Milton

¶1p. 504 FORTUNIS PROXIMI consulitur integritate et beneficentia.

¶2INTEGRITAS est cum et alieno abstinemus, quæ et abstinentia dicitur; et in omnibus pactis quæ nobis cum proximo intercedunt, sancte atque integre versamur; quæ justitia commutativa nominatur. Psal. xv. 2. qui ambulat integre, exercetque justitiam.

¶3ABSTINENTIÆ exemplum est in Mose, Num. xvi. 15. ne asinum quidem ullius ex iis usurpavi. in Samuele, 1 Sam. xii. 3. cujus bovem acceperim—? Hinc leges illæ, Deut. xxiii. 24, 25. si ingrederis vineam proximi tui—.

¶4Opposita sunt primum furtum. Exod. xx. 15. non furabere. Lev. xix. 11. idem. Prov. xxix. 24. qui partitur cum fure, odit seipsum. et cap. xxii. 28. ne moveto terminum. et xxiii. 10. idem. Judæ Iscariotæ crimen, Joan. xii. 6. Eph. iv. 28. qui furabatur, non amplius furetur, sed potius—. Leges de furto, Exod. xxii. Prov. vi. 30. non afficitur contemptu fur, qui—. et xxviii. 24. qui diripiens patrem suum, aut matrem suam—. Zech. v. 3. quisquis furatur de populo hoc—.

¶5p. 505 Fraudatio. Lev. xix. 11. neque fallacia utimini ullus in proximum suum. Cujus nulla expiatio sine restitutione. Lev. v. 21, &c. rependat—, deinde reatum suum afferto. Prov. xxi. 6. comportati thesauri—. 1 Thess. iv. 6. nequis supergrediatur et habeat quæstui in negotio fratrem suum.

¶6Oppressio et spoliatio. Job. v. 15. qui servat a manu fortis egentem—. et xx. 18, 19, &c. quia quassavit, dereliquit tenues—. Prov. xiv. 31. qui opprimit tenuem—. et xxii. 22, 23. ne diripias tenuem—. et xxx. 14. generatio cujus dentes sunt gladii—. Eccles. v. 8. si oppressionem pauperis—. et vii. 7. cum oppressio adigat ad insaniam—. Isa. iii. 15, 16. rapina pauperis est in domibus vestris—. et v. 7, 8. væ conjungentibus domum domui—. Jer. ii. 34. in alis vestium tuarum—. et xxii. 13, &c. væ ædificanti domum suam injustitia—. Nehem. v. 8, &c. nos comparamus fratres nostros—. Amos. iv. 1, &c. audite verbum istud, vaccæ Bashanis, quæ opprimitis tenues—. et v. 11. eo quod calcaturam agitis contra tenuem—. et viii. 4, 5, &c. audite hoc, qui anhelatis dejecturi egentem—. Micæ ii. 1, 2. qui concupiscunt agros quos rapiant—. et iii. 2, 3. rapientes cutem—.

¶7Damnum datum. Exod. xxi. 33. ita si ceciderit illuc bos aut asinus—. et v. 35, 36. si ferierit bos unius bovem alterius—: at si indicatum est bovem petulcum fuisse—. et xxii. 5, 6. si quis depascens agrum aut vineam, immiserit pecus—.

¶8Plagium. Exod. xxi. 16. plagiarius sive vendiderit hominem, sive deprehensus fuerit in manu ejus, omnino morte plectitor. Deut. xxiv. 7. si inventus fuerit quis plagiarius—. 1 Tim. i. 10. plagiariis.

¶9JUSTITIA COMMUTATIVA versatur in rebus vel emendis vendendisque, vel locandis aut conducendis, vel accommodandis et utendis, vel denique custodiendis et reddendis.

¶10In rebus emendis vendendisque. Lev. xix. 36. trutinæ justæ, pondera justa. et xxv. 14. quum rem venalem vendideris quisque proximo tuo, aut p. 506 emeris e manu proximi tui, ne fraudem facitote alter alteri. Prov. xvi. 11. scapus et lances judicii Jehovæ sunt, opus ejus sunt omnia pondera loculi.

¶11Justitiæ in rebus emendis et vendendis opponuntur variæ fraudes. Prov. xi. 26. comprimentem triticum—. Ezech. xxviii. 16, 18. in amplitudine mercaturæ tuæ pleni erant in te violentia—. Vel cum adulterina aut corrupta pro sinceris venduntur. Amos. viii. 6. ut quisquilias frumenti vendamus. Vel cum pondera et mensuræ fallaces adhibentur. Lev. xix. 35. ne exercitote perversitatem in ullo munere, in dimensione, in pondere, aut mensura. Deut. xxv. 13, 14, 15. ne esto tibi in loculo tuo diversum pondus. Prov. xi. 1. lances dolosæ abominationi sunt Jehovæ. et xx. 10. diversa pondera diversæque mensuræ abominationi sunt Jehovæ æque utraque. et v. 23. idem. Hos. xii. 8. mercator est, in manu ejus sunt lances dolosæ—. Amos. viii. 5. minuendo epham—. Micæ vi. 11. cum lancibus improbitatis. Vel cum in licitando mendaciter quis agit. Prov. xx. 14. pessimum est, ait emptor—.

¶12In locandis aut conducendis. Lev. xix. 13. ne pernoctare sinito mercedem mercenarii apud te ad matutinum usque. Exod. xxii. 15. si mercede conductum est, venerit pro mercede sua. Deut. xxiv. 14, 15. ne fraudem facito mercenario pauperi et egeno e fratribus tuis, aut e peregrinis apud te—. Mal. iii. 5. contra oppressione detinentes mercedem mercenarii—. Jacob. v. 4. merces operariorum qui messuerunt fundos vestros, per vos interversa, clamat.

¶13In accommodandis et utendis. Deut. xv. 7, &c. si fuerit apud te egens quispiam e fratribus tuis—, liberaliter mutuato ei, quantum satis est indigentiæ ejus, id cujus indiget. Psal. xxxvii. 26. toto die gratiam facit, et mutuat—. et cxii. 5. bonus quisque gratiose largitur, et mutuo dat. Matt. v. 42. volentem mutuare abs te ne adversator. Luc. vi. 35. mutuum date, nihil inde sperantes. Prov. xix. 17. mutuat Jehovæ, qui gratiose largitur tenui—. Alia ratio est cum non tenui accommodatur. Exod. xxii. 14. quum quis quid a proximo suo acceperit commodato, quod p. 507 corrumpatur—. Psal. xxxvii. 21. mutuum accipit improbus, et non reddit—.

¶14In accommodandis violatur justitia fœnore iniquo. Iniquum autem est imprimis omne quod a paupere accipitur. Exod. xxii. 25. pauperi ne esto fœnerator. Lev. xxv. 35, 36, 37. quum facultatibus attenuato fratre tuo apud te, vacillabit manus ejus, tum confirmabis illum, etiam peregrinum aut inquilinum, ut vivat tecum: non accipies ab eo usuram aut fœnus, sed timebis a Deo tuo—, ut vivat frater tuus tecum—. Sic intelligitur Deut. xxiii. 19. ne dato in usuram fratri tuo, usuram pecuniæ, usuram cibi, usuram ullius rei quæ in usuram datur.

¶15Verum de usura cum multi varie sentiant, hujusque loci propria hæc disputatio sit, videamus nunc breviter quid sit de ea sentiendum. Usuram plerique statuunt non omnem illicitam esse, sed ex fine, modo, objecto denique id judicari. Objectum, id est, eum a quo fœnus accipere liceat, esse iis facultatibus quemcunque præditum ut rependere aliquid creditori possit. Modum, quem charitas vel saltem æquitas constituat. Finem, ut quisque non sui solum, sed et proximi rationem habeat. Hæ conditiones si observentur, vituperari usuram non posse: et merito sane; absque his enim conditionibus vix ullæ pactiones, ulla commercia licita esse possunt. Usuram itaque per se ac simpliciter non magis improbandam esse quam cætera quævis commercii civilis genera, ipsa ratio demonstrat: 1ᵐ. quia si simpliciter reprehendenda esset, non permisisset Deus ut Israelitæ ab extraneo fœnus acciperent, Deut. xxiii. 20. præsertim cum alibi præcipiat ne extraneo injuriam facerent, sed omni potius humanitate, egenti præsertim, subvenirent: 2ᵈᵒ. si jumenti, fundi, tecti et similium fructus esse potest, cur non pecuniæ? quæ cum non inopiæ sublevandæ, sed lucri faciendi causa sæpe mutuo accipiatur, accipienti mutuo quam danti fructuosior esse solet. Terræ quidem Israeliticæ fructum Deus usuris addictum esse noluit, cæremoniali quadam significatione, quemadmodum et agros mancipio noluit vendi, Lev. xxv. 23. Usura igitur duntaxat ea nunc damnanda est, quæ aut in pauperes, aut lucri solius studio, præter p. 508 charitatem et æquitatem, exercetur: atque hac profecto ratione quævis commercia lucrosa non minus quam usura damnanda sunt; nec minus merentur ut eodem nomine quo usura, נֶשֶׁךְ, a morsu nominentur. Talis igitur usura prohibetur Exod. xxii. 25. si pecuniam mutuam dederis populo meo, pauperi nempe qui est tecum, ne esto ei tanquam fœnerator—: Lev. xxv. 35, 36, 37. ut supra: qui duo loci cum primi omnium hac de re occurrant, debent certe sequentibus et lucem dare, et eandem illam exceptionem singulis inferre. Deut. xxiii. 19. ut supra. Psal. xv. 5. qui pecuniam suam non exponit fœnori. Prov. xxviii. 8. qui auget substantiam suam usura et fœnore, gratiose largituro tenuibus congregaverit eam. Ezech. xviii. 8. in usuram non dederit, et fœnus non acceperit, ab iniquitate retraxerit manum suam—.

¶16Justitia in rebus custodiendis est quæ in depositis ac pignoribus repetendis aut restituendis observatur: de qua Exod. xxii. 7. si quis dederit proximo pecuniam aut supellectilia ad servandum—. Sic v. 10, 11. Ezech. xviii. 7. neminem oppresserit, pignus suum debitori restituerit. Pignus a paupere quatenus accipiendum, videatur Exod. xxii. 26. si pignore ullo acceperis vestem—. Deut. xxiv. 6. ne pignori accipito metam aut catillum—. De pignoribus humane ac modeste accipiendis præcipitur eodem cap. v. 10. ne ingreditor domum ejus—.

¶17Hactenus de justitia commutativa. Huc referri potest MODERATIO; qua quis etiam de jure suo concedit aliquid aut remittit. Gen. xiii. 9. quod si sinistram versus discesseris, petam dextram; sin autem dextram versus, petam sinistram.

¶18BENEFICENTIA est qua nostris opibus proximum nostrum, egentem præsertim et vicinum, libenter sublevamus. Lev. xix. 9. quum metetis messem terræ vestræ, ne prorsus demetito latus agri tui, neque spicilegium messis tuæ facito: similiter—. et xxv. 35. quum facultatibus attenuato fratre tuo apud te, vacillabit manus ejus, tum confirmabis illum, etiam peregrinum aut inquilinum, ut vivat tecum. Prov. iii. 27, 28. ne p. 509 cohibeto bonum ab iis qui opus habent, quum est in potestate manus tuæ efficere illud: ne dicito proximo, abi, deinde revertere, cras enim daturus sum, quum fuerit penes te. Luc. vi. 30. cuivis petenti abs te, dato—. et v. 38. date, et dabitur vobis. Gal. vi. 10. dum tempus opportunum habemus, simus benefici erga omnes, maxime vero erga domesticos fidei. 1 Thess. v. 15. beneficentiam semper sectamini, tum inter vos mutuo, tum erga omnes. Heb. xiii. 16. beneficentiæ et communicationis ne obliviscimini: talibus enim victimis delectatur Deus. De beneficiis autem recipiendis vide supra de MAGNANIMITATE.

¶19Et hæc virtus in largitionibus LIBERALITAS nominatur. Psal. cxii. 5. bonus quisque gratiose largitur. Prov. xi. 24, 25. est qui dispergens, tamen augetur amplius—. et xxi. 26. justus dat, neque cohibet manum. Eccles. xi. 1, &c. projice panem tuum secundum aquas—.

¶20Liberalitati opponitur illiberalitas; quæ vel nihil, vel non satis, vel maligne largitur. Prov. xxiii. 6, 7, 8. ne vescitor cibo maligni oculo, neque afficitor desiderio cupediarum ejus—.

¶21Et prodigalitas. Prov. xxi. 20. thesaurus desideratissimus et unguentum est in habitaculo sapientis, stolidus autem homo absorbet illud.

¶22Beneficentia in majoribus sive privatis sive publicis beneficiis MAGNIFICENTIA nominatur. Exemplum est in Davide. 1 Chron. xxix. 2, &c. omnibus quidem viribus meis præparavi pro domo Dei mei, aurum ad aurea—: et amplius, quandoquidem propendeo voluntate erga domum Dei mei, quod est mihi peculium—. In Judæis reducibus, Ezræ ii. 68, 69. quidam sponte se offerentes ad domum Dei statuendum in sede ipsius, pro facultate sua dederunt—.

¶23Beneficentiæ respondet GRATITUDO: qua quis beneficium pro beneficio reddit, aut gratiam. 2 Sam. ix. 1. dixit David, an nullus est adhuc qui relictus sit de familia Saulis, ut exerceam erga eum benignitatem propter Jonathanem? et xix. 34, &c. dixit rex Barzillaio, tu progredere p. 510 mecum, et sustentabo te—. 1 Reg. ii. 7. erga filios—Barzillai Gileaditæ exerceto benignitatem—.

¶24Contraria est ingratitudo. Prov. xvii. 13. qui reddit malum pro bono, non amovetur malum a domo illius. Eccles. ix. 15. liberavit civitatem, nec tamen quisquam recordatus est viri indigi illius.

¶1p. 672 THE virtues by which we promote the WORLDLY INTERESTS OF OUR NEIGHBOUR, are integrity and beneficence.

¶2INTEGRITY consists in refraining from the property of others, which is also called abstinence; and in honesty and uprightness as regards our dealings with our neighbour, which is called commutative justice. Psal. xv. 2. he that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness.

¶3ABSTINENCE is exemplified in Moses, Numb. xvi. 15. I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them; and in Samuel, 1 Sam. xii. 3. whose ox have I taken? On this subject laws are given Deut. xxiii. 24, 25. when thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, &c.

¶4The opposites to this are, first, theft. Exod. xx. 15. thou shalt not steal. See also Levit. xix. 11. Prov. xxix. 24. whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul. xxii. 28. remove not the ancient land-mark. See also xxiii. 10. This was the crime of Judas Iscariot, John xii. 6. Eph. iv. 28. let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour. Laws against theft are given Exod. xxii. Prov. vi. 30. men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry. p. 673 xxviii. 24. whoso robbeth his father or mother, &c. Zech. v. 3. every one that stealeth shall be cut off—.

¶5Secondly, fraud. Levit. xix. 11. ye shall not deal falsely one to another. Under the law, fraud could not be expiated unless restitution were previously made. Levit. vi. 5, &c. he shall even restore it in the principal......and he shall bring his trespass offering unto Jehovah. Prov. xxi. 6. the getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity—. 1 Thess. iv. 6. that no man go beyond or defraud his brother in any matter.

¶6Thirdly, oppression and robbery. Job v. 15. he saveth the poor from the hand of the mighty. xx. 18, 19. because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor—. Prov. xiv. 31. he that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his neighbour. xxii. 22, 23. rob not the poor, &c. xxx. 14. there is a generation whose teeth are as swords. Eccles. v. 8. if thou seest the oppression of the poor, &c. vii. 7. surely oppression maketh a wise man mad. Isai. iii. 14. the spoil of the poor is in your houses. v. 7, 8. woe unto them that join house to house, &c. Jer. ii. 34. in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents. xxii. 13, &c. woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness—. Neh. v. 8. we after our ability have redeemed our brethren—. Amos iv. 1. hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, which oppress the poor—. v. 11. forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor—. viii. 4, 5, &c. hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail—. Micah ii. 1, 2. they covet fields, and take them by violence. iii. 2, 3. who pluck the skin off from them—.

¶7Fourthly, injury. Exod. xxi. 33. if an ox or an ass fall therein—. v. 35, 36. if one man's ox hurt another's......or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in times past, &c. xxii. 5, 6. if a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, &c.

¶8Fifthly, man-stealing. Exod. xxi. 16. he that stealeth a man, or selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. Deut. p. 674 xxiv. 7. if a man be found stealing any of his brethren, &c. 1 Tim. i. 10. men-stealers.

¶9Under COMMUTATIVE JUSTICE are included all transactions of purchase and sale, of letting and hire, of lending and borrowing, of keeping and restoring deposits.

¶10Transactions of sale and purchase. Levit. xix. 36. just balances, just weights—. xxv. 14. if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another. Prov. xvi. 11. a just weight and balance are Jehovah's; all the weights of the bag are his work.

¶11To justice in matters of sale and purchase, are opposed various frauds. Prov. xi. 26. he that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him. Ezek. xxviii. 16. by the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence—. So also when counterfeit or adulterated goods are sold for genuine. Amos viii. 6. that we may sell the refuse of the wheat. Or when false weights and measures are employed. Levit. xix. 35. ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Deut. xxv. 13—15. thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small—. Prov. xi. 1. a false balance is abomination to Jehovah. xx. 10. divers weights and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to Jehovah. See also v. 23. Hos. xii. 7. he is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand. Amos viii. 5. making the ephah small. Micah vi. 11. shall I count them pure with the wicked balances? Or when the buyer, on his part, uses dishonest artifices in the conclusion of a bargain. Prov. xx. 14. it is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer.

¶12Transactions of letting or hire. Levit. xix. 13. the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. Exod. xxii. 15. if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire. Deut. xxiv. 14, 15. thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether p. 675 he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in the land within thy gates. Mal. iii. 5. against those that oppress the hireling in his wages. James v. 4. behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth.

¶13Lending and borrowing. Deut. xv. 7, &c. if there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren......thou shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth. Psal. xxxvii. 26. he is ever merciful, and lendeth. cxii. 5. a good man showeth favour, and lendeth. Matt. v. 42. from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Luke vi. 35. lend, hoping for nothing again. Prov. xix. 17. he that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth to Jehovah. The case of loans to such as are not poor is different. Exod. xxii. 14. if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, &c. Psal. xxxvii. 21. the wicked borroweth and payeth not again.

¶14In loans, justice is violated by the exaction of immoderate interest; under which denomination all interest is included, which is taken from the poor. Exod. xxii. 25. if thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer. Levit. xxv. 35, 36. if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee, then thou shalt relieve him; yea, though he be a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with thee: take thou no usury of him, or increase; but fear thy God, that thy brother may live with thee. This is the meaning of the command in Deut. xxiii. 19. thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother, usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury.

¶15As however much difference of opinion exists with regard to usury, and as the discussion belongs properly to this place, we will consider briefly what is to be determined on the subject. It is the opinion of most, that usury is not in all cases unlawful, but that its legality or illegality is determined by the purpose for which it is exacted, the rate of interest, and the party by whom it is to be paid; that with p. 676 regard to the party, it may be lawfully received from any one possessed of sufficient property for payment; that the rate of interest should be such as is consistent with equity at least, if not with charity; and that in exacting it we should have a view not to our own interests exclusively, but also to those of our neighbour. Where these conditions are observed, they maintain that usury is perfectly allowable; nor is it without reason that these limitations are added, since without these there is scarcely any species of compact or commercial intercourse which can be considered as lawful. That usury is in itself equally justifiable with any other kind of civil contract, is evident from the following considerations;⁶ first, that if it were in itself reprehensible, God would not have permitted the Israelites to lend upon usury to strangers, Deut. xxiii. 20. especially as he elsewhere commands them to do no hurt to the stranger, but on the contrary to assist him with every kind of good office, especially in case of poverty. Secondly, if it be lawful to receive profit for the use of cattle, lands, houses, and the like, why not of money also? which, when borrowed, as it often is, not from necessity, but for purposes of gain, is apt to be more profitable to the borrower than to the lender. It is true that God prohibited the Israelites from lending upon usury on the produce of their land; but this was for a reason purely ceremonial, in like manner as he forbad them to sell their land in perpetuity, Levit. xxv. 23. Under the gospel, therefore, that usury only is to be condemned which is taken from the poor, or of which the sole object is gain, and which is exacted without a regard to charity and justice; even as any other species of lucrative commerce carried on in the same spirit would be equally reprehensible, and equally entitled to the Hebrew name נֶשֶׁךְ, signifying a bite. This therefore is the usury prohibited Exod. xxii. 25. if thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an p. 677 usurer. Levit. xxv. 35—37. as above. These are the earliest passages in which the subject occurs; they ought therefore to be considered as illustrating by anticipation those which come after, and the exception contained in them as applying equally to all other occasions on which usury is mentioned: Deut. xxiii. 19. as above. Psal. xv. 5. he that putteth not out his money to usury....shall never be moved. Prov. xxviii. 8. he that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. Ezek. xviii. 8. he that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity—.

¶16Justice as regards the safe custody of property, is concerned in the demand or restitution of pledges, and of deposits in trust; on which subject see Exod. xxii. 7. if a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, &c. See also v. 10, 11. Ezek. xviii. 7. hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge. Under what limitations a pledge may be received from a poor man, is seen Exod. xxii. 26. if thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, &c. Deut. xxiv. 6. no man shall take the upper or nether millstone to pledge. The same chapter enjoins a regard to humanity in the taking of pledges, v. 10. thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.

¶17Thus far of commutative justice. Under the same head may be classed MODERATION, which consists in voluntarily conceding some portion of an acknowledged right, or in abandoning it altogether. Gen. xiii. 9. if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

¶18BENEFICENCE consists in rendering willing assistance to our neighbour out of our own abundance; particularly to the poor within our reach. Levit. xix. 9. when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. xxv. 35. if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee, then thou shalt relieve him; yea, though <!-- p.678 --> he be a stranger or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. Prov. iii. 27, 28. withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it; say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee. Luke vi. 30. give to every one that asketh of thee. v. 38. give, and it shall be given unto you. Gal. vi. 10. as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them that are of the household of faith. 1 Thess. v. 15. ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men. Heb. xiii. 16. to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Concerning the proper mode of receiving benefits, see above on MAGNANIMITY.

¶19Beneficence, as shown in public distributions of any kind, is called LIBERALITY. Psal. cxii. 5. a good man sheweth favour, and lendeth (gratiose largitur, Tremell.) Prov. xi. 24, 25. there is that scattereth, and yet increaseth—. xxi. 26. the righteous giveth and spareth not. Eccles. xi. 1. cast thy bread on the waters.

¶20Opposed to liberality are, first, niggardliness, which gives nothing, or sparingly, or with a grudging mind. Prov. xxiii. 6—8. eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats.

¶21Secondly, prodigality. Prov. xxi. 20. there is treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man spendeth it up.

¶22Beneficence, whether private or public, when exercised on an extraordinary scale, is called MAGNIFICENCE. This is exemplified in David, 1 Chron. xxix. 2. I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God, the gold for things to be made of gold......moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, &c. and in the Jews who returned from captivity, Ezra ii. 68, 69. some offered freely for the house of God to set it up in its place; they gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work.

¶23Corresponding with beneficence is GRATITUDE, which is shown in the requital, or, where this is impossible, in the thankful sense of a kindness. 2 Sam. ix. 1. David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? p. 679 xix. 34, &c. the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me—. 1 Kings ii. 7. show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite.

¶24Opposed to this is ingratitude. Prov. xvii. 13. whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. Eccles. ix. 15. he by his wisdom delivered the city, yet no man remembered that same poor man.