſently for the cure of that hurt or wound, but no man delights to vex that Part or Member which occaſioned the ſore.

(5.) The ſame Rule commands from us all expreſſions of kindneſs and good will one to another, friendly and amicable words and ſalutations.Eph. 4.31, 32. Let all bitterneſs, and wrath, and clamour, and evil-ſpeaking, be put away from you, ſaith the Apoſtle, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you.Prov. 16.24. "Pleaſant words, ſaith Solomon, are as an Honey-comb, ſweet to the ſoul, and health to the bones. Courteous and loving ſalutations, the expreſſions of mutual good wiſhes, take away the jealouſies and ſuſpicions that are apt otherwiſe to grow in the minds of men each touching other; and produce, ſtrengthen, and increaſe mutual benevolence.Prov. 15.1. A ſoft anſwer turneth away wrath, but grievous words ſtir up anger.

The affected ſilence, and ſcrupling at the ordinary Salutations, Good-morrows, and forms of well-wiſhing among us, which ſome vail over with the pretences of Religion, look too like a clowniſh, proud, phantaſtick and unſociable ſurlineſs. 'Tis ſtrange that any ſhould boggle at ſuch wholeſom forms of Speech as are commonly uſed by good Chriſtians to ſhew their mutual Love and Piety together: God be with you, God ſpeed your work, God bleſs you, God give you a good morrow, &c. They forget the Curſe pronounced by the Pſalmiſt upon the enemies of Sion, Neither do they which go by ſay,Pſal. 129.8. The bleſſing of the Lord be upon you, We bleſs you in the Name of the Lord. They forget that of Boaz to his Reapers, "The Lord be with you;Ruth. 2.4. who anſwered him again, The Lord bleſs thee. They forget alſo the command of Chriſt to his Diſciples,S. Luke 10.5. When ye come into an houſe, firſt ſay, Peace be unto this houſe; the uſual form of the Jewiſh Salutations.

The Judicial or Civil Law is that which reſpecteth them as a particular State, Body, and Society, ſeparate and diſtinct from the reſt of the World; this ſtood in force ſo long as their Commonwealth and Government remained: but appertaining unto them in particular, cannot reaſonably be thought to oblige others, further than the natural and real equity of its Precepts agrees with the Circumſtances of other Governments.

The Ceremonial or Eccleſiaſtical Law is that which preſcribes the Religious Rites and Ceremonies of their Church, which were but Types and Shadows of ſomething more perfect to ſucceed them; and Types and Shadows do of their own accord ceaſe and vaniſh, when the Subſtance or Body is introduced: So that the nature of theſe Laws ſet a bound and limit to their obliging Power; and Chriſt hath not ſo much diſſolved and deſtroyed, as fulfilled them.

The Law and Prophets are as authentick and divine as ever, and as fit to oblige us to thoſe Laws, which are built on eternal Principles of Equity; and ſo extend themſelves as really to us, as ever they did to the Jews. But as for thoſe other Laws which reſpected their peculiar Polity in Church and State, and ſo were for a certain People, Place, and Time, they are to have their Obliging Power determined according to thoſe mutable Circumſtances.

We muſt reverence and receive the Holy Scriptures as well of the Old as the New Teſtament, for the infallible Word of God, ſpeaking to us with a Divine Authority, and commanding both our belief and obedience. Si ſcire vis quid tenendum ſit (ſaith Salvian excellently well,Salvian. l. 3. ſpeaking particularly of providence) habes ſacras literas: perfecta ratio eſt hoc tenere quod legeris; If thou wouldeſt know what is to be holden and embraced, thou haſt the Holy Writings for thy direction; and 'tis perfect reaſon to hold and embrace that which thou ſhalt there read. Plus eſt Deus quam omnis humana ratio: humana dicta argumentis ac teſtibus egent, Dei autem ſermo ipſe ſibi teſtis eſt; quia neceſſe eſt quicquid incorrupta veritas loquitur incorruptum ſit teſtimonium veritatis; God is more to thee than all Humane Reaſon: Mens words want Arguments and Witneſſes; but the Word of God is it ſelf ſufficient Witneſs to it ſelf: for it is neceſſary that whatſoever uncorrupted Truth hath ſpoken, ſhould be an uncorrupted Teſtimony of Truth.

'Tis S. Auguſtine's Preſcription, never to be forgotten by us,S. Aug. contra Fauſtum Manich. l. 11. c. 5. Canonicae Scripturae ſerviat omnis fidelis & pius intellectus; Let every faithful and pious Underſtanding ſubmit it ſelf to the Canonical Scripture; and therein if any thing ſhall at any time appear like an abſurdity, non licet dicere, author hujus libri non tenuit veritatem, we may not ſay, the Author of this Book miſſed the Truth, but aut codex mendoſus eſt, aut interpres erravit, aut tu non intelligis, either the Print or Writing is faulty, or the Tranſlator and Interpreter miſtaken, or thou underſtandeſt not: and though we find the ſame Truths in other mens Writings as in theſe, longe tamen eſt impar authoritas, the Authority is infinitely greater here.Contra Creſcon. And again, ſpeaking elſewhere of the Canonical Books of the Bible, he adds, Quos omninò judicare non audeamus & ſecundum quos de caeteris literis vel fidelium vel infidelium judicamus; Theſe we may not preſume or dare at all to judge; but according unto theſe we judge of other Writings, whether of Believers or Infidels. And yet again,Ep. 19. ad Hieron. in an Epiſtle of his to S. Hierom; I for my part, ſaith he, have learned to yield this reverence and honour to thoſe Books only which are called Canonical, moſt firmly to believe none of their Authors ſcribendo aliquid errâſſe, to have erred any thing in their writing; but I ſo read others, that, be they never ſo eminent for Piety or Learning, I do not therefore think it true which they write quia ipſi ità ſenſerunt, becauſe they have ſo thought and judged, but becauſe they are able to perſwade me of the truth of it vel per illos authores canonicos vel probabili ratione, either by thoſe Canonical Authors, or ſome probable Reaſon.

A Scripture ſhould be more to us than any Reaſon; provided only, that we miſtake it not, that we miſunderſtand it not, that we miſapply it not: for we can have no greater confirmation than Divine Authority. We muſt therefore take heed leſt at any time we prove irreverent Rejecters of the Word of God, or any thing propounded to us out of the Holy Scriptures.

Abraham prefers the voice of Moſes and the Prophets before the teſtimony of one ariſing purpoſely from the dead, for the warning of the living.S. Luk. 16.31. If they hear not Moſes and the Prophets, ſaith he, neither will they be perſwaded though one aroſe from the dead. But if once the Law and the Prophets, Moſes and the Prophets find credit, the Old Teſtament will uſher in the belief of the New, as well as the New confirm and ſtrengthen the belief of the Old. Had you believed Moſes ſayings,S. John 5.46. you would have believed me, ſaith Chriſt, for he wrote of me. Why! what wrote he of Chriſt? This expreſly, God ſhall raiſe up unto thee a Prophet like unto me,Deut. 18.15. of thy Brethren, according to thy deſire; and I will put my words into his mouth, and whoſoever will not hearken unto the words which he ſhall ſpeak in my Name, I will require it of him.

I urge the venerable eſtimation and reception of the Holy Scriptures, from the force of our Bleſſed Saviour's Argument, For this is the Law and the Prophets. He backs his Golden Rule and Precept with that Divine and Infallible Authority, which whoever are found deſpiſers and contemners of, will be ſentenced as rejecters of the Teſtimony and Commands of God himſelf; for the Holy Scripture is no other than his Voice, who hath the moſt abſolute Authority over both our Faith and Obedience. And were there no other Reaſon or Account to be given of this Preſcription of Chriſts, it were abundant proof, That it is Gods peremptory Command, made known in the Law and Prophets. But then,

Secondly, We may further paraphraſe the meaning of our Bleſſed Saviour's Argument thus; This is the ſum of all that the Law and the Prophets require at our hands. To that purpoſe S. Chryſoſtom, See Sect. 1. p. 1. as I noted in the beginning; The whole Law, in S. Paul's language, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,Rom. 13.9. is ſum'd up into this Sentence, as into an Head, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf. To this Head he refers expreſly all the Commands of the Second Table that reſpect our duty to others. For this, ſaith he, Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery, Thou ſhalt not kill, Thou ſhalt not ſteal, Thou ſhalt not bear falſe witneſs, Thou ſhalt not covet; and if there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this ſaying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in this namely, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf; which I have ſhewed before to be the inward and vital Principle of our Saviour's Rule.Sect. 4. To this Second Table therefore ſome limit and confine the Text.Intelligendum eſt de lege & monitis ſpectantibus mutua inter ſe hominum officia. Grot. in loc. Videtur autem hoc praeceptum ad dilectionem proximi pertinere non autem ad Dei: cum in alio loco duo eſſe praecepta dicat, in quibus tota lex pendet & prophetae: cum autem hic non addit tota lex, quod ibi addidit, fervavit locum alteri praecepto quod eſt de dilectione Dei. S. Aug. de Serm. Dom. cit. in Cat. D. Tho. 'Tis to be underſtood, ſaith Grotius, of the Law, and thoſe Monitions in the Prophets which concern the mutual Offices of men one towards another. S. Auguſtine in like manner: This Precept ſeems to belong to the Love of our Neighbour only, and not the Love we owe to God; ſince that in another place Chriſt ſaith, that there are two Commandments upon which hang all the Law and the Prophets. Now ſince he addeth not here the whole Law, or all the Law, which he addeth there expreſly, he hath left room for the other Precept of the Love of God to be ſupplied.