402 CHRISTIAN MORALITY, VIZ. JUSTICE, &C. [SEEM. S%IV. by their writings, or more especially by their conversation or instructions, have improved our understandings, and added to our knowledge in things natural or moral, as well as divine. There are some persons in the world, who have advanced their intellectuals in .a very sensible manner, by the company of their friends, but they have so much of pride and self reigning in them, that they re- fuse to acknowledge it : They would fain have the world believe, that it is the rich soil of their own understanding has produced this harvest of itself : They are ambitious and fond to have it thought that their notions are all their own. Though they plumed themselves with borrowed feathers, they are unwilling to confess whence they re- ceived them, and pretend they are owing to nature only. But pride is a secret vice, and a cursed spring of in- justice in more instances than one, as I shall shew here- after. After the benefits bestowed on our souls, we ought to consider what is due to those that have served our bodies, or our natural life. Those that have healed our dis- eases, that have saved us from imminent dangers and ca- lamities, or present death ; those that have fed or clothed us, or supported life when we were poor and destitute : All these deserve particular kinds of remembrance, and due returns of service. Those that have either vindi- cated our honour, or increased our reputation, and spread our good naine in the world, stand entitled also to some agreeable returns of benefit. Do not let us imagine then, that gratitude is a mere heroic virtue, that we may pay or not pay at our plea- ure; for nature dictates it to us, as a piece of strict commutative justice, and equity of dealing between man and man. We may be very properly said to treat our neighbour unjustly, if we refuse to serve him again, who halt first served us, when his distressed circumstances shall require our assistance. There are some cases indeed wherein the person who is obliged by his neighbours kindness, cannot possibly make a return equal to the benefit received, without ruining himself and his family, or exposing himself much more than his neighbour did to serve him. There are cases wherein the person who bath obliged us, may over- rate his kindness, and undervalue all our acknowledg-
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