70 / 674
SO
THE UNIVERSAL
RULE
OF
EAUITY.
[SERM.
xxru.
deformed
;
we should never ridicule the
natural
infirmi-
ties
of
the
meanest
of
our
fellow
-
creatures, nor their
providential
disadvantages,
if
we did
but
put
ourselves
in
the
room
of the blind and
lame, the
deformed and the
poor, and
ask
whether
we
should think it
just
and
rea-
sonable
to be
made
the mockery
and
the
jest
of
those
that
behold
us.
We should certainly be inclined to
vi-
sit the
sick,
and
feed the hungry, to give
drinkto
him
that
is
a-
thirst,
and
to
secure the
feeble
and helpless
from the,
oppression
of
the mighty,
if
we
enquired
of
our
own
heart, what
treatment
we
should
expect
if
we
were hun-
gry
and
thirsty,
if
we
were
sick
and helpless.
The
blessed
command
of our
Saviour would incline
us
to reprove
with gentleness,
to
punish
with mercy,
and
never
to
censure others without
ajust
reason, and
a plain
call
of
providence
;
for
we
ourselves desire
and would
reasonably
expect
this
sort
of treatment
from others.
If
we
carried
this
sentence
always in
our
memories, should
we blaze
abroad
scandalous
reports
before
we
know
the
truth of
them
?
and publish doubtful
suspicions
of
our
'neighbour's
guilt
?
Should
we
blacken
his
character
to
the utmost,
even where
there
is
a
real
crime, and'
make
no reasonable allowances
for him
?
Should we
perpetua
ally teaze children, servants,
or friends
with old faults,
and
make
their
follies
and miscarriages the
matter of
Our
delightful
conversation?
Should
we
censure
every
little
deviation
from the
truth,
as
heresy
!
Should
we
pro-
nounce anathemas and
curses
upon
him
that
leaves
out
of
his
creed
a
few
hard
words which men have
invented,
or
that
differs from us in
the business
of
meats,
and
days,
and
ceremonies
?
We
ourselves
think
it
hard to
have
doubtful
reports
of
evil published concerning
us,
and
sus-
picion blown
up
into guilt
:
We think
it
hard
if
our
crimes are,taggravated
to the utmost, and no reasonable
allowances are made
:
We
find
it
very painful to
us,
and
think
it
unreasonable
to be
ever teazed with the mention
of
our
former
follies,
or to
have
our little
differences
from
another's
faith or worship
to
be
pronounced
heresy,
and
to be cut
off from
the
church
for
it.
In
short,
if
this blessed
rule
of
our
Saviour
did
but
morniversally
obtain,
we
should never
persecute
one
another for our disagreement
in
opinion, for
we
should
tlien learn this lesson,
that another
has
as
much right
to
p