Quest 73, 74, 75 Of the eighth commandment, 75
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism.
ternal ſenſes; Job xxxi. 1. I made acovenantwith mine eyes ; why then ſhould I think upon a maid ?
9. What is the third remedy against it ?
A. Deep and ſerious confideration of the danger of this fin, and whatGod threatens against adulterers; Heb. xiii . 4.Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
1 Cor. vi. 9, 10.-Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,-ſhall inherit the kingdom of God.
And how he describes them, Prov. xxii . 14. The mouth of a ſtrangewoman is adeep pit; he that is abhorred of the Lord hall fall therein.
Q.10. What is thefourth remedy againſt it ?
A. Prayer; Píalm cxix. 37. Turn away mine eyes frombeholding vanity, &c. And, to evidence our fincerity in prayer, we muſt ſtudy to ſhun all occaſions of this fin ; Pfalm xviii. 23.
Iwas alſo upright before him ; and I kept myſelf from mine iniquity.
What isthe firſt inferencefrom hence ?
A. What cauſe thoſe have tobleſs God, that have been kept from this fin ; though the beſt ought to be humbled for their heart-pollutions.
९. 12. What is the ſecond inferencefrom hence ?
A. Let it warn parents to do what in them lies to prevent theruinof their children by this fin, ( 1. ) By filling their heads andhands with lawful buſineſs.
(2 ) By ferious admonitions andprayers for them.
(3.) By keeping them from vain and tempting company.
(4.) By diſpoſing them ſeaſonably in fuitable marriage.
Q. 13. What is the third inference from hence ?
A. Let thoſe that are defiled with this fin repent, ſeriouſly of it, as David did ; Pfalm li. 8. Make me tohearjoyand gladneſs, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
And applythebloodof Chrift byfaith; for in ſodoing, itmaybe pardoned ; 1 Cor. vi. 11. And ſuch were some of you : butye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are justified in the name ofthe LordJesus Chriſt, andby the Spirit of ourGod.
Of the eighthCommandment.
Queft. 73. Which istheeighthcommandment?
A. The eighth commandment is, [Thou shalt not steal.] Queſt. 74. Whatis requiredinthe eighth commandment ?
A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring K2
An Exposition ofthe Affembly's Catechism. and furthering the wealth, and outward eftate of ourselves and others.
Queſt. 75. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment ?
A. The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or mayunjustly hinder our own, or our neighbour's wealth, or out ward estate.
Q. 1. What is preſuppoſed inthis commandment ?
A. It preſuppoſeth thatGodhath given every manapropriety inhis eſtate, and that noman's goods are common toothers, except by his conſent in times and cafes extraordinary ; Acts ii.
44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common.
Q. 2. What is required inthis commandment?
A. It requires of every man diligence in a lawful calling, to getandpreſerve an eſtate for his ownand others good ; Prov. xiii. 11. He that gathereth by labour, ſhall increaſe. Eph. iv.
28.--But rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
3. What elſe is requiredinthiscommandment ?
A. It requires us not only toget and keep the things of the world in a lawful manner, but to diftribute and communicate them to thoſe that are in want, and not caſt them intotemptations of fin, or inevitable ruin ;
Ifa. lviii. 10. And if thou draw out thy foul to the hungry, and fatisfy the afflicted foul :
Then ſhall thy light riſe inobfcurity, and thy darkneſs be as the noon-day ; 1 John jii. 17. But whoſo hath this world's good, and ſeeth his brother have need, and ſhutteth up his bowels of compaſſion from him, how dwelleth the love ofGod inhim?
२. 4. What elſe is required inthis commandment ?
A. It requires in everymana publicſpirit to procure and promote the good and profperity of others ; 1 Cor. x. 24. Let no man ſeek his own, but everyman another's wealth.
Q5. What elſe is required inthis command?
A. It requires reſtitution of all goods unjustlygotten, ortaken from others ; Lev. vi. 4. Then it ſhallbe, becauſe he hath finned, and is guilty, that he ſhall reſtore thatwhich he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten,
&c. And the reſtoringof pawns and pledges, when they are due; Ezek. xviii. 7. And hath not oppreſſed any, but hath reſtored to the debtor his pledge, &c. Or things loft, if we can diſcover the true owners.
6. What is the firſt ſin forbidden in this command ?
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A. It forbids all cozening and cheating of others inour dealings, andcivil commerce with them;
I Theff. iv. 6. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, &c.
Prov. xxvi. 28. A lying tongue hateth thoſe that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouthworketh ruin.
7. What is theſecondthing forbiddenin this command?
A. it forbids all exaction and oppreſſion of our neighbour, by goingbeyondthem, or working on their neceffities, ordetaining their dues; Lev. xxv. 14. Andif thou fell ought untothy neighbour, or buyeſt ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye ſhall notoppreſs one another ; Prov. xxiv. 28, 29. Be notawitneſs against thy neighbourwithoutcauſe: Anddeceive notwith thy lips.
Say nor, I will do ſo tohim as he hathdone to me: I will render to the man according tohiswork.
Q. 8. What is the thirdthing forbidden inthis command ?
A. It forbids all unlawful weights and meaſures, which is no better than theft in God's account ; Micah vi. 10, 11. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the houſe ofthewicked, and the ſcant meafure that is abominable ?
Shall I count them purewith the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
9. What isthe fourth fin forbiddeninthiscommand? A. It forbids all family frauds by children; Prov. xxviii. 24.
Whoſo robbeth his father or his mother, and faith, it is no tranfgreffion, the fame is the companion of a destroyer.
Or fervants ; Tit. ii. 9, 10.
Exhort ſervants to be obedient unto their own maſters;-not purloining, but ſhewing allgood fidelity, &c.
Q.ro. What is the fifth thing forbiddeninthiscommand?
A. It forbids all tempting of, or encouraging others to defraud thosewho have any truſt committed tothem; Pfalm 1.
18. When thou ſaweſt athief, thenthouconſentedſt with him .
Prov. xxix. 24. Whoſo is partner with a thief, hateth his own foul, &c. i Q. 11. What is the fixth thing forbidden in this command ?
A. It forbids the taking away of another's goods by open robberyby ſea or land ; Job v. 5.-And the robber ſwallowethuptheir ſubſtance. Orclandeftinely and privately ; 1 Pet. iv. 15. Butletnoneof you fuffer as a murderer, or as athief, c.
12. What is thedanger of this fin ?
A. Itbringsmens fouls, bodies, and eſtates, under the curſe ofGod; Zech . v. 3, 4. Then faid he unto me, This is the curſethatgoeth forth over the face of the whole earth : For
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism. everyone that ſtealeth ſhall be cut off, as on this fide, according to it:-I will bring it forth, faith the Lord of hosts, and it ſhall enter into the houſe of the thief.
Q. 13. What is the firſt inftruction hence ?
A. Let all that are guilty of this ſin repent, and reſtore, as they expect mercy fromGod ; Eph. iv. 28. Let him that ſtole, ſteal no more, &c. Luke xix. 8. And Zacheus ſtood, and faid unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken away any thing from any manby falſe accufations, I reſtore him fourfold.
Q. 14. What is the laſt inference from hence ?
A. To excite all, towhom God hath given acompetency of the things of the world, that they bleſsGod for keeping them from the temptations of this ſin ; Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Give me neitherpovertynorriches, feed me withfood convenient for me :
Leſt I be full, and deny thee, and ſay, who is the Lord ? Or left I be poor, and ſteal, and takethe name of myGod in vain.
Of the ninthCommandment.
Queſt. 76. Which is the ninth commandment ?
A. The ninth commandment is, [Thou shalt not bear falfe witness against thy neighbour.]
Queſt. 77. What is required inthe ninth commandment ?
A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintainingandpromoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially in witness-bearing.
Queſt. 78. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment ?
A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour's good name .
1. What is the general ſcope and aim of the ninth commandment ?
A. The ninth command aims chiefly at the preſervation and promoting of truth amongst men ; Zech. viii. 16.-Speak ye everymanthe truth to his neighbour, &c.
This being of indiſpenſible neceſſity to the ſubſiſtence and welfare of human ſociety ; Eph. iv. 25. Wherefore putting away lying, ſpeak every man truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another.
९. 2. What is the firſt thing required particularly in this command ?
A. This command requires every man to take care of preſerving his own good name, by ordering his converſationinuniverfal integrity;
1 Pet. iii, 15, 16. But ſanctify the LordGod
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inyour hearts, and be ready always to give an anſwer to every man that aſketh you areason of the hopethat is inyou, with meekness andfear; having agood confcience; that whereasthey ſpeak evil of you, as of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falſely accuſe yourgood converſation in Chriſt.
९. 3. What is the ſecond thing required inthis command ?
A. It requires alldue care to preserve the good name and honour of other men, as well as our own ; for Chriſtians are not to be of narrow and private ſpirits, which centre only in their own intereſts and concernment ; Phil. ii. 4. Look not everyman on his own things ; but everymanalſo on the things of others.
९. 4. How are we to preſerve thegood names of others ?
A. We are to preſerve the good names of others by an inward eſteem of all the good that is in them; Phil. ii. 3.-la lowlineſs of mindlet each eſteem others better than themſelves.
Andmanifeſting ourinward eſteem of thembyawife and ſeafonable expreſſion thereof for their encouragement in the ways of godliness ; Rom. i. 8. Firſt, I thank myGod through Jeſus
Chriſt for you all, that your faith is ſpoken of throughout the whole world.
९. 5. How elſe are we todefend other mens names ?
A. By our readiness to receive with joythe reports of that good that isin them ; 3 John 3. For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and teſtified of the truth that is in thee, evenas thou walkeſt in the truth. And diſcountenancing all reproaches maliciouſlyvented against them; Pfalmxv. 3.-Nor taketh up areproach against his neighbour.
6. But what if the reportbe evidentlytrue ?
A. In that cafe we are to grieve for their miscarriages, as the effect and fruit of our love to their fouls ; 2 Cor. ii. 4. For out of much affliction and anguiſh of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears, not thatye ſhould be grieved, but that ye might know the lovewhich I have more abundantly untoyou. And todiſcharge our duties privately and faithfully, in order to their recovery ; Matth. xviii. 15, 16, 17. Moreover, if thy brother ſhall treſpaſs against thee, go and tellhim his faultbetween thee andhim alone, &c.
Winking at, and concealing in love, their lefſſerandcommon infirmities ; I Pet. iv. 8. And above allthings have fervent charity among yourſelves : For charity ſhall cover themultitude of ſins .
९. 7. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment ?
A. It forbids us to injure others, by raiſing or receiving lies,
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechifm. and falſe reports, which are highly injurious to their good names; Col. iii.9. Lie not one to another, &c.
९. 8. What elfe is forbidden inthe ninth commandment ?
It eſpecially forbids perjury, or falſe ſwearing, whereby notonly the names,buteſtates and lives of the innocent are in juredand ruined; Pfalm xxxv. 11. Falfe witneſſes did riſe up.
Theylaid tomy charge things that I knew not ; Prov. xix. 5.
Afalſe witneſs thallnot be unpunished : And he that ſpeaketh lies ſhall noteſcape. A finwhichGodwill punish; Mal. iii. 5.
AndIwill come near toyou to judgment, and I will be a ſwift witneſs against the forcerers, and against the adulterers, and against falſe ſwearers, &c.
9. What elfe is forbiddeninthis commandment ?
A. It forbidsallwhiſpering andbackbitingof others fecretly; 2Cor. xii. 20.-Leſt there bedebates, envyings, wraths, ftrifes, backbitings, whiſperings, &c.
And all tale-carrying from one to another, to our neighbour's injury; Lev. xix. 16. Thou ſhaltnot goupanddown as a tale-beareramong the people, &c.
And 1 Tim. v. 13.-And not only idle, but tatlers alfo, and buly-bodies, ſpeaking things which they ought not.
10. What elſe doth the ninth commandment forbid ?
A. Itforbids all rathand unwarrantablejudging ofother men's hearts and final eſtates, which is usually accompanied with ignorance of our own ; Matth. vii. 1, 3. Judge not, that ye be not judged. Andwhybeholdestthou the mote that is in thybrother's eye, but confidereſt not thebeamthat isin thine owneye?
Q.11 . What elſe is forbidden inthis commandment ?
A. It forbids the eclipfing of the true worth and honour of others, by a proud exalting of ourſelves ; 1 Cor. xiii. 4,5.
Charity envieth not, charity vaunteth not itſelf, is not puffed up, &c.
Or by crying up one to the diſparagement of another goodman ; 1 Cor. iii. 4, 5. For while one faith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal ? c.
Q.12 . What is the firſt inference from hence ?
A. That the beſt Chriſtians have cauſe to behumbled for the fins of the tongue, whereby God is dishonoured, and o. thers are injured ; James iii. 2. If any man offend not inword, the fame is a perfect man, and able alſo to bridle thewholebody. And verſe 5, 6. Even ſo the tongue is a little member, and boafteth great things : behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth.
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity : ſo is the tongue amongst our members, that itdefileth thewhole body, and fetteth on fire the courſe of nature ; and it is fet on fireof hell.
An Expofition ofthe Affembly's Catechifm.
13. What is the ſecond inference from hence ?
A. It isour great concernment towalkwith that piety and Juſtice towardsGod and men, as tocut offalljustoccafions of reproach from our names ; 2 Cor. xi. 12. But what I do, that I willdo, that I may cut off occafion from them which defire occafions, e.
Tim. v. 14. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the houſe, give noneoccaſion tothe adverſaryto ſpeak reproachfully.
Q. 14. What is the third inference from this commandment?
A. To bleſsGod that our names are kept ſweet and honourable in the world among good men ; 3 John 12. Demetrius hatha good report of allmen, &c.
Or if we be reproached, it isbynone but wicked men, and that for our duty to God; Dan. vi. g. Thensaidtheſe men, we ſhall not find any occaſion against this Daniel, exceptwe find itagainst him concerningthe law of hisGod.
Of the tenthCommandment.
Queſt. 79. Which is the tenthcommandment?
A. The tenth commandment is, [Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thoushalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manfervant, nor his maid-fervant, norhis ox, nor his ass, norany thing that is thy neighbour's]
Quest. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment?
A. Thetenthcommandment requireth full contentment withour own condition, with aright andcharitableframe ofspirit towards our neighbour, andallthat is his.
Queſt. 81. Whatis forbidden in thetenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with ourown eftate, envying orgrievingat the good of ourneighbour, andallinordinatemotions and affections toany thing that is his.
Q. 1. What is theprincipalſeope andaim ofthetenth commandment?
A. It is to prevent all occafions of tranfgreffing the other precepts of theſecond table,byreſtraining this finofcovetoufhefs in the heart; Pfalm cxix. 35, 36. Make me togo in the pathof thycommandments, for therein do Idelight.
Incline myheartuntothy teftimonies, andnot tocovetouſneſs.
Q. 2. What doththis tenth commandrequire of us in refe rence to ourſelves ?
It requires of us perfect contentment and fatisfaction withthat eſtate andconditionwhereinGod hath placed us in
VOL. VIII.
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechifm. the world ; Heb. xiii. 5. Let your converſation be without co vetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have, &c
Reckoning it to be good for us to be in that ſtate we are, though never ſo low or afflicted ; Pfalm cxix. 67. Before I was afflicted, I went aſtray ; but now have I kept thyword.
And verſe 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy ſtatutes.
Q. 3. Is contentment withGod's appointments attainable in this life ?
A. Some Chriſtians have attained to a very great meaſure, and eminent degree of contentment inthe midst of changeable and afflictive providences ; Phil. iv . 11.
I have learned in whatsoever ſtate I am, therewith tobe content. Pfalm xvi. 5, 6.
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup : thou maintaineſt my lot.
The lines are fallen unto me inpleafant places : yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Q. 4. Is there nodanger of the ſin of diſcontent in a full and profperous condition ?
A. Fulness of the world ſecures no man from the ſin ofdifcontentment with his own, or coveting that which is another's ; becauſe the defires enlarge as the eſtate doth ; Pfalm lxii . 10.If riches increaſe, ſet not your heart uponthem.
An inftance whereof we have in Ahab, 1 Kings xxi. 4. AndAhab came ins to his houſe heavy anddiſpleaſed, becauſe of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had ſpoken to him: for he had faid, I willnotgive thee the inheritance of my fathers ; and he laid himdown upon his bed, and turnedaway his face, and would eat no bread.
Q.5. Whencedoth diſcontentwithour condition ſpring ?
It ſprings partly from our ignorance of God's wifdom and love in ordering all for our good ; Rom. viii. 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, &c .
Partly from our inconfiderateneſs of the vanity of the creature ; 1 Tim. vi . 7, 8. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.
And partly from our unbelief ; Matth. vi. 31, 32. Therefore take nothought, ſaying, What ſhall we eat ? Or what ſhall we drink ?
Orwherewithal ſhall we be cloathed ? (For after all theſe things do the Gentiles ſeek;) for your heavenly father knoweth that yehave need of all theſe things.
Q. 6, Is contentment with our own eſtate all that this commandment requires ?
A. No; it requires acharitable frame of ſpirit towards our
An Exposition ofthe Affembly's Catechism.
neighbours alſo; Rom. xii. 10, 15. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another.
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Q7. What is the firſt ſin forbiddeninthis commandment ?
A. It directly and eſpecially forbids all ſinful and inordinate defires and motions after other men's enjoyments; Col. iii. 5.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanneſs, inordinate affection, evil concupifcence, andcovetouſneſs, which is idolatry.
Q.8 What is the ſecond ſin forbidden inthis commandment?
A. It forbids all cruelty and incompaſſionateneſs to others in neceſſity, and keeping back from them that relief which is made theirs by God's command ; Prov. xi. 24. There is that with-holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
Lev. xix. 9, 10. Andwhen ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither ſhalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.
And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither ſhalt thou gather every grape ofthy vineyard: thou shalt leave them for the poor and the ſtranger :
I am the Lord yourGod.
Q9. What is the third ſin forbidden in this command. ment?
A A. It forbids the detaining of the hirelings wages, when it isdue; Hab. ii, 9, 10, 11. Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetouſneſs tohis houſe, that he may ſet his neft on high, that he maybe delivered from the power of evil. Thou hast confulted ſhame to thy houſe, by cutting off many people, andhaft finnedagainst thy soul.
Forthe ftone ſhall cryout of the wall, and the beam out of the timber ſhall anſwer it.
Q. 10. What is the fourth fin forbidden in this commandment?
A. It forbids all inward grudgings at, and envyings of the enjoyments of others, whether they be inward goods of the mind, or outward, belonging to the body ;
1 Cor. xiii. 14.
Charity envieth not, &c.
Q. 11. What is the mischief of covetouſneſs ?
A. Itdiſtracts the heart induties ; Ezek. xxxiii. 31. And they comeuntothee as the people cometh, andthey fit before thee as mypeople, andtheyhear thy words, butthey will notdothem ;
: for with their mouths they ſhew much love, buttheir heart goeth after their covetouſneſs.
Provokes the wrath ofGod , Ifa.