comparison of that we ought to have unto God should be as no love at all comparatively for he is to have all our heart soul strength mind yet 2. Our love to our selves must have the next place for though our love of charity to others must be real yet this charity must begin at home However 3. We are to love our neighbour as our selves not for the degree but for the kind of our love it must be real and hearty and without dissimulation A. 43. The Preface to the Ten Commandments is in these words I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage To. 2. Hom. II. Before he came to the matter that he would specially warn them of and as it were for a Preface to make them to take the better heed unto it Hom. xxi p. 6. The Bishop of Rome left the poor people should know too much he would not let them have as much of Gods word as the Ten Commandments wholly and perfectly withdrawing from the Second Commandment that bewrayeth his impiety by a subtile Sacriledg Expl. 43. Whereas in this Preface God makes use of rational motives to the obedience of his Commands this doth discover 1. The infinite condescention of God who is pleased to inform our judgments of the reasonableness of his Commands before he lays his Commands upon our persons 2. That men should not be unreasonable in their Commands as suppose Parents or other Governours sith God is here pleased to add Reason to his Soveraignty A. 44. The Preface to the Ten Commandments teacheth us That because God is the Lord and our God and Redeemer therefore we are bound to keep all his Commandments To. 1. Hom. V. p. 2. Christ reprov'd the Laws and Traditions made by the Scribes and Pharisees which were not only for good order of the people as the Civil Laws were but they were set up so high that they were made to be right and pure worshipping of God as they had been equal with Gods Laws or above them for many of Gods Laws could not be kept but were fain to give way unto them This arrogancy God detested that man should so advance his Laws to make them equal with Gods Laws wherein the true honouring and right worshipping of God standeth to make his Laws for them to be left off God hath appointed his Laws whereby his pleasure is to be honoured They were not content to have them called by the name of other Temporal Laws but called them holy and godly Traditions and would have them not only esteem'd for a right and true worshipping of God as Gods Laws be indeed but also for the most high honouring of God to which the Commandments of God should give place And for this cause did Christ so vehemently speak against them Expl. 44. In the matter of the Preface we have these things observable 1. That God is therefore the supreme Lawgiver because he is the supreme Lord of the whole Creation As God by vertue of his Soveraignty may himself do with his Creatures what he will by the same right he may command them to do what he will 2. That God can easily enable men to do what he commands them for that very power that commands his creatures into being can also command them into action 3 That the bonds of the Covenant should be as the cords of love and the bands of a man sweetly to draw men to obedience when once we are listed into the number of Gods people by Baptism we are under a more special obligation to obey God not only as our Creator but as our Father 4. That deliverances call for duties and if a corporal deliverance of the Israelites was an obligation upon them to obey the God of Israel much more should that spiritual deliverance from the Egyptian slavery of sin be an obligation upon them to obey God Rules to be observed for the understanding of the Moral Law or the Ten Commandments 1 Rule That Christ the Lawgiver is the best Interpreter of Moses or that the Gospel is the fullest and clearest Interpreter of the Law The Writings of the Prophets are many times good Expositions of the Law of Moses But the Writings of Christ and his Apostles are far more clear and full In reference to Christ we have a known instance in the 5 th of Mat. passim And the Apostles frequently in their Epistles as when we are commanded to shun all occasions of evil to love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and our neighbour without dissimulation and not to defraud him any way c. 2 Rule That the Law is perfect Psal. 19.7 as 1. In it self not admitting of any additional Precepts in the Gospel which are generally obliging to all Christians which were not obliging before that Christ came in the flesh For as for those three Precepts of the Gospel for a man 1. To deny himself 2. To take up his Cross and 3. To follow Christ they are rather interpretations and instances of that honour and love we are to have for Christ as God which is required in the First Command than any additions obliging which did not oblige before nay David himself did in some respect deny himself take up his Cross and follow Christ the middle of these had place when he said The reproaches of those who reproached thee are faln upon me and so Moses deny'd himself and Caleb and Ioshuah followed the Lord fully 2. The Law is perfect in its extent and comprehension in regard of the subject for it doth command the whole Soul in all its powers and faculties for it doth require the understanding to know the judgment to approve that which is good the will to chuse it the memory to retain it and the affections to pursue and enjoy it and upon this account it is said that the Law is spiritual 3 Rule Whatever the Law commands it doth forbid the contrary as when it commands us to honour our Parents it doth forbid us to dishonour them and whatever the Law forbids it commands the contrary as when it forbids us to take the name of God in vain it requires us to use any of the names or titles or ordinances of God with reverence 4 Rule When the Law commandeth a duty as suppose to worship God it doth require us to make use of means occasions motives and encouragements to it and when the Law forbids ex gr worshipping of Images it doth also forbid the occasions appearances and inducements of any evil 5 Rule Where a promise is annexed ex gr that the days may be long in the Land c. there the contrary threatning is included and where a threatning is annexed there the contrary promise is included 6 Rule That the duties of the second table must give place to the indispensable and necessary duties of the first table when they cannot both be performed together as the love of
his indignation P. 2. And though such perjur'd mens falshood he now kept secret yet it shall be open'd at the last day when the secrets of all mens hearts shall be open'd to all the world Almighty God will be a swift witness against them and the curse shall enter into the house of the false and perjur'd man Expl. 56. In the reason of the command 't is intimated 1. That God in a special manner is the avenger of those that abuse his name 2. The certainly of this vengeance 3. That men are apt to be remiss in punishing this Sin A. 57. The fourth Commandment is Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattel nor the stranger that is within thy gate For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it Expl. 57. This command being the fourth in order is the last of the first Table or of those commands which do concern piety towards God and in the amplification of it doth require charity and mercy towards man especially towards inferiours as Son Daughter Servant c. and therefore in requiring both duties of piety and mercy it doth as it were glew both the Tables of the Law together As to the matter of the Command 1. Here is a Preface to be noted Remember as if God should have said though you should forget all the other Nine Commands which I would not have you to do neither yet be sure you forget not this In which Remember there is imply'd 1. The importance of the Command that it doth import no less than the whole Religion and duty of man towards God and therefore to be remembred 2. The aptness of men to forget this Command both because the doctrine of it is not to be learnt from the light of nature at least not so clearly as the other Commands and because the duties of it do much cross the grain with corrupt nature 2 dly The thing to be remembred is the Sabbath-day or that day of Rest which God has appointed from all manner of employment and business except works of duty to God charity to man and of absolute necessity relief or mercy towards the inferiour creatures How it is to be remembred we have in the next A. A. 58. The fourth Commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set-times as he hath appointed in his Word expresly one whole day in seven to be a holy Sabbath unto himself To. 2. Hom. VIII It appeareth to be Gods good-will and pleasure that we should at special times and in special places gather our selves together to the intent his name might be renowned and his glory set forth in the Congregation and Assembly of his Saints And therefore by this Commandment we ought to have time as one day in the week wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawful and needful works Expl. 58. 'T is in this A. expressed in the general how the Sabbath is to be kept holy as also any other day as suppose of Fasting or Thanksgiving which man doth appoint according to Gods will Now to sanctifie a day and particularly the Sabbath is to employ it wholly and solely to that use for which it is sanctified or set apart by God whether it be in reference to the publick or private exercises of Religion And it must be the whole Sabbath-day yet with a merciful respect to nature and the constitution of mens bodies for God will have mercy and not sacrifice beginning at the dawning of the day because Christ the Sun of Righteousness then rose and it is to continue till midnight for so long was Paul engaged in Sabbath-exercises Act. 20. 7 10. This is the time required by this Law but if men have not strength of body to continue so long so there be in them a willing mind God will accept of what strength they have and not what they have not A. 59. From the beginning of the world to the Resurrection of Christ God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath and the first day of the week ever since to continue to the end of the World which is the Christian Sabbath To. 2. Hom. VIII Remember saith God that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day upon which day as it is plain in Act. 13. the people accustomably resorted together and heard diligently the Law and the Prophets read among them And albeit this Commandment doth not bind Christian people as touching the precise keeping the seventh day after the manner of the Iews for we keep now the first day which is our Sunday Dominical or Lords-day and make that our Sabbath i. e. our day of rest in honour of our Saviour Christ who as upon that day rose from death conquering it triumphantly yet notwithstanding whatsoever is found in the Commandment appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needful for the setting forth of Gods glory it ought to be retained and kept of all good Christian people If we will be children of our heavenly Father we must be careful to keep the Christian Sabbath which is the Sunday i. e. Dominical or Lords-day not only for that it is Gods express Commandment but also to declare our selves to be loving children in following the example of our gracious Lord and Father This Example and Commandment of God the godly Christian people began to follow immediately after the ascension of our Lord Christ chusing a standing day not the Seventh which the Iews kept but the Lords-day the day of the Lords Resurrection the day after the Seventh day which is the First day of the week Expl. 59. The old Sabbath as we see by this A. was the seventh day of the week in order that is the Iews did observe our Saturday for their seventh-day-Sabbath and the reason of it is expressed in the command sc. God rested from Creation-work that day But the morality or indispensable and perpetual obligation of this command doth not necessarily require the seventh in order for that is Ceremonious and abrogated together with the Iewish Sabbath but it doth necessarily require the keeping holy of a seventh day for number or a seventh part of the week to be spent in Sabbath-duties which seventh part is now by the Resurrection of Christ upon the first day and by his own immediate authority or by that which he gave to his Apostles fixt upon that first day now commonly called our Sunday or Dominical i. e. Lords-day and no other even to the end of the world Though there be no express mention made of this change from the last to the first
way disgracing them as Absalom did his fathers government and as Cham did in discovering his fathers nakedness Much more 6 here are forbidden all cursing of them and bitter railing at them 7 All such carriage in Children as does not redound by way of reflection as well as what does not tend directly to the Parents honour A. 66. The Reason annexed to the fifth Commandment is a promise of long life and prosperity as far as it shall serve for Gods glory and their own good to all such as keep this Commandment To. 1. Hom. X. p. 3. By obedience to our superiours shall we please God and have the exceeding benefit peace of conscience rest and quietness here in this world and after this life enjoy a better life To. 2. Hom. XXI p. 3. Good and obedient Subjects are in Gods favour and be partakers of peace quietness and security with other God's manifold blessings in this world and by his mercies through our Saviour Christ of life everlasting also in the world to come Expl. 66. In the general we have one great reason from the promise of prosperity and long life particularly annexed to this Command in which promise there are two things 1 The peculiarity of the blessing promised to the obedience of this Command for obedient children may be sure of the blessing promised when it may be a blessing 2 The greatness of the blessing for of all temporal blessings 't is the greatest sc. life and then here is that which is so sweet to nature in this life 't is long life and prosperous withal otherwise it would not be a blessing Yet more particularly obedience to Parents is indispensable because 1 God requires it in the next place to that which he claimeth for himself and has therefore plac'd this Law next to the Commands of the first Table 2 The Law of Nature doth in a peculiar manner require this in all Nations even the most blind and barbarous yea instinct of Nature in the brute creatures doth teach them some kind of respect to their Sires and Damms A. 67. The sixth Commandment is Thou shalt not kill Expl. 67. The fifth Command did concern special duties to special persons sc. the obedience of Children towards their Parents but this Command doth reach all persons in general and the end of it is not only to preserve mans life but humanity it self and therefore this Thou in the prohibition doth forbid murder to all persons A. 68. The sixth Commandment requireth all lawful endeavours to preserve our own life and the life of others Hom. V. p. 3. Cast in your minds how you may do good unto all men unto your power and hurt no man Oppress not beat not neither hate a 〈…〉 but help and succour every man as you may yea even your enemies that hate you that speak evil of you and that do hurt you Hom. VI. Cherish good and harmless men and encourage with rewards to do well Expl. 68. Now in order to this end these things may be very helpful 1 Humanity or a general respect of kindness towards all whether in offices of love or of pity 2 A slowness to anger after the example of God whom we so much provoke and this is called lenity or meekness of spirit for which Moses was so eminent 3 A study to be quiet both outwardly from all brawling and contention and inwardly from all revengeful thoughts purposes passions as also a diligent care in outward demeanour to avoid all occasions temptations and practices which do tend to stir up wrath 4 Placableness or an easiness to be reconciled and to forget and to forgive injuries and affronts 5 A readiness to use all lawful and proper means to defend our own or neighbours life as we are called to it by the Law of Nature Humanity and Religion as we are in a capacity to do it 6 Such a chearfulness of spirit as tends to the health of the body 7 Christian temperance and moderation in the use of the creatures in bodily labour and lawful recreations 8 A conscientious care to use such Physick as is prescribed by those who are skilful therein which is either for the preservation or recovery of health 9 Care to save our own and others souls A. 69. The sixth Commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life or the life of our neighbour unjustly and whatsoever tendeth thereunto To. 2. Hom. XXI p. 3. Robberies and murthers of all sins are most loathed of most men being against the second Table of Gods Law To. 1. Hom. VI. Delay not rebukes and punshments of those that offend but give them in due time lest they fall headlong Expl. 69. Here 1 Negatively This Command forbids not 1 All kind of war for some is lawful 2 Nor the execution of publick justice in capital punishments upon capital offenders 3 Nor self-defence against violence in some cases 4 Nor moderate anger where there is just cause as ex gr in the case of reproof and upon the like warrantable occasions But 2 Positively Here is forbidden 1 Self-murther both direct as a mans hanging drowning stabbing c. himself indirect as surfeiting drunkenness and the neglect of any lawful means for the preservation or repair of health as of meat drink physick c. 2 Murder of our neighbour 1 Directly when wittingly and out of hatred and without a just call a man doth either by himself or by means of another take away the life of his neighbour 2 Murtherous thoughts and hatred of him without a cause 3 All inhumanity and unmercifulness or want of compassion 4 All neglect of or the withdrawing of our lawful defence 5 All quarrelsom broyls and brawlings 6 All Duels because in this case men wrest the Sword of Justice out of the Magistrates hand that they may carve out justice or rather revenge for themselves 7 All provoking speeches and behaviour A. 70. The seventh Commandment is Thou shalt not commit adultery Hom. XI By the which Adultery although it be properly understood of the unlawful commixtion or joining together of a married man with any woman beside his wife or of a wife with any man beside her husband yet thereby is signified also all unlawful use of those parts which be ordained for generation Expl. 70. As the former precept did concern the life so this doth concern the chastity of our neighbour And as natural and regular self-love should be the rule and standard of our love to our neighbour according to which we are to act in the preservation of his life so that love we ought to have to our selves and that care we ought to have for the preservation of our own chastity we ought also to have for the preservation of our neighbours chastity otherwise we do not love our neighbour as our selves A. 71. The seventh Commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbours chastity
in heart speech and behaviour To. 1. Hom. XI Christ doth not only establish the Law against Adultery and make it of full force but teacheth us an exact and full perfection of purity and cleanness of life both to keep our bodies undefiled and our hearts pure and free from all evil thoughts carnal desires and fleshly consents Expl. 71. Here is 1 something required in the general and that is the utmost endeavours to preserve chastity amongst all persons and that honourable state of marriage from all the lusts of uncleanness for as well the bodies of others as our own are or should be the consecrated Temples of the Holy Ghost and therefore are not to be defiled by the sacrilegious and abominable lusts of filthiness 2 In particular for this chastity is required 1 In heart or soul as it comprehends all the powers and faculties thereof with all the inward actings of these as 1 That in the understanding the thoughts be pure chast and clean and that whatever things are honest in order to the preservation of chastity we think on these things 2 That the will do make its choice accordingly 3 That the memory be a faithful Register only of the rules and laws and examples of modesty and chastity and not to keep the Records of lust nor to be Master of the Rowls to the spirit of uncleanness 4 That nothing be represented upon the stage of fancy but what doth become godliness and honesty 5 That the affections do hug and embrace nothing that is defiled with the impurity of lust 2 dly Here is required chastity in speech that mens discourse and communication be such as doth tend to promote and preserve good manners to credit the Gospel and to give good example to others especially the younger sort of people as the Holy Ghost that Spirit of purity has left us an example of purity in speech when he speaks only of that which considered in it self has nothing of guilt but only something of that natural shame upon it which was bequeathed to us by our first Parents ex gr he knew her he covered his feet c. Iudg. 3.24 1 Sam. 1.19 3 dly In behaviour that our gestures postures garb apparel company dyet and whole demeanour be such both before God and men as becomes the purity of that Gospel which does not only teach to deny worldly but also to abstain from all fleshly lusts to avoid the appearance of them and to hate the very garment spotted with the flesh A. 72. The seventh Commandment forbiddeth all unchast thoughts words and actions To. 1. Hom. V. p. 2. Commit no manner of adultery fornication or other unchastness in will nor in deed with any other mans wife widow or maid Hom. XI Here is whoredome fornication and all other uncleanness forbidden to all kinds of people all degrees and all ages without exception Expl. 72. 1 By unchast thoughts we are to understand all impure and unchast motions of the Soul in any of its faculties as also all the cherishing and indulging of these inwardly and secretly as by consent allowance keeping them in mind with delight and acting them in the fancy 2 In unchast words is here forbidden all kind of Ribaldry Bawdry Balladry Romances and Love-songs and all such wanton discourses as are either plainly unchast or at least immodest and such as do not become the tongues or pens of those who profess godliness or at the best are such as have a direct tendency to the violation of modesty if not of chastity 3 By actions we are to understand not only all acts of uncleanness as adultery fornication sodomy bestiality self-pollution c. but also all that which doth open a gap to any lusts of uncleanness as polygamy unlawful marriages divorces and dispensations all stews and naughty houses all undue delays of marriage where there is not the gift of continence all wanton dalliance dancings plays and all such painting of the face or pampering of the body which have a natural tendency to inflame or provoke filthy lust A. 73. The eighth Commandment is Thou shalt not steal Expl. 73. This command concerns the goods as the next does the good name of our neighbour A. 74. The eighth Commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of our selves and others Hom. V. Bestow your own goods charitably which you get duly as need and case requireth Hom. VI. Bear good will and heart unto every man to use our selves well unto them as well in words and countenances as in all our outward acts and deeds Expl. 74. As in all the commands which concern our neighbour the grand principle is to be love to him so in all but especially here the rule of our duty must be that golden rule of righteousness do as you would be done by Now next to the promoting of our own estate or welfare in the world we must endeavour our neighbours welfare we must not only love him as our selves but we must in the general be careful to promote or preserve his estate as our own by all honest and lawful means more particularly here is required 1. Personal cared about a mans own estate or goods for charity begins at home 2. Truth and faithfulness about what is committed to our charge by others 3. Commutative justice between man and man in bargaining contracting buying and selling and in rendring to every one his due and in due time as also in borrowing bartering chaffering and changing 4. Restitution of what we wrongfully detain of anothers goods either to the person from whom they are detain'd or to his heirs and executors if we be able or else to acknowledg our fault to them and to beg their pardon 5. Lending freely and not looking for any thing again especially where interest is to the impoverishing of our neighbour 6 Charity to the relief of the poor 7. Hospitality to strangers 8. Diligence and faithfulness in an honest calling not only that a man may provide for himself or his friends or family but that he may have to give to him that needeth 9. That all this be done with singleness of heart as to the Lord Christ and with love to others as to our selves A. 75. The eighth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbours wealth and outward estate To. 2. Hom. XXI Thefts and robberies are most pernicious to society Hom. XVII p. 2. So many as increase themselves by usury by extortion by perjury by stealth by deceits and craft they have their goods of the Devils gift Expl. 75. This Command in the general doth forbid all that doth hinder the end of this Command which is the preservation of Livelihood in order to the sustentation of life whether our own or others and consequently all that which doth hinder the performance of the foremention'd duties doth directly tend to
the neglect of them Particularly it doth forbid 1. inwardly and that 1. all covetous desires of what is not our own heart-deceit cheating contrivance though never executed 2. All overvaluing worldly things 3. Envy at the prosperity of another because he is richer than we 4. All over-eager pursuit of worldly things confidence in them distracting cares about them and inordinate grief for the loss of them 5. All discontentedness with our present lot and condition 2. Outwardly 1. all kind of robbery and stealth whether by force or fraud and hither may be refer'd 1. That common practise amongst some of men-stealing as also the enticing away of Servants from their Masters 2. The receiving and buying of stoln goods the receiver is worse and the buyer little better than a thief when he knows or suspects them to be stoln 3 False weights measures lights removing of land-marks c. 4. All monopolies to raise the price 5. All kind of cheating by game and here many times the sin is double sc. the game it self and cheating by it or any such like jugling by sleight of hand 6. All cosenage in words 7. All acts of unfaithfulness in contracts bargains or in matters of trust publick or private 8. Sacriledg or the taking away of that which is devoted to pious uses together with all unjust alienations 9 Needless protracting of Law-suits 10. All such engagements as by suretiship c. are to a mans own prejudice 11. All forestalling of markets and hoarding up against a dearth to the prejudice of the publick 12. All injustice in any kind whether by griping usury oppression or any other unlawful way A. 76. The ninth Commandment is Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour Expl. 76. For the government of the tongue in reference to God we have the third Commandment and for the guidance of it in reference to our selves and others we have this Commandment for though our neighbour here be only mention'd yet our selves must not be exclued and therefore regular self-care for our own good name is to be the rule of our care to preserve his good name A. 77. The ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man and of our own and our neighbours good name especially in witness bearing To. 1. Hom. XII p. 3. If we be good and quiet Christian men let it appear in our tongues If we have forsaken the devil let us use no more devilish tongues Expl. 77. The scope and drift of this Commandment most directly and expresly is the preservation of truth but in subordination to the preservation of love to our neighbour there being nothing that doth tend more to the violation of this affection than the belying of him The general duty therefore which this Commandment requires in reference to our neighbour is to speak the truth in love yet more particularly as this Command is broken so it is to be kept both inwardly and outwardly 1. Inwardly and then it doth require 1 love both to the truth and to our neighbour because this twofold love is a good means for the preservation of our neighbours good name 2. An high and just value and esteem of our neighbours credit and reputation 3. Charitable thoughts concerning him 'till we have grounds to the contrary 4. Willingness to hear well and unwillingness to hear ill of him 5. A hearty rejoicing at good and sorrowing for evil reports of him 2 dly Outwardly is required 1 Silence concerning our neighbour or the not revealing of secrets when either his good name or a mans own good conscience is in danger to be prejudiced thereby for to reveal a secret where the concealing of it is not either much to the damage of others or of the party who would have it kept a secret would be a violation both of Christian fidelity and of humane society and of the laws of friendship 2. Here is outwardly required our just defence of our neighbour by speaking well of him 1 so far as the truth of the matter will bear it 2 As we have a fit opportunity And 3 a due call to speak on his behalf but especially in witness bearing before a Magistrate for in such a case a man is to say the whole truth or all that is material even in circumstances themselves for the just vindication of his neighbours good name and nothing but the truth not that which is partly true and partly false 2. To do as well as speak what we can according to our place and capacity and to use our utmost interest for his defence though there might be something of pains charge or hazzard in such Christian and neighbourly endeavours 3. That a man do discourage and rebuke tale-bearers flatterers slanderers and false accusers especially when we observe that what they say is from malice prejudice and bitterness and hath very little of probability in the matter A. 78. The ninth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth or injurious to our own or our neighbours good name To. 1. Hom. XII p. 3. He that hath been a malicious slanderer now let him be a loving comforter He that hath abused his tongue in evil speaking now let him use it in speaking well All bitterness anger railing and blasphemy let it be avoided from you Expl. 78. More particularly here is forbidden something 1 st Inwardly as 1 All uncharitable and censorious thoughts concerning our neighbour for we are to love our neighbour and charity thinketh no evil 2 All supercilious and disdainful thoughts as of the meanness of his person the weakness of his parts gifts c. 3 All ungrounded suspitions and over-credulousness or a readiness to open the ear to any body that shall but open his mouth against him 4 All such inordinate passions as hatred wrath c. are suitable to such a bad and unchristian temper of mind 2 dly Outwardly is here forbidden 1 False testimony against him whether privately unto some private person in our discourse or publickly bâ—fore a Magistrate when a man is to speak or to swear in truth judgment and righteousness 2 The suborning or procuring of others to be false witnesses against him 3 Pleading for an evil cause for this is to defend injustice and to be the Devils advocate 4 Uncharitable censures 5 Unjust verdicts and sentences 6 Any kind of endeavours to suppress or hinder the course of justice and truth by undue silence 7 Speaking the truth unseasonably especially when it tends to detraction reproach and slander for to report the sins of others without just cause is really a reproach as from the reporter though the matter be true if it be done without malice and in order to his reformation such report is not sinful because here only a less good is neglected for procuring a greater Yet is it no defamation to speak of anothers mans failings when they are the common