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THE UNIVERSAL RULE
OF
.EQUITY.
(SEAM.
*
XXIII.
I. What
is
the
true
meaning
of
this divine rule.
II.
What
is
the special
argument
that our
Lord uses
in
order
to
enforce
it.
I,II..
Wherein
the
particular
excellencies
of
it
appear.
IV.
I
shall conclude
with' some reflections on this
sub-
ject.
First,
What
is
the
true meaning
of
this
rule
?
In
order
to
understand
this
rule aright,
we
must
consi-,
der
what
it
does
not
require,
as
well as
what
it
does
ì
For
on the one
side,
some
selfish
necessitous
and unreason-
able persons
may
expect more
from
us
than
this
rule
obliges
us
to perform :.
And
on
the
other
side,
a timor-
ous and
weak
conscience
may
perhaps
be
led
into a
mis-
take,
and think itself bound
by
this
rule
to perform some
instances of
kindness
to
others,
which
are'trtterly unrea-
sonable and unrequired, and
which
might
be
injurious
on
other
accounts
to ourselves,
or
to
our
families,
or to
the
rest
of
mankind.
We must remember
then,
that
this rule does
not
mean
to
oblige
us to give
all
that
to
another, or
do all
that
for
another,
which
we
could possibly desire or
wish
to be
bestowed upon
us,
or done
for
us; but whatsoever we
could
reasonably
desire,
and justly expect
another
should
do
to
us,
that
'we
ought
to do to
him when he
is
in
the
like circumstances.
All
that
in our calm
and sedate
thoughts
we
judge,
fit
and
proper another
should do for
us,
that
we
should practise and
do
for
him. Such
re-
quests
as
we
could make
to
others, and could
justify
-them
to
ourselves
in
our
own consciences,
according to
the
principles
of
humanity, the rules
of civil
society,
and.
the
rights
of
mankind,
such
we
ought not
to
deny to
others when
they stand
in
need.
Not
all
that
a fond
self
-love would
prompt
us
to
ask,
but
all
that our
con-
science tell
us we
might with reason expect.
I
shall
mention an instance or
two,
which
will
more
fully
explain what
I
mean.
4
criminal under righteous condemnation
for
murder
or
robbery, may think thus with
himself,
"
Surely
I
would
pardon
the
judge
or.
the prince,
if
he
were in.my
circum-
stances, therefore
he
ought
to
pardon
me."
Or
the
judge
himself
might ;think, "
I
should
be glad to
be
pardoned
or
not condemned,
if
I
were in
the
case
of
this
criminal,
therefore I
will
not
condemn
him."
This sort
of
thoughts