382 THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON. [MaT. VII. 12.
and ten persons upon one stone.' What tlicn ? ver. 23, ' Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem ; and the men of IShechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, that the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal mi;:jht come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, Avhich slew them.' So also the observation of Austin is not to be j)assed by, ui)on the parable of the rich man ; he that denied a crumb, could not find a dro[) to cool his tongue.
But you will say, Is it so with good men also, the children of God, if they should break his law, doth the Lord give them according as they have done to others? Yes; God observes the same justice; though he doth pardon the eternal punishment and take it off, yet here in this world, as to temporals, they shall have like for like. Jacob supplanted his brother ; he came to Isaac as the elder, the younger instead of the elder ; and Laban brings him the elder instead of the younger, Leah instead of Rachel. Asa, which put the prophet into the stocks, we read of him that he was diseased in his feet. Nay; I shall give you greater instances than that. Joseph's brethren they were not flexible to their brother, and did not hear his cry ; at length they came to Egypt upon an honest errand for corn in time of famine, anil the man is inexorable : Gen. xlii. 21, 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear ; therefore is this distress come upon us.' What was the matter ? How comes this to work ? In a storm, things at bottom Ave see come up to the top ; so ever sins in trouble will bubble up, and we shall see that we saw not before. How come they to remember the trouble of their brother, for they knew not Joseph, and twenty years were past since they sold him ? They ibund the man as inexorable as they had been to their brother. God s judgment of counter-passion sets their conscience a-work. A greater instance we have of Paul, that consented to the stoning of Stephen, and was present too at his execution ; and it is said, ' They laid down their garments at Paul's feet ;' and he himself takes notice of it with great remorse afterwards, Acts xxii. 20. Well, what then ? after his conversion how doth God deal with Paul ? Stephen had prayed for liim too among the rest, 'Lord, lay it not to their charge ;' yet God gave him some smart remembrance of his sin. When Paul and Barnabas had been preaching at Iconium, though Barnabas had irritated them as well as Paul, they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercnrius, because he was the chief speaker. Barnabas, who was equal with him in preaching, God ordered it so he was not stoned ; but Paul, that had consented to Ste^jhen's stoning, was stoned himself and carried out for dead. What need have we to be exact in observ- ing what is required of us here, for the Lord by one means or other will return it into our bosoms. We have done that to others which we would not should be done to ourselves, and therefore will God do that to us which we do to others.
APPLICATION. Use 1. To inform us : — First, What an advantage religion is to mankind, even with regard
Mat. VII. 12.] the eighteenth sermon. 383
to the present life. The world hath a prejudice against religion as if it were an ill-natured thing, and made men forget equity and humane respects in favourable dealings with others. But certainly there is no reason for this prejudice, when it doth require not only love of all in their several capacities, but to do to them all the good possibly we can, and to seek out objects to whom we may do good, and be of a God-like affection. Therefore, see that it be so in your profession and practice, that you may recover the credit of religion by this rule. If this were practised : —
1. How securely and safely might we live one by another ! "Whence come all the oppressions and injuries wherewith the world aboundeth, but for want of love to their neighbours as themselves ? How easily might we be brought to pardon wrongs ! And how patiently would we bear the modest dissent of others, when their judgments are not of our size and mould ! How far would we be off doing hurt to others, even as far as doing hurt to ourselves.
2. Consider how beneficial and mutually helpful men would be to each other, seeking others' good as their own, and rejoicing in an- other's welfare as their own. If the world would but consider how much of Christianity doth consist in loving and doin^ good, as if all the world had but one soul, one interest, it would render it very amiable to them. Take this rule quite away, and there is nothing so false, bad, cruel,.that you would not be drawn to think, or say, or do against your brother.