bearer among thy People, &c. And 1 Tim. v. 13. And not only idle, but Tatlers alfo and Bufy-bodies, Speaking Things which they ought not.

Q. 10. What elfe doth the ninth Commandment forbid? A. It forbids all rafh and unwarrantable judging of other Mens Hearts and final Eftates, which is ufually accompanied with Ignorance of our own, Math. vii. 1, 3. Judge not be not judged. And why beholdeft thou the Mote that is in thy Brother's Eye, but confidereft not the Beam that is in thine on Eye?

that

ye

Q. 11. What elfe is forbidden in this Commandment?

A. It forbids the eclipfing of the true Worth and Honour of others, by a proud exalting of ourselves, 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5.-Charity envieth not, charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, &c. Or by crying up one to the Difparagement of another good Man, 1 Cor. iii. 4, 5. For while one faith, I am of Paul, and another I am of Apollo, are ye not carnal? &c. Q. 12. What is the firft Inference from hence?

A. That the beft Chriftians have caufe to be humbled for the Sins of the Tongue, whereby God is difhonoured, and others are injured, Jam. iii. 2. If any Man offend not in Word, the fame is a perfect Man, and able alfo to bridle the whole Body. And ver. 5, 6. Even fo the Tongue is a little Member, and boafleth great Things: Behold how great a Matter a little Fire kindleth. And the Tongue is a Fire, a World of Iniquity: fo is the Tongue among ft our Members, that it defileth the whole Body, and jetteth on Fire the Course of Nature, and it is fet on Fire of Hell.

Q. 13. What is the fecond Inference from hence ?

A. It is our great Concernment to walk with that Piety and Justice towards God and Men, as to cut off all juft Occafions of Reproach from our own Names, 2 Cor. xi. 12. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off Occafion from them which defire Occafion, &c. 1 Tim. v. 14. I will therefore that the younger Women marry, bear Children, guide the Houfe, give none Occafion to the Adverfary to Speak reproachfully.

Q 14. What is the third Inference from this Commandment?

A. To blefs God that our Names are kept fweet and honourable in the World among good Men, 3 Epift. John xii. Demetrius hath a good Report of all Men, &c. Or if we be reproached, it is by none but wicked Men, and that for our Duty to God, Dan. vi. 5. Then faid thefe Men, we fall not find any Occafion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God.

Of the tenth Commandment.

Quest. 79. WA. The tenth Commandment is, [Thou

HICH is the tenth Commandment?

fhalt not covet thy Neighbour's Houfe, thou shalt not covet thy Neighbour's Wife, nor his Man-Servant, nor his MaidServant, nor his Ox, nor his Afs, nor any Thing that is thy Neighbour's.]

Queft. 80. What is required in the tenth Commandment? A. The tenth Commandment requireth full Contentment with our own Condition, with a right and charitable Frame of Spirit towards our Neighbour, and all that is his.

Quest. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth Commandment? A. The tenth Commandment forbiddeth all Discontentment with our own Eftate, envying or grieving at the Good of our Neighbour, and all inordinate Motions and Affections to any Thing that is his.

Q. 1. What is the principal Scope and Aim of the tenth Commandment?

A. It is to prevent all Occafions of tranfgreffing the other Precepts of the fecond Table, by reftraining this Sin of Covetoufness in the Heart, Pfal. cxix. 35, 36. Make me to go in the Path of thy Commandments: for therein do I delight. Incline my Heart unto thy Teftimonies; and not to Covetousness. Q2. What doth this tenth Command require of us in Reference to ourselves?

A. It requires of us perfect Contentment and Satisfaction with that Eftate and Condition, wherein God hath placed us in the World, Hebr. xiii. 5. Let your Conversation be without Covetoufnefs: and be content with fuch Things as ye have, &c. Reckoning it to be good for us, to be in that State we are, though never fo low or afflicted, Pfal. cxix. 67.

Before

Before I was afflicted, I went aftray; but now have I kept thy Word. And ver. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes.

Q3. Is Contentment with God's Appointine nts attainable in this Life?

A. Some Chriftians have attained to a very great Meafure and eminent Degree of Contentment in the midst of changeable and afflictive Providences, Phil. iv. 11.—I have learned in whatsoever State I am therewith to be content, Pfal. xvi. 5, 6. The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance, and of my Cup: thou maintaineft my Lot. Thy Lines are fallen unto me in pleafant Places: yea, I have a goodly Heritage.

Q4. Is there no Danger of the Sin of Difcontent in a full and profperous Condition?

A. Fulnels of the World fecures no Man from the Sin of Difcontentment with his own, or coveting that which is another's; because the Defires enlarge as the Eftate doth, Pfal. Ixii. 10.-If Riches increase, fet not your Hearts upon them. An Inftance whereof we have in Ahab, 1 Kings 21. 4. And Ahab came into his Houfe heavy and difpleafed, because of the Word, which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he bad faid, I will not give thee the Inheritance of my Fathers, and he laid him down upon his Bed, and turned away his Face, and would eat no Bread.

Whence doth Difcontent with our Condition fpring? A. It fprings partly from our Ignorance of God's Wifdom and Love in ordering all for our good, Rom. viii. 28. And we know that all Things work together for good to them that love God, &c. Partly from our inconfideratenefs of the Vanity of the Creature, 1 Tim. vi. 7, 8. For we brought nothing into this World: and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having Food and Raiment, let us be therewith content. And partly from our Unbelief, Matth. vi. 31, 32. Therefore take no Thought, saying, what shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal hall we be cloathed? (for after all thefe Things do the Gentiles Jeek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all thefe Things.

Q. 6. Is Contentment with our own Eftate all that this Commandment requires?

A. No, it requires a charitable Frame of Spirit towards our Neighbours alfo, Rom. xii. 10, 15. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly Love, in Honour preferring one another. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Q7. What is the first Sin forbidden in this Command

ment?

A. It directly and efpecially forbids all finful and inordinate Defires and Motions after other Mens Enjoyments, Col. iii. 5. Mortify therefore your Members which are upon the Earth, Fornication, Uncleanness, inordinate Affection, evil Concupif cence and Covetoufnefs, which is Idolatry.

Q. 8. What is the fecond Sin forbidden in this Commandment?

A. It forbids all Cruelty and Incompaffionatenefs_to others in Neceffity, and keeping back from them that Relief which is made theirs by God's Command, Prov. xi. 24..

There is that with-holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to Poverty, Lev. xix. 9, 10. And 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. And thou shalt not glean thy l'ineyard, neither halt thou gather every Grape of thy Vineyard: thou shalt leave them for the poor and Stranger: I am the Lord your God.

Q. 9. What is the third Sin forbidden in this Command? A. It forbids the detaining of the Hirelings Wages, when it is due, Hab. ii. 9, 10, 11. Wo to him that coveteth an evil Covetousness to his Houfe that he may fet his Neft on high, that may be delivered from the Power of Evil. Thou hast confulted Shame to thy Houfe, by cutting off many People, and haft finned againfl thy Soul. For the Stone shall cry out of the Wall, and the Beam out of the Timber shall answer it.

be

Q10. What is the fourth Sin forbidden in this Commandment?

A. It forbids all inward Grudgings at, and Envyings of the Enjoyments of others, whether they be inward Goods of the Mind, or outward belonging to the Body, 1 Cor. xiii. 4. Charity envieth not, &c.

Q. 11. What is the Mifchief of Covetoufnefs ?

A. It distracts the Heart in Duties, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. And they come unto thee as the People cometh, and they fit before thee, as my People, and they hear thy Words, but they will not do them; for with their Mouth they show much Love, but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness. Provokes the Wrath of God, Ifa. lvii. 17. For the Iniquity of his Covetousness was I wroth, and mote him, &c. And where it reigns, it becomes Idolatry, Col. iii. 5.-And Covetousness which is Idolatry. Q12. What is the first Inference hence?

A. It calls all Men to Humiliation for the Inordinacy of their Affections towards the World, their Discontent with their own, and Envyings of others Conditions.

Q. 13. What is the fecond Inference hence?

A. As ever we would keep clear from this Sin, let us make God our Portion, Pfal. xvi. 5, 6. The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance, and of my Cup: thou maintaineft my Lat. And labour to get the Soul-fatisfying Comforts of his Spirit, John iv. 14. But whofoever drinketh of the Water that I fhall give him, fhall never thirst, &c. 2 Cor. vi. 10.- As having nothing, and yet poffeffing all Things.

Q. 14. What is the laft Inference hence?

A. If God have given us a Sufficiency of the Things of this Life for our Neceflity, let us be fatisfied, though we want other Things for our Delight, 1 Tim. vi. 8. And having Food and Raiment, let us be therewith content. And relieve ourselves by an Expectation of those better Things laid up in Heaven for us, if we be Believers, Jam. ii. 5.-Hath not God chofen the Poor of this World, rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him.

Quest. 82.

Of keeping the Law.

S any Man able perfectly to keep the Commandments of God?

A. No meer Man, fince the Fall, is able in this Life perfectly to keep the Commandments of God, but doth daily break them in Thought, Word, and Deed.

Q. I. Wherein doth the perfect keeping of God's Law

confift?