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. VIII.

THirdly, This Rule trains us up to an universal Innocency, that we do wrong to no man, but in the Lan∣guage of the Apostle,

Be blameless and harmless, the Sons of God with∣out rebuke, though in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation.

Now wrong we may do to others ei∣ther in their Persons, or Relations, or Possessions, or Good Names and Repu∣tation; and in reference to each of these we are taught Innocency: that Inno∣cency, or Negative Justice, Pythagorean Justice, which, as Hierocles defines it, consists 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In abstaining from what is anothers, and not hurting of another, nor raising ones own Profit and Gains from anothers Misery and Calamities.

First, We must not wrong or injure the Person of our Neighbour, because we would not that any other should wrong or injure ours. Now a Mans Person, you know, consists of these two parts, Soul and Body; in either of

which he is capable of receiving wrong and injury: and therefore, in reference unto both, we are obliged by this Rule before us, to preserve and maintain In∣nocency.

(1.) Then we may not wrong and injure the Soul of another: And that we do aither in the natural sense, as often as we grieve and offend anothers mind, occasion the trouble of his thoughts, and the disquiet and discomposure of his spirit, that sorrow of heart,

where∣by, as Solomon speaks, the spirit is broken;

or in the spiritual sense, as often as we make others to sin, whereby they wrong their own Souls in the high∣est degree, and hazard their eternal loss and punishment.

We must not, where we may avoid it, vex and disturb the mind of our Neighbour, give our selves to cross and displease others; for we would not that others should do so to us. Thus to do, is an apparent wrong and injury; for when once the mind is broken with grief, and vexed with disquiet, the man is ex∣posed to great temptations, and unfitted for the chearful serving of God, or en∣joyment of himself. 'Tis a chief part

of our happiness to be at ease within our selves, contented and pleased in our own minds, tranquil and calm in our thoughts; and this we rob another of by wilful offences. 'Tis a devilish piece of malice and spite, of which we can give no tolerable account, to delight our selves in the affliction and trouble of anothers Soul. We are not willing others should provoke us, we should not therefore, as the Apostle speaks, "provoke one another.

But the chiefest sort of Offences is, when we cause others to sin: This is that scandal which the Holy Scripture denounceth so heavy and severe a Woe against the Authors of;

Wo be to that man by whom such offences come!

Sin is indeed the greatest inju∣ry of the Soul, the disease and the death of the Soul; the spiritual death and torment of that, which can never un∣dergo a natural death or destruction; the eternal undoing of that, which can never cease to be. 'Tis sin only which separates the Soul from God the Foun∣tain of Life and Happiness: 'Tis sin on∣ly which breeds the Worm that dieth not, and kindles the Fire which cannot

be quenched: And therefore the great∣est hatred we can shew to another, is to be a means either of his committing sin, or continuing in it unrepented of, as I noted also before from Leviticus 19.17.

True it is, in propriety of speech we cannot make another man to sin, we cannot force any man to sin. Sin, as it is the greatest wrong unto the Soul, so it is also at the sinners choice, whether he will admit of it or no. Voluntas non cogitur: And so in this case, Nemo laedi∣tur nisi à seipso. Every sinner stands ac∣countable for the injury he doth himself.

But yet we may be capable of doing very much towards the determining of his choice, towards the tempting of him into sin, or the encouraging of him in it: And whenever we do that willingly, upon the occasion whereof our Neigh∣bour is drawn and moved to consent unto sin, or continue in it, we are so far guilty of his sin: We bring the guilt of anothers sin, and of the wrong re∣dounding to him by it, so far upon our selves, as we are Authors or Accessa∣ries; for here, as in case of High-trea∣son, both Principal and Accessary are deemed alike guilty. Now many are

the ways Divines reckon up, whereby we may become accessary to the sins of others, reputed authors and occasions of their sins.

If we are Superiours in Authority over them, by commanding them to sin; by "decreeing of unrighteous Decrees, in the language of the Prophet Isaiah. Thus was Nebuchadnezzar guilty of the Peoples Idolatry, by

commanding that a Golden Image should be set up, and that all at the sound of a Trumpet should fall down and wor∣ship it.

Thus was Saul guilty of kil∣ling the Priests, whom Doeg slew at his command. Thus David of Ʋriah's death, by commanding Joab on purpose to put him in the front of the Battel. Or else by toleration, permission, or con∣nivence at others sins, not restraining of them when we may. Thus Eli became guilty of his Sons wickedness,

because he restrained them not:

And the wicked Kings we read of in the Old Te∣stament, of the Peoples Idolatry, who destroyed not their High-places, those Nests of their Idols.

But all men may become partakers, instruments, and means of others sins,

by counselling, advising, provoking, urging, perswading, alluring, or enticing them to sin; by assisting and helping them in their sins; by giving their consent and furthe∣rance; by going before them with a bad example; by undue silence, and not re∣proving men for sin, as we have oppor∣tunity; by commending and pleading for their sin; by justifying of, or flattering them up in their sin; by bringing up an evil report on the ways of Religion, and affrighting others from Goodness and Ver∣tue, by threats or reproaches.

I should be over-large in giving you particular Instances of all those Heads and Methods whereby directly or indi∣rectly we may become the causes of other mens sins, of their profaneness and irreligion, of their drunkenness and uncleanness, of their Sacrilege and Ido∣latry, of their Schism and Disorder, &c. of all those sins whereby our Neigh∣bours Soul, as well as our own, may be eternally ruined.

Yet how often, alas! do men offer this greatest of wrongs and injuries to others, under pretence of Good-fellow∣ship, Love, and Kindness?

Nor will it boot any here to alledge,

that they are willing others should do as much by them. I have before pre∣vented this Exception; and they have certainly neither a right Judgment, nor a regular Will, nor any true love for themselves, who profess themselves willing to sin, and unwilling to leave sin, i. e. willing to damn themselves.

(2.) We may not wrong or injure the Body of our Neighbour; viz. ei∣ther by Stripes or Wounds maiming of it, or hurting of its Senses; by draw∣ing men to such courses as are prejudi∣cial to their Health and Strength; and in the highest degree of all, by Mur∣der, that crying sin of dispatching our Neighbour by violent hands our selves, or the employment of bloody Assassi∣nates, or some more secret means and conveyances. Now in all these cases we may take a true and impartial estimate of the wrong and injury accruing to another, by supposing our selves in his place, rank, and condition. We are here capable, to be sure, of judging un∣corruptly; for we seldom fail in loving of our Bodies, or in valuing the injuries inflicted upon them. What a rate do we set upon our bodily health and ease?

upon any of our Limbs and Senses? How much are we readily willing to part with, either to secure or to recover them? But then we stake all to save our Lives:

Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life.

— Who is there willing to be put to pain himself? to lose an Eye, an Hand, a Leg, &c. himself? to be mangled or murdered himself? And therefore in all these and the like cases, we have a Principle with∣in us rebuking us for the wrongs of this nature which we offer to our Neigh∣bour, and telling us plainly, that we ought not so to do.

Secondly, We are farther instructed hence, not to wrong or injure another in his near Relations, which are indeed a part of himself; suppose the Husband or Wife of another, and the Children of another.

Apparent wrong and injury is done to the Husband or Wife of another by Adultery, bringing of them thereby to the guilt of that horrid sin of Perjury, and breach of their Marriage Vow and Covenant; taking away that which Husband or Wife concern'd do or should esteem most precious, viz. the

Love and Faithfulness of each other; and it may be robbing of the right Heirs of their due by a Bastard and unlawful Brood, the Children of the Adulterer or Adulteress, besides many other in∣conveniences.

Nor will it here excuse the adulte∣rous Wife, that possibly her Husband might be consenting; or the adulterous Husband, that his Wife possibly might yield thereto, and so they do no more than they are willing to suffer: for in this case their Wills are irregular: This their willing speaks their corruption the more, but the wrong and injury no whit the less. No man disposed as he should be, is willing that another should wrong him in assaulting the Chastity of his Wife: no man rherefore should at∣tempt anothers in that kind. No Wo∣man disposed as she should be, is wil∣ling that another should draw aside her Husband to unlawful Embraces; and therefore she should not entice or al∣lure or admit of the Husband of ano∣ther.

Next, as to the Children of others, I will instance in two Particulars.

The former respects those who have

the care and charge of the Nursing and Education of Children committed to them; they are to take great heed that they wrong not those committed to their care, by denying or withholding from them any thing fit or convenient, Food or Lodging, Instruction, Correcti∣on, or Encouragement; by negligence or indiscretion. These should ask them∣selves what care and conscience they would desire and expect in others to∣wards their own Issue? and so deal with the Children of others left to them. Believe it, 'tis a great and considerable wrong, that is often done both to Chil∣dren, and Parents in those Children, by the ignorance, or sloth, or baseness and dishonesty of Nurses, Guardians, School-masters, and others that over-look them in their Infancy and younger years, who are concerned in their Edu∣cation, and the forming of their Minds and Manners, or training them up to some Trade and way of Life.

The later shall be of the Children of others grown up, and ripe for Marriage; I mean, the stealing or forcing away of such, without the privity and consent of their Parents. Musculus in his Com∣ment

upon S. Matthew's Gospel makes this very application of the Rule: 'Tis, saith he, disputed sometimes about clandestine and stoln Marriages, such, to wit, as are made without the knowledge and against the will of Parents, whether they be just and valid; and here some demand a clear word of God, whereby they are forbidden, and that out of the New Testament: for neither the Law of Moses, nor the Law of Caesar will sa∣tisfie them. Now therefore, for their resolution, interrogent illi seipsos, num velint sibi tale quid fieri; Let them ask themselves impartially, whether they would have any such thing done to themselves; whether they are willing their own Daughter should be fraudu∣lently, and against their liking, taken away by one whom they would by no means admit of for their Son-in-Law: Certè nequaquam hoc volunt; Assuredly, saith he, they would in no wise. Why therefore do they not see, according to our Saviours Rule, that it is unlawful for them to do so to others? Why do they not see that here is a Word of the Lord, a Law of the Lord, the sum to wit of the Law and Prophets, whereby

such a thing is forbidden? Is not this plain Scripture? Is not this the Word of God, which Christ here avoucheth to be the Law and the Prophets, That we should do unto others as we would our selves in a like case be dealt with?

Thirdly, By the same Rule we must not wrong or injure our Neighbour in his Goods and Possessions, either openly by force, or covertly by fraud, being our selves unwilling to be so served. We should neither rob nor defraud our Neighbour, if we observed this Pre∣cept. We all censure this wickedness in other men: we say to our Neighbour, "Thou shalt not steal; and give the name of Thief as an Epithet of re∣proach. Nathan therefore took this wise course with King David, to make him in the issue accuse, condemn, and sentence himself in the person of ano∣ther, whose case he had first propound∣ed in a Parable:

There were two men, saith he, in one City, the one rich, and the other poor; the rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing save a little Ew-lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and it grew

up together with him and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drink of his own cup, and lie in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter: And there came a Travel∣ler to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the wayfaring man that was come to him, but took the poor mans Lamb, and dress'd it for the man that was come to him: Whereupon, saith the Text, David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said unto Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing is worthy to die, and he shall restore the Lamb four-fold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

Now after this, Na∣than needed no more to satisfie and con∣vince David of the wrong done in taking the Wife of Ʋriah, than to wish him to suppose the case he had already judged his own: "Thou art the man, saith he,

—mutato nomine, de te Fabula narratur.—

And David readily acknowledgeth upon it, "I have sinned against the Lord. There cannot be a more effectual course

to make a true estimate of the evil of those wrongs we do at any time to o∣thers, than thus to consider of the case as represented to us in a Parable of other men, that we may in the issue and re∣sult apply the same Sentence unto our selves, which we should readily pro∣nounce upon a like offender.

'Tis plain and evident, that those malicious spirits, who delight in mis∣chief and spite, who give themselves to the prejudicing of their Neighbours without any regard to their own benefit, nay, and sometimes to their own damage also, act not by this Rule I am speaking of. He that lets his Cattel into his Neighbours Field of Corn, to spoil it, by devouring or trampling of it; He that sets fire to his Neighbour's House or Barn; He that wilfully hurts his Neighbours Beasts or Goods, is yet un∣willing that another should do so by him. Did men act as they would chuse for themselves, all these malicious wrongs, to be sure, would cease, yea, and all the oppressions, and cozenage, and usurpations, and extortions in the World, which men are tempted to, in order, as they imagine, to some private

gain. Honest Naboth might have kept his Vineyard and Life together, had his neighbouring Prince Ahab, or Jezebel his Queen, dealt thus with him. Abra∣ham's Servants might have kept their Masters Well, which was violently ta∣ken from them, had the Servants of Abi∣melech walked by this Law towards them. There would be no room left for such complaints and charges as fre∣quently abound in the Writings of the Prophets:

Thy Princes are compani∣ons of thieves: every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the Widow come before them.— "The Lord will enter into judgment with the Ancients of his People, and the Princes thereof, (such as he had before spoken of) for ye have eaten up the Vineyard, and the spoil of the Poor is in your Houses. What mean ye that ye beat my People to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of Hosts?

And again,

The Lord looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. Wo unto them that joyn house to

house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

i. e. Who care not what desolations they make, or how many they ruine, so they may raise themselves. To the same purpose another Prophet;

Her Prin∣ces in the midst thereof are like Wolves ravening the Prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain; and her Prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them; and the people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy; yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.

— And another Prophet;

Hear I pray you, O Heads of Jacob, and ye Prin∣ces of the House of Israel; Is it not for you to know Judgment? who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones: who also eat the flesh of my People, and flay their skin from off them, and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces as for the pot, and as flesh

within the Cauldron. And another, Her Princes within her are roaring Lions; her Judges are evening Wolves (waiting for, and greedily catching at and devouring of their prey) they gnaw not the bones till the mor∣row:

i. e. Their onely mercy is, that they devour not all at once, that they make not a full and utter consumption of them, that they swallow not flesh and bones together. And yet another;

Ye who turn Judgment into Worm∣wood, and leave off Righteousness in the earth. And again; "Ye have turned Judgment into gall, and the fruit of Righteousness into hemlock:

that is, as I conceive, the Law, which should have been the remedy of injustice and wrong, a comfort and relief to the oppressed, into the greatest instrument of bitterness, of doing them wrong and injury. — But this Rule would leave no more room for these and the like complaints: There would be ground no longer for the taunting Proverb men∣tioned by Habakkuk,

He encreaseth that which is not his:

Congregat non sua: He gathers from his Neighbours heaps. None would invade anothers

property by usurpation: None would exact beyond right and due, by colour of their Places and Offices: None would take advantage of their Neighbours pre∣sent necessities, to pinch and undo them by a griping Usury: The Traveller might pass securely on the High-way, without fear of Robbers: The Merchant might fail securely on the Seas, without dread of Pyrates: Every one might sleep securely at his own home, without dreaming of Thieves: The laborious Tenant would no more be ruined by over-rack'd Rents under an unreasonable Landlord: The Poor would be no more cheated by their rich and potent Neigh∣bours, removing the ancient Land∣marks, enclosing their Common from them, and excluding them from their right and due: Tradesmen would no more be bankrupt by the Engrossers of Monopolies: We should hear no more of Sycophantizing Publicans, who drive a trade of Injuries, and under the cloak of Publick Authority and Commission, enrich their private Coffers with the spoil of the Needy: We should hear no more of those who

falsifie the Ba∣lances by deceit, that they may buy

the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, yea, and sell the refuse of wheat:

— i. e. who raise their own Estates purely out of the necessities and miseries of others: The Shop-keeper would cast away his divers Weights and Measures, and no longer vend his cor∣rupted Wares for sound, or take an un∣conscionable Rate for the Buyers igno∣rance and simplicity: No man would go beyond, or defraud his Brother in any matter: The common Instrument of Merchandise and Traffick, our Coin and Money, would be no more corrupt∣ed by Counterfeits and Clippers, to the general prejudice: The painful Labou∣rer would not famish for want of his Hire, withholden by those from whom it is due; nor any be cast in Prison them∣selves for Debt, whilst others withhold that unjustly from them which would enable them to pay: We might safely commit our richest Treasure, even un∣told Gold, as we speak, to the custody of any Neighbour, without a jealousie of the hazard or impairing of it: There would be none to steal and pilfer, nor any Receivers of Goods known to be stoln: for in this case, The Receiver (as

we say) is as bad as the Thief, and is also a Theef; to hold the Sack, and to fill it, being, a like crime: There would be no Family pestered with domestici fures, false and unfaithful Servants, who pur∣loin and waste their Masters Goods, turning them to their own, in stead of their Masters gain; or those Sons of sloth and idleness, who, as Solomon notes, "are brethren unto great wasters: The Goods of the Church would be secure from Sacrilege; the Parsons Tythes, from stealth or plunder; and every mans Estate from being diminished by craft or power: The poor and rich, the weak and mighty, the ignorant and learned, might dwell together at case and quiet, without the least suspicion of a wrong or injury from each other.

Notes

• Phil. 2.15.
• Hierocl.
• Prov. 15.13.
• Gal. 5.26.
• Isa. 10.1.
• Dan. 3.4, 5, 6.
• 1 Sam. 22.18.
• 3 Sam. 11.15.12.9.
• 1 Sam. 3.
• Job 2.4.
• Muscul. in S. Mat. c. 7. 12.
• Levit. 19.13.
• 2 Sam. 12.1, 2, 3, &c.
• Horat.
• 1 Kings 21.
• Gen. 21.25.
• Isa. 1.23.
• Isa. 3.14, 15.
• ch. 5.7, 8.
• Ezek. 22.27, 28, 29.
• Mich. 3.1, 2, 3.
• Zeph. 3.3.
• Amos 5.7.
• 6.12.
• Hab. 2.6.
• S. Luk. 19.8.
• Amos 8.5, 6.
• 1 Thes. 4.6.
• Prov. 18.9.