Milk for Babes, Questions · Question 14 – Question 16
14. Q. What is the ſixth Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt not kill.
When God had ſet the world in order in the former Commandement, What is required in the ſixth commandement.and made ſome high, and ſome low, ſome ſuperiours, and ſome inferiours, that ſo his providence might be the more beautified in the ſight of men: he comes next to give men in charge things according to the price of them. And becauſe nothing is ſo precious as life (for the Devil ſees, Job 2.that skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life): therefore he firſt gives in charge the preſervation of life. This is that which God requires in this law, the preſervation of thy owne, and thy neighbours life. And becauſe man hath a double life, the life of the ſoule, and the life of the body, God would have thee have a care of both lives in thy ſelfe, and others. There is a difference betwixt killing, and murder: there may be a lawfull killing, but no lawfull murdering: for murder is an unlawfull hurting of the life of ſelfe or others. But for killing, though thou muſt never kill thy ſelfe, yet may there be a lawfull killing of others when theſe foure things meet, a juſt Cauſe, a juſt Power, a juſt order and a juſt Mind. A juſt cauſe, as God ſaith, He that ſheddeth mans bloud, by man ſhall his bloud be ſhed: Gen. 9.a juſt power, as God ſaith, Rom. 13.not the private man, but the Magiſtrate beareth not the ſword for nought a juſt order, as that Jew ſaid, John 11.Our law judgeth no man before he be heard; therefore there muſt be conviction, and triall before condemnation: and a juſt mind, which doth it not out of revenge, but out of love of juſtice: for though Jehu did execute Gods Juſtice upon the houſe of Ahab, yet, becauſe he did it with his owne revengefull heart, God ſaith, Hoſ. 1.I will viſit the blood of Jezrael upon the houſe of Jehu. Thus thou ſeeſt, there is a difference twixt killing, and murder; yet becauſe God would have thee ſee how precious life is before him, he ſaith, Thou ſhalt not kill.
Thou muſt not kill the ſoule either of thy ſelfe, or others, by yeelding, or perſwading to any ſinne, or elſe by giving a ſcandall whereby thy brother may be moved to fall. Sinne is that alone which murders ſoules. Thou muſt not kill the body either of thy ſelfe, or others. This wicked murder doth riſe by Envy, and carnall Anger; it doth rancle by Hatred, and Malice; it breaks out in the Countenance, by ſcornfull, diſdainfull, and furious lookes; in the Body, by pointing of the finger, or turning the back by way of diſgrace; It is executed by wilfull hurting of limbes, liberties, or life, when body and ſoule are parted by an unjuſt hand.
Vſe. Therefore (my deare child) take heed that thy heart be not made a ſlaughterhouſe, and then thy hand will never be made a murderer. It is fearefull to ſee what murderings of ſoules, and bodies there are in the world. Miniſters murder ſoules, either by ſtabbing them with falſe doctrine, or by ſtarving them for want of teaching. One Chriſtian murders the ſoule of another by perſwading, and encouraging, or exampling to a thouſand ſinnes. And for mens bodies, what envy, hatred, malice? what ſcornes, diminutions, and diſreſpects? what hurting of limbes, liberties, and lives doe abound, to the ſadding of thoſe whoſe hearts God would not have ſadded? But let not thy ſoule enter into their ſecrets. Poſſeſſe thy ſelfe in mercy, and love. Be thou able to look upon an enemy without anger, to behold his proſperitie without envy, and to beare his wrongs without deſire of revenge. Keep thy ſoule without ſinne raigning, and doe what thou canſt to keep others alſo, and what thou canſt not doe in anſwer to this command, mourne for it ſadly, and ſeriouſly, and fly to Jeſus Chriſt to heale thee that thou mayſt be better.
15. Q. What is the ſeventh Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt not commit adultery.Exod. 20.14. What is required in the ſeventh Commandement.
The next precious thing among men is Honeſty. If God would have men live, ſurely, he would have them live honeſtly: therefore ſo ſoone as ever he had commanded that men ſhould live, and not be killed, preſently he adds, that they muſt live honeſtly. It is better that men were dead then that they ſhould live adulterers: therefore, ſaith God, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery.
Here God requires the preſervation of thy owne, and thy neighbours Chaſtity. Adultery properly, is the polluting and defiling of another mans bed; when men commit folly, and wickedneſſe with another mans wife: but becauſe this is odious to God, as a ſeminary of corruption both to the Church, Common-wealth, and Family: therefore he comprehends all other uncleanneſſes under this head. There is an inward, and outward uncleanneſſe. The inward is a wanton nature, luſtfull thoughts, violent burnings, delight in them, and ſerving their tyranny. The outward uncleanneſſe is either in Preparation, or in Practiſe. Men and women are prepared for luſt by Drunkenneſſe, Gluttony, Idleneſſe, and Wanton apparell. Men and women practiſe it by wanton eies, filthy ſpeech, unſeemly gestures: and theſe bring forth fornication, raviſhing, adultery, inceſt, unnaturall ſinnes, which I am loath to name unto thee, much leſſe deſcribe. Yet all theſe God comprehends under Adultery. And, that thou mayſt not thinke that thou art exempted from this law, God ſpeakes to every particular perſon in this word [Thou]: thou child, thou man, thou woman.
Vſe. Therefore (my child) ſtirre up thy ſtrength to keepe thy veſſel in holineſſe, and honour. What miſerable pollutions are among men? in eyes, as they that had their eyes full of adultery; 2 Pet. 2.in ſpeech, as Judah to Thamar, Gen. 38.Let me lye with thee; in gestures, Jer. 5. 2 Sam. 13.as they that neighed after their neighbours wives; By fornication, as Amnon; by adultery, Joh. 8. Gen. 49.as the woman taken in adultery; by inceſt, as Reuben, and that inceſtuous man; 1 Cor. 5. Rom. 1. & 1 Cor. 6.and by unnaturall ſinnes. How doe men and women provide for it by Drunkenneſſe, Gluttony, Wanton apparell, and Idleneſſe? Oh let thy heart bleed to thinke of theſe ſins committed in ſecret, and watch over thy nature, cruſh thy thoughts, quench thy burnings with the bloud of Chriſt reſted on by faith, that luſt never come to delight or tyranny.
16. Q. What is the eighth Commandement?Exod. 20.15. What is required in the eighth commandement.
A. Thou ſhalt not ſteale.
The next precious thing among men is goods. See carefully, that firſt we muſt live, next we muſt live honeſtly, next honeſt perſons muſt live by honeſt means, they muſt not ſteale. Here God requires the preſervation of thy owne and thy neighbours goods. God would have every man have his owne, and that we might maintaine a juſt poſſeſſion to our ſelves, and others; there God ſaith to every man, woman, and child [Thou ſhalt not ſteale].
To Steale, ſtrictly taken here, is cloſely to convey away the goods of thy neighbor without his privity: but it is to be extended to all unlawfull depriving thy ſelfe, or others, of their goods. All men condemn open theft, and the ſword of a Magiſtrate doth reach to ſuch theft: therefore God is pleaſed to uſe that word which ſignifieth cloſe theft, and under that to comprehend all. This theft ariſeth from a diſtrust of Gods providence: it increaſeth by love of money, covetouſneſſe, and the crafty invention of a thouſand deceits, and couzenages to bring in: but it breaks out both againſt thy ſelfe, and others. Thou mayſt be a thiefe to thy ſelfe by penuriouſneſſe, prodigality, and idleneſſe. If thou refuſe to take the comfort of what God hath given thee; or doſt prodigally laſh out in a day what would ſerve a weeke; or art idle and ſlothfull to get what God offers in the ordinary courſe of his providence, thou art a thiefe to thy ſelfe. Thou mayſt be a thiefe to others by ſinnes of commiſſion, or omiſſion. If thou truſt in wrong, or robbery, by deceiving any man, woman, or child in bargaining either by word, or deed; or by ſecret, or open deceiving them of their goods to the hurt of Church, Common-wealth, or Family: If when thy ſelfe, or thy neighbor are wronged in their goods, thou do not diſcover, and puniſh, and reſcue when thou canſt, and cauſe reſtitution to be made if thou be able, thou art a thiefe before God.
Vſe. Therefore (my child) doe thou give every man his right in that proper ſtate which God hath caſt upon him. Our good God hath allotted to every man his owne, and therefore he hath appointed buying, and ſelling, letting, and hiring, borrowing and lending, and hath given bounds to every one. He would have this juſtly preſerved, that thou, Rom. 13.7. Luk. 3.14. Luk. 1.75.and all men might have juſt maintenance by juſt getting, keeping, and ſpending. If thou erre from this courſe, the rack of conſcience will ſo purſue thee, that thou wilt not have peace in any thing thou doeſt enjoy.