A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 22
CHAP. 22.
Of the ſeuenth Commandement.
Things belonging to our Neighbour, are
In regard of his wife: where vnchaſtity is forbidden, both
Inward, of the heart.
Outward, in the abuſe of the
Things which belong to the body, as
Apparell.
Meate, & drinke.
Body it ſelfe,
Parts or ſenſes, as the
Tongue.
Eyes.
Eares, &c.
Whole,
By himſelfe.
With others, by vnlawfull
Cōiunctiō, either
Naturall, as
Fornicatiō.
Adulterie.
Vnnaturall, with
Owne kind.
Other.
Separation.
In other regards. Chapter 23.
EXOD. 20. 14. Thou ſhalt not commit Adulterie.
Q. SO much of the former Commandement, and therein of the generall duties that belong to the perſon of our neighbour. Now follow thoſe Commandements which concerne the duties wee owe to him, in regard of the things that belong to him: what are they?
A. Either concerning the wife who is neareſt vntounto him, and as himſelfe, being one fleſh with him, Commandement, 7. or other things appertaining to him, Com. 8. 9.
Q. Rehearſe the Commandement.
A. Thou ſhalt not commit Adulterie.
Q. What is the ſumme of it?
A. Continent or chaſt vſage towards our ſelues, and towards our neighbour: forbidding all vncleanneſſe of the fleſh, and commanding all chaſt and honeſt behauiour.
Q. What are the ſpeciall duties of this Commandement?
A. They are to bee gathered from the things forbidden therein.
Q. What are they?
A. They are either inward, or outward.
Q. What are the inward tranſgreſsions of this Commandement?
A. The vnchaſtity and vnhoneſty of the mind; Mat. 5. 28. Coloſſ. 3. 5. 1. Cor. 7. 9. 1. Theſſ. 4. 5.which is the deſire of ſtrange fleſh, with reſolution to hauehave it (if he could).
Q. What are the duties commanded herein?
A. The virginity and continencie of the mind.1. Cor. 7. 3. 4.
Q. VVhat are the outward tranſgreſsions of this Commandement?
A. Such vnchaſtneſſe, as being once ſeated in the mind, after ſheweth it ſelfe outwardly.
Q. Of how many ſorts is it?
A. It is either in the abuſe of thoſe things that belong to the body; as apparell, meate, drinke, &c. or elſe in the abuſe of the body it ſelfe.
Q. How is this Commandement broken in the abuſe of apparell?
A. Firſt, if it bee otherwiſe then belongeth to the Deut. 22. 5.ſexe: as if a man put on womans apparell; or a woman a mans. For God would hauehave eueryevery ſexe diſcerned by diſtinct apparell, for auoiding of confuſion, and manifold enormities.
Secondly, when it is exceſſiue, aboue either our eſtate, Mat. 11. 8.or our ability.
Thirdly, when there is in it lightneſſe; as ſome apparell is called by the holy Ghoſt, whoriſh.Prou. 7. 10.
Fourthly, when it is not according to the cuſtome of the countrey, citie, or towne where wee dwell, but 2. Sam. 13. 4. 18new-fangled.
Q. But may not women in their apparell, ſubmit themſelues to pleaſe their husbands?
A. They muſt ſeek to pleaſe them by lawful means, and therefore by clothing themſelues in decent apparell, with ſobriety; and for their ſucceſſe, to put their truſt in God, who is able, by modeſty in apparell, without any ſuch indirect meanes, to maintaine their huſbands louelove towards them.1. Pet. 3. 5.
Q. VVhat apparell are we then to vſe?
A. Such as commeth vnderunder the rule of the Apoſtle; namely, ſuch as may witneſſe our godlines & modeſty; and therfore although ſome (exceeding this meaſure) ſay they doe it not to allure any: yet if others be 1. Tim. 2. 9.allured by it, it is a ſinne in them; although not ſo great as in the other, who propound to themſelues (by their wanton apparell) to allure.
Q. So much of the breach of this Commandement in apparell: How is it broken in the abuſe of meate and drinke?
Q. Either in the quality, when wee ſeeke after too Deut. 14. 21. Ezech. 16. 49. Luk. 16. 19.much daintineſſe, and thoſe meates and drinkes which prouoke this ſinne: or elſe in quantitie, when we feed to fulneſſe of them.
Q. What is contrary to this?
A. A moderate and ſober diet.Eccleſ. 10. 16.
Q. So much of vnchaſtity, conſiſting in the abuſe of thoſe things which belong to the body: Now followeth that which conſiſteth in the abuſe of the body it ſelfe: How many waies is it?
A. Either in the abuſe of the parts of the body, or in the abuſe of the whole body.
Q. How in the abuſe of the parts?
A. When the tongue, eyes, and eares, doe manifeſt the wantonneſſe of the heart.
Q. How doth the tongue manifeſt it?
A. In filthie ſpeech, whereby not only the ſpeakers 1. Cor. 15. 33. Epheſ. 5. 3. 4. & 4. 29.heart, but alſo the hearts of the hearers are inflamed. Whither referre bad ſongs, balads, interludes, amorous bookes, and ſuch like.
Q. What is contrary to this?
A. Modeſt and chaſte talke, by the example of the holy Ghoſt, who ſpeaking (by neceſſity) of matters Iudg. 3. 24. 1. Sam. 1. 19.vnſeemly to be ſpoken plainly of, vſeth chaſt ſpeech; as, he knew her; he couered his feet, &c.
Q. How is wantonneſſe manifeſted by the eye?
A. When the eye, (which is the ſeate of adulterie, Matth. 5. 28. Gen. 39. 7. 2. Pet. 2. 14.or of chaſtity) is ſo fixed to behold the beautie of another; or elſe wanton pictures, and the like things, that the heart is inflamed to luſt thereby.
Q. What is contrary to this?
A. To make a couenant with our eyes, and to pray Iob. 31. Pſal. 119.that the Lord would turne away our eyes from ſeeing vanitie.
Q. How doth a man ſinne by his eares?
A. When he delighteth in hearing vnhoneſt and filthie words, although (for his credit) hee will not ſpeake them.
Q. VVhat further abuſe of the parts is there this way?
A. By all light geſture & behauiour of a mans body, Eſay 3. 16.in wanton dancing, and other laſciuious motions.Mark. 6. 22.
Q. VVhat is contrary to this?
A. That a man ſo carrie and direct theſe parts, as Rom. 6.they be not weapons of vncleanneſſe.
Q. How is the whole body abuſed?
A. Either by himſelfe, or with others.
Q. How by himſelfe?
A. In ceaſing from doing any profitable thing, as in 2. Sam. 11. 1. 2. 1. Tim. 5. 11. 13. Deut. 23. 10. Gen. 38. 9.Idleneſſe. Or by the horrible ſinne of Onan, and the like pollutions.
Q. How is it with others?
A. Either in vnlawfull coniunction, (of all which the vnlawfull vowes of continencie are nurſes), or vnlawfull ſeparation.
Q. How doe men offend by vnlawfull coniunction?
A. When men do carnally companie with others out of marriage, or otherwiſe then the holy lawes of marriage doe require.
Q. VVhat is common to thoſe vnlawfull mixtures, that are with others?
A. That they may be all either voluntarie in both, Deut. 22. 25.or by force in the one; in which caſe the partie forced, is to be holden guiltleſſe.
Q. Of how many ſorts are they?
A. They are either naturall, or vnnaturall.
Q. VVhat is the naturall coniunction forbidden by this Law?
A. Fornication, and Adulterie.Deut. 22. 28.
Q. VVhat is Fornication?
A. When two ſingle perſons come together out of Leuit. 19. 29. Deut. 23. 17. 1. King. 15. 12. 2. King. 23. 7.the eſtate of Matrimonie: where it is manifeſt, that the ſtewes, permitted, yea authorized and defended in Poperie, are vnlawfull, and expreſſely forbidden in the Law; and the Kings are commended in the Scripture, who tooke away ſuch filthineſſe out of their land: the rather, conſidering that by them, not Fornication only, but Adulteries, yea Inceſts alſo were committed, when as both married, and vnmarried came thither; and oftentimes ſome of the ſame blood or affinitie, Ezech. 22. 11.committed villanie with one whore: ſo farre is it that they are remedies of vncleanneſſe.
Q. VVhat is Adulterie?
A. When (at leaſt) one of the perſons, married, or contracted in marriage, companieth with another: whither alſo may bee referred Polygamie, and the hauing of many wiues at once; which was euer vnlawfull Mal. 2. 15. 16.in conſcience, though it was not puniſhed by the poſitiue Law.
Q. May not a man alſo ſinne againſt this Commandement, in abuſing his body with his owne wife?
A. Yes verily, when the honourable and chaſt eſtate 1. Theſſ. 4. 4.of Matrimonie is vſed to wantonneſſe, and not with moderation, and ſeemlineſſe; as a man may fault in exceſſe of wine, although it be his owne.
Q. Hitherto of the vnlawfull coniunction which is naturall: what is vnnaturall?
A. It is either with thoſe of the ſame kind, or with other; and thoſe of the ſame kind are either of both ſexes, or of ſome ſexe, with the ſame ſexe.
Q. VVhat are thoſe of both ſexes?
A. Firſt, when a man doth keepe companie with a woman, or with his owne wife, or any other, when it is with them according to the manner of women. Secondly, when there is a mixture of thoſe bodies that Leuit. 18. 19. Ezech. 18. 6. & 22. 10.are within the degrees of kindred or alliance, forbidden by the Law of God, although it bee in marriage.
Q. What is that of one ſexe with the ſame ſexe?
A. Buggerie, when man with man, or woman with Rom. 1. 26. 27.woman committeth filthineſſe.
Q. Hitherto of vnnaturall mixture with their owne Leuit. 18. 22.kind. What is that with another kind?
A. Of a man or woman with a beaſt.Leuit. 18. 23.
Q. Hitherto of the vnlawfull coniunction. What is the vnlawfull ſeparation?
A. It is either committed when the partie is preſent, or when it is abſent.
Q. How when the partie is preſent?
A. When due beneuolence is not yeelded, although 1. Cor. 7. 3. 4.there bee aptneſſe thereunto, nor any hinderance by conſent, in reſpect of extraordinarie prayer.
Q. How when the partie is abſent?
A. When the partie withdraweth it ſelfe, in miſlike, or loathſomneſſe; or elſe by long and vnneceſſary iourneyes of trauelling, of merchandize, warres, &c. Or when ſeparation hath been made by the Magiſtrate, without lawfull cauſe.
Q. So much of the Commandement. What are the puniſhments of the breach?
A. Firſt, aNumb. 5. 13. Prou. 5. 14.when many other ſinnes are hid, this is moſt commonly diſcouered. Secondly, bProu. 2. 22. 14. Eccleſ. 7. 27. 28. Rom. 1. 24.the ſinne is a iudgement of it ſelfe. Thirdly, cHeb. 13. 4. 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10.God will iudge them oftentimes in this world, alwaies in the world to come. Fourthly, dLeuit. 20. 10.more particularly, whipping for fornication, and death to other vnlawfull mixtures. eProu. 6. 26. Hoſ. 4. 11. Iob. 31. 12. 9. 10 Deut. 23. 2. 2. Sam. 13. 14. & 16. 21. Leuit. 20. 20.Fifthly, it ſpendeth the goods, as alſo hurteth the body, and bereaueth a man of his vnderſtanding and iudgement; and not onelyonly reacheth to the offenders themſelues, but alſo to their children; for by Moſes Law, the baſtard (to the tenth generation) might not enter into the Sanctuarie: likewiſe hee ſinneth againſt his wife and lawfull children, whileſt thereby he oftentimes maketh a ſtewes of his houſe, as Dauid did by the adulterie he committed with the wife of Vrias. And children begotten in horrible inceſt, were to be burnt or ſlaine in their mothers wombe.