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tand that the thing itself, or the value of it, and a realcable acknowledgement for the lofs ir r. Lat. và Luke xix. 8. The reftitution is to ne made to the owner, or, if he be dead, to his hers; and if neither can be found, to the Lord, Namir, S. -. 8. Luke xix. 8.

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En ce the reputation of the party be in hazard, nation thould be managed with that pruthat it may not be unneceffarily blafted; for wd crue they that are in ftraits that way ought contat bone prudent perfon, either minifter or Cat will be tender of them.

Chanty and juttice in the matter of loans.

Iding to our neighbour in his neceflity is For we owe him for the welfare of his outward et les Match, v. 4.; not only lending upon inet, which is lawful, fo that it be moderate, Deut. xxa. 28, but freely, viz. to thofe that are poor, ad require the loan for prelling neceflity. In that scare we ought to lend them freely fuch a quantity

mency and goods as we can well enough bear the eis of, in case they be rendered incapable to pay it again. And to is that fcripture to be understood, Lake vi. 35. Lend, beping for nothing again.

Returning or paying again thankfully what is borrowed by us, Exod. xxii. 14. And therefore we are not to borrow more than what we are in a probable capacity to pay; which while fome have ot regarded, they have liberally lived on other mens moiance, and in end have ruined other famibes, and quite devoured their money, as in another Chay Gen. xxxi, 15, for no man has more that he cmcall his own than what is over and above his debt, Pat xxxvi. 21. If the incapacity flow from mere providence, it is their affliction, but not their fin, 2 Kings iv. 1.

ta, Giving unto the poor or thofe that are in d, according to their neceflity and our ability,

Luke xi. 41. They are our neighbours, to whofe outward eftate we are obliged to look; they are to have mercy fhewn to them that way. A difpofition of foul to help them is requifite in all, even in those that have not a farthing to give, Prov. xi. 25. What people give must be their own, 1 John iii. 17. it must be thy bread, Eccl. xi. 1. And therefore fuch as have not of their own, they cannot give what is another's without the tacit confent and approbation or allowance of the owner; neither will God accept their robbery for burnt-offering. But even people that muft work hard for their own bread, muft work the harder that they may be able to give, Eph. iv. 28. But they to whom God has given a more plentiful measure of the world's goods, muft be fo much the more liberal to the poor. For to whom much is given, of him is much required, In helping of the neceflitous the apoftle's rules are to be obferved, that fpecial regard is to be had to our relations that may be in ftraits, 1 Tim. v. 8, and that though all that need are to be helped, yet fpecial refpect is to be had to the poor members of Chrift, Gal. vi. 10. and the greatest need is to be moft regarded and most helped.

This duty is to be managed with thefe qualities. (1.) People muft give to the poor out of confcience towards God, and a design to honour him, Prov. iii. 9. not out of vain glory, elfe the work is loft as to acceptance, Matth, vi, 1. 2,

(2.) With an honourable regard to the poor, either as Chriftians and members of the fame myftical body of Chrift, or at least as of the fame blood with ourfelves, and not with contempt and fhaming of them, 1 Cor. xi. 22.

(3) Chearfully and freely, not grudgingly and as by constraint, 2 Cor. ix. 7.

what the Lord

So the more we

(4) According to the meafure of given unto us, 1 Cor. xvi, 2. have, the more we ought to give. The quantity

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particularly cannot be defined, but by wifdom and charity it must be defined by every one for themfelves, Pfal. cxii. 5.

To engage you to this duty, confider,

[1] We are not abfolute mafters, but stewards of our goods. The whole world is God's houfehold; and he has made some stewards to feed others, Luke xvi. 10. II. 12. We must give account of our stewardship to him, who could have put us in their cafe, and them in ours.

[2.] It is a duty bound on us with ties of nature and revelation. The law of God requires it, 2 Cor. viii. 9. Nature itself binds it on us, teaching us to do to others as we would be done by, if in their case. Not only Christianity, but humanity calls for it.

[3] In this duty there is a fingular excellency. For, 1.) It is a blessed thing by the verdict of our bleffed Lord, Acts xx. 35. It is more bleffed to give than to receive. 2.) The image and likeness of God fhines forth in it in a peculiar manner, Luke vi. 35. 36. Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again: and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful, and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father alfo is merciful. Tho' Chrift became poor for us, yet he gave to the poor to commend it to us by his example. 3.) It is particularly taken notice of in the day of judgement, Matth. xxv. 34. 35.

Laftly, It is the moft frugal and advantageous way of managing of the world's goods. For,

1.) It is the way to fecure to ourselves a throughbearing; there is a good fecurity for it, Prov. xxviii. 27. He that giveth unto the poor fhall not lack,

2.) It is the best way to fecure what we have, which is liable to fo many-accidents, Eccl. xi. 1. Caft thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many days. Laying out for God is better fecurity than laying up what God calls for. For fo it is put

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in a fure hand, that will be fure to pay it again. The poor and needy are God's receivers, Prov. xix. 17. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given, will he pay him again.

3.) It is the way to be rich, as the Bible points out the way, Prov. iii. 9. Honour the Lord with thy fubftance, and with the first-fruits of thine increase. Solomon obferves the accomplishment of it, Prov. xi. 24. There is that fcatiereth, and yet increafeth.

4.) It is the way to fecure comfort to us in the time when trouble fhall overtake us, Pfal, xli. 1. 2. 3. Blessed is he that confidereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preferve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be bleffed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliver him into the will of his enemies. The Lord will ftrengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in bis fickness.

Laftly, God has promised that fuch fhall find mercy, Matth. v. 7. always taking along what is faid, ver. 3. Bleffed are the poor in fpirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. See Luke xvi. 9. 1 Tim. vi.

17. 18. 19.

II, I come now to fhew what is forbidden in the eighth commandment. It" forbids whatsoever "doth or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbour's, wealth or outward eftate."

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The fins forbidden in this command may be reduced to these two heads; whatever doth or may hinder our own wealth unjustly, and whatever doth or may unjustly hinder our neighbour's wealth or outward eftate.

FIRST, Whatfoever doth or may hinder our own wealth unjustly. This is neceffarily understood: for we may neither do a finful thing to procure our own wealth, nor yet to preserve it. But when there are lawful means which providence calls us to the

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ufe of, and we do not use them, we fin against God and ourselves. Thus this command fays to each of us, in the firft place, Thou shalt not fteal from thyfelf. Thus we are guilty,

1. By idleness, when people that are able do not employ themselves in fome honeft calling or work according to their ability, 2 Theff. iii. 11. The idle man wrongs himself, while he expofes himfelf to poverty, and fo to a fnare, by his not using means to preserve and improve his fubftance. And he fins againft God, who has appointed that in the fweat of his face man fhall eat bread; Gen. iii. 19.

And this is fo although he have enough of his own, and needs not be burdenfome to others, Ezek. xvi. 49. He makes himself a waif for Satan to pick up.

2. By careleffness, fioth, and mifmanagement in our calling, Prov. xviii. 9. Careleffnefs lets occafions of furthering our own wealth flip; and flothfulness in business is next to doing nothing at all. And they that cannot put down their hands to work diligently, will hardly mifs fome time or another to put out their hand to fteal. Careless and flothful management of bufinefs by one hand in a family, may do more mifchief than many diligent hands can remedy, Prov. xiv. 1. Religion does not allow either men or women to be drones in their family, good for nothing but to make a noife, take up room, and feed on the product of the diligence of their relatives, Rom. xii. 11.

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3. By not owning God in our business, and fo flighting his bleffing, who gives man power to get wealth, Deut. viii. 18. It is he that gives rains and fruitful feafons; that makes the cattle to thrive or to be diminished; and that profpereth the work of our hands. Do they not then ftand in their own light that acknowledge him not in these things?

4. By waftefulness and prodigality, whereby peaple foolishly spend and lavish away what God has brought to their hands, Prov. xxi. 17. And in

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