SERMON XVIII.
Therefore all things ivhatsoever ye luould that men should do to you, do ye even so to them ; for this is the laio and the prophets. — Mat. VII. 12.
It is a general complaint of the world that Christians are defective in the duties of the second table. Some hypocrites may be so, to mask over a dishonest life with a pretence of worship and godliness ; but we are not to judge of the rest of the people of God by these, no more than we would judge of the glory of a street by the filthiness of the sink or canal, or of the sound grapes in the cluster by the rotten ones. For certainly all that have truly submitted to Christianity do find that religion doth influence their relations, and run out and issue itself in all the duties which they owe to man as well as unto God. And it was not a boast which Austin said to the heathens, ' Let all
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the relif^ions of the workl produce such princes, such subjects, sucli husbands, wives, parents, children, as the Christian religion produceth.' This was the glory of religion then, and it should not fall in our hands. Or possibly this may be the cause of it, unrenewed men which allow one another in their excesses, and glory in some kind of mutual civilities, may equal or overpass the godly therein. Look, as dogs excel men in the acuteness of smell, and the eagle in sharpness of sight, and many other beasts in other senses, because it is their excellency, so there are certain lower respects which the men of the world mutually pay one towards another, and they may excel in these as their peculiar worth.
But, however, be that complaint true or false, it concerns us to take notice of it, and to prevent all suspicion of this kind. And therefore we need to press moralities upon Christians, and that from the true root, the love of God; for that is the great mistake of this age, to set up a sort of false morality, and forget the true one that is built on faith in Christ and love to God.
Now, to set down each particular duty w^ould be tedious. The life of man is short, and the law in all its necessary explications long and voluminous ; and therefore to have a sure rule, and a short one, would be a very great advantage to us in this matter.
And this one direction which I have read to )'0U out of the word of God will serve instead of all. It is a sure rule, for Christ gives it us, who is truth itself ; and though it be short, it is full enough for our purpose, for here is the substance and quintessence of the law and prophets, all drawn into one compendious rule and abridgment of our duty, the best epitome that ever was. A sentence thia is of such weight, that the Emperor Severus (as Lactantius reporteth out of Lampridius) was so taken with it, that, having heard it from some Jew or Christian, he wrote it in his palace, and caused it to be engraven in golden letters in the courts of justice, and to be proclaimed at the punishment of offenders. And therefore I shall briefly dis- course of this rule, and present it to your serious consideration.
In the words there is : —
I. A rule of life : ivhaisoever yc luould iliat men should do io you, do ye even so to them.
II. The commendation of it : for this is the law and the 'prophets.
III. The illative particle : therefore.
]\Iy business shall be to open these circumstances.
I. Here is tlie rule of life. This general precept may be considered in the affirmative or in the negative (for negatives are included in their aiTirmatives). The affirmative is in the text, ' All those things that you would men should do unto j'ou;' the negative is in that noted saying, ij,uod tihi fieri non vis, alter i nefeceris — that which you would not have done to you, do not you to them. Tiie one, the negative, conduceth to restrain injury; but the other, the affirmative, urgeth us to do good. The negative enforceth justice and equity in us to others; the affirmative, love and charity. Heathens by the light of nature were more sensible of negatives, that they should not hurt others in their body, goods, or good name, as we would not in either of these things be wronged ourselves ; therefore Christ, passing that, laycth
Mat. VII. 12.] the eighteenth sermon. 371
down the affirmative, of whicli nature is less sensible, of doing good to them, as we desire they should do to us in our extremities.
But because one cannot well be handled without the other, I shall begin with the negative consideration, which concerns right and justice to the persons, names, goods, and possessions of others. We are earnest to have fair dealing from others ; we should be as earnest to yield the same again. There is nO' man but hath a quick sense of injuries done to himself. When' we are wronged by lying, slandering, op])ression, or by fraudulent bargains, how will we discourse of equity, and plead for right upon these occasions ? Why, the like tender respect, the like sense, should we have in our dealing with others ; as 3-ou would not others should defame,. oppress, or overreach you, so should not you do to them. In other men's dealings with us we are masters, acute discerners of right in our own case, able to teach what men ought to do ; but in our dealing with others we are scarce scholars. We would be reverenced, commended, fairly used, have others tender of our credit ; and if we be abused in person, disgraced in speech, endamaged in goods or good name, we complain of the wrong. Therefore it was well said of Calvin, that it would be much better for mankind if we were as fiiithful learners of active duties as we are acute doctors concerning passives ; that is, that we would not offer such usage to others as we would not be well pleased with our- selves, but give as we would receive.