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Obs. 268.-The Ninth Commandment forbiddeth whatever is injurious to the good name of others.

We may injure our neighbour's reputation in the following ways:

1. In our heart-by evil surmisings,-1 Tim. vi. 4; by uncharitable and rash judging,-Matt. vii. 1, &c.; 1 Cor. xiii. 7; by making ourselves a standard for judging others,— Rom. xiv. 3, 10; by judging their conscience, state, or intentions, as if we were in God's place,-Rom. xiv. 4; by misinterpreting their purposes, words, or actions,—Rom. iii. 8; by secret contempt of them,-2 Sam. vi. 16; Luke xviii. 9, &c.; by envying their just fame,—Matt. xxi. 15; by taking pleasure in their disgrace,--Jer. xlviii. 27; or by fond admiration of them,-Jude 16.

2. In our speech-by speaking truth in order to dishonour them, Luke xv. 2; Mark vi. 3; by unnecessarily divulging their infirmities, Gen. ix. 22; by aggravating their real faults,-Matt. vii. 3, &c.; by reviving the infamy of former faults of which they had repented, and which had been forgotten,-2 Sam. xvi. 7; by betraying their secrets,—Prov. xvii. 9; 2 Tim. iii. 4; by endeavouring to wound their reputation, Ezra iv. 12, &c.; Matt. xii. 22, &c.; by raising, spreading, or receiving false reports concerning them,—Exod. xxiii. 1; Neh. vi. 6; Jer. xviii. 18; by falsely slandering them,-Psal. 1. 20; by false or malicious accusation of them to rulers,-Acts xxiv. 5; Jer. xxxviii. 4; by backbiting or wounding their character in their absence,-Rom. i. 29; 2 Cor. xii. 20; by tale-bearing between different families,Lev. xix. 16; 2 Thess. iii. 11; by encouraging tale-bearers, or by not bringing them to due punishment, Prov. xxix. 12; by scornful derision,-Gal. iv. 29; Heb. iv. 36; by reviling and calling bad names,-Matt. v. 22; or by passionate railing and brawling,-Psal. lii. 2, and lxiv. 3, &c.; Jude 10.

3. In our conduct by suspicious or contemptuous gestures, --Psal. xxii. 7; Prov. vi. 12, 13; by turning our back upon others without sufficient ground,-Gal. ii. 12; by neglecting to warn them, or prevent them from doing what is sinful or imprudent; and by advice, encouragement, or example, drawing them into it, to the injury of their character.— 1 Sam. ii. 13, and iii. 13; Ezek. xxxiii. 6, &c.

Obs. 269.-The Ninth Commandment forbids whatever tends to injure truth, or the reputation of ourselves or of others.

Here the following things may be enumerated :—1. Excessive readiness to speak in company, by which we manifest the pride and vanity of our heart, and show ourselves fools. --Eccl. v.3, and x. 14; Prov. x. 19. 2. Idle talk, which has no tendency to promote any good end, either civil or religious.-Matt. xii. 36; Eph. v. 4. 3. Inordinate jesting.Eph. v. 4. 4. Flattery, which includes much baseness, falsehood, deceit, and treachery in the giver, and marks much baseness and self-conceit in the receiver.--See Psal. xii. 3, xxxvi. 3, and Acts xii. 22, 23, which is one instance of the basest flattery.

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn,-1. That truth ought to be sacred in every circumstance of life. 2. That God is a God of truth. 3. The danger of lying. 4. The necessity of watching over our tongue. 5. The necessity of wisdom from above, and of much prayer.

The Tenth Commandment.

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."

Exod. xx. 17; Deut. v. 21.

Duties Required.

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.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,

1. That we are required to be contented with our condition in life. Heb. xiii. 5.--" Let your conversation be without Covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have.”

2. That we are required to cultivate a right and charitable disposition towards the person of our neighbour. Rom. xii. 15.—“ Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."

3. That we are required to cultivate a right disposition towards the property of our neighbour. Luke xii. 15.—“ Take heed, and beware of covetousness." See also 1 Cor. xiii. 4.

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EXPLANATION.

Obs. 270.-The Tenth Commandment requireth full contentment with our condition in life.

The full contentment which this commandment requires with respect to that condition in which Providence hath placed us, includes the following things:

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1. A hearty reconcilement to the will of God, as the only and universal standard for regulating our lot, both in its form and degree.-Psal. xlvii. 4.

2. An absolute resignation and entire submission to the will of God, as wise and holy, and just and good, and gracious in all his providential disposals of us, or of any thing belonging to us.--Matt. xvi. 24; Phil. iv. 11, 12.

3. An inward calmness under his denial of outward comforts, and a satisfaction in our lot, as good-as the best for us.--Hab. iii. 17, 18; 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26, and xvi. 10, &c.

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Besides those things just mentioned, this commandment also requires a due weanedness of affection from every created enjoyment; because, if we set our heart immoderately on what we at present enjoy, we are guilty of a kind of covetousness. And here we may observe the following things:1. Our hearts must be habitually indifferent towards created enjoyments.-Luke xiv. 26; Psal. cxxxi. 1, &c. 2. We must expect nothing from them but what God puts in them.Isa. xvii. 10, and lvii. 10. 3. We must derive all our comfort from God himself, in the midst of plenty, as well as in poverty.-Psal. xviii. 46; 1 Sam. ii. 1, &c.; Psal. cxlii. 4, 5; Hab. iii. 17, 18. 4. We must use all created enjoyments as fading and transitory; and mortify every degree of lustful desire after them.-1 Sam. xiv. 32; 1 Cor. vii. 29, &c.

In order that this full contentment with our lot, which so much glorifies God, and prevents sin in thought, and word, and action, may be obtained, the following things are necessary-1. We must receive a God in Christ, as our God, as he is offered in the Gospel, as the source and sum of all that

good which is to be found in the creatures.-Psal. xxiii., Ixxiii. 23-26, and lxxxi. 8, &c. We must believe that God, as the new-covenant God of his people, and as their Friend and Father, is the maker, manager, and disposer of all things. Job xxxiv. 33; Isa. xlvi. 3, 4, and lii. 7; Matt. vi. 30.

When this state of contentment is attained, it may be strengthened and promoted by considering these things:—1. That we ourselves are dependent on God's mere grace and bounty.-Gen. xxxii. 10; Isa. lxiii. 7; Psal. xxxv. 6, 7. 2. That the wants and afflictions of our own outward lot are likely to be its most useful part to our precious souls.-2 Cor. iv. 17; Psal. cxix. 67, 71; Mic. vii. 14; Rev. iii. 19; Heb. xiii. 5, &c. 3. That worldly enjoyments are always very empty, and often very hurtful.-Prov. xxiii. 5; Deut. xxxii. 15; Hos. xiii. 6, and the whole book of Ecclesiastes. 4. That our temptations, burdens, services, and final account, are proportioned to our enjoyments.-Matt. xxv. 14, &c.; Luke xix. 12, &c., and xii. 47, 48. 5. That the more we enjoy in this world, the more dangerous is our situation.-Mark x. 23. 6. That Jesus Christ has marked our way through every trouble, and attends us to bear, and to carry, and to deliver us. Isa. xlvi. 3, 4, and lxiii. 9. 7. That death and eternity, in which earthly enjoyments can do us no service whatever, and in which we shall reap the happy fruits of our troubles, are at hand.-John xvi. 33; Acts xiv. 22; Matt. xix. 29; Rom. viii. 17, 18; 2 Cor. iv. 17, &c.

It may here be remarked, that if we have a view to legal perfection, it is utterly impossible, in this life, to attain to that full contentment which this commandment requires. This is no more possible in our present fallen state, than obedience to any other divine commandment. Perfection in any grace whatever is not to be looked for here. The perfection, however, may be full as to its parts, although not so in degree. See Phil. iv. 11. And although it is difficult to attain the contentment here required, yet, being a duty, we ought to seek after it; for by it God is highly honoured, and the peace of the soul is greatly promoted.

Obs. 271.-The Tenth Commandment requireth a right and charitable frame of spirit towards our neighbour and all that is his.

This right and charitable disposition towards the person and property of our neighbour, may include the following things:

1. A hearty love to his person for the sake of God his Maker.-Rom. xiii. 9, &c.

2. A kind regard to his property for his own sake, but chiefly for the sake of God.-Deut xxii. 1.

3. An earnest desire for, and a cordial delight in, his welfare, both temporal, and spiritual, and eternal.-Rom. xii. 15; Heb. xiii. 3; Psal. xxxv. 13, &c.; Rom. xii. 30, &c.

It must, however, be remembered, that this right and charitable disposition cannot be attained without faith; nor can our duty in this respect be performed, if the affections are not influenced by grace; which alone will sway and determine us to promote and to rejoice in our neighbour's welfare, in whatever light we view it.

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn,-1. That we should be moderate in all our enjoyments. 2. That we receive all our comforts from God. 3. That all things are at the disposal of God, the righteous Governor of the universe. 4. That God is not unjust, although all are not equal. 5. That we ought to avoid anxious care, which is unprofitable. 6. That there is enough in God for all.

Sins Forbidden.

The Tenth Commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own condition, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour, and all inordinate motions or affections to any thing that is his.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,

1. That we are forbidden to be discontented with our condition in life. 1 Cor. x. 10.-" Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer."

2. That we are forbidden to be envious at the good of others. Gal. v. 26.-"Let us not be desirous of vain-glory, -envying one another."

3. That we are forbidden to grieve at the good of others. James v. 9.-"Grudge not one against another."

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