Opening of the Ten Commandments, Commandment 7
Thou ſhalt not commit adulterie.
ANd it takes order for the preſeruation of the puritie and chaſtitie of our ſelues and our neighbours.
The things commanded are
1. Direct.
2. Indirect.
1. Direct, puritie or chaſtitie, which is, the right ordering of our whole man, in regard of the facultie of generation, and it is twofold.
1. Out of matrimonie.
2. In matrimonie.
1. Out of matrimonie, in ſingle life, by reſtraint of our ſelues, in regard of that facultie, both inward and outward.
1. Inward, in holding of the deſire it ſelfe in compaſſe, that it be not carried after one, that God hath not allowed to take: this is kept in order,
1. By ſpirituall meanes.
2. By naturall meanes.
1. By ſpirituall meanes, which is twofold.
1. Earneſt praying, if need be, ioyned with faſting.
2. Meditating on Gods word, both threats and promiſes, that we may feare him, and delight in him.
2. By naturall meanes, which are three.
1. Temperance in diet, for quantitie and qualitie, both of meat and drinke.
2. Diligence, in labouring in a calling.
3. Shunning the opportunitie of time, place, and companie, fit to inuite to that ſinne.
2. Outward, in regard
1. Of ſpeech, by modeſtie and puritie of ſpeech, putting away mentioning of vncleanneſſe, and all manner of incenſiue ſpeeches.
2. In regard of action, both in regard
1. Of things inducing to the ſinfull act, by modeſt, ſhamefaſt carriage, free from all ſuch behauiours, as may prouoke and incenſe.
2. Of the ſinfull act it ſelfe, by poſſeſſing ones veſſell in holineſſe and honour, and keeping the body vndefiled.
2. The right ordering of a mans ſelfe in matrimonie, which in caſe the fore-named meanes will not ſubdue the deſire, one is bound in conſcience to contract, and therefore ſome duties concerne
1. The entring into this eſtate.
2. The vſe and enioyment of this eſtate.
1. The duties required, vntounto the entring into this eſtate, are two.
1. A due choice of a yoake-fellow, where ſome things ate to be reſpected.
1. Of neceſſitie.
2. Of conueniencie for the matter.
1. Of neceſſitie, which are three.
1. That they be ſufficiently diſtant one from another, in regard
1. Of bloud.
2. Affinitie.
1. In regard of bloud, for the right line vpward and downward, abſtaining from all generations; no man euer marying his mother, grand-mother, great grand mother, &c. and ſo downward.
2. For the collaterall line.
1. Vnequall, abſtaining from mariage, betwixt all that hauehave the place of parents and children, each in reſpect of each other, as the vncle from the neece, ſo the great vncle, &c.
2. Vnequall, abſtaining from mariage betwixt brother and ſiſter, and further, conſcience ſo farre as I know doth not forbid.
2. Affinitie, where theſe be the rules,
1. A man may marie none of thoſe that are ſo neere to his wife in bloud, that were ſhe a man, ſhe might not marie them, and ſo a woman may marie none ſo neere to her husband in bloud, that had he beene a woman, he might not hauehave maried them.
2. Affinitie reſts alone betwixt parties themſelues, betwixt whom it befalleth, and doth not deriue it ſelfe to any other perſon. As I only am neere in affinitie to my wiues ſiſter, ſo is not my brother, or father, or ſonne, or vncle.
2. Dutie of neceſſitie, that they be of ſufficient ſtrength and age for generation, elſe it is a weake mariage.
3. Dutie of neceſſitie, that they be both free and vncontracted to any other, elſe it is a nullitie.
2. Things to be reſpected, in regard of conueniencie for matter.
1. Of religion, that they ſerue the ſame God, and be of the ſame religion.
2. Of ciuill life, that they be
1. Of proportionable qualitie for age, not one too old, or young for the other.
2. That there be a paritie of parentage and wealth, ſomewhat neere.
Thus farre of the dutie, at the entrance into the ſtate of matrimonie, a due choice. Now followes the ſecond dutie.
2. A due proceeding to it, where alſo ſome things
1. Of neceſſitie, muſt be done.
2. Of conueniencie, muſt be done.
1. Of neceſſitie.
1. They muſt hauehave conſent of parents, if they hauehave parents.
2. They muſt take each other with an expreſſe couenant and purpoſe of liuing together during their life.
2. Some things are to be reſpected, in regard of conueniencie, that the couenant be
1. Made by degrees.
2. Be publiſhed.
1. Be made by degrees.
1. In eſpouſals, which is a mutuall giuing of the right of each others bodies, by a ſerious and ſolemne promiſe of mariage.
2. In wedding, by giuing poſſeſſion of each others bodies, in a promiſe of liuing together during life.
2. That the couenant be publiſhed and ſolemnized, according to the different cuſtome of each countrie.
2. The duties that concerne the vſe and enioyment of this eſtate.
1. In regard of the yoake-fellowes.
2. In regard of all others.
1. In regard of the yoake-fellowes ſelues, by communicating themſelues,
1. Willingly, without grudging or ſhew of diſlike of each other.
2. Seaſonably.
3. Sanctifiedly with praier.
4. Moderately and ſparingly, to aſſwage deſire, not prouoke it.
2. In regard of enioyment of all others, by a totall abſtinence from them, euen in deſire, or any thing that may expreſſe deſire. So much for things directly commanded.
2. It commands indirectly,
1. Shamefaſtneſſe, a vertuous kinde of ſhaming, to doe or ſee any thing that may but carrie an appearance of mouing ſuch conceits.
2. Grauitie, and modeſtie in attire.
Hitherto the affirmatiue: The negatiue followes, ſhewing how this commandement is broken, by omiſſion and commiſſion, and that
1. Directly.
2. Indirectly.
1. Directly.
1. Inwardly in heart.
2. Outwardly.
1. Inwardly in heart, by inordinate luſt, and luſt is inordinate,
1. For the meaſure, when it is a burning, an eager and a vehement deſire, bearing downe the whole ſoule, and conſuming all other deſires.
2. For the ſubiect, when it wanders towards vnallowed perſons.
2. Outwardly, and that
1. In rotten communication.
2. In actions that are lewd.
1. Rotten communication.
1. By prouoking, foule ſpeeches, chiefly ſongs.
2. By talking of the lewd deeds of others, or ones ſelfe, with delight.
3. By ſoliciting, and tempting any body, as Ioſephs miſtreſſe did him.
2. In actions that are lewd.
1. Such as leade and induce to the act.
2. The act it ſelfe.
1. Such as lead and induce to the act, which is wantonneſſe,
1. Of the body.
2. Of attire.
1. Of the body it ſelfe.
1. For the ſeuerall parts of it.
2. For the whole.
1. For the ſeuerall parts of it, as
1. The eie.
2. The eare.
3. The foot.
4. The hand.
5. The mouth.
1. The eie and countenance.
1. By beholding things.
2. By alluring glances.
1. Beholding things incenſiue, as
1. Lewd pictures and Images.
2. Filthy ſtage plaies.
3. The generating of beaſts.
4. Nakedneſſe of others.
2. By alluring, and promiſing glances of the eie, in hauing eies full of adulterie.
2. The eare, by a willing liſtening to filthy tales, ſpeeches and ſongs.
3. The foot.
1. Running to places of ill reſort, fit for that ill purpoſe.
2. In making ſignes of ill meaning, treading on the toe.
4. The hand.
1. In geſturing ſorth vncleannes.
2. In touching and toying by any ouer-familiar touches, chiefly of the ſecret parts, for which a womans hand was to be cut off.
5. The mouth, in vnchaſte kiſſing.
2. The whole body,
1. In impure imbraces and counterfetting the act of euill.
2. Laſciuious dancing or reuelling, which is an artificiall wantonneſſe.
2. The wantonneſſe of attire, and that
1. By light and vndecent attire that ſpeaketh out wantonneſſe and vanity, as laying open the breaſt.
2. By changing attire, in a mans putting on womans apparell, or contrarily, which God calleth abomination vntounto him.
2. The lewd act it ſelfe: which is,
1. In ſtrange and vndue abuſes of this facultie.
2. In inordinate abuſe of the courſe of nature.
1. In ſtrange abuſes of this faculty, otherwiſe then agrees to the naturall courſe.
1. With ones ſelfe by committing the ſinne of Er and Onan.
2. With others.
1. Of the ſame kinde.
2. Of other kindes, as man or woman with a beaſt, which is confuſion.
1. Of the ſame kinde, and that
1. Of a different ſex.
2. Of the ſame ſex, viz. Man with man, or woman with woman.
2. Inordinate act of abuſe of the courſe of nature is either out of mariage, or in reſpect of mariage.
1. Out of marriage, fornication, which is a mixture of two ſingle perſons, aggrauated
1. By the manner of committing.
2. By the perſon with whom it was committed.
1. By the manner of committing, if be done
1. By violence, ſo its rape.
2. By charmes and ſpels, ſo its worſe.
2. By the perſon with whom it was committed, if it be too neare of kin or affinity, then its called inceſt.
2. Inordinate abuſe of the courſe of nature in reſpect of mariage, and that
1. For the owne yokefellow.
2. For others beſides.
1. For the own yoke-fellow, and that
1. For the entring to it.
2. For the vſe of it.
1. For the entring into it.
1. In regard of choice.
2. In regard of proceeding.
1. In regard of choice, if one take
1. One that is precontracted.
2. One that is too neere a kin.
2. In regard of proceeding, if one enter it
1. Without conſent of parents.
2. By a forced couenant, or elſe fained, or extorted by fraud.
2. In regard of the vſe of it.
1. By deniall of ones ſelfe to the yokefellow, chiefly in running away in deſertion.
2. By abuſe of the mariage bed, and that
1. Vnſanctifiedly.
2. Vnſeaſonably.
3. Immoderatly.
2. Others beſide the owne yoke-fellow.
1. In polygamie, which is a couert adulterie.
2. In flat adultery with another, not ſo much as in conceit a wife or an husband, which is,
1. Single, when one alone is maried, and is the worſe, if the woman be maried.
2. Double, when both are maried, and both receiue aggrauations, as fornication did before.
So much of direct breaches, it is alſo broken
2. Indirectly, and that
1. By occaſions of this ſinne.
2. By the appearances of euill.
1. By the occaſions of this ſinne.
1. To others.
2. To ones ſelfe.
1. To others.
1. In coſtly attire.
2. In diſcouering ones ſelfe impudently or careleſly.
2. To ones ſelfe.
1. By idleneſſe and neglecting ones calling.
2. By intemperance in food.
1. For quality, which is luxuriouſneſſe.
2. For quantity, which is gluttony and drunkenneſſe.
3. By vnſeaſonableneſſe of meeting,
1. In reſpect of place, ſolitary.
2. In reſpect of time, in the night.
3. In reſpect of perſon, one that one deſireth or hath ſinned with, or is likely to tempt or yeeld.
2. Indirectly by the appearances of euill,
1. In gariſh attire.
2. In light cariage.
3. In companie keeping with ſuſpected perſons.
Hitherto of the ſeuenth Commandement: the eighth followeth.