Principles of Faith and Good Conscience, Chapter 36 – Chapter 37
CAP. XXXVI.
Of the ſix Commandement. Thou ſhalt not kill.
Q. WHat is the purpoſe of God in this ſixt Commandement?
A. 1. To provide for the ſafety and preſervation of mans life. 2. And it forbids all unmercifulneſſe & cruelty, whereby the life, or wel-being of the life of another is prejudiced and impeached. [We muſt not, 1. Harme our own, or anothers life. 2. Nor wiſh, in affection, any impairing of the ſame. Nor, 3. Signify by tokens any ſuch deſire.] Mat. 15.19.
This Commandement is broken
Inwardly,
Outwardly.
Q. How is it broken inwardly?
A. Two waies. Firſt, by raſh and unadviſed anger. [Now anger is an inward motion of diſpleaſure againſt another, inclining the heart to wiſh or practice evil to another; there is a juſt anger againſt the ſinnes of others: but ſinfull anger is that which is conceived upon ſurmiſes, & falſe cauſes; or elſe is exceſſive in the meaſure, and continuance; or evill in its effects, moving us to doe evill.] Mat. 5.22. Eph: 4.31. Jam. 1.19, 20. Prov. 14.29.
Q. How, ſecondly?
A. By hatred and malice, envy and deſire of revenge againſt another. [This is the murther of the heart.] 1 Ioh. 3.15. Col. 3.8. Rom. 12.19. Obad. v. 10, 12.
Is all revenge unlawfull?
A. All private revenge in unlawfull: but God hath ſet the Magiſtrate, in his ſtead, to take vengeance upon a Malefactor, and to right our wrongs for us. Prov. 20.22. Rom. 13.4. Rom. 12.17. 1 Sam. 25.26, 35.
Q. How is this Commandement broken outwardly?
A. Many waies: Firſt, when the murther of the heart doth breake forth and diſcover it ſelfe in dogged and wrathfull lookes and geſtures. Mat. 5.22. Racha. Gen. 4.5. Mat. 27.39. Pſal. 22.13. Gen. 21.9. 2 Sam. 13.15. [All diſdainfull and ſcornfull carriages; as the fleering of the countenance, laying out of the tongue, grinding of the teeth, biting the nailes, ſhaking the head, ſtamping with the foot at one, or any other geſture and carriage, whereby thy brother is ſet at nought, is a ſinne againſt this commandement; this is to ſay, Rache.]
Q. How ſecondly?
A. When the wrath and malice of the heart breaks forth into evill ſpeeches; as a railing, b ſcoffing, c brawling and chiding, d accuſing, upbraiding e and threatning, &c. Theſe ſhew the venome and rancor of the heart, and are the murther of the tongue; this is to ſay, Thou foole.] a Pſal. 59, 7. 2 Sam. 16.8. b Mat. 27.40, 43. 2 King. 2.23. c Eph. 4.31. Tit. 3.2. d Pſal. 52.4. Ezek. 22.9. e Act. 9, 1. In all which places you ſee, that Railing, Scoffing, Brawling, Accuſing, Threatning, and ſuch like, are here forbidden-
Q. How, thirdly, doe men ſin againſt this Law outwardly?
A. When anger and fury breakes forth into blowes, ſo that we ſtrike, wound or maime another. Act. 23.3. Exod. 2.13. Exod: 21.18, 20, 22.
Q. How, fourthly?
A. In the groſſe act of murther, that is, when men lay violent hands on a themſelves, or b others, to the taking away of their life; c or elſe by Counſell, wiſhing, approbation, or any other way are conſenting to the killing of themſelves or others. a 1 Sam. 31.4. 2 Sam. 17.23. Mat. 27.5. b Gen. 4.8. c 2 Sam. 12.9. 1 King. 21.10, 13. Mat. 14.8. Act. 8.1. Act. 22.20. [It is a fearfull ſin. Num. 35.31, 33.] Judg. 9.24.
Q. How elſe doe men become guilty of murther in the ſight of God?
A. VVhen we a neglect the means of life and health; or elſe by b ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe impaire our own or anothers health; or c elſe doe deſperately caſt our ſelves and others into dangers, and ſinnes, which are puniſhable by death. a 1 Tim. 5.23. b Rom. 13.13. Hab. 2.15. c 2 Sam. 23.15, 17. Joh. 11.8, 9. d 1 King: 2.23.
Q How, laſtly, doe we become guilty of bloud in the ſight of God?
A. By unmercifull and cruell dealings with other, uſing oppreſſions and extremities againſt them. Eſay 1.15. Eſay 3.15. Jer. 22.13, 17. Mic 3.2, 10. Luk. 11.39. Ezek. 22.7, 13, 27. [Such perſons are compared to Butchers, to Grinders, to Theeves, to W…lves, & they are murtherers in the ſight of God.]
Q. VVhat is here commanded in this Law?
A. All workes of ſobriety, meekneſſe, and mercy, whereby the life of my ſelfe or neighbour is preſerved. [VVe muſt put on a bowels of mercy; we muſt b ſpeak good unto them; c defend, and a relieve them as we can.] a Col. 3.12. b Gen. 31.29. c Exod. 2.13. Jer. 26.24. a Luk. 10.37.
Q. As there is a life, ſo there is a murthering of the ſoule, as well as of the body and he is a Murtherer that kils his owne ſoule, or the ſoule of another. Act. 20.26. VVhat doth God require of us in this regard?
A. That we ſhould not a plunge our ſelves, or others, into ſin and hereſy, by rejecting or corrupting the food of ſouls, Gods VVord, nor by any other ſeducement whatſoever; but b rather to bring our ſelves, and others, to a love of the truth, and labouring after the bread of life. a Ezek. 33.8, 9. Ezek. 34.4. 2 Cor. 7.2. 2 Pet. 3.16. Tit. 3.11. b Jam. 5.20. Ioh. 4.10, 14, 26. Iude v. 20.21. Heb. 3.13.
CAP. XXXVII.
Seventh Commandement
Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery.
Q. WHat is the drift of this Commandement?
A. To provide for the chaſtity of our ſelves and others: Wherein God doth, 1. Require a clean heart and body, 2. And forbiddeth all words & geſtures that may ſound and allure to uncleanneſſe. Mat: 5.28. 1 Theſ: 4.3, 4.
This Commandement is broken
Inwardly,
Outwardly.
Q. How inwardly?
A. By filthy imaginations and deſires of the heart, though they never break forth into the outward action. [that's the adultery of the heart.] Col: 3.5. 1 Cor: 7.9. Gen: 39.7. 2 Sam. 13.2.
Q. How is it broken outwardly?
A. Three wayes: Firſt by a wanton behaviour in b apparell, c countenance, d geſture and gate, or any other thing belonging to the externall deportment and carriage, whereby the unchaſtity and lightneſs of the mind is diſcovered or procured [As mixt and laſcivious dancings, dalliance, painting, naked breaſts, haire, &c.] a Gal: 5.19. 1 Cor: 6.9. effeminate. Rom: 13.13. chambering, that is, familiar converſation with women in private. b 1 Pet: 3.3. Eſay 3.18. c 2 Pet: 2.14. Prov: 6.25. 2 King: 9.30. Job 31.1. d Eſay 3.16. Prov: 7.13.
Q. How ſecondly?
A. By wanton words; by light, filthy, and rotten jeſtings, and communications. [This is the adultery of the tongue: Here then is condemned the reading & ſinging of laſcivious bookes and poems, uſe of laſcivious pictures, &c. The memory muſt not be loaded, nor the tongue exerciſed, with ſuch vain, looſe, broad ſpeeches. He that would be free from adultery, muſt make conſcience of wanton words and behaviour.] Eph: 4.29. & 5.3, 5. Col. 3.8.
Q. How thirdly?
A. By all bodily a uncleanneſſe with another. [Whereof there are many degrees; as b unlawfull marriages, c unſeaſonable uſe of the marriage bed, fornication, d adultery, e inceſt, and all f unnaturall mixtures.] a 1 Cor. 6.9. Heb: 13.4. Deut. 27.20, 23. b 1 Sam. 25.44. Mark. 6.18. Levit. 18.18. c Ezek. 22.10. d Prov. 2. 17. Mal. 2.14, 15. (e) 2 Sam. 13.12, 14. (f) Rom 1.24, 26, 27.
Q, Is not the judgement of God revealed in ſpeciall manner againſt uncleane perſons?
A. Yes divers waies: 1. Not only in their (a) bodies, eſtates, (b) name and (c) poſterity: but 2. The Lord doth alſo ſmite them with (d) ſottiſhneſſe of judgement, (e) diſtreſſe of conſcience, (f) with a ſecret diſlike of honeſt & good men, & with hardneſſe of heart, to hide their filthineſſe with lying, perjury, (g) murther, &c. (a) Pr. 5.10, 11. (b) Prov. 6.33. Iob. 31.9, 10, 11. (c) De. 23.2. Hoſ. 4.13. (d) Hoſ. 4.11. (e) Prov: 7.26, 27. Prov. 5.3, 4. Pſal. 51.10, 11. (f) Prov. 7.8. (g) 2 Sam. 11.6, 13, 15.
Q. VVhat things are commanded as means and helpes of preſerving chaſtity, and avoiding bodily uncleanneſſe?
A. Foure: Firſt (a) temperance in meats and drinkes. Secondly, (b) chaſt and good company. (a) Prov. 23.33. Ezek. 16.49. Gen. 19.32, 33. (b) Prov. 5 8. Prov. 13.20. Eccleſ. 7.26.
Q. VVhat be the two latter helps?
A. Thirdly, (a) ſhamefaſtneſſe, & modeſt behaviour. And Fourthly, (b) lawfull marriage. (a) 1 Tim 2.9. Ier. 3.3. [VVe are in danger to loſe the jewel, if we loſe the key.] b 1 Cor 7.2, 9, 36.
Q. Is it not then a fearfull ſin to tolerate Stewes, and prohibit marriage?
A. It is the doctrine of Devils, befitting the Church of Rome, which is ſpiritually Sodome. 1 Tim. 4.1, 3. Deut. 23.17, 18. Rev: 11.8.