mankind. He that can patiently sit still, and hear his brother's name torn in pieces by a slanderous tongue, when it is in his power to purge and vindicate him, robs him of the common rights of a man: he that can see his brother's life injuriously exposed, either by open violence or secret practice, when it is in his power to rescue him, treats him like an utter alien and foreigner to mankind: he that can suffer a brother to be robbed of his estate, or defrauded in his property, when it is in his power to defend and right him, unjustly withholds from him what he owes him by the charter of human society; and in so doing doth not only offend against his brother in particular, but also against the whole society of which he is a part and member. So that in short, as we are all united by the God of nature into the same corporation, we are obliged in justice manfully to defend each other's lives, estates, and reputations; and if we wilfully permit any fellow-member to be murdered, slandered, robbed, or cozened, when it is in our power to prevent it, we do not only wrongfully withhold from him his natural right to be defended by us, but foully betray the common interest of mankind; for both which we shall one day give a dear account to the supreme Head and Sovereign of all societies.

6. Sixthly and lastly, by virtue of our being united in society, we have also a right to share with one another in the profits of our commerce and intercourse. For as of all other creatures we are the best fitted for society, by reason of that peculiar faculty we have of communicating our thoughts and minds to one another; so of all other creatures we stand in the greatest need of it, by reason of our insufficiency to supply and relieve ourselves. For as

for other creatures, after they come into the world, they are much sooner able to help themselves than we; and after we are most able to help ourselves, there are a world of necessaries and conveniencies without which we cannot be happy, and with which we cannot be supplied without each other's aid and assistance. And therefore God created us in society, and imprinted sociable inclinations on our natures; that being by them combined and united together, we might be mutually helpful to one another, and ready to assist and supply each other, according to our several talents and abilities, with such necessaries and conveniencies of life as the condition of our nature requires. This therefore being one main end of our society, viz. to be dutiful ministers of God's providence towards one another, in supplying those wants and necessities which he hath made, and which he hath made to be supplied by our mutual good offices and ministries; every man hath thereupon a right to be aided and assisted by every one with whom he hath any dealing or intercourse; and to have some share of the benefit of all that exchange, traffick, or commerce, which passes between him and others. For every man hath a right to his own labour and industry; and therefore, if another be benefited by mine, it is but just and equal that I should be benefited by his; that he should so exchange labour or commodities with me, as that my necessities should be served as well as his own; and that while he reaps what I sow, and enjoys the harvest of my labour, he should repay me such a share of his, as my convenience and necessity calls for. But if he engross all the profit of our exchange and commerce to himself, he is rather a wen of the body

politic, that draws all the nourishment to himself, and starves the neighbouring parts, than a regular member, that contents itself with such a share as is proportionate to its own bulk and magnitude, and gladly permits his fellow-members to live and thrive as well as he. So that for any man, in his dealings with others, to take advantage from their necessity or ignorance, to oppress or overreach them; to use them cruelly, so as wilfully to damnify them; or hardly, so as either to rake all the advantage to himself, or not to allow them such a competent share of it as is necessary to support and maintain them according to their rank and station; is an injurious invasion of that natural right, which the very end and design of human society gives them.

And thus you see what are the natural rights of men, considered as rational creatures inhabiting mortal bodies, and united to one another by natural relations and society; all which rights are inherent in them antecedently to all human laws and constitutions; and though there had never been any other law but that of nature, yet they might have justly claimed them of one another, as eternal dues which no laws can cancel, no custom dissolve, no circumstances make void or abrogate. So that to do justly with respect to men's natural rights, is to render them what we owe them by the obligations of nature, as they are rational creatures; to treat them equitably, to do them all the good we can justly desire they should do to us, if we were in their circumstances; quietly to permit them to judge for themselves, without endeavouring to tyrannize over their minds by persecuting, censuring, and reviling them, because they are not of our opinion; to suffer

them freely to comply with the dictates of right reason, and not to put them, either by force, command, or presumption, upon any wicked and unreasonable act; in a word, to pay them all those fair respects that are due to the dignity of human nature, to treat them courteously and humanely, and not to bespeak or use them as if they were so many dogs or brute animals; these are eternal dues, which every rational creature owes to his own kind, and which we cannot withhold from one another without high injustice to human nature. But then, as we are rational creatures inhabiting these mortal bodies, we are obliged in justice not to maim, or destroy, or captivate one another's bodies; unless it be in the necessary defence of our own lives, estates, or liberties; not to deprive one another of our necessary liveli hood and subsistence; but out of our abundance to supply the pinching necessities of the poor and needy. These things we owe one another as we are all the tenants of God, sent down into this lower world, and quartered in these houses of clay; and if we rob one another of what we are thus entitled to by the present state and condition of our being, we are extremely unjust to God and to each other. Again, as we are rational creatures united to each other by natural relations, we are obliged to render to each other all those respects and duties which the nature of our relation calls for; as we are parents, to love, and instruct, and make suitable provision for our children; as we are children, to love and reverence, succour and obey our parents; as we are brethren or natural kindred, to love and honour, succour and relieve one another: and if we withhold

from each other any of these rights or dues, which the nature of our relation calls for, we make an injurious inroad upon the most sacred rights and enclosures of nature. Lastly, as we are rational creatures united to one another by natural society, we owe love and peace, truth and credit, protection and participation of profit to one another. Whilst therefore we hate and malign, and vex and disturb each other; whilst we lie and equivocate, and violate our promises and oaths; whilst we refuse to defend each other's lives, estates, and reputation; and usurp all the profits of our exchange and intercourse, not allowing those whom we deal with a sufficient share to subsist and live by; we trample upon all the natural rights of human society, and demean ourselves as open enemies and outlaws to mankind.

Wherefore, in the name of God, if in this degenerate age, whereinto we are fallen, Christianity hath quite lost its just power and dominion over us; let us be honest heathens at least, though we resolve to be no longer Christians: if we will needs be deaf to the voice of our revealed religion, yet for shame let us attend to the voice of our nature, and not leap down at once from the perfection of Christians into the wretched condition of beasts and devils. Oh! for the love of God and the honour of those noble natures he hath given us, stop as men at least, though you are fallen from Christianity; and do not, by your cruelty and inhumanity, frauds and calumnies, oppressions, lies, and shameless perjuries, at the least approach towards that at which humanity starts with horror and amazement; do not defame and scandalize your natures, and render yourselves a