cept where their Conduct makes fuch Ufage of them neceffary. Accordingly the Scripture teacheth us to honour all Men. 1 Pet. ii. 17. And to be gentle, fhewing all Meeknefs unto all Men. Tit. iii. 2. And Gentleness is reckoned among the Fruits of the Spirit. Gal. v. 22. There is fuch a Refpect due to all Men as Men, that we muft not wilfully and caufeleffly affront or offend any Man. To this Purpose are those Precepts: Give none Offence, neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles. 1 Cor. x. 32. Provide Things boneft in the Sight of all Men. And, If it be poffible, and as much as in you lieth, live peaceably with all Men. Rom. xii. 17, 18.

The Rights that have been mentioned may be said to be natural and fundamental Rights, in the Preservation of which Justice doth eminently confift: And it appears that great Care has been taken in the Divine Law, as delivered in the holy Scriptures, to oblige Men, in their Conduct towards one another, to fhew an uniform Regard to all these.

There are also civil Rights arifing from the Laws and Conftitutions of the Community to which we belong, and Rights that refult from particular Stations and Relations,

lations, Conditions and Circumstances; to which we are obliged to have a due Regard if we would maintain the Character of just and righteous Perfons: And these I propose to confider in my next Discourse.

On

On Delighting in the Laws of God.

DISCOURSE XI.

PSALM CXix. 47.

I will delight myself in thy Commandments; which I have loved.

Go

OD, who is the wife and righteous Governor of the World, hath taken great Care, in his holy Law, to oblige Men to deal justly towards one another, i. e. that they should endeavour to render unto all their Dues, and not do any Thing that tends to deprive any Man of his Rights, or to injure him in them.

These Rights are of various Kinds. There are what may be called natural and fundamental Rights; or Rights belonging

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ΤΟ

to Men as Men, and which do not depend merely on civil Conftitutions and Compacts: Some Account of these was given in my last Discourse.

I now proceed to obferve, Secondly, That there are civil Rights arifing from the Laws and Conftitutions of the Community or civil Government to which they are fubject, or from particular Covenants, Stipulations, and Agreements: And these, as far as they are juft, have a near Connection with the natural and fundamental Rights which have been mentioned. The proper Defign of civil Government is to fecure to Men their just Rights, to protec their Perfons, their Properties, and Reputations, from the Attempts of Fraud, Malice, and Violence; and to hinder them, as far as poffible, from wronging and injuring one another. For this Purpose,

there are in all civilifed Countries Laws and Constitutions eftablished, in order to the Afcertaining and Determining particular Rights conformably to the general Rules of Justice. The Forms and Regulations fixed upon may vary in different Communities, but the general Intention of them is the fame. And it is fit and proper that thofe Laws and Conftitutions, those Rules and Forms, fhould be observed

and