having more than another; there being nothing more evident, than that creatures of the ſame ſpecies and rank, promiſcuouſly born to all the ſame advantages of nature, and the uſe of the ſame faculties, ſhould alſo be equal one amongſt another without ſubordination or ſubjection, unleſs the lord and maſter of them all ſhould, by any manifeſt declaration of his will, ſet one above another, and confer on him, by an evident and clear appointment, an undoubted right to dominion and ſovereignty.
§. 5. This equality of men by nature, the judicious Hooker looks upon as ſo evident in itſelf, and beyond all queſtion, that he makes it the foundation of that obligation to mutual love amongſt men, on which he builds the duties they owe one another, and from whence he derives the great maxims of juſtice and charity. His words are,
The like natural inducement hath brought men to know that it is no leſs their duty, to love others than themſelves; for ſeeing thoſe things which are equal, muſt needs all have one meaſure; if I cannot but wiſh to receive good, even as much at every man's hands, as any man can wiſh unto his own ſoul, how ſhould I look to have any part of my deſire herein ſatisfied, unleſs myſelf be careful to ſatisfy the like deſire, which is undoubtedly in other men, being of one and the ſame nature? To have any thing offered them repugnant to this deſire, muſt needs in all
reſpects
