has found property which does not belong to him, does not take pains to find out the right owner; but fatisfies his confcience with thinking that he is ready to make reftitution, if the owner should unluckily find him out. Another perhaps, who is engaged in a lawfuit, contrives to entail on his adversary unneceffary expence or delay; and excufes himfelf by profeffing that it is not unfair to feize any advantage which offers itself in a conteft. Another circulates counterfeit money, pretending that as he has received it, he has a right to pass it; in other words, that because he has carelessly permitted an impofition to be practifed on himself, he has acquired the right of impofing upon the reft of the world. Another conveys false intimations refpecting the nature or the intrinfic worth of an artiticle which he fells: and thus induces his customer to give a higher price than he would otherwife have confented to pay. Another loiters away part of the time during which he has engaged to work for a master; and claims a whole day's wages, when in fact he has worked but three quarters of a day. Every one of these perfons injures his neighbour in his property; and breaks the commandments of God, to do justly. Your own thoughts, if you direct them to

the fubject,

will fupply additional examples. In all your dealings with others, remember the fhort rule with which Chrift has furnished you. Whatsoever ye would that men should· do to you, do ye even fo to them. Afk yourfelf in every instance, "Am I now acting as "I would with others to act unto me?" Try yourself fairly by that queftion; resolve under the grace of God, to act as your confcience anfwers, and you scarcely can fall into injuftice.

2. Secondly: You are to love mercy. Mercy fignifies Christian charity in its largest fenfe. It includes every thing which we mean by affection, benevolence, kindness, tenderness, mildnefs, meeknefs, patience, forgiveness; and by every other expreffion, which implies good will to men. It compre. hends every humane, gentle, and compaffionate difpofition; as well as all those actions, by which the existence of fuch difpofitions is to be proved. Obferve now the difference of the terms in which God requires from us first justice, then mercy. We are to do jufily: we are to love mercy. Not but that we are also to love to do juftice. But the difference in the words of the commandment refpecting. these duties naturally arifes from the difference between the duties themselves. Juftice admits of no degrees. We are juft, or

you

we are unjuft. If we are not perfectly juft, we are unjuft. If withhold from your neighbour a fingle penny which belongs to him; if you defraud him in defraud him in any transaction of the smallest fum; if you impofe upon him ever fo little, if you injure him in any one of his rights, though it be of all his rights, the leaft confiderable; you are unjust. God therefore fimply commands you to do justly. These words require of you to do juftice in every particular; for otherwife you do unjuftly. They comprehend every act of duty which is a branch of justice. They leave nothing unrequired. But mercy is in its own nature capable of gradations. Of two perfons, of each of whom it may not improperly be affirmed that he is merciful, the one may be more merciful than the other. The commandment therefore does not fay, "Thou shalt do mercifully;" or, " Thou "fhalt fhew mercy." Had fuch been the expreffion, men would induftriously have perfuaded themselves that by fmall, or moderate, or occafional acts of mercy they fufficiently obeyed the commandment. What is the injunction?"Thou shalt love mercy:" thy heart fhall be conftantly fet on deeds of mercy: they shall be thy ftudy: they shall be a delight unto thee. Hear with what energy of language

language, mercy in all its branches is en-. joined throughout the Scriptures. Be ye merciful, as your Father alfo is merciful. Be kindly affectioned one towards another in brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep, Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil Speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another. Walk in love as Chrift loved us. Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you; bless them that curse you; pray for them which defpitefully ufe you. Be ready to distri bute, willing to communicate. If any man feeth bis brother have need, and butteth up his bowels of compaffion from him: bow dwelleth the love of God in him? Remember the words of the Lord Jefus, bow he faid, It is more blessed to give than to receive (b). Take your Bible into your hand. Examine yourself by these pasfages of holy writ. Confider them one by You will thus difcover whether you love mercy. If you truly love mercy: it will be your pursuit and your pleasure to perform acts of mercy. You will not idly Rom. xii. 10, 15. Ephef. iv. 31, 32, 1 Tim. vi. 18. 1 John, iii. 17. Acts,

one.

(b) Luke, vi. 36. v. 2. Matth. v. 44.

xx. 35.

X 2

wait

wait until opportunities of exercising kindnefs may chance to force themselves upon your notice. You will anxiously search for them you will delight in availing yourself of any one, however small, which may arise. In every one of your fellow-creatures you will behold a brother, whom God, your Creator, formed; for whom Chrift, your Redeemer died. The temporal welfare, the everlasting interefts of that brother, will be dear to your heart. You will bear with ignorance, with peevishnefs, with enmity, with ingratitude, as a Chriftian. You will regard the offences of others against yourself as wifely adapted to admonish you of your own infinitely greater offences against God. You will not conceive that you discharge your duty as to almfgiving by accommodating the fcale of your gifts to fuch a portion of your income as would remain not only when the demands of reasonable prudence but when the claims of fashion and pleasure should have been satisfied to the uttermoft. You will habitually difcipline and moderate your defires, and curtail all needlefs expences; that you may have the more to give to him that needeth.

3. Thirdly: You are to walk bumbly with your God. To walk with God, fignifies, in the language

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