Page:Catechismoftrent.djvu/315

 reproved and corrected; and that, when we ourselves are addicted to the same vice, our admonitions have less influence m reprehending and correcting it in others. With regard to those who defend their conduct by saying, that to speak the truth is often attended with inconvenience; these the pastor will meet by urging that such an excuse is an accusation, not a defence; whereas it is the duty of a Christian to suffer any in convenience rather than utter a falsehood.

There are two other classes of persons who seek to justify a departure from truth; the one who say that they tell lies for joke sake; the other who plead motives of interest, because, forsooth without having recourse to lies, they can neither buy nor sell to advantage. Both the pastor will endeavour to reform; the first, by urging the inveteracy of the vicious habit which the practice of lying begets, and by strongly impressing a truth revealed by Jesus Christ, that " for every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account in the day of judgment:" the second class, whose excuse involves their own accusation, he will reprove with greater severity, professing as they do, to yield no credit or authority to these words of our Lord: " Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be given you besides."

IT is to be observed, in the first place, that these two precepts, which were delivered last in order, furnish a general principle these for the observance of all the rest. What is commanded in these two amounts to this, that to observe the preceding precepts of the law, we must be particularly careful not to covet; because he who covets not, content with what he has, will not desire what belongs to others, but will rejoice in their prosperity; will give glory to the immortal God; will render to him boundless thanks; will observe the Sabbath, that is, will enjoy perpetual repose; will respect his superiors; and will in fine, injure no man in word or deed or otherwise; for the root of all evil is concupiscence, which hurries its devoted victims into every species of enormity. These considerations, if well weighed, must serve to