. On the Foundation of Civil Government. 49 c 



difadvantages, or to confent that exclufive privi- 

 leges fhould belong to others. 



X. Hence if fronn peculiar circumftances the 

 good of the community require that fome part 

 of its members flaould give up certain of their 

 rights, or be in any way retrained in the enjoy- 

 ment of them, this can only be infifted on in the 

 way of purchafci and a full equivalent is due 

 to thofe who thus contribute to the good of the 

 community out of the common proportion of 

 the reft of its members. Of courfe, where fo- 

 ciety has no equivalent to beftow in return for 

 the renunciation or reftridion of any right oa 

 the part of fuch of its members from whom 

 it is expeded, this renunciation or reftridlioa 

 cannot be compelled without an a(3: of injuftice. 

 XL Neither is it to be prefumed that on en- 

 tering into fociety we have furrendered the right 

 of doing that, which, independent of fociety 

 and antecedent thereto, it was our duty to per- 

 form. A debt from J to B can never be can- 

 celled by any agreement between A and C where- 

 in B is no way concetcied. It is a duty (for 

 inftance) incumbent upon every man, whether 

 he be or be not a member of fociety to worlhip 

 God in that way which his judgment points out 

 as the moft proper ^ nor can any compaft ex- 

 prefs or implied between him, and others of his 

 fellow-creatures juftify any breach whatever of 

 his duty to his Creator. 



XII. Moreover 



