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&c. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Gal. v. 20. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies. James, iii. 14, 16. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 12. Q. What are the positive duties which this commandment requires of us?

A. To do all we can for the safety and preservation, both of our own and our neighbour's lives. If they are sick, to advise and assist them with our money and our service. If they are well, to prevent their quarrels, and 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 them, to make them all reasonable satisfaction. In one word, to do all we can to promote love, and peace, and good-will among all men.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Matt. v. 9, 44. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. Luke, x. 34. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the

thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go and do thou likewise. Rom. xii. 18, 20. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Gal. v. 22. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Eph. v. 2. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savour. 1 Thess. iv. 9. But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. Heb. x. 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. James, ii. 8. If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the Scriptures, ye shall do well. 1 John, iv. 7, 21. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. And this commandment have we from God, that he that loveth God, love his brother also.

SECT. XXIX.

Of our Duty with relation to his Bed. Of Adultery,
Fornication, Uncleanness.

1. Q. What is the seventh commandment?
A. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

2. Q. What is adultery?

A. It is the violation of the marriage bed, by which party soever it be done.

3. Q. How many ways may the marriage-bed be polluted?

a

A. Either by the one's leaving the other altoge

ther, and marrying again; or by the one's being false to the other, whilst they still continue to hold together.

PROOFS SUBJOINED. Matt. v. 31, &c. It hath been said, whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement; but I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. xix. 9. And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 1 Cor. vii. 10. And unto the married I command, yet not 1, but the Lord, let not the wife depart from her husband. Lev. xviii. 20. Moreover, thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile her. Prov. vi. 29. So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife: whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

b

4. Q. Is this all that is here forbidden by God?

A. It is all that this commandment does expressly forbid: and seems to have been chiefly designed by God, when he delivered it to the Jews: but our Saviour has taught us to extend it much farther.

5. Q. What does our Saviour teach us to understand from this prohibition?

A. That we are to abstain not only from adultery, but from all manner of carnal pollutions whatsoever; from all the most distant approaches to it, and incitements towards it. Such as fornication, uncleanness, sensual desires and inclinations; all lewd and effeminate conversation; all wantonness of behaviour; all indecent dressing; all familiar conversation of

S

younger persons of different sexes together; all excess of meat, drink, sleep, clothing; all places and exercises which may be likely to raise our passions to any immoderate height. In short, from whatever is contrary to the gravity, and modesty, and purity of the Gospel of Christ.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Matt. v. 28, &c. But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Rom. viii. 13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 1 Cor. iii. 17. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple are ye. vi. 9. Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. ix. 27. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Gal. v. 19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, &c. Eph. v. 3, 4. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient. Col. iii. 5. Mortify therefore your members, which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 1 Thess. iv. 3, 4, 5. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication; that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of

concupiscence, even as the Gentiles, which know not God. 1 Tim. ii. 9. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. 2 Tim. ii. 22. Flee also youthful lusts. 1 Peter, ii. 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. iii. 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.

6. Q. Was adultery the only pollution that was forbidden by God under the law?

A. No; fornication was forbidden then no less than it is now. Exod. xxii. 16. And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. Deut. xxii. 28. If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife.

So were all incestuous and unseemly marriages. Lev. xviii. 6. None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness. Deut. vii. 3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

All unnatural communication between near relations. Lev. xx. 11. And the man that lieth with his father's wife, hath uncovered his father's nakedness:

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