CHAP. II.

Of justice, in preserving the rights of men, considered as

rational creatures, 320. which rights are reduced to four par-

ticulars, 321. first, that every man hath a right to an equit-

able treatment from every man, ibid. secondly, that every

man hath a right to judge for himself so far as he is capable,

323. thirdly, that every man hath a right not to be forced

to act contrary to the judgment of right reason, 328. fourthly,

that every man hath a right to be respected by every man,

330.

CHAP. III.

Of justice, in preserving the rights of men, as united to-

gether by natural relations, 333. and as joined together in

society, 334. wherein is shewn first, that they have a right

to love, 335. secondly, to peace, 336. thirdly, to truth, 337.

fourthly, to credit, 340. fifthly, to protection, 343. sixthly,

to communication in the profits of commerce and intercourse,

344.

CHAP. IV.

Of justice, as it preserves the acquired rights of men; and

particularly those which arise from sacred and civil relations.

As, first, of sovereign and subject, 349. secondly, of subor-

dinate magistrates to the sovereign and people, 353. thirdly,

of pastors and people, 355. fourthly, of husband and wife,

356. fifthly, of friend and friend, 359. sixthly, of masters

and servants, 361. seventhly, of truster and trustee, 362.

eighthly, of the benefactor and receiver, 364. ninthly, of

creditor and debtor, 366.

CHAP. V.

Of justice, as it preserves the rights of men acquired by

legal possession, 369.

CHAP. VI.

Of justice, in reference to the rights of men acquired by

personal endowments, 374. and of outward rank and qua-

lity, 376.

CHAP. VII.

Of justice, in reference to the rights of men acquired by

compact, 378. Wherein are prescribed some general rules

of righteousness to conduct our bargains and contracts:

first, that we should use plainness and simplicity in our deal-

ings; secondly, that we should impose upon no man's igno-

rance or unskilfulness; thirdly, that we should take no ad-

vantage of another's necessities; fourthly, that we should not

substract from the commodity or price for which we have

contracted; fifthly, that we should not go to the utmost

verge of what we conceive to be lawful; sixthly, that in

doubtful cases we should choose the safest side, 379–382.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the eternal reasons whereon justice is founded, and

which render it morally good; which are these four, 383.

first, the eternal proportion and congruity of justice to the

nature of things, ibid. secondly, the eternal conformity of it

to the nature of God, 386. thirdly, the agreement and cor-

respondency of it with the divine providence and disposals,

389. fourthly, the everlasting necessity of it to the happiness

of men, 392.

CHAP. IX.

Some motives and considerations against the sinfulness and

unreasonableness of injustice; viz. first, the great repugnancy

of it to the terms and conditions of the Christian religion,

397. secondly, the great vanity or desperateness of it, 400.

thirdly, the manifest inexcusableness of it in itself, 403.

fourthly, the fruitfulness and mischievousness of it to our-

selves, 406. fifthly, the high provocation it gives to God,

410.

OF MERCY.

CHAP. I.

Of mercy, as it relieves the miseries of the souls of men,

414. which miseries are, first, sorrow and dejection of mind,

ibid. secondly, errors and mistakes in matters of less import-

ance, 417. In which case the proper acts of mercy are,

first, forbearance and toleration, 419. and secondly, to en-

deavour by all prudent and peaceable ways to rectify one

another's mistakes, 420. thirdly, another of the miseries of

the soul which mercy relieves, is blindness and ignorance in

things of the greatest moment, 421. fourthly, malice and ob-

stinacy of will in mischievous and destructive courses, 424.

fifthly, impotency, or want of power to recover themselves

out of their vicious courses, 429. For the enforcement of

which duty are subjoined the following considerations: first,

the inestimable worth of those souls upon which our mercy

is to be employed, 432. secondly, the great interest we have

in the fate of the souls of others, 433. thirdly, the mighty

influence our mercy may have upon their welfare, 435.

CHAP. II.

Of mercy, as it relieves the miseries of the bodies of men,

which are reduced to five heads: first, natural blemishes and

defects, 438. secondly, sickness and diseases, 439. thirdly,

outward force and violence from those in whose power they

are; such as bondage and captivity, 441. imprisonment,

443. bodily torments and persecutions, ibid. fourthly, civil

or arbitrary punishments inflicted on them for injuries re-

ceived, 445. In which the law of mercy requires us, in pu-

nishing offenders, first, that we do it with good intention,

447. secondly, not to exact punishment for small and trifling

offences, ibid. thirdly, not to punish an offender, when we

can do no good by it, either to ourselves, or to him, or to

others, ibid. fourthly, not to punish an offender, so long as

the end of punishing him is fairly attainable by gentler

means, 448. fifthly, to inflict no more punishment than what

is absolutely necessary to the obtaining those good ends we

design by it, 449. sixthly, always to punish short of the of-

fence, ibid. fifthly and lastly, another of the miseries which

affect men's bodies is want of the outward necessaries of this

present life, wherein is shewn the proper remedies which

are to be applied to them, 451.

CHAP. III.

Of almsgiving, as to the manner of performing it: first,

that it ought to be performed with a good and merciful in-

tention, 454. secondly, with justice and righteousness, 455.

thirdly, readily and cheerfully, 457. fourthly, liberally and

bountifully, 458. fifthly, timely and seasonably, 459. sixthly,

discreetly and prudently, 461. which ought more particularly

to guide and direct our alms; first, in the method of provision

of them, 462. secondly, in the choice of the objects of them,

453. thirdly, in the nature and quality of them, 464. fourthly,

in stating the proportions of them, 465. fifthly, in the man-

ner of bestowing and conveying them, 467. The practice of

this duty is pressed and enforced with some motives and ar-

guments, viz. first, that it is imposed upon us as a necessary

part of our religion, 469. secondly, that it is highly recom-

mended to us by the examples of God and our Saviour,

471. thirdly, that it is a most substantial expression of our

love and gratitude to God and our Saviour, 473. fourthly,

that it charges an high obligation to us, upon the account

of God and our Saviour, 475.

CHAP. IV.

Of the eternal reasons and grounds of mercy, upon which

it is founded and rendered morally good. This shewn in

five particulars: first, the suitableness of it to the nature of

God, 478. secondly, the convenience of it with the frame

and constitution of human nature, 481. an objection against

cruelty answered, 482. thirdly, the near and intimate rela-

tion of those persons to us, upon whom our mercy is to be

exercised, 485. fourthly, the equitableness of it to our own

state and circumstances, 487. fifthly, the necessity of it to

the tolerable well-being of human societies, 489.

OF MORTIFICATION.

CHAP. I.

Of mortification, 492. wherein it doth consist, shewn in

three particulars: first, in abstinence from the outward acts

of sin, 495. secondly, in not consenting to any sin, ibid.

thirdly, in a constant endeavour to subdue our involuntary

inclinations to sin, 497.

CHAP. II.

Of the means and instruments of mortification, which are

reduced to these six: first, faith, 500. secondly, considera-

tion, 503. thirdly, resolution, 506. fourthly, discipline, which

consists in three things: first, in a frequent repetition of it,

510. secondly, in frequent reflection upon, and examination

of ourselves, 511. thirdly, in keeping ourselves at as great

a distance from sin as prudently and conveniently we can,

513. fifthly, frequent receiving of the sacrament, 515. sixthly,

constant prayer, 520.

CHAP. III.

Of motives to mortification drawn from the present

mischiefs and inconveniencies which our sins bring us into;

which are, first, either outward and bodily; or, secondly, in-

ward and spiritual, 524. The outward and bodily inconve-

niencies are four: first, that sin destroys our health and

shortens our lives, ibid. secondly, that it stains our reputa-

tion, 527. thirdly, it consumes our estates, 528. fourthly, it

disturbs our sensual pleasures, 530. The second sort of mo-

tives to mortification are drawn from the present mischiefs

and inconveniencies that sin brings upon our souls, which

are chiefly three: first, it spoils our understandings, 534.

secondly, it subverts the natural subordination of our facul-

ties, 539. thirdly, it disturbs the tranquillity of our minds,

541.

CHAP. IV.

Of helps to mortification, given us by the Spirit of God,

viz. first, the external arguments and motives of the gospel,

545. secondly, the external providences of the divine Spirit

by which he excites us to our duty, 547. thirdly, the aids

and assistances which the holy angels give us, who are the

agents and ministers of the Holy Ghost, 548. fourthly, the