because man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart. And this is strongly confirmed and illustrated in our Saviour's exposition of the true nature of the law, where he represents malice to possess the guilt of murder, and a wanton eye that of adultery.

2. In affirmative precepts, negative must be considered as included; and vice versa, negative in affirmative.

In many passages of Scripture much more is meant, than is explicitly expressed. But in the application of this rule, caution and sound judgment are requisite, lest we make the law a mere Lesbian rule, a nose of wax, which can be bent into any shape-a vague and indefinite thing, which every one may understand in that sense which suits him. We must inquire accurately and profoundly, into the mind of the Legislator as elsewhere expressed, and pay strict attention to the context, and to the occasion on which any precept was spoken.

It is plain, however, that a precept enjoining something good, cannot be obeyed without avoiding the contrary evil. It is also evident, that when any particular sin is forbidden, obedience cannot be rendered, without cultivating and practising the contrary virtue. Thus, when it is said, "Thou shalt not kill," it is evident that it is implied, that we should not only refrain from injuring our neighbour, but should do what we can to promote his welfare. And the command, not to steal, includes an obligation to advance, as far as it may be in our power, our neighbour's property and outward estate. And every one sees, that the command to honour our parents, includes a prohibition to dishonour or injure them.

3. In each of the commandments it is necessary to

suppose, that, for brevity's sake, a part is put for the whole; a specimen which may be said to represent all duties or sins of the same class: and the prohibition of any sin, includes all things which would tend toward it, and all inclinations leading to its commission. Thus, when it is said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," all impure conduct is forbidden, as sodomy, incest, fornication, and all lascivious actions; also all unchaste thoughts, imaginations and desires which lead to the commission of the crimes that belong to this class.

4. The cause must be considered as included in the effect, the genus in the species, and the correlative in the relative. Thus, in the prohibition of stealing, covetousness, its cause, is forbidden. In the prohibition of murder, cherished anger is included. Under the head of theft, every species of fraud and injustice is included. Under the sin of "taking the name of the Lord in vain" is included all profaneness, and want of due reverence for any thing relating to God, as all trifling and jesting with his word; and all ridicule or contempt of the worship and ordinances of his house.

So also, when the duty of children to parents is enjoined, the correlative duties of parents to their children must be considered as required. And the mention of one class of relative duties, must be considered as a specimen of all relative duties. It is right, therefore, under the fifth commandment, to comprehend the duties of magistrates and subjects, of masters and servants, of pastors and their flocks, of husbands and wives, and of every relation which lawfully exists among men.

There are two rules laid down by theologians on this subject, which though generally true, cannot be considered as universally applicable.

5. The one is, that the duties of the first table, or those which have God for their object, should have preference above those of the second table, which have our fellow men for their object. But, if a man be in danger of perishing, and we can save his life, by omitting prayer, or the worship of God, it is obviously our duty to give preference to the duty of saving the life of a fellow creature. Many other cases might be supposed.

6. The second rule, commonly laid down, and which is not of universal application, is, that moral duties take the preference over positive; mercy must be preferred to sacrifice. For this we have the authority of the prophets and our Saviour himself: "I will have mercy and not sacrifice."

Neither must this rule be considered as universally applicable. Indeed, we cannot in any case, determine our duty by it, without regard to the nature and circumstances of the duties which may come into competition; for where there is no inconsistency in performing the duties, both kinds are obligatory, though some may be much more important than others. The Pharisees who neglected the weightier matters of the law, and were scrupulous in observing the payment of tithes, even on the herbs of the garden, are not blamed for tithing mint, anise, and cummin, but for neglecting much more important duties; as appears by the words of our Saviour, "These ought ye to have done, and not leave the others undone.”

But when moral and positive duties interfere, the question is, whether the moral must in all cases have the precedence. That mercy should be preferred to sacrifice, is clearly revealed, but that in every case, a divinely appointed ordinance must give way to every species of moral duty, cannot properly be inferred from

this text. Suppose a believer to be so situated that he has the opportunity of receiving Christian baptism, or attending on the Lord's supper, and to be under the necessity of going on a tedious voyage to sea, would it be his duty to neglect either of these holy sacraments, for the sake of performing some moral act not of the first importance, which could not be performed, unless he would omit these positive duties? For example, suppose that just when about to attend on the Lord's supper, he should be sent for, to visit a sick person at a distance, would he be bound to neglect the only opportunity he might ever have, to receive either of the sacraments of the Christian church? I think not. Indeed, to Christians, as commonly situated, it would not be proper to absent themselves from the table of the Lord, in order to pull an ox or sheep out of a pit, into which it had fallen; though this is a moral duty, when not called to the performance of other duties, which are more important.

Why the ceremonies of religion are sometimes spoken of in a disparaging way, was on account of the total defect of spirituality. As Isaiah says, "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord, I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts, and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of rams, or of he-goats. When you come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hands to tread my courts?" And again, "He that killeth an ox, is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, is as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol." The reason why appointed rites are thus spoken of, as services condemned and spurned by the Almighty, is not because the right performance of the ceremonial law was

not acceptable, but because the people utterly neglected the moral and spiritual part of worship, which is its essence, and depended entirely on the performance of external rites, while they indulged without restraint their wicked inclinations; vainly trusting that these observances would be a compensation for all moral defects.

7. Another rule which has been given for the interpretation of the moral law is, "That affirmative precepts are always obligatory, but do not require a constant performance; whereas negative precepts are not only always obligatory, but must be constantly observed." This rule, though true, is of very little use, as the direction contained in it, is obvious to the reason of every reflecting man. The duty of prayer is always obligatory, but not a duty to be performed at all times; but the negative precept, forbidding us to take the name of the Lord in vain, binds us always, and is always to be observed.

The moral law will be better understood by considering the nature of the obedience which it demands; and this may be comprehended in the following particulars.

I. The law reaches to the whole of man; to the soul with all its faculties, and to the body with all its members.

II. A fourfold perfection is required by the law. 1. It must be cordial or from the heart.

2. Universal, both as to its object and its parts. 3. In the degree of its intensity with all the heart, &c.

4. In its duration; it must never cease.

8. The beginning, middle and end of obedience, is love out of a pure heart, and faith unfeigned. But under the term love is comprehended as was said be