things, endureth all things. Charity shall cover the multitude of sins. SECT. 4. Imitating their Lord, recommend it by their example. We suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ"; giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed"; but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned. Even unto this present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place, and labour working with our own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat. I write not these things to shame you; but as my beloved sons I warn you. Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For I endure all things for the elect's sake; that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying, For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign "with him. “This divine virtue of forgiveness of injuries was in its utmost extent exemplified in our Lord and Saviour. It shone illustriously through the whole course of his life and in the most striking manner at his crucifixion." Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. "Animated with the spirit of his Lord, the first martyr Stephen, having prayed," Lord Jesus receive my spirit, kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge". CHAP. III. OF INTEGRITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, IN OPPOSITION TO FRAUD AND INIQUITY. SECT. 1. Institutions of the divine law relating to the several crimes that come under the name of iniquity. -2. All these crimes are hateful in their nature, and bitter in their consequences.-3. They prove still more so when covered by a profession of religion.— 4. Deceit and iniquity in all their forms draw down the divine displeasure.-5. Solemn calls to the exercise of righteousness and equity.-6. Promises to the just and upright, mixed with threatnings against the unjust and deceitful.-7. Dissuasives from fraud, with exhortations and motives to universal righteousness and probity.-8. Integrity of heart and life exhibited in the character of Job.-9. In the character and purposes of David.-10. And in the example of St. Paul.-11. Declarations, resolutions, and prayers, relative to this subject. SECT. 1. Institutions of the divine law relating to the several crimes that come under the name of iniquity. THOU shalt not steal. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them', Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him. The wages of him that is hired, shall not abide with thee all night until the morning". Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in mete yard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a § 1. Exod. xx. 15. Lev. xix. 13. b Lev. xix. 1, 2. c Lev. xix. 11. just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have. A false balance is abomination to the Lord; but a just weight is his delight. Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abominations to the Lord. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight; a perfect and just measure shalt thou have; for all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God'. And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbour, or buyest aught of thy neighbour's hand; ye shall not oppress one another*. If a soul sin and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; or hath found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doth sinning therein; then it shall be, because he hath sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth'. Thou shalt not wrest judgment, thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live". That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform ". SECT. 2. All these crimes are hateful in their nature, and bitter in their consequences. Remove not the ancient land-mark, which thy fathers Wo to him that increaseth that which is not have set. his; who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied. Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil. Thou hast consulted shame to thy house. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it". Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right. As a partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue, is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment". How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked'; who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness? They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of judgment". To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High, to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not". He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord'. Whoso is partner with a thief, hateth his own soul; he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not; for a piece of bread that man will transgress1. Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord'. As a madman who casteth fire-brands, arrows, and death; so is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport'? He flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful'. Behold he travelleth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood". His mouth is full of cursing and deceit, and fraud; under his tongue is mischief and vanity. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again'. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint". SECT. 3. They prove still more so when covered by a profession of religion. The vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord; to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath. The congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery. They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit. What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him"? Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, that the triumph of the wicked is but short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? The hypocrite's hope shall perish. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgments. Wo unto you scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation". Wo unto you; for ye pay the tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone1. Wo unto you; for ye make clean the outside of the cup, and of the platter; but within they |