No precept can be more obviously equitable than this. It is just requiring a man to act in every case according to what is reasonable and right. It is founded on the principle, that all are equally bound to regulate themselves by the dictates of sound reason and the law of God; and that, of course, whatever would be the duty of any one, in particular circumstances, to us, must be our duty to him, if he were in our circumstances, and we in his. The law of God-the reason of things-is immutable. Duty remains the same, though the individuals be different. Our changing places with our neighbour cannot alter the eternal obligations of truth and justice-cannot make that evil which before was good cannot make that wrong which before was rightcannot destroy, cannot even lessen, the obligations of what was duty. The thing is so plain, that, in illustrating it, I feel as if I were holding up a taper to enable you to see the

sun.

1

The words of our Lord are not only a general summary of our duty to our neighbours, but they are a rule admirably fitted for enabling us, in particular cases, to discover and to perform this duty. The rule is this: Suppose yourself in the case of an individual, and then ask yourself what you would or might reasonably expect from him, were he to bear the same relation to you that you do to him. This is a rule easily understood, easily remembered, easily applied. The person of the most ordinary faculties and education can turn this rule to use, if he is but disposed. He has but to consult his own convictions and feelings:-How should I desire to be treated, if I were in the situation of this individual? What should I think my claims on an individual in my situation? It may be applied even on a sudden emergency, when we have no time nor opportunity for much consideration—when we are required immediately to act.

and from the knowledge of their own hearts, had lost the power of reading, Christ came in the flesh to read to them anew."-Exp. of the Sermon on the Mount, pp. 143, 144. 1 Brewster.

It may well be said of this law, "It is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off: it is very near thee; it is in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." 1

This rule has this great advantage, it shows both what we should do, and what we should not do. It holds both negatively and positively. Though it wears only the positive form in the passage before us, we are as much bound not to do to others, what we would not have others to do to us; as to do to them what we would have them to do to us. To neglect to do what we would expect from others, is equally wrong in nature, though it may not be equally wrong in degree, as to do to them what we would not wish them to do to us.

As this rule is well fitted to be a universal directory, it may serve a good purpose to go a little into detail here. In the ordinary intercourse of life, our conduct ought to be regulated by this maxim. We ought to treat others with the same respect, courtesy, and kindness, as we would wish to be treated by them. We must not subject others to those slights and neglects, which, were we in their circumstances, and they in ours, we should feel to be undeserved and unpleasant. How much is the happiness of domestic life, and of general society, embittered by forgetting to apply this rule, even when none of the more obvious requisitions of truth, or equity, or even love, are violated. What a happy world would it be, if this were the great regulating principle of social intercourse!

In the management of the business of life, we cannot have a better rule. It would lead to the most exact justice in all our dealings. There would be no dishonest debtors, no hardhearted creditors. The light weight, the scanty measure, the adulterated commodity, would be unknown. The rich would not take advantage of the necessities of the poor, nor the poor impose on the ignorance or good nature of the rich. What a vast number of practices, which obtain in common, and which, from their commonness, have ceased to be considered as improper, when touched as by the Ithuriel spear of this maxim,

1 Deut. xxx. 11-14.

would start forth in all their moral deformity and loath

someness.

It is not only fitted to guide us in matters of strict right, but also in claims made on our compassion and assistance. It would prevent the poor man from becoming, without absolute necessity, a burden on his wealthier neighbours, and it would prevent the wealthy from hardening his heart, and shutting his hand against his poor brother.

It is well calculated to show us our duty with regard to the reputation of our neighbours. It would not only prevent all malignant and false statements, but it would make men take heed how they take up and circulate a bad report respecting a neighbour. It would put down all busy intermeddling in matters which do not concern us, all speaking evil of another, even when he deserves to be spoken evil of, unless duty plainly calls on us to make the disclosure.

In the ordinary relations of life, this rule may be of the greatest use. Were husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, often applying this rule, how full of peace and happiness would be the domestic scene! Husbands would love their wives, and wives love their husbands. Parents would not provoke their children to wrath, and children would not be disrespectful and disobedient. Masters would give to their servants the things which are just and equal, and servants would identify their masters' interests with their own. Governors would never be tyrannical, and subjects never turbulent.

I shall mention only one other case in which this rule, if honestly applied, would lead to the happiest results: I refer to differences in religious opinions. Had this principle been acted upon, persecution in all its forms would have been unknown. For where is the man who thinks that it would be right to punish him for his conscientious convictions, or for that conduct which is the necessary result of them? Religious controversies must be agitated so long as men differ in their views, and feel that truth is valuable; but they would

wear a very different aspect from what they do, were those who engage in them to act according to this golden rule. Imputation of unworthy motives, opprobrious language, personal abuse, malignant insinuations, with all the other poisoned weapons, with which the armoury of polemic discussion is so abundantly furnished, would be thrown aside for ever; and clear statement and fair argument take their place.

It is a peculiar excellence of this rule of our Lord, that it not only shows us our duty, but its obvious tendency is to persuade us to perform it. It brings duty before the mind in a peculiarly inviting form. It not only enlightens the mind, but inclines the heart. Self-love is the great obstacle in the way of our doing our duty to our neighbour. Our Lord makes even self-love become, as it were, the handmaid of justice and charity. Having led us to change places with our neighbour, to feel what are our rights, and how unreasonable it would be to withhold them, he then says, These are his rights, and will you be the unreasonable person to deprive him of them; we are made, as it were, to declare what is our neighbour's due, when we supposed we were only considering what was our own; and we cannot, without the shame of conscious inconsistency, refuse to him what we clearly see, were we in his place, we should account it unreasonable and unjust to be deprived of.

Our Lord enforces this comprehensive precept by the declaration," For this is the law and the prophets." "The law" here, is the Pentateuch,-the five books of Moses. "The prophets," are the rest of the inspired books of the Old Testament. When our Lord says, "This is the law and the prophets," he does not mean that the whole information contained in the Old Testament Scriptures, is summed up in this maxim, but he does mean that all which these divine books teach respecting the duty of man to man, is included in this maxim. Just as the apostle says, that

"love is the fulfilling of the law." He who does to all, in their various relations, that which he could reasonably expect from them, were their situation exchanged, has obviously performed all relative duties.

I think it not improbable, that our Lord meant to convey, too, this idea, 'This is not the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, but it is the righteousness of Moses and the prophets.'

Let us examine ourselves. Have we conducted ourselves according to this rule,—this most righteous and reasonable rule? Who does so? Is not every one constrained to say, "who can understand my errors?" Does not every one feel how much has been wanting, how much wrong? Were we under no obligations to God at all, or had we strictly discharged them, our short-comings and wrong-goings, with regard to our neighbour, are enough to condemn us; every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." We need pardon. Pardon is to be obtained, and the faith of the same truth by which pardon is obtained, is the grand, the only effectual, cure of inordinate selfishness, and of making man both love God whom he has not seen, and his brother whom he has seen.

2

Let all who habitually neglect or violate this law recollect, that whatever be their profession, they are not Christians. Even now, Christ is saying to them, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" And by-and-bye he will, if they remain in impenitence, say to them before an assembled world, "Depart from me, I never knew you, ye that work iniquity." 3

VII. APPLICATION OF THE DISCOURSE.

MATTH. VII. 13-23.

The concluding verses of this chapter may be considered as the applicatory part of our Lord's Sermon on the Mount.

Rom. xiii. 10.

2 Rom. iii. 19.

3 Luke vi. 46. Matth. vii. 23.