extent of his injuftice. Thus a person, it may be, who has found property which does not belong to him, takes no pains to find out the right owner; but fatisfies his confcience with thinking that he is ready to make restitution, if the owner, fhould unluckily find out him. Another perhaps, who is engaged in a law." fuit, contrives to entail on his adversary unne ceffary expence or delay; and excufes himself 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 pafs 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 falfe intimations refpecting the nature or the intrinfic worth of an arti cle 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 thefe perfons injures his neighbour in his property; and breaks the commandment of God, to do justly.

Your own

thoughts,

thoughts, if you direct them to the fubject, will fupply additional examples. In all your dealings with others, remember the short rule with which Chrift has furnished you. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even fo to them. Ask yourself in every inftance, "Am I now acting as I would with others to act unto me?" Try yourself fairly by that question; refolve under the grace of God, to act as your conscience (anf wers; and you scarcely can fall into injuf

tice.

2. Secondly: You are to love mercy.} Mercy fignifies Chriftian charity in its "argest fenfe. It includes every thing which we mean by affection, benevolence, kindness, tenderness, mildness, meekness, patience, forgiveness and by every other expreffion, which implies good will to men. It It comprehends every humane, gentle, and compaffionate difpofition; as well as all thofe actions, by which the exiftence 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 justly: we are to love mercy. Not but that we are also to love to do justice. But the difference in the words of the commandment refpecting these duties naturally arifes from the diffeVOL. I. X

rence

you

Juf

rence between the duties themselves. tice admits of no degrees. We are juft, or we are unjust. If we are not perfectly just, we are unjust. If withhold from your neighbour a fingle penny which belongs to him; if in any tranfaction you defraud him of the smallest fum; if you impose upon him ever fo little, if you injure him in any one of his rights, though it be of all his rights the least confiderable; you are unjust. God therefore fimply commands you to do justly. These words require of you to do justice in every particular; for otherwife you do unjustly. 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 expreflion, 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 shall be conftantly fet on deeds of mercy:

they

they fhall be thy ftudy: they fhall be a delight unto thee. Hear with what energy of language mercy in all its branches is enjoined 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 fpeaking 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; blefs them that curfe you; pray for them which defpitefully ufe you. Be ready to diftribute, willing to communicate. If any man feeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him: how dwelleth the love of God in him? Remember the words of the Lord Jefus, how he faid, It is more blessed to give than to receive (b). Take your Bible into your hand. Examine yourself by these paffages of holy writ. Confider them one by You will thus discover whether you

one.

love mercy.

(b) Luke, vi. 36. v. 2. Matth. v. 44. xx. 35.

If you truly love mercy it.

Rom. xii. 10, 15. Ephef. iv. 31, 32. 1 Tim. vi. 18. 1 John, iii. 17. A&ts,

X 2

will

:

will be your pursuit and your pleasure to perform acts of mercy. You will not idly wait until opportunities of exercifing kindness may chance to force themselves upon your notice. You will anxiously search for them you will delight in availing yourself of any one, however fmall, which may arife. 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 interests of that brother, will be dear to your heart. You will bear with ignorance, with peevishness, with enmity, with ingratitude, as a Chriftian. You will regard the offences of others againft yourself as wifely adapted to admonish you of your own infinitely greater offences againft 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 fatisfied to the uttermoft. will habitually discipline and moderate your defires, and curtail all needlefs expences; that you may have the more to give to him that needeth.

You

3. Thirdly: