SERMOXS. 381 



goes under the common style of universal justice; 

 whatever falls within the large bosom of that com- 

 prehensive epitome, into which our Lord himself 

 abridged the Law and the Prophets, * All things 

 whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, 

 do even so to them ; whatever comes within 

 compass of that No^oc Boca-iXiycog, as St. James calls 

 it, the Roi/al Law,'\ (the latter part of the holy in- 

 stitutes, the other tome of the Christian pandects, 

 the second great commandment like the first, as 

 our Saviour styles it) :j:Thou shalt love thy neigh- 

 bour as thyself; even all the offices and instances 

 of duty between man and man ; (reverence and 

 obedience to our superiors ; courtesy and humanity 

 to our equals ; kindness and condescension to our 

 inferiors ; gratitude and thankfulness to our bene- 

 factors; justice and upright dealing towards all; 

 truth in our words, and faithfulness in our trusts, 

 and constancy to our promises, and candour, and 

 sincerity and honesty in all our actions : and yet 

 further and higher, for it is a righteousness im- 

 proved and heightened, or at least interpreted by 

 our Lord into love, and so obligeth us beyond the 

 strict measures of common justice, and not only 

 renders what is legally due, but gives and forgives 

 beyond it ;) equity and moderation to those that 

 are any ways obnoxious to us ; mildness and gen- 

 tleness to those that have any way offended us ; 

 sympathy and compassion towards them that suf- 



* Matth. vii. 12. f Jam. ii. 8. % Matth. xxii, 38, 39. 



