218 Wherein lies ¡hit Exac`l Righteoufnefs, which Serm.io makes himunwilling that another fhould contemn him. I quef}ion not but by this time, you underhand the Meaning rule,; but we are not yet pall all difficulties about it Three ' of the to be done, before this rule will be of ufe to us. ohms are r. We muff make it appear that it is reafonable. a. Make it certain, for till it be certain it cannot bea rule. 3. Make it praúicable. i. We muff make it appear to be reafonable ; The difficulty about the reafonablenefs of it is chis ; according to this rule I thail be obliged to do that many times, which is fiinful, and to omit that which is a ne- ceffary duty ; I will give two or three infiances ; Said would have had his Armour- bearer, to have kill'd him, might he therefore havekill'd his Armour - bearer if hehad been willing, and had defired it ? I may not be an inf}rument, or furtherer of another mans fin, though I were fo wicked as to delire that another would be fo to me ; If I were a Child, I would not have my Father correEt me ; or a malefac`for, I would nor have the Magif }rate cut me off ; mu(} there therefore be no correaion or punifhment ? Now becaufe of thefe, and the like inflan- ces which may be given, the rule is necefiarily to be underflood of things that may be done, or omitted, i.e. which arenot unlawful or unreafonable ; Sars1 might not kill his Armour- bearer, I may not fur- ther another mans fin, in the cafes propounded, becaufe thefe things may not be done, they are morally itnpoffìble, that is, unlawful; A Pa- rent or a Magif}rate, may mot wholly omit Corretion orPunifhmenr, becaufe fuch omiffion would tend to the ruineof good manners, and of humane Society. 2. We muff- make the rule Certain; The difficulty about the cer- tainty of ir, is this ; everiaf}ing difputes will *rife about what is law- ful, and rcafonablc,and unlawful, and unreafonable ; Nowwe muff re- duce it,to a certainty thus ; whatever I would that another fhoulddo to re,that I fhould do tohim uniefs the thing be p.lainly,and evidently un- lawful or unreafonable: & this cuts offall difputes,for though there may be perpetual difputes about what is lawful and reafonable,or the contra- ry, yet there can be nodifpute about the unlawfulnefs. & unreafonable - nefs of thofe things which are plainly and evidently fo,for that which is plain anJ evident, is our of alt difpute ; To confirm this let us confider another Text. ?hí1.4.8. Where the Apoffle exhorts Chriffians to fo; lowwh Lever things are true, andhoaefl, andjug, and pure, and as difcovery of what things arefuch; he adds whatever things arc lcvely, rood report, and praifc worthy; that is, whatever things are amia-
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