upon Christians: "Distribute to the necessity of the saints, saith Paul, Rom. xii. 13. See this repeatedly commanded and urged, 1 Cor. xvi. 1-3. 2 Cor. viii. and ix. Luke relates how nobly the first Christians quitted themselves in this respect, Acts iv. 34, 35. xi. 28-30. In order to practise this goodly virtue, which is so pleasing to God, we must labour faithfully; this is enjoined, Eph. iv. 28, "Let him that stole, steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." Praiseworthy was the example of "Dorcas, who made coats and garments for the widows," Acts ix. 39.

APPLICATION.

If this law were given, hearers, that it might give life, and that we might seek our righteousness by it, we should have nothing else to do now, but exhort you to flee from the sins that are forbidden, and to pursue the virtues which are commanded in it. But that is impossible for this law, for it is become weak through the flesh; and therefore all who are of the works of the law are under the curse. God therefore gave this law, that the offence might abound, and thus also that grace might much more abound. In order then, that our observations on this commandment may be salutary to you, it will be necessary,

1. That each of you should compare his heart and actions with what is forbidden and commanded here. We can easily believe that ye are not guilty of the grosser acts of theft, even manstealing and stealing cattle: but there are other wicked practices and devices, by which we take to ourselves the property of another. Come hither, and examine what ye possess, and what ye have handled, but lack at present. How did ye obtain it? did ye get all in an honest way? doth nothing of what belongeth to another cleave to your fingers? have ye behaved yourselves righteously in every respect, as well in reckoning with others, as in giving and receiving money, in trafficking, trading, handicrafts, labour, and in demanding and paying debts? are ye pure with respect to all this? have ye always kept the middle way between greediness, and abusing and squandering the gifts of God, and that in every instance? Ye need not ask whether we must be so exact and perfect in all these points; for ye

know, at least, ye ought to know, that he who continueth not in all things which are written in the law, is cursed. Doth any one say, I know not that I have transgressed in any instance. It is possible, that thou art so just and righteous in a civil respect, that thou dost not possess aught of what belongs to another; but hast thou then also performed what is commanded here? dost thou think, yes? I should believe that such an one had never yet seen himself in the mirrour of this perfect commandment, but that his heart deceives him, like Ephraim's, who said, "I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labours they shall find no iniquity in me, that were sin," Hosea xii. 8. But, friends, this is not the way to clear your account, when the Lord will begin to reckon with you, and to state the amount of it. It behooves you indeed to review your account frequently, and it will appear that your debt is great, and the amount that God might justly condemn you. Therefore "examine yourselves strictly, yea, examine yourselves strictly, ye listless people," agreeably to the admonition, Zeph. ii. 1. Humble yourselves, abase yourselves, and be ashamed before the Lord, as a thief, when he is found," Jer. ii. 26.

2. Have ye taken aught from your neighbour, keep it not with you, but restore it to him. It belongs to another, it is not yours. If ye keep it, it will become a canker in all your goods, which are otherwise your rightful property, and it will consume them, and empoverish you. Yea, God will in his time make your stolen goods a fire in your bowels, and compel you to vomit up that which ye have swallowed down, like Judas, who returned his illgotten silver pieces, and when he could not get rid of them, threw them furiously down in the temple. What think ye, shall a sinner find favour with God, while he withholds stolen goods from their owner? Hear what the Lord saith to the Jews, Isaiah i. 16-18. "Wash ye, make ye clean. put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, &c. Come then, and let us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow," &c. Thus we read also, Ezek. xxxiii. 15. "If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he hath robbed, &c. he shall surely live, he shall not die." When Zaccheus found favour in the eyes of the Lord, he was forthwith ready to "restore fourfold, if he had by. false accusation taken aught from any man," Luke xix. 8. Paul offered to pay Philemon even what Onesimus had taken from him, Philemon, vs. 8, 9. But I suspect that many will decline to do this, because they have robbed others of so much, that they would be obliged to surrender all the substance of their house, and thus em

poverish themselves. But is it not better to be an honest poor man, and possess grace, than to be a rich thief, and remain graceless? Do ye not dare to return aught, because it would expose you to contempt, ye may do it by another person, whom ye can trust, or which is preferable, by a letter written in an uncouth hand. Is that which was robbed already consumed, so that it is not in your power to repay it, do nevertheless as much as ye can, by sparing something, and living more scantily, that ye may gather a little, and restore that.

3. But think not, after ye have satisfied men for what was taken from them, that God is then also satisfied. By our unrighteousness we render ourselves debtors not only to men, to satisfy them for what we have alienated from them, but we render ourselves guilty also before the Lord. And therefore the unrighteous person, whether he be more or less unrighteous, must endeavour to be reconciled unto God. O that ye were concerned about this, and cried out with the church, Micha vi 6, 7. "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression? the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? We should say to you, "Seck the reconciling blood" of the Surety and Mediator Jesus, by which "he restored that which he took not away," as he foretold, Psalm Ixix. 4. Those Corinthians, who were before "thieves and covetous, were" not only "sanctified by the Spirit, but also justified in the name," and thus by the blood" of the Lord Jesus," 1 Cor. vi. 10, 11. For "God hath set forth" his Son "to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness," Rom. iii. 25. Flee therefore to him, and lay hold on him for the reconciliation of your guilt.

cxix. 36.

4. Beware of defiling yourselves again, and endeavour to be righteous in every instance: "Let him that stole, steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth," as we have just now heard Paul admonish us, Eph. iv. 28. Be afraid of your covetous and prodigal heart, pray against it with David, Psalm "Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness." Oppose the lust of the eyes, which hath enticed so many persons to unrighteousness: when "Achan saw a goodly Babylo. nish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold, then he coveted them, and took them," Joshua vii. 21. Endeavour to be content with what the Lord hath given you, though it be ever so little: "Godliness with contentment is indeed great gain: for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we

We

can carry nothing out of it:" thus speaks Paul, 1 Tim. vi. 6—8. and he practised this lesson himself; "i have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content," saith he, Philip. iv. 11. ought with Agur, Prov. xxx. 8 9, even to deprecate "riches" as well as "poverty," and to seek only "the food that is convenient for us," Prov. xxx. 8, 9, and we ought more especially to aim at those better "treasures," which are laid up "in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupteth, and where thieves cannot break through, nor steal," as the Lord Jesus commands, Mat. vi. 19, 20. Doth it nevertheless please the Lord to enrich you with many earthly goods, "do not then set your hearts on them, and trust not in them, neither be proud of them: but do good, be rich in good works, willing to communicate," as David and Paul require, Psalm lxii. 10. 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. Are ye poor and in want, commit your concerns to the Lord, even your Father, if ye fear and love him. Hear what Jesus saith, Mat. vi. 31. "Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed? for after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." The Lord hath surely said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," Heb. xiii. 5. Fret not on account of the prosperity of the wicked, ye have more than they. See what David saith, Psalm xxxvii. 7, 16. "Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass :" for "a little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked." Ye have a perfect right, in and through Christ, to the least, yea, to all things; for "all things are yours, because ye are his, as Paul teacheth, 1 Cor. iii. 21-23. Ye will obtain the full possession of all things hereafter, when the wealthy wicked will not have even a drop of water. Jesus saith, Mat. v. 3, 5. "Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And "blessed are the meek; for they shall

THE

NINTH COMMANDMENT

EXPLAINED.

XLIII. LORD'S DAY.

Exod. xx. 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Q. 112. What is required in the ninth command?

A. That I bear false witness against no man; nor falsify any man's words; that I be no backbiter, or slanderer; that I do not judge, or join in condemning any man rashly or unheard; but that I avoid all sorts of lies and deceit, as the proper works of the devil, unless I would bring down upon me the heavy wrath of God: likewise that in judgment and all other dealings, I love the truth, speak it uprightly, and confess it: also that I defend and promote, as much as I am able, the honour and good character of my neighbour.

"THE tongue," saith the apostle James, "is a fire, a world of

iniquity, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell. The tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison," James iii.