common centre. We speak not indeed of the doctrinal part of this volume, but of the preceptive. This limitation, like those before mentioned, is necessarily implied, though not ex- pressed : and, if we do not bear it in mind, we shall pervert this best of principles into an occasion of the most destructive error. " The law and the prophets" have a twofold use ; first, to testify of Christ as the ground of our hopes ^ ; and next, to state the laiv as the rule and measure of our duties^. To under- stand the commendation given to this rule as extending to the law and the prophets in the former sense, would annihilate the whole Gospel, and make the death of Christ of no avail. We must therefore understand our Lord as speaking of the law and the prophets only so far as they contain a rule of life. Moreover, when speaking of them expressly in this view, he comprehends the law under two great commandments. The love of God, and The love of our neighbour ; and then he adds, " On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets®." But it is only to this second commandment that the rule in our text refers ; and consequently, when we speak of the rule as comprehending the law and the prophets, we must be considered as limiting our assertion not only to the preceptive part of the law, in opposition to the doctrinal, but to that part of the preceptive code which contains our duty to our neighbour. Let it be remembered, however, that there is not a page of the sacred volume which is not replete with instruction upon this point; and that this short sentence in my text is a summary of the whole.
Now if, on every occasion, we had to search the sacred volume for some precept directly to our point, the opportunities of acting would be passed before we had found such a direction as would be satisfactory to our minds. This would be the case even with those who were most conversant with the sacred writings, and much more with those whose time is almost entirely occupied with temporal concerns. But behold, here is a summary, so short, that it is easily remembered ; so simple, that it is easily understood ; so suited to all occasions, that it is easily applied, by any person, and at any time. Methinks this rule, to a Christian, is like the compass to a mariner. Were the naaster of a ship destitute of any means of directing his vessel, except those afforded him by the heavenly bodies, he might often be steering a very diffei'ent course from that which he designed to take : but, by the help of the compass, the most illiterate sailor may know which way to steer: that little portable contrivance will direct him, whether by day or night, whether in a calm or tempest, and that too in every climate under heaven. Precisely thus it is
<= Rom. iii. 21, 22. ^ Matt. xxii. 40. ^ Matt. xxii. 36—40.