it 52 THE UFIVERSAI. ILULE OF E4UITY. [SEAM. XXXIII:. Ifwe were not thus wrapped up entirely in self, 'in our own party, or in our own kindred, but could look upon our neighboursas ourselves, and seek their advantage to- gether with our own, every man would become a diffusive blessing amongst his neighbours, and. the mutual benefits of mankind would scatter' happiness throughall theworld. In such a beneficent state as this, every man would be, as it were, -a good angel to all that came within the reach of his commerce ; this earth would be a little, image of heaven ; and our present social life amongst men would be a foretaste of our future 'happiness among saints and angels. In those glorious regions, every one rejoices in the welfare of the whole community, and they have a double relish of their own. personal blessedness, by the pleasure they take in contributing .to the blessedness of all their fellows. Thus have I given a short and very imperfect account of the excellencies of this sacred rule of equity and love, and named some of the advantages it has above most other precepts of morality. It remains only that I make two or three reflections on so agreeable a subject. REFLEC'1ION I. In what a compendious method has our Saviour provided for the practice ofall the moral dit- ties enjoined by Moses and the prophets ! For he has summed them up-in a very few words, and reduced them to one short rule ; but the extent and comprehension of ßìt is universal, and almost infinite. Though we should forget twenty particular precepts of love and righteous- ness, yet if-this be fresh in our thoughts, and always ready at hand, we shall practise all those particular pre- cepts effectually, by the mere influence of this one general _4. rule. It is true, it is a real advantage toward'our practice of virtue and justice, to have the mind stored with special precepts, suited particularly to every case ; but where the memory is defective, .or other rules are not learned, . this golden one will do very much towards supplying the place of many. Our Saviour himself grants this truth, when he says, " This is the law and the prophets." REFLF,e-rià=N' II. What divine wisdom is manifested rn making. his golden rule of equity a fundameI1ta1 law, irrtbe two most täirious religions-that ever God appointed to the children of men ; that is, the jewish and the
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