Quest 70, 71, 72 Of the seventh commandment,
An Exposition ofthe Affembly's Catechism.
The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
Yet not to defpair of mercy upon true repentance.
Manaſſeh ſhed innocent blood, andyetwas pardoned, upon repentance; 2Kings xxi. 16. Moreover, Manaſſeh ſhed innocent bloodvery much, till he had filled Jerufalem from one end to another, &c.
12. What is the third inference hence ?
A. Let all men watch against pride, paſſion, malice, and revenge, the fin of the heart, from which this horrid fin proceeds ; Matth. xv. 18, 19. For out of the heart proceedevil thoughts, murders, &c.
Oftheseventh Commandment.
W not commit adultery.
Hich is the seventh commandment ?
Queſt. 70.
A. Thefeventh commandment is, [Thoushalt Queſt. 71. What is required in the seventh commandment ?
A. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own andour neighbour's chastity in heart, Speech, and behaviour.
Queſt. 72. What is forbidden inthe ſeventhcommandment ?
A. The seventhcommandmentforbiddethallunchaste thoughts, words, and actions.
Q. 1. What is the duty required in this commandment?
A. The firſtdutyrequired inthis commandment is, the preſervation of ourown chaſtity in heart, lips, and life ; 1 Theff. iv. 3, 4. For this is the will ofGod, evenyour ſanctification, that ye ſhould abſtain from fornication. That every one ofyou ſhouldknow how to poſſeſs his veſſel in ſanctification and honour. AndEph . iv. 29. Letno corrupt communication(pro ceedout of yourmouth, &c.
2. Whymuſt we preſerve our own chaſtity?
A. Becauſe our bodies are, or ought tobe the temples of the holyGhost ; 1 Cor. vi. 15, 19. Knowye not, that your bodies are the members of Chriſt ?
Shall I then take the members of Chriſt, and make them the members of an harlot ? God forbid.
What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the holyGhoſt, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye arenot your own ? And it is the expreſs charge of Godthat they be kept pure and clean ; 1 Theff. iv. 3, 4. For this is the willofGod, even your fanctification, that ye ſhould abſtain from fornication.
That every one of you should know how to poſſeſs his veſſel in ſanctification and honour.
VOL. VIII.
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism.
3. What is the ſecond reaſon ?
A. The fecondreaſonis, becauſe of theevil of it to ourſelves :
As, ( 1.) It injures the body ; 1 Cor. vi. 18. He that committeth fornication, ſinneth against his own body.
(2.) It levels us with the Heathen ; Eph. iv. 17, 19. This I ſay therefore, and teſtify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as otherGen: tiles walk,-who being paſt feeling, have giventhemſelves over untolaſciviouſneſs, toworkalluncleanneſs withgreedineſs. (3.)
Dishonours our names ; Prov. vi. 32, 33. But whoſo committeth adultery with a woman,-a wound and diſhonour ſhall he get, &c .
(4.) Scattersour eſtates ; Prov. v. 10. Leſt ſtrangers be filled with thy wealth, andthy labours be in the houſe of ſtrangers.
(5.) Destroyeth the foul; Prov. vi. 32. He that doth it, deſtroyeth his own foul、 Q. 4. What age is moſt incident to this ſin ?
A. The youthful age is moſt apt to be drawn into this fin ; Prov, vii. 7. And behold among the ſimple ones, Idifcerned among theyouths, a young manvoid of underſtanding. And 2 Tim. ii. 22. Flee alſo youthful lufts, &c.
Q. 5. How far doth this command extend itſelf ?
A. It extends itſelf to the heart, mind, and fancy, aswell as to the body, and external actions ; Matth. v. 28. But I ſay untoyou, thatwhoſoever looketh on awoman, toluftafterher, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
6. What are the uſual inducements to this fin ?
A. The usual inducements to this ſin are, (1.) Idleneſs and fulness of the creatures ; Ezek. xvi. 49, 50. Behold, this was the iniquityof thy ſiſter Sodom ; pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleneſs was in her, and in her daughters, &c.
(2.) Wanton geſtures ; Iſa. iii. 16. Moreover, the Lord faith, Becauſe the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with ſtretched forth necks, andwanton eyes, walking, and mincing as they go, and making atinkling with their feet.
(3.) Filthy communication ; Eph. v. 4. Neither filthineſs, nor foolish talking, nor jeſting, which are not convenient, &c,
Q. 7. What is the firſt remedy against this fin ?
A. The firſt remedy, and the most effectual, is, to get the Spirit of God within us, to ſanctify and rule us ; Gal. v. 16.
-Walk in the Spirit, and ye ſhall not fulfil the lufts of the fleſh .
; Q. 8. What is the ſecond remedy ?
A. The keeping of a strict watch over the heart ; Prov. iv.
23. Keep thyheart with alldiligence, &c. And over the ex