Quod tibi, hoc alteri, ne alteri quod non vis tibi a profitable enquiry into that comprehensive rule of righteousness, do as you would be done by : being a practical discourse on S. Matt. vii, 12 / by Benjamin Camfield.

SECT. VI.

THere are yet three things farther, which do more particularly de∣clare the Foundation and reasonableness of this Precept to us, viz.

1. The actual equality of all Men by Nature, and of Christians by Grace.

2. The possible equality of Conditi∣on in all: And,

3. The immovable Standard and Rule of Justice, which gives all to ex∣pect

from God and Men here, or at least from God hereafter, accordingly as they have measured unto others.

We all stand upon equal terms by Nature, as we are Men of the same kind; and by Grace, as Christians.

Possible it is, we may our selves be in the very same condition with others: And,

Certain it is, that we shall our selves either here or hereafter receive the same measure we mete to others with: And therefore,

In all these laid together we have a firm ground for the Precept now consi∣dered of, that whatsoever we would should be done to us, we do the same to others. Of each of these Heads briefly.

(1.) All men have an equality by Nature. Though they differ much from each other in their places and sta∣tions in the world, yet 'tis but as so many Figures of the same denomination would do in different places, one sup∣pose in the Unites, another in the Tens, another in the Hundreds, another in the Thousands, &c. We are all of the

same kind, partakers of the same rea∣sonable and religious nature: We are all consanguinei, descended from one common Parent: We are all originally of the same dust, and shall be resolved into the same again: We are all made and preserved by one and the same God. —Omnibus ille idem pater est. I may here well demand with the Prophet,

Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother?

q. d. Partial and treache∣rous dealing is unaccountable between them who stand related each to other as fellow-creatures of the same God, as fellow-brethren of one and the same Father.

If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-ser∣vant, when they contended with me, (saith Job) what then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? or, as the margin reads, Did he not fashion us in one womb? The rich and the poor meet together, (saith Solomon) the Lord is the Maker

of them all.

And again,

The Lord enlightneth both their eyes. "God (saith the Apostle Paul) that made the world, and all things therein, hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth.

And, saith the Psalmist of these Inhabi∣tants of the earth,

The Lord fashio∣neth their hearts alike.

So that we may well conceive what others would desire of us, by what we our selves de∣sire of others; and there is great reason we should be to others such as we would have them be towards our selves, even upon this account I am speaking of; in as much as we are partakers of one and the same humane Nature, joynt possessors of the same Earth, Fellow-Citizens of the same World, Brethren of the same Descent, Branches sprout∣ing from one and the same Stock. All men are valuable to us, in that they are homines, & idem quod nos sumus, men, and the same that we our selves are. When God injoyns us to love one ano∣ther, 'tis, as S. Chrysostom somewhere observes, little more than that natural Law, quam Leones & Lupi servant, which even Lions and Wolves keep to,

not to devour Creatures of the same kind with themselves:

—saevis inter se convenit Ʋrsis.

The savage Bears do yet agree with each other. Where there is nothing else to tye and oblige us unto others, their communion and participation of the same nature with our selves is sufficient. Humanitas summum inter se hominum vinculum, as Lactantius speaks. To this purpose Seneca well notes, that there is somewhat unlawful towards man upon this common right with other living Creatures, even because he is of the same nature with our selves. And there∣fore Aristotle, when he was accused for relieving a notoriously wicked man, made this rational Appology for him∣self, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. That he had not respect to the manners, but to the man: And again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. That he gave not to the man as so qualified; but relieved Humanity in him, considered the Nature more than the Person. Thus far we have an actual equality with each other as men, in as much as we are all of one and the same kind, fashioned alike as to the frame of our Bodies and

the general inclinations of our hearts, partakers, as of the same flesh and blood, so of the same reasonable souls; descended from the same Adam, ha∣ving one and the same Creator, and bearing the same Divine Image; born alike into the world, and passing alike out of it, and to be raised alike again af∣ter Death to Judgment.

But then beyond this the Christian Religion equals us much more, in as much as we are thereby made capable of the same happiness, and redeemed and purchased by the same Saviour, who tasted death alike for every man, and gave himself a ransom for all. And we, as Christians, are farther equal, in that we are united in the same Sacra∣ments, in the same Faith and Hope, Dis∣ciples of the same Lord and Master, Be∣lievers of the same Gospel, Baptized with the same Water, Participants of that one Loaf and one Cup, which is the Body and Blood of Christ, sancti∣fied with one and the same Spirit, en∣riched

with the same Grace, Fellow-members of the same mystical Body, one only holy and Catholick Church, and Joynt-heirs of the same Promises and Glory.—Who now art thou, whe∣ther Man or Christian, that vauntest and preferrest thy self above others, or re∣fusest to walk by the same Rule towards them, which thou art ready to prescribe them towards thy self?

This is the first Particular, The Actu∣al Equality of all Men by Nature, and of Christians by Grace: Upon the ac∣count of which we should, as S. Paul adviseth,

be of the same mind one towards another, and be kindly affe∣ctioned one to another, with brotherly love, in honour preferring one ano∣ther, Rom. 12.

(2.) Possible it is for every man to be in the same state and condition with any other.

As with the People, so with the Priest, or Prince; as with the Ser∣vant, so with his Master; as with the Maid, so with her Mistress; as with the Buyer, so with the Seller; as with the Lender, so with the Borrower; as with the taker of Usury, so with the

giver of Usury to him,

saith the Pro∣phet. Quod cuiquam contigit, cuivis po∣test; That which hath hapned to ano∣ther, may happen unto thee. We should all thus reckon with our selves, that be∣ing Men, we may possibly undergo whatsoever other Men have undergone, or do undergo. We are liable to the same imfirmities, and the same afflicti∣ons, and the same temptations with others.

Let him that thinketh he standeth, saith the Apostle, take heed lest he fall: There hath no tempta∣tion taken you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but such as is vulgaris & frequens inter homines, common unto men.

And again, in his Epistle to the Galatians, (which I before occasionally mentioned)

Brethren, if any man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thy self, lest thou also be tempted.

Det ille veniam facile, cui venia est opus, as Seneca hath it; Let him be ready to pardon, who himself stands in need of pardon:

Bear ye one anothers burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ.

Again, when S. Paul presseth unto Christian Charity,

I

mean not, saith he, that other men should be eased, and you burthened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality:

Putting them in mind in the time of their ful∣ness, that a time of want might come unto them also, wherein it would be as desirable for them to partake of the abundance of others, as it was now seasonable for others to partake of theirs.—

Remember, saith the Au∣thor to the Hebrews, them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being your selves also in the body:

In cor∣pore iisdem malis obnoxio; as being your selves clothed with the same frail and mortal flesh, and subject to the same evil and sad accidents, liable to the same bonds and adversity which they suffer under. This is a natural Princi∣ple of compassion and sympathy with others, whatever their condition be, that ours may be the same.

Rejoyce therefore with them that rejoyce, and weep with them that weep.

— 'Tis

possible, I say, that the condition of another may be the same hereafter with ours, and ours the same with anothers; and therefore we are in every state of life so to carry it towards others, as we would desire them, when the case is altered, to do towards us. Thou who art a Servant, maist be a Master: Thou whou who art a Master, also a Servant: Thou who art a Parent, hast been a Child; and thou who art a Child, mayst be a Parent: Thou who art rich, mayst become poor; and thou who art poor, mayst, by God's blessing, become rich: Thou who art well in health and ease, mayst be sick and pained; Thou who art young, mayst be old and decre∣pit; Thou who art beautiful, mayst be deformed, &c.

We are all liable to variety of chan∣ges in the world, and may possibly ex∣change relations and conditions with other men; and therefore should now do to others as we would then have them do to us. That is the second Par∣ticular.

(3.) And lastly, 'Tis the dictate both of Nature and Scripture, That we are to look for the same measure from God and Men, either here or hereafter, where∣with we mete unto others. The Hea∣then Cicero quotes it from an ancient Poet,

—Qui alteri exitium parat, Eum scire opportet sibi paratam pestem ut participet Parem.—

He that prepares destruction for ano∣ther, should know that a like Plague is prepared for himself to partake of: And Seneca asks the Question, Quae in∣juria est pati quod prior ipse feceris? Wherein art thou injured, if thou suf∣ferest but what thou hast first done thy self? A guilty Conscience naturally suggests unto the sinner to expect evil in the same manner and measure wherein he hath done it; and 'tis a peculiar Attribute whereby Almighty God is known unto us,

The God to whom vengeance belongeth, to whom ven∣geance belongeth, reduplicativè;

and he will certainly repay it, in making the evil of punishment commensurate to

that of sinning, and doing to men as they have dealt to others. How readily did the guilty minds of Joseph's Bre∣thren acquit God for a just retribution upon themselves, revenging their carri∣age towards their Brother:

We are verily guilty, say they, concerning our brother, in that we saw the an∣guish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: there∣fore is this distress come upon us.

Adonibezeck in like manner, when his thumbs and great toes were cut off,

Seventy Kings, saith he, having their thumbs and great toes cut off, gather∣ed their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me.

Instances of this kind there are very ma∣ny, had I time now to collect them.

He made a pit and digged it, saith the Psalmist of the wicked man, and is fallen into the ditch which he made; his mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

And Solomon hath forewarned sinners what they must expect;

They shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

And

again,

His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. Wo to thee that spoilest, saith the Prophet, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee: when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

To the same effect the Prophet Micah,

Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them; he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved them∣selves ill in their doings. "Judge not, saith our Blessed Saviour, that ye be not judged: for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

And in the foregoing Chapter,

If ye for∣give men their trespasses, your hea∣venly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their tres∣passes, neither will your heavenly Fa∣ther

forgive your trespasses.

To which purpose you may peruse at leisure that excellent Parable of the Lords recalling his Pardon upon the Servants severity towards his Fellow-servants, S. Mat. 18. But instead of many Texts, I may well refer you to that general Admonition of S. Paul to his Galatians,

Be not decei∣ved, God is not mocked; for what∣soever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

'Tis a frequent Proverb among all Nations: Cicero hath it in his second Book de Oratore; Prout sementem fece∣ris, ità & metes; Men shall reap for quantity and quality as they have sown, of the same kind, and in the same mea∣sure.

They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same, saith Eliphaz: "But to him that soweth righteousness, saith Solomon, shall be a sure reward. "He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully, saith the Apostle.

'Tis very remarkable that S. James having mentioned the Royal Law,

Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self,

as comprehensive of all particular Du∣ties towards our Neighbour, thus en∣forceth

it,

So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty,

(i. e. the above-mentio∣ned Law of Christ, who hath made us free, and the Law which is given to us as Free-men equally respecting all:)

For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy;

that is, He shall reap as he hath sown. The Works of good men are said to follow them; and,

We must all ap∣pear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, saith the Apostle, that every one may receive the things done in his Body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

A pat Example to illustrate this, we have in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus, where the rich man, who denied Laza∣rus the crums of his Table, begs in vain for a cooling drop from Lazarus his finger; and Father Abraham gives him this then unwelcom Memento,

Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and La∣zarus likewise evil things: but now (the Tide is turned) "he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Nothing but an hearty and Evangeli∣cal

Repentance can interpose between us and the due recompence of our sins: nothing, I say, but that Gospel-Repen∣tance, which may engage the Mercy and Grace of God to mitigate the rigor of his Justice for us, by pleading the Me∣rits of a dying Saviour as abundant sa∣tisfaction.

We are then to do the same things to others, which upon substantial and Scri∣pture grounds we hope to receive our selves: And if we do otherwise,

Quam temerè in nobis legem sancimus iniquam!

How rashly and unadvisedly do we our selves make a Law to punish our selves, and prepare Scourges for our own Backs?

These now I conceive to be the chief Grounds which the Equity of the Prin∣ciple before us is supported by, in so much as,

(1.) We stand upon so equal terms by Nature and Grace with each other: And,

(2.) 'Tis very possible for us to change Relations and Conditions with others: And,

(3.) We have all the reason in the

World to expect and look for the same measure we mete unto others, to be paid home in our own Coin.

We should therefore do unto others in all things even so as we would desire our selves to be dealt withal.

Notes

• See Dr. Jack∣son's excellent Sermons on the Text, l. 11. c. 32. 33.
• Nihil est u∣num uni tam simile tam par, quam omnes inter nosmet su∣mus. Cicero de Leg. l. 1.
• Mal. 2.10.
• Job 31.13, 14, 15.
• Prov. 22. ••
• Prov. 29.13.
• Act. 17.26.
• Psal. 33.15.
• Alterius ani∣mum de tuo metiaris. Lactant.
• Prov. 27.19. As in water face answer∣eth to face, so the heart of man to man. Wisd. 7.6. All men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.
• Lactant.
• Ecclus 13.15. Every beast loveth his like.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.—Theocr. Idyl. 9.
• Est aliquid quod in ho∣minem licere commune jus animantium vetet, quia ejusdem na∣turae est cu∣jus tu.—Sen. de Clem. li. 1. c. 18.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Phocyl. Poem. admon.
• Tantum hoc cogita, frater est in Domi∣no, cohaeres in Christo, e∣jusdem cor∣poris mem∣brum, eodem redemptus sanguine, fidei communis so∣cius, ad ean∣dem gratiam & felicitatem futurae vitae vocatus: quemadmodum Apostolus dixit, Unum corpus & unus spiritus, sicut vocati estis in unâ spe vocationis ve∣strae, unus Dominus & una Fides, unum Baptisma, unus Deus & Pater omnium. Alienus esse qui potest quicum tibi tam multiplex intercedit unitatis copula? Erasm. Enchir. Mil. Christ. p. 143, 144.
• Isa. 24.2.
• 1 Cor. 10.12, 13.
• Gal 6.1.
• vers. 2.
• 2 Cor. 8.13, 14.
• Hebr. 13.3.
• Rom. 12.15.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Hesiod. He that re∣quiteth good turns is mind∣ful of what may come hereafter, and when he fall∣eth he shall find a stay, Ecclus 3.31. Dishonor not a man in his old age, for e∣ven some of us wax old, ch. 8.6. Help thy neighbor according to thy power, & beware that thou fall not into the same, ch. 29.20. Many Kings have sate on the ground, &c. ch. 11.5, 6. When thou hast enough remember the time of hun∣ger, and when thou art rich think upon poverty and need, &c. ch. 18.25, 26. Remember my judgment, for thine also shall be so: yesterday for me, and to day for thee, ch. 38.22. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Phocyl.
• 2 Tuscul.
• Gen. 42.21.
• Judg. 1.6, 7.
• Psal. 7.15, 16. See Ecclus 27.26.
• Prov. 1.21.
• Prov. 5.22.
• Isa. 33.1.
• Micah. 3.4.
• S. Mat. 7.1, 2.
• ch. 6.14, 15.
• Compare this with Ecclus 28.1, 2, 3, 4. He that re∣vengeth shall find venge∣ance from the Lord. — He sheweth no mercy to a man which is like himself, and doth he ask forgiveness of his own sins?
• Gal. 6.7.
• Job 4.8.
• Prov. 11.18.
• 2 Cor. 9.6.
• S. Jam. 2.12, 13.
• See Prov. 21.13. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mer∣cy, S. Mat. 5. Rev. 14.13. 2 Cor. 5.10.
• S. Luk. 16.19, 20, &c.
• Wherewith a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished. Wisd. 11.16.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Horat.