third Qualification is that of Relation Duties in respect to Relation and of this there are divers sorts as First that of a Debtor to a Creditor and of an oblig'd Person to his Benefactor and in both these Particulars we are bound by the strictest ties of Justice and Gratitude Not to pay our just Gratitude to Benefactors the contrary too common Debts when we are able is a Vice almost unpardonable and 〈◊〉 be ungrateful to a Benefactor however common it may be in this unthankful Age is an Act the most sordidly base and disingenieus PARTITION XIV Of Duty to Magistrates Pastors Of the Duty of Parents to Children c. Of Childrens Duty to Parents I Come now to the Duty to Parents nearest kind of Relations and in the first Rank of those I place our Duty to Parents whether Civil Spiritual or Natural The Civil Parent is To the Supream Magistrate Honour he who by a just right possesses the Throne and to him we owe Honour and Reverence we are to look upon him as a Person upon whom God has stamp'd a great deal of his own Power and Authority and upon no Account to speak evil of him or revile him Next we owe him our Tribute which we are to pay him with the utmost both of Justice and Freedom Thirdly Tribute Prayers and Obedience We are to Pray for him that God would direct and assist him in all his Undertakings And Fourthly We owe him a solemn and strict Obedience which both the Laws of God and Nature have commanded us to observe wiâ—â— the most awful and religious Submission The second sorts of Parents aâ—â— the Spiritual viz. thâ— Ministers of Godâ— Duties to our Pastors Word and such aâ— are entrusted with the Salvation of Souls to them we owe the highest Love and Kindness we are oblig'd to esteem and value them as our best and truest Friends we are likewise to contribute to their Maintenance Love Esteem Maintenance Obedience and Prayer and withaâ— to look upon them aâ— Gods Messengers and upon that Account tâ— behave our selves 〈◊〉 them with a great deal of distance and respect and to put up our earnest Prayers to God for them that he would grant them the assistance of his Spirit to enable them rightly to discharge their Holy Calling The third sort of Parent is the Natural Duties to our Natural Parent by which is meant the Fathers of our â—lesh Towards these â—e are to demean our Reverence Love c. â—â—lves with Reverence and Humility and â—pon no Account to contemn or â—â—spise them either in our outward â—ehaviour or in our Hearts we we them our most ardent Love and â—nderest Affection and ought to â—â—hor every thing that can give them the least Cause of Grief or â—isquiet We owe likewise Obedience â—r Obedience to all â—e Commands of our Parents that â—â—e not opposite to the Laws of â—od and cannot violate them â—â—thout exposing our selves to the Punishments he has so often denounc'd in Scripture against disobedient Children Children are not to Marry without the Children not to Marry without the Consent of their Parents Consent of their Parents every Child is so much the Right and Possession of his Parent that he muâ—â— be guilty of Theft to dispose 〈◊〉 himself without his Consent We are likewise bound according to 〈◊〉 Abilities to suppâ—â— their Wants and 〈◊〉 To provide for their Wants Duties to the worst of Parents administer to them 〈◊〉 any kind of Extremity and all this is 〈◊〉 be done even to thâ— worst of Parents But as there aâ—â— many things due froâ— Duties of Parents to Children the Child to the â—â—rent so there are soâ—â— from the Parent 〈◊〉 the Child The Parent is obligâ— to nourish and sustain the Chiâ—â— till he comes of Age to do it himself he is likewise to take Care for his Soul by bringing him early to the To bring them to Baptism to educate them Sacrament of Baptism and by having him timely instructed in the Principles of Religion and educated in the true Faith and Fear of God and as a Means to improve his Education too he is Means towards their Education to encourage and correct him and to use all wise and gentle Means in order to impress upon him a timely Sence of Vertue and good Morals Thirdly The Parent The Parent to watch over the Childs Soul is to watch over the Soul of his Child after he comes to years of Maturity and as often as he finds occasion to exhort encourage and reprove him he is likewise to take Care of his outward To provide for their Sustenance State by providing him with a suitable Condition of Life but above all he is to lay before him a good Example To give them good Example and to make his own Life a fit Pattern for him from whence he may transcribe the true Rules of Vertue Honour Honesty and Godliness and then he is to Bless him and Pray To Bless them and to give them no unreasonable Commands for him and to recommend him often to God's Care and Protection And besides all this too he must be extreamly careful that all the Commands he laies upon him are just and reasonable and in all respects utterly distant from all sorts of harshness or severity PARTITION XV. Of Duties to our Brethren and Relations Husband Wife Friends Masters Servants THE second sort Duties to Brethren Natural Love of Relation is that of a Brother which we may take in a double Sence either Natural or Spiritual I begin with the First the Duties between Natural Brethren I mean such that are of the same immediate Parents And the Duty of these is to have united Hearts and Affections to love one another with great Tenderness and Sincerity and to do their utmost to promote their mutual Good and Happiness This is a Duty so necessary in all The necessity of Love among Brethren Points that without â—t no Family where there is any number of Brothers and Sisters can propose any tolerable Ease or Satisfaction The second sort are Spiritual Brethren Spiritual Brethren under which Notion are comprehended all those that are baptiz'd in the same Faith and Church with our selves and to all these our Compassion is to be the most melting and affectionate with these we are to profess and defend the Faith of Christ Crucify'd and to communicate with 'em in Our Duty to hold Communion with them To bear their Infirmities to restore them after falls and to sympathize with them all Holy Offices we are to bear with their Infirmities and in a friendly manner to admonish and reprove 'em and by fair and gentle Methods to endeavour to bring them to Repentance after they are fall'n We are to sympathize with them in all their Agonies and Distresses whether of Soul Mind or Body The third Relation is that between Husband The
Wife owes to the Husband Obedience Fidelity and Love and Wife this is the nearest Relation of all and yet there are several respective Duties which they owe to each other for the Wife in the first Place she owes her Husband Obedience which God has strictly commanded her to pay him in all things that are Just and Lawful she owes him Fidelity both to his Bed and his worldly Affairs she owes him likewise her Love and is bound to behave her self to him with the greatest friendliness and sweetness And this she is The faults of the Husband acquit her not from these Duties to do notwithstanding his faults which will by no means acquit her of any of these Duties There are likewise Duties from the Husband to the Wife Love several Duties owing from the Husband to the Wife the First Is Love by which he is enjoin'd to treat her with the utmost Tenderness and Compassion not to behave himself to her with any manner of harshness or severity but to use her in all respects as a part of himself Secondly He owes Fidelity to her Bed this Faithfulness to her Bed is as much the Husbands Duty as the Wife 's and the breach of it in either is an Act of Uncleanness and Perjury Thirdly He is bound to do his endeavour To maintain and instruct her to provide for her and to suffer her freely to partake of all his outward Blessings and amongst the rest of his Duties he is chiefly to take Care of the Salvation of her Soul and to instruct her as far as her need requires in the Principles of Honesty and Religion In brief Husbands and Wives are mutually Husbands Wives bound to pray for and assist each other bound to Pray for each other and to their utmost to propagate their Reciprocal Good and Happiness The true Ends of The true Ends of Marriage to be consulted and unlawful Marriages to be avoided Marriage are likewise to be consulted in which Case the Ornaments of the Mind are sooner to be chosen then either Wealth or Beauty or any other outward Appendage above all the rest unlawful Marriages are to be avoided 't is a Holy State and should never be enter'd into but according to the Direction of the Church Reverently Advisedly Soberly and in the Fear of God The next thing is Friendship which is Friendship with its Duties of that common good and concern that humane Life would be but a wretched thing Faithfulness Assistance Admonition Prayer Constancy without it the Duties of it are many but the most material are Faithfulness in our Trusts Assistance either with respect to our Souls or Bodies to our Souls especially in admonishing us of our faults which is the highest and most exalted Act of Friendship that can pass between Man and Man Prayer is the next Duty and after that Constancy and all these together render a Friend an inestimable Jewel The Last Relation is that between Masters and Servants and these too are mutually engag'd to each other The Servant is bound to obey Servants owe to their Masters Obedience Fidelity Submission Diligence his Master's just Commands and to execute them with Freedom and Satisfaction he owes him likewise an universal Fidelity in all his Concerns and is oblig'd by all the Rules of Modesty and good Manners to bear his Rebukes and Reprehensions with Submission and to discharge his Trust in every Particular with Diligence and Application The Masters on the other side owe to Masters owe to their Servants Justice Admonition Means of Instruction Moderation in Command Encouragement their Servants Justice in providing them with convenient Food and paying them their Wages as also Admonitions and Reproofs with regard as well to their Sins and Offences against God as Faults against themselves They owe 'em likewise good Example that is they are to make their own Lives and Actions a fit President for them to walk by they are to allow them opportunities for Instruction and convenient time for the Publick Worship of God moreover they are to command them with Prudence and Moderation to encourage their well doing and to treat their Faithfulness Diligence and Piety with a great deal of Kindness and Bounty PARTITION XVI Other Branches of our Duty to our Neighbour Of Charity to Men's Souls Bodies Goods and Credit THE next Duty Charity in the Affection to our Neighbour is Charity this is a Duty which the Blessed JESUS himself has solemnly enjoyn'd in his Holy Gospel and may be considered two Ways either in our Affections or Actions and First The Charity of Affections is such an universal Kindness that inclines us to wish well to the Soul Body Goods and Credit of all Mankind To their Souls in the first Place and to To Men's Souls Bodies Goods and Credit them we cannot sure but wish well when we consider that Christ thought their Ransome worth the Price of his own Blood we owe next all the good we can to the Bodies of Men this is an high Article of our Charity and without it we can never come up to that golden Rule of loving our Neighbour as our selves His Goods and his Credit are likewise to be very dear and precious to us and we are bound to propagate his Interest and Reputation and to esteem them upon all Accounts equal to our own This kind of Charity naturally begets The Effects of this Charity in us a quiet and peaceable Mind and a Compassion and Tenderness towards others it creates in us a Joy for their Prosperity and excites us to Pray for 'em and to importune Almighty God in their It casts out Envy Pride Censoriousness Dissembling Self-love and Revenge behalf besides all these too it guards our Minds against all sort of Envy or Revenge keeps down our Pride and impresses deep upon us the Grace of Humility it destroys Censoriousness and curbs the rashness of our Judgment suppresses Dissimulation and banishes and subverts all feign'd and pretended Kindness it casts away all Self-love and mercenary Designs and intirely roots out of our Minds all manner of Ranchor and Malice Nay this Charity goes further according The Motives to it Christ's Commands and the example of God to the Doctrine and Example of our Blessed Lord it extends it self even to our Enemies and what can be a greater Motive to it then to find it so solemnly commanded and enforc'd by God's own President This is a Subject well becoming our This Charity to extend even to Enemies serious Consideration and should put us in mind methinks to ballance our Sins against God with the Offences of our Brethren against our selves and would we do that we should find the first so much outweigh the last that from a fair Comparison we must needs judge our selves very unworthy to expect God should Pardon us The Disproportion of our Offences against God compar'd with Men's against us for so many great
THE Whole Duty OF MAN Epitomiz'd FOR THE Benefit of the POOR With Select Prayers suited to every Partition â—y Edm. Stacy a Minister of the Church of England â—ear God and keep his Commandments for this is the Whole Duty of Man Eccles 12. 13. LONDON â—â—inted for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey 1700. To the Right Honourable Sir Richard Levit Lord Mayor Elect And the Honourable Charles Duncomb and Jeffery Jefferies Esquires Sheriffs of the City of London c. IF there be any thing that can excuse my Presumption in putting Three such great Names to this little Book it must be the Sincerity of my Intention for the Interest of Religion For the Doctrines it contains I need say no more than that they are faithfully Collected from that incomparable Author the Whole Duty of Man a Book to speak in Dr. Hammond's Words that has all the Advantages which with Gods Blessing can render it fit for the Salvation of Mankind My Design in drawing it into this little Volume I have already mentioned in the Title viz. For the Benefit of the Poor and who so fit to recommend it to them as those very Persons to whom the Government of this great City is entrusted your Names your Characters and your Authority together must needs stamp a Repute upon it and render it acceptable even to this sin ful Age. I am sensible there 's neither of you can be any Friend to the common Vanity of Complement and therefore to bespeak your Acceptance of these few Sheets I shall Address my Self to your gracious God that under the shadow of your Protection he would bless this Epitomy to the Conversion of many Souls Alas we live in a World wherein Vertue has almost lost her Prerogative Religion has few true Friends and will have fewer still â—ill Men can be persuaded to consiâ—er the Necessity and Advantage of â—t and how far this little Book â—ay contribute towards that End is â—tterly out of my Power to deterâ—ine I know I have put it into good â—ands and so I humbly leave it â—ith you with this Assurance that â—hatever you do in the behalf of â—iety and Charity will be doubly â—ac'd to your Account in the Reâ—ords of Eternity and entitle you 〈◊〉 Rewards as large as your Merits â—d as lasting as your Souls And now there remains no more â—t to beseech you to accept this â—â—tle Book and Pardon the unworâ—y Author who amongst many oâ—ers that Congratulate your Acâ—ssion to your respective Stations 〈◊〉 one of the first that has thus venâ—r'd to do it in Publick Your high Qualifications have â—awn after you many Hearts and â—any ardent Wishes and Mine in a more Particular manner than thâ— rest who am with the utmost D 〈…〉 stance and Regard may it plea 〈…〉 your Honours Your most obedient Servant E. Stacâ— THE PREFACE OVR Inimitable Author has propos'd the Care of our Souls as the grand Proparatory to the Whole Duty of Man and indeed I cannot better recommend the Epitomy of his Book then by telling you in his Words that the carelesness of our Souls is the Root of all the Sin we commit so that unless we would be perswaded to consider the Condition of our Souls all Lectures of Religion must be utterly lost upon us The Design of this little Book will admit of but a very short Preface and therefore I shall only tell the Reader that his Soul being infinitely the most â—valuable of any thing that he has beside has the greatest Title to his Care both in Point of Reason and Justice This is what we find confirm'd in the Accounts of all Wise Men who still value every thing more or less as it imports to their Interest or Happiness Our Souls therefore being our chiefesâ— Good it concerns us very nearly tâ— consult their Preservation and how that 's to be done is the Design of the following Sheets I hope it will not be expected 〈◊〉 should say any thing in Apology for this undertaking If the thing be done aâ— it ought to be it must needs be of general good the Reader indeed woulâ— do well to observe that though my Brevity c. has generally compell'd mâ— to use my own Words yet the Meaning and Method of the Author are all along carefully preserv'd For the Whole Duty of Man it self 't is indeed a most compleat System oâ— Religion and therefore highly fit to bâ— often read over at large by all whosâ— Time and Circumstances will allow it This Epitomy is only design'd tâ— supply those Deficiencies and for thâ— Assistance of bad Memories in brief 't is intended chiefly for the Benefit of the Poor and to them I refer it c. THE Whole Duty OF MAN Epitomiz'd c. PARTITION I. the Duty of Man by the Light of Nature and Scripture His Duty to God Himself and his Neighbour His Duty to God of Faith the Promises of Hope of Love of Fear of Trust THE Incarnation of our Blessed Lord is without doubt a sufficient warrant for the Salva 〈…〉 n of our Souls if we perform the Conditions annext to it which 〈◊〉 in general to use our honest endea 〈…〉 vours to obey the whole Will 〈◊〉 God according as we have it co 〈…〉 vey'd to us by the Light of Nature and the Light of the Holâ— Scriptures The Light of Nature in the first pla 〈…〉 Of the Light of Nature is a Light which Goâ— has stampt upon o 〈…〉 very Souls by the guidance 〈◊〉 which without the help of Scri 〈…〉 ture mere Natural Conscience wou 〈…〉 direct us in the performance 〈◊〉 several Duties Such as are 〈◊〉 Worship a God to be Just one 〈◊〉 another and to Honour our P 〈…〉 rents and the like The Light of Scri 〈…〉 tures is a far mo 〈…〉 Of the Light of Scripture Divine Light wheâ— in God hath laid b 〈…〉 fore us both his Commands aâ— Precepts to be the general Rulâ— and Grounds of our Duty The general Rules of the Du 〈…〉 of every Christian are brie 〈…〉 comprehended under these three Heads The three great Branches of Mans Duty our Duty to God our Selves and our Neighbours and those three I intend for the Subject of the following Discourse The Foundation of our Duty to God is Duty to God grounded chiefly upon our acknowledging him to be God and then admitting of no other And first by acknowledging Acknowledging him to be God him to be a God we are to believe him to be an Infinite Glorious Being without either beginning or end both Father Son and Holy Ghost God blessed for ever We are likewise to To believe him in his Attributes believe him in his Attributes to be a God of Mercy Justice and Power that he sees and knows all things and disposes every Event according to his Will and that he can never cease to be other than perfectly Good Merciful and Just The believing him to be our God
Bodies but above all for the sending his Son to redeem us and the Holy Ghost to comfort us and for all other his Favours vouchsaf'd to us in his Word and Sacraments These are the several sorts of Prayer to be used both Publick and Private Publick Prayer in the Church and in the Family The Publick use of them is first in the Church from whence we must not absent our selves without some necessary Cause and Secondly In our own Families where every Master is strictly bound to call his Children and Servants to thâ— daily exercise of them Private Prayer is call'd so because we Private Prayer use it in Secret where we have an oppotunity to be more particular than 〈◊〉 convenient in Publick and upon nâ—â— account or pretence whatsoever 〈◊〉 to be omitted Prayer is a Duty that requireâ— a frequent performance by none seldomer then Evening and Morning we Frequent Prayer very advantageous should always begin and end the Day with our Addresses to Almighty God oftner if we have any conveniency and indeed did we consider the advantages of Prayer we should think it great Wisdom to use it as frequently as possible For First 'T is a It s Honour Benefit and Pleasantness great Honour that such mean and contemptible Wretches as we are should be admitted but to speak to the great God of Heaven and Earth and then 't is a Benefit the highest that can be Imagin'd Prayer being that immediate â—ource of all the Advantages we either want or wish besides 't is a â—leasant Duty in it self and to a â—ruly Pious and Devout Mind it â—ffords abundance of substantial Deâ—ight and Satisfaction The Carnal Minds indeed can â—iscover none of these Advantages the Pleasures of the the Flesh and the Carnality and want of use the Causes that makes it seem otherways dross of the World liâ— in the way and those have so vitiated their Pallates that they caâ— taste none of the pleasantness in it other think it unpleasant for want of a frequent usage and beside these two there is nothing caâ— dissuade us from the real Pleasure and Advantage of it The next thing is how well wâ— perform this Duty and herein wâ— are chiefly concern'd for the Matters of our Prayer we are to ask nothing To ask nothing unlawful but with Faith Humility and Attention unjust or unlawfuâ— but all with Faith anâ— Humility and witâ— the most profouâ— and deliberate Atteâ—tion Opposite to Attention in Prayeâ— is all wandring thoughts the Coâ—sequence of which are very dangâ—rous To suppress these we should consider the greatness of that Majesty to Help against Wandering the Consideration of Gods Majesty and our own needs whom we are speaking the worth of those things we ask for and our own extraordinary Wants together We must likewise â—nvoke God's Assiâ—tance To pray for God's aid with Watchfulness Zeal Purity and for proper ends and set a careâ—ul Watch over our Hearts to keep all â—andring thoughts â—ut of our Minds â—hilst we are convering with Him all â—ur Petitions should be put up to â—im with the highest Zeal and Arâ—ency of Soul Our Prayers should â—e abstracted from all manner of in and Impurity and be constantâ—â— directed to right and proper ends This is the first part of Worship â—he next is Bodily Worship and this conâ—st Bodily Worship in humble and reâ—erend Gestures in making our approaches to God iâ— such a decent lowliness of Body thaâ— may best declare with what a Proâ—stration of Soul we make our Addreâ—ses before the Throne of Grace Repentance is thâ— next Duty we owe 〈◊〉 Repentance a turning from Sin to God this Duty to be done daily God and is in shoâ—â— nothing else but a general Resolution tâ—â— forsake our Sins anâ— to implore his Grace the times for thâ—â— great Duty are as often as we thinâ— upon our Sins every Day at leaâ—â— we ought to call our selves to aâ—â— account At some particulaâ— times indeed we aâ—â— At set times at the time of Affliction at Death oblig'd to redoubâ— our Repentance aâ—â— those Times we ougâ—â— to fix for our selveâ— at least once a Week We ought 〈◊〉 have a set time of Evening our Accounts with God and our Consâ—ences the time of Affliction anâ— Calamity is a very proper seasoâ— â—or it and at our Death we are the â—ost solemnly oblig'd to renew it But 't is dangerous 〈◊〉 defer it till Death The danger and disadvantage of Death-bed Repentance 〈◊〉 should not hazard 〈◊〉 Souls upon such â—â—certainties beside 〈◊〉 Death-bed Repentance must conseâ—uently want several Qualifications â—hich the Nature of true Repenâ—â—nce requires the â—ustom of Sin is not The Custom of Sin hard to be vanquish't Pain the Cause of Insincerity 〈◊〉 be destroy'd in a 〈◊〉 days or hours â—â—â—haps moments â—â—sides too our Pains â—â—d Agonies most â—â—obably disturb our â—houghts and then our Repenâ—â—nce can never be dress'd up with â—â—at strict Sincerity which God reâ—â—ires of us for the Salvation of 〈◊〉 Souls To Repentance the Duty of Fastâ—â—g may with great Reason be anâ—ex'd which is a Duty we find soâ—â—mnly recommended by God himself the Church and the Practice of gooâ— Fasting a revenge upon our selves acceptable to God yet no satisfaction for Sin Men by Fasting wâ— in some measure râ—venge the Injuriâ— done to God upâ—â— our selves and suâ—â— Holy Revenge upoâ— our selves for oâ—â— Sins is doubtless very acceptable tâ— God and yet we ought not 〈◊〉 think them sufficient without thâ— Merits of Christ's Blood to attonâ— for our Offences The Scripture hâ— indeed given no paâ—ticular Times of Fasting Direction hoâ— often this great Duâ—â— of Fasting is to be perform'd bâ—â— the oftner the better for being great Instrument of our Humiliaâ—â—on we ought to take all opportuâ—â—ties to perform it which our Healâ—â— and Circumstances will admit And thus I have pass'd throuâ—â— the the first Branch of our Duty 〈◊〉 God to wit the acknowledg iâ— him to be our God the second the having no other and of this I need say no more then that by it we are forbid all kind of Idolatry and Superstitious Worshipping of â—mages of Creatures and all inâ—ard Idolatry of the Mind PARTITION VI. Of Sobriety of Humility the great Sin of Pride of vain Glory the Danger Folly the means to prevent it of Meekness c. Duty to our Selves THis Duty to our Duty to our Selves Selves is by St. â—aul summ'd up in 〈◊〉 word SOBERLY by which 〈◊〉 meaning must be our keeping â—ithin those bounds which God has 〈◊〉 us both with respect to our â—ouls and Bodies and this sober â—overnment of the Soul requires a great many Vertues of which I place Humility Humility in the first Rank Humility gives us low and humble thoughts of our selves direct us to behave our selves easily undâ—â— the mean Opinion of others anâ— withal is directly opposite to 〈◊〉 kind of Pride and vain Glory
train of dangerous Sins and with abundance of other great Inconveniencies We should likewise Temperance in Recreations have a very high regard to Temperance in our Recreations and be perpetually Cautions to be observ'd Cautious that they are lawful in their kind and no ways dishonourable to God or Injurious to our Neighbour we should be very careful too that they never â—end to undue Ends Vndue Ends of Sports but are all exactly Innocent harmless and inoffensive The last part of Temperance in Apparel Temperance is that of Apparel and this as well as the rest is to be measured according to the Ends for which Cloathing was ordain'd which were first to provide a modest and decent covering to hide our Nakedness this was the first and great End of it the second was to fence our Bodies from the Severities of the Cold and secure to us such a convenient Apparel design'd for a covering of shame Warmth that is necessary for the Preservation of our Health and the third for the distinguishing Fencing from Cold. Persons both with respect to their Sex and Qualities Now these are the three grand Ends of our Apparel which we should always be careful to preserve iâ— Distinction of Persons the middle between the extreams of gaudiness and contempt And thus I have pass'd through the several Branches of Temperance and herein I would in no respect seem to advance a contrary extream i. e. too much sparingness which is Too much sparing a fault as well as Excess indeed a fault as well as Excess A Covetous griping Temper is no more to be accounted for then any of the former and is in many Particulars a high breach of our Duty both to God our Selves and our Neighbours PARTITION X. Of Duty 's to our Neighbours Of Justice Negative Positive of the Sin of Murther of the Hainousness of it the Punishment of it and the strange Discoveries thereof Of Maiming c. Duties to our Neighbours IN the Word Righteousness Duties to our Neighbour Justice are contain'd in gross the Duties to our Neighbour and in the larger Sence it contains all kind both of Justice and Charity I begin with Justice â—f which there is two sorts Negative and Positive By Negative Justice Negative Justice we are forbid to do any wrong to any Man either in respect to hiâ— Soul Body his Possessions or his Credit and first we must not do any manner of Injury to the Soul either in To the Soul in the Natural and Spiritual Sence a Natural and Spiritual Sence we muâ—â— take great Care that we give no occasion 〈◊〉 Grief or Sadness to the Mind of anâ— Man in which Sence the Soul 〈◊〉 said to be naturally injur'd and 〈◊〉 alike diligent not to administer 〈◊〉 him the Cause either of Sin or Punishment in which Case the Soâ— may be spiritually wrong'd Sin is the Diseaâ— and Wound of tâ—â— Drawing into Sin a great Injury Soul and the sedâ— cing us to it is tâ—â— greatest Injury thâ— can be done us There are severâ— Means for this both direct and 〈◊〉 direct the direct Means are 〈◊〉 commanding us counselling enticing Direct and indirect means of it assisting us the 〈◊〉 direct Means by sheâ—ing us ill Examples or by incouraging us in any Wickedness by justifying Vice and by throwing Reproach upon the Duties and strictness of Religion and by these and â—â—ch like Means both direct and â—â—direct Men bring upon themselves the great guilt of injuring â—â—d wounding their Brethrens â—ouls It would be too This sort of Injury Men ought sadly to consider to bewail and repair â—â—ng to instance the â—â—veral Sins by which â—â—en ensnare others will therefore leave with this Caution â—â—at it concerns them 〈◊〉 near as their Souls to consider that Injuries they have done of â—â—is kind and to bewail them with â—â—e deepest Concern and Sorrow â—id not only that neither but as a â—ore particular Testimony of their â—â—pentance to do their best by all â—â—e means they can to make Repaâ—tion Negative Justice in the second â—â—ce binds us against all kind of Injury to the Bodies more especially against Negative Justice in respect of the Life the Life of our Brethren Murthâ—â— is a Sin of the deâ—â—est Dye and may 〈◊〉 committed either openly and 〈◊〉 rectly or else secretly and treachâ—â— rously It may 〈◊〉 done either by opâ—â— Several ways of being guilty of Murther and Publick Violenâ—â— or else effected undâ—â— the Coverture of conâ—â— ceal'd Malice and â—â—venge but which way soever it 〈◊〉 the Sin is of that 〈◊〉 alted hainousness thâ—â— The hainousness of the Sin and the Punishments of it it provokes God to higher degree of Aâ—ger in the Executâ—â—â— of his Vengeance 〈◊〉 Punishments upon than any other Vice in all the bâ—â—â— and dreadful Catalogue It is worth our â—â—tice by what miraâ—â—lous The strange discoveries of it Means God been pleas'd to diâ— ver it and indeed would we but take 〈◊〉 to our serious Thoughts it must needs possess us with the greatest Horrour and Abomination of it and engage us to watch and guard We must Watch against all approaches our selves against the most distant approaches of this Vice Next to the Murthering the maiming and Maiming an Injury which every Man dreads disabling our Neighbour is a very great Sin this we must grant by reflecting â—ow precious our Limbs are and â—ow miserable a thing the want of any of 'em is especially if it be 〈◊〉 poor Man in such 〈◊〉 Case though we Worst in a poor Man can never make him a full Satisfaction we are â—he most solemnly A necessity of Satisfaction â—ound to provide for his own and his Famiâ—ies wants Unlawful Wounds and Stripes are likewise highly inconsistent with that golden Rule of Loving our Neighbour Wounds and Stripes injurious also as our Selves and indeed our Cruelty to others arguâ—â— not only a great deâ—â— Cruelty to others the effect of Pride of Pride and Inâ—â—lence but withal 〈◊〉 savageness and bruitishness of mind much below the common tenderness and compassion that becomes the humane Nature PARTITION XI Of Justice about the Possessions of oâ—â— Neighbours against injuring hiâ— in his Wife his Goods of Oppreâ—sion Theft of paying of Debtâ— c. THE next part His Possession Negative Justice relates to the Possessions of our Neighbours 〈◊〉 the front of which we may witâ— great Reason place the Wife Oâ— Wives are the Principle part of our Possessions The Wife the enticing her great injustice to the Woman and the Man and the corrupting Her to defile Her Husbands bed is the worst and highest part of Injustice both to the Man and the Woman this is an irreparable The most Irreparable sort of Injury A Vice that God has declar'd that he himself will Judge and we may depend upon 't without Repentance that Judgment of his will be
it Let all my Recreations be moderate and inoffensive and us'd with the strictest Caution with regard to Thee my Neighbour and my Self give me Grace and Prudence to avoid all Gaiety in my Apparel and to prefer the inward Ornaments of my Soul to all useless Trappins and all gaudy and insignificant Shews and Formalities For the Tenth INstruct me O Eternal Father of all Truth and Equity in the Duties I owe to my Neighbour grant I beseech Thee that I may direct my Life by the constant Rules of Justice both Negative and Positive Prevent me O Crucify'd Saviour from that crying Sin of Murder let the hainousness the Punishments and the strange Discoveries thou hast been pleas'd to make of it be always in my View to deter me from it even in the most minute Particulars For the Eleventh GIve me Grace O Blessed Redeemer that after thy Example I may observe a strict and Positive Justice to my Neighbour in all his Possessions Stamp deep upon my Mind I intreat Thee O my God a tender regard for him in his Wife and in all his worldly Goods Lord I beseech Thee defend me from the Sins of Oppression and Theft and give me Grace to acquit my Self justly in all my Dealings and to behave my self as becomes an honest Man in all manner of Bargains and Commerce For the Twelfth LET thy merciful Ears O Lord be open to my Prayers for the sake of thy own Eternal Equity errace utterly out of my Mind all unjust Notions and let no Temptations to any sort of Robbery at any time get the Dominion over me improve my Mind I beseech Thee with such a determinate hatred against all kind of Deceit that I may immediately resolve upon that great Duty of a Christian Restitution And this I beg of Thee with the highest Ardency for thy own sake O merciful Jesus For the Thirteenth O Eternal God of Truth guide me I beseech Thee by thy blessed Spirit that I may be exactly careful how I Believe or Report any thing to the Prejudice of my Neighbour keep me from the dangerous Sins of Perjury and Slandering from all base and malicious Whisperings and from all fly and injurious Insinuations O God of Righteousness let the tenderness and regard I owe to my Fellow Christian sink so deep into my Soul that I may neither Scoff at his Calamities or Infirmities nor deride his very Sins Give me O King of Justice such a Positive Vprightness and Integrity that I may abhor all sorts of Lying Envy and Detraction and that I may preserve an humble and intire Gratitude and Thankfulness towards my Friends and Benefactors but especially towards Thee O bountiful Jesus For the Fourteenth O God of all Order and Power who in thy Wisdom hast appointed several Ranks and Degrees of Men among us give me an awful Sence of that profound Obedience and Respect I owe to all the Magistrates Pastors and Governours in their respective Stations teach me O my God! as a Child that Love and Reverence I owe to my Parents and as a Parent that Care and Duty I owe to my Children that in both Capacities I may discharge my Trust after the Direction of thy most Holy Precepts O King of Righteousness For the Fifteenth TEach me O merciful God and Saviour that I may acquit my self to all my Brethren whether Spiritual or Temporal and to all my Relations as becomes a Member of the Christian Profession in the several Capacities of a Husband Friend Master and Servant teach me O merciful God to behave my self as becomes a Member of thy most Holy Religion O blessed Jesus For the Sixteenth INstruct me I beseech Thee O Almighty Lord in all the Branches of my Duty to my Neighbour After thy own Example O unchangeable Goodness Direct my Charity towards him with respect to his Soul his Body his Goods and his Credit give me such a Spirit of Positive Justice that I may value him upon all Accounts equal to my self and be always ready to do the very best I can to propagate his Interest in both Worlds I beg this of Thee with the utmost Ardency of my Soul O Jesus merciful Jesus For the Seventeenth O Merciful God who hast mark'd out my Compassion to my Fellow Creature as the Standard by which thou intendest to measure Thine to me Give me I beseech Thee an intire and universal Charity Open my Bowels that I may be ready to help and further him in all his Extremities Grant O my God for the sake of thy own Love that I may be always prepar'd to vindicate my Neighbours good Name upon all occasions that I may judge the best and speak well of him and conceal or excuse his Infirmities that I may be impatient to hear slow to believe and unwilling to propagate evil Reports lodge him in my Heart in the very next Place to my Self that I may constantly Study his Peace and value it equal to my own keep me from all Litigious Suits and Controversies let an even and regular Charity run through my whole Life and Actions and extend it self even to my very Enemies I beg this and every thing else thou in thy Wisdom knows useful for me for Jesus Christ his Sake Amen Amen FINIS Books Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey CAtholicism without Popery An Essay to render the Church of England a Means and a Pattern of Union to the Christian World â—ctavo The Mourners Companion Or Funeral Discourses on several Texts â—n Two Parts By Mr. John Shower Octavo The Dying Mans Assistant Or Short Instructions for those who are concerned in the preparing of Sick Persons for Death Being no â—ess worthy the Consideration of all good Christians in time of Health â—hewing the importance of an Early Preparation for their latter End with regard as well to their Temporal as Eternal State By a Divine of the Church of England Twelves The London Dispensatory reduced to the Practise of the London Physicians wherein are contained the Medicines that are now in use and such as are not in the Latine Copy added with their Vertues and Use By John Pechy of the Colledge of Physicians in London Twelves Price 1 s. 6 d. Mr. Clark's Concordance to the Bible Twelves