Have you spoken harshly to your neighbour; given him abusive language; railed at him; miscalled him; mocked and ridiculed him; exposed him to scorn; affronted him; censured his conduct; found fault with every thing he did; put wrong constructions upon his actions; calumniated or detracted him; been pleased to hear others speak ill of him; listened to and encouraged the calumny or detraction when you could prevent such discourses? [N.B.--The motive for speaking thus, the number of persons present, and the subject of this uncharitable language, must be specified, as we are bound to repair the injury to the best of our power.] We also sin by ill-natured reports or insinuations, malicious expressions, whether true or false; by giving bad advice and bad example; by instilling bad or dangerous principles; by flattering others, or approving of evil; by giving false testimony; by discovering the secrets or the faults of others; by abusive words, reproaches, bad wishes or imprecations, &c. In Actions. Have you wronged, deceived, or circumvented your neighbour in buying or selling? Have you injured him by stealing, cheating, usury, extortion, or any unlawful contract? by putting off false money, or using false weights or measures? Have you bought or received stolen goods? Have you contracted debts without design of paying them? We also sin by wronging our creditors, or our own family, by prodigal expenses; by refusing to pay our just debts when able, or by culpable extravagance rendering ourselves unable to pay them by neglecting the work or business for which we were hired, and obliged by contract to perform; in fine, by unjustly taking or keeping any thing of value belonging to another; in which case it is impossible to obtain forgiveness without making restitution to the best of our power. [And here it is to be observed, that where two or more jointly injure another, in goods or reputation, they are jointly and severally obliged to restitution; that is to say, they are bound to contribute their respective proportions towards repairing the injury; and every individual of them is answerable before God for the whole injury, when either or any of the accomplices refuse to repair their portion thereof.] In Omissions. Have you neglected to succour, comfort and assist your neighbour in necessity? Have you neglected to restore ill-gotten goods, or to repair injured characters? Have you refused to be reconciled to an enemy, or to perform duties of obligation, such as respect and love towards parents, obedience to superiors, &c. {88} Sins Against Ourselves Are Committed By Pride. In having too great an esteem for ourselves, and haughtily despising others In being too apt to speak of our own affairs, or in our own praise;