'SEEM: XXVI.] CHRISTIAN MORALITY, VIZ. JUSTICE, &C. 429 neighbours, we expose ourselves to most evident tempta- tions of injustice, and lead our seuls into sinful snares. " We cannot live frugal as our fathers did : The fashion is altered, and we must follow it, whether the purse can bear it or no." Hence arise the impetuous desires of hasty and extra- yagant gains by gaming, in order to recover what is lost by luxury. Men venture largely upon the turn of a die, and defraud their honest creditors of their bread and life, to pay, what they call in their cant, the debts of honour. A wanton sort of justiceand illegal equity ! It is the luxurious fashion of life that bath filled our land with the itch of gamin; and if the turn of a wheel can intitle them to thousands, they despise the slow and tedi- ous ways of supplying their wants by labour, business, or traffic. Thus honest industry is discouraged, and trade, which is the political life of our nation, lies groaning and expiring. Hence proceeds. the wicked custom of breaking pro- mises to those that we deal with, and long delays of payment, till we imagine the debt is cancelled, by being almost forgotten. A vain and criminal imagination ! As though the daily increase of interest, and the patience of the creditor, could make the principal cease to be due'. As though time, and unjust delay, could pay debts with- out money. Hence flows the unrighteous practice of borrowing without any design to pay, which is_gross and shameful iniquity: I would hope none ofthe professors of religion have so far abandoned all sense of righteousness. Yet thereare'too many, who, when once' they have borrow- ed, grow so careless 'and negligent of payment, that it brings a disgrace upon their profession, and a blot upon their character. Profuse arid thoughtless sinners, who run in debt to every one that will trust them for the daily conveniences of life ! Though they have no reasonable prospect of paying, yet they ask their neighbòur to lend, with a free and courageous countenance, and put a bold face upon their venturous iniquity, being too proud to.let their povertybe known. Rut the.God of justice beholds their crime,--and writes.their names dp«_n ip his book among the unrighteous, Ps. xxxxii. 1. Tlio wicked bar- 'rozeetli, andpaieth not again,.
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