OUR Saviour, upon the close of his Sermon upon the Mount, doth in this Chapter forbid an affectation of Censure and Forwardness in Judging our Neighbour, [Page 2] cautions us against the Prophanation and Prostitution of Holy things; exhorts us unto Prayer, with that persuasive induce­ment of God's Benignity and Goodness, compared with the tenderness of an earth­ly Parent, shewing us the disproportion of created and uncreated Goodness, to strengthen the Argument à fortiori.

After which, he descends to this Princi­ple of Common Equity, Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, &c.

In which Words we may consider these following Propositions, as directly con­tained or implied therein.

• I. That all men by a natural Principle, which flows immediately from the very frame of their Natures, are in­clined to wish well to themselves.
• II. That every particular mans happi­ness doth so much depend upon the general and common good of Society, that it cannot be separate therefrom.
• III. A General Rule of Natural Justice and Common Equity to be observed [Page 3] by all men in Society and Converse with one another, viz. That whatso­ever we would that men should do unto us, we should do even so unto them.
• IV. Lastly, The Divine Authority and Sanction of this Precept, For this is the Law and the Prophets.

I. I begin with the first of these, viz. That all men by a natural Principle, which flows immediately from the very frame of their Natures, are inclined to wish well to themselves. That every man hunts af­ter his own felicity, and is at all times a Well-wisher to his own good (however he mistaketh the thing, or the way to that good) is a Maxim so evident and clear, that no man in his sound wits can call it into question; it is derived from the very ne­cessity of our Natures, men cannot do o­therwise if they would. It is the very fun­damental Law of our Being, and the very first Principle that God hath put into us: In other Creatures it is called Instinct, which God hath implanted in their Na­tures, as a power necessary for their sup­port [Page 4] and preservation. We can as soon stifle, or annihilate our very Beings, as de­prive our selves of this motion and desire after happiness; which if we could take a­way, would destroy our Constitution as men, and quite unhinge the frame of our Natures. As we cannot but directly feel our own passions by a quick and immedi­ate perception; so we applaud or else condole our selves, as the motions of Plea­sure or Pain do affect us, according unto that Scheme of Good and Evil which we have framed in our minds. For unless the mind be alienated through Phrenzy or o­ther distemper of Body, 'tis not to be con­ceived, that we should not seek and pursue after as good a condition as we can possibly be in, in our desires and wishes at least, if not in our practice and endeavour.

But this is a Point so very plain, that I shall no longer insist thereon; but proceed to the next Particular, viz.

II. That every particular man's happi­ness doth so much depend upon the ge­neral and common Good of Society, that it cannot be separate therefrom. As God, [Page 5] hath given us no desire or natural inclina­tion without sufficient power also of put­ting the same in execution; so in nothing more hath he put us into a capacity of pur­suing our truest interest in this World, than by the constant exercise of Sociable Duties, and the good Offices of common Life and Conversation. This is apparent in the general Order of Providence: The low­est Creatures that partake of life, are sorted and combined together for their Common Good. In Bees we have a resemblance of Rule and Polity; Birds and Beasts accom­pany each other, and joyn in the respective Offices of their kind, and contribute their mutual Aid, unless of the most savage and wild Natures. And though we excel o­ther Animals in a reasonable Soul, to study Nature and the Authour of it, and to pur­sue the ways of Happiness; yet this is so far from promoting solitude and a life un­sociable, that it rather excites our inclinati­ons and desires to a combination with one another under good and profitable Laws of Community. For no man hath that sufficiency in himself, as not to want the [Page 6] assistance of others; no Creatures, not the Angels themselves, are absolutely perfect and completely independent, much less can any Mortal be sufficient of himself, without external Aid and foreign Supplies. Therefore since God hath appointed a Communion and Fellowship in other Creatures inferior to Man, how much more in us, who are Members of his Church Militant on Earth, that we may be the same in his Church Triumphant in Hea­ven? Now as our happiness under God is fundamentally seated in Society, to which many Vertues have an immediate respect and relative application; so he that will be happy in a well-disciplin'd and civilized Community, must observe the Laws of it, which are modell'd for the benefit of each particular Member, with a due regard un­to the publick; without which Proviso, in tract of time, the Establishment would fall, and the Community be dissolved.

And thus I have briefly shewn the necessity of Society in general, as we are ratio­nal and discoursive Creatures. I come now in the next place to consider,

III. The General Rule of Natural Ju­stice and Common Equity to be observed by all men in Society and Converse with one another, express'd in my Text, That whatsoever we would that men should do unto us, we should do even so unto them. As we are push'd on to the love of our selves by a forcible and controuling Instinct of Nature; so God hath made this the Foundation of Ju­stice and Charity, the Rule and Measure of Domestick and Political Duties. He that watcheth and observeth the motion of his own mind, the inward frame of his own heart, can tell his behaviour to him­self, and the various tendency of his passi­ons towards whatever doth really, or is but supposed to concern him. As every man is tender of himself, so he also desireth and expecteth that other people should have regard unto him; should beware of incroaching upon his Person, or invading his Interest. Now if a man find these inclinations and propensions in himself, he should consider the same likewise in others, who are men of the same original Mould as he is, indued with like affections, and [Page 8] correspondent Principles of inclination and desire; that so by containing his Passions within the Bounds of Reason and Religion, he may teach others to moderate the exces­ses of them, to prevent those violent effects that issue from so predominant and boiste­rous Principles. So that, the love of our selves is understood by all men, it needs no Paraphrase or Explanation: Nature and Reason prompt us to it, and Religion re­commends it so far as to make it the Mo­del of our proceedings with one another. Now he that truely loveth himself is a Friend of Humanity, and loveth his com­mon Nature in another man: for we are not only taught of God to love our Brethren in Christ, I Thess. 4.9. but may be our own Instructors, only by observing the Rule of my Text, which is fitted and squared to all conditions of Life. For it preserveth and maintain­eth all establishments of men; it justles out no Duty or distinction of Order amongst us; it doth not confound the different re­spects due to men, as Morality enjoins, and Prudence points out and directs; it doth not overturn Communities by loosening [Page 9] the Bands of Authority and Subjection, or confounding the degrees and stations, which are necessary, whether in Oeconomical or Civil Societies.

To love our Neighbour as our selves is by Reduction and Inference, the love of Piety and God himself, according to the Dialect of Scripture-Phrase in Holy Writ. Saint Iohn expresly joineth them together, He who loveth God, 1 John 4.20, 21. loveth his Brother also; and if a man say, I love God, and hateth his Brother, he is a Liar: for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen, how can be love God whom be hath not seen? Should I speak of this Rule as it deserves, in what a plentiful Field of Ar­guments might I expatiate, what a multi­tude of Motives and forcible Perswasives might I produce, to oblige men to the practice of this so excellent a Duty? Do we not prize and value our selves amidst disgraces and misfortunes? and our frail­ties and weaknesses, do they not but very little depress us in our own opinion; nor, do we desire to be lessened in the esteem of others? Why then should we audaciously revile, inwardly despise, or scossingly re­proach [Page 10] our Neighbour? As we heartily covet our own welfare and profit, rejoyce in the success of our own actions, and are hugely pleased when others bear a part in our Joy; so should we congratulate our Neighbour on the like occasion. As we are not Stoically affected in the case of our Safety, our Fortune, our Honour and Re­pute, nay our very Pastimes and Diversi­ons, but require the assistance of others, and expect it from them; in the like man­ner let us be helpful to our Neighbour, and Promoters of his good. As we would not be shot with Envy in the prosperous cir­cumstances of our lives; so neither ought we to repine at another mans increase of Fortune, growth in Reputation, or Ad­vancement in Power. If we find Delight and Complacency resulting to us from a flourishing condition in Wealth or Repute, or any additional Ornament to our state, are we not apt to communicate this satis­faction to others, that we may augment our Joy by an accession of theirs? Why then should we be close and reserved to our Neighbour in like Cases? Why should [Page 11] we not extremely rejoyce at the Temporal or Spiritual good of our Neighbour, espe­cially the latter, which doth so infinitely outweigh and vastly transcend all other concerns? Alas! Do not our disgraces and misfortunes strike and pierce our very hearts? Doth not pain and sickness in us importune our Neighbours compassion, and intreat the relief and succour of our Christian Brethren? Doth not this then prompt us also to a fellow-feeling with, and commiseration of our Neighbour in his distress? There is none of us all that will not stickle earnestly for our selves; we manage our own concerns with vigorous and faithful industry, and we do all we can to prevent want and a destitute condition, the fears whereof do so disquiet and molest us; we are not satisfied with an empty wish, but put our invention on the Rack, in projecting our designs, and bringing to pass our desires; and if we are considerate and wife, with as much solicitude and care­fulness we propagate the Honour of God in our lives, we impress an awe of Religi­on in our hearts, we supplant ignorance and [Page 12] hurtful errour in our minds, and do exter­minate sin and a bad conscience in our selves: this inculcates to us how ready and disposed, how officious we should be in furthering our Neighbours good, in ad­vancing and procuring his Benefit, in mi­nistring to the wants and necessities both of his Body and his Soul. And as we do not usually thwart and oppose our own eager propensions, nor desire that others should contradict our fancy and humour; so we may learn hence what Equity and Mode­ration we should exercise towards them, what a complaisant and civil demeanour we should bear towards all men, endea­vouring to please them in all things for their edification. Rom. 15.2. Is any man easily incensed against himself? or does he desire to see others boil with indignation against him, or betray a spightful and haughty Spirit to­wards him? Then, let him also shew a frank and condescending meekness of Temper, such as will soften the harshness of bad Tempers; rather than insult upon the frowardness of another, or exasperate him with unseemly reproaches, or libel [Page 13] him with harsh and bitter Invectives. As we have a natural fondness for our selves, and every man wisheth himself an increase of content and happiness; so this propen­sion inclineth us naturally unto a Sociable Life, that we may in common partake of those Benefits which cannot be had in so­litude. Now the Laws of Society require a mutual regard unto the Members there­of; for they are not calculated for the pro­fit of one, but of many; and therefore he that wilfully oppresseth another is a Transgressor against the grand Law of our Nature, and by his practice would discard all humanity, and overthrow all helpful Society. Alexander Severus the Emperour had always this Saying in his mouth, Lamprid. in Vit. Alex. Sev. c. 51. p. 577. Hist. Au­gust. L. Bat. 1661. Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris, Do not that to another, which in thy conscience thou desirest should not be done unto thee. This comprehends our deportment in all our words and actions, so as to carry our selves harmless and inoffensive to others, as we desire they would do to us. Now 'tis certain that no man is willing that his Neighbour should be rude in his address, [Page 14] of a churlish temper, of an untractable and refractory humour, of a crabbed and disingenuous behaviour; of a Cynical dis­position on the one side, or of a glosing dissimulation on the other; that he should be either a Blab, or a Sycophant. No man careth that his Neighbour should be singular, wilful and testy, humoursome and capricious; but rather gentle and con­versable, frank and easie, complaisant and obliging, in whatsoever things are honest and of good report. No man is willing to have an unjust Tyranny obtruded upon him in words and actions, by a trouble­some Lawgiver and Dictator in Discourse, or a greedy Extortioner in Business and Dealing. No man is willing that his Neighbour should treacherously collude with him in Promises and Covenants, or wickedly and deceitfully trepan him. We would all be gently accosted, and favour­ably handled in word and deed. No Bo­dy is fond of ill-natur'd censure, of un­worthy and base detraction. Who is there ambitious of being exposed and Bussoon'd, to have hisfaults unravell'd with envy and [Page 15] spight, his imperfections publickly can­vass'd as a common Theme of Discourse, an entertainment of laughter and malice? No Body careth to be wrongfully upbraid­ed, unseasonably charged and rebuked; nor are we fond of being proudly over­awed, insolently brow-beaten, or imperi­ously controuled. No man careth to be sawcily bearded, to be stubbornly with­stood in a reasonable matter by a wilful and cross-grain'd opposition. Is there any man who is willing to have his words wrested, his sense misconstrued, or his a­ctions misreported and traduced? Is there any one who is willing that his person should be vilified with open slander, nay with malicious truth? stabb'd in effigie by cowardly whispering, or griev'd with un­manly scoffs, with insupportable insulting Taunts? If it be true, that we are apt to wink at our own faults and conceal them, to colour our own failings, nay to make an Apology for our very Crimes, and grow angry that others will not bestow the Curse which Isaiah mentions, upon themselves, Isai. 5.20. of calling evil good, and bitter [Page 16] sweet: is it commendable or honest then to disclose another's nakedness, to aggravate all the miscarriages of our Neighbour, and magnifie them beyond all modesty and measure? 'Tis certain we would not be hurt or prejudiced in Body, damnified in Estate, or deflowred in Reputation; we have so delicate and nice a feeling in our own concerns, that we cannot bear a mo­derate reflection, but it shocks us immedi­ately; we cannot endure the Brunt of a false Story of our selves; how doth it stagger and unsettle us, amuse and affright us? How eager are we to stop the mouths and ears of others against our selves, and stifle, as soon as possibly we can, the infe­ction, and hinder it from spreading? And this may be a Rule to square our Deport­ment, and fashion our Behaviour in what­soever relates to Ingenuity and Candour, to honest and plausible Dealing, to the sweet and comfortable enjoyment of rea­sonable Society.

For this is a Rule of unsailing Equity, of impartial Truth, and Godly Simplici­ty, to do to others, as we would have them do to [Page 17] us, if we could exchange our persons with them: which in a Negative sense implies the for beating what we dislike, and the declining such Proceedings with our Neighbour, as are hateful to our selves. And this removes an Objection which might perhaps be started, viz. That it seems an infringement of Order, and a re­laxing of Society, for men of very different and unequal capacities, so far above or below one another, by natural or acquired Rights, to follow the strictness of this Rule; That it tends to the confusion and levelling of Persons, and therefore is im­practicable. No certainly, this holy and wise Law hath a respect unto the Com­mon Good of Mankind, and cannot over­throw that peace and settlement, which God, by writing it in the hearts of men, intended it should uphold and establish, although it had never been inforced by po­sitive Institution and Command: no more being meant thereby than a com­modious Rule ever at hand to adjust and temper all the Duties of Sociable Life; that every man would do by his Neigh­bour [Page 18] that which his Reason and Consci­ence tells him he should expect from him in like circumstances; to fulfil the Laws of universal Justice, and to establish an equal and uniform Charity, which is the Bond of Perfection, and the Top of all humane Vertue.

I come now to consider the last Propo­sition in my Text, viz.

IV. The Divine Authority and San­ction of the Precept, For this is the Law and the Prophets. This is not only a Dictate of the Law of Nature, a Precept every way agreeable to our rational Faculties; but it is the very Basis and Ground-work of Legal and Prophetical Dispensations throughout the Book of God. What is the Second Table of the Decalogue? in what doth it consist, but in standing Rules of Direction concerning our Duty unto our Neighbour, in strict Injunctions of due Honour and Obedience to our Supe­riours, and of Justice to all men; in se­vere Prohibitions to be injurious to any in their Persons, their Property and Good Name, or any thing belonging to them? [Page 19] What are the Prophets, but inspired Com­mentators upon the whole Law of God, with extraordinary Commission to inforce Righteousness and Morality, nay and of­ten to prefer it before Devotion it self, as more pleasing to God, Hos. 6.6. Matt. 9.13. for he loveth mercy better than Sacrifice, and the good we do our Fellow-Creatures that need it, better than his own Worship and Service; who though he infinitely deserves it, yet needs it not.

Now, as this Body of Institutes was gi­ven to Moses by the Ministry of Angels, and delivered to the People of Israel, the Seed of Iacob, God's peculiar Inheritance; so the Gospel of our Lord, the Covenant of Grace, hath exceedingly confirmed and strengthened this Second Table of the Commandments, by superadding eternal Rewards and Punishments unto all those who willingly observe, or wilfully trans­gress them. Doth not our Saviour assure us, That with what measure we mete unto others, it shall be measured to us again in our Accounts with God in the Journal of our Lives? when He that sets Iudgment to the Line, Isai. 28.17. and [Page 20] Righteousness to the Plummet, will pronounce us everlastingly condemned or acquitted by the Rule of Charity. And therefore St. Paul exhorts us (for a Test of our Holiness, Col. 3.12. and Mark of our Election) to put on Bowels of mercy, humbleness of mind, to be clothed with meekness and long-suffering; Gal. 6.2. to bear one an­others Burthens, Rom. 12.3. and think soberly of our selves. In reference also to publick Establishments, how firmly doth the Apostle bind us to O­bedience? Rom. 13. Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers: Render to all men their Dues, Tribute to whom Tribute, Custom to whom Cu­stom, Fear to whom Fear, Honour to whom Ho­nour. 1 Pet. 2.13. So also S. Peter, Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. And that we may not be blown and puff'd up with vanity (which renders us over­weening and conceited, imperious and haughty) we are forbid to do any thing, Philip. 2.3. through strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind to give preheminence to others, and esteem them better than our selves. In another Text we are bid to honour all men, 1 Pet. 2.17. and love the Bro­therhood that is, the intire Fellowship and Fraternity of Christians. Nor hath the [Page 21] Scripture only secured Reverence to Au­thority in a Publick Station, and regulated our general converse; but it hath likewise stated the welfare of private Societies, by teaching the reciprocal Duties of each Member thereof, and their respective Ob­ligations: Husbands, love your Wives, and be Col. 3.19. not bitter against them. Wives, submit your selves unto your own Husbands, as unto the Lord; for the Husband is the Head of the Wife, Ephes. 5.2. as Christ is Head of the Church. And for Oeconomical Provision and Care, I Tim. 5.8. Whosoe­ver doth not provide for his own, especially for them of his own houshold, is in the Apostle's judgment, worse than an Infidel. Lastly, we have the mutual Offices of Children and Parents, Masters and Servants, speci­fied and determined in the New Testa­ment, as well as in the Old: Ephes. 6.4. That Fathers should not provoke their Children, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: Ephes. 6.1. That Children should obey their Parents in all things, as well-pleasing unto God. As al­so, That themselves should not be provoked to anger, left they be discouraged and out of heart, and rendred thereby apt to go astray [Page 22] from their Duty. So in like manner, Ser­vants are enjoined to obey in all things their Masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, Eph. 6.5, 6. fearing God; to be subject with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but the froward: and Masters are commanded to give their Servants what is just and equal, as know­ing they have also a Master in heaven, Eph. 6.9. who is no Accepter of persons.

Here we see a Summary and compen­dious deduction of the several Branches of Duty, arising from this just and holy Pre­cept.

It remains therefore that we apply it to our selves, that we should ponder it in our minds, and examine and sift our conscien­ces, how far we have swerved from the Rule, how far we have crookedly and perversly carried our selves towards our Neighbour in every respect and circum­stance; how indirectly and obliquely we have dealt with other men: yet on the contrary, with great fondness and doating partiality to our selves. For if all Com­mandments referring to Intercourse, and [Page 23] our Dealings with one another (as, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet) be contained in this one Article of loving our Neighbour as our selves, as our Blessed Saviour tells us, Rom. 13.9. and S. Paul Also affirms and makes a parti­cular recital thereof; if those Command­ments are virtually comprized and summ'd up in this Precept of our Saviour, That we should do unto others, as we would have them do unto us (which is indeed undefiled and un­spotted Religion, as including all the Du­ties of Society, without reserve, or distin­ction of partiality and prejudice) then let us bethink our selves and consider how faulty and unequal we have been in the Weights and Measures of our Justice and Charity to our selves and others. Do we not for the most part use a double Balance, weighing our own Interests and Con­cernments in the one, and those of our Neighbour in another; standing strictly upon the Equity of this Rule to our selves, but having little or no regard to it when others challenge the like from us? This is [Page 24] certainly very great partiality and injustice. Since then we have so clear and certain a Rule, which is always ready at hand (be­cause every man carrieth it in his own breast) it is a matter certainly of wonder and astonishment, that any one who calls himself a Christian, should not be extreme­ly ashamed, not only to break and daily transgress this righteous rule of Justice and Equity, but even to fly out into those enormous Crimes of Murder and Op­pression, of Subornation and Perjury, which an honest and sober Heathen would be ashamed and blush at.

We have therefore great and mighty reason to magnifie and extol the Provi­dence of God, who hath ordained and constituted Magistrates as his and the King's Ministers of Justice, to execute wrath upon all those who do evil; ­Rom. 13.4. without which, the World would soon become a Wilder­ness, or a mere Shambles of Cruelty and Oppression, and Mankind only a barba­rous Herd of Prey, the greater and migh­tier still devouring the lesser and weaker, and every one inhumanely striving to crush [Page 25] his Neighbour. I beseech therefore Al­mighty God to prosper your undertakings, that Justice in an even Balance may be e­qually administred; that the innocent may be protected and relieved, whilst the wicked man is caught in the Snare which he laid for the intrapping of others. And I pray God we may all remember the great Account we must one day make at the one great general Assize, when an Arch-Angel shall found a Trumpet before the Judge of the whole Earth, Eccles. 12.14. and every man shall be recompenced according to his deeds, whether they be good, or whether they be evil. For which Great Day, God of his Infinite Mercy grant we may all prepare our selves, for the sake of his only beloved Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be given all Ho­nour, Praise and Dominion, now and for. evermore.

Amen.