SERMON XII. The Rule of doing as we would be be done to, explained and recommended. SERM. Matt. v. 17. MATTHEW VII. 12. Therefore all Things whatsoever ye would that Men fhould do to you, do ye even fo to them: For this is the Law and the Prophets. T HE holy Author of our Religion declared, that he came not to deftroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil them: And the Whole of his Preaching and Doctrine was a Confirmation of the Truth of that Affertion. He was fo far from diffolving the Obligations which were laid upon Men before his Appearance, to observe the Precepts of the natural and moral Law, that on the contrary, he has confirmed and reinforced thofe Obligations, and and added much more Strength and Weight SER M. to them than they had before. And be- XII. cause he found Religion exceedingly corrupted, and the Laws of God in a great Measure fubverted, through the falfe Notions, and vain Traditions of the Jews; he took care to reftore Religion to its original Purity, to affert and vindicate the Perfection of the Divine Laws, to clear the due Extent of them, and to inculcate an Obedience to them according to their full Meaning and Comprehenfion. This was the great Business of his moft excellent Difcourfe upon the Mount, where, in Oppofition to the falfe Comments of the Jewish Doctors upon the divine Commandments, he gives his own Interpretations of these Commandments, which carry human Duty to a much higher Pitch than the Jews had generally any Notion of, and contain fome of the most fublime and important Inftructions in Morality, that are any where to be met with. Among many excellent Directions and Precepts contained in this Discourse of our Saviour, we have one in the Text, which, from the high Character which our Lord has given of it, from its great and extensive Ufe in Life, and from the clear Foundation which A a 4 SERM. which it has in Equity and Reason, is in a XII. very particular Manner entitled to our Confideration and Regard. Therefore, fays he, all Things whatsoever ye would that Men fhould do to you, do ye even to them: For this is the Law and the Prophets. The Word therefore with which this Precept is introduced, feems to intimate fome Connexion between it, and the preceding Part of our Saviour's Discourse : But as after all the Attempts of Commentators, it is fomewhat difficult to make this Connexion clear and natural, I shall not, as it is not material, fpend any Time in endeavouring to fix it; but immediately proceed to the Confideration of the important Maxim, which our Lord has here delivered. In difcourfing upon which, I fhall obferve the following Method. I. I fhall inquire into the true Meaning, III. I fhall fhew the great Equity of it, Laftly Laftly, I fhall conclude, with fome use-SERM. ful Reflections upon the Whole. I. I fhall inquire into the true Meaning, Ufe, and Extent of this Precept, For understanding the Meaning of this Precept, we must confider that our Saviour intending in this Discourse, to inculcate a more perfect Rule of Life than was delivered by the Jewish Teachers, and laying down this Precept expressly as a Summary of the Laws of Morality, contained in the Wri tings of Mofes and the Prophets in reference, to our Neighbour, he can never be suppofed to have here required any Thing that, is inconfiftent with the most perfect Virtue, and the strictest Performance of the feveral Duties of Righteousness and Charity; and therefore notwithstanding the general Terms which he uses, All Things whatfoever ye would that Men fhould do to ・you, do ye even fo them; we must not imagine that he has hereby commanded us, to gratify any unjust and unreasonable Defires and Expectations of our Neighbours, because it is poffible that if we were in their Circumstances, it might please us to have fuch Defires and Expectations of our own gratified. A Magiftrate, for Inftance, is XII. SER M. not obliged, or authorized by this Precept; XII. contrary to what publick Juftice and the Safety of the Community require from him, to acquit a Criminal upon his earnest and importunate Applications to him, though he may think that if he himself was in the unhappy Condition of the Criminal, he might be as earnest and importunate to escape unpunished. Nor is it a rich Man's Duty by this Rule, to give away from himfelf and his Family his Eftate to a poor Neighbour, or to lay it out for the Support of idle or extravagant Men, because he may know that if he himself was Poor, or Idle, or Profuse, it would be very agreeable to him to have fuch a Support given to him: All Interpretations of this Precept, which lead to a Behaviour not reconcileable with the Principles of Justice, and the good Order and Peace of Society, must certainly be falfe; because they are contrary to the Foundation, and to the whole Design and View of it. The Things therefore defired and expected by us from our Neighbours, which we are to make the Rule and Measure of our Behaviour towards them, must be limited to the Things which we rightfully defire and expect from them. Our Saviour prescribes this Precept upon a |