Leviticus 19

It is a saying of Anselm, If hell were on one side, and sin on the other, I would rather leap into hell, than willingly sin against my God. 1. This glorious and fearful name: He who fears God will not sin, though it be never so secret (Leviticus 19:14): You shall not curse the d…

To commit sin is bad enough, but to swear we will commit sin, is a high profaning of God's name, and is as it were to call God to approve our sin. 3. Forswearing: This is a heaven-daring sin (Leviticus 19:12). You shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shall you profane my…

3. The prudence of the serpent, and innocency of the dove is seen in this; to reprove the sin, yet love the person. We are commanded to reprove; Leviticus 19:17: "You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall rebuke him, and not suffer sin upon him." Not to reprove si…

These are fathers for seniority, on whose wrinkled brows, and in the furrows of whose cheeks is pictured the map of old age. These fathers are to be honored (Leviticus 19:32): You shall rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man. Especially those are to be…

This veneration or reverence must be shown, 1. Inwardly, by fear mixed with love (Leviticus 19:3). You shall fear every man his mother and his father.

And under this head of stealing away others' money, there may be several arraigned for thieves. (1.) The highway thief, who takes a purse contrary to the letter of this commandment (Leviticus 19:13): You shall not rob your neighbor. (Mark 10:19) [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], Do n…

It is to the soul as lightning to the air, which cleanses it. 2. Get love to your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). Then there would not be [in non-Latin alphabet].

The Devil can lead them into any snare; you may lead a blind man any where. God made a law that the Jews should not put a stumbling block in the way of the blind (Leviticus 19:14). Satan knows it is easy to put a temptation in the way of the blind at which they shall stumble int…

And so wherever he came he did not only show them what they should do, what shall we publicans do, and what shall we soldiers do? (Luke 3:3 to 15) but he did burn up not only those who were professed enemies to the ways of grace, but all those that he found in hypocrisy he burnt…

Be not high minded but fear; to show you, that when we see other men through unbelief, and corruption fall into any sin, we ought to benefit ourselves thereby, not to be high minded upon this occasion, to bless ourselves, and we thank God it is not with us as it is with other me…

For this we must trust God, though for the present we displease our friends. So (Leviticus 19:17). You shall not hate your brother in your heart by suffering sin upon him.

Contrary to this, is the common practice in backbiting, whispering, and tale-bearing, whereby it comes to pass, that when a man is in fault, every man knows it, save he which is in fault. This vice the law of God expressly forbids (Leviticus 19:16). And it is the property of a g…

Now that men are to be reproved for known sins committed against God, of what nature, quality, and condition soever they be, besides the former reasons, it is manifest. Leviticus 19:17: You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall plainly rebuke him, and shall no…

But as the law had been corrupted by false expositions, and turned to a profane meaning, Christ vindicates it against such corruptions, and points out its true meaning, from which the Jews had departed. That the doctrine of the law not only commences, but brings to perfection, a…

There is an objection that may be made concerning this act of Job, (because afterward it is said, that in all this Job sinned not) whether or not Job might shave his head without sin? For you have an express rule to the contrary, (Leviticus 19:27; Leviticus 21:5): You shall not…

He ought to provide for them food and clothing; or else in lieu of any of these, faithfully to pay them their agreed wages. (Leviticus 19:13) The wages of him that is hired shall not abide all night with you, until the morning. And again, (Deuteronomy 24:14-15) You shall not opp…

And therefore we have so many express commands given us against this sin. (Leviticus 19:11) You shall not deal falsely, nor lie one to another. (Colossians 3:9) Lie not one to another.

Again, no friend, no parent, no other party will or can so willingly and cheerfully do any kindness for one, as a man for himself. This among other is one especial point which the law aims at, when it enjoins a man to love his neighbor as himself (Leviticus 19:18), namely, as wi…

As a general answer to these and all other such pretenses as can be alleged, let it be noted that the Lord does not only in express terms charge children to fear their mother, but also (the more to press this point) sometime sets the mother in the first place, thus; You shall fe…

Among many other means to make servants faithful to their master, and careful to perform other duties sincerely, willingly, cheerfully, and diligently, as has before been noted, this is one of the most general, namely, that servants, in all things they do for their master, make…

Or, 3. We talk of other men's matters or faults, as the Apostle speaks of those (1 Timothy 5:13) that wandered from house to house; that not being idle only, but tattlers also, and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. (Leviticus 19:16) You shall not go up and down a…

The thought of this should prevail with us the more, because the payment of a debt to a man should not be delayed, to put off a poor man till tomorrow when you have it by you (Proverbs 3:28). And the wages of a servant should not abide with us (Leviticus 19:13). We are not to de…

He that fears God needs no other theater than his own conscience; nor other spectators than God and his holy Angels. So to hinder us from contriving mischief in secret, when others are not aware of it (Leviticus 19:14), "You shall not curse the deaf man, nor lay a stumbling bloc…

Leviticus 19:17. You shall not hate your brother in your heart: you shall in any wise rebuke your neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. Waiving all prefaces and introductions, we may observe in these words three parts.

Words are precious commodities, and should not be exposed at an adventure: What's beyond yes and no, and reaches to superfluity, comes of evil, and evil comes of it (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12). And if you tell untruths and lies, it's as bad as stealing (Leviticus 19:11): you shal…

Were it not that sin is odious to them, good men would not be at the cost and charges, nor run the hazard of reproving others for it; reproving others is a thankless office, and unacceptable employment, for the most part. Men take reproofs for reproach, yet God having laid it on…

And there is a merciful cruelty, when we are sharp against men's sins, and will not let them go to hell quietly. Leviticus 19:17: You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall in any wise rebuke your neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. Fond pity is no better than c…

There are some who will buzz things in our ears on purpose to provoke. Among these we may rank talebearers (Leviticus 19:16). The talebearer carries reports up and down; the devil sends his letters by this messenger.

Love is both a new commandment and an old. It is an old commandment, because it is a law written in the heart of man by the pen of nature, as with the point of a diamond; and it is old because it is written in the ancient statutes and records (Leviticus 19:18): you shall love yo…

Christian duties that relate to our neighbor must be observed in their season. Our reproving others must be seasonable; reproof is a duty — when we see others walk irregularly, like soldiers that march out of rank and file, we ought mildly yet gravely to tell them of their sin (…

We may, nay we must grant a two-fold praying in our Savior, one by virtue of his office as he was Mediator, the other in answer of his duty, as he was subject to the law and a private person. It is true, he who was Mediator was made a subject to the law, but yet those things whi…

For when the Lord does vouchsafe to deal thus mercifully with us, to call us into the company of his people, he chooses us (says Moses) that we should be a peculiar people to himself, a holy people, and should keep his commandments (Deuteronomy 7:6). From where also comes this e…

2nd Commandment: You shall make to yourself no graven image, etc. He breaks this commandment: who represents God in an image (Exodus 32:6-8); who worships God in or at images, as crucifixes and such like (2 Kings 18:4); who kneels down before an image; who is bodily present at M…

Nehemiah dared not do as former governors had done: though an opportunity presented itself to enrich himself; because of the fear of God (Nehemiah 5:15). The soul that lives under the awe of this eye will be as conscientious where no discovery can be made by creatures, as if all…

If young ministers had great humility, without a mixture, it would dispose them especially to treat aged ministers with respect and reverence, as their fathers, notwithstanding that a sovereign God may have given them greater assistance and success, than they have had (1 Peter 5…