Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, Tract 2 · Part 77 – Part 78
Now to the things that tend to the maintenance and preseruation of the life of the soule of man, and to the welfare and safetie of mans soule.
Quest. What are the things that tend to the maintenance and preseruation of the life of the soule of man, and to the welfare and safetie of the soule?
Answ. They are either such things as tend to the maintenance and preseruation of the life of a mans owne soule, and the welfare and safetie of his owne soule: or such things as tend to the maintenance and preseruation of the life of the soule of another or others, and to the welfare and safetie of the soule of another or others.
Quest. What are the things that tend to the maintenance and preseruation of the life of a mans owne soule, and to the welfare and safetie of his owne soule?
Answ. Two things especially.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Answ. This; a carefull auoyding of all such things as tend to the destroying of his own soule, as all sorts of sinnes, especially knowne sinnes,Pro. 11.19. Rom. 2.5. 1 Pet. 3.20.11. and liuing and continuing in any knowne sinne willingly and obstinately, and with delight.
Quest. What is the second thing that tends to the maintenance and preseruation of the life of a mans owne soule, and to the welfare and safetie of his owne soule?
Deut. 30.19.20 Rom. 10.14.17 1 Pet. 2.2. Pro. 16.17.Answ. This; a carefull vse of the meanes that God hath ordained both for the beginning, and for the continuance of grace and of spirituall life in the soule, both in publike, and in priuate; as of the word of God preached or read, Sacraments, Prayer, and the like.
Quest. How do men carefully vse the meanes God hath ordained for the beginning, and for the continuance of grace, and of spirituall life in the soule?
Pro. 2.1.2.3.4. Pro. 4.20.21. Pro: 7.1.2.3.4. Pro. 8.33. Isai. 55.3.Answ. By diligent attending on them, and by vsing them conscionably, and with care to be bettered and to profit by them: this we find required in many places of Scripture. Coloss. 3.16. 1 Thes. 2.13.
Quest. How doe men carefully walke in the way of life, and of saluation?Ephes. 2.10. Philip: 2.12. 2 Pet. 4.5.6. to 12. Psal. 92.14. 2 Pet: 3.18.
Answ. By diligence to finish their owne saluation, by adding daily one measure of grace to another, and by making their owne calling and election sure by the fruits of faith.
Quest. What are the things that tend to the maintenance and preseruation of the life of the soule of another or others, and to the welfare and safety of the soule of another or others?
Answ. Such things as serue for the procuring or helping forward of the spirituall life and saluation of another or others: men are as they are able, and according to their place and calling, and as present occasion is offered, to procure or to helpe forward the spirituall life and saluation of another or others.1 Cor. 10.33.
Quest. How are men, as they are able and according to their place and calling, and as present occasion is offered, to procure and to helpe forward the spirituall life and saluation of another or others?
Pro. 11.30. Dan. 12.3. Rom. 15.2. Iam. 5 19.20.Answ. By doing such things as tend to the winning of their soules, and to their edification in grace & goodnes.
Quest. What are the things that men are to doe tending to the winning of the soules of others, and to their edification in grace and goodnesse?
Answ. Sixe things especially.
Quest. VVhat is the first of those?
Answ. This; they are as they are able,Gen. 18.19. Deut. 6.7. Pro. 1.10. P o 31.1. Ioh. 1.35. to 45 Act. 20.26.27. Coloss. 3.16. and according to their place and calling, and as present occasion is offered, to teach and to instruct others to knowe God, and the good wayes of God; and to counsell, and to aduise them in su…h things as concerne their sanctification and saluation, especially such as bee vnderunder their charge; they being such as hauehave the gouernment of others, and are ouer others in publike or in priuate, as Ministers and Gouernours in the family.
Quest. May not inferiours sometimes teach and instruct, aduise and counsell their Superiours?
Answ. Yes, they may,1 Sam. 25.23. to 32. Iob. 31.13. Act. 18.26. and they ought sometimes to teach and instruct their Superiours, finding them fit and willing to bee taught, instructed, aduised, and counselled by them, and dealing with them with reuerence, and with humilitie.
Obiect. Math. 28.19. Ministers are commanded to teach and baptize, and so it belongs to the Ministers of the Word onelyonly to teach others; and therefore not to Gouernours in the family.
Quest. How is this to bee answered?
Answ. Thus; it belongs to the Ministers of the Word onelyonly to teach as Ministers; but yet gouernors in the family may teach as gouernors in another kind of teaching.
Quest. VVherein stands the difference betweene the teaching of the Ministers of the Word, and the teaching of Gouernours in the family?
Answ. In two things.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Answ. This; Ministers of the Word teach in the name of God, and by authority from Christ, as in his roome and stead,Tit 2.15. 2 Cor. 5.19.20 and as his Ambassadors: and hence they are called Men of God, seruants of God; but Gouernors in the family teach only by the authoritie of an husband, a father or master.
Quest. What is the second difference betweene the teaching of the Ministers of the word, and of gouernors in a family?
Answ. This; the teaching of Ministers of the Word depends onelyonly on the teaching of Gods Spirit by his Word.Ezech. 3.17. Deut. 18.18. 2 Cor. 3.8. But the teaching of Gouernors in a family depends on publike teaching, and must be ordered by it; and they must teach nothing but that they hauehave learned and receiued from the publike Ministery, and is agreeable to it.
Quest. What is the second thing that men are to doe tending to the winning of the soules of others, and to their edification and building vp in grace and goodnesse?
Answ. This; they are as they are able, and according to their place and calling,foreign and as present occasion is offered, to prouoke and to excite and stirre vp others to holinesse and to well doing, and to hearten, and to encourage them in well doing, especially such as bee vnderunder their charge, they being such as hauehave the gouernment of others.Pro: 27.17. Heb. 10.34. Prou. 27.17. A man is to whet his friend to knowledge, ioy, louelove, diligence, and Zeale.
Quest. How are men, as they are able, and according to their place and calling, and as present occasion is offered, to prouoke, and to excite, and to stirre vp others to weldoing, and to hearten and to encourage them in well doing?
2 Chron. 19.9. 2 Chron. 20.20 2 Chron. 32.7. 1 Thess. 5.11. 1 Tim. 5.1.2. Hebr. 3.13. Rom. 1….3. 1 Cor. 11.2.Answ. By perswading and by exhorting them to good things, and by praising, commending, and countenancing them when they doe well.
Quest. What is the third thing that men are to doe tending to the winning of the soules of others, and their edification and building vp in grace and goodnesse?
Answ. This; they are, as they are able, and according to their place and calling, and as present occasion is offered, to admonish and to reproue others, when they see or know them to offend and to doe euill, and to sinne, so as they d…e it fitly and seasonably.
Quest. How doe men reproue others fitly?
Answ. When their reproofe is fit…ed to the quality of the person whom they reproue,Leuit. 19.17. Luke 17 3. Coloss. 3.16. 1 Thess. 5.14. 2 Tim. 2.4. Tit. 2.15. and to the nature and quality of the off nce for which the person i… reproued.
Quest. How is the reproofe fitted to the quality of the person reproued?
Answ. Thus; when men reproue their equalls louingly and friendly,Gal. 6.1. 1 Tim. 5.1. 2 Sam. 12.1. Tit. 3.13. Nehem. 5.7. Iob 2.20. Prou. 29.17.19 their Superiours (hauing a calling so to doe) by reuerent and humble exhortation; their Inferiours sharpely, the fact being notorious, scandalous, or dangerous: and such of their Inferiours as ouer whom they hauehave speciall authoritie, as their Children, Seruants, Subiects, or the like, sometimes by due chastisement and correction.
Quest. How is reproofe fitted to the nature and quality of the offence, for which the person is reproued?
Answ. Thus; when men reprooue others for sinnes and offences committed of ignorance or frailtie,Iude epist. ver. 22.23. 2 Cor. 13.2. with gentlenesse; and for sins and offences committed of malice, pride, and presumption, with sharpnesse and seueritie.
Quest. How doe men reprooue others seasonably?
Answ. When they doe it in such a time as the reproofe may doe them most good: as when they discerne them to be willing to h…are reproofe, they are no scorners,Psal. 141.5. Prou. 9.8. 1 Sam. 25.36.37 and that they are capable of reproofe, they are not drunke, nor in heat of passion.
Quest. VVhat if men being but priuate persons, doe know another or others to practice some thing that tends to the hurt of the Church or Common-wealth; as to plot Treason, or to inter-meddle in treasonable practices, or the like, are they then priuately to admonish and to reproue them?
Answ. In such a case they are not, but they are then to discouer them to the publike Magistrate,Deut. 13.6.7.8 9 Hest. 2.21.22. that by him they may bee dealt withall according to the nature and qualitie of the offence.
Question VVhat if men beeing but priuate persons, doe knowe another or others, to intend to kill and to murder another, and to lye in wayte purposely to take away his life, are they then priuately to admonish and to reprooue them?
Answ. No; in this case also they are bound to discouer them to the publike Magistrate:Act. 23.16.17. for the life of a man or woman is to be preferred before the credit of such as seeke vniustly to take it away.
Quest. What is the fourth thing that men are to doe tending to the winning of the soules of others, and to their edification and building vp in grace and goodnesse?
Answ. This; they are as they are able, and according to their place and calling,Gen. 50.21. Sam. 23.16. Sam. 10.2. …ob 6 14.15. …sai. 40.1.2. Mat. 14.27. 1 Thess. 4.18. 1 Thess. 5.14 and as the present occasion is offered, to comfort others, when they see or know them to stand in need of comfort, in regard of their troubles and distresses, especially in regard of the troubles and distresses and afflictions of their minds and consciences for sinne, so as they doe it wisely and seasonably.
Quest. How doe men wisely and seasonably comfort others that are troubled and afflicted in their minds & consciences for sinne?
Answ. When they duly consider the person afflicted, as whether it be a man or woman, young or old, hauing knowledge or wanting knowledge, whether by nature fearefull and melancholike or no, whether a vsuall sinner or no, and the like, and accordingly to apply comfort: and when they doe it in such a time as comfort may doe the partie aff…cted most good; as when they discerne the partie afflicted to bee fit for comfort,Iob 16.2. Iob 19.21. Isai. 50.4. as being humbled rather for sinne then for outward shame, or the like, and not grieued onelyonly with a generall notion and sight of sinne, but extreamely throwne downe with the burden of particular sinnes.
Quest. VVhat is the fift thing that men are to doe tending to the winning of the soules of others, and to their edification and building vp in grace and goodnesse?
Answ. This; they are as they are able, and according to their place and calling,Ier. 42.2.3. Gen. 43.29. Gen 48.15. 1 Chro. 22.12. Iam. 5.15. and as present occasion is offered, to pray for others standing in need of their prayers, for the good of their soules, and especially such as they are bound to, by some neere and speciall bond, as of nature or of grace, or of place or calling, and condition, and the like.
Quest. What is the sixt thing that men are to doe tending to the winning of the soules of others, and to their edification and building vp in grace and goodnesse?
Answ. This; they are as they are able, and according to their place and calling, and as present occasion is offered to giuegive good example to others,Math. 5.1…. 2 Cor. 9.2. liuing in their sight without giuing iust offence, and walking before them in the practice of good things, especially to such as they are bound to,1 Pet 2.12. 1 Pet. 3.1. by some neare and speciall bond of nature, place, calling or condition.
Now to the seauenth Commandement Exod 20.14.
Thou shalt not commit Adultery.
Quest. Why is the Commandement that forbids Adultery, netxt to that that forbids Killing or Murder?
Answ. For this reason, because next after iniurie done to the person of man or woman,Gen. 2.24. Mat. 19.5. 1 Cor. 6.16. there is none greater then that which is offered or done to the ioynt person: as the wife is to the Husband, and the Husband to the Wife, they two being but one flesh.
Quest. What are the words of the seauenth Commandement?
Answ. Those we finde, Exod. 20.14. Thou shalt not commit Adulterie.
Quest. What is the meaning of the words of this Commandement?
Answ. This; thou shalt not thinke, will, speake,Mat. 5.18. 2 Cor. 7.1. 1 Thess. 4.3.4. or doe any thing whereby thine owne chastitie, or the chastitie of another or others may be hurt or hindered.
Quest. What is the-ground of this prohibition: thou shalt not thinke, will, speake, or doe any thing whereby thine owne chastitie, or the chastitie of another or others may be hurt or hindered?
Answ. Both the preseruation of a speciall part of Gods Image in man,Gen: 20.9. Gen: 26.10. chastity being a speciall part of Gods Image in man; and therefore Adultery is knowne to be a sinne by the light of nature: and also the propagation of an holy seede to be made by man on earth, God hauing appointed one man to one woman to that end. Mat. 2.15.Mat: 2.15.
Quest. Why is Adultery heere named, rather then any other sin of the same kinde?
Answ. For two reasons especially.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Answ, This; because it breakes the couenant of marriage,Pro: 2.17. whereby married persons bind themselues not only one with another but to God himselfe (who hath appointed the Ordinance of Marriage) th… they will faithfully and truely keepe their faith plighted one to the other.
Quest. What is the second reason why Adulterie is heere named, rather then any other sin of the same kinde?
Answ. This: because it brings pollution into the Ordinance which God hath sanctified for the propagation of an holy seede, and makes confusion in Stocks and Families through bastardy: and many times brings the child of the Adulterer into another mans possession, to his great wrong and indignity.
Quest. What is the summe of this Commandement?
Answ. That chastitie bee not any way hurt or hindered, either in our selues or in others, but that both in our selues & in others,Tit. 2.5. it be eueryevery way and by all good meanes preserued, Ioseph was carefull of his. Gen. 39, 9.Gen. 39.9.