SECT. XXVIII. 7HAT is the Sixth Commandment? 2.2. What is Murder? 3.2. Is not all Killing, Murder? A. No; that only is Murder, which is VoJuntary, and Unlawful. 4.2. Wherefore muft the Killing be Wilful, and Defigned? Of our Duty with Relati on to the PerNeighbour, fon of our bis Life, and Limbs. A. Because if a Man Slay another purely by Exod. xxi. Chance, without any Defign or Intention, fo to 13. do; without Malice, and without Premeditation; 22. it is a Misfortune, it is not Murder. 25. 2. Wherefore must the Killing be Unlawful? A. To exclude thofe Cafes, in which though the Killing be Voluntary, yet it is not Murder; nor Forbidden by God as Such. 6. 2. What are thofe Cafes ? Num. XXXV. Num, xxxv. A. The Execution of Justice, after a Lawful Gen. ix. v. Manner, for a Suitable Offence, and by a Law- Exod. xxi. ful Magiftrate. The Killing of an Enemy in a 14. juft War. The Killing of Another for the Ne- 30. ceffary Defence of a Man's own Life: To which Deut. xvii.6. under the Law were added fome Other Cafes, Rom. xiii. 4. with which we are not concern'd now, under the Gospel a, 7.2. What is your Opinion of Self-Murder? A. That it is as much forbidden by this Commandment as any Other. 8. 2. What think you of those who meet in fet Duel, and fo Kill ? Num. x. 9. Deut. xx. I, 13, 17. Prov. xx.18. xxiv. 6. a Deut. xiii. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, a fo. Num. xxxv. A. If both agree to it, which foever falls, they 26, 27. are Both Guilty of Murder. 9. 2. What if Men draw in a fudden Heat, and one be Slain? A. The Heat being Criminal, it will not excuse the Mischief confequent upon it; any more than Drunkenness, in the like Cafe, would have done. The Laws of Men may diftinguifh as they pleafe; but in the Sight of God 'tis Murder. 10. 2. What are the peculiar Aggravations of this Sin? A. They are very many, and very great Ones: Murder being above moft Other Sins, 1. A heinous Offence againft God, who is the Sole Lord of all his Creatures; after whose Image we are made, and who must therefore be, in a fingular manner, both Injured, and Affronted, by the Deftruction of his Creature, and his Image. Gen. ix. 6. 2. It is a Sin against Nature; which has Eftablifhed a Common Relation betwixt Us; defign'd Us for Society; and in order thereunto, has made it one of its fundamental Laws that we should Love, and Protect, and Do Good, to One Another: And this Law cannot by any thing be more eminently trampled under Foot than by Murder. 3. It is a Sin against the Civil Society; the End of which is Protection; to provide for the Safety, and Security, of those who are the Members of it: And the very Bands of which muft therefore be broken hereby. 4. It is a Sin against the Magiftrate; who alone, under God, has the Power of Life and Death; and who, by this Violence, is deprived of the Counsel, Help, and Support of one of his Subjects. And lastly, it is a peculiar and fignal Offence, against all the Relatives of Him who is fo cut off, and that such as perhaps may be utterly Ruinous to them. To fay nothing of the Injury that is hereby done to the Perfon Murder'd; and who, by this means, is not only deprived of his Life, and of all the Advantages he enjoy'd by it; but is, it may be, taken taken off in the midft of his Sins, and fo undone to all Eternity. .11.2. Is there nothing Elfe, befides Murder, forbidden by this Commandment? &c. A. Yes, much more; viz. All Variance, Ha- Mat. v. 22. tred, Emulation, Envy, Revenge, Evil-speaking, Rom. xii. Quarrelling; All Rafh and Immoderate Anger; 19 20.. and, in one Word, whatsoever tends towards Murder, or may be likely to End in it. 12. 2. What are the Pofitive Duties which this Commandment requires of Us? Gal. v. Jam. iii. 14, 16. Rom. xii. Eph. v. 2. A. To do all we can for the Safety and Prefer- Mat.v.9.44. vation, both of Our Own, and our Neighbour's Luke x. 34, Lives, If they are Sick, to Advise and Affift 37 Them; with our Money, and our Service. If 18, 20. they are Well, to prevent their Quarrels, and Gal. v. 22. make up their Differences. If they are Needy, to Feed them, and Clothe them. If they have injured Us, to forgive them: If we have injured Jam. ii. 8. them, to make them all Reasonable Satisfaction: Jo.iv.7,21. In one Word, to do all we can to promote Love, and Peace, and Good-will, among all Men. I Theff. iv.9. SECT. XXIX. Of our Duty with Relati 1.2. WHAT is the Seventh Commandment? on to bis Bed. A. Thou shalt not commit Dul: Of Adultery, tery. 2. Q: What is Adultery? Fornication, A. It is the Violation of the Marriage-Bed, by which Party foever it be done. 3. 2. How many ways may the MarriageBed be polluted? a ICor. vii.10. A. Either by theOne's Leaving the Other al- Mat. v. 31, together, and Marrying again; bor by the One's 32. xix. 9. being Falfe to the Other, whilft they ftill conti- b Lev. x7. nue to hold together. 20. 4. 2. Is this all that is here forbidden by God? Prov, vi Mat. v. 29, &c. 13. 1 Cor. iii. 17. vi. 9. ix. 27. A. It is all that this Commandment does Ex prefly forbid; and feems to have been chiefly de fign'd by God, when he deliver'd it to the Jews: But our Saviour has taught Us to extend it much farther. 5. 2. What does our Saviour teach us to un derftand from this Prohibition? A. That we are to abftain not only from Adul tery, but from all manner of Carnal Pollutions Rom. viii. whatsoever, from all the most diftant Approaches to it, and Incitements towards it. Such as For nication, Uncleannefs, Senfual Defires, and InGal. v. 19. clinations; all Lewd, and Effeminate Converfa Eph. v. 3,4 tion; all Wantonness of Behaviour; all undeCol. iii. 5. cent Dreffing; all familiar Converfation of 4, 5. younger Perfons of different Sexes together: All 1 Tim. ii. 9. Excefs of Meat, Drink, Sleep, Clothing: All 2.Tim. 22. Places, and Exercifes, which may be likely to Raife our Paffions to any Immoderate Height. In fhort, from whatfoever is contrary to the Gravity, and Modesty, and Purity of the Gospel of Chrift. 1Theff.iv.3, 1 Pet, ii. 11. iii. ii. 3. iv. 3. Job xxxi. 1,9. 6. 2. Was Adultery the only Pollution that was forbidden by God under the Law? A. No; Fornication was forbidden Then, no lefs than it is Now: Exod. xxii. 16. Deut. xxii. 28. So were all Incestuous and Unfeemly Marriages: Lev. xviii. 6, &c. Deut. vii. 3. All Unnatural Communication between near Relations: Lev. xx. 11, &c. Deut. xxii. 30. But above all, moft deteftable was the Sin of Sodom accounted then, as well as now it ought to be: Lev. xviii. 22, 23. Deut. xxiii. 17. xx. 13, 15, 16. Rom. i. 26, 27. comp. Ver. 32. 1 Cor. vi. 9. 1 Tim. i. 10. 7. 2. What are the Pofitive Duties comprehended under this Commandment? A. To keep our Bodies in Temperance, Sobernels, and Chastity; And in Order hereunto, 2 Cor. vii. I. hereunto, not only carefully to avoid all Temp- Mat. xv. 19. tations, and Incentives, to the Contrary; but if Rom. xiii. need be, to Exercife ourselves in Great Watch 13, 14.. ings, and Faftings, and other Corporal Aufteri- Gal. v. 24. ties; which are in no Cafes more proper, than Eph. v. 3, for the Suppreffion of these Sins. To be Modeft 11, 18. in our Behaviour: Grave and Chafte in our Con- Theff. iv. Col. iii. 5, 8 verfation: To Regulate, as much as may be, 3, 4, &c. our very Thoughts and Defires: And, above all things, to take Care that We have fomewhat to employ our Selves about; that may fpend our Spirits, and take up our Thoughts: As confidering that there is nothing more dangerous to the Purity of a Chriftian, than Idleness, and that unhappy Privilege of a great Fortune, to have nothing to do. 8. 2. How was this Sin of Adultery punifh'd under the Law? Tit. ii. 3. 4, 12. 1 Pet, v. 8. Jo. iii. 3. A. It was punifh'd with Death: And that Lev. xx. 10, not only upon a Civil Account, as being moft in- Deut. xxii. jurious to Society; but alfo typically, to denote 22. what fuch Perfons are to expect from God in the other World, even Death Eternal. 9. 2. What are the particular Aggravations of this Sin? Job xxxi. 11. Jo. viii. 4,5. i Cor. vi. 9, 10. Gal. . 19 21. A.* That it is not only a very heinous Sin in Eph. v. 5′′ the Sight of God, but fuch as is destructive of Humane Society alfo.* That it breaks the most Solemn Vow that can be made between Man and Man: Separates the nearest Relations:* Lays the Ground of infinite Quarrels, and Hatred, and Divisions in Families ; and oftentimes occafi; ons Murders, Seditions, and Contentions, in the Civil State.* That it Propagates Sickness and Infirmities to Mens Pofterity: Is an Enemy to all Serious Counfels, and Generous Actions: Emafculates Mens Minds: * Enfeebles their Bodies, and, upon all these Accounts, ought as well to be feverely punifh'd by the Civil MagiStrate |