5. The judicious -Richard- Hooker regards this natural
equality of men as so obvious and unquestionable that he
bases on it men's ‘obligation to love one another, on which
he builds their ‘duties towards each other, from which -in
turn- he derives the great 'maxims of justice and charity.
Here are his words:
A similar natural inducement has led men to realize
that they have as much duty to love others as to love
themselves. Things that are equal must be measured
by a single standard; so if I inevitably want to receive
some good— indeed as much good from every man as
any man can want for himself—how could I expect to
have any part of my desire satisfied if I am not careful
to satisfy the similar desires that other men. being
all of the same nature. are bound to have? To offer
them anything inconsistent with their desire will be to
grieve them as much as vit would grieve me: so that
ifl do harm I must expect to suffer. because there is
no reason why others should show more love to me
than I have shown to them. Thus. my desire to be
loved as much as possible by my natural equals gives
me a natural duty to act towards them with the same
love. Everyone knows the rules and canons natural
reason has laid down for the guidance of our lives on
the basis of this relation of equality between ourselves
and those who are like us.