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to learn to projek jek bonel Trades and Mer chandize and Trading are often very nourably mentioned in Scripture.

Money therefore may be taken in Exchange for Wares So likewife for Labour. St. Luke tells us, Chap. x. 1. The Labourer is worthy of bis Hire; which Paul to Timothy, Chap. v. 18, confirms: So that the Servant may fafely receive his Wages from his Mafter, while he doth that only which is lawful for them. Nor indeed can the accepting a Reward for doing well, be fuppofed within the Danger of fo terrible a Sentence. No; it must be the receiving Money unlawfully; the receiving Money to do ill; which can be confidered as receiving the Mark of the Beaft, in the Language and Meaning of my Text.

Now Money is certainly received unlawfully when we give that in exchange for it which is not our own; or which, tho' perhaps entrusted to our Care, or even Ufe is not however in our power to dif pole of

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I fhall not defcend minutely to private Inftances, by which Men entitle themfelves to this dreadful Cup which contains the Wine of the Wrath of God: But as the Text refpects chiefly publick Corruption and Proftitution, I fhall confine myfelf to Inftances of that kind only.

If it be neceffary then for every Man before he barters, ftrictly to examine whether he hath a lawful Capacity of difpofing of that for which he receives the Mark; furely, no one can fufpect that he has the leaft Right to fell the Liberties of his Country. We are Members of Society as Servants are Members of a Family, to labour in our feveral Callings for the good of this Great Mistress, but without the leaft Power of giving or felling any of her Poffeffions. When we betray her Intereft, we are guilty of a Breach of a Trust; and by how much higher the Places are in which we are employed, by how much greater the Confidence is which Society repofes in us, fo much greater is our Breach of Truft, To much the more pernicious Traytors we become: but he who in the loweft and meaneft Office perverts his Duty and cor ruptly fells that little Share of the public Intereft, which is committed to his Charge receives the Mark of the Beaft within the

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