transferring his own folly to his Maker; and it is natural and common for men to follow the example of their common parent. This corrupt disposition is not entirely rooted out of the saints themselves. It was David's fault that he did not cause the ark to be carried in the proper manner from the house of Obededom; and yet when God made a breach upon the people on that account, David was displeased.

Men are oftener guilty of this sin than they imagine. Our hearts fret against the Lord, by fretting at the ministers and instruments of his providence; and therefore, when the people murmured against Moses in the wilderness, he tells them that their murmuring was not against him and his brother Aaron, but against the Lord. David would not fret against Shimei, because he looked upon him as an instrument employed by God for his correction.

Instead of fretting, it is our duty to accept of the punishment of our iniquity, and to bless God that matters are not so bad with us as we deserve; for wherefore should a living man complain, when the damned have no just reason to do it? If our troubles come upon us without any particular reason from our own conduct, yet reflections upon God would be very unjust. Job's troubles were extremely grievous, and they came upon him without cause in himself, as God testifies, Job ii. yet he was made humbly to acknowledge his great folly in reflecting upon God for his distresses, be fore his captivity was turned back.

Ver. 4. Wealth maketh many friends, but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

God commands us to love our neighbours as ourselves, whether rich or poor, and to shew a peculiar tenderness to the poor on account of their destitute circumstances; but such is the depraved disposition of

men, that the rich have many friends, but the poor is not known by him that lives at the next door.

man

The rich have many temptations to high-mindedness, and this is one of them: that they meet with a great deal of respect, and every person professes friendship to them, and they naturally think that they are possessed of many good qualities, which draw to them the esteem of mankind; but they ought to consider, that money answers all things, and is one of the chief attrac tives of esteem in the world.. Let them throw away their money, and those that once made their court to them will leave them, as quickly as the eagles leave a field of battle when the carcases are all devoured. Job was the most respected man in the east, when he was the richest; but when he was spoiled of his wealth, he that had been as the tabret of the people, became their byeword. Jerusalem, in her prosperity, was the princess among the provinces, but in the day of her calamity all her friends dealt treacherously with her, and became her enemies. A very ordinary virtue in an ordinary man, is a shining virtue in a man of fortune; but if he should become poor, all the lustre of his great qualities is entirely gone.

When the poor man is separated from his neighbour, let him remember and imitate the apostle of the Gentiles, who was often reduced to poverty and hunger. Paul laid very little stress on good report or bad report, for he knew that none of these things, nor any thing else, could separate him from the love of Christ.

Ver. 5. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

A false witness does one of the greatest injuries to his neighbour, and one of the greatest possible dishonours to God. He breaks at once the two great commandments, of loving God, and loving his brother, and

*See chap. xiv. 20.

therefore deserves severe punishment *. But if he escape punishment from the magistrate, he shall be punished by God with the loss of credit, and other miseries, in this life, or at least, with an eternal punishment hereafter; for those that bear false witness against their neighbours are an abomination to the Lord, and how is it possible for them to escape †?

Liars are here classed with them that bear false wit ness, for they are so much alike, that the ninth commandment, which directly forbids the bearing of false witness, does also, by good interpretation, forbid whatsoever is prejudicial to truth; and those that can allow themselves to tell lies in common conversation, will, in all probability, bear false witness, and confirm it by an appeal to heaven, when they have a sufficient temptation. Some liars may expect to be safe, because their lies are not of a mischievous kind, but when they do evil that good may come, they expose themselves to just condemnation. All liars, says our great judge, shall have their part in the infernal lake ‡.

Ver. 6. Many will entreat the favour of the prince, and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

It is, no doubt, a right thing to honour princes, and to seek their favour when we need it, if God is not neglected, from whom every man's judgment comes. The Lord is the king of kings, and it is a plain evidence that we forget God, when we are less anxious about his favour, than men are about the favour of our fellow

worms.

Princes need not pride themselves in the homage that is paid to them, for their favour is sought by men, not so much out of regard to their persons, as from a regard to their power. Kindness and liberality have a greater influence for gaining the hearts of men, than dignity of station. There are many that seek the ruler's Rev. xxi. 8.

* Deut. xix. 16-21. + Chap. vi. 10.

favour, but every man loves him that is generous. When power and generosity meet in the same person, he becomes an object of universal esteem, like Marcus Antoninus, who was lamented by every man when he was dead, as if the glory of the Roman empire had died with him.

How inexcusable are we, if we do not love God with all our hearts. His gifts to us are past number, and all the gifts of men to us are the fruits of his bounty, conveyed by the ministry of those whose hearts are disposed by his providence to kindness. "I have seen thy face," said Jacob to Esau, "as the face of God." His brother's favour he knew to be a fruit of the mercy of him with whom he spake and prevailed at Bethel.

In our love to the rich and liberal, we exceed the bounds of duty, if we reserve not a proper share of our regard for the poor, who cannot give us any thing, but have a title to receive from us. But the greatest part of men are of a different mind from Christ Jesus, and think it more blessed to receive than to give.

Ver. 7. All the brethren of the poor do hate him, how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.

The brethren of the poor hate him: This is very hard: He might have expected that though all men had forsaken him, yet his brethren would have shewed compassion in the time of distress. A brother is born for adversity, and he ought chiefly at such a season to shew that he is a brother, and if he does not, he greatly aggravates the distress of such a near friend by his unkindness and gives a fair pretence to those that are not connected with the poor by such endearing ties, to forsake them. We make ourselves guilty of other men's sins, when we tempt them to sin by our example, especially when our obligations to the opposite duty are much stronger.

* Job vi. 15.

This sin is very general, and almost universal among men, although nature, as well as scripture, testifies against it. The best of men have often complained in the time of their afflictions, that they were forsaken and abhorred by those whom they most loved, and those from whom they had reason to expect the greatest kindness *.

But how do they discover their hatred? by behaving like aliens, and turning a deaf ear to their entreaties. This is a sufficient evidence of hatred in the wise man's view, and therefore we may justly conclude, that there is more of this abominable sin in the world than those that are chargeable with it will be willing to acknowledge. The want of love is hatred, though in a lesser degree than malice or spite, and therefore the apostle John distinguishes the righteous from the wicked, by this mark of loving or hating their brethren t. By extending this observation into its native consequences, we might convict all wicked men of enmity against God himself, for they do not love him, but despise his laws, and have a reigning aversion to every mean of fellowship with him.

When poor men are real Christians, it is a double iniquity to despise them for their poverty, for they have a double claim to our regard, and their Redeemer is a severe avenger of their wrongs |.

To disregard the importunity of the poor when we are able to help them, is a sign of a very hard heart, and provokes God to disregard the prayers of such unmerciful creatures, in the day of their own distress, and to punish them without mercy §.

When the poor are overlooked, let them remember his text to their comfort. When God testifies against this conduct of their friends, it is a clear evidence that his ways are not as men's ways, nor his thoughts as

*Job xix. Ps. xxxi. & lxxxviii. +1John ii. 10. &c Rom. viii. To Job xix. 28, 29. § James ii. 13. Ezekiel xvi. 50.