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pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. 6. All withholding that which is due, especially the wages and hire of servants and labourers. Psalm xxxvii. 21, The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again. Lev. xix. 13, The wages of him that is hired, shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. 7. Removing the ancient land-marks, or otherwise seeking to defraud others of the just title which they have to their estates. Prov. xxii. 28, Remove not the ancient land-mark which thy fathers have set. 8. Extortion and all oppression, especially of the poor and afflicted. Prov. xxii. 22, 23, Rob not the poor, because he is poor; neither oppress the afflicted in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. Amos viii. 4, 7, Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail; falsifying the balances by deceit, to buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sell the refuse of the wheat. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. 9. Usury, and taking increase merely for loan. Exod. xxii. 25, If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. Ezek. xviii. 8, He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase.

Q. 11. Why should we forbear all manner of theft, and endeavours to enrich ourselves by the wronging of others?

A. We ought to forbear all manner of theft, and endeavours to enrich ourselves by the wronging of others, because it is the express prohibition of God written in the word, and most agreeable to the law of nature written upon the heart; as also, because the riches got by theft and wrong, are accompanied with God's curse; and if not here, besure God's vengeance will overtake such persons as are guilty of theft and unrighteousness, in the other world. Zech. v. 3, 4, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth; for every one that stealeth shall be cut off on this side and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and shall consume it,

with the timber thereof, and the stones thereof. Jer. xvii. 11, As the patridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. James v. 1, 3, Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Q. 12. How may we be kept from the sins forbidden in this eighth commandment?

A. We may be kept from the sins forbidden in this eighth commandment, by mortified affections to the world through Christ's death and spirit; by raised affections to the things above; by a love of justice, by prayer, by faith in God's promises and special providence, in ma king all needful provision without this sin for his.

Q. 76. Which is the ninth commandment? A. The ninth commandment, is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Q. 77. What is required in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name; especially in witness-bearing.

Q. I. Wherein doth this ninth commandment differ from the sixti, seventh and eighth commandments?

A. This ninth commandment doth differ from the sixth, seventh, and eighth commandments, in that the sixth commandment doth respect our own and our neighbour's life; the seventh commandment doth respect our own and our neighbour's chastity; the eighth commandment doth respect our own and our neighbour's wealth and outward estate: but this ninth commandment doth respect our own and our neighbour's good name.

Q. 2. What is more generally required in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment doth more generally re

quire the maintaining and promoting truth between man and man.

Q. 3. How ought we to maintain and promote truth between man and man?

A. We ought to maintain and promote truth between man and man, by speaking the very truth to, and of one Zech. viii. 16, These another, and that from the heart. are the things that ye shall do, Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour: execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates. Eph. iv. 25, Wherefore putting away all lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour; for we are members one of another.

Psal.

xv. 1, 2, Lord who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Q. 4. What doth the ninth commandment more particularly require, in reference unto our own and others' good name?

A. The ninth commandment doth more particularly require, in reference unto our own and others' good name, the maintaining and promoting thereof, especially in witness-bearing.

Q. 5. How ought we to maintain and promote our own good name?

A. We ought to maintain and promote our own good name, by deserving it and defending it.

Q. 6. How may we deserve a good name?

A. Although we can deserve nothing in the sight of God, yet we may leserve a good name in the sight of men, by being good, and by doing good.

Q. 7. What is that which we may be, and do, that we may deserve a good name among them?

A. That we may deserve a good name among men, we must be holy, humble, harmless, wise, loving, patient, meek, just, righteous, sober, chaste, true, honest, and every way gracious and virtuous, as to our inward dispositions and affections: our conversations also, and actions must be correspondent, doing always those things which be praise-worthy, and of good report. 1 Pet. iii,

15, 16, Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; having a good conscience; that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. Philip. ii. 15, That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, with out rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. Eccl. viii. 1, A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine. Col. iii. 12, Put on therefore (as the elect of God, holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering. Philip. iv. 8, 9, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things which ye have both learned and received,and heard and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Q. 8. How may we defend our good name?

A. We may defend our good name, 1. By clearing ourselves from the false aspersions, and vindicating our innocency against the false accusations of our adversaries. Acts xxiv. 10-13, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself; that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem, and they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city: neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. 2. By speaking sometimes in commendation of ourselves, when there is need only, and that very sparingly, modestly, humbly, and unwillingly, always abasing ourselves, giving God all the glory for any thing in ourselves which is praise-worthy. 2 Cor. xii. 11, I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you, for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Cor. xv. 10, By the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was be stowed upon me, was not in vain; but I laboured more

abundantly than they all yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Q.9. Who ought especially to maintain and promote their good name?

A. All ought to maintain and promote their own good name, especially all believers and professors of religion : chiefly magistrates, and such unto whom public trust is committed; and ministers, unto whom is committed the charge of souls. Titus ii. 7-10, In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works; that he, that is of the contrary part, may be assumed, having no evil thing to say of you. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Q. 10. Why ought all to maintain and promote their own good name?

A. All ought to maintain and promote their own good name, 1. Because it is for the glory of God, which is the duty of all principally to aim at, and to design their own honour, only in subordination hereunto. Matth. v. 16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. i Pet. ii. 12, Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 2. Because a good name is precious, and rendereth men the more useful, one to another, causing mutual love unto, and confidence in one another, whereby their mutual concernments and advantage, both civil and spiritual, are exceedingly promoted. Eccl. vii. 1, A good name is better than precious ointment. Prov. xxii. 1, A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

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Q. 11. What doth the ninth commandment require of us, in reference unto the good name of our neighbour? A. The ninth commandment requireth of us, in reference unto the good name of our neighbour, the main taining and promoting thereof as our own, and that both in regard of ourselves, and in regard of others.

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