 Man is further to be regarded by us, for as much as his Infirmities, Frailties, Distemperatures. Afflictions, Aches, and Anguishes are so intimately felt by his divine Inmate, that they occasionally excite those thousand social Charities, Relations, and Endearments that, with Links of golden Love, connect the Brotherhood of Man.
It is therefore worth while to enquire into the Claims and Rights of this close, though gross Companion, at least so far as may be requisite for his necessary, if not comfortable Subsistance upon Earth.
We find that God has entrusted him with
Life, Liberty,
and Strength to acquire
Property
for his Sustenance. It is therefore his Duty to preserve all these Trusts inviolate; for, as they are wedded to his Nature,
what God hath so joined let no Man put asunder.
If these were not, my
Harry,
the natural, inheritable, and indefeasible Rights of all Men, there would be no Wrong, no Injustice, in depriving All you should meet, of their Liberty, their Lives, and Properties at Pleasure. For, all Laws that were ever framed for the good Government of Men (even with the divine Decalogue) are no other than faint Transcripts of that eternal LAW OF BENEVOLENCE, which was written and again retraced in the Bosom of the first Man, and which all his Posterity ought to observe, without further Obligation.
The capital Apostle, Saint
Paul,
bears Testimony, also, to the Impression of this LAW OF RIGHTS on the Consciences and Hearts of all Men, where he says in the second Chapter of his Epistle to the
Romans,
Not the Hearers of the Law are just before God, but the Doers of the Law shall be justified. For, when the Gentiles, which have not the Law, do by Nature the Things contained in the Law, These, having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves. Which shew the work of the Law WRITTEN, IN THEIR HEARTS, their Consciences also bearing Witness, and their Thoughts, the mean while, accusing or else excusing One another.
But Sir, interrupted
Harry,
I am quite astonished at the Falling-off of the Father of Mankind. So infinitely benefitted and obliged as he was, so necessarily dependent also on his omnipotent Benefactor; how foolish, how base, how ungrateful, how unpardonable, as I think, was his wonderful Apostasy! Wretched Creatures that we are! no sound Branch, to be sure, could ever spring from so debased, so cankered a Stock.
Let us not be prone to judge of Others, my
Harry.
I am confident,
