discourse.

As God hath contrived all the works of Nature to be useful, and in
some manner a support to each other, by which the whole frame of the
world, under His providence, is preserved and kept up, so among
mankind our particular stations are appointed to each of us by God
Almighty, wherein we are obliged to act as far as our power reacheth
toward the good of the whole community. And he who doth not perform
that part assigned him towards advancing the benefit of the whole,
in proportion to his opportunities and abilities, is not only a
useless, but a very mischievous member of the public; because he
takes his share of the profit, and yet leaves his share of the
burden to be borne by others, which is the true principal cause of
most miseries and misfortunes in life. For a wise man who does not
assist with his counsels, a great man with his protection, a rich
man with his bounty and charity, and a poor man with his labour, are
perfect nuisances in a commonwealth. Neither is any condition of
life more honourable in the sight of God than another; otherwise He
would be a respecter of persons, which He assures us He is not; for
He hath proposed the same salvation to all men, and hath only placed
them in different ways or stations to work it out. Princes are born
with no more advantages of strength or wisdom than other men, and,
by an unhappy education, are usually more defective in both than
thousands of their subjects. They depend for every necessary of
life upon the meanest of their people; besides, obedience and
subjection were never enjoined by God to humour the passions, lusts,
and vanities of those who demand them from us; but we are commanded
to obey our governors, because disobedience would breed seditions in
the state. Thus servants are directed to obey their masters,
children their parents, and wives their husbands, not from any