A. Our duty towards all, in reference to their wealth and outward estate, is kindness and justice. Q 9. Wherein should our kindness show itself in reference to the wealth and outward estate of others?

A. Our kindness in reference to the wealth and outward estate of others, should show itself in our readiness to any offices of love, which may promote and further it. Gal. vi. 10. "Let us do good unto all men." Rom. xvi. 1, 2 "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints; and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you."

Q. 10. What is the rule of justice to be observed in reference to the wealth and outward estate of others?

A. The rule of justice to be observed in reference to the wealth and outward estate of others, is, to do to others as it is fit, and as we would that others should do to us. Matt. vii. 12. "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them; for this is the law and the prophets."

Q. 11. Wherein must we show our justice in our dealings with others?

A. We must show justice in our dealings with others, 1. In our truth and sincerity in all our concerns with others. Psal. xv. 2. "He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart." 2 Cor. i. 12. "For our rejoicing is this, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we had our conversation in the world." 2. In our faithfulness to fulfil all our lawful covenants and promises, and to discharge

Psal. xv. 4.

whatever trust is committed to us. "He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not." 1 Cor. iv. 2. "It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful." 3. In our buying and selling, giving a just price for those things that we buy, and taking a reasonable rate for such things as we sell. Lev. xxv. 14. "If thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another." 4. In paying every one his dues. Rom. xiii. 7. 8. "Render therefore to all their dues; tribute, to whom tribute is due; custom, to whom custom. Owe no man anything, but to love one another." Prov. iii. 27, 28. "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee." 5. In restoring the pledge which is left with us, or goods of others which are found by us, or anything that is gotten by stealth or fraud. Lev. vi. 4. "He shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found." Ezek. xviii. 7. "Hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge."&c. Luke xix. 8. "If I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold."

Q. 75. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbour's wealth or outward es

*ate.

Q. 1. What does the eighth commandment forbid, as an hinderance of our own wealth and outward estate?

A. The eighth commandment forbids, as an hinderance of our own wealth and outward estate, 1. Prodigality and lavish spending of our substance, in gluttony, drunkenness, lewd company, gaming and the like. Luke xv. 13. "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living." Prov. xxiii. 21. "The drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty." Prov. xxi. 17." He that loveth pleasure, shall be a poor man; he, that loveth wine and oil, shall not be rich." Prov. xxviii. 19. "He that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough." 2. Imprudence in venturing out all upon great uncertainties, rash engaging in suretyship, or anywise indiscreet management of our callings, to our detriment. Prov. xxviii. 22. "He, that hasteth to be rich, hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him." Prov. xxii. 26, 27. "Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?" 3. Idleness and slothful neglect of the duties of our particular callings. Prov. xxiii. 21. "Drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags." Prov. xxiv. 30-34. "I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep;

so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth ; and thy want as an armed man.”

Q. 2. What does the eighth commandment forbid in the excess, in reference to our own wealth and outward estate?

A. The eighth commandment forbids in the excess, in reference to our own wealth and outward estate, 1. Covetousness, in getting an estate with carking cares, inordinate desires to be rich, or with immoderate labour, so as to waste the body, and to exclude time for religious duty. Heb. xiii. 5. "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have." 1 Cor. vii. 32. "I would have you without carefulness." Luke xxi. 34. "Take heed, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life." 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. "They, that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition; for the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.' Eccl. iv. 8. "There is one alone, and not a second: yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave myself of good?" 2. Covetousness, in keeping what we have gotten of the good things of the world, without a heart to make use of them. Eccl. vi. 1, 2. "There is an evil under the sun, and it is common among men; a man to whom God hath given riches and wealth, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God

giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and an evil disease." 3. Unlawful contracts, such as simony in the sale of holy things, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, pardons of sin, and dispensations to it, church-livings, and the charge of souls. Acts. viii. 20. "Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." 4. Bribery in the sale of public justice. Exod. xxiii. 8. "And thou shalt take no gift; for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous." Isa. i. 23. "Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them." 5. Unlawful arts, fortune-telling, figure-casting, and making use of any unwarrantable ways for the getting of money, [as gambling and lotteries.] Isa. xlvii. 10, 13. Thou hast trusted in thy wickedness. Let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee. Acts xix. 19, 24. Many also of them which used curious arts, brought their books together, and burnt them before all men. A certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen."

66

Q. 3. What does the eighth commandment forbid, in reference to others who are in want?

A. The eighth commandment forbids, in reference to others who are in want, a withholding relief from them, and stopping the ear against their cry. Prov. xxi. 13. "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he shall cry himself, but shall not be heard." Deut. xv. 7. "If there be a poor