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fool." Jer. xvii. 11. But should his days be extended to the utmost: yet" the sinner, an hundred years old, shall be accursed." Isa. lxv. 20. For "the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God:" 1 Cor. vi. 9. but the Lord is the avenger of all such." 1 Thess. iv. 6.

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Let every one therefore consider seriously, in the first place, what this commandment forbids; and abstain from it. Though he fare more hardly; though he lay up less: though he be despised for his conscientiousness, provided it be a reasonable one; surely it is well worth while to bear these things, rather than injure our fellow-creature, and offend our Maker.

But let us now proceed to consider,

II. What the commandment before us, by consequence, requires. And,

1. It requires restitution of whatever we have, at any time unjustly taken or detained. For, that being in right not our own, but another's, keeping it is continuing and carrying on the injustice. Therefore the prophet Ezekiel makes it an express condition of forgiveness: "If the wicked restore the pledge, and give again that he had robbed; then he shall surely live, he shall not die." Ezek. xxxiii. 15. Nor was it till Zaccheus had engaged to restore amply what he had extorted from any one, that our Saviour declared, "This day is salvation come to this house." Luke xix. 8, 9. So that to think of raising wealth by fraud, and then growing honest, is the silliest scheme in the world: for till we have returned,

returned, or offered to return, as far as we can, all that we have gotten by our fraud, we are not honest. Nay, suppose we have spent and squandered it, still we remain debtors for it. Nay, suppose we got nothing, suppose we meant to get nothing, by any wicked contrivances, in which we have been concerned; yet if we have caused another's loss, any loss for which money is a proper compensation; what we ought never to have done, we ought to undo as soon and as completely as we are able, however we straiten ourselves by it; otherwise we come short of making the amends which may justly be expected from us and while so important a part of repentance is wanting to demonstrate the sincerity of the rest, we cannot hope to be accepted with God.

2. This commandment also requires industry: without which, the generality of persons cannot maintain themselves honestly. Therefore St. Paul directs: "Let him that stole, steal no more; but rather let him" (and certainly, by consequence, every one else that needs) "labour, working with his hands the thing which is good." Eph. iv. 28. And each of them is to labour, not only for himself, but his family also, if he hath one: both for their present, and, if possible, their future maintenance, in case of sickness, accident, or old age. For as they, who belong to him, have both by nature and by law, a claim to support from him, if they need it, and he can give it; neglecting to make due provision

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provision for them is wronging them; and throwing either then or himself upon others, when he may avoid it, or however might have avoided it by proper diligence, is wronging others. For which reason the same apostle commanded likewise, "that if any one would not work, neither should he eat." 2 Thess. iii. 10.

In order to be just therefore, be industrious: and doubt not but you will find it, after a while at least, by much the most comfortable, as well as Christian, way of getting a livelihood. It is a way, that no one ought to think beneath him. For "better is he that laboureth and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread." Ecclus. x. 27. It is the best preservative that can be, from bad company and bad courses. It procures the good will and good word of mankind. It exempts persons from the contempt and reproach of which those have bitter experience, who make a dependent state their choice. "Begging is sweet in the mouth. of the shameless: but in his belly there shall burn a fire." Ecclus. xl. 30. Very different from this, is the case of the industrious. Their minds are at ease: their bodies are usually healthy their time is employed as they know it should be what they get, they enjoy with a good conscience, and it wears well. Nor do only the fruits of their labour delight them: but even labour itself becomes pleasant to them.

3. Frugality must be joined with industry: else it will all be labour in vain. For unwise expensive

expensiveness will dissipate whatever the utmost diligence can acquire. But if idleness be added to extravagance, that brings on quick ruin. And if intemperance and debauchery go along with them, the case is then come to its extremity. Every one therefore, who desires to approve himself honest, should be careful to live within the bounds of his income, so as to have something in readiness against the time of inability and unforeseen events. But they who have, or design to have families, should endeavour to live a good deal within those bounds. And whoever spends upon himself or throws away upon any other person or thing, more than he can prudently afford, will be led, before he is aware, to distress himself, perhaps many more; and be too probably driven at last to repair, as well as he can, by wickedness, the breaches, which he hath made by folly.

4. This commandment requires in the last place, that we neither deny ourselves, nor those who belong to us, what is fit for our and their station, which is one kind of robbery; nor omit to relieve the poor according to our ability, which is another kind. For whatever we enjoy of worldly plenty, is given us in trust, that we should take our own share with moderation, and distribute out of the remainder with liberality. And as they, who have but little, will, most or all of them, at one time or other, find those who have less; very few, if any, are exempted from giving some alms. And whoever either penuriously

penuriously or thoughtlessly neglects his proper share of this duty, is unjust to his Maker and fellow-creatures too. For the good, which God hath placed in our hands for the poor, is undoubtedly, as the Scripture declares it," their due." He hath given them no right to seize it: but he hath bound us not to "withhold it from them." Prov. iii. 27.

And now, having finished the two heads proposed, I shall only add, that by observing these directions from a principle of Christian faith; and teaching all under our care to observe them from the same; the poor in this world may be "rich towards God:" Luke xii. 21. and the rich may "treasure up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, which will enable them to hold on eternal life." 1 Tim. vi. 19.

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SERMON VIII.

ON THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.

EXODUS XX. 16.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thý neighbour.

THE crime, at which these words principally and most expressly point, is, giving false evi

dence

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