Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1842-05-26
OWE NO NAN ANY THING.

From a sermon on his text, by Rev. John
i. Btnokc, Rector Of Christ Church, Cincn-
hiatt, we select tie 10. lowing passages:
The debt forbidden 10y the text are all
those which in themselves violate the ,,w oi
love, OF directly tend to such violation.
Many debts Of h!s general description we
may classify after ihc following manner,
viz dedtS # eo1tt diShongsiy-dehs + nrari-
ctous SpeclL"ion-debts + raniy-and debts #
'mpruaence. let lis amIp:iiy each Of these
GNlsiOns AND in d,,in. 50, we shall OF
course be cCi!. p:.licd IN leave mach space TO
be ii,i, Il ~ O,.. own reflections.
|. De5ls # nhfut dishonesty BY such We
mean pccuniarv oi igplions cnirrtd into
with no sered intention to discharge them
OF without tive proh#hl" means Of satisfs ing
them. To c";liruct il dtbt with no serious
lntrtion Of payiIg i. is plain intraction Of
tnc comma dn ~. "TEou shalt rot steal 90
--t.d Tic man WAn does so tirs, ircs 70 be
place d on II footing e mora! hneaty with
the common # Ion. Nor is it much less dis
honest to !ncuf dcbt without the probable
means of meeting it.
DeJtS Of nraricious speculation. Bv specn-
ldlIun We mean any hargain or contract in
which the chances, hui@anly speaking, are
against success, or even where the prnbabii.
ties are nearly balanced. To rr, care the
cndui >finrht Ola neghbOr to engage IN such
venture, or even risk our means in 1t when
we are i'll debt, SD Us to leopard the interest
of credilors-is wrong. 1t is n violation of
the law OF love. 1t is not doing unto others
as he would they should do unto him. For
10 hazard the property of another in spec
ulalion without his full know ledge and con
scu; is as contrary /" sound prn pie as II
would be TO take his funds 10 4 gaming table,
ans. there risk Them fur our own rari'i0us
gain For all such speculation is t;it species
of gaming: it produces and fosters the same
restless, uneasy, insatiale sprita spirit which
can in no wise be harnioniZed with the tenn
peratc benevolent spirit Of the Gospel 1t is
admitted that in all active commerce, there
must be more or less of risk and consequent
loss Bot there is a tair line of deiN0rknion
between virtuouS commerce and vicious
speculation, or between judicious invest
menis and hazardous experiments.
3. Debts of raniiy, BY which, we mean
drtts contracted or maintained for tho sake
Of vain show--nr 10 CRAFTY what is called in
the Scriptures tho - lust OF the eye and the
pride of life" How far opucrt Christians
may indulge themselves in such things rs
splendid mansions, elegant furniture and
costly apparel, we do not undertake 10 deter
mine. But whatever may l." said of the use
uf such iuXu"ics nv those who have ample
means, the use of them by persons nf limit
cd resources. is clearly indscrent. And
when it either compromises or seriously en-
dangers the interest of creditors il is an n.y.
gravaicd trespass upon the principles of the
text.
4. Debts Of impr',deuce. by imprudencc
we do not mean that error in judgment 10
which the hest men are liable, and which
cannot he measured by any moral rule; hut
error arising from the want of proper care
or due consideration. All such incons'de-
ratencss in pecuniarv affairs has tn" nature
Of sin. But here, under this head. we si' y
find many faults which so lean tn ~'"@'s
sidc"--'l,at il will he difficult to summon ~
courage To reprov" them For H. re are ma,
ny imprudcnt debts. proceeding from Ce'
nerasiiy of disposition. or an 'T'rnisive be-
nev6lencc. which we find II hard ~ con-
denim. even where il runs into excess. Obi
cations of this sort. frequently occur in com
mercial communities. where Endorsements
or sarefy ships are common. But whenever
b. such inducements n man seriously en-
dangers the Interests of third parties. or ever
the fare of his own family. he ofcnds a
eainst the rule of the text. We grant tina
Endorsements, suretyships and loans. fairly
rank among Christian charities. and tina
theyought not in all cases to be summed, BY
those who are engaged IA worldly afairs.-