the

“womb, make him?, and did not one fashion us in t "womb" As if he had said, masters an and fervants, confidered as men, are equal. tez-bib or betala It follows, therefore, that the claims of mankind upon one another are equal: that is, the law of nature is univerfal, and equally binding on all. Whatever I have a right, as a man, to require of another, that he has a right to require of me. The obligations of truth, justice, compaffion, benevolence, and gratitude, are common to men of every rank, thofe in the most exalted and thofe in the most inferior flations of life, For, being all formed on one fcale, and evidently, defigned for focial connections, that which a man by a kind of impulfe of nature feels himself difpofed to expect and demand from his neighbour, he cannot but inftantly perceive his neighbour, in the like cir... cumstances, is entitled to from him. From this law, therefore, which arifes out of a famenefs of nature, no man is or can be exempted. So that you fee all men, as fuch, are equal.-But then,

II. Their condition in life is various.

This is true in regard of mind, body, and eftate. Though men are all endowed with the fame natural faculties, yet there is a manifeft difference in the ftrength, vigour, and extent of them. Some poffefs a more lively imagination than others, fome a more penetrat ing judgment, and fome a more retentive memory And the effect is prodigious in matters of fcience, bu-s finefs, and art. fhall eafily comprehend a One man point, which another can scarce form any idea about, One shall almost, iuftantly compals an object, which another of flow understanding cannot arrive at but by

longas

*Job xxxi. 15.

long and tedious fteps. There is also an amazing variety in the geniufes of mankind, which are evidently adapted to different purfuits, all which have their ufe in fociety. The truth of thefe obfervations, which might be branched out into innumerable particulars, must strike every one who is at all converfant with the world.adtons to vie

The body too, though framed in the general upon the fame plan, has a great variety in its appearance and construction. Not to speak of the senses, fome of which are quicker and ftronger in one man than another, how do people differ in fize, ftrength, agility, animal spirits, and the like! Some of robust conftitutions are equal to the most painful labours, while others of a tender delicate frame are quickly overpowered with every trifling exertion.

And then as to mens worldly circumftances, these are as various, if not more fo, than their powers of body dy and mind. Some are rich and others poor. Some poffefs large eftates, accumulated wealth, fplendid titles, and extenfive dominion: while others have very little property, move in contracted fpheres, and pafs their lives in obfcurity. And between the

two extremes of great opulence and wretched poverty the degrees are almoft innumerable. So that the capacities and conditions of mankind, whereby they ! are fitted for various departments of life, are diverfified beyond à poffibility of minute defcription. The truth of thefe facts is not to be disputed.

But it will be enquired how this happens? A ve. ry proper queftion this to be adverted to here, in or der to check the pride of fuperiors on the one hand, and to reconcile inferiors to their fltations on the o

ther.

ther. The former are too apt to look on the latter as a species of beings below them, and fo to treat? them with inhumanity and contempt; and thefe again too apt to confider the other as poffeffing more thang their share, and fo a fit prey for depredation, when op. portunity offers. But it will be found on reflection, that as inferiors have the fame natural rights with fu periors, and therefore ought to be treated with huma nity; fo this inequality of condition we are here speak, ing of, is the refult of the wife difpofition of divine. Providence, and therefore ought to be acquiefced in. Who can doubt that the powers of nature, both men. tal and corporeal, however capable of being improved and enlarged by culture and ufe, are the gifts of God? If therefore he withholds understanding and fagacity from fome, and ftrength and agility from others, who fhall complain, fince he does no other than he has a right to do? And fo as to wealth, however it is acquired, provided it is got honeftly, it is the fruit of his munificence. He poffeffes men of the means of becoming profperous, and he crowns those means with fuccefs. Wherefore they who have more property than others, have a right to the peaceable enjoyment of it and they who have lefs are not authorized by a pretence of want to make encroachments on their neighbours. As it is God then that hath made men, in regard of the rights of nature, equal; fo it is he that hath made them, in regard of condition, unequal.

III. Individuals are not fufficient to their own fupport, and therefore ftand in need of one another's affifi

ance.

Every one must, every one does feel, that he can. not fubfist of himfelf without foreign fupport. And

of

of whom are men, under God, to expect aid but of fellow-men, those with whom they are intimately connected in fociety, and who have it in their power, by poffeffing various capacities, and filling various ftations, to be mutually beneficial to each other? Inferiors require the aid of fuperiors, and naturally look. up to them for it; the ignorant to the wife for inftruction, the weak to the ftrong for fupport, and the poor to the rich for charity. And it is as true on the other hand, that fuperiors need the affiftance of inferiors. The rich cannot do without the poor. Let a man poffefs the largest share of wealth, it can do him little good, if others are indifpofed to help him. He cannot by his own personal exertions procure the conveniences, if the neceffaries of life: and of what ufe is his money, if it will not purchafe him the fruit of other men's labours? But this it will do, as multitudes cannot fubfift without an exchange of labour for property. Hence it is a maxim among commerical men, that the industrious poor are the riches of any country for trade and manufactures, which are the grand fources of wealth, owe their fupport to them. Here a great variety of inftances might be mentioned, wherein persons of all ranks and conditions are mu tually benefited by each others affiftance. But that which is the object of this difcourfe fhall fuffice. Domestic affairs cannot be managed without the aid of ferThe heads of families therefore will look out for proper perfons to fill their feveral departments of fervice. And those again, whose inferior condition of life makes it neceffary to procure fupport by miniftering to those above them, will cheerfully offer their fervice for a proportionable reward.

vants.

And

And now this being the cafe, the wisdom of divine Providence in endowing men with fuch different capacities, and in diftributing property to them in fuch various proportions, cannot be enough admired. If the conditions of all men were equal, it would be difficult to conceive how the community could fubfift. It is, however, certain that the aggregate fum of worldly happiness would not, in that cafe, be fo confider ble as it is. And then it is further to be observed, that as this inequality of condition qualifies and difpofes men to affift each other's temporal interefts, fo it is cften productive of great good to them in regard of their nobler interefts. Their virtues are hereby tried, exercifed, and improved, fuch as humility, meeknefs, contentment, and patience on the one hand; and humanity, condefcenfion, fympathy and benevolence, on the other. And thus are they enabled the better to ftruggle with the various and unavoidable viciffitudes of the prefent life, and gradually fitted for the noble and permanent joys of another. This leads us to obferve,

IV. That the affiftance which men thus mutually fiand in need of, can only be rendered in a way that requires authority on the one part, and obedience on the other.

If the conditions of mankind are, as we have feen, various; the affittance they require of each other must be various too. It is the bufinefs of the wife to inftruct the ignorant, of the strong to help the weak, and of the rich to communicate to the poor. thefe offices (under which general ideas an infinite number befides are comprehended) cannot be rendered, unlefs the former are allowed under certain restrictions to

But

exercife