10. Where selfishness and prejudice keep the poffeffion of the mind, men will never act right upon this rule; for, where thefe are, we shall ever expect more from others, than we would do unto them, if our circumftances were changed. How common is it to fee perfons make very free and merry with the failings of their neighbors and their families, and think they have a right to do fo without giving offence? Yet when it falls to their turn to be so treated, they refent highly, and perhaps justly, the fame treatment from their neighbor. How many, who in their neceflity, have no bounds in their expectations from their neighbors, and never think they do enough for them; yet have no bowels of compaffion for the poor, when the tables are turned, and they become rich. All this proceeds from felfifhnefs and prejudice; a want of confidering what is right and fit to be done.

11, As to the excellency of this rule, and our obligations to conform to it, they are both felf-evident. It is founded on the sameness of nature in men, and their natural equality. The relative and accidental differences between men, are fmall in their own nature, and very tranfient and changeable. He that is now a king, may be foon a fubject: The mafter may foon be a fervant: The rich may foon be poor; and the honorable may fall into dishonor and

contempt. I may need that juftice or kindnefs from my neighbor to-morrow, which he demands from me to-day. It is plain then, that there fhould be one common rule or measure of justice and equity for all men. If it is unjust to keep two kinds of weights and measures, one to buy with, and the other to sell by; it is furely equally unjust that I fhould have one law for myself, and another for my neighbor.

12. This is a rule of juftice which has obtained among all nations, it being a clear dictate of reason, and of the law of nature,

Not to do to others what we would not 'bear from them; and to do to others, in 'all cafes, what we would reasonably expect * from them.’

13. As this is a rule, the equity of which' is fo clear and felf-evident, that none can. dispute or deny it; fo it is eafily carried about with a man in his memory; and an honeft man of the weakest judgment can eafily and quickly apply it, on the most fudden emergencies. Moft arts and sciences are fo tedious and intricate, that they are hard to learn and difficult to retain. The artift and mechanic can do little without his books and inftruments.-But this art. of doing justly depends only upon one short single rule, eafily retained, and not eafily forgotten. In fhort, to act justly in all safes for ordinary, needs only a single bon

est appeal to the heart and conscience; by the light of this rule; "all things whatfoe"ver ye would that others fhould do unto 46 you," &c.

14. This is the law of the prophets : It is a fhort and comprehenfive fummary of all the directions recorded in fcripture, how one man fhould behave towards another: For, as that precept, "thou fhalt love thy neigh"bor as thyfelf," is the fulfilling of the whole law, in the duty of christian charity; fo this is the fulfilling of the whole law in matters of justice and equity.

15. The ufe of this precept extends to the whole of our intercourfe with our fellow creatures, and to all our thoughts and words about them. It would prevent all rafh, uncharitable and cenforious opinions and judgments of our fellow creatures, and all injurious actions towards them.—It would lead us to usefulness and inoffenfivenefs in converfation; to integrity and rectitude in all our dealings and commerce, and to a right method of treating those who need our compaffion or kindness. It would regulate our temper and conduct under provocations, and teach us a juft and charitable way of speaking and acting towards thofe who differ from us in their religious or other sentiments.-And, it would teach us a juft and equitable conduct to fuperiors, inferiors, and equals...

16. The excellency and usefulness of this rule, fhew us the great importance of self-acquaintance and reflection, on which it is founded, and by the medium of which it must be practifed on.

17. The equity of this great law and measure of juftice, proves to a demonstration, the holiness, justice, and goodness of GOD's laws; how far they are from deferving the character of being hard and grievous impofitions, tending to deprive us of our natural liberty. He who acts and lives juftly, acts and lives according to the law of his nature, which is the law of eter mal reason:-" And what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to do juftly, “to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy GoD."

18. We fhould pray without ceafing, that God may write this law on our fouls, and keep it ever in the thoughts of the imaginations of our hearts, fo that we may never fwerve from this univerfal rule of righteousness.

ESSAY XLIII.

1. THE

CHRISTIAN HOPE.

HE christian hope is a firm expectation of that future and eternal happiness, which God hath promised to his

faithful obedient people, upon a rational and well-grounded perfuafion, that they have complied with the terms of his gracious

covenant.

2. The object of chriftian hope is the divine promises, contained in GoD's word; for, it is upon his word that he caufeth his fervants to hope: And it ever prefuppofes, a firm faith in thefe promises.-Chriftian hope, therefore, is ever built upon faith, and can reach no farther than its foundation For, we cannot rationally hope for, or expect that which we do not believe that we fhall receive.

3. I have faid, the object of chriftian hope is the divine promifes; though it may be rather faid to be the bleffings contained in the divine promises, the chief and most comprehenfive of which is, GOD himself, as the chief good of our natures, the comprehenfive fum total of all our happiness ; and therefore it is faid, by way of eminence, "that our hope may be in GoD," as the ultimate object of it.* For, if we purfue every promifed bleffing or happinefs to the fource of it, we will find it centered in GoD, and flowing from him.

4. Chrift is alfo fometimes called our hope, as the channel of all divine bleffings to us, and the great promulgator and revealer of the divine promifes. And we

1 Pet. i. 31.