both of them shall surely be put to death. Deut. xxii. 30. A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his father's skirt. But above all, most detestable was the sin of Sodom accounted then, as well as now it ought to be. Lev. xviii. 22, 23. Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind. It is abomination. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. Deut. xxiii. 17. There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a Sodomite of the sons of Israel. Rom. i. 26, 27. Compare ver. 32. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men, working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. Verse 32. Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 1 Cor. vi. 9. Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Tim. i. 10. For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men stealers, for liars, for perjured persons (the law is made). 7. Q. What are the positive duties comprehended under this commandment? A. To keep our bodies in temperance, soberness, and chastity: and in order hereunto, not only carefully to avoid all temptations and incentives to the contrary; but if need be, to exercise ourselves in great watchings and fastings, and other corporeal austerities; which are in no cases more proper than for the suppression of these sins. To be modest in our behaviour: grave and chaste in our conversation: to regulate, as much as may be, our very thoughts and desires: and, above all things, to take care that we have somewhat to employ ourselves; that may spend our spirits, and take up our thoughts: as considering that there is nothing more dangerous to the purity of a Christian than idleness, and that unhappy privilege of a great fortune, to have nothing to do. PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Job, xxxi. 1, 9. I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid. If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door, then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. Matt. xv. 19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Rom. xiii. 13, 14. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 2 Cor. vii. 1. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. Gal. v. 24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. Eph. v. 3, 11, 18. But fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but 1 be filled with the Spirit. Col. iii. 5, 8. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Thess. iv. 3, 4. 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. Tit. ii. 3, 4, 12. The aged women likewise (exhort) that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness; not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things: that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children-The grace of God which bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. 1 Pet. v. 8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. 1 John, iii. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 8. Q. How was this sin of adultery punished under the law? A. It was punished with death: and that not only upon a civil account, as being most injurious to society; but also typically, to denote what such persons are to expect from God in the other world, even death eternal. PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Lev. xx. 10. And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. Deut. xxii. 22. If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman. Job. xxxi. 11. For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. John, viii. 4, 5. They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned; but what sayest thou? 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Gal. v. 19, 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in times past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Eph. v. 5. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 9. Q. What are the particular aggravations of this sin? A. *That it is not only a very heinous sin in the sight of God, but such as is destructive of humane society also. *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 occasions murders, seditions, and contentions, in the civil state: *that it propagates sickness and infirmities to men's posterity: *it is an enemy to all serious counsels and generous actions: * emasculates men's minds: enfeebles their bodies; and upon all these accounts, ought as well to be severely punished by the civil magistrate now, as we are sure it shall be punished by God hereafter. SECT. XXX. Of our Duty with relation to his Goods: of Theft, Robbery, Cheating, &c. 1. Q. What is the eighth commandment? A. Thou shalt not steal. 2. Q. What do you here understand by stealing? A. Not only the secret and fraudulent taking away of what is another's; but all kind of unlawful getting or detaining of any thing whereby another is injured, or oppressed, in what of right belongs, or ought to belong to him. PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Lev. xix. 11, 13. Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. 3. Q. What are the principal ways whereby this sin may be committed? a A. Chiefly by these three: first, by stealth and robbery; as the one implies a secret thievery, or conveying away of another's goods; the other a more violent and forcible taking of them. Secondly, by all those other ways which men have got of doing the same thing: *by cheating in buying and selling: * by borrowing, or otherwise contracting of debts, which they are not able, or never intend to pay; which is in truth stealing: by |