cloth; the artificers and labourers their skill and work; the prince and rich man gave food and protection; the poor and the subject gave their attendance and service; And thus mankind lived by an exchange of benefits. But when they found many inconveniences arise from this manner of dealing, they contrived another way of exchange, and that is by money; which by universal agreement is made the common measure of all things in contract: And since that time, skill and labour, attendance and services are exchanged for money, as well as goods and merchandises. Now herein consists the practice of justice, that every one render to his neighbour that which is due upon the account of any of these benefits or conveniences of life he receives from him.

Let us give the first place to kings and rulers in this discourse, as justice requires, Though the distribution of special rewards and punishments may have something in it of a distinct nature, yet the common protection which they owe all their subjects, and the obedience and tribute which their subjects owe them upon that account, are properly a part of commutative justice. By their oath of magistracy, and by our engagements of allegiance, expressed or implied, we bargain with them for protection, and we ought to pay them tribute. They accept of a high and heavy charge, and agree to execute the laws of the land for the good of the people: Therefore not only the purses, but the consciences of the people are under obligations to pay taxes to the magistrate for the support of his governing power, and the maintainance of his honour and authority, that he may the better fulfil the glorious and useful work. This is what the apostle insists upon, and argues in that known place, the xiiith chapter to the Romans. Rulers are ordained of God, not for a terror to good works, but to the evil. The ruler is the minister of God to thee for good, and he beareth not the sword in vain;

he is an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath; that is, for fear of his anger; but for conscience's sake, as a matter of justice and duty: And for this cause also pay tribute. And it is to be noted, the apostle puts our duty in this respect upon the foot of justice, ver. 7. Render therefore to all their dues; that is, whatsoever things are just, perform to them; render tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.

As the payment of tribute and taxes to those who undertake our protection, defence and safety, is a necessary duty; so the payment of a salary to a teacher, of wages to a servant, of money or merchandize to a trader, of hire to the workman, are other parts of justice. Let not the Labourer that hath reaped down your fields, or wrought in your service, go without his hire, which was a practice the apostle reproached in his days, James v. 4. The law of Moses is very strict in this matter, Deut. xxiv. 14. 15. Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or a stranger. To express it in modern language: whether he be a Christian or not, a good man or an evil man, let him have his hire. If he is so poor that he cannot tell how to provide for himself to answer the necessities of the evening, then see that thou pay him the hire of the day, nor let the sun go down upon it, for he is poor, and sets his heart, or depends upon it. Trespass not upon his poverty by thy withholding his due so long as may turn to his prejudice; let not his hire, which is detained by fraud, cry against thee, for the Lord of hosts, the God of justice, will hear the cry of the oppressed.

And not only in the case of a poor labourer, but in every other instance, make conscience of paying that which you have borrowed, or what you owe to your neighbour, and that not only in full measure, but at the appointed time of payment: The

time is part of the contract as well as the money. Do not say, I intend to be honest, but I will not 66 pay this week, or this month." Do not withhold what is due, and say to thy neighbour, Go, and come again when thou hast it by thee: Withhold not good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. This is forbid by the inspired preacher Solomon, Prov. iii. 27, 28. Nor is this agreeable to the golden rule of our Saviour; do to others as ye would that others should do unto you..

V. Help to our fellow-creatures, in cases of great necessity, seems to be another piece of human justice, even though they have never done any thing actually for us. We are bound to defend our neighbour from apparent injury, so far as is consistent with our own safety, and sometimes farther too. It is our duty to direct him in the right way, when he is wandering or uncertain. It is a piece of justice to warn him of approaching danger, and to give him some assistance in case of sudden calamity or distress attending him. When we see his soul or his body, or his estate in imminent hazard, we ought to give him notice of it; we should put forth some efforts of kindness for his security, and pluck him as a brand out of the fire. Our own conscience dictates this to us, since we should think it a very reasonable thing to expect the same kindness from our neighbour, when we are found in the like circumstances.

Can we suppose that the law of God should appoint us to lift the ox or the ass of our neighbour out of a pit or to restore his sheep to him when going astray, Deut. xxii. 1. and yet that we are not bound to fulfil the same duty of love toward our neighbour himself? Nay, the command of Moses reaches still farther, Exod. xxiii. 4. If thou meet thine enemy's or or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. How much more should this be practised toward the soul or the body of a fellow Christian.

If the law of justice require us to secure the cat

tle or possessions of our neighbour; surely then we are obliged to deal as kindly with his reputation and good name, which, in some cases, is the best part of a man's estate, and is almost as dear to many as their health or life. When we happen therefore into such company as give their tongues a loose to scandal, and we hear our neighbour vilified and reproached, we ought to ward off the calumny, and to refute the scandal, where we know that our neighbour does not deserve it.

This piece of justice or duty, to assist a suffering neighbour, arises from the social nature of man, who by the law of nature is so far born for a social life, as to come into the world with this claim, and under this sort of obligations; for a naked exposed infant may claim the patronage and protection of every eye that beholds him. And where other cir cumstances are equal, those who are most capable of affording help, seem to be most obliged. Now if it be a work of human justice to preserve such an helpless piece of human nature from death, surely every infant grown up to any degrees of capacity and manhood, ought in like manner to esteem himself obliged to afford some assistance to his fellow-creatures, according to their distress and his capacity, well considered and adjusted.

Therefore, my assistance or relief of an injured or perishing creature, is a sort of duty to mankind, though the person himself be an utter stranger to me: The history of the good Samaritan in the gospel tells me, that in such a case every man is my neighbour, though he be of a different nation, sect, or party. But when men are fellow-subjects, or fellow-citizens, or combined in any natural, civil or religious society, this rule of justice appears with more force and evidence; it strikes a brighter light upon the conscience, and ought to have more power upon the heart and practice; for combination into

society is an implicit contract or promise of mutual help under necessity.

I confess, several of the instances which I have men. tioned under this fifth head, may be referred also to charity and mercy, of which I shall speak hereaf ter; but forasmuch as the light of nature and the law of God require these beneficial actions of men toward each other, I have here placed them under the head of Justice.

VI. The last piece of Justice which I shall mention, is reparation to those whom we have wilfully injured, as far as possible: And this is a certain duty, whether we have done them injury in their souls, in their bodies, in their estates, or in their reputation.

If we have led them into errors or heresy by our conversation; if we have tempted them to sin by our allurement or example; if we have solicited their assistance in any base or guilty practices of our own, we ought seriously to employ our best powers and prayers toward their recovery from the snare of the devil. If we have wilfully injured their health; if we have blasted their credit; if we have thrown a blot upon their good name; if we have defrauded them of any part of their due, or wasted their substance, let us know and consider, that the law of justice requires us to make what restitution we are capable of: But still .it must be done in such a manner as must consist with our duty to the rest of our fellow-creatures round about us.

It is a vain thing to pretend to be sorry and repent that we have done our neighbour a wilful injury, or to flatter him with idle compliments of asking his pardon, while it lies in our power to repair the damage he sustains in a way of consistence with our other duties, and yet we obstinately refuse it; such a repentance as this cannot be sincere in the sight of God, nor have we any reason to hope that his justice or mercy will condescend to accept it. C

VOL. II.