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Show their Abilities ; and every Man would find his own Account in doing to his Neighbour, as he wilhes to be done to himfelf. 2. A leading Idea in Government is, that it fhould always operate as :1 Terror to Evil Doers, the fame Time to illuf'trate . ' has been laid in general by particular Infiances, i would beg Leave to 097::- the following Obfervations ; I. A leading Idea in Religion, confidered asa Rule of Life, is,---Whatfoever ye would that Men fhould do unto you, do ye even f0 unto them; for, we are told by the greatelt of Authorities, that this is the Law and the Prophets. And indeed upon the very mentioning of the Maxim, we can difiinétly perceive, that it is the and for the Praife of them that do well. Apply o Now to {trengthen thefe Reflections, and at therefore this Principle to the Concerns of Religion, confidered as a Rule of Life; and I alk, Can you delire a better Friend to Religion than the h'Iagii'trate is, when thus difcharging his Office P Can you have your facred Rule of Life better enforced than by him, whofe Sword of Jul'tice is to co-Operate with you in making Foundation, not only of difiributive Jufiice, the great Truths of Religion become profitable but of univerfal Benevolence, of Charity, Clemency, Compaliion,---and, above all, of Liberty of Confcience. Apply now this Maxim to the Affairs of Government, and fee the Effects of for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for it, were it univerfally to take Place-Liberty would then fubfii't without Licentioufnefs; Sub- ordination would be preferved without Tyranny 0r Opprefiion ; and both the Governor: and Governed would in all Refpeéts be the fafer, the better, the happier for each other. Apply Infiruétion in Righteoufnefs P-Apply likewife the fame Principle to the Plan of Commerce; and let the Evil-Doers be terrified, and thofe that do well be praifed. Now can this hurt Commerce? Can this be a Check to Induf'try, Frugality, honef't Labour, and ufeful Employ- ment P-No: So far from it, that it encourages and promotes them all: Nay, by encouraging Indufiry, it encourages Expence; that Kind of mediately be at an End -,---a general Encourage- Expence which ought to be encouraged; the Expence which confii'ts in, and arifes from, the Exchange of the Labour and Indufiry of one ment would be given to the Diligent and 111‘ dufirious of all Profeflions ; a general Emula- Man for the Labour and Indufiry of another, whereby both are benefited, the Wants of both are tion would excite their Genius and iumVF fupplied, and focialLife is refined and improved. it in the next Place to the Syfiem of Commerce; and then Monopolies and Exclufions would 1m- " " their - mailman A an»: ‘ . Happinefs of his Creatures. " [ 13 1 in every Infiance, is to promote the Good and B 3 3' A LA» L [ 12 l |