the prepared matter. This poffibly may be, because we fee the formation of the externals of bodies is still immediately effected by the feminal ideal energy of the fubftantial form. But poffibly it might be otherwife, for poffibly the first constitution of things might be of another nature than what now appears. 3. That as they were the immediate production of the Divine Power, fo it was a production not ex necessitate naturæ, but ex intentione intendentis. 4. That as it was the production of Almighty God, not as a neceffary, but as a free agent, so it was a pro duction of infinite wisdom, and admirable contrivance, This is the fubject of fome of the precedent tracts, OF DOING AS WE WOULD BE DONE UNTO. MATTHEW vii. 12. THEREFORE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER YE WOULD THAT MEN SHOULD DO TO YOU, DO YE EVEN SO TO THEM; FOR THIS IS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS. LUKE yi. $1. AND AS YE WOULD THAT MEN SHOULD DO TO YOU, DO YE ALSO TO THEM LIKEWISE. ALMIGHT MIGHTY God, in his giving out the moral law unto the Jews (which is, indeed, little else than a repetition, or recapitulation, of the law of nature), included, or infcribed, it in two tables; the firft importing the natural duties that a man owes to God; the fecond importing the duties a man owes to man, or (which is all one) to his neighbour. Our Redeemer made a fhorter abstract of both thefe tables', yet taken out of the ancient writings of the law: The first and great commandment,' or the ab, ftract of the firft table, Thou fhalt love the Lord thy 'God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy mind;' which is the fame in fubstance with that of Deut. vi. 5. The fecond commandment, or the abstract of the fecond table, Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf,' being the fame with that of Lev. xix. 18. On thefe two commandments hang all the law and the prophets;' that is, the feveral precepts, prohibitions, and counfels contained in the law and 1 Matth. xxii. 87, &c. the the prophets, are, as it were, fo many commentaries, or explications, of these two great commandments. And the apostle, Rom. xiii. 9, 10. having occafion to commend this great habit of love, which he elfewhere, viz. 1 Cor. xiii. calls by the name of Charity, follows his Master's doctrine, and refolves the whole duty of the fecond table into the fame great command, Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf.' In this text of Matth. vii. 12. and Luke vi. 31. our Lord gives us an explication of this fecond great commandment, of loving our neighbour as ourself, in a brief, but more clear propofition or precept. And the excellency of this precept confifts in these particulars, among many others: 1. It is compendious and fhort: the volumes of morality that have been written, both by Chriftian and heathen philofophers, though they contain many excellent precepts, yet they are very large, and fuch as every man hath not opportunity to read; and those that have read them, or fome of them, cannot easily remember the many particulars contained in them. Our Lord, therefore, hath given us this brief and compendious precept, which is eafy and familiar to be remembred. 2. Though it be a compendious precept, yet it is a comprehensive precept, and fuch as contains the whole duty of man in relation to others. There was well known, not only among the Jews, but among the heathens, the prohibitory part of this precept; namely. quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris1. We find it among the ancient Jews, Tobit iv. 15. and among the ancient heathens; infomuch, that one of the Roman emperors caufed it to be writ ten in letters of gold, as his choice motto, in several parts of his palace. And, indeed, that negative precept contains very much of moral righteoufnefs, because it extends to the prohibition of all acts of injuftice or unrighteoufnefs; but this precept of the Gospel doth not only What you would not have done to thyself, do not to another. virtually virtually prohibit all acts of injuftice and unrighteoufnefs, but it doth exprefsly command and enjoin all acts of charity, goodness, and beneficence; and con, fequently is a precept not only of moral justice, but of evangelical perfection, far beyond whatever the choiceft heathen moralift ever required, or fo much as thought of, as fhall be in due time fhewn. And yet, farther, it doth not only comprehend all the fubjects or matter of moral juftice and Christian charity, which is a large and comprehenfive fubject, but it directs, likewife, the manner of it-Do ye even so to them, with the fame fincerity, and integrity, and fimplicity, and affection of heart, as you would have it done to you. 3. As it is a compendious and comprehenfive, fa it is a plain and perfpicuous, and felf-evident rule; it fends not a man to confult with this or that philo fopher, schoolman, or cafuift, to be refolved touching the thing to be forborne or done, but fends a man to himself, and to that in himfelf which is most evident to himfelf; namely, what he would wish to be done to himself in the like condition; which, if a man will be but as honeft to himself as he may, he can eafily determine and judge. So that of this precept I may fay, as Mofes doth elsewhere concerning the law: 'Behold! this commandment which I command thee this day, is not hidden from thee, neither is it afar. off. It is not in heaven, &c. neither is it beyond the fea, &c. But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest ' do it 1.' 4. It is fuch a rule as in particular, and particu larly directive, as to the action in question, under all its circumftances. It is true, that the general precepts of doing that which is good and just are very true, fourd, natural precepts, and common notions that are implanted in our nature, and allowed by all; but yet they ferve not as fufficient directions to particular ac Deut. xxx. 11. |