71 / 674
oeERM XXXIII.
THE UNIVERSAL RULE
OF
EQUITY.
$.2
differ from
me in
his
sentiment, as
I
have
to differ from
,him.
If
this
rule did but prevail amongst
all
that
own
the,christian
name
;
then truth, honesty
and justice, meek
,ness
and
love would
reign and
triumph through
all
the
churches
of
Christ, and those
vile
affections and
prat
tices
of
pride,
envy,
wrath, cruelty;
backbiting, and
per
-
secutionNvould be
banished for ever
from
amongst
us.
IX. It
is
.not only
a
rule,
of
equity and
love to
direct
our
whole
conduct
toward our neighbours
in
the social
life,
but it
is
also a
rule of
the highest
prudence
with
re-
gard
to ourselves
;
and it promotes
our
own
interest
in
the
best manner
:
For
if
we
make conscience
of
treating
our
neighbours according
to
all the
justice
and
tenderness
that
this
rule
will
incline
us to, we
may
reasonably
expect
the
same kind
and
tender treatment
from
those
that are
round about
us.
Such a
practice
will
naturally
engage
the
greatest
part of
mankind
on
our
side,
whensoever
we
happen
to be
assaulted or oppressed,
by
the sons
of
malice
or
violence.
Happy
is
that
person
who
has gained
the
love
of
mankind,
by
making the
love
of
himself
a rule and
4'
measure
of
his
actions towards
them,
and bas piously.fol-
lowed
that
precept
of
the law
of
God,
"
Love
thy
neigh-
bour
as thyself."
Let
us
remember
that
we
live
in a
changeable
world,
and
the
scenes
of
life
are continually
shifting.
I
_am
now
a
master, and
in
possession
of
riches, and
if I treat
my
servant,
or any poor man
insolently,
I
may
expect the
like
insolent
treatment
if
my
circumstances
sink,
and
re-
duce
me
to a
state of poverty or
service.
But
if Hollow
this golden
rile
of our
Saviour, in
treating
my
inferiors,
I
do, as
it
were,
hoard up for myself
a treasure
of
merit
and benevolence amongst
men,' which
I
may
hope
to
re-
ceive
and taste
of,
in
the
day
of
my
necessity and distress.
Thus
in
behaving myself toward
others according
to this
holy
rule
of
friendship,
I
not
only please
and
obey
my
God and
my
Saviour,
but
I
happily secure
my
temporal
interests
also.
X. In
the .last
place,
to
mention no
more,
This
rule
is
fitted to
make
the whole world
as
happy
as
the
present
state
of
things will admit:
It
is
not
to be
described
nor
conceived what
amultitude
of
blessings
and
felicitip
the
practice
of
this single
precept
would
introduce among all
mankind,
E