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CHRISTIAN MORALITY,
VIZ.
JUSTICE,
&C.
SEAM.
XXV.
will
appear
to be a
natural
duty
of
the social
life
.
And
God,
as he
is
the
governor
of
the world,
will
take
ven-
geance
of
any neglect or violation
of
this
duty,
either
in
this
world,
or
in
the other.
Commutative justice, as it
is
described
in
the
former
discourse,
is
built upon
this
foundation,
that
one
man
has
need
of
another's assistance
:
Nor
is
there
any the
meanest
figure
amongst mankind
so very worthless,
use-
less,
and contemptible,
but
he may
be
capable
of
doing
us some service
either
now
or hereafter.
It
is
possible
we
may be
in
such circumstances, as
to
stand in need
of
the
help
of
the meanest,
as well
as
of
the mighty;
and
therefore the duty
of
social
life
obliges
us
to practise
the
rules
ofjustice
toward
all.
The
rich
stand
in
need
of the
poor
to perform the
meaner
offices
for
their
convenience,
as much
as
the
poor stand
in need
of
the rich
to
supply
them
with food
or
money.
The
master
bas need
of
the
servant to assist and
obey him, as
well as
the
servant
stands
in need
of maintenance
or
wages from
the
hands
of
his
master.
One
man can never
procure
for
himself
all
the necessaries,
and
all
the conveniences
of
life;
it
is indeed
impossible.
The
same man
cannot
sow
his
own corn,
reap
his own
harvest, keep
his own
sheep,
make
his own
bread,
form all
his
own
garments,
build
his
own bouse,
fashion
his own
furniture, and secure
his own
possessions;
no man can
provide for himself in
all
respects, without the assistance
of
his fellow
-crea-
tures.
Now those from
whom he
expects
to
receive help
in any
of
these instances, it
is
necessary
he should give
them help
in
other
instances wherein they stand
in
need
of
his.
This
is
one
foundation
ofjustice
between man
and
man
;
that
so
every man may have the necessaries
and
conveniences
of
life
by
his
neighbour's assistance.
Thus the king
himself, as
Solomon
says, is
served
by
the
held, Eccles.
v.
9.
The
prince stands
in
need
of
the
ploughman: The ploughman
gives food to
the prince,
and
the
prince
gives to
the ploughman
protection and
safety.
I
might
run through the various instances
wherein,
jus-
tice
is
to
be
practised, and
shew how
the higher and
lower orders and
characters of
men have
mutual
need
of
each
other
:
The
buyer and the
seller,
the artificer and
the merchant,
the
teacher
and
the
scholar;
and thus
,