they are an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongues like a bow for lies.

5. By virtue of our being united in society, we have a right to protection from one another. For it was for this reason that God brought us forth in a state of society, and linked us to one another by the inclinations of our nature; that so we, who are singly a sort of the most defenceless creatures, whom nature hath not furnished either with the defensive or offensive armour, which is natural to other creatures, might by an union of forces be able to secure ourselves against foreign outrage and violence; and being associated for this end by the law of our nature, we are thereby obliged, so far as we are able, to defend one another. All mankind are one body, incorporated by the charter of nature, whereby every member is obliged to stand by and assist his fellow, so long as he acts as a member, and keeps within the rules of human society. Whilst therefore I do not, by offending others, offend against the charter of nature, I have a right to be defended by every man, so far as he hath power and opportunity; and whosoever offends me ought to be looked on and proceeded with as a public offender against the corporation of mankind. For the whole is concerned in every part and as he that bruiseth the toe offends the body, and engages every member against him ; so he who wrongfully hurts any member of the human society is thereby injurious to the whole, and ought to be repelled and opposed by every member of it and he who refuses to aid his fellow-member, when injuriously struck at, and it is in his power to defend him, is a traitor to the common cause, a falsehearted turncoat and base deserter of the society of

mankind. He that can patiently sit still, and hear his brother's name torn in pieces by a slanderous tongue, when it is in his power to purge and vindicate him, robs him of the common rights of a man: he that can see his brother's life injuriously exposed, either by open violence or secret practice, when it is in his power to rescue him, treats him like an utter alien and foreigner to mankind: he that can suffer a brother to be robbed of his estate, or defrauded in his property, when it is in his power to defend and right him, unjustly withholds from him what he owes him by the charter of human society; and in so doing doth not only offend against his brother in particular, but also against the whole society of which he is a part and member. So that in short, as we are all united by the God of nature into the same corporation, we are obliged in justice manfully to defend each other's lives, estates, and reputations; and if we wilfully permit any fellow-member to be murdered, slandered, robbed, or cozened, when it is in our power to prevent it, we do not only wrongfully withhold from him his natural right to be defended by us, but foully betray the common interest of mankind; for both which we shall one day give a dear account to the supreme Head and Sovereign of all societies.

6. Sixthly and lastly, by virtue of our being united in society, we have also a right to share with one another in the profits of our commerce and intercourse. For as of all other creatures we are the best fitted for society, by reason of that peculiar faculty we have of communicating our thoughts and minds to one another; so of all other creatures we stand in the greatest need of it, by reason of our insufficiency to supply and relieve ourselves. For as

for other creatures, after they come into the world, they are much sooner able to help themselves than we; and after we are most able to help ourselves, there are a world of necessaries and conveniencies without which we cannot be happy, and with which we cannot be supplied without each other's aid and assistance. And therefore God created us in society, and imprinted sociable inclinations on our natures; that being by them combined and united together, we might be mutually helpful to one another, and ready to assist and supply each other, according to our several talents and abilities, with such necessaries and conveniencies of life as the condition of our nature requires. This therefore being one main end of our society, viz. to be dutiful ministers of God's providence towards one another, in supplying those wants and necessities which he hath made, and which he hath made to be supplied by our mutual good offices and ministries; every man hath thereupon a right to be aided and assisted by every one with whom he hath any dealing or intercourse; and to have some share of the benefit of all that exchange, traffick, or commerce, which passes between him and others. For every man hath a right to his own labour and industry; and therefore, if another be benefited by mine, it is but just and equal that I should be benefited by his; that he should so exchange labour or commodities with me, as that my necessities should be served as well as his own; and that while he reaps what I sow, and enjoys the harvest of my labour, he should repay me such a share of his, as my convenience and necessity calls for. But if he engross all the profit of our exchange and commerce to himself, he is rather a wen of the body

politic, that draws all the nourishment to himself, and starves the neighbouring parts, than a regular member, that contents itself with such a share as is proportionate to its own bulk and magnitude, and gladly permits his fellow-members to live and thrive as well as he. So that for any man, in his dealings with others, to take advantage from their necessity or ignorance, to oppress or overreach them; to use them cruelly, so as wilfully to damnify them; or hardly, so as either to rake all the advantage to himself, or not to allow them such a competent share of it as is necessary to support and maintain them according to their rank and station; is an injurious invasion of that natural right, which the very end and design of human society gives them.

And thus you see what are the natural rights of men, considered as rational creatures inhabiting mortal bodies, and united to one another by natural relations and society; all which rights are inherent in them antecedently to all human laws and constitutions; and though there had never been any other law but that of nature, yet they might have justly claimed them of one another, as eternal dues which no laws can cancel, no custom dissolve, no circumstances make void or abrogate. So that to do justly with respect to men's natural rights, is to render them what we owe them by the obligations of nature, as they are rational creatures; to treat them equitably, to do them all the good we can justly desire they should do to us, if we were in their circumstances; quietly to permit them to judge for themselves, without endeavouring to tyrannize over their minds by persecuting, censuring, and reviling them, because they are not of our opinion; to suffer

them freely to comply with the dictates of right reason, and not to put them, either by force, command, or presumption, upon any wicked and unreasonable act; in a word, to pay them all those fair respects that are due to the dignity of human nature, to treat them courteously and humanely, and not to bespeak or use them as if they were so many dogs or brute animals; these are eternal dues, which every rational creature owes to his own kind, and which we cannot withhold from one another without high injustice to human nature. But then, as we are rational creatures inhabiting these mortal bodies, we are obliged in justice not to maim, or destroy, or captivate one another's bodies; unless it be in the necessary defence of our own lives, estates, or liberties; not to deprive one another of our necessary livelihood and subsistence; but out of our abundance to supply the pinching necessities of the poor and needy. These things we owe one another as we are all the tenants of God, sent down into this lower world, and quartered in these houses of clay; and if we rob one another of what we are thus entitled to by the present state and condition of our being, we are extremely unjust to God and to each other. Again, as we are rational creatures united to each other by natural relations, we are obliged to render to each other all those respects and duties which the nature of our relation calls for; as we are parents, to love, and instruct, and make suitable provision for our children; as we are children, to love and reverence, succour and obey our parents; as we are brethren or natural kindred, to love and honour, succour and relieve one another: and if we withhold