Besides this, every one has an instinctive desire thus to use them. He cannot be happy unless this desire be gratified, and he is painfully conscious of injury if this right be interfered with. In this manner he loves himself. Now, in the same manner he is commanded to love his neighbor. That is, he is by this precept obliged to have the same desire that his neighbor should enjoy unmolested the control over whatever God has bestowed upon him, as he has to enjoy unmolested the same control himself; and to feel the same consciousness of injury when another man's rights are invaded, as when his own rights are invaded. With these sentiments he would be just as unwilling to violate the rights of another, as he would be to suffer a violation of his own. That this view of the subject exhausts the command we by no means assert, but we think it evident that the language is capable of a no less comprehensive meaning.

The same precept is expressed in other places under another form of language: "All things whatsoeveye Culd that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them; for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew, vii. 12.

The words here, as in the former case, are used to denote a principle of universal obligation: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them."

The precept itself teaches us to estimate the rights of others by the consciousness of individual right in our own bosoms. Would we wish to know how delicate a regard we are bound to entertain towards the control which God has given to others over the means of happiness which He has granted to them, let us decide the question by asking how tender and delicate is the regard which we would wish them to entertain towards us under similar circumstances. The decision of the one question will always be the decision of the other. And this precept goes a step farther, It

renders it obligatory on every man to commence such a course of conduct, irrespectively of whatever may be the conduct of others to himself. It forbids us to demand more than the law of reciprocity allows; it commands us always to render it; and, still more, if we complain to another of his violation of the law, it renders it imperative on us, while we urge upon him a change of conduct, to commence by setting him the example. And it really, if carried out to the utmost, would preclude our claim upon him, until we had ourselves first manifested towards him the very disposition which we demand towards ourselves. The moral beauty of this precept will be at once seen by any one who will take the trouble, honestly, to generalize it. He will immediately perceive that it would always avert injury at the very outset; and, by rendering both parties more virtuous, would tend directly to banish injury, and violence, and wrong, from the earth.

selfdy. This law of universal reciprocity applies with

the same force to communities as to individuals.

Communities are composed of individuals, and can have, in respect to each other, no other rights than those of the individuals who constitute them. If it be wrong for one man to injure another man, it must be equally wrong for two men to injure two other men; and so of any other number. And moreover, the grant of the Creator is in both cases under the same circumstances. God has bestowed upon nations physical and intellectual advantages, in every possible degree of diversity. But He has granted to them all an equal right to use those advantages in such manner as each one may suppose will best conduce to the promotion of his own happiness.

Hence it will follow

1. That the precept applies as universally to nations as

to individuals. Whenever societies of men treat with each other; whether powerful with weak, or polite with rude, civilized with savage, or intelligent with ignorant; whether friends with friends, or enemies with enemies; all are bound, by the law of reciprocity, to love each other as themselves, and to do unto others in all things whatsoever they would desire others to do unto them.

2. And hence, also, the precept itself is equally obligatory upon nations as upon individuals. Every nation is bound to exhibit as sensitive a regard for the preservation inviolate of the rights of another nation, as it exhibits for the preservation inviolate of its own rights. And still more, every nation is under the same obligation as every individual, to measure the respect and moderation which it displays to others, by the respect and moderation which it demands for itself; and is also, if it complain of violation of right, to set the first example of entire and perfect reciprocity and fidelity. Were this course pursued by individuals and nations, the causes of collision would manifestly cease, and the appeal to arms would soon be remembered only as one of the strange infatuations of by-gone barbarous and blood-thirsty ages. Chicanery, and intrigue, and overreaching, are as wicked and as disgraceful in the intercourse of nations and societies, as in that of individuals; and the tool of a nation or of a party is as truly contemptible as the tool of an individual. The only distinction which I perceive is, that in the one case the instrument of dishonesty is ashamed of his act, and dare not wear the badge of his infamy; while, in the other case, even the ambiguous virtue of shame has been lost, and the man glories in the brand which marks him for a villain.

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CLASSIFICATION OF THE DUTIES ARISING FROM THE LAW OF RECIPROCITY.

The duties of reciprocity may be divided into three classes.

Class 1. DUTIES TO MEN AS MEN.

Class 2. DUTIES ARISING FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF

THE SEXES.

Class 3. DUTIES ARISING FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF

CIVIL SOCIETY.

Class 1. DUTIES TO MEN AS MEN.

This includes justice and veracity.

I. Justice, as it regards, 1. Liberty.

2. Property.

3. Character.

4. Reputation.

II. Veracity. 1. Of the past and present. 2. Of the future.

Class 2. DUTIES ARISING FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF

THE SEXES.

Including, 1. General duty of chastity.

2. The law of marriage.

3. The duties and rights of parents.

4. The duties and rights of children.

Class 3. DUTIES ARISING FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF CIVIL SOCIETY.

1. The nature of civil society.

2. The mode in which the authority of civil society is maintained.

3. Of forms of government.

4. Duties of magistrates.

5. Duties of citizens.

CLASS FIRST.

JUSTICE AND VERACITY.

JUSTICE.

Justice, when used in a judicial sense, signifies that temper of mind which disposes a man to administer rewards and punishments according to the character and actions of the object.

It is also used to designate the act by which this administration is effected. Thus we speak of a judge, who administers justice.

In the present case, however, it is used in a more extensive signification. It is here intended to designate that temper of mind, which disposes us to leave every other being in the unmolested enjoyment of those means of happiness bestowed upon him by his Creator. It is, also, frequently used for the exhibition of this conduct in outward act. Thus, when a man manifests a proper respect for the rights of others, we say, he acts justly; when he, in any manner, violates these rights, we say, he acts unjustly.

The most important means of happiness which God has placed in the power of the individual, are, first, HIS OWN PERSON; second, PROPERTY; third, CHARACTER; fourth,

REPUTATION.