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and a disposition "to do to all others," in respect of worldly property, as we would they should do unto us." IX. This commandment is the law of love, as it respects our neighbour's reputation: though, in the connexion of human affairs, the violation of it may likewise affect his property and life; and bearing false witness, in a court of justice among us, may be perjury, robbery, and murder, as well as calumny. In such important concerns, we should testify nothing, of which we have not the fullest assurance; and every human passion should be watched over, that our evidence may not be warped by any of them. We should be exact to a word in reporting what we know, and in speaking the truth, and no more than the truth: and equal caution is required in juries, and in the judge who decides the cause. The malicious invention and circulation of slanderous reports, to the injury of a man's character, has a large proportion of the same atrocious guilt. To do this in sport is an imitation of the madman, who throws about arrows, firebrands, and death, for his diversion to spread such stories as others have framed to the discredit of our neighbour, when we suspect them to be false or aggravated; or even, if we suppose or know them to be true, when there is no real occasion for it, (such as the detection of a mischievous hypocrite or designing vil lain,) is prohibited by this law: for the practice results from pride, self-preference, malevolence, or conceited affectation of wit and humour. Severe censures, bitter sarcasms, ridicule, harsh judgments, ascribing good actions to bad motives, inuendos, misrepresentations, collecting and vending family anecdotes, and various other practices of the same nature, consist not with it. This commandment is frequently violated by authors; a lie or slander is far worse when printed, than when only spoken; and religious controversy is too generally disgraced by the most abominable calumnies: for bigots of all parties agree in mis-stating the actions, misquoting the writings, and misreporting the words of their opponents. All lies are a violation of this law. They are in every possible case an

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abuse of speech, and of our neighbour's confidence, and a derogation from the valuation of truth; and almost always injurious to mankind. Envy of others' praise also runs counter to the spirit of the law. In short, it requires sincerity, truth, fidelity, candour, and caution; with a disposi tion to honour what is honourable in all men, and to be as tender of their reputation, as we could reasonably expect them to be of ours. With this in constant view, our feelings will instruct us how far this rule should extend its influence on our conduct.

X. Lastly, we are commanded not to covet any thing that is our neighbour's. This restriction is placed as the fence of all the rest: the Apostle's reference to it, (Rom. vii. 7, 8.) shows that it comprises the utmost spirituality of the law; and it is a perpetual confutation of all those systems, by which the outward gross crime is considered as the only violation of the command. We must not so much as desire any thing whatsoever, which God forbids, or which his providence withholds: and so far from levelling property, or seizing violently on our neighbour's possessions, we may not so much as hanker after them. The most secret wish for another inan's wife violates this precept but to desire an union with an unmarried woman, only becomes sinful when it is excessive, and when it is not submitted to the will of God if he render it impracti cable. We may desire that part of a man's property, which he is inclined to dispose of, if we only mean to obtain it on equitable terms: but what he chooses to keep we may not covet. The poor man may desire moderate relief from the rich: but he must not hanker after his affiuence, or repine even if he do not relieve him. Men exposed to equal hazards, may agree to a proportionable contribution to him who suffers loss; for it accords with the law of love to help the distressed. This exculpates insurance when fairly conducted. But every species of gaming originates from an undue desire and hope of increasing wealth by proportionably impoverishing other men; and is, therefore, a direct violation of this law. Public gam

ing, by lotteries, so far from being less criminal than other species of that vice, is the worst of them all for it abets and sanctions, as far as example and concurrence can do it, a practice which opens the door to every species of fraud and villainy; which is pregnant with the most extensive evils to the community and to individuals; which seldom fails to bring several to an untimely end by suicide or the sentence of the law; which unsettles an immense multitude from the honest employments of their station, to run in quest of imaginary wealth; and which exposes them to manifold temptations, unfits them for returning to their usual mode of life, and often materially injures their circumstances, breaks their spirits, sours their tempers, and excites the worst passions of which they are susceptible. Indeed, the evil of lotteries, political, moral, and religious, are too glaring to be denied even by those who plead necessity for continuing them; and too numerous to be recapitulated in this place. Can it therefore consist with the law of God, "Thou shalt not covet," or with the character of a Christian, to concur in such an iniquitous and injurious system, from a vain desire of irregular gain? Whatever argument proves it unlawful for two or three men to cast lots for a sum of money, or to game in any other way, much more strongly concludes against a million of persons gaming publicly by a lottery for a month or six weeks together, to the stagnation in a great measure of every other business: whilst the gain made by government and by individuals, from the stakes deposited with them, renders it as impolitic as unlawful; for every individual stakes three to two on an even chance, if a covetous appeal to providence may be so called.-(Prov. xvi. 33.) Even Tontines seem not wholly excusable. These constitute a kind of complicated wager about longevity, to be decided by Providence in favour of the survivors; and must therefore be equally culpable with other games of chance. Coveting other men's property, contrary to the law of love, and enriching the survivors commonly at the expense of the relatives of the deceased, are intimately

connected with them: whilst they lead men into strong temptations secretly to wish the death of others, for the sake of advantages which they inordinately desire and irregularly pursue.-In fine, discontent, distrust, love of wealth, pleasure, and grandeur, desire of change, the habit of wishing, and every inordinate affection, are the evils here prohibited; and we know them to be the sources of all other crimes, and of man's misery. And the command requires moderation in respect of all worldly things, submission to God, acquiescence in his will, love to his commands, and a reliance on him for the daily supply of all our wants as he sees good.

We cannot close this brief explication of the divine law, (in which we find nothing redundant, defective, or injurious, but all things holy, just, and good,) more properly, than by the words of our church-service, 'Lord have mercy upon us,' (forgiving all our past transgressions,) and write all these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech 'thee.'

ESSAY V.

On Man's situation, as a Sinner, in this present World. THE Apostle has defined sin to be "the transgression

"of the law," (1 John iii. 4) and whatever, in any respect or degree, deviates from this perfect rule, is sin, and exposes a man to condemnation. "By the law," therefore, "is the knowledge of sin:" (Rom. iii. 20.) the better we understand the holy, just, and good commandments of God; the more enlarged will be our acquaintance with the vast variety of sins that are continually committed, as well as with the evil and desert of every transgression: and a comprehensive knowledge of our whole duty is essential to a just estimate of our own character, or our situation in respect to the eternal world.

But we should not only attend to the requirements and prohibitions of the divine law; its sanctions also demand our most serious consideration. Indeed the law, strictly speaking, (as distinguished from the gospel,) is merely a rule and a sanction: a rule formed by infinite wisdom, ho liness, and goodness, and enforced by supreme authority; a sanction to be awaded by immutable justice and almighty power, according to the declarations of eternal truth. Repentance and amendment are right, and accord to the spirit of the commandment; but they make no compensation for transgression, and are not noticed by the law: and the mercy exercised by the Lawgiver has reference to the provisions of another covenant. Perfect obedience is the uniform demand of the precept; condemnation inevitably follows transgression. "Whosoever shall keep the whole "law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all;" (James ii. S-11.) even as a man is condemned for violating one of the many statutes of the realm, in a single instance, though no other offence be charged upon him. The Apostle therefore declares, that "as many as are of "the works of the law, are under the curse; for it is "written, cursed is every one, that continueth not, (during his whole life,) " in all things which are written in the "book of the law to do them :" (Deut. xxvi. 15, 16.) and the moral law must at least be included in this general language. They alone, who have at all times perfectly kept the whole law, can have the least claim to the reward which it proposes, for "the man that doeth" the commandments "shall live in them," but " the soul that sinneth, shall die." And as "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," (of rendering to him the glory due to his name:) so in this respect " there is no difference," but every mouth "shall be stopped, and all the world shall become guilty be "fore God;" (Rom. iii. 9—23.) though an immense difference will be found between some men and others, in respect of the nature, number, and aggravations, of their offences. All attempts, therefore, in a sinner to justify himself, must result from ignorance of God and his law, and of himself;