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extortion upon, or *oppression of those, who are in need; or whom we are otherwise able by our power or authority to overbear, which is the same thing with downright robbery.

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Thirdly, by aiding, * advising, encouraging, or otherwise communicating with others in any of these crimes: by* receiving, buying, or * concealing what we know to have been stolen: by helping any one to cheat or overreach another: by * serving any great and violent oppressor in crushing and ruining a poor man.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Lev. xix. 11, 13, as above. Rom. ii. 21. Thou, that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 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.

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Exod. xxiii. 9. Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Lev. xxv. 14. And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another. Psalm xxxvii. 21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. Prov. xx. 10. Divers weights and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord. xxii. 16. He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. xxviii. 8. He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. Luke, xviii. 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adul

terers, or even as this publican. 1 Cor. v. 10, 11. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one, no not to eat. 6, 10. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Thess. iv. 6. That no man go beyond, and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. James, v. 4. Behold, the hire of the labourers, who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

4. Q. Are there yet any other vices forbidden by this commandment?

A. There are several others, that may fairly be reduced to it: such as *prodigality in spending a man's estate, and beggaring his family. * Negligence in making an honest provision, according to a man's station and opportunities, for his children. * Engaging for others, beyond what we are able, or it is fitting for us to answer. *Taking usury, or an undue increase, of any, but especially of a needy man. To which may be added the whole mystery of ruining estates and families, *by the excessive rates of procuring, continuing, advancing of money, and interest; *by buying men's goods or estates at under-rates; by taking advantage of gain by men's private wants, or by the public necessities; *the trade

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of pawns, as it is commonly managed, and the exactions depending thereupon; and, lastly, all such other trades as live upon the vices and extravagances of men; with all manner of unlawful and injurious ways of gain.

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PROOFS SUBJOINED.-1 Tim. v. 8. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Prov. vi. 1. My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. xi. 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure. xxii. 26. Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. Deut. xxiii. 19, 20. Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother, usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury; unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury, but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it. Psalm xv. 5. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall not be moved. Prov. xxviii. 8. He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. Prov. x. 2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing. xiii. 11. Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished. xx. 21. An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed. Jer. xvii. 11. As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave

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them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

5. Q. What think you of going to law?

A. That as it may be managed both by the counsellor and the client, it is as much theft as ever the law punished; and will, as such, be required of both by God. And therefore, though such cases there be in which a Christian may go to law without violating this, or any other command; yet it is certainly the last resort, and not to be used till all other means have proved ineffectual to secure our property, or to recover our right. And, for the most part, it is in law as in war, where one side is certainly in the wrong, and generally both are to blame: and let those who by their purse, their tongue, or their art, defraud another of his right, know assuredly, that however they may build up their houses by iniquity, and escape the punishment of man for what they do, yet they shall not be acquitted at the tribunal of God for it.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Matt. v. 40. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 1 Cor. vi. 1, 6, 7. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now, therefore, there is utterly a fault among. you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

6. Q. What are the duties which this commandment requires of us?

A. *To be fair and upright in all our dealings: *Nor willingly to wrong, or be accessary to the wronging of any: *if we should happen to have un

willingly injured any man, to be ready, as far as we are able, to make him a full and ample restitution for it: to be free and charitable to the poor: *careful to provide a competent subsistence for our families; * and diligent in pursuing some honest and useful calling in order thereunto.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Psalm xv. 1, 2. Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? Who shall abide in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. Prov. xvi. 11. A just weight and balance are the Lord's. Ezek. xxxiii. 15, 16. If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. Micah, vi. 8. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. Eph. iv. 28. Let him that stole, steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his own hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 2 Thess. iii. 11, 12. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy-bodies. Now them that are such, we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

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