THese wordes are the wordes of our Sauiour CHRIST to his Disciples when hee was vpon the Mount; and there opened his mouth and taught them, the first time that euer was in publike.

Which words containe in them two principall parts; A generall Rule of Iustice, ta­ken out of a Collation of Similies, and a reason or te­stimoniall Confirmation of the same. A generall rule of Iustice out of a Collation of Similies in these words; Therefore whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe to you, euen so doe ye to them; The reason or testimoniall Con­firmation of the same in these words; for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Therefore.] This word concludes and inferres our Sauiour Christs intent and purpose, and shewes the scope and the summe of that which is precedent in the Chapter; namely, that to doe to others as we would be done vnto our selues, is the Law and the Prophets, that is, the summe of doctrine set downe in the Law and the Prophets.

Whatsoeuer ye would,] or, all things whatsoeuer yee would, rationabili & discreta voluntate, saith Dionysius Carthusianus vpon this place; rationabiliter, vtiliter, & fideliter, saith Gorran vpon this place; for we may not doe to others, as we would be done vnto our selues, in one thing, or in some things, or in such things as we list our selues: but in all iust, honest, lawfull and reaso­nable things whatsoeuer. And therefore Peter Lum­bard the Master of the Sentences, in lib. 3. distinct. 37. tels vs how these wordes are to bee taken and vnder­stood, de bonis quae inuicem exhibere debemus: And A­retius vpon this place tels vs, how they are an vniuer­sall phrase of speaking, which (saith hee) must soberly hee vnderstood; for we may not wantonly play with them, but refer them to that naturall Rule, To doe vnto others as we would be done vnto our selues.

That men should doe vnto you.] Not God, nor Angels, but men: because many things may bee done vnto vs by them, which wee cannot doe to them againe. By Men is here meant the Sonnes of Men, as Iunius and Tre­melius will haue it; or by men is here meant our neigh­bours, as Dionysius Carthusianus vpon this place will haue it: for these words are a recapitulation of the commandements of the second table which concernes our dutie towards our neighbour, and by our Neigh­bour, towards all men. And this most plainly and po­sitiuely [Page]expressed by our Sauiour Christ in Math. 22. Chap. at the 37.39. and 40. verses.

Euen so doe ye to them.] this word, [...], So, is redun­dant, saith Piscator vpon this place. And yet (saith he) it notes the argument of Similies: for as we would haue comfort and counsell to be giuen vnto vs by others: so we must giue it to them againe. And as we would haue mercy, compassion and all other things expedient to be shewne vnto vs by others, so we must shew it to them likewise: because naturall reason and inducement ought to bring vs to know that it is our dutie no lesse to loue others then our selues: and to doe no worse vn­to them, then we would they should do vnto vs. And therefore this Naturall reason and inducement hath drawne these seuerall Rules and Canons, for the bet­ter direction of our liues: Because we would take no hurt, we therefore our selues must doe none. Sith we would not be extreamely dealt with all; we our selues must auoid all extremity in our dealing: we must vtterly abstaine from all violence and wrong to others, seeing willing by we would haue none done to our selues.

For this is the law and the Prophets,] that is, the do­ctrine and meaning of the Morall Law of Moses and the Prophets, do all teach and tend to this end to haue vs doe to others as we would bee done to our selues; for hereby our loue is shewen to others, which loue is all in all, the end and the fulfilling of the law, as the Apostle tels vs, Rom. 13.8. Owe nothing to any man but this, to loue one another: for he that loueth another, hath fulfilled the Law.

For this is the Law.] The Law in generall is the ve­ry wisedome of Nature, the rule of right and reason, and a directiue rule vnto goodnesse of operation. And [Page]it is vsed for all kinde of doctrrine that doth prescribe any thing. And therefore of the Hebrewes it is called Thorah, of Thor, which is ordinauit, or (as some will haue it) of Iadah, which is Docuit; because it teacheth euery one his dutie both towards God and man. And in this sense the Gospell is called a Law as appeares by the Prophet Esay in Chap. 2. verse 3.

But the Law in speciall [...] by excellency doth shew all the old testament, as appeares by the Apostle Paul, Rom. 3.19. By Law here is meant, the moral Law of Moses called [...] which is a perpetual rule of li­uing wel; vnto which the maners of all people are to be directed, & subiected both towards God and towards their Neighbour. And this is most briefly and plainly set down in the Decalogue or ten commandements; the matter or obiect of which is the loue of God and the loue of our neighbour, which loue of our neighbour is nothing els, but to doe, as we would be done vnto.

And the Prophets.] There were Prophets in speciall, and Prophets in generall. Prophets in speciall, were they that did excell in wisedome, by the singular gift of the holy Ghost, and did foretell things to come, either to the Church or to any of the faithfull. Such were Aga­bus, and the 4 daughters of Philip the Euangelist. Pro­phets in generall, were they that did excell in the singu­lar gift of interpreting the Scriptures. And such are the learned Interpreters of the Scripture at this day, as ap­peares by the Apostle Paul, 1. Cor. 14.29.32.

There were Priests and Prophets, but there was a dif­ference betweene them. The Priests were alwaies out of the tribe of Leui, the Prophets out of other tribes. The Priests were not onely to pray and to teach, but to administer holy things: the Prophets did not so. [Page]The Preists might erre as Aaron, but the Prophets, as farre forth as they were Prophets, and inspired with the spirit of the Lord, could not erre. And therefore the spirit of Prophecie, was giuen to Elisha, as it was to Elias 2. King. 2.15.

True Prophets were called Seers, as in 1. Sa. 9.9. They were called Seers, because they did Prophecie by visi­ons or apparations obiect to the eye or the mind: or as S. Ierome tells vs in his Epistle to Paulinus, quia vide­bant eum, quem [...]aeteri non vedebant. They did pro­phecie either by dreames sent from aboue, or by ex­presse word, or by an inward inspiration of the spirit of God, or by the apparition of an Angell represen­ting God, or by the mouth of God himselfe familiar­ly speaking vnto them, as he speake to Moses, to whom he is said to speake mouth to mouth as in Numb 12.8. To this purpose the Apostle S. Paul speaketh in Heb. 1.1. & 2 where he saith; At sundry times, and in di­uers manners, God in the old time, spake vnto our Fa­thers by the Prophets; But is these last dayes he hath spo­ken vnto vs by his Sonne, whom hee hath made heyre of all things. By his Sonne he tels vs what the Law is: by his Sonne he tels vs what the Prophets are: by his Son hee tels vs, how the Law and the Prophets are nothing else, but to doe vnto others, as we would be done vn­to our selues. Therefore whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe to you, euen so doe yee to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The point of Doctrine and obseruation that ari­seth from hence may be this. To doe as wee would bee done vnto, is a generall rule of Iustice, and he summe of the Law and the Prophets.

Although this Point is so plaine and pregnant, that [Page]it need no farther discourse, nor any more proofe to be assured of his goodnesse, because as soone as it is al­leadged, yet it is acknowledged to bee good; yet giue me leaue, I beseech you to goe farther with it, and to shew vnto you the dignitie of it, with the Au­thor and affirmation, the benefite of it with the effects, and the necessity of it, with the subiects, obiects, and the end. And to proue and approue all this by testi­monie of Scriptures, examples of Scriptures, testimony of ancient Fathers, and late writers, Emperours, Kings Philosophers, and heathen people, led only by instinct of Nature.

Great is the dignitie of this generall rule of Iustice, not only because it is a Principle of Law and Nature, the root of Iustice, the foundation of equitie, and Lex inscripta scripta, as S. Ambrose tels vs in vision 5. vp­on the 10. Chapter of the Reuel But because it is a pre­script rule of our Sauiour Christ himselfe. It was his own speech an blessed counsell to his Disciples. It was a breath of his mouth, who was not as a man that he should lye, nor as the sonne of man that he should re­pent. And it was not by him barely spoken, but affir­matiuely spoken; because as the Law is of greater perfection, so that which is affirmatiue, is of grea­ter perfection also, though affirmatiue precepts, as the Schoole-men tels vs, obligant semper, non pro semper, sed tantum in loco & tempore necessitatis. And it was by him not onely affirmatiuely spoken, but it was strongly also inferred, concluded, and pithily vr­ged to his disciples aboue any other thing.

Therefore whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe to you, euen so doe yee to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. The benefit of this generall rule of Iustice is [Page]great, and the effects good and goldly; for it will cause euery one of vs to liue honestly and vprightly in his place and calling, and neuer to binde any one of these three sinnes together; which by many and too many are bound together in this age: Periury, false testimonie, iniury.

This will make vs draw neere vnto Christs exam­ple, and to follow his steps. And this will still pro­duce in vs these effects, to loue God truly, our neigh­bour vnfainedly, and to giue vnto euery one his due and his dutie, without any wrong or iniury.

The effects of this generall rule of Iustice, cannot better be opened, then S. Austen doth open them, in lib. 3. Cap. 14. de doct. Chrift, where he saith thus, Fa­cere alijs quod tibi vis fieri, sententia est, &c. To doe as thou wouldeft be done vnto, is a sentence which all nations vnder heauen haue agreed vpon. Referre this sentence (saith he) to the loue of God, and it extinguisheth all hai­nous offences: referre this sentence to the loue of thy neigh­bour, and it banisheth all grieuous wrongs out of the world.

The necessity of this generall rule of Iustice is great, in respect of the subiects, the obiects, and the end. The subiects, because we are all Christians and brethren, and haue one and the same God for our Creator, one and the same Christ for our Sauiour, and one and the same holy Ghost for our sanctifier and preseruer. The obiects, because it respecteth right, and the good gouernmet of humane societies: and the end, because it was ordained by Christ himselfe for the generall good one of another, teaching vs not only to be pri­uatiue in ceasing to doe ill, but still to bee positiue in doing good one to another.

Wee are not sent into this world onely to speake [Page]well, but to doe well, and to doe well and truly that which belongs to our seuerall places and callings. It is better to doe and say not, then to say, and doe not; speculation is not so hard as practice. It is much more easie for any one to know then to do, to discourse then to worke; and to beleeue as he ought, then to liue as he should. And therefore our Sauiour Christ and his disciples in all their speeches, and in all their writings do specially admonish vs to do well, & do speak much more of things to be done, then of things to be spo­k [...]n; and much more of vertuous liuing, then of right bele [...]uing: for, non verbased aduerbia corenantur. The Lord our God is said to loue Aduerbs. He respects not how good, but how well those things are which we doe; and our Sauiour Christ himselfe began [...] to doe and to teach; first to doe, and then to teach, Act. 1. verse 1.

Testimonies of Scriptures.In Leuit. 19 verse 11. we read how the Lord our God commanded Moses to speake vnto all the con­gregation of Israel, and to say thus vnto them in a ne­gatiue precept: Ye shall not steale, nor deale falsly, nor lie one to another; which is in effect, yee shall not doe to o­thers, but as ye would be done vnto your selues.

To bias gaue this generall rule of Iustice to his sonne, but in a negatiue precept also, which bindeth at all times. My Sonne (saith he) that which thou wouldest not haue others to doe vnto thee, doe not to them at any time. Tob. chap. 4. verse 15.

Our Sauiour Christ not onely in Mat. 7 12. but al­so in Luke 6.31. gaue this generall rule of Iustice againe to his Disciples, and to a great company of people that came from Iudea and Ierusalem, and from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon to heare him. And as ye would [Page]that men should doe to you, so doe ye to them likewise.

The Apostle S. Paul gaue this generall rule of Iu­stice to Titus his naturall sonne according to the com­mon faith, as appeares [...] [...]is 2 Chap. to Titus 11. and 12. verses, whe [...]e he saith thus, The grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men, hath appeared, and tea­cheth vs, that we should liue soberly righteously and god­ly in this present world. To liue righteously, what is it any other thing in effect, then to doe as we would be done vnto?

Examples of Scriptures. Obadiah, the gouernour of Ahabs house, remem­bred and followed this generall rule of Iustice, to doe, as he would be done vnto, for when Iezabel destroyed the Prophets of the Lord, he tooke an hundred Pro­phets, and hid them by fifties in acaue, and fed them with bread and water. 1. King. 18. That good widow of Sarepta remembred and followed this generall rule of Iustice, to doe as she would be done vnto; for shee tooke pitty and compassion vpon Elias, relieued him in his greatest necessity, and sustained him with part of that poore pittance that was left her, 1. King. ch. 17.

Samuel offered to God by his Mother, thrice called and made a Prophet, remembrad and followed this generall rule of Iustice, to doe as he would be done vnto; for, he boldly and stoutly stood vp vnto all Is­rael and said, Whose Oxe haue I taken? or, whose Asse haue I taken? or, whom haue I done wrong to? or, whom haue I hurt? That was not all; he left not there, but went father and said, At whose hands haue I receiued any bribes to blind mine eyes therewith, 1, Sam. 12.3.

Simeon in Ierusalem, Cornelius in Cesarea, and Lidia the seller of purple in the City of the Thiatirians. And the very Barbarians, as in Act 28.2. remembred and [Page]followed this generall rule of Iustice, to doe as they would be done vnto; for they gently intreated Paul and his company when they came to shore in the Ile Melita, kindled a good fire and receiued euery one of them.

Testimonie of ancient Fa­thers.That mirror of vnderstanding, and learned Father S. Austin in l. 1. cap. vlt. conf. in his ser. ad frat. in eremo, in a tract which he writeth de decem chordis, speaketh there of this generall rule of Iustice, and specially in his 96. Sermon de tempore; where he saith thus; De­cem precepta ad duo illa referuntur vt diligamus Deum & Proximum. Et duo illa ad vnum illud, quod vnum est; Quod tibi non vis, alteri ne feceris. Ibi decem, ibi duo continentur praecepta.

That mellifluous Father S. Bernard in his 77. Epi­stle, and in a tract which he writes de triplici bonorum genere, cals to doe as we would be done vnto, natura­lem legem societatis cui concordat Euangelium, Haec est lex naturalis societatis (saith he) vt omnia quaecunque nobis fieri velimus, alijs faciamus.

Peter Lumbard, the master of the Sentences, ap­proues this same in lib. 3. distinct. 37. where speaking of the commandements of the second Table, cals to doe as we would be done vnto; naturalem legem, cui concordat Euangelium, & lex moralis praeceptionis. Hoc veritas scripsit in corde hominis (saith Lumbard) & quia non legebatur in corde, iterauit in tabulis, vt voce fo­rinsecus admota, rediret ad cor.

S. Ambrose vision 4. in 8. chap. of the Reuel, speak­ing there of the holy men that liued before the floud, saith thus of them; Quamuis nullum legem nisi natu­ralem habuerunt, tamen hoc quibuscunque poterant sua­sisse conati sunt, vt Deum creatorem suum timerent & [Page]ligerent, & quod quis pati non vellet, alteri non faceret.

Gregory the great, in lib. 10. Moral. in cap. 11. of Iob. in the beginning of the Chapter, tels vs there, That to doe as we would be done vnto, is comman­ded and commended both in the old and new Testa­ment, saith he, per iustum Tobiam, and in the new Te­stament, per veritatem ipsam, which is our Sauiour Christ. Quibus duobus (saith Gregorie) vtriusque te­stamenti mandatis, per vnum malitia compescitur, per aliud benignitas prorogatur.

To these may bee added Gratian in his golden De­crees, 1. part. 1. dictinct. the first words of all the booke which are these, Genus humanum duobus regitur, natu­rali videlicet iure & moribus: naturale ius est, quod in in lege & Euangelio continetur, quo quisque iubetur a­lij facere, quod sibi vult fieri, & prohibetur alij inferre, quod sibi nollet fieri,

Testimony of late writers. Zuinglius hath written at large vpon this, in 7. Chap. Mat. in pag. 28.29. And there hee tels vs, how our Sauiour Christ doth call it, fundamentum natura­lis iuris, because hee was the reformer of our nature corrupted by Adam.

Aretius vpon this place tels vs the like, how these words are a natural Law and the precepts of right are, as he there tels vs; honeste viuere, alterum non laedere, ius suum cuique tribuere.

Beza, Bullinger, Caluin, Hemingius, Piscator, with many others, all agree and concurre in this; that to doe as wee would be done vnto, is a generall rule of Iustice, a Sentence teaching all charitie, humanitie, moderation and good dealing one to another, and a sentence (as it were) pointing out the way to eternall blisse and happinesse.

Alexander Seuerus the Emperour, had this for his Symbole, Emperours. as Bullinger tells vs in Decade 11. Serm. 1. pag. 93. This (saith Bullinger) hee had often in his mouth: this he commanded to be engrauen and writen in his Pallace, and other of his buildings. Hoc coluit in la­rario suo (saith Bullinger.) and when any one of his disorderly souldiers was to be punished, hee would haue this spoken vnto him by the voyce of a Crier. Quod tibi hoc alteri.

Traian the Emperour, a great obseruer of Iustice, and called the Darling of Mankinde, would very of­ten say, how he himselfe and all others▪ must doe as they would be done vnto; and how Subjects ought to be such towards their Prince, as they would haue their Prince to be towards them.

It is written in the life of Augustus the Emperour, how one Zonaras did often remember this generall rule of Iustice to Augustus the Emperour, and would say to him, Siipse alijs feceris, quae tibi fieri velles, non peccabis quippiam, omnia suauissimè & felicitèr admini­strabis, & nullo cum periculo vitam deges.

That learned Lawyer Vlpian, principall Counceller to Alexander Seuerus the Emperour, framed this as as a Constitution, which is found in the Pandects, that is, the volume of the Ciuill Law, called the Di­gests. And this was done by the commandement of Iustinian, that learned and worthy Emperour.

That of our wise, Kings. worthy, learned, and of blessed and happy memory King Iames deceased, may serue for all the rest in his Basilicon doron, li. 2. pag. 6. where shewing to his Son Prince Henry what formes were to be vsed with other Princes, he saith thus vnto him, Vse all other Princes as thy brethren, honestly and kindly. [Page]Striue with euery one of them in courtesie and in kindnes, and as with all men, so specially with them be plaine and truthfull euer keeping that Christian Rule, to doe as yee would be done vnto. Where we see King Iames cals it a Christian rule, and would haue his Sonne Prince Henry euer to keepe it.

Philosophers and Heathen people. Pythagoras and Plato, Socrates and Xenophon with many others, taught this Philosophy and generall rule of Iustice, to do as they would be done vnto, and very carefully obserued it in their life and conuersa­tion. So did Solon and Aristides among the Athenians, Agesilaus and Lycurgus among the Lacedemonians, Curius Fabricius, and Numa Pompilius among the Ro­manes, Xamelzis among the Gothes, Zaleuchus a­mong the Locrians, Trismegistus among the Egyp­tians, and Dunwallo Mulmutius among the old Brit­tons of this Land. Nay more, and that which is ve­ry strange. That diuilish Impostor, and damnable wretch Mahomet hath recommended this generall rule of Iustice, to doe as we would be done vnto, and hath inserted it among the 8. Ordinances, which hee left to the Musalmans, telling them how they were sent downe from heauen by the Angell Gabriel.

This also the heathen haue not obscurely insinua­ted, by making Themis, which is Law or right, a God­desse▪ by building a Temple vnto her in Beoetia, and by making her to be the Daughter of Heauen and earth; for heauen and earth doe applaud this gene­rall rule of Iustice, to doe as we would be done vnto: it is the Royall Law of Loue; it was taught by our Sa­uiour Christ, deliuered by the law of Nature, and ob­serued by Heathen people, led onely by instinct of Nature.

Seeing then that the dignitie of this generall rule of Iustice is so great with the Author and affirmation, the benefit of it is so great with the effects, and the ne­cessity of it is so great, with the subiects, obiects, and the end. And seeing this is proued and approued by testimonies of Scriptures, examples of Scriptures, te­stimonies of ancient Fathers and late Writers, Em­perours, Kings, and Philosophers, and Heathen peo­ple led by instinct of Nature. It is fit and worthy to be remembred and followed of vs, and to be written vpon the tables of our hearts with the point of a Dia­mond, that it may neuer be forgotten; for it is old Philosophie and Christian Religion; it is the end and the scope of all the Commandements of the second Table, and the onely type and token of euery good Christian. Therefore, whatsoeuer yee would that men should doe to you, euen so doe ye to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.

That learned Father S. Austin in his 54. Epistle, tels vs there, that we may occupare negotiosissimum in Republica virum proemio; we may not hold a man of the greatest employment in the Common-weale with a long preface. If not with a long Preface, then not with a long discourse. Pardon therefore my bold­nesse (right honourable and reuerend Iudges) if I first speake to you, and tell you, that this generall rule of Iustice, to doe as ye would be done vnto, is fit and worthy to be remembred of you who are loquentes le­ges, chiefe guardians of iustice, and Altars vnto which such flye for succour and reliefe, as are wronged and iniuried. By this you shall take Gallioes course, as it is in Act. 18.16. to driue away friuolous and iniuri­ous suites from the iudgement seat. By this you shall [Page]be faithfull Stewards of the highest Iudge; and by this you shall keepe safe and sound those two Salts that are in you, the Salt of knowledge, and the Salt of Consci­ence; which Salt of Conscience is the inward Court wherein the highest Iudge of all doth sit.

This generall rule of Iustice is fit to be remembred and followed of you also, who are Magistrates, and in the Commission of peace, the Princes eyes to see withall, and the Princes hands to worke withall, the Ephori of the Common-weale, and the Ouer-seers of common quietnesse. This will make you good and iust, like Iosoph of Arimathea. This will make Iustice in you neuer to draw her breath faintly, or to be per­uerted with any feare or fauour, passion or precipita­tion, malice or presumption; and this will make you like Atropos to cut off the web of many debates and quarrels at home among your neighbours, and to be of that worthy Lord Iudge Dyers minde, who when there came before him any controuersies of poore men to be tryed at the Assises, would vually say, that either the parties themselues were wilfull, or their neigh­bours at home vncharitable, because their suites were not quietly ended at home. Many poore mens suits may be quietly ended at home by you, who are the Iudges eyes. It is well knowne that some of you doe so. O that all would doe so. It is a blessed action to doe so; for, Blessed are the peace-makers.

This generall rule of Iustice is fit also to be remem­bred and followed of you who practise and professe the Lawes, and plead present matters for your Clients; for this will make you square, sound, and sincere in all your actions, and to auoid all those foule aspersi­ons and scandals that are cast vpon you of bribery, [Page]corruption, and extortion, of spinning out suits to the downfall of the Clients estates of wrangling and wrestling as the Greeke Sophisters were wont to doe, to make the worse the better: and that which is worst inded, of animating and setting of some malicious make-bates to sow Cadmus teeth abroad, and like Sa­lamanders still to liue in the fire of debate and dis­cord among their neighbours.

The Law is of masculine force, as Saint Austin tels vs vpon the 59. Psalme; for though in the Latine tongue it is of the feminine gender, yet in the Greeke tongue it is of the masculine gender, because it is of more masculine force and power, Regit, & non regi­tur. It rules, and it doth not rule with any respect of persons, or with any floting, or imaginary affection: for if it hath but one soule, which is reason; and one onely function which is the peace and quietnesse of States and Common-weales: which peace and qui­etnesse of States and Common-weales, shall the better be established and continued, if you follow this gene­rall rule of Iustice, to doe as you would be done vnto.

This Christian and generall rule of Iustice is fit to be remembred ad followed of you who are Actors and commence suites; of you that are witnesses to te­stifie and giue in euidence; of you that are Iuries, and bring in verdicts; and of you that bee Constables, and exhibite Bils. O this will make you neuer to open the sluces of any fauour, feare or partiality to any, neuer to straine out gnats, and to swallow downe Camels, and neuer to be so rash with your mouthes as to say, Sibboleth, Iudg. 12.6. for Shiboleth, great for little, or little for great, cold for hot, or hot for cold, man-slaughter for wilfull murther, or wilfull murther for man-slaughter.

This Christian and generall rule of Iustice, is fit to be remembred and followed of all you that bee here present, of what age or condition, ranke or fashion so­euer ye bee; for by this you shall neuer be barbarous nor cruel one to another; you shall neuer statue nor strip one another, and neuer seeke the downefall and confusion one of another by any vniust meanes, or iniurious courses.

We are all by nature louers of our selues, and wil­lingly we would haue no harme nor hurt done to our selues; the like we must do vnto others; we may not harme nor hurt them in their bodies, goods or name; for what saith Salomon in Pro. 3.29. Intend none hurt to thy neighbour, seing he doth dwell without feare by thee.

The loue of our neighbour is no meane matter, It is not meanly graced by our Sauiour Christ himselfe; for there are but ten commandements, and no lesse them sixe of them concernes our neighbour. These 10. are contracted into two; one of them is our neigh­bours. The first is great; the second is like vnto it, which is our neighbours; the Law and the Prophets depend vpon the one, and the Law and the Prophets depend vpon the other. This is plainly proued by the Apostle, Gal. 5.14. All the Law is fulfulfilled in one word, which is this, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe.

The Mathematicians tell vs, that of all figures, a a Circle is the most absolute, because the beginning and the end concurres in one. Such is this generall rule of Iustice. It comes from Christ in grace, and ends in Christ by the workes of grace. The then that neglect this generall rule of Iustice, and doe not as they would be done vnto, haue little or no grace in them; they can hope to heare well of none but of [Page]cowards and flatterers; and they can neuer haue a good Conscience in them, which is a continuall feast, and the best friend that is in the world. Plerique fa­man, pauci conscientiam verentur, saith Seneca, they little respect that, they can play fast and loose with that at their pleasure, & they can make it of what size or fashion they list themselues. They can vse it as Pro­crustes the Gyant did those whom hee layd in his bed; when they were too long, he had an axe to cut them shorter; and when they were too short, hee had a racke to stretch them longer. Conscientia est cor­dis scientia, and Gods golden dowry bestowed vpon the soule: and yet it hath had them worst hap, that any word had in the world, in the Common weale, & especially in the Church of Christ; for neuer as yet could it be found in her full sillables at once, but some sillable or other was wanting in her. Fasciculus tem­porum tels vs this, in A.D. 1426.

In the Apostles time (saith hee) there was con and sci, but entia was wanting; they had the endowment of the spirit, but not the endowment of possessions. Afterwards there was con and entia, but sci was wan­ting, they were not the learnedst men. But in my time (saith he) con and sci are both gone, and there is nothing left but entia, they haue all the Honours, Mannours, and fat of the Land. But we may now say that it is come round about againe, and it is with vs as it was at the first; we haue con and sci, but our entia are called in question by many embeziled, and by too many enuied and thought too much.

Wee may now well entertaine and renew that alle­goricall [Page]speech of the Lyricke Poet; O ship, new waues come and dash vpon thee! O what doest thou? manfully and strongly hold and keepe thine harbour and thy hauen.

Certainly, people are neuer miserable till consci­ence turnes their enemy, then they are miserable in­deed; for, Nocte dieque suum gestabunt pectore testem, Cui non sanus erit. They shall carry about their wit­nesse night and day; which witnesse dyeth not.

We shall all die, but our Conscience shall not die; we may lose our selues, but we cannot lose our Conscience; the light of it may be shadowed for a time, but it can­not be cleane put out. It shall appeare with vs at the day of iudgement, and then it shall speake with vs or against vs. If against vs, then most miserable wret­ches shall wee be; for then it shall be said vnto vs; De­part ye cursed into euerlasting fire. But if it shall be with vs; then blessed and and happy shall we be; for then it shall be said vnto vs, Come, ye blessed [...]f my Father, in­berite the Kingdome of heauen prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

I feare the time is past, and willingly I would not be tedious vnto you. I will therefore conclude, and com­mit you and commend you to the Author of this ge­nerall rule of Iustice, Christ Iesus our Sauiour: begging and beseeching him to blesse, sanctifie, guide and di­rect you all that you may still remember and follow this generall rule of Iustice, to doe as ye would be done vnto in all your actions, and in all your life & conuer­sation; that so you may liue in the feare, die in the fauour, rest in the peace, rise in the power, and at last remaine with him in euerlasting glory, to whom with the Father, &c.