counselling or commanding it, by acting it, or not hindering it when he might and ought, by concealing it or receiving it, is bound to make restitution to his neighbor; if without, the injury had not been done, but by him or his assistance it was. For by the same reason that every one of these is guilty of the sin, and is cause of the injury, by the same they are bound to make reparation; because by him his neighbor is made worse, and therefore is it put into that state from whence he was forced. And suppose that thou hast persuaded an injury to be done to thy neighbor, which others would have persuaded if thou hast not, yet thou art still obliged, because thou didst cause the injury, just as they had been obliged if they had done it: and thou art not at all the less bound by having persons as ill inclined as thou wert. 2. He that commanded the injury to be done, is first bound; then he that did it; and after these, they also are obliged who did so assist, as without them the thing would not have been done. If satisfaction be made by any of the former, the latter is tied to repentance, but no restitution. But if the injured person be not righted, every one of them is wholly guilty of the injustice, and therefore bound to restitution singly and entirely. 3. Whosoever intends a little injury to his neighbor, and acts it, and by it a greater evil accidentally comes, he is obliged to make an entire reparation of all the injury, of that which he intended, and of that which he intended not, but yet acted by his own instrument going farther than he at first proposed it. He that sets fire on a Plane-tree to spite his neighbor, and the Planetree set fire on his neighbor's house, he is bound to pay for all the loss. Because it did all arise from his own ill-intention. It is like murder committed by a drunken person, involuntary in some of the effect, but voluntary in the other parts of it, and in all the cause; and therefore the guilty person is answerable for all of it. And when Ariarathes the Cappadocian king had but in wantonness stopped the mouth of the river Melancus, although he intended no evil, yet the Euphrates being swelled by that means, and bearing away some of the strand of Cappadocia, did great spoil to the Phrygians and Galatians: he therefore by the Roman senate was condemned in three hundred talents towards reparation of the damage. Much rather therefore when the lesser part of the evil was directly in. tended. 4. He that hinders a charitable person from giving alms to a poor man, is tied to restitution if he hindered him by fraud or violence; because it was a right which the poor man had when the good man had designed and resolved it, and the fraud or violence hinders the effect, but not the purpose, and therefore he who used the deceit or the force is but left him still master of his tor giving a legacy either by kindness or by promise and common right. He that hinders the charitable legacy by fraud or violence, or the due legacy by intreaty, is equally obliged to restitution. The reason of the latter part of this case is, because he that intreats or persuades to a sin is as guilty as he that acts it; and if without his persuasion the sin and the inju. ry would not be acted, he is in his kind the active cause, and therefore obliged to repair the injury as much as the person that does the wrong immediately. a 5. He that refuses to do any part of his duty (to which he is otherwise obliged) without bribe, is bound to restore that money, because he took it in his neighbor's wrong, and not as a salary for his la bor, or a reward of his wisdom, (for his stipend hath paid all that) or he hath obliged himself to do by his voluntary undertaking. 6. He that takes any thing from his neighbor which was justly forfeited, but yet takes it not as a minister of justice, but to satisfy his own revenge or avarice, is tied to repentance but not to restitution. For my neighbor is not the worse for my act, for thither the law and his own demerits bore him; but because I took the forfeiture indi. rectly, I am answerable to God for my unhandsome, unjust, or uncharitable circumstance. Thus Philip of Macedon was reproved by Aristides for destroying the Phociuses; because although they deserved it, yet he did it not in prosecution of the law of nations, but to enlarge his own dominions. 7. The heir of an obliged person is not bound to make restitution, if the obligation passed only by a personal act, but if it passed from his person to his estate, then the estate passes with all its burthen. If the fa. ther by persuading his neighbor to do injustice, be bound to restore, the action is extinguished by the death of the father, because it was only the father's sin that bound him, which cannot directly bind the son; there fore the son is free. And this is so in all personal actions, unless where the civil law interposes and alters the case. He that hath really lessened the fame of his neighbor by fraud or violence, is bound to restore it by its proper instruments; such as are confessions of his fault, giving testimony of his innocence or worth, doing him honor, (or if that will do it and both parties agree) by money which answers all things. He that hath wounded his neighbor is tied to the expenses of the surgeon and other incidences, and to repair whatever loss he sustains by his disability to work or trade; and the same is in the case of false imprison. ment; in which cases only the real effect and remaining detriment are to be mended and repaired: for the action itself is to be punished or repented of, and enters not into the question of restitution. But in these and all other cases the injured person is to be restored to that perfect and good condition from which he was removed by my fraud or violence, so far as is possible. He that robbeth his neighbor of his goods, or detains any thing violently or fraudulently, is bound not only to restore the principal, but all its fruits and emoluments which would have accrued to the right owner dur ing the time of their being detained. By proportion of these rules we may judge the obligation that lies upon all sorts of injurious persons; the sacrilegious, the detainers of tithes, cheaters of men's inheritances, unjust judges, false witnesses and accusers, those that do fraudulently or violently bring men to sin, that force men to drink, that laugh at and disgrace virtue, that persuade servants to run away, or commend such purposes, violent persecutors of religion in any instance; and all of the same nature. He that hath wronged so many, or in that manner (as in the way of daily trade) that he knows not in what measure he hath done it, or who they are, must redeem his fault by alms and lar. gesses to the poor, according to the value of his wrongful deal. ing, as near as he can proportion it. Better it is to go begging to heaven, than to go to hell laden with the spoils of rapine and injustice. The order of paying of debts of contract or restitution are in some instances set down by the civil laws of a kingdom, in which cases their rule is to be observed. In destitution or want of such rules we are, 1. To observe the necessity of the creditor, 2. Then the time of the delay; and, 3. The special obligations of friendship or kindness; and according to these in their several degrees make our restitution, if we be not able to do all that we should: but if we be, the best rule is to do it as soon as we can, taking our accounts in this as in our human actions, according to pru. dence, and civil or natural con.. veniences or possibilities; only securing these two things: 1. That the duty be not wholly omitted; and, 2. That it be not deferred at all out of covetousness, or any other principle, that is vicious. Remember that in the same day in which Zaccheus made restitution to all whom he had injured, the same day Christ himself pronounced that salvation was come to his house. But besides the obligation arising from contract or default, there is one of another sort which comes from kindness and the acts of charity and friendship. He that does me a favor, bath bound me to make him a return of thankfulness. The obligation comes not by covenant, nor by his own express intention, but by the nature of the thing; and is a duty springing up within the spirit of the obliged person, to whom it is more natural to love his friend, and to do good for good, than to return evil for evil; because a man may forgive an injury, but he must never forget a good turn. thing that is excellent, and every thing that is profitable, whatsoever is good in itself, or good me, cannot but be beloved; and what we love we naturally cherish and do good to. He therefore that refuses to do good to to them whom he is bound to love, or to love that which did him good, is unnatural and monstrous in his affections, and thinks all the world born to minister to him, with a greediness worse than that of the sea, which al For every though it receives all rivers into itself, yet it furnishes the clouds and springs with a return of all they need. Our duty to benefactors is, to esteem and love their persons, to make them proportionable returns of service or duty, or profit, according as we can, or as they need, or as opportunity presents itself, and according to the great. nesses of their kindness, and to pray to God to make them recompense for all the good they have done to us; which last office is also requisite to be done for our creditors, who in charity have reliev ed our wants. A Prayer of Parents for their Children. O Almighty and most merciful Father, who hast promised children as a reward to the righteous, and hast given them to us as a testimony of thy mercy, and an engagement of our duty; be pleased to be a Father unto them, and give them healthful bodies, understanding souls, and sanctified spirits, that they may be thy servants and thy children all their days. Let a great mercy and providence lead them through the dangers and temptations, and ignorances of their youth, that they may never run into folly, and the evils of an unbridled appetite. So order the accidents of their lives, that by good education, careful tutors, holy exam. ple, innocent company, prudent counsel, and thy restraining grace, their duty to thee may be secured in the midst of a crooked and untoward generation: and if it seem good in thy eyes, let us be enabled to provide conveniently for the support of their persons, that they may not be des titute and miserable in our death; or if thou shalt call us off from this world by a more timely summons, let their portion be thy care, mercy, and providence over their bodies and souls, and may they never live vicious lives, nor die violent or untimely deaths; but let them glorify thee here with a free obedience, and the duties of a holy life, that when they have served thee in their generations, and have profited the christian commonwealth, they may be co-heirs with Jesus in the glories of thy eternal kingdom, through the same our Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN. A Prayer to be used by Merchants, Tradesmen, and Han. dicraftsmen. O Eternal God, thou Fountain of justice, mercy, and benediction, who by my education and other effects of thy providence, hast called me to this profession, that by my industry I may in my small proportion work together for the good of myself and others; I humbly beg thy grace to guide me in my intention, and in the transaction of my affairs, that I may be diligent, just, and faithful. And give me thy favor, that this my labor may be accepted by thee as a part of my necessary duty: and give me thy blessing to assist and prosper me in my calling, to such measures as thou shalt in mercy choose for me: and be pleased to let thy Holy Spirit be for ever present with me, that I may never be given to covetousness and sordid appetites, to lying and falsehood, or any other base, indirect, and beggarly arts; but give me prudence, honesty, and christian sincerity, that my trade may be A Prayer to be said by Debtors, and all Persons obliged whether by Crime or Contract. O Almighty God, who art rich unto all, the Treasury and Fountain of all good, of all justice, and all mercy, and all bounty, to whom we owe all that we are, and all that we have, being thy debtors by reason of our sins, and by thy own gracious contract made with us in Jesus Christ; teach me in the first place to perform all my obligations to thee, both of duty and thankfulness; and next enable me to pay my duty to all my friends, and my debts to all my creditors, that none be made miserable, or lessened in his estate, by his kindness to me, or traffic with me. Forgive me all those sins and irregular actions by which I entered into debt farther than my necessity required, or by which such necessity was brought upon me: but let not them suffer by occasion of my sin Lord, reward all their kindness into their bosoms, and make them recompense where I cannot, and make me very willing in all that I can, and able for all that I am obliged: or if good in thine eyes to afflict me by the continuance of it seem this condition, yet make it up, by some means to them, that the prayer of thy servant, may obtain of thee at least to pay my debt in blessings. AMEN. LORD, sanctify and forgive all that I have tempted to evil by my discourse or my example: instruct them in the right way whom I have led to error, and let me never run farther on the score of sin, but do thou blot out all the evils I have done by the sponge of thy passion, and the blood of thy cross; and give me a deep and an excellent repentance, and a free and a gracious pardon; that thou mayest answer for me, O Lord, and enable me to stand upright in judgment; for in thee, O Lord, have I trusted, let me never be confounded. Pity me, and instruct me, guide me, and support me, pardon me and save me, for my sweet Savior Jesus Christ's sake. ΑΜΕΝ. A Prayer for Patrons and Benefactors. O Almighty God, thou Foun tain of all good, of all excellency both to men and angels, extend thine abundant favor and loving kindness to my patrons, to all my friends and benefactors: reward them, and make them plentiful recompense for all the good which from thy merciful Providence they have conveyed unto me. Let the light of thy countenance shine upon them, and never let them come into any affliction or sadness, but such glory and their eternal comfort. as may be an instrument of thy Forgive them all their sins: let thy divinest Spirit preserve them from all the deeds of darkness. Let thy ministering angels guard |