SERi6i. THE UNIVERSAL RVLE OF EQVITY. 43 conscience judges they should deal with you." but this leads me to the Third enquiry, viz. wherein do the peculiar excellen- ties of this rule appear: This golden rule hath many excellent properties be- longing to it. I shall mention a few on purpose to im- press it on your consciences with more conviction, plea- sure, and power. , I. It is a rule that is easy to be understood, and- as easy to be applied by the meanest and weakest under- standing. It is so plain, that what is said by Isaiah con- cerning all the precepts of the gospel, is more eminently true of this; "it is a highway of holiness, and the way- faring man, though á fool, shall not err therein," Is. xxxv. 8. The laws of man are often expressed in such obscure language and terms of art, that they puzzle us to find out the meaning of them: And the nice distinctions and subtle reasonings of men, oftentimes add to their dark- ness, and raise new disputes : But this is a law that every man understands; nor is it easy to be clouded by thecomments and glosses of crafty men, ifwe are but sincerely resolved to judge and practise according to it. By themeans of this rule, they who never studied the civil law, nor took pains in enquiring the moral dictates of the light of nature ; they who never examined the sta- tutes of a nation, nor the rules of natural justice, are all furnishedwith a law or rule of equity in their own minds, by which to manage their whole practice, with regard to their neighbours. Those who are not capable of long trains of reasoning, or of applying several general rules to all their particular cases ; yet are able to look into their own hearts, and to ask this easy question, " Would. I myself be content to have others deal thus with rue ? Why then should I deal thus with another ?" II. It is a very short rule, and easy to be remember. ed The weakest memory can retain it; and the Mean- est of mankind may carry this about with them, and have -it ready upon all occasions. It is .of admirable use to solve a thousand cases of conscience that may arise on the sudden, and may perplex our minds with difficulty. ` It lies ready," says a considerable author, _" for pre- sent use upon all exigencies and occasions. We can 4
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=