SERIFÍÓN $XIV 337 him again, who bath first served us, when his distressed cir- cumstances shall require our assistance, There are some cases indeed wherein the person who is obliged by his'neighbour's kindness, cannot possibly make a re- turn equal to thebenefit received, without ruining himself and his family, or exposing himself much more than his neighbour did to serve him. There arecases wherein the personwho hath obliged us, may over-rate his kindness, and undervalue all, our acknow- ledgments He may requiremost unreasonable returns, and think he is never sufficiently recompensed. There are cases also wherein the benefactormay repent of his past services, may en- deavour to take away the benefit bestowed, may without reason commence a resolute enmity, and do what in him lies to cancel all formerobligations : In such circumstances as these, the obligation of gratitude maybe diminished, and perhaps maycease altogether, And though sometimes, in these very cases, there maybe 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 unjust in the sight of God, who knoweth and weigheth all circumstancesin a righteous balance. But whereno such bars are laid inthe way, it is evidentthat the practiceofgra- titude, and a mutual return of benefits, is but a piece of natural justice. Thevery publicans andsinners do good to those, that do good to them: Mat. v. 46. Luke viii. 32. IV. Another piece of justice is, the payment of the full due to those whom we bargain or deal with, whether the contract he made formally in words, or implied in the nature of things, ac- cording to the customs of mankind. And under this head, not only those who buy and sell, wholend 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 hedges. The very notion of commutative justice implies the giving one good thing in barter of exchange for another. And all com- merce amongst men was originally carried on this way, viz, the husbandman gave corn, the grazier cattle; the draper gave 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 inconve- niences arise from this manner of dealing, they contrived another way of exchanges; and that is by money, which by universal agreementis made the commonmeasure 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. z 2
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