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INTRODUCTION.

HE great Usefulness of the following Treatife is fo apparent, that one would imagine it fuperfluous, to multiply Words upon this Head; efpecially fince the good Reception, the Work, called GOD's Revenge against Murther, and Adultery, has met with, even in the worst of Times, with the many Editions it has gone through, abundantly demonftrates, that every one is convinced, of the extraordinary Utility, and even Neceffity, of fomewhat of this Nature; however defective the Performance may be, as that before mentioned undoubtedly is.

To inftance only in a few Points, of the utmoft Importance to every one who thinks feriously, and has any Concern for his future State, the Generality of Readers, by the Manner in which each of those Subjects is treated, in the aforefaid Book, are led into two very grofs Miftakes; namely, that Nothing but the actual depriving a Man of Life, in fuch a Way, as lays the guilty Perfon open to the Penalty of the Law, as by Sword, Poylon, Fire, or otherwife, is a Violation of the Sixth Commandment ; whereas we are exprefsly told, by the beloved Apo

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ftle St. John, in his first Epistle, Whofoever hateth his Brother is a Murtherer; and ye know that no Murtherer hath eternal Life abiding in him. How much more then will every Oppreffor, every unmerciful Creditor, every cruel and tyrannic Mafter, every Infractor of folemn Treaties, who without Provocation lights up the Fire of War, and every Refufer of Peace, when offered, much more when fued for, upon reafonable Terms, find himself numbered, among the Breakers of this Command?

Again, with Relation to Adultery, by the Manner wherein the Compiler of that Work treats upon this Head, and the Examples therein cited, many are induced to imagine, that Nothing, but the actual Commiffion of that Crime, with a married Man or Woman, is a Violation of the Seventh Commandment. But what does our bleffed Saviour pofitively affure us, as to this Point, in his divine Sermon upon the Mount? Whosoever looketh on a Woman, to luft after her, bath committed Adultery with her already in his Heart. As alfo, Whosoever shall put away his Wife, faving for the Caufe of Fornication, caufeth her to commit Adultery:. And whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth Adultery. Now, by this Comment thereupon, how many otherwife fincere and well-meaning Perfons; how many even of the most outragiously virtuous, who cannot hear, even the Name of a Whore, mentioned, with any Patience; who think no Punishment too bad for every Offender whatever, of this Sort; who make no Allowances for almoft irrefiftible Temptation; neither would fhew the leaft Mercy to one; but, confounding the poor deluded Innocent, with the most common Strumpet, would hang or farve all, without Exception; how many fuch, we fay, on judging by this Rule, will find themfelves included, in the Number of Tranfgreffors of this Law? In effect, according thereto, it is much to be queftioned, Whether there is one, of either Sex,

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in thefe Kingdoms, or any other, who has feen the Age of fifteen, and has not been guilty of offending against this Precept; efpecially, if it be confidered, that every immodeft Word, or loofe Song, nay, even every fashionable Double Entendre, is a Contravention of it.

Neither is this the Cafe, with Relation to thefe Two Commandments only, but to all the others in general, which have each of them a most extenfive Signification; and this it highly imports us, to have continually before our Eyes; for, notwithstanding, by the Practice of the Generality of Mankind, one fhould be almoft tempted, to think the Obfervation of the Commands, of the First Table, were of very little Importance; and, confequently, that the Violation of them was a very fmall Fault, if any, as not being fo detrimental to Society, nor fo highly purished by the Laws of Man, as the Breach of thofe of the Second Table; yet we fhall all find, if we repent not, when it is too late, that the Infraction of either of the former, is equally heinous, or rather more fo, in the Sight of God; that is, in the Sight of him who will be our Judge, and will have it in his Power, either to exalt us to everlafting Happiness, or condemn us to eternal Torments and Mifery: In effect, are we not affured by St. James, that Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty of all.

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Would any one imagine, the gay Part of the World, and especially what is called the Grande Monde, and the Beau Monde, ever seriously took this into Confideration? For, not to mention those who make their Belly their God, or who fell him for a Ribbon, a Title, a Place, or a Penfion, and thereby break the Firft Command, neither thofe who worship that worft of Idols, a Primé-Minister, or a Favourite, and are thereby guilty of the Violation of the fame ;

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what fhall we fay to that numerous Crowd, of all Ranks and Sorts, who daily live in perpetual Difobedience to the Third, either by frequent Swearing and Curfing, or by idly ufing the Name of God; or by rafh Imprecations on themselves or others, when in Paffion; or, which is worst of all, by downright and wilful Perjury?

Again, What fhall we fay, to the yet more nume. rous Company, confifting likewife of all Ranks and Sexes, who live in an almoft uninterrupted Infrac tion of the Fourth; either by Card Playing, Vifiting, Going to the Park, Kenfington Gardens, or Riding out, as is done by the better Sort, or by walking in the Fields, and frequenting the Cake-Houfes, as is done by thofe of a middling Rank; or, which is worse, by getting drunk, and fpending their Week's Mo ney at an Ale-houfe, or Gin-fhop, as is done by the meaner Sort, and Dregs of the People?

If thefe Things are fo, and that they are, no Man of any Honesty or Modefty can deny; and if it equally behoves us, to pay an exact Obedience to each of the Ten Commandments; it muft certainly equally concern us, to know the full Latitude and Éxtent of each of them, in order to enable us fo to do; especially, as the Royal Pfalmift affures us, that GOD'S Commandments are exceeding broad. It is a lo highly needful, beyond Difpute, particularly, at a Time, when all Kinds of Vice are at the greateft Height, when almost every Enormity is practifed, and most of them with Impunity; when we cannot walk the Streets, without having our Ears deafened with Oaths, Blafphemy and Ribaldry; nor yet, without having not only our Eyes fhock'd, but our Perfons endangered, by drunken and lewd Proftitutes, with defperate Ruffians, their conftant Companions; it is highly needful we fay, at fuch a Time, both that the full Latitude and Extent of each of thofe Injunctions

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fhould be known, and earnestly inculcated; and alfo, because it is certain, that Example goes before Precept, that they fhould be illuftrated, and enforced, by proper Inftances upon each Head, difplaying as it were, before our Eyes, the fatal and dreadful Confequences of not obferving them, and the happy Effects of a contrary Practice.

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That we have no fuch Work as yet, will, we believe, be admitted by all; at leaft, Nothing of this Kind has ever come to our Hands: That it is likely to prove alfo of the greatest Ufe, we conceive, will readily be granted, by every confiderate Perfon wherefore, until fomething of this Nature, that may be more perfect, be undertaken by an abler Pen, we hope the following Treatife, which it is intended. fhall take in every one of the Ten Commandments, and that in it's fulleft Latitude, and moft extenfive Senfe and Meaning, will meet with a favourable Ac. ceptance: And this we fhall endeavor to deserve, by fparing no Pains, to render it as accurate, and compleat, as we poffibly can.

And, because we would willingly have a Thrg of this Kind, as generally ferviceable, as the Nature of it will admit, we shall bring all we have to fay upon this Subject, into the Compafs of one Pock t Volume; though, were we to enlarge upon each fingle Head, as, Heaven knows, there is both Ne:d and Room enough, there would be more than fuficien: Matter, for a Folio of the largeft Size. But we are defirous to confult, as much as may be, both the Cir. cumftances and Tempers of the Generality of Readers; who, we doubt, would hardly care, to have fuch a heavy Tax impofed upon their Pockets, or fo tedious a Task enjoined their Perfons, as either the Purchase, or Perufal, of a Work of that Bulk, would be; and would confequently avoid both the

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