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THE RELATIVE DUTIES OF MANKIND. [Part III.

the law and the prophets.” * This is the grand rule, by whichwe must in all cases regulate our conduct towards others ; and itis a rule, plain, simple, concise, intelligible, comprehensive, andevery way worthy of its Divine Author. Whenever we are de-liberating how w 7 e ought to act towards another person in anyparticular instance, we must, in imagination, change situationswith him, — we must place him in our circumstances, and our-selves in his, and then impartially inquire, how we might reason-ably expect him to behave towards us, if our respective situa-tions were exchanged. Every man, at first sight, must perceive,that this would lead to universal justice, truth, goodness, gentle-ness, compassion, beneficence, forgiveness, candor, and charity,and exclude every thing of an opposite nature. If we honestlyproceeded in this way, we should seldom need a casuist, toteach us how we ought to act towards other men, in any possi-ble situation or circumstances.

CHAPTER I.

THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS AND THE DUTIES SPRINGINGPROM THEM.

The domestic relations and their appropriate duties, beingfirst in the order of importance, deservedly claim the firstrank. The family is the original of all societies, and containsthe foundation and primitive elements of all other institutions.The family was instituted by God himself, f and with this insti-tution, he crowned the fair creation which he had made in sixdays and pronounced very good. As it was the first of allhuman associations, so it is the most natural, the most permanent,and the most effective of good.

We are accustomed to unite ourselves into artificial associa-tions, useful and valuable for the ends which they have in view ;but they are the work of men’s hands, they partake of the frailty

Matt. vii. J2.

t See Genesis i. 2G-28; ii. 18-24.