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on, fets the World on Fire, like the Plague; he fcatters his Infection, wherefoever he goes, and involves others in the fame Guilt and Condemnation with himself. For thefe Reafons, our Saviour made the Doctrines of Peace and Reconciliation, the Subject of his Firft Sermon to the World. He opens it, with pronouncing Benedictions upon those that should endeavour after thefe Things. Bleed are the Poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blef fed are the Meak, for they shall inherit the Earth. Bleled are the Merciful, for they shall obtain Mercy Bleffed are the Peace makers, for they fhall be called the Children of God. And in order to the effecting of this, he hath given us fundry Precepts fuitable to the Obligation, and Difficulty of the Duty, particularly one plain Rule, which if carefully attended unto, would prevent, or compofe all poffible Differences betwixt Man and Man, to whofe Reafonableness, and Equity, all the World readily fubfcribe, though unhappily differ in the Application of itTis that Comprehenfive Rule, laid down in the Seventh Chapter of this Gofpel, and the Twelfth Verfe. Whatfoeverye mould that Men fhould do unto you, do ye even fo unto them. This is the true Foundation of Human Society, and by Confequence, of Peace and Intereft, and Self-prefervation. For if you love your felf, fo does every one befides; if you be uneafy under an Affront, or Inju ry, or an unkind Return juft fo is your Neigh

bour.

bour. And I appeal to the moft Partial, whether all are like to agree, in what only takes care for one; or whether any other Rule makes fo large; and equal Provifion for all Perfons, and Cafes, as this does: So that it has not only as much of abftracted Reafon, but of private Intereft, and Safety, as 'tis poffible for any general one to have; and puts Men into that State and Order, in which God and Nature placed them. And to add a yet more Religi ous Veneration to its Obfervance, this is not only to act agreeably to the moft improved Reafon, but alfo to Divine Revelation; not meerly to follow the Laws of Nature, but over and above that, the pofitive Commands of God: For this is the Law and the Prophets. In purfuing, therefore, the Argument I am now upon, from the Reafon and Authority of this Precept, I fhall lay down these two Rules.

1. That we ought not to make other Mens Dealing with us, the Standard and Measure of our Dealing with them.

2. That we are not to be governed by our own private Will and Opinion, but by the general Reafon and Truth of Things.

Firft, That we ought not to make other Men's Dealing with us, the Standard and Meafure of our Dealing with them. For the Rule is not, whatsoever Men do to you, but what

foever ye would they fhould do unto you. The Truth is, moft Men think it a warrantable Excufe, and a fufficient Apology, for their worst Actions in this Kind,if they can but fay, I did juft to him, as he did to me, and as they are wont, prophanely enough, to fpeak, I gave him as good as he brought. But where are our Endeavours after Reconciliation Where's our Charity? Where's our Chriftianity the mean while? Thus Reproaches are multiplied; Animofities fomented, and kept on Foot; Injuries bandied backward and forward, and contrary to all other violent Motions, lofe nothing, but ra ther Strength in the Rebound. Now it is certain, that another Man's Injuftice or Cruelty (except it be in the fingle Cafe of fe Defendendo, wherein extreme Neceffity, and the Laws of Self-prefervation must bear me out) cannot juftify, or legitimate mine: Though he gave the Occafion, and was firft in the Offence, yet no Reason, I'm fure no Precept of Chriftianity will allow me to follow him therein: Tho' he may juftly deserve Punishment, yet my Hands are tied; I have no Authority or Right to inflict it that Way. And the Reafon is plain, if we do but confider what a Partial, and unconfcionable Judge, Paffion is; what cruel and unmerciful Executioners Men would be in their own Causes; And upon this Account it is, that private Revenge ftands convicted, by all the Laws of God, Nature, and civil Society. If I can't otherwife be fecured, I

myft

must have recourfe, and make my Appeal, and yield up my Caufe, to the Impartial Sentence of the Community, and to the Juftice of that God, who hath faid, Vengeance is mine. Well! But how far must this Precept be extended? Does the Obligation le all on one Side? Muft I forgive, tho my Adverfary makes no Steps towards a Reconciliation? Nay, though be continues obftinate and provoking? In Anfwer to which, it will be neceffary, briefly to confider two Things, viz,

1. The Number and Continuance of the Injuries. 2. The Heinoufnefs and Provocation of them.

1. As to the Number, and Continuance of Injuries, which may be offered unto us. This Cafe is, I think, exactly put by St. Peter, and fully refolved by our Saviour, when we read that St. Peter came to Jefus, and propounded this Question to him. Lord how oft shall my Brother Sin against me, and I forgive him? till feven times? (the mention of which particular Number, by St. Peter, feems to be grounded upon a Jewish Tradition, that no Man was obliged to forgive his Neighbour, or his Adverfary above feven times, and that too for small and trivial Offences) In oppofition to which, our Saviour Anfwers. I fay not unto thee, until feven times, but until feventy times feven. Numerus certus pro in certo, fitus pro

infinito

Mat. 18.

infinito, ponitur, as one gloffeth upon the Words. By which our Saviour intended not to fix any certain, or determinate Number, or to fet Bounds and Limits to our Forgiveness, but rather that it fhould be boundlefs and unlimited; that no Tranfgreffion of our Chriftian Brother ought to exclude him from our Charity, or to place him beyond the Terms of Reconciliation.

7

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2dly, As to the Heinoufnefs and Provocation of our Brother's Offences. And here also, it is plain, that no Degrees of Guilt can put him out of the reach of our Pardon, unless we would be content that God fhould-exclude us from all Hopes of Pardon; for with what Meafire you meet inthis Matter, it fhall be measured unto you again: If ye forgive Men their Trefpaf fes your Heavenly Father will alfo forgive you ; but if you forgive not Men their Trefpaffes, neither will your Father forgive your Trespas fes. But ftill it will be faid, is not this hard and unreafonable? Doth it not contradict the ftrongeft Inclinations of Human Nature? Is not the Rule, fo interpreted, impracticable? By no means. For confider we the apparent Reafonableness of it, which has all poffible Evidence and Conviction to recommend it to the Practice of Mankind; and though our Saviour gave it a New Sanction, yet the Reason of it was Eternal. There is no Rule more unexceptionable, and (feting Revenge and Malice afide) more agreeable to the pure Dictates

of