Sermons preached

I. A Rule of Life, Whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you, do ye even so to them. II. The Commendation of it, For this is the Law and the Prophets. III. The Illative Particle, Therefore.

My Business shall be to open these Circumstances.

I. Here is the Rule of Life. This general Precept may be considered in the Affirmative, or in the Negative (for Negatives are included in their Affirmatives). The Affirmative is in the Text. All those things that you would Men should do unto you; the Negative is in that noted Saying, Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris; that which you would not have done to you, do not you to them. The one, the Negative conduceth to restrain Injury; but the other, the Affirmative urgeth us to do Good. The Negative enforceth Justice and Equity in us to others; the Affirmative, Love and Charity. Heathens by the Light of Nature were more sensible of Negatives, that they should not hurt others in their Body, Goods, or good Name, as we would not in either of these things be wronged our selves; therefore Christ passing that, layeth down the Affirmative, of which Nature is less sensible, of doing good to them, as we desire they should do to us in our Extremities.

I. Here is the Rule of Life. This general Precept may be considered in the Affirmative, or in the Negative (for Negatives are included in their Affirmatives). The Affirmative is in the Text. All those things that you would Men should do unto you; the Negative is in that noted Saying, Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris; that which you would not have done to you, do not you to them. The one, the Negative conduceth to restrain Injury; but the other, the Affirmative urgeth us to do Good. The Negative enforceth Iustice and Equity in us to others; the Affirmative, Love and Charity. Heathens by the Light of Nature were more sensible of Negatives, that they should not hurt others in their Body, Goods, or good Name, as we would not in either of these things be wronged our selves; therefore Christ passing that, layeth down the Affirmative, of which Nature is less sensible, of doing good to them, as we desire they should do to us in our Extremities.