more or less important, no difference shall be made : if the point relate to states and kingdoms, or if it concern only the smallest branch of moral duty to an individual, it shall equally be made known to us : and if, after that, we err, the error will not proceed from any defect in the rule itself, but from a want of a more perfect discernment of it, or a more just apphcation of it to the point before us.]
3. It is complete —
[What can be added to " the law and the prophets" to make them more complete? Vain would be the attempt either of men or angels to find in them one single flaw or delect : for whilst they comprehend every species of duty, they supply at the same time every motive for the performance of it : " The word of the Lord is perfect." The same may be said also of the rule before us. No created wisdom can improve it: no man can find in it any thing either superfluous or defective. Its comprehensiveness and conciseness we have before spoken of: and we may now notice, what indeed still more clearly dis- plays its excellence, its singular operation on the human mind, not merely as a light to direct us in the path we should go, but as an incentive to us to walk in it.
The mode in which this rule operates upon us is this : it takes the most corrupt principle of the human heart, even that root of bitterness from whence every species of injustice springs ; it suspends all the operations of that principle on the side of evil, and constrains it to become a powerful advocate of virtue. Selfishness is the real source of all those evils and calamities which men bring on each other. It is to this principle that we must trace the wars of contending nations, the discord of families, the injustice, the fraud, and all the other evils that are found in the transactions of individuals. From this principle it is, that men are universally disposed to expect too much, and to concede too little. Now this rule, requiring us to put ourselves in the place of him towards whom we are about to act, cuts off at once all scope for the exercise of this principle in our own cause, and enlists it into the service of our neigh- bour : thereby inclining us as much to favour him, as it would otherwise have inclined us to benefit ourselves : at the same time it marks so strongly the reasonableness of true benevo- lence, as makes us abhor the thought of acting in opposition to it. I may further add too, that whilst this rule operates thus as a stimulus to virtue, a consciousness of having acted agreeably to it is one of the richest rewards that man can enjoy on earth : if a man fail of accomplishing his benevolent pur- poses, he has a recompence in his own bosom from a sense that he has acted right himself: and, if he attain his end, he has a double recompence, the testimony of a good conscience, and
266 MATTHEW, VIl. 12. [1330.
the joy of seeing that he has not laboured in vain. Say then, whether this be not justly called the golden rule ? Surely, whether we consider the mode of its operation, or its peculiar efficacy, or the delight that invariably proceeds from conform- ing to it, its value is inestimable : nor can any terms be too strong in commendation of it.]
From this subject we may learn,
1. The scope and i?ite?it of true religion —
[It is surprising what a jealousy prevails in the minds of men with respect to this. Talk of religion, and especially of Christ, and of " the righteousness which is of God by faith in him, unto all, and upon all them that believe;" and a doubt immediately arises, whether you are not an enemy to good works : this is declared to be the proper tendency of such sen- timents ; and all manner of stories are raked together to coun- tenance the idea. As for those who deny that " the law and the prophets" testify of Christ, and point him out as the only source of " righteousness and strength*^," we shall leave them to settle the matter with the Apostle Paul, and with the standard writings of the established Church. We shall at present notice those only who are so fearful about the interests of morality. Now we assert, that, however strongly the doctrine of justifi- cation by faith be maintained from " the law and the prophets," no man that pays the smallest deference to their testimony can fail to insist upon good works. When we read in one part, that " the love of God and of our neighbour are the two great commandments, on which hang all the law and the prophets;" and in another part, that " the doing as we would be done unto, is (in substance) " the law and the prophets;" we are amazed that any human being should be found, who denies the neces- sity of good works ; or that people should be so credulous as to impute this sentiment to all who embrace the doctrine of sal- vation through a crucified Redeemer. Let the matter be investigated: let it be seen whether Paul was an enemy to good works; whether the great body of our English Reformers were enemies to good works : let us examine the writings of those who now uphold the same doctrine, and see whether they neg- lect to inculcate and encourage good works. Truly, if people were not blinded by prejudice, they would see that one half at least of the obloquy that falls upon those who are contempt- uously called Evangelical, is on account of the strictness of their lives and the holiness of their deportment. But, waving all these considerations, this at least is plain, that, whatever fault there may be in any set of men, " the law and the pro- phets" stand unimpeached : they, with one voice, require