of Judah and Jerusalem Break up your fallow ground and sow not amongst thornes Circumcise your selves unto the Lord and take away the foreskins of your hearts lest my fury come forth like fire and burn c. Supposing first that the men of Iudah and Ierusalem to whom this Doctrine at the appointment of God was preached were at this time persons unregenerate and Secondly that the several callings upon them in the metaphors of breaking up their fallow ground of circumcising themselves unto the Lord of taking away the foreskins of their hearts were admonitions or injunctions unto them from God to alter the sinful property of their hearts and souls or in the Prophet Esai's expression to wash and make themselves clean or in the more plain and direct Language of Ezekiel to make themselves a new heart and a new spirit all which expressions import the work of Regeneration or Sanctification or Mortification or rather indeed include them all these two things I say supposed which I presume are not denied by any from the said words I plead the cause in hand thus If God requireth it of unregenerate men to sanctifie or regenerate themselves threatning them with his wrath and fury to their utter destruction if they shall not obey him therein then certainly they have power to do the one or the other otherwise he should threaten to destroy his Creature for that which is no waies sinful nor a Transgression of any Law For it is no waies sinful for a Creature not to do things that are impossible for him to do or not to do that which is possible only for God himself to do Therefore without controversie God doth afford unto unregenerate men at least if they be not many degrees worse and more hateful unto him then simply as such sufficient abilities and means whereby to become new men or make themselves new hearts There is hardly to be found amongst men a Tyrant so Barbarous Bloody or Inhumane who when he hath cut off the leggs or feet of any of his Subjects though for some misdemeanour will further threaten him with Death unlesse he shall runn as fast as his lightest Footman or swiftest Horse in his Stables Quest 8. What is the tenour of your second place and how do you argue from thence for the point in question Answ This place conteineth these words Therefore I will judge you O house of Israel every one according unto his waies saith the Lord God Repent and turn your selves from all your Transgressions So iniquity shall not be your ruine Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherefore turn your selves and live yee In these words the great duties or works of Repentance Sanctification Regeneration Mortification I might add of Self-denial also are not only or simply required by God of men themselves but with a very gracious and compassionate expostulation about the misery which they would certainly bring upon their own heads if they did not perform them for why will ye die c. together with promise upon promise of favour life and peace in case they did perform them so iniquity shall not be your Ruine and again turn your selves and live yee That is and yee shall certainly live Now it is broadly inconsistent with that most gracious and merciful disposition unto the Children of men which the Scriptures in a thousand places ascribe unto God to promise good things unto them as life peace safety c. only upon such conditions or termes which he knows to be utterly impossible for them yea with all the help or means which he intends ever to afford them ever to perform This would rather be most cruelty to insult over poor creatures in misery then either to compassionate them or to counsell or direct them how to deliver themselves and make an escape Therefore doubtlesse this contexture of Scriptures maketh it as clear as the light at noon-day that men even whilest they are yet in their sins and unbelievers have a sufficiency of Grace power and means vouchsafed unto them by God to make themselves new hearts and new spirits to repent and turn themselves from all their Transgressions c. Quest 9. What is your third and last place of Scripture to prove your Assertion Answ This place containeth only these few words And he the Lord Christ marvelled because of their unbelief If the people at or because of whose unbelief Christ is said to have marvelled were in no sufficient capacity by all the grace nor by all the means of grace granted unto them to have believed and consequently to have made themselves new hearts to have sanctified themselves c. there had been no reasonable nor indeed tolerable cause why Christ should marvel at their unbelief at least if it be supposed that this their incapacity of believing was known unto him and ignorance in this kind cannot he supposed in him who searcheth the hearts and the reins of the Children of men Revel 2.23 For what occasion is there in the least that a man should marvell because a Creature acteth not beyond or above the sphere of his activity as that a man should not flie like a bird in the aire that an ox should not run swifter then a grey-hound or the like For a person to marvell that a man doth not believe whom he knoweth to have no power of believing and to marvell that a stone doth not speak Hebrew or Greek unto him are passions much of one and the same consideration Quest 10. What are now your Reasons and grounds which strengthen your belief of the Doctrine you maintain concerning a sufficiency of power given by God unto men whereby to sanctifie and regenerate and deny themselves to mortifie the deeds of the Flesh c. Answ There are many Reasons which prevail over my judgment to conclude the said Doctrine to be a Doctrine of Truth but more especially Seven Quest 11. What is the first of these Reasons Answ If God should not upon the account of Christ and of the Grace brought by him unto the World invest Adams posterity with a sufficiency of power to do all things simply and absolutely necessary for their salvation and oonsequently to perform the duties of Sanctification Regeneration Mortification and Self-denyal these at least in some degree being absolutely necessary unto Salvation be should deal with much more rigour and severity in the second Covenant which yet is a Covenant of Grace and usually so called then he did in the first which being a Covenant of Works was very peremptory though righteous and just denying all mercy to transgressours For although in the first Covenant he was very strict and severe against Transgressours yet he was thus far gracious and indulgent unto his creature Man that he required nothing
But when once the person to who many such promise is made shall really and firmly believe his promise it is but natural and as it were matter of course for him to hope for all the good contained in such a promise And if he that shall at first or for a time believe such a promise as we speak of but before the time wherein the promise is to be performed shall upon any suggestion or occurrence cast away or let go such his believing his hope must needs at the same time and by means of the failing of his belief fall to the ground Only this would be here mentioned by way of caution that although a promise of good things be made unto such or such a particular person in common with many others and as well and with equall intention of good unto him in him that maketh this promise as unto any of the rest yet if this person shall either be ignorant that or doubtful whether this promise be made unto him as well as unto others he may believe the said promise with the greatest certainty and stedfastnesse of Faith and yet remain without all hope of the good things contained in this promise Quest 35. You have shewed how and wherein Faith and Hope differ Can you shew likewise how or wherein they agree Answ Their Agreement standeth chiefly in these three things First in the Causes or Means producing them Secondly in the Effects produced by them Thirdly in the Subjects in which they are found Quest 36. What are the Causes or means producing them wherein they agree Answ They are chiefly these three First the word of God or the great and precious promises of the Gospel together with the Arguments and grounds here hinted or delivered why they should be believed Secondly the hearing of this word as it includeth the understanding and consideration of it Thirdly and lastly the gracious operation or interposure of the Holy Ghost opening the hearts of men to attend unto this word when it is preached or otherwise presented or set before them Act. 16 14. It is expresly said Rom. 10.17 that Faith commeth or is by hearing and hearing that hearing by which Faith cometh by the Word of God If Faith cometh by hearing and Hope as hath been shewed proceedeth from Faith then must hope also proceed from or come by the word of God and Hearing as the remote Causes at least or means thereof Quest 37. What are the effects which are common unto Faith and Hope and wherein they agree Answ They are principally four Quest 38. What is the first of them Answ A cleansing and purifying of the heart and consequently of the lives and waies of Men. That Faith or which is the same God by Faith purifieth the heart appears Act. 15.9 And because of this property or effect of it it is elsewhere called Holy yea most Holy Jud. v. 20. See also 1 Pet. 1.22 Again the same or the like property of cleansing or purging is ascribed unto Hope also 1 Joh. 3.3 where it is said And every man that hath this hope in him purgeth himself even as He is pure See 2 Cor. 7.1 Quest 39. What is a second effect wherein they agree Answ The inabling working or disposing of the heart to a patient and humble waiting upon God for such help or supplies from him in every kind whereof men stand in need See and compare Esa 28.16 Rom. 8.25 Psal 119.81 27.13 14. Lamen 3.26 1 Thess 1.3 Quest 40. What way be a third effect wherein Faith and Hope agree Answ They are both Joy-makers in the hearts and souls of men See and compare Rom. 15.13 2 Cor. 1.24 Philip. 1.25 1 Pet. 1.8 1 Thess 2.19 Rom. 5.2 Heb. 3.6 Rom. 12.12 Quest 41. What is the fourth and last property or effect wherein they communicate Answ They each of them never fail to deliver their respective Subjects from disappointment in their greatest expectations and consequently from such shame confusion which are wont to accompany frustratiōs especially in matters of moment great concernment Concerning Faith it is thus conteyned in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone elect preacious He that believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 Concerning Hope it speaketh And hope maketh not ashamed See further and compare Psal 22.4 5. Jer. 17.7.8 Heb. 6.19 Phil. 1.20 Psal 33.20.21 Quest 42. How do they agree in their Subject Answ Hope as hath been said being a kind of naturall result from Faith where this is that must needs be also And the Scripture frequently placeth them in the same person 1 Pet. 1.21 Rom. 4.18 5.2 with some other He that believeth a promise of good things made unto him if he knows or believeth this promise to have been indeed made to him cannot but hope for all the good things conteined in this promise Review the case proposed towards the latter end of the Answer to the 34 Question in this Chapter Quest 43. You have declared many things concerning Faith Can you yet further declare what the first great priviledge or benefit is which floweth from this grace or work of Faith more immediately and upon which many others depend Answ This priviledg is the great and high dignity of Adoption or being made the Sons of God The wisdome goodnesse and love of God to the Children of men have together consulted and decreed this great honour and happinesse unto them that as many of them as shall joyn themselves by an unfeigned Faith unto his Natural and in that respect only Begotten Son Jesus Christ shall partake with him in his glorious relation of Son-ship unto God as farre as their nature and line of creation will admit This the Scripture declareth in several places But as many as received him meaning by Faith as it is explained in the end of the verse to them he gave power or prerogative as the former translation had it or else right priviledg as the margent of the last hath it to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name Joh. 1.12 For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 See also Rom. 8.14 15 16. Gal. 4.4 5 6 7. 1 Ioh. 3.1 2. Quest 44. What is the great benefit of Adoption or of Son-ship unto God Answ By vertue hereof there accrueth unto us a right and title unto that immortal and undefiled inheritance which fadeth not away and which is reserved in the Heavens for those who believe 1 Pet. 1.4 Yea Believers by vertue of their Adoption become joynt-heirs with Christ But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our Spirit that we are the Children of God And if Children then Heires Heires of God and joynt-Heires with Christ Rom. 8.15 16 17. But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem
them Answ All neglect all volountary omission of the external worship of God at times convenient and when we are called to it as omission of Prayer publique and private of hearing the Word Preached of attending upon the ordinances of the Lords Supper and Baptism if duely and purely administred of Fasting of Giving of Thanks of Singing of Psalms Again the making or having Images or Representations to help or further us in our Devotions worshiping of God in or before an Image or with posturing our faces with observation and upon a religious account towards any part of the Heavens East West c. Praying unto him by the mediation of Saints adulterating or corrupting any the Ordinances of Divine Institution with any Cerimonious devices of our own communicating in any of them being thus adulterated especially without declaring openly and beforehand our dislike of what we know to be spurious and corrupt in their administrations the introducing into the Church any other Ordinances but these the exercising of our selves in such man-devised observations which are commonly known to be taken up and practised by men in a way of Religion and with a conceit of commending themselves highly unto God by them as going on Pilgrimage disciplining their flesh with whipping with wearing rough and harsh garments with a strict observance of such and such hours as well by night as by day which they call Canonical for the duty of Prayer with forcing themselves to say over so many Pater Nosters and so many Ave-Maries from time to time and through fear of falling short or being out in their tale to keep and adjust the account by letting fall of Beads with fasting at such times chosen by themselves and at no other with perpetual abstinence from flesh from handling or touching mony from propriety in any worldly estate or goods and generally all such practises and wayes of humane injunction or recommendation only wherein we discover our selves or give suspicion thar we place any confidence or hope of acceptance with God In like manner all such actings or expressions of our selves whereby it appears that we are affraid of Gods displeasure either for the omitting or not doing of what he no wayes requires of us or else for the doing of that which is our duty to do To fear Divine displeasure upon either of these accounts is in propriety and strictness of notion that which we call Superstition although use and custom have extended the signification of the word to other things also of a differing nature from these Yet again In this Commandement are likewise prohibited all such actings and disposings of our selves whereby we expose our selves to the danger of being drawn aside to the love and liking and hereupon to the practise of Idolatrous and false worship making false worshippers of God our intimate and bosome friends frequenting the Assemblies the gaudy Temples the services or devotions of Idolaters carelesness or perfunctoriness in performing the true worship of God for this also disposeth and exposeth men to the danger of declining to false worship Quest 50 What are the Duties more particularly required in this Commandement or some of the principal of them For according to the second Rule every negative Commandement includeth his affirmative opposite to it Answ The general Duty here required is that at times convenient and as oft as any providence or opportunity inviteth us we worship the true God purely according to his will that is in such a way onely in and by such outward means and with such rites as himself hath taught and prescribed in his Word Under this General these more particular duties are injoyned diligent and constant attendance upon the Ministry of the Gospell where no reasonable impediment hindreth so upon the administration of the Sacraments and all other Ordinances of God regularly managed and dispensed in the Church and publique Christian assemblies as prayer discipline fastings thanksgivings c. Again according to the Doctrine of the tenth Rule given the diligent use of all good means to prepare and fit us for the due worship of God is here commanded also as the reading of the Scriptures with care and conscience meditation praying in private religious conferences minding and honouring those that are most exemplary in worshipping God a provident ordering and contriving of worldly occasions that no pretence about these may be a snare unto us to cause us to lose any of the golden opportunities of worshipping God c. Quest 51. How or in what sense doth God threaten that he will visite the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate him Answ First God doth not threaten to visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children c. but onely when he finds them in the Children as well as he did in the Fathers This he plainly declareth in those words of them that hate me which are restrictive and interpretative of the preceeding threatning and imply that unlesse the Children in their respective Generations shall hate him that is the cause being put for the effect a frequent dialect in Scriptures shall sin against him as their Fathers did he intends not the Threatning against them See for this Ezek. 18.14 c. Secondly the reason why God doth not say that he will visit the Childrens own sins upon them but the sins of their Fathers nor again that he will visit the sins of the Fathers upon themselves but upon their Children the reason hereof I say may be because God judgeth it meet many times not to punish in this world with any exemplary punishment or judgement which kind of punishment he meaneth by the word visit the first Transgressors in a Family or race but rather patiently to await the triall and proof of their Posterity to the third and fourth generation and accordingly as these shall be found either to repent of and turn from their Fathers sinfulnesse unto God or to go on and continue in the same or like course of provocation so either to shew them mercy and blesse them their Fathers sins notwithstanding or else to fall heavy upon them with some signal judgement or other as filling up the measure of their Fathers sins which it seems was but half full before and so not as yet according to the estimate of divine â—enity and patience ready for judgement and redoubling their provocations So that God when he threatens to visit the sins of the Fathers upon wicked Children not their own sins or wickednesse signifieth or implieth that had these Children been the first of their race that had been wicked and not been the Children of wicked Parents although their wickednesse had been the same or as great as now it is they should or might have escaped the visitation here threatned for I suppose that God by this tnreatning I will visit the sins of the Fathers c. doth not imply that he will never or in no case visit with temporal
judgements the sins of the Fathers upon themselves as well as upon their Children being wicked also the current of the Scriptures will ill bear such a sense as this but only declareth that when and though he doth suffer wicked Parents to go unpunished yet their Children if they follow them in their wickednesse shall be sure to hear from him in wrath and judgment and that because they are the Children of such Parents as well as because they are wicked themselves Hence it is that when God threatneth the Jews with any severity of judgment for their wickednesse we so frequently meet with the mention of the Fathers iniquity though now dead as well as the Childrens who are the persons threatened in this or the like form of words you and your Fathers Jer. 44.21 So Ezekiel was charged to remind the people that they and their Fathers had transgressed or rebelled against him when he was sent by God to denounce judgments against them Ezek. 3,2 And so holy men very frequently in their confessions knowing it to be their duty to justifie God in his judgments whether already inflicted or only denounced in the clearest and fullest manner they could upon this account confesse and acknowledge as well the sins of their Fathers as their own For our sins saith Daniel and for the iniquities of our FATHERS Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us Dan. 9.16 See further and compare Lam. 5.7 Jer. 14.20 Jer. 3.25 Neh. 1.6 Neh. 9.2.16.34 Psal 78.57.58 The Godly King Josiah in his confessorie Message to the Prophetesse Huldah mentioneth the sin of their Fathers only as the cause or means of kindling the vvrath of God against him and his people 2 King 22.13 2 Chro. 34.21 Yea and God himself in pleading the equity of his proceeding in judgment against men is wont to alledge and insist upon the iniquities of the Fathers as well as of the Children threatned or punished by him Then shalt thou say unto them Because your FATHERS have forsaken me c. Jer. 16.11 12. Your iniquities and the iniquities of your FATHERS together c. Esa 65.7 Sec also Levit. 26.39 40. Quest 52. May there any reason be conceived why God should ordinarily or at least very frequently visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children in such a sense and upon such tearms as you have now declared rather then upon themselves Answ There may more reasons then one be well apprehended of this dispensation of God But I shall insist only upon one which I conceive to be one of the most considerable This is that when he doth use severity in judging and punishing his Creature it may appear that his Creature is not simply or barely obnoxious unto punishment that is not only so farr sinful or delinquent to such a degree that he may justly punish him but that he is in the Apostles expression Rom. 92.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is fully or perfectly and every waies prepared or fitted and as it were accomplished for destruction and so for that punishment whatever it be that shall be inflicted on him Neither doth God judge it sufficient for the glory of his Righteousnesse or Justice in his penall Administrations that he may be justified in them as viz. by some exquisite or profound Argument or Plea made on his behalf but that he may be clear when he judgeth that is that the equitie and reasonablenesse of his judgments may appear out of hand and by their own light and as the Sun appeareth unto the World Psal 51.4 Compared with Rom. 3,4 The Scripture in several places and in several veins of notion presenteth God under this Character viz. as listlesse and indisposed and as it were without heart to punish in any degree of severity untill the wickednesse of men be grown to some considerable maturity and height As First Where he compares the degree or proportion of sin wherher in a person or people before which he usually forbeareth to destroy or inflict any severe punishment upon them unto a measure which must be full before he can lift up his hand against them in such away Thus the reason which he gives unto Abraham his Friend why he would not presently settle him or his posterity in the possession of the Land of Canaan was because the sin of the Amorites who were the present inhabitants of this Land with some other Nations was not yet FVLL Gen. 15.16 See also Mat. 23.32 Ezek. 7.23 Dan. 8.23 Nah. 3.1 2 3. c. Secondly Where he signifieth or implyeth that he must find men unexcusable in the way of their sinning before he enters into any district judgment with them See Rom. 1.20 2 1 2. c. Now many gracious vouchsafements from God unto sinful men are requisite to render them inexcusable amongst vvhich the riches of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of his goodnesse forbearance and long-suffering Rom. 3 4 seem to be chief according to that Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for Destruction That is either untill they be fitted or to be sitted or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth compleatly fitted for destruction These two things are here plainly implyed First That without much long-suffering by God sinners are not compleatly fitted for destruction at least not for such a destruction wherein God may make his wrath and power known Secondly That God is not willing that is free or inclined to make his wrath and power known in the destruction of sinners untill they be fully and compleatly prepared for destruction that is untill they have sinned with such an high hand or upon such tearms that nothing can with reason or colour of equity be pleaded why they should not be destroyed Thirdly and lastly That Character of disposition of God we speak of is held forth where he designes the stopping of mens mouths in order to the making of them subject to his judgment That every mouth may be stopped and so all the World become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subject in judgment unto God or subject to the judgment of God as if men were not liable or subject to the judgment of God meaning with that full and through subjection wherein he must find them before he proceeds in judgment against them untill their consciences shall silence their tongues from all pleading for them Rom. 3.19 This is of some affinity with the former See Mat. 22.12 13. So then this may well be a reason why God many times deferreth the visitation or severe punishment of the sins of Fathers untill he finds the Children to the third and fourth Generation walking in the same or like way of iniquity with them The patience of God shewed unto wicked Parents rendreth their Children if they prove wicked also much more obnoxious unto the judgment of God Quest 53.
not hard to judge of these or the greatest part of them by the sins prohibited therein as they were even now named Notwithstanding it may be for the better information of the judgement and awakning of the conscience to give instance in some of the chief of them or su h to the practice and performance whereof we are most frequently called The duties then which God hath judged meet to charge us with in this Commandment are these with others confederate with them To live in some honest and useful calling or employment to be frugal and discreet in our expences not to consume or waste by improvidence or any unthrifty or vicious courses that substance wherewith God hath blessed us in our honest labours nor yet in the mean time through fear of want afterwards to steal from our bellies or backs that which is both by the Law of God and Nature their due I mean things convenient and comfortable to them nor from the poor and needy that which is necessary for their present relief for this is theirs and nothing but what is their due from us Prov. 3.27 and we are but righteous and just when we are merciful So again to borrow only to supply our present occasions these being necessary and warrantable and no more then what we know our selves able at present to repay and accordingly to repay willingly and with thanks what we have borrowed according to promise if we are able if we be not able yet to do what we are able to content and please him that shewed us kindnesse in lending to lend with an eye to the ease and benefit of him that borroweth and so not to use rigor in requiring it again if we be able still to forbear it until he hath reaped the just comfort of it and in case he falleth into poverty and be not able to pay the whole without manifest danger of being undone by it to accept such part of the sum at present as he is well able to pay and to forbear the rest or wholly to forgive it if his poverty be very deep and he not likely to come out of it not to cast poor men into prison for debt nor any that are willing to make due payment of what they owe or as far as they are able not to molest especially peaceable and good men with informations or complaints against them not to persecute them nor to put them to trouble or charge for their conscience not to circumvent over-reach or deceive any man in dealing not to make advantage of the unskilfulnesse ignorance forgetfulnesse over-sight poverty or necessity of any of those with whom we have to do in one kind or other but to deal justly truly clearly and faithfully by all to restore with all fidelity things committed to our trust with goods unlawfully gotten and things found when the right ovvner is known to us to prosecute with diligence care and faithfulnesse any honest cause or businesse which we undertake for another and to undertake none but such not to endanger our estates by surety-ship not to undertake for any person in a greater sum then we are well able to pay to use all Christian moderation in seeking to come by our own and not to put him to more trouble or expence then needs who putteth us to contend with him for the recovery of it not to impair any mans estate by oppression extortion unreasonable exactions for work or service done by robbing stealing wasting or endamaging any thing that belongeth to him but on the contrary as we have opportunity to endeavour to better the condition of every man as far as with reason and a good conscience we may and to preserve from hurt or spoil what is theirs as if it were our own not to inveigle or entise weak and inconsiderate persons unto vain and needlesse expences nor to flatter them in or into an humour of prodigality not to professe practise plead for or uphold any of those impertinent and unprofitable that I say not unlawful arts or crafts rather as of telling fortunes calculating nativities casting figures telling or rather pretending to tell where things lost are to be found c. which are a kind of superstitious stratagem to fetch money out of the purses of poor simple and ignorant people and of no other use or tendency unlesse it be unto matters of a far worse and dangerous import Quest 102. What is the sum of the Ninth Commandment Answ To charge us to refrain all things words gestures and actions tending to impair lessen or wreck either our own or any other mans name and repute in the world and that by all means as far as truth and a good conscience will permit we be careful to maintain and promote both the one and the other Quest 103. What are the more particular sins intended by God to be restrained by this Commandment Answ All neglect and omission of such things upon occasion which are proper and likely either to defend promote or procure either our own or our neighbour's that is any other mans good esteem or reputation in the world is when we are wrongfully accused or lye under a scandalous or evil fame not to beat testimony as occasion and opportunity serve unto our innocency or not to refrain all such actions and wayes if with the salvage of a good conscience we may which are like to feed or strengthen the suspicion or evil report concerning us so not to imploy faithfully and to the best of their service those good gifts and abilities which God hath given us when we have a Call or opportunity to do it so also to detrect or excuse our selves from undertaking such good services which we are well able to perform upon a pretence of insufficiency a diminishing of that esteem or good opinion which others have or gladly would have of us by any indiscreet behaviour rash or unadvised actings offensive walkings as if we be given either on the one hand to boasting or on the other to self-dispraising especially if it be beneath the line of our known worth or to minister occasion unto others to praise us In respect of our Neighbour these and the like are made sins by the commandment before us light or groundless suspicions of evil in him putting hard or uncharitable constructions upon any of his words or actions reporting either of them to his disgrace or contrary to his meaning or intention despising him for his infirmities or making talk of them unto others reviving without any warrantable cause or ground the remembrance of his former miscarriages refusing to stand by him in his cause when we are able to speak that upon knowledge on his behalf which may do him service especially giving in false evidence or information against him setting on foot untrue reports concerning him encouraging those that carry about such reports of him by hearkning unto them intending his disgrace though by speaking the truth all jearing mocking vilifying or deriding