538 CnAÌRACTE1 OF A SOUND, righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart, that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. If he swear to his own hurt, he changeth not. He putteth not out bis mohey to (unjust or unmer- ciful) usury; nor taketh reward against the Innocent;" Psal. xv. He obeyeth that, (Lev. xix. 13.) " Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him : the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning." He can say as Samuel, " Whose ox or ass bave I taken? or whom have I de- frauded? Whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe, to blind mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it? And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken out of any man's hand ; " 1 Sam. xii. And if heretofore -he was ever guilty of defraudingany, he is willing to his power to make restitution ; and saith as Zaccheus, " If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold ; " Luke xix. 8. Though flesh and blood persuade him to the contrary, and though it leave him in want, he will pay his debts, and make restitution of that which is ill gotten, as being none of his own. He will not sell for as much as he can get, but for as much as it is truly worth : he will not take advantage of the weakness, or ignorance, or necessity of his neighbor: he knoweth that " a false balance is abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight;" Prov. xi. 1. He is afraid of believing ill reports, and rebuketh the backbiter ; chap. xxv. 23. He is apt to take part with any man behind his back, who is not notoriously inexcu- sable; not to justify any evil, but to show his charity, and his hatred of evil speaking, especially where it can do no good. He will not believe evil of another till the evidence do compel him to believe it. Ifhe have wronged any by incautious words, he readi- ly confesseth his fault to him; and asketh him forgiveness, and is ready to make any just satisfaction for any wrong that he hath done hint. He borroweth not when he seeth not a great probabil- ity that he is likely to pay it. Nor will remain in debt by retain- ing that which is another man's against his will, without an abso- lute necessity. " Owe no man anything, but to love one another ; " Rom. xiii. 8. For to borrowwhen he cannot pay is but to. steal. Begging is better than borrowing for such. " The wicked borrow- eth, and payeth not ; " Psal. xxxvii. 21. 2. And the weak Christian maketh conscience ofjustice as well as acts of piety, as knowing that Godbath no need ofour sacrifices, but loveth to see us do that which is good for human society, and which we have need of from each other. But yet he bath more selfishness and partiality than the .confirmed Christian bath, and therefore is often overcome by temptations to unrighteous things;
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