Of the Commandments. (16) to Of the Commandments. (18)

Of the Commandments. (16)

EXOD. XX.15. Thou shalt not Steal.

As the Holiness of God sets him against Vncleanness, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, so the Justice of God sets him against Rapine and Robbery, Thou shalt not steal. The thing forbidden in the Commandment, is, medling with another Man's Propriety, Thou shalt not steal. The Civil Lawyers define Furtum, Stealth or Theft, to be, the laying Hands unjustly on that which is anothers: The invading anothers Right.

Quest. 1. Whence doth Theft arise?

Resp. 1. The Internal Causes are, (1.) Vnbelief. A Man hath an high Distrust of God's Providence. Can God prepare a Table in the Wilderness? Psalm 78.19. So saith the Unbeliever, Can God spread a Table for me? No, he cannot. Therefore he is resolved he will spread a Table for himself, but it shall be of other Mens Cost, and both first and second Course shall be served in with stollen Goods. (2.) Covetousness. The Greek Word for Covetousness, [gap], signifies an immoderate Deisre of Getting. This is the Root of Theft. A Man covets more than his own, and this Itch of Covetousness makes him scratch what he can from another. Achan's covetous Humour made him steal the Wedge of Gold, which Wedge did cleave asunder his Soul from God, Iosh. 7.21.

2. The External Cause of Theft, is, Satan's Sollicitation: Iudas was a Thief, Iohn 12.6. How came he to be a Thief? Satan entred into him, John 13.27. The Devil is the great Master-Thief, he robbed us of our Coat of Innocency, and he perswades Men to take up his Trade: He tells Men how bravely they shall live by Thieving, and how they may catch an Estate. And as Eve listned to the Serpents Voice, so do they; and as Birds of Prey, live upon Spoil and Rapine.

Quest. 2. How many sorts of Theft are there?

Res. I. There is a stealing from God; and so they are Thieves who rob any part of God's Day from him. —Remember to keep holy the Sabbath-day—Not a pa[gap]t of the Day only, but the Whole Day must be dedicated to God. And lest any should forget this, the Lord hath prefixed a Memento, Remember. Therefore to cut God short, and after Morning Sacrifice, to spend the other part of the Sabbath in Vanity and Pleasure; this is Spiritual Thievery, 'tis to rob God of his Due; and the very Heathens will rise up in Judgment against such Christians. For the Heathens (as Macrobius notes) did observe a whole Day to their False Gods.

II. There is a stealing from Others. (1.) A stealing away their Souls; and so Hereticks are Thieves: By robbing Men of the Truth, they rob them of their Souls. (2.) A stealing away their Money and Goods from them. And under this Head of stealing away others Money, there may be several arraigned for Thieves.

(1.) The High-way Thief, who takes a Purse contrary to the Letter of this Commandment, Lev. 19.13. Thou shalt not rob thy Neighbour. Mark 10.19. [gap], Do not steal. This is not the Violence which takes the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. 11.12.

(2.) The House-Thief, who purloyns and filcheth out of his Masters Cash, or steals his Wares and Drugs. The Apostle saith, Some have entertained Angels into their Houses unawares, Heb. 13.2. But many Masters have entertained Thieves into their Houses unawares. The House-Thief is an Hypocrite as well as a Thief; he hath demure Looks, and pretends he is helping his Master, when he only helps to rob him.

(3.) The Thief that shrowds himseif under Law, as the unjust Attorney or Lawyer, who prevaricates and deals falsly with his Client. This is to steal from the Client. By Deceit and Prevarication the Lawyer robs the Client of his Land, and may be the means to ruine his Family. He is no better than a Thief in God's Account.

(4.) The Church-Thief, or Plura[gap]st, who holds several Benifices, but seldom or never preacheth to the People: He gets the Golden Fleece, but lets his Flock starve. Ezek. 34.2. Wo be to the Shepherds of Israel. Ver. 8. They feed themselves, and feed not my Flock. These Ministers will be indited for Thieves at God's Bar.

(5.) The Shop-Thief, he steals in selling, (1.) Who useth False Weights and Measures, and so steals from others what is their due. Amos 5.8. Who make the Ephah small. The Ephah was a Measure the Jews used in Selling; they made the Ephah small, gave scant measure, which was plain stealing. Hos. 12.7. The Ballances of Deceit are in his Hand. Men by making their Weights lighter, make their Accounts heavier. (2.) He steals in selling, who puts excessive Prices on his Commodities. He takes thrice as much for a Commodity as it cost him, or as it is worth. To over-reach others in selling, is to steal Mens Money from them. Lev. 19.13. Thou shalt not defraud thy Neighbour, neither rob him. To defraud him is to rob him. This over-reaching others in selling, (which is a cunning way of stealing) is both against Law and Gospel. 1. It is against the Law of God. Levit. 25.14. If thou sell ought to thy Neighbour, ye shall not oppress one another. And, 2. Against Gospel. 1 Thess. 4.6. Let no Man go beyond, or defraud his Brother. It is stealing.

(6.) The Vsurer, who takes of others even to Extortion: He seems to help another by letting him have Mony in his Necessity, but gets him into Bonds, and sucks out his very Blood and Marrow. I read of a Woman whom Satan had Bound, Luke 13.16. And truly, he is almost in as bad a Condition whom the Usurer hath bound. The oppressing Usurer is a Robber. An Usurer once asked a Prodigal, When he would leave spending? Saith the Prodigal, Then I will leave spending what is my own, when thou leavest off stealing from others. Zacheus was an Extortioner, and after his Conversion, he made Restitution, Luke 19.8. He thought all he got by Extortion was Theft.

(7.) The Feoffee in Trust, who hath the Orphans Estate committed to him: He is deputed to be his Guardian, and manage his Estate for him; and he curtails the Estate, and gets a Fleece out of it for himself, and wrongs the Orphan. This is a Thief. This is worse than taking a Purse, because he betrays his Trust, which is the highest piece of Treachery and Injustice.

(8.) The Borrower, who borrows Mony from others with an Intention never to pay them again. Psal. 37.21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again. What is it but Thievery to take Money and Goods from others, and not restore them again? The Prophet Elisha bad the Widow sell her Oyl, and pay her Debts, and then live upon the rest, 2 Kings 4.7.

(9.) & Vlt. The last sort of Thief is, the Receiver of stollen Goods. The Receiver, if he be not the Principal, yet he is Accessary to the Theft, and the Law makes him guilty. The Thief steals the Mony, and the Receiver holds the Sack to put it in. The Root would die if it were not watered; and Thievery would cease, if it were not encouraged by the Receiver. I am apt to think he who doth not scruple to take Stollen Goods into his House, would as little scruple to take a Purse.

Quest. What are the Aggravations of this Sin of Stealing?

Resp. 1. To steal when one hath no need. To be a Rich Thief.

2. To steal Sacrilegiously. To devour things set apart to holy Uses. Prov. 20.25. It is a Snare to the Man who devoureth that which is holy. Such an one was Dionysius, who rob'd the Temple, and took away the Silver Vessels.

3. To commit the Sin of Theft against Checks of Conscience, and Examples of God's Justice; this is like the Dye to the Wooll, it doth dye the Sin of a Crimson Colour.

4. To rob the Widow and Orphan, Exod. 22.22. Ye shall not afflict the Widow or Fatherless: Peccatum clamans: If they cry unto me I will surely hear them.

5. To Rob the Poor. How did David disdain that the Rich Man should take away the poor Man's Lamb! As the Lord lives he shall surely die, 2 Sam. 12.5. What is the Enclosing of Commons, but robbing of the Poor?

III. There is a stealing from a Man's Self. A Man may be a Thief to himself.

Quest. How so?

Resp. 1. By Niggardliness. The Niggard is a Thief, he steals from himself, in that he doth not allow himself what is fitting. He thinks that lost which is bestowed upon himself. He robs himself of Necessaries. Eccles. 6.2. A Man to whom God hath given Riches, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof. He gluts his Chest and starves his Belly. He is like the Ass that is loaded with Gold, but feeds upon Thistles. He robs himself of that which God allows him. This is indeed

to be punish'd with Riches; to have an Estate, and want an Heart to take the Comfort of it, this Man is a Thief to himself.

2. A Man may be a Thief to himself, and rob himself by Prodigality, viz. Wasting his Estate. The Prodigal lavisheth Gold out of tht Bag; he is like Crates the Philosopher, who threw his Gold into the Sea. The Prodigal boils a great Estate to nothing. This is to be a Thief to himself, to spend away that Estate from himself, which might conduce to the Comfort of Life.

3. He is a Thief to himself, by Idleness, when he mispends his Time. To spend ones Hours in Pleasure ond Vanity, this is to rob himself of that precious Time which God hath given him to work out Salvation. Time is a rich Commodity, because on the well spending this present Time, an happy Eternity depends. He that spends his Time idly and vainly, is a Thief to himself; he robs himself of his Golden Seasons, and by consequence of Salvation.

4. A Man may be a Thief to himself by Suretiship. Prov. 22.26. Be not thou one of them that are Sureties for Debt: The Creditor comes upon the Surety for Debt, and so by paying anothers Debt he is a Thief to himself, he undoes himself. Let not any Man say, He should have been counted unkind, if he had not entred into Bonds for his Friend. Better thy Friend count thee unkind, than all Men count thee unwise. Lend another what you can spare; nay, give him if he needs, but never be a Surety. It is no Wisdom for a Man so to help another, as to undo himself. This is to rob himself and his Family.

Vse I. It confutes the Doctrine of Community; that all things are common, and one Man hath a Right to anothers Estate. The Scripture confutes it. Deut. 23.25. When thou comest into the standing Corn of thy Neighbours, thou shalt not move a Sickle unto thy Neighbours Corn. Propriety must be observ'd. God hath set this Eighth Commandment as an Hedge about a Man's Estate, and this Hedge cannot be broken without Sin. If all things be common, then there is no Stealth, and so this Commandment were in vain.

Vse II. It reproves such as live upon Stealing. Instead of Living by Faith, they live by their Shifts. The Apostle exhorts, that every Man eat of his own Bread, 2 Thess. 3.12. The Thief doth not eat of his own Bread, but of anothers. If there be any who are guilty of this Sin, let them labour to recover out of the Snare of the Devil by Repentance, and let them show their Repentance by Restitution. Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum. Aug. Without Restitution no Remission. Luke 19.8. If I have taken away any thing from any Man unjustly, I restore four-fold. It may suffice to restore ill-gotten Goods by ones own Hand, or by a Proxy. Better a thousand times restore Goods unlawfully gotten, than to stuff ones Pillow with Thorns, and have Guilt trouble ones Conscience upon a Death-Bed.

Vse III. Exhort. To all to take heed of this Sin of Thieving; it is a Sin against the Light of Nature. Some may go to excuse this Sin. Hear the Thiefs Plea: 'Tis a course Wooll will take no die; and a bad Sin indeed that hath no Excuse. I am (saith one) grown low in the World, and trading is bad, and I have no other way to a Livelyhood.

Resp. 1. This shows a great Distrust of God, as if he could not provide for thee without thy Sin. 2. This shows Sin is gotten to a great Heighth, that because a Man is Low in the World, therefore he will Acheronta movere, Go to the Devil for a Livelyhood. Abraham would not have it said, that the King of Sodom had made him rich, Gen. 14.23. O let it never be said, that the Devil hath made thee rich! 3. Thou oughtest not to undertake any Action which thou canst not pray for a Blessing upon: But if thou livest on Thieving, thou canst not pray for a Blessing upon stollen Goods. Therefore take heed of this Sin. Lucrum in arca, damnum in conscientia. Aug. Take heed of getting the World with the Loss of Heaven. To disswade all from this horrid Sin, consider,

(1.) Thieves are the Caterpillars of the Earth, Enemies to Civil Society.

(2.) God hates them. In the Law the Cormorant was unclean, Lev. 11.17. because a thievish devouring Creature, a Bird of Prey, by which God shew'd his Hatred of this Sin.

(3.) The Thief is a Terror to himself, he is always in Fear. Psal. 53.5. There were they in great Fear: True of the Thief. Guilt breeds Fear. If he hear but the shaking of a Tree, his Heart shakes. It was said of Cataline, He was afraid of

every Noise. If a Briar doth but take hold of a Thiefs Garment, he is afraid it is the Officer to apprehend him: And Fear hath Torment in it, 1 John 4.18.

(4.) The Iudgments which follow this Sin. Achan the Thief was stoned to Death, Iosh. 7. and Zech. 5.2. What seest thou? And I said, A flying roll. Ver. 3. This is the Curse that goes over the Face of the Earth, I will bring it forth, saith the Lord, and it shall enter into the House of the Thief. Fabius a Roman Censor, condemned his own Son to die for Theft. Thieves die with Ignominy, the Ladder is their Preferment. And there's a worse thing than Death, while they rob others of Money, they rob themselves of Salvation.

Quest. What is to be done to avoid stealing?

Resp. 1. Live in a Calling. Eph. 4.28. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour, working with his Hands, &c. Such as stand idle, the Devil hires them, and puts them into the pilfering Trade. An idle Person tempts the Devil to tempt him.

2. Be contented with the Estate God hath given you. Heb. 13.5. Be content with such things as you have. Theft is the Daughter of Avarice. Study Contentment. Believe that Condition best God hath carved out to you. God can bless that little Meal in the Barrel. We shall not need these things long; we shall carry nothing out of the World with us but our Winding Sheet. If we have but enough to bear our Charges to Heaven, it is sufficient.

EXOD. XX.16. Thou shalt not bear False Witness against thy Neighbour.

The Tongue, which at first was made to be an Organ of God's Praise, is now become an Instrument of Unrighteousness. This Commandment binds the Tongue to its good Behaviour. God hath set two Fences to keep in the Tongue, the Teeth and Lips. And this Commandment is a Third Fence set about it, that it should not break forth into Evil: Thou shalt not bear False Witness against thy Neighbour. This Commandment hath a Prohibitory and a Mandatory Part. The First is set down in plain Words, the other is clearly implyed.

I. The Prohibitory Part of the Commandment, or what it forbids in general. It forbids any thing which may tend to the Disparagement or Prejudice of our Neighbour. More particularly, two things are forbidden in this Commandment. (1.) Slandering. (2.) False Witness.

Of the Commandments. (17)

(1.) Slandering our Neighbour. This is a Sin against the 9th Commandment. The Scorpion carries his Poyson in his Tail, the Slanderer carries his Poyson in his Tongue. Slandering, is to report things of others unjustly. Psal. 35.11. They laid things to my charge which I knew not. It is usual to bring in a Christian beheaded of his Good Name. They rais'd a Slander of Paul, that he should preach Men might do Evil that Good might come of it. Rom. 3.8. We are slanderously reported, and some affirm that we say, Let us do Evil that Good may come. Eminency is commonly blasted by Slander. Holiness its self is no Shield for Slander. The Lambs Innocency will not preserve it from the Wolf. Christ was the most innocent upon Earth, yet was reported to be a Friend of Sinners. Iohn Baptist, a Man of an holy Austere Life, yet they said of him, He had a Devil, Matth. 11.18. The Scripture calls Slandering, Smiting with the Tongue. Ier. 18.18. Come and let us smite him with the Tongue. You may smite another and never touch him. Majora sunt linguae vulnera quam gladii. Aug. The Wounds of the Tongue no Physician can heal: And to pretend Friendship to a Man, yet slander him, is most odious. St. Hierom speaks thus, The Arrian Faction made a show of Kindness; they kissed my Hands, but slandered me, and sought my Life. And as it is a Sin against this Commandment to raise a false Report of another, so it is a Sin to receive a false Report before we have examined it. Psal. 15.1. Lord, who shall dwell in thy holy Hill? Quis ad Coelum? Ver. 3. He that back biteth not, nor taketh up a Reproach against his Neighbour. We must not only not raise a false Report, but not take it up. He that raiseth a Slander, carries the Devil in his Tongue; and he that receives it, carries the Devil in his Ear.

(2.) The Second thing Forbidden in this Commandment, is False Witness. Here Three Sins are condemned. 1. Speaking. 2. Witnessing. 3. Swearing that which is False, contra proximum.

1. Speaking that which is false. Prov. 12.22. Lying Lips are an Abomination to the Lord. To lie, is to speak that which one knows to be an Untruth. There is nothing more contrary to God than a Lie. The Holy Ghost is call'd the Spirit of Truth, 1 Iohn 4.5, 6. Lying is a Sin that doth not go alone, it ushers in other Sins. Absalom told his Father a Lie, that he was going to pay his Vow at Hebron, 2 Sam. 15.7. and this Lie was a Preface to his Treason. Where there is a Lie in the Tongue, it shows the Devil is in the Heart. Acts 5.3. Why hath Satan filled thy Heart to lie? Lying is such a Sin as unfits Men for Civil Society. How can you converse or bargain with him, that you cannot trust a Word he saith? This is a Sin which highly provokes God. Ananias and Saphira were struck dead for telling a Lie, Acts 5.5. The Furnace of Hell is heated for Liars. Rev. 22.15. Without are Sorcerers, and whosoever loveth and maketh a Lie. Oh abhor this Sin! Quicquid dixeris juratum putes. Hierom. When thou speakest, let thy Words be as Authentick as thy Oath. Imitate God, who is the Pattern of Truth. Pythagoras being asked, What made Men like God? Answered, Cum vera loquuntur, When they speak Truth. It is made the Character of a Man that shall go to Heaven, Psal. 15.2. He speaketh the Truth from his Heart.

2. That which is condemned in the Commandment, is, [gap], Witnessing that which is false, Thou shalt not bear false witness. There is a two-fold bearing of False Witness. (1.) There is a bearing False Witness for another. (2.) A Bearing False Witness against another.

(1.) A bearing False Witness for another. When we do give our Testimony for a Person that is Criminal and Guilty, we justifie him as if he were Innocent. Isa. 5.23. Which justifie the Wicked for Reward. He that goes to make a wicked Man just, makes himself Unjust.

(2.) There is a bearing False Witness against another: i. e. When we accuse another in open Court falsly. This is to imitate the Devil, who is the Accuser of the Brethren. Tho the Devil is no Adulterer, yet he is a False Witness. Solomon saith, Prov. 25.18. A Man that beareth false Witness against his Neighbour, is a Hammer and a Sword. In his Face he is hardned like an Hammer, he cannot blush, he cares not what Lie he witnesseth to. And he is a Sword: His Tongue is a Sword to wound him he witnesseth against in his Goods or Life. Thus 1 Kings 21.13. There came in two men, Children of Belial, and witnessed against Naboth, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the King: And their Witness took away his Life. The Queen of Persia being sick, the Magicians accused two Godly Virgins, that they had by Charms procured the Queens Sickness; whereupon she caused these Virgins to be sawn asunder. A False Witness doth pervert the place of Iudicature: He corrupts the Iury; his bearing False Witness makes them give in a false Verdict: And he corrupts the Judge, by making him pronounce a wrong Sentence, and cause the Innocent to suffer. Vengeance will find out the False Witness. Prov. 19.5. A False Witness shall not be unpunished. Deut. 19.18, 19. If the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsly against his Brother, then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his Brother: i. e. If he had thought to have taken away his Life, his own Life shall go for it.

3. That which is condemned in the Commandment, is, Swearing that which is false. When Men take a False Oath, and by that take away the Life of another. Zech. 8.17. Love no false Oath. Chap. 5.2. What seest thou? I said, A flying Roll. Ver. 3, 4. This is the Curse that goeth forth, and it shall enter, inquit Dominus, into the House of him that sweareth falsly by my Name, and it shall consume his House, with the Timber and Stones of it. The Scythians made a Law, when a Man did bind two sins together, a Lie with an Oath, he was to lose his Head; because this Sin did take away all Truth and Faith among Men. The Devil hath taken great possession of such who dare swear to a Lie. This is a manifest Breach of this Commandment.

Vse I. 1st. Br. It reproves the Church of Rome, who will dispense with a Lie, or a False Oath, if it be to promote the Catholick Cause. They approve of an Officious Lie: They hold some Lies to be lawful; they may as well hold some Sins to be lawful. God hath no need of our Lie. It is not lawful to tell a Lie, propter Dei gloriam, if we were sure to bring Glory to God by it, as Austin speaks.

2d. Br. 2. It reproves those who make no Conscience of slandering others; they come under the Breach of this Commandment. Psal. 50.20. Thou sittest and slanderest thy own Mothers Son. Jer. 20.10. Report, say they, and we will report. Ezra

4.15. This City (i. e. Hierusalem) is a rebellious City, and hurtful to Kings and Provinces. Paul was slandered as a Mover of Sedition, and the Head of a Faction, Acts 24.5. The same Word signifies both a Slanderer and a Devil, 1 Tim. 3.11. Not Slanderers. In the Greek, [gap], Not Devils. Some think it is no great matter to misreport and slander others; Know that this is [gap]o Act the part of a Devil. Clipping a Man's Credit to make it weigh lighter, is worse than clipping of Coyn. The Slanderer wounds three at once: He wounds him that he slanders, and he wounds him to whom he reports the Slander, by causing uncharitable Thoughts to arise in his Mind against the Party slandered; and he wounds his own Soul, by reporting that of another which is false. This is a Great Sin, and I would I could not say it is common. You may kill a Man as well in his Name as in his Person. Some are loth to take away their Neighbours Goods, Conscience would fly in their Face: But better take away their Corn out of their Field, their Wares out of their Shop, than take away their good Name. This is a Sin you can never make them reparation for; a Blot in a Man's Name being like a Blot in a White Paper, which will never be got out. Surely God will visit for this Sin. If Idle Words shall be accounted for, shall not Vnjust Slanders? The Lord will make Inquisition one day as well for Names as for Blood. Oh therefore take heed of this Sin! It is a Breach of the Ninth Commandment. Was it a Sin under the Law to defame a Virgin, Deut. 22.19. And is it not a greater Sin to defame a Saint, who is a Member of Christ? The Heathens, by the Light of Nature, abhorr'd this Sin of slandering. Diogenes used to say, Of all Wild Beasts, a Slanderer is the worst. Antoninus made a Law, That if a Person could not prove the Crime he reported another to be guilty of, he should be put no Death.

3d. Br. 3. It reproves them who are so wicked, as to bear false witness against others. These are Monsters in Nature, unfit to live in a Civil Society. Eusebius relates of one Narcissus, a Man famous for Piety, who was accused by two False Witnesses of Unchastity, and to prove their Accusation, they bound it with Oaths and Curses after this manner: One said, If I speak not true, I pray God I may perish by Fire: The other said, If I do not speak true, I wish I may be deprived of my sight. It pleased God, that the first Witness who forswore himself, his House being set on Fire, he was burnt in the Flame. The other Witness being troubled in Conscience, confessed his Perjury, and continued so long Weeping, that he wept himself blind. Iezabel, who suborned two false Witnesses against Naboth, she was thrown down out of a Window, and the Dogs licked her Blood, 2 Kings 9.33. O tremble at this Sin! A perjured Person is the Devils Excrement. He is cursed in his Name, and seared in his Conscience. Hell gapes for such a Wind-fall.

Vse II. 1st Br. Exhort. To all, to take heed of the Breach of this Commandment, of lying, slandering, and bearing False Witness, and to avoid these Sins,

1. Get the Fear of God. Why doth David say, The Fear of the Lord is clean? Psal. 19.8. Because it cleanseth the Heart of Malice, it cleanseth the Tongue of Slander. The fear of the Lord is clean. It is to the Soul as Lightning to the Air, which cleanseth it.

2. Get Love to your Neighbour, Lev. 19.18. Then there would not be [gap]. If we love a Friend, we will not speak or attest any thing to his Prejudice. Mens Minds are cankered with Envy and Hatred: Hence comes slandering and false Witness. Love is a Lovely Grace. Love thinks no Evil, 1 Cor. 13.5. It makes the best Interpretation of anothers Words. Love is a Well-wisher, and it is rare to speak ill of him we wish well to. Love is that which cements Christians together; it is the Healer of Division, and the Hinderer of Slander.

2d Br. To such whose Lot it is to meet with Slanderers and false Accusers, (1.) Labour to make a Sanctified use of it. When Shimei rail'd on David, David made a sanctified use of it, 2 Sam. 16.10. The Lord hath said to him, Curse David. So if you are slandered, or falsly accus'd, make a good use of it. See if you have no sin unrepented of, for which God may suffer you to be calumniated and reproached. See if you have not at any time wronged others in their Name, and said that of them which you cannot prove, then lay your Hand on your Mouth, and confess the Lord is Righteous to let you fall under the Scourge of the Tongue. (2.) If you are slandered, or falsly accused, but know your own Innocency, be not too much troubled: Let this be your rejoycing, the Witness of your Conscience. Murus aheneus esto nil conscire sibi—A good Conscience is a Wall of Brass, that will be able to stand against all False Witness. As no Flattery can heal a bad Conscience, so no Slander can hurt a good. God will clear up the Names of his People. Psal. 37.6. He shall

bring forth thy Righteousness as the Light. God, as he will wipe away Tears from the Eyes, so he will wipe off Reproach from the Name. Believers shall come forth out of all their Slanders and Reproaches as the Wings of a Dove covered with Silver, and her Feathers with yellow Gold.

3d. Br. It should exhort such to be v[gap]y thankful to God, whom God hath preserved from Slander and False-Witness. Iob calls it the Scourge of the Tongue, Chap. 5.21. As a Rod doth scourge the Back, so the Slanderers Tongue doth scourge the Name. It is a great Mercy to be kept from the Scourge of the Tongue; a Mercy that God stops malignant Mouths from bearing False Witness. What mischief may not a lying Report, or a False Oath do? One destroys the Name, the other the Life. It is the Lord that muzzles the Mouths of the wicked, and keeps these Dogs that snarl at us from flying upon us. Psal. 31.20. Thou shalt keep them secretly in a Pavilion from the strife of Tongues. It is, I suppose, an Allusion to Kings, who being resolved to protect their Favourites against the Accusations of Men, take them into their Bed-Chamber, or Bosom, where none may touch them. So God hath a Pavilion, or secret hiding-place for his Favourites, where he preserves their Credit and Reputation untouch'd; he keeps them from the Strife of Tongues. This is a Mercy we ought to acknowledge to God.

II. The Mandatory part of this Commandment imply'd, that is, that we should stand up for others, and vindicate them when they are injur'd by Lying Lips. This is the Sence of the Commandment, not only that we should not slander, or falsly accuse others, but that we should witness for them, and stand up in their Defence when we know them to be traduced. A Man may wrong another as well by Silence as Slander; when he knows him to he wrongfully accused, yet doth not speak in his behalf. If others cast false Aspersions on any, we should wipe them off. The Apostles (who were filled with the Wine of Spirit) being charged with Drunkenness, Peter was their Compurgator, and openly clear'd their Innocency. Acts 2.15. These are not drunken as ye suppose. Ionathan knowing David to be a worthy Man, and all those things Saul said of him to be Slanders, vindicated David. 1 Sam. 19.4, 5. David hath not sinn'd against thee, but his Works to thee-ward have been very good. Wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent Blood, and slay David without a Cause. When the Primitive Christians were falsly accused for Incest, and killing their Children, Tertullian made a Famous Apology in their Vindication. This is to act the part both of a Friend and a Christian: To be an Advocate for another, when he is wronged in his good Name.

EXOD. XX.17. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House, thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife, nor his Man-servant, nor his Maid-servant, nor his Ox, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is thy Neighbours.

This Commandment forbids, (1.) Covetousness in General, Thou shalt not covet. (2.) In Particular, Thy Neighbours House, thy Neighbours Wife, &c.

(1.) It forbids Covetousness in General, Thou shalt not covet. 'Tis lawful to use the World, yea, and to desire so much of it, as may, 1. Keep us from the Temptation of Poverty. Prov. 30.8. Give me not Poverty, lest I steal, and take the Name of my God in vain▪ 2. As may enable us to Honour God with Works of Mercy. Prov. 3.9. Honour the Lord with thy Substance. But all the Danger is, when the World gets into the Heart. The Water is useful for the Sailing of the Ship; all the Danger is, when the Water gets into the Ship: So the Fear is, when the World gets into the Heart. Thou shalt not covet.

Quest. What is it to covet?

Resp. There are two Words in the Greek which set forth the Nature of Covetousness. 1. [gap], which signifies an insatiable desire of getting the World. Covetousness is a dry Dropsie. Austin defines Covetousness, plus velle quam sat est; To desire more than enough: To aim at a great Estate: To be like the Daughters of the Horseleech, crying, Give, give, Prov. 30.15. Or like Behemoth, Job 40.23. He trusteth that he can draw up Iordan into his Mouth. 2. [gap], which signifies an inordinate Love of the World. The World is the Idol; it is so loved, that a Man will not part with it to any good Use. This is to come under the

Of the Commandments. (18)

Inditement of Covetousness. He may be said to be covetous, not only who gets the World unrighteously, but who loves the World inordinately. But for a more full Answer to the Question, What is it to covet? I shall shew you in Six Particulars, when a Man may be said to be given to Covetousness.

1. When his Thoughts are wholly taken up about the World. As a good Man's Thoughts are still in Heaven: He is thinking of Christ's Love, and Eternal Recompences. Psal. 139.18. When I awake I am still with thee: That is, by Divine Contemplation. So a covetous Man is still with the World: His Mind is wholly taken up about it; he can think of nothing but his Shop or Farm. The Fancy is a Mint-House, and most of the Thougts a covetous Man mints are Worldly. He is always plotting and projecting about the [gap], the things of this Life. Like a Virgin that hath all her Thoughts running upon her Suitor.

2. A Man may be said to be given to Covetousness, when he takes more pains for the getting of Earth, than for the getting of Heaven. He will turn every Stone, break his Sleep, take many a weary Step for the World, but will take no pains for Christ or Heaven. The Gauls, who were an ancient People of France, after they had tasted the sweet Wine of the Italian Grape, they enquired after the Countrey, and never rested till they had arrived at it. So a covetous Man, having had a Relish of the World, pursues after it, and never leaves till he hath got it; but he neglects the things of Eternity. He could be content if Salvation would drop into his Mouth, as a ripe Fig drops into the Mouth of the Eater, Nahum. 3.12. But he is loath to put himself to too much Sweat or Trouble to obtain Christ or Salvation. He hunts for the World, he wisheth only for Heaven.

3. A Man may be said to be given to Covetousness, when all his Discourse is about the World. Iohn 3.31. He that is of the Earth, speaketh of the Earth: As it is a sign of Godliness to be still speaking of Heaven, to have the Tongue tuned to the Language of Canaan. Eccles. 10.12. The Words of a wise Man's Mouth are gracious. He speaks as if he had been already in Heaven. So a sign of a Man given to Covetousness, he is speaking of Secular things, his Wares and Drugs. A covetous Man's Breath, like a Dying Man's, smells strong of the Earth. As they said to Peter, Thy Speech bewrayeth thee, Matth. 26.73. So a covetous Man's Speech bewrayeth him. He is like the Fish in the Gospel, which had a Piece of Money in the Mouth, Matth. 17.27. Verba sunt Speculum mentis. Bern. The Words are the Looking-glass of the Heart, they show what is within. Ex abundantia cordis.

4. A Man is given to Covetousness, when he doth so set his Heart upon worldly things, that for the love of them he will part with Heavenly. For the Wedge of Gold he will part with the Pearl of Price. The Young Man in the Gospel, when Christ said, Sell all, and come and follow me; Abiit trist is, He went away sorrowful, Matth. 19.22. He would rather part with Christ, than with his Earthly Possessions. Cardinal Burbon said, He would for go his part in Paradise, if he might keep his Cardinalship in Paris.

When it comes to a critical point, that Men must either relinquish their Estate or Christ, and they will rather part with Christ and a good Conscience, than with their Estate, it is a clear Case they are possessed with the Devil of Covetousness.

5. A Man is given to Covetousness, when he over-loads himself with worldly Business. He hath many Irons in the Fire; he is in this Sence a Pluralist, he takes so much business upon him, that he cannot find time to serve God; he hath scarce time to eat his Meat, but no time to Pray. When a Man doth over-charge himself with the World, and as Martha, cumber himself about many things, that he cannot have time for his Soul, sure he is under the Power of Covetousness.

6. He is given to Covetousness, whose Heart is so set upon the World, that to get it he cares not what unlawful indirect means he useth; he will have the World per fas & nefas: He will wrong and defraud, and raise his Estate upon the Ruines of another. Hos. 12.7, 8. The Ballances of Deceit are in his Hand, he loveth to oppress. And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich. Pope Sylvester the Second did sell his Soul to the Devil for a Popedom.

Vse. Take heed and beware of Covetousness, Luke 12.15. It is a direct Breach of this Tenth Commandment. Covetousness is a Moral Vice, it infects and pollutes the whole Soul. The Sin,

(1.) It is a Subtile Sin, a Sin that many do not so well discern in themselves: As some have the Scurvy, yet do not know it. This Sin can dress it self in the Attire of Vertue. It is called the Cloak of Covetousness, 1 Thess. 2.5. Covetousness is a Sin that wears a Cloak, it cloaks it self under the Name of Frugality

and good Husbandry. It hath many Pleas and Excuses for it self, more than any other Sin, as, the providing for ones Family. The more subtile the Sin is, the less discernable.

(2) Covetousness is a dangerous Sin, it checks all that is good. It is an Enemy to Grace, it damps good Affections, as the Earth puts out the Fire. The Hedgehog in the Fable came to the Cony-burroughs in stormy Weather, and desir'd Harbour; but when once he had gotten Entertainment, he set up his Prickles, and did never leave till he had thrust the poor Conies out of their Burroughs. So Covetousness by fair Pretences wins it self into the Heart, but as soon as you have let it in, it will never leave till it hath choked all good Beginnings, and thrust all Religion out of your Hearts. Covetousness hinders the Efficacy of the Word Preached. In the Parable the Thorns (which Christ expounded to be the Cares of this Life) choked the Good Seed, Matth. 13.7. Many Sermons lie dead, buried in Earthly Hearts. We preach to Men to get their Hearts in Heaven; but where Covetousness is predominant, it chains them to the Earth, and makes them like the Woman which Satan had bowed together, that she could not lift up her self, Luke 13.11. You may as well bid an Elephant fly in the Air, as a covetous Man live by Faith. We Preach to Men to give freely to Christ's Poor; but Covetousness makes them to be like him in the Gospel, who had a wither'd Hand, Mark 3.1. They have a wither'd Hand, and cannot stretch it out to the Poor. It is impossible to be Earthly-minded and charitable-minded. Thus Covetousness obstructs the Efficacy of the Word, and makes it prove Abortive. Such whose Hearts are rooted in the Earth, will be so far from profiting by the Word, that they will be ready rather to deride it. Luke 16.14. The Pharisees who were covetous derided him.

(3.) Covetousness is a Mother-Sin, a Radical Vice. 1 Tim. 6.10. The Love of Money is the root of all Evil.

—Quid non mortalia pectora cogit

Auri sacra fames—

Hor.

He who hath this Spiritual Itch, a greedy desire of getting the World, hath in him the Root of all Sin. Covetousness is a Mother-sin. I shall make it appear that Covetousness is a Breach of all the Ten Commandments.

1. It breaks the First Commandment, Thou shalt have no other Gods but one. The covetous Man hath more God's than one; Mammon is his God. He hath a God of Gold, therefore he is called an Idolater, Col. 3.5.

2. Covetousness breaks the Second Commandment: Thou shalt not make any graven Image, thou shalt not bow down thy self to them. A covetous Man bows down, tho not to the graven Image in the Church, yet to the Graven Image in his Coyn.

3. Covetousness is a Breach of the Third Commandment, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. Absalom's Design was to get his Fathers Crown, there was Covetousness; but he talks of paying his Vow to God, there he took God's Name in vain.

4. Covetousness is a Breach of the Fourth Commandment, Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. A Covetous Man doth not keep the Sabbath Holy: He will ride to Fairs on a Sabbath. Instead of reading in the Bible, he will cast up his Accounts.

5. Covetousness is a Breach of the Fifth Commandment, Honour thy Father and thy Mother. A covetous Person will not honour his Father, if he doth not feed him with Money: Nay, he will get his Father to make over his Estate to him in his Life-time, and so the Father shall be at the Sons Command.

6. Covetousness is a Breach of the Sixth Commandment, Thou shalt not kill. Covetous Ahab kill'd Naboth to get his Vineyard, 1 Kings 21.13. How many have swum to the Crown in Blood!

7. Covetousness is a Breach of the Seventh Commandment, Thou shalt not commit Adultery. Covetousness causeth Uncleanness. You read of the Hire of a Whore, Deut. 23.18. An Adulteress for Money sets both Conscience and Chastity to Sale.

8. Covetousness is a Breach of the Eighth Commandment, Thou shalt not steal. Covetousness is the Root of Theft. Covetous Achan stole the Wedge of Gold. Therefore Thieves and Covetous are put together, 1 Cor. 6.10.

9. Covetousness is a Breach of the Ninth Commandment, Thou shalt not bear false witness. What makes the Perjurer take a false Oath, but Covetousness? He hopes for a Dividend. And,

10. It is plainly a Breach of the Last Commandment, Thou shalt not covet. The Mammonist covets his Neighbours House and Goods, and endeavours to get them

into his own Hands. Thus you see how vile a Sin Covetousness is: It is a Mother-sin, it is a plain Breach of every one of the Ten Commandments.

(4.) Covetousness is a Sin dishonourable to Religion. For such as say their Hopes are Above, yet their Hearts are below. For them who profess to be above the Stars, to lick the Dust of the Serpent: To be born of God, yet buried in the Earth: How dishonourable is this to Religion! The Lapwing wears a little Coronet on its Head, yet feeds on Dung. An Emblem of such as profess to be Crown'd Kings and Priests unto God, yet feed immoderately on these Terrene Dunghil Comforts. Ier. 45.5. And seekest thou great things for thy self, seek them not. What thou Baruk, who art enobled by thy New Birth, and art illustrious by thy Office, a Levite, dost thou seek earthly things? And seek them now? When the Ship is sinking, art thou trimming thy Cabin? O do not so degrade thy self, nor blot thy Scutcheon! Seekest thou great things? Seek them not. The higher Grace is, the less earthly should Christians be: The Higher the Sun is, the shorter always is the Shadow.

1. Covetousness exposeth us to God's Abhorrency. Psal. 10.3. The Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth. A King abhors to see his Statue abused. God abhors to see a Man made in his Image should have the Heart of a Beast given to him. Who would live in such a Sin as makes him abhorr'd of God? Whom God abhors he curseth, and God's Curse blasts where-ever it comes.

2. Covetousness precipitates Men to Ruine: It shuts them out of Heaven. Eph. 5.5. This ye know, that no covetous Man, who is an Idolater, hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. What should a covetous Man do in Heaven? God can no more converse with them, than a King can converse with a Swine. 1 Tim. 6.9. They that will be rich fall into a Snare, and many hurtful Lusts, which drown Men in Perdition. A covetous Man is like a Bee that gets into a Barrel of Honey, and there drowns it self. He is like a Ferry-man that takes in so many Passengers to encrease his Fare, that he sinks his Boat. So a covetous Man takes in more Gold to the encreasing of his Estate, that he damns himself in Perdition. I have read of some Inhabitants near Athens, who lived in a very dry barren Island, and they took much pains to draw a River to this Island to water it, and make it fruitful; but when they had opened the Passages, and brought the River to it, the Water brake in with such a Force, that it drowned the Land, and all the People in it. An Emblem of a Covetous Man; he labours to draw Riches to him, and at last they come in in such abundance, that they drown him in Hell and Perdition. How many, to build up an Estate, pull down their Souls. Oh therefore fly from Covetousness. I shall next prescribe some Remedies against Covetousness.

EXOD. XX.17. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbour's House, thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife, &c.

I am in the next place to resolve a Question, How we may do to cure this Itch of Covetousness?

Resp. For Answer to this, I shall prescribe some Remedies and Antidotes against this Sin.

1. Faith. 1 Iohn 5.4. This is the Victory over the World, even your Faith. The Root of Covetousness is, the Distrust of God's Providence. Faith believes God will provide. God who feeds the Birds will feed his Children. He who cloaths the Lillies, will cloath his Lambs: And so Faith overcomes the World. Faith is the Cure of Care. Faith not only purifies the Heart, but satisfies the Heart. Faith makes God our Portion, and so in him we have enough. Psal. 16.5. The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance, the Lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly Heritage. Faith by a Divine Chymistry extracts its chief Comforts out of God. A little with God is sweet. Thus Faith is a Remedy against Covetousness. Faith overcomes not only the Fear of the World, but the Love of the World.

2. The Second Remedy is, Judicious Consideration.

(1.) What poor things these things below are, that we should covet them. 1. They are below the worth of the Soul, which carries in it an Idea and Resemblance of God. The World is but the Workmanship of God, the Soul is the Image of God. 2. You covet that which will not satisfie you. Eccles. 5.10. He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver. Solomon had put all the Creatures in a Limbeck, and stilled out the

Quintessence, and behold, All was Vanity, Eccles. 2.11. Covetousness is a dry Dropsie; the more a Man hath, the more he thirsts. Quo plus sunt potae, plus sitiuntur aquae. 3. Worldly things cannot remove Trouble of mind. King Saul being perplexed in Conscience, all his Crown-Jewels could not administer Comfort to him, 1 Sam. 28.15. The things of the World will no more ease a troubled Spirit, than a Gold Cap will cure the Head-ach. 4. The things of the World, if you had more of them, cannot continue with you. [gap], Isocr. The Creature hath a little Honey in its Mouth, but it hath Wings to fly away. Glass Mettal. These things either go from us, or we from them. What poor things are these to covet?

(2.) Second Consideration. The Frame and Contexture of the Body. God hath made the Face to look upwards towards Heaven.

Os Homini sublime dedit, coelum

que tueri

Iussit—

Ovid.

Anatomists observe, that whereas other Creatures have but Four Muscles to their Eyes, Man hath a Fifth Muscle, by which he is able to look up to Heaven. And as for the Heart, it is made like a Glass Viol, narrow and contracted downwards, but wide and broad upwards. And as the Frame and Contexture of the Body teacheth us to look to things Above, so especially the Soul is planted in the Body, as a Divine Sparkle to ascend upwards. Can it be imagined that God gave us intellectual Immortal Souls, to covet only Earthly things? What wise Man would fish for Gudgeons with Golden Hooks? Did God give us Glorious Souls, only to fish for the World? Sure our Souls are made for an higher End; to aspire after the enjoyment of God in Glory.