rated by Christians, whilst they and instructions; consult their inhallow the first of the week, as the terest, ease, credit, and comfort; Lord's day. This very compendious conceal their infirmities, bear with exposition of the first table of the their tempers and humours, allelaw suffices to prove its requirements viate their sorrows, and rejoice their to be very extensive, spiritual, rea- hearts as far as possible: and when sonable, and beneficial; yet it must they are grown old, and incapable of be owned to be entirely contrary to maintaining themselves, they ought the disposition of our hearts, and even to labour for their support, if diverse from the tenor of our lives; they be able, as their parents did therefore we all need mercy, re- for them when infants. In this demption, and a new creation to both parents are equally included, holiness, in order that we may please and should be honoured and obeyed, God and be made fit for heaven. and not in opposition to one another; We proceed to the second table. which should teach them to set their

V. This commandment of honour-children an example of impartiality, ing parents must be considered as and to be harmonious in their conthe abstract of all our relative du-duct towards them. By parity of ties: all other relations spring from reason, they who have acted a pathat of parents and children, or rent's part, are entitled to a correspartake in a measure of its nature; pondent respect and deference: and and this shadows out our relation all the superior and inferior relations to our great Creator. Parents are have their several reciprocal duties, to be honoured, which implies that which may be referred to this comit is their duty to behave honour-mand; but which will be distinctly ably, by performing the several parts considered in a separate Essay, on of their parental charge, as entrust- some future occasion. The annexed ed with the care of their offspring, promise of long life, &c., to obedient both in body and soul; and by a children, might have a peculiar rebecoming deportment in all other ference to the covenant of Israel; respects. Yet the children are not yet careful observers of mankind absolved from their duty by the have noted its remarkable fulfilment parent's sin, for which they must in other nations; subordination in answer to God: and such a limita- the family and community tends to tion, in this and other relative pre- personal and public felicity; and cepts, would absurdly constitute all the dislike which the human heart the inferior relations to be judges bears to submission, renders it proand lords over their superiors. Chil- per to enforce it by motives of every dren derive their being from their kind.

parents; and they are generally VI. This commandment requires taken care of by them during their us to "love our neighbour as ourhelpless infancy and inexperienced selves," in respect of his person youth, with much care, labour, and and life. Magistrates, as God's expense. It is therefore reasonable ministers in executing vengeance," that they should so long obey them are, in some cases, commanded to unreservedly in all things lawful; put men to death; and in others it and afterwards in all things that are may be allowable, because condunot manifestly injurious to them, cive to the public good: witnesses though they should be disagreeable. or executioners may concur in such They ought to love their persons; capital punishments; we may doubt respect their characters, counsels, less take away another's life in de

fence of our own; perhaps in some to such enterprises and labours as cases in defence of our property. are known generally to shorten life. Some wars are necessary, and the Many parents and wives are murblood shed in them is not imputed dered by the gross misconduct of as murder to those that shed it; yet their children or husbands; numthe guilt of it must rest somewhere: bers will be found guilty of this and few wars are so entered upon crime by covetously or maliciously and conducted, as to leave any of wishing the death of others. The the contending parties free from spiritual import of the commandblood-guiltiness. A man may by ment prohibits all envy, revenge, misfortune kill another: yet God hatred, or causeless anger; all that condemns as wilful murder many of insulting language which provokes those incidents which are called by to wrath and murder; and all the our law manslaughter. Furious pas-pride, ambition, or covetousness, sion, excited by sudden provocation, which prompt to it. Nay, he will or drunkenness, is nowhere in Scrip- be condemned as the hater and ture excepted from the general rule, murderer of his brother, who, see"He who sheddeth man's blood, by ing his life endangered by the want man shall his blood be shed." The of food, raiment, medicine, &c., and duellist is a revengeful murderer of having ability to relieve him, selfthe most atrocious kind: all fight-ishly neglects to do it (1 John, iii. ing for wagers or renown violate 15-17). But the murder of the this command, and the blood thus soul is still more heinous. This is shed is murder. Whatever, by force committed by seducing men to sin; or stratagem, deprives another of by a bad example; disseminating his life is prohibited: all the slaugh- poisonous principles; terrifying ter commited by oppressions, per- others from religion by persecution, secutions, attempts to reduce to, or or reviling or ridiculing such as confine in, slavery, our unoffending attend to it; by withholding due fellow-creatures, on any pretence instructions, warnings, and counwhatsoever, is wilful, cruel murder. sels, especially such as parents owe What then shall we think of the to their children, or ministers to accursed slave trade, which will their people and it is tremendous surely bring vengeance on this land to think what numbers will be thus if much longer tolerated! Even condemned as the murderers of the laws, needlessly sanguinary (as I souls of men. Nor is suicide to be fear many are in this land), involve overlooked, even in this compenthe persons concerned in this enor-dium. We were not the authors, mous guilt and they who should and are not the lords, of our own punish the murderer, and yet suffer lives: nor may we leave our ashim to escape, will be numbered signed post, or rush without a sumamong the abettors of his crime at mons into the presence of our Judge, God's tribunal. It moreover pro-any more than we may execute venhibits us to assault, maim, or wound geance on our neighbour, or send others, or to assist those that do; to him to God's tribunal. Self-murder tempt men to crimes that destroy is a complication of ingratitude, their constitutions, or to endanger contempt of the Lord's gift of life, their lives, either from the sword defiance, impatience, pride, and reof justice, or the resentment of the bellion: it is the most malignant of injured party; nay, to entice men, all murders, and can scarce ever be by the prospect of a large reward, repented of; nor is it generally the

effect of insanity (as verdicts, in as the standard of honourable marwhich perjury is committed from riage, as far as the change of cirfalse tenderness, would lead us to cumstances can admit of it. The suppose), except as all are insane, force acquired by men's passions, who are hurried on by fierce pas-in consequence of sin, renders the sions and Satan's temptations. That" prevention of fornications," one original murderer knows this present express end of marriage; mutual life to be the only season in which forbearance and reciprocal comsalvation can be obtained: and pliances are now needful and intherefore he tempts men to such cumbent; the sorrows of the female excesses as destroy the constitu- sex, as well as the afflictions of life, tion, or as render life miserable; require peculiar sympathy to alleand he urges them on to suicide, viate the anguish of the suffering that he may destroy body and soul party; whilst the separating stroke at once, by their hands, not being of death leaves the survivor free to permitted to do it by his own power. take another companion. We must Extravagance, discontent, and de- not then define adultery, as here spondency should therefore be avoid-prohibited, according to the judicial ed; and gratitude, patience, and law of Moses, but by the decisions hope cultivated, that he may be of Christ; with which polygamy disappointed. In a word, this com- and divorces (except for unfaithmand requires enlarged benevolence, fulness) are utterly incompatible. kindness, long-suffering, and for- It is evident, that marriage (being giveness; and a disposition to seek recognised in some appointed way, the welfare in all respects of every to distinguish it from illicit conhuman being. nexions) gives each party such a

VII. This commandment regu-property in the other's person and lates our love to our neighbours, in affections, that every violation of respect of their purity and domestic conjugal fidelity, on either side, is comfort; and requires the proper adultery, according to the New government of those inclinations Testament; and far more deserves which God hath implanted, in order death (if we estimate crimes by the to the increase of the human species. mischief they do) than many that The marriage of one man with one are so punished. All other comwoman was God's original institu- merce between the sexes is protion (and so it is not merely a civil hibited by the spirit of this law; contract, as some pretend); these from the temporary connexions, that "became one flesh," inseparably are formed and dissolved at pleaunited for helps meet to each other, sure, to the lowest scenes of prostito promote and share one another's tution. The difference between satisfactions, and with united atten- the tempters and the tempted, and tion to educate their common off-other circumstances, vary the despring. The entrance of sin and gree of guilt contracted; the sedeath made way for the dissolution ducer's character is diabolical: but of this union: a variety of evils fornication is in almost every black began to embitter the relation, and catalogue in the Scripture; and, abuses were soon introduced: but however men may be deceived by though some things were formerly vain words, its dire effects on the connived at, which accorded not human species prove the goodness with the original institution; yet as well as justice of God in this Christ refers his disciples to that, arrangement. Under the word las

civiousness various transgressions are should be satisfied. But men's denoted, which cannot be mentioned passions crave more, and sloth rewithout offence; nay, every thing fuses to labour: hence force and which does not comport with the fraud are employed to get possesdesign of marriage, though sanc- sion of the property of others, withtioned by that name, violates the out their free consent. We need spiritual meaning of the prohibition. not enumerate those violations of All polluted discourse, imaginations, which human laws take cognizance : or desires, are condemned by it; but men may in various ways break "he that looketh on a woman to lust the Divine law, and yet escape after her hath committed adultery present punishment. Fraudulent with her already in his heart." bargains, which impose on the igWriting, publishing, vending, cir-norant, credulous, or necessitous; culating, reading obscene books; abuse of confidence, extortion, exorexposing to view indecent pictures bitant gain, deceitful combinations or statues; or whatever may excite to enhance the price of goods, or men's passions, must partake of the lower the wages of the poor, will same guilt: whilst wit, elegance, be condemned at God's tribunal, as and ingenuity only increase the violations of it. The overgrown mischief, wherever the specious poi- ravager of nations and provinces, son is administered: and all the will be condemned as a principal arts of dress, motion, or demeanour, thief and robber, without other diswhich tend to tempt heedless youth; tinction. Plundering the public, with all those blandishments, insi- whether by oppressive rulers, and nuations, amorous looks, &c., which exorbitant exactions; or by smugsubserve seduction, fall under the gling, evading taxes, &c.; contractsame censure. In short, the com- ing debts to support vanity and mandment requires the utmost pu- luxury, in pursuit of some scheme rity, both of the body and soul, in of aggrandizement, or for any thing secret as well as before men; with not absolutely necessary, without a a holy indifference to animal indul- fair prospect of paying them; taking gences, and strict government of advantage of humane laws, to evade all the appetites, senses, and pas- payment, when the insolvent are sions and it enjoins the desire and again able to do it; all extravagance, endeavour of preserving the same beyond the sober allowance of man's disposition and behaviour in all income; and slothfulness or unneothers also, as far as we have it in cessary subsistence upon charity, our power. are violations of this law, in dif

VIII. This commandment is the ferent ways. Indeed it cannot law of love in respect of property. consist with it to withhold from The productions of the earth are real objects of compassion proper obtained, and prepared for use, by relief; or to squeeze the poor so labour; this gives property, and low in their wages, that they can that justly descends to the owner's scarce subsist, that men may live posterity or heirs. From this and in affluence, and enrich their famisimilar causes, combining their ef-lies. In short, it excludes covetfects for ages, the difference in ousness, luxury, and the pride of men's circumstances originates. life; and it requires industry, fruThat portion which we can honestly gality, sobriety, submission to God's obtain, is "the bread which God providence, and a disposition "to hath given us," with which we do to all others," in respect of

worse when printed than when only spoken); for bigots of all parties agree in misstating the actions, mis

the words of their opponents. All lies class under the violation of this law; which are always an abuse of speech, and of our neighbour's confidence, and a derogation from the value of truth; and almost always injurious to mankind. Envy of

worldly property, as we would they should do unto us.' IX. This commandment is the law of love, as it respects our neigh-quoting the books, and misreporting bour's reputation: though, in the connexion of human affairs, the violation of it may affect his property and life; and bearing false witness, in a court of justice among us, may be perjury, robbery, and murder, as well as calumny. In such important concerns, we should testify others' praise runs counter to the nothing, of which we have not the spirit of the law; which requires fullest assurance; and every human sincerity, truth, fidelity, candour, passion should be watched over, and caution; with a disposition to that our evidence may not be warp- honour what is honourable in all ed by them. We should be exact men, and to be as tender of their to a word in reporting what we know, reputation as we could reasonably and in speaking the truth, and no expect them to be of ours, and our more than the truth, and equal feelings will instruct us how far caution is required in juries, and this rule would carry us. in the judge who decides the cause. X. Lastly, we are commanded, The malicious invention and circu- not to covet any thing that is our lation of slanderous reports, to the neighbour's. This restriction is injury of a man's character, has a placed as the fence of all the rest; large proportion of the same atro- and the apostle's reference to it cious guilt; to do this in sport is (Rom. vii. 7, 8), shows, that it an imitation of the madman, who comprises the utmost spirituality throws about arrows, firebrands, of the law; and it is a perpetual and death, for his diversion; to confutation of all those systems by spread such as others have framed, which the outward gross crime is when we suspect them to be false considered as the only violation of or aggravated; or even if we sup- the command. We must not so pose or know them to be true, when much as desire any thing whatsothere is no real occasion for it (such ever which God forbids, or which as the detection of a mischievous his providence withholds: and so hypocrite or designing villain) is far from levelling property, or seizing prohibited by this law: for the prac- violently on our neighbour's postice of retailing injurious reports sessions, we must not so much as results from pride, self-preference, hanker after them. The most semalevolence, or conceited affecta- cret wish for another man's wife tion of wit and humour. All se- violates this precept; but to desire vere censures, bitter sarcasms, ridi- an union with an unmarried woman cule, harsh judgments, ascribing only becomes sinful when it is exgood actions to bad motives, inuen- cessive, and when the will of God dos, misrepresentation, collecting is not submitted to, if he render it and vending family anecdotes, &c., impracticable. We may desire that consist not with it. Much trans- part of a man's property which he gression of it is found in religious is inclined to dispose of, if we only controversy (as well as in other think of equitable terms: but what books, as a lie or slander is far he chooses to keep we may not

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