former, is neceffary to the Being and Support of Society; to fulfil the latter is a Duty equally facred and obligatory, and tends to the Improvement and Profperity of Society; but as the Violation of them is not equally prejudicial to the public Good, the fulfilling them is not fubjected to the Cognizance of Law, but left to the Candor, Humanity, and Gratitude of Individuals. And by this means ample Scope is given to exercise all the Generofity, and difplay the genuine Merit and Luftre of Virtue. Thus the Wants and Misfortunes of others call for our charitable Affiftance and feasonable Supplies. And the good Man, unconstrained by Law, and uncontrouled by human Authority, will chearfully acknowledge and generoufly fatisfy this mournful and moving Claim; a Claim fupported by the Sanction of Heaven, of whofe Bounties he is honoured to be the grateful Trustee. If his own perfect Rights are invaded by the Injustice of others, he will no: therefore reject their imperfect Right to Pity and Forgivenefs, unlefs his Grant of thefe thould be inconfiftent with the more extenfive Rights of Society, or the public

Good.

Good. In that cafe he will have recourfe to public Juftice and the Laws, and even then he will profecute the Injury with no unneceffary Severity, but rather with Mildnefs and Humanity. When the Injury is merely perfonal, and of fuch a Nature as to admit of Alleviations, and the Forgivenefs of which would be attended with no worfe Confequences, especially of a public kind, the good Man will generously forgive his offending Brother: and it is his Duty to do so, and not to take private Revenge, or retaliate Evil for Evil. For though Refentment of Injury is a natural Paffion, and implanted, as was obferved * above, for wife and good Ends; yet, confidering the manifold Partialities which moft Men have for themselves, was every one to act as Judge in his own Caufe, and to execute the Sentence dictated by his own Refentment, it is but too evident that Mankind would pafs all Bounds in their Fury, and the laft Sufferer be provoked in his turn to make full Reprifals. So that Evil, thus encountering with Evil, would produce one continued Series of Violence and Mifery, and render Society into

*See Book I. Sect. 2. & 4.

intolerable, if not impracticable. Therefore, when the Security of the Individual, or Good of the Public, does not require a proportionable Retaliation, it is agreeable to the general Law of Benevolence, and to the particular End of the Paffion (which is to prevent Injury and the Mifery occafioned by it) to forgive perfonal Injuries, or not to return Evil for Evil. This Duty is one of the noble Refinements which Christianity has made upon the general Maxims and Practice of Mankind, and enforced with a peculiar Strength and Beauty, by Sanctions no less alluring than awful. And indeed the Practice of it is generally its own Reward; by expelling from the Mind the most dreadful Intruders upon its Repofe, thofe rancorous Paffions which are begot and nurfed by Refentment, and by difarming and even subduing every Enemy one has, except fuch as have nothing left of Men, but the outward Form.

The most enlarged and humane. Connection of the pri

Hofpitality.

vate kind, feems to be the Hofpitable Alliance, from which flow the amiable and

difin

See Butler's excellent Serm. (9th) on this Subject.

difinterested Duties we owe to Strangers. If the Exercife of Paffions of the moft private and instinctive kind is beheld with Moral Approbation and Delight, how lovely and venerable must those appear, which refult from a calm Philanthropy, are founded in the common Rights and Connections of Society, and embrace Men, not of a particular Sect, Party, or Nation, but all in general without Diftinction,and without any of the little Par tialities of Self-love.

CHAP. VI.

Social Duties of the COMMERCIAL Kind.

Commercial
Duties.

THE

HE next Order of Connections are those which arife from the Wants and Weakness of Mankind, and from the various Circumstances in which their different Situations place them. These we may call Commercial Connections, and the Duties which refult from them. Commercial Duties, as Justice, Fair-dealing, Sincerity, Fidelity to Compacts, and the like.

It

It is obferved fomewhere by a Writer of the firft Rank, that though Nature is perfect

dation.

Their Foun

in all her Works, yet fhe has obferved a manifeft and eminent Distinction among them. To all fuch as lie beyond the Reach of human Skill and Power, and are properly of her own Department, fhe has given the finishing Hand. These Man may defign after and imitate, but he can never rival them, nor add to their Beauty or Perfection. Such are the Forms and Structure of Vegetables, Animals, and many of their Productions, as the Honeycomb, the Spider's Web, and the like. There are others of her Works which fhe has of defign left unfinished, as it were, in order to exercise the Ingenuity and Power of Man. She has presented to him a rich Profufion of Materials of every kind for his Conveniency and Ufe; but they are rude and unpolished, or not to be come at without Art and Labour. These therefore he must apply, in order to adapt them to his Ufe, and to enjoy them in Perfection. Thus Nature has given him an infinite Variety of Herbs, Grain,

*Lord Bacon,