411 / 514
SERM.
XXIV.]
.EItRISTIAN MORALITY,
VIz.
.JffSTICE,
B:c.
403
ments
:
He
may
require most unreasonable returns, and
think
he
is
never
sufficiently
recorrïpensed.
There
are
cases also wherein the
benefactor
may
repent
of
his
past
services, may
endeavour
to
take
away
the benefit
be-
stowed,-
may
without reason commence a resolute enmi-
ty,
and
do
what
in him
lies
to cancel all
former obligà-
tions
:
In
such circumstances
as these,
the obligation
of
gratitude
may
be
diminished, and
perhaps
may cease
al-
together. And though
sometimes, in
these
very
cases,
there.
may
be high
and
heavy
charges
of ingratitude
brought
by
the
first
benefactor against
a
person
of
a
very
grateful
mind
;
yet
these
accusations
may be
utterly
un-
just
in the sight
of
God,
who
knoweth
and
weigheth all
circumstances
in a
righteous
balance.
But
where
no
such
bars are laid
in the
way,
it
is
evident
that
the
prac-
tice
of
gratitude, and a mutual
return of
benefits,
is
but
a
piece
of natural
justice. The
very
publicans
and
sinners
do good .to
those
that
do good to them.
Mat.
v.
46.
Luke
vi.
32.
:I.Y:.
Another
piece
of justice
is,
the
payment
of
the
full
due
to
those whom
we
bargain
or
deal
with,
whether
the contract
be
made formally
in words,
or
implied
in
the
nature
of
things,
according
to the
customs
of
mankind.
And
under
this head,
not
only those
who
buy
and
sell,
who
lend and borrow
;
but
all
ranks
and degrees
of
mankind,
who have
any
commerce
with
each other,
are
included, from the prince upon the throne, to the day-
labourer
in
the
high-ways
and the
hedges.
The
very
notion
of
commutative
justice
implies
the
giving one
good
thing
in
barter or
exchange for another.
And
all
commerce amongst
men was
originally
carried on
this
way,
.viz.
the husbandman
gave corn,
the
grazier
cattle
;
the
draper
gave cloth
;
the artificers
and
labour-
ers
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
incon-
veniences arise
from
this
manner
of
dealing, they
con-
trived
another
way
of
exchanges, and
that
is
by
money
;
which by
universal agreement
is
made the common mea-
sure
of
all things in
contract
:
And
since
that
time, skill
and labour,
attendance and
services
are exchanged
for
money, as
well as
goods and merchandizes. Now
herein
°D2