1 A. The feventh Commandment requireth the Prefervation of our own and our Neighbour's Chastity in Heart, Speech, and Behaviour. Queft. 72. What is forbidden in the feventh Command ment ? A. The feventh Commandment forbiddeth all unchaft Thoughts, Words and Actions. Q. 1. What is the firft Duty required in this Commandment? A. The first Duty required in this Commandment is, the Prefervation of our own Chaflity in Heart, Lip, and Life; ì Theff. iv. 3, 4. For this is the Will of God, even your Sanctification, that ye fhould abstain from Fornication. That every one of you should know how to poffefs his Veffel in Sanctification and Honour. And Eph. iv. 29. Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth, &c. Q. 2. Why must we preserve our own Chastity? A. Because our Bodies are, or ought to be the Temples of the Holy Ghoft, 1 Cor. vi. 15, 19. Know ye not that your bodies are the Members of Chrift, Shall I then take the Members of Chrift, and make them the Members of an Harlot? God forbid. What know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghoft, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? And it is the exprefs Charge of God that they be kept pure and clean, 1 Theff. iv. 3, 4. For this is the Will of God, even your Sanctification, that ye fhould abftain from Fornication. That every one of you should know how to poffefs his Veffel in Sanctification and Honour. Q3. What is the fecond Reason ? A. The fecond Reafon is, becaufe of the Evil of it to ourfelves: As (1.) It injures the Body, 1 Cor. vi. 18.—He that committeth Fornication, finneth against his own Body, (2.) It levels us with the Heathen, Eph. iv. 17, 19. This I fay therefore, and teftify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk,-Who being paft feeling, have given themselves over unto Lafcivioufnefs, to work all uncleanness with Greediness. (3.) Dishonours our Names, Prov. vi. 32, 33. But whofo committeth Adultery with a Woman, a Wound and Difhonour fhall be get, &c. (4.) Scatters our Estates, Prov. V. 10. Left Strangers be filled with thy Wealth, and thy Labours N 3 be in be in the Houfe of Strangers. (5). Destroyeth the Soul, Prov. vi. 32. He that doth it, deftroyeth his own Soul. Q. 4. What Age is most incident to this Sin? A. The youthful Age is moft apt to be drawn into this Sin, Prov. vii. 7. And behold among the fimple ones, I difcerned among the Youths, a young Man void of Understanding. And 2 Tim. ii. 22. Flee alfo youthful Lufts, &c. Q. 5. How far doth this Command extend itfelf? A. It extends itself to the Heart, Mind and Fancy, as well as to the Body and external Actions, Matth. v. 28. But I fay unto you, that whosoever looketh on a Woman, to luft after her, bath committed Adultery with her already in his Heart. Q6. What are the ufual Inducements to this Sin? A. The ufual Inducements to this Sin are, (1.) Idleness. and fulness of the Creatures, Ezek. xvi. 49, 50. Behold, this was the Iniquity of thy Sifter Sodom; Pride, fulness of Bread, and abundance of Idleness was in ber, and in her Daughters, &c. (2.) Wanton Gestures, Ifa. iii. 16. Moreover, the Lord faith, because the Daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with firetched forth Necks, and wanton Eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their Feet. (3.) Filthy Communication, Eph. v. 4. Neither Filthinefs, nor foolish talking, nor jefting, which are not convenient, &c. Q7. What's the first Remedy against this fin? A. The first Remedy and the most effectual is, to get the Spirit of God within us, to fanctify and rule us, Gal. v. 16. -Walk in the Spirit, and ye jhall not fulfil the Lufts of the Flesh. Q. 8. What is the fecond Remedy? ! A. The keeping of a strict Watch over the Heart, Prov. iv. 23. Keep thy Heart with all Diligence, &c. And over the external Senfes, Job xxxi. 1. I made a Covenant with mine Eyes: why then should I think upon a Maid? Q. 9. What is the third Remedy against it? A. Deep and ferious Confideration of the Danger of this Sin, and what God threatens against Adulterers, Hebr. xiii. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge, 1 Cor. vi. -Be not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor effeminate, fall inherit the Kingdom of God: And how he defcribes them, Prov. xxii. 14. The Mouth of Strange 9, 10. frange women is a deep Pit; he that is abhorred of the Lord fball fall therein. Q. 10. What is the fourth Remedy against it? A. Prayer, Pfal. cxix. 37. Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity, &c.. And to evidence our Sincerity in Prayer, we must study to fhun all Occafions of this Sin, Pfal. xviii. 23. I was alfo upright before him: and I kept myself from mine Iniquity. Q. 11. What is the firft Inference hence? A. What cause those have to blefs God, that have been kept from this Sin; though the best ought to be humbled for their Heart Pollutions. Q. 12. What is the fecond Inference from hence? A. Let it warn Parents to do what in them lyes to prevent the Ruin of their Children by this Sin, (1.) By filling their Heads and Hands with lawful Bufinefs. (2.) By ferious Admonitions and Prayers for them. (3.) By keeping them from vain and tempting Company. (4.) by dispofing them feafonably in fuitable Marriage. Q 13. What's the third Inference from hence ? A. Let thofe that are defiled with this Sin, repent ferioufly of it, as David did, Pfal. li. 8. Make me to hear Joy and Gladness, that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. And apply the Blood of Chrift by Faith; for in fo doing, it may be pardoned, 1 Cor. vi. 11. And fucb were fome of you: but ye are washed, but ye are fanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and by the Spirit of our God. Of the eighth Commandment. WHICH is the eighth Commandment? Quest. 73. Queft. 74. What is required in the eighth Command ment ? A. The eighth Commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the Wealth, and outward Estate of ourfelves and others. Queft. 75. What is forbidden in the eighth Command ment ? A. The A. The eighth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or may, unjustly hinder our own, or our Neighbour's Wealth, or outward Eftate. Q. 1. What is prefuppofed in this Commandment? A. It prefuppofeth that God hath given every Man a propriety in his Eltate, and that no Man's Goods are common to others, except by his Confent in Times and Cafes extraordinary, Acts ii. 44. And all that believed were together, and had all Things common. Q. 2. What is required in this Commandment? A. It requires of every Man diligence in a lawful Calling, to get and preferve an Estate for his own and others good, Prov. xiii. 11. He that gathereth by Labour, fhall increase, Eph. iv. 28. But rather let him labour, working with his Hands the Thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Q3. What elfe is required in this Commandment? A. It requires us not only to get and keep the Things of the World in a lawful Manner, but to distribute and communicate them to thofe that are in Want, and not caft them into Temptations of Sin or inevitable Ruin, Ifa. Iviii. 10. And if thou draw out thy Soul to the Hungry, and fatisfy the afflicted Soul: then fhall thy Light rife in Obfcurity, and thy Darkness be as the Noon-Day, 1 John iii. 17. But whose hath this World's Good, and feeth his Brother hath Need, and shutteth up his Bowels of Compaffion from him, how dwelleth the Love of God in him? Q. 4. What elfe is required in this Commandment? A. It requires in every Man a publick Spirit to procure and promote the Good and Profperity of others, 1 Cor. x. 24. Let no Man seek his own; but every Man another's Wealth. Q. 5. What elfe is required in this Command? A. It requires Reftitution of all Goods unjustly gotten, or taken from others, Levit. vi. 4. Then it shall be because he bath finned and is guilty, that he shall reftore that which he took violently away, or the Thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, &c. And the reftoring of Pawns and Pledges, when it's due, Ezek. xviii. 7. And hath not oppreffed any, but hath reftored to the Debtor his Pledge, &c. Or Things loft, if we can difcover the true Owners. Q. 6. What is the first Sin forbidden in this Command ? A. It forbids all couzening and cheating of others in our Dealings and civil Commerce with them, I Theff. iv. 6. That no Man go beyond and defraud his Brother in any Matter, &c. Prov. xxvi. 28. A lying Tongue hateth thofe that are afflicted by it, and a flattering Mouth worketh Ruin. Q7. What's the fecond Thing forbidden in this Command? A. It forbids all Exaction and Oppreffion of our Neighbour, by going beyond them, or working on their Neceffities, or detaining their Dues, Lev. xxv. 14. And if thou Jell ought unto thy Neighbour, or buyeft ought of thy Neighbour's Hand, ye shall not opprefs one another, Prov. xxiv. 28, 29. Be not a Witness against thy Neighbour without Caufe: and deceive not with thy Lips. Say not, I will do so to him, as he hath done to me. I will render to the Man according to his Work. Q. 8. What is the third Thing forbidden in this Command? A. It forbids all unlawful Weights and Measures, which is no better than Theft in God's Account, Mic. vi. 10, 11. Are there yet the Treafures of Wickedness in the House of the wicked, and the feant Measure that is abominable? Shall I count them pure with the wicked Ballances, and with the Bag of deceitful Weights? mand? 9. What is the fourth Sin forbidden in this Com A. It forbids all Family Frauds by Children, Prov. xxviii. 24. Whofo robbeth his Father, or his Mother, and faith, it is no Tranfgreffion, the fame is the Companion of a Destroyer. Or Servants, Tit. ii. 9, 10. Exhort Servants to be obedient unto their own Mafters, not purloining, but fhewing all good Fidelity, &c. Q. 10. What is the fifth Thing forbidden in this Command? A. It forbids all tempting of, or encouraging others to defraud those who have any Truft committed to them, Pfal. 1. 18. When thou farveft a Thief, then thou confentedft with him, Prov. xxix. 24. Whofo is Partner with a Thief, hateth bis own Soul, &c. |