soever is contrary to the gravity, and modesty, and purity of the gospel of Christ.

On the other hand, we are required to keep our bodies in temperance, soberness, and chastity and in order hereunto not only carefully to avoid all temptations and incentives to the contrary, but, if need be, to exercise ourselves in watchings and fastings, which are in no cases more proper, than for the suppression of these sins: to be modest in our behaviour; grave and chaste in our conversation: to regulate, as much as may be, our very thoughts and desires and above all things to take care that we keep ourselves usefully, or at least innocently employed; as considering that there is nothing more dangerous to the purity of a Christian than idleness and want of something to do.

Lord, I confess myself guilty &c.

The eighth Commandment, [Thou shalt not steal,]

respects our outward possessions; and provides for every man's quiet and comfortable enjoyment of that portion of the good things of this life, which God has been pleased to give him. Hereby are forbidden not only theft and robbery; as the one implies a secret con

veying away of another's goods, and the other a more violent and forcible taking of them; but all unlawful and indirect ways of depriving another of any thing that is his; all cheating in buying and selling; all extortion and oppression and all aiding, advising, encouraging, or otherwise communicating with others in any of these crimes; whether by receiving, buying, or concealing what is stolen ; or by helping any one to cheat or over-reach another; or by serving any great and violent oppressor in crushing and ruining a poor man. To these may be added several other vices; such as prodigality in spending a man's estate, and beggaring his family negligence in making an honest provision, according to a man's station and opportunities, for his children: contracting debts which we are not able to pay: engaging for others beyond what we are able, or it is fitting for us to answer: taking advantage for gain by men's private wants, or by the public necessities all such trades as live upon the vices and extravagancies of men: and lastly, all manner of unlawful and injurious ways of gain.

On the contrary, we must be fair and upright in all our dealings; not willingly wrong, or be accessory to the wronging of any if we should happen to have unwillingly injured any man, we must be ready to make him a full and ample

restitution for it: we must be free and charitable to the poor; careful to provide a competent subsistence for our families; and diligent in pursuing some honest and useful calling in order thereunto.

Lord, I confess myself guilty &c.

The ninth Commandment, [Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour,]

principally regards the public administration of justice and judgment. Order and government being established, propagation regulated, and our lives, properties, and estates secured by the four preceding commandments, provision is made in this for the obtaining a just reparation in case of any injury or wrong done to any man, with respect to any any of those particulars. It supposes that there are courts of iudicature erected in all societies for the determining controversies of this nature; but because the just issue of such trials depends chiefly upon the veracity of witnesses that, give in evidence of matters, or facts relating thereunto, all persons are hereby required to be punctually true and faithful in such their testimonies; to affirm nothing but what they know to be true, and to conceal nothing that may contribute to a clearer discovery of the truth.

Furthermore, this commandment obliges us to be religiously strict in speaking the truth, not only in courts of judicature, but in our common conversation: to put the best construction upon all the actions of our neighbour; not to be too easy of believing any evil reports concerning him; nor to divulge even his real faults out of private pique or passion; but to be charitable both in what we hear and what we say of other men; to vindicate their reputation as far as fairly we can; and to say nothing, at least not to aggravate their faults, where we cannot.

This commandment forbids not only the false accusing of, or witnessing against any man in judgment, but also all subornation of false witnesses, and all credit or countenance that is given to them; all sort of calumny and evil speaking † against any, whether it be in or out

*

By calumny is meant a reproach falsely raised upon, and reported against a person, who is wholly innocent of it; when we are the makers, as well as spreaders of an untruth; at least, know what we say of our neighbour to be false, or have just reason to believe it to be so.

+ By evil speaking we are to understand the relating of what is, or has been told to us as true, and is believed by us so to be; when we do it not to the person concerned for discovery of the truth; or to some friend of his, in order to his being admonished of it; but to our indifferent acquaintance:

of judgment; all tale-bearing, rash-speaking, and censuring; all readiness to believe what is evil of our neighbour; all encouragement given to those who are apt to speak evil of other men. Lord, I confess myself guilty &c.

The tenth Commandment, [Thou shalt not covet &c.]

is for the greater security of our obedience to all the rest. It condemns even the inward tendencies and motions of the soul towards the commission of any of those sins that are forbidden, or the omission of any of those duties that are enjoined by the foregoing commandments. It commands us not so much as to harbour any evil thought or desire in our hearts: not so much as to wish for that which is another's, out of covetousness or envy: to suppress the inordinate love of wealth, honour, and pleasure; and to use our utmost endeavours to subdue and mortify all irregular inclinations whatsoever not to murmur and repine at our own condition; nor to be uneasy at the more prosperous circumstances of others: not to be over-thoughtful or anxious about worldly en

and that, whether it be done with a design to defame him, or only in the common way of discourse, for want of better matter to entertain our company withal.