display, incorruptly, a meek and quiet spirit. Eph.v. 24, 33; Col. iii. 18; 1 Tim. ii. 12; 1 Peter iii. 1, &c. What is the duty of servants towards their masters? To be obedient to them "with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ; not with eye service, as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free :" Ephes. vi. 5-8. To be "subject to their masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward:" 1 Peter ii. 18. To please their masters, "not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity:" Titus ii. 9, 10. "As many servants as are under the yoke" are to "count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters," are not to "despise them because they are brethren, but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit:" 1 Tim. vi. 1, 2. What is the duty of masters towards their servants? To "give to their servants that which is just and equal;" to forbear threatenings or severity; knowing that both have a master in heaven, and that there is with him no respect of persons. Ephes. vi. 9; Col. iv. 1. What What is the sixth commandment? What has Christ added to this? He has commanded us not to be angry with our brother; and not to offend him by severe epithets, proceeding from anger, which our Lord describes by the terms RACHA, and FOOL. (Matth. v. 22.) To this duty belong those words of the apostle (Ephes. iv. 31)," Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." But what is meant by calling any one RACHA, or FOOL? It is the same as to say that he is worthless, and destitute of reason. But if it so happen that we offend our brother, what ought to be done? He is most carefully to be reconciled: for, unless we be reconciled to our brother, our religion is vain; and unless this be done quickly, there is danger of our falling beneath the judgement of God. Is it, then, not allowable to be in any way angry? It is not lawful to be angry in the way forbidden by our Lord, that is, to seek a wicked revenge with the full approbation of our minds. Nevertheless, it is not forbidden that any one should be angry when he is moved by the sinfulness of an action, provided he do not meditate any wicked revenge 47, be not excited 47 For "WICKED revenge," (ultio vitiosa) here twice re peated, cited in an undue measure, and do not persist in his anger, but rather feel reluctant to indulge it. anger But wherein does this prohibition of Christ against and railing differ from that against revenge? In this, that the prohibition against revenge applies to cases wherein we have sustained real injury ; whereas that against anger and railing refers to cases wherein, in reality, we have not been injured by our brother, or at least not in such a way as will justify anger and railing, although it may to us seem otherwise. Whence it is that in the Greek the word (ix) causelessly, or RASHLY, is added. Matth. v. 22. What is the seventh commandment? "Thou shalt not commit adultery." What has the Lord Jesus added to this? First, that we are not only not actually to commit adultery, but also not to "look on a woman to lust after her," Matth. v. 28: affirming that he who does peated, I would rather substitute, MALEVOLENT (malevola) or MALICIOUS (maligna) or HURTFUL (inimica.) M. RUARUS. It is truly surprising that a distinction should be made by Christians between a revenge which is wicked, and one that is not wicked, when the sacred scriptures (Rom. xii. 19) expressly forbid revenge, without any distinction whatever. Might it not, with equal reason, be excepted, that when fornication, adultery, and idolatry are prohibited by God, WICKED fornication, adultery and idolatry are intended? Some of the papists scruple not to make a distinction similar to this, in respect to that passage, 1 Peter iv. 3, concerning "abominable idolatries;" as if it might be inferred from the words that there is some idolatry not abominable. They seem in this, however, to act with greater propriety, than those who make a distinction, in the present case, respecting revenge, concerning which there is no passage of this kind in the sacred Scriptures. F. C. this "hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." But the person who thinks and purposes with himself to possess a woman, is not the only one who is to be deemed to have committed adultery with her in his heart; but he also who so sets his mind upon her that he cherishes the impure thought in his heart, and would if possible commit the act itself. Christ added besides, that "whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of adultery," and marries another, commits adultery; and that whosoever marries her that is divorced also commits adultery. From this commandment it likewise appears that the Lord Jesus forbade polygamy. For if he who marries another wife after he has divorced his former, commits adultery, certainly he does no less so, who while he retains one wife marries a second. Hence Paul directs (1 Cor. vii. 2) that every man have his own wife, and every woman her own husband. Lastly, he forbids all fornication and impurity, all indecent and obscene conversation, all "foolish talking and jesting." Heb. xiii. 4; 1 Thess. iv. 1, 4; Ephes. v. 3, 4, 5. Is there any thing else that pertains to this commandment?. Yes-that a believer do not marry an unbelieving wife, and that a believing wife do not marry an unbelieving husband (1 Cor. vii. 39; 2 Cor. vi. 14), lest by such an union the hearts of believers be seduced: -on which account we see that such marriages were expressly prohibited by God under the Law. Exod. iii. 4; Deut. vii. 3, 4. Should Should it happen that one of the unbelieving married parties become a believer, must the unbelieving one be deserted by the believing? By no means, if the unbelieving party be pleased to dwell with the believing: but if the unbelieving party be unwilling to dwell with the believing, there is in such case no bondage (1 Cor. vii. 10, 12, 13). And hence the believing party is not to be held to bear all the inconveniences and injuries, in order to dwell with the unbelieving who is separated from him. What is the eighth commandment? "Thou shalt not steal." What is forbidden in this commandment? The taking away of what belongs to another without the knowledge and consent of the owner; with which, indeed, may be classed every method of em bezzling the property of our neighbour: but this is, in the intention of the Law, included in the tenth commandment. What is the ninth commandment? "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy brother." What is prohibited in this commandment? All lying whatever; not only that which proceeds from a mind desirous of deceiving, but also that which arises from levity. Likewise, every kind of calumny, condemning and malignity, which is perceived in taking from the praise of others, and in tarnishing their good actions by a sinister construction. What is the tenth commandment? "Thou |