A. Not only by the heinous sin | juring our neighbour in his good of bearing testimony to a down- name? right falsehood, but likewise by denying, mincing, or keeping back of the truth, or any part thereof. Q. 30. When are advocates or attorneys guilty this way? A. When they take in hand to plead and maintain a bad cause, looking on it as a part of their profession, to be as warm and zealous in defending what is wrong, as what is just and right. Q. 31. How may the judge be guilty of bearing false witness? A. It robs him of a most valuable treasure; for, if once his good name or character, is sunk, his further usefulness in the world, is, in all appearance, irrecoverably gone. Q. 33. What should scare and deter us from the sins of the tongue, forbidden in this commandment? A. That we are to answer, in the last and great day, for our words as well as our actions, Mat. xii. 36, 37.-"Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment: for, by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy Q. 32. What is the evil of in-words thou shalt be condemned." A. By a rash, partial, and iniquitous sentence; thereby perverting justice, and injuring the innocent, like Pilate, Mat. xxvii. 24. 26. QUEST. 79. Which is the tenth commandment? ANS. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. QUEST. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment? ANS. The tenth commandment requireth, full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour and all that is his. Q. 1. What is the practice of the Papists with reference to the tenth commandment? A. In regard they strike out the second commandment, because contrary to their image worship; therefore, in order to keep up the number ten, they split this into two, making these words, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house," to be the ninth; and "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife," &c. to be the tenth. Q. 2. How are they confuted? A. By the words of this comImandment (as they are here in serted from Exod. xx. 17.) being transposed into a different order in Deut. v. 21; where desiring our neighbour's wife is put before coveting of his house; which is a plain evidence, that what the Papists make two, is but one undivided precept; otherwise, what, according to them, is the ninth in the one place, will be the tenth in the other. Q. 3. What is the general duty required in this commandment? A. It is an inward disposition and inclination of the whole soul, to perform all the duties contain ed in the law, particularly in the second table, which this commandment more immediately respects; and that out of love to God, and a desire to please him, Psal. cxix. 5. 47. Q. 4. How do you prove this to be the general duty required? A. From the general sin forbidden, namely, cOVETING, which includes the motion or stirring of corruption against all the commands of the law, because of their holiness and contrariety to depraved nature, Rom. vii. 7, 8. Q. 5. What inward disposition of soul doth this commandment require with reference to ourselves in particular? A. It requires, with reference to ourselves [full contentment with our own condition], 1 Tim. vi. 6. Q. 6. What do you understand by full contentment with our own condition? A. A cheerful acquiescence in the lot, which God, in his holy and wise providence, is pleased to carve out for us in this world, Heb. xiii. 5. Be content with such things as ye have. Q. 7. Is full contentment with our own condition attainable in this life? A. Though the perfection of no grace is attainable in this life, yet a great measure, and eminent degrees of grace, particularly this of contentment, may be, and has been attained by the saints in this world, Phil. iv. 11.-"I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content." Q. 9. How is true contentment attained under prosperous cir cumstances? A. By looking above all time's enjoyments as transitory and vain, unto God himself, as our chief good and eternal inheritance, Psal. lxii. 10. and xvi. 5, 6. Q. 10. Is contentment required likewise under cross dispensations of providence; such as, poverty, reproach, bodily afflictions, and loss of near relations? A. Though it be a grievous sin to be stupidly insensible and un concerned under these or the like circumstances, Hos. vii. 9; yet a contentment of submission, or such as is without repining and murmuring, is undoubtedly re quired under the sorest troubles that can befal us in this life, Lam. iii. 39. "Wherefore doth a living man complain?” Q. 11. What ground of contentment have we under outward poverty and want? A. That though we be the poor of this world, yet we may be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, James ii. 5. Q. 12. Why should we bear reproach without murmuring? A. Because whatever reproach is cast upon us for Christ's sake, he will wipe it clean off at his se cond appearing, Luke xxii. 28, 29. Mat. xxv. 34. Q. 13. What reason of contentment have we under bodily afflictions? A. That they are but of short, duration, 2 Cor. iv. 17; mixed Q. 8. Is contentment in a pros- with mercy, Lam. iii. 32; consistperous condition, an easy attain-ent with love, John xi. 3; and dement? signed for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness, Heb. xii. 10. Q. 14. What should content and comfort us under the loss of near and dear relations? A. No: without grace it cannot be attained; because naturally our ambitious and covetous desires increase in proportion to our riches; as is evident in the instance of Ahab, whom a kingdom could A. That the Lord Jesus, who not satisfy without Naboth's vine-stands in every amiable relation yard, 1 Kings xxi. 4. to us, is always to the fore, being the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. Q. 15. Are we required to be content under divine desertion, or the want of the sense of the love of God? to his spiritual and temporal concerns, 1 Cor. xiii. 4-8. Q. 18. When may it be evident to ourselves, that we have a right and charitable frame of spirit towards these that excel us in gifts and graces? A. When, under a humbling sense of our own defects, we are thankful for the honour that is brought to God, by the shining of his gifts or graces in others, Gal. i. 23, 24. A. Though we have no reason to quarrel with God, for withdrawing the light of his countenance, which we never deserved; yet it is impossible for any gracious soul to be easy and content under the hidings of his face, but must needs earnestly long for, and ardently breathe after the returns of his love; as is evident from the ex- spirit towards those that are in ample and practice of the saints, in the following texts, Job xxiii. 3. and xxix. 2, 3. Psal. xiii. 1. and xliii. 1, 2. and lxxxiv. 2. Q. 16. What inward frame or disposition of soul doth the tenth commandment require with reference to our neighbour? Q. 19. What should induce us" to a right and charitable frame of more prosperous circumstances than ourselves; or whose condition in the world is better than our own? A. The considering that a flourishing condition in the world is not always the best, Psal. xxxviii. 16; that if we enjoy communion A. It requires [a right and cha-with God, it is infinitely preferritable frame of spirit toward him, able to all outward prosperity, and all that is his], Rom. xii. 15. without it, Psal. xvi. 5, 6. Q. 17. When may we be said to have this right and charitable frame of spirit] here required? A. When our inward motions and affections are influenced by grace, to sway and determine us to promote and rejoice in the welfare of our neighbour, both as Q. 20. How may such a right and charitable frame of spirit be attained? A. Only by the implantation of faith, as the root of this and all other motions of the soul that are acceptable to God, Heb. xi. 6. Rom. xiv. 23. QUEST. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment? ANSW. The tenth commandment forbiddeth, all discontentment with our own estate, 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 leading sin forbidden in this commandment? A. It is COVETOUSNESS: "Thou shalt not covet. 330 Q. 2. What is covetousness? A. It is an excessive and irregular desire of these worldly goods which we have not, Prov. i. 19. and which God, in his providence does not see meet that we should have, Psal. lxxv. 6, 7. Q. 3. How doth the excess of an avaricious mind discover itself? A. By such an insatiable thirst after worldly gain, as can never be satisfied, Prov. xxx. 15. Q. 4. Wherein consists the irregularity of covetousness? A. In the desire of worldly goods which are in the possession of our neighbour, and even sometimes as they are his, 1 Kings xxi. 2. Q. 5. How doth the covetousness of the heart discover itself? A. By [discontentment with our own estate], and [envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour.] Q. 6. What is [discontentment with our own estate]? A. It is to murmur and fret at our present condition in the world, as being worse than we think should fall to our share, or than we are expecting and looking for, 2 Kings vi. 33. Q. 7. What is the aggravation of this sin? A. It argues an unwillingness to be at God's disposal, Psal. xii. 4; an esteeming ourselves more competent judges than he, of what is best for us, 1 Kings i. 5; and it is, in effect, an usurping the throne of God, and taking his government into our own hands, Exod. v. 2. Q. 11. What is the source or spring of covetousness? A. The [inordinate motions and affections] that are in our souls. Q. 12. What do you understand by the [inordinate motions and affections] here forbidden? A. Not only the unlawful purposes, intentions, and desires, that are actually formed in the heart, but even the first risings and stirrings of corruption in the soul, which are antecedent to the consent of the will, Gen, vi. 5. Q. 13. Are not the vitious lusts and desires that are formed and consented to in the heart, forbidden in other commandments of the second table, as well as in this? A. Yes: as appears from our Saviour's exposition of the seventh commandment, Mat. v. 28. "But I say unto you, Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Q. 14. How then is this commandment distinguished from others, which forbid heart sins equally with it? A. This commandment levelleth Q. 8. What are the proper re-particularly at the root of all sin, medies against it? namely habitual lust, or corruption A. The only sovereign remedy, of nature, together with the very is to give Christ the pre-eminence, first motions or stirring thereof, in our hearts, Psal. lxxiii. 25; for and especially as these are contrathen we will undervalue all timery to the love of our neighbour; things, in comparison of him, whereas, other commandments Psal. lxxvi. 4. chiefly respect such secret and Q. 9. What is [envying or griev-heart sins, as are actually commiting at the good of our neighbour]?ed, though not known to the world. A. It is to repine and grudge Q. 15. How doth it appear, that at his prosperous circumstances, this commandment levelleth parNeh. ii. 10. or any superior en- ticularly at habitual lust, or the dowment or privilege he is pos- root of all sin? sessed of above ourselves, Psal. cxii. 9, 10. Q. 10. What is the evil of this sins actually formed, this com sin? A. It wastes and consumes the body, Prov. xiv. 30. Envy is the rottenness of the bones; and it is fertile of confusion, and every evil work, Jam, iii. 16. A. Because, since other commandments chiefly forbid heart mandment must forbid the very rise of them, or the least bias and inclination to evil; otherwise it would not be distinct from the rest, nor would the law be absolutely perfect. Q. 16. Doth not the apostle | presently curbed and restrained, James distinguish between lust why are they prohibited as sinful? and sin, chap. i. 15. "When lust A. Because, however soon they hath conceived it bringeth forth are curbed or restrained, yet hav sin;" and will it not from thenceing once had a being in the soul, follow, that lust, or corruption of they cannot but leave a stain and nature, is not properly sin, and pollution behind them, contrary to consequently not forbidden in this the holiness and purity required commandment? in the law, Jam. i. 14. A. The apostle distinguishes between lust and sin no otherwise, than betwixt a corrupt principle and the act which it produces; both which are hateful to God, and contrary to his law. Q. 22. Who are they that are sensible of these inordinate motions and affections of the heart, and are humbled for the same? A. None properly but the regenerate; as is evident from the Q. 17. If lust, or corruption of instance of the apostle, who says nature, cannot be remedied, or of himself, after his conversion, extirpated by any prescription in" I had not known lust, except the divine law, why is it at all the law had said, Thou shalt not prohibited? covet," Rom. vii. 7. A. It is nevertheless prohibited, both because contrary to the nature of God, and as a mean to reprove and humble us for it, Rom. vii. 9. Q. 18. What is the difference betwixt human and divine laws on this head? A. Human laws respect only overt, or open acts of sin, but divine laws respect likewise the internal inclination and disposition which persons have to commit it, Psal. lxvi. 18. Q. 19. What is the opinion of the Papists concerning the prohibition of habitual lust? A. They pretend that the law of God only respects the corruption of our actions, but not the habit or principle from whence they proceed. Q. 20. How are they refuted? A. From the spirituality of the law which extends to the motions of the heart, as well as the actions of the life, Rom. vii. 14. 23. Q. 21. If the first motions of corruption are not entertained, but Q. 23. What is the apostle's meaning in these words? A. It is, as if he had said, I had not known this strong propensity that is in my heart to all manner of sin, even before it be consented unto or deliberately committed; unless the Spirit of God had discovered it unto me, in this precept of the law forbidding the same. Q. 24. How doth this propensity to sin evidence itself? A. In that no sooner is the object presented, than presently there is an inordinate motion and affection of the heart after it. The combustible matter within, catches fire at the very first spark of temptation, Josh, vii. 21. Q. 25. What may we learn from the general scope of this, and all the other commandments? A. That though we could forbear the evil, and do the good contained in every commandment, it would not be sufficient, except we did it for the Lord's sake, out of love to him, and regard to his authority, Ezek. xx. 19., |