Quest 73, 74, 75 Of the eighth commandment, 75
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ternal senses; Job xxxi. 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes ; why then should I think upon a maid ?
9. What is the third remedy against it ?
A. Deep and serious consideration of the danger of this fin, and what God 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 strange woman is a deep pit; he that is abhorred of the Lord hall fall therein.
Q.10. What is the fourth remedy against it ?
A. Prayer; Píalm cxix. 37. Turn away mine eyes from be holding vanity, &c. And, to evidence our sincerity in prayer, we must study to shun all occasions of this fin ; Psalm xviii. 23.
I was also upright before him ; and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
What is the first inference from hence ?
A. What cause those have to bless 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 inference from hence ?
A. Let it warn parents to do what in them lies to prevent the ruin of their children by this fin, ( 1. ) By filling their heads and hands with lawful business.
(2 ) By serious admonitions and prayers for them.
(3.) By keeping them from vain and tempting company.
(4.) By disposing them seasonably in suitable 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 ; Psalm li. 8. Make me tohearjoyand gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
And applythebloodof Christ by faith; for in so doing, it maybe 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 of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God.
Of the eighth Commandment.
Quest. 73. Which istheeighthcommandment?
A. The eighth commandment is, [Thou shalt not steal.] Quest. 74. What is required in the eighth commandment ?
A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring K2
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism. and furthering the wealth, and outward estate of ourselves and others.
Quest. 75. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment ?
A. The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or may unjustly hinder our own, or our neighbour's wealth, or out ward estate.
Q. 1. What is presupposed in this commandment ?
A. It presupposeth thatGodhath given every manapropriety in his estate, and that noman's goods are common to others, except by his consent in times and cases extraordinary ; Acts ii.
44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common.
Q. 2. What is required in this commandment?
A. It requires of every man diligence in a lawful calling, to getandpreserve an estate for his own and 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 to get and keep the things of the world in a lawful manner, but to distribute and communicate them to those that are in want, and not cast them into temptations of fin, or inevitable ruin ;
Ifa. lviii. 10. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy 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 of God in him?
२. 4. What else is required in this commandment ?
A. It requires in everymana public spirit to procure and promote the good and prosperity of others ; 1 Cor. x. 24. Let no man seek his own, but everyman another's wealth.
Q5. What else is required in this command?
A. It requires restitution of all goods unjustly gotten, or taken from others ; Lev. vi. 4. Then it shall be, because he hath finned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten,
&c. And the restoring of 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 in our dealings, and civil 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 forbidden in this command?
A. it forbids all exaction and oppression of our neighbour, by goingbeyondthem, or working on their necessities, or detaining their dues; Lev. xxv. 14. And if thou fell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another ; Prov. xxiv. 28, 29. Be not a witness against thy neighbourwithoutcause: And deceive not with thy lips.
Say nor, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
Q. 8. What is the thirdthing forbidden in this 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 of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable ?
Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
9. What is the 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 transgression, the fame is the companion of a destroyer.
Or servants ; Tit. ii. 9, 10.
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters;-not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity, &c.
Q.ro. What is the fifth thing forbiddeninthiscommand?
A. It forbids all tempting of, or encouraging others to defraud those who have any trust committed to them; Psalm 1.
18. When thou sawest a thief, thenthouconsentedst with him .
Prov. xxix. 24. Whoso is partner with a thief, hateth his own soul, &c. i Q. 11. What is the sixth thing forbidden in this command ?
A. It forbids the taking away of another's goods by open robbery by sea or land ; Job v. 5.-And the robber swallowethuptheir substance. Orclandeftinely and privately ; 1 Pet. iv. 15. Butletnoneof you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, c.
12. What is the danger of this fin ?
A. Itbringsmens fouls, bodies, and estates, under the curse of God; Zech . v. 3, 4. Then said 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 side, 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 instruction hence ?
A. Let all that are guilty of this sin repent, and restore, as they expect mercy from God ; Eph. iv. 28. Let him that stole, steal no more, &c. Luke xix. 8. And Zacheus stood, and said 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 man by false accusations, I restore him fourfold.
Q. 14. What is the last inference from hence ?
A. To excite all, to whom God hath given a competency of the things of the world, that they bless God for keeping them from the temptations of this sin ; Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Give me neitherpovertynorriches, feed me with food convenient for me :
Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord ? Or left I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Of the ninth Commandment.
Quest. 76. Which is the ninth commandment ?
A. The ninth commandment is, [Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.]
Quest. 77. What is required in the 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 Lord God
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in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience; that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
९. 3. What is the second thing required in this command ?
A. It requires all due 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 the good 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 lowhness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.
And manifesting our inward esteem of thembyawife and seafonable expression thereof for their encouragement in the ways of godliness ; Rom. i. 8. First, I thank my God through Jesus
Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
९. 5. How else are we to defend other mens names ?
A. By our readiness to receive with joy the reports of that good that is in them ; 3 John 3. For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. And discountenancing all reproaches maliciously vented against them; Pfalmxv. 3.-Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
6. But what if the report be evidently true ?
A. In that case we are to grieve for their miscarriages, as the effect and fruit of our love to their souls ; 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 love which I have more abundantly unto you. And to discharge 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 tell him his fault between thee and him alone, &c.
Winking at, and concealing in love, their lefsserandcommon infirmities ; I Pet. iv. 8. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves : For charity shall cover the multitude 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 Assembly's Catechism. and false reports, which are highly injurious to their good names; Col. iii.9. Lie not one to another, &c.
९. 8. What else is forbidden in the ninth commandment ?
It especially forbids perjury, or false swearing, whereby not only the names,but estates and lives of the innocent are in juredand ruined; Psalm xxxv. 11. False witnesses did rise up.
They laid to my charge things that I knew not ; Prov. xix. 5.
A false witness thallnot be unpunished : And he that speaketh lies shall not escape. A finwhichGodwill punish; Mal. iii. 5.
And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, &c.
9. What else is forbidden in this commandment ?
A. It forbidsallwhispering andbackbitingof others secretly; 2Cor. xii. 20.-Lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, ftrifes, backbitings, whisperings, &c.
And all tale-carrying from one to another, to our neighbour's injury; Lev. xix. 16. Thou shalt not goupanddown as a tale-bearer among the people, &c.
And 1 Tim. v. 13.-And not only idle, but tatlers also, and buly-bodies, speaking things which they ought not.
10. What else doth the ninth commandment forbid ?
A. It forbids all rat hand unwarrantablejudging of other 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 thy brother's eye, but confide rest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Q.11 . What else is forbidden in this 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 be humbled for the fins of the tongue, whereby God is dishonoured, and o. thers are injured ; James iii. 2. If any man offend not in word, 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 the whole body, and fetteth on fire the course of nature ; and it is set on fire of hell.
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13. What is the second inference from hence ?
A. It is our great concernment to walk with that piety and Justice towards God and men, as to cut offalljustoccafions of reproach from our names ; 2 Cor. xi. 12. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasions, e.
Tim. v. 14. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
Q. 14. What is the third inference from this commandment?
A. To bless God that our names are kept sweet and honourable in the world among good men ; 3 John 12. Demetrius hath a good report of allmen, &c.
Or if we be reproached, it is by none but wicked men, and that for our duty to God; Dan. vi. g. Thensaidthese men, we shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
Of the tenth Commandment.
Quest. 79. Which is the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment is, [Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's]
Quest. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment?
A. Thetenthcommandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with aright andcharitableframe of spirit towards our neighbour, and all that is his.
Quest. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of ourneighbour, andallinordinatemotions and affections to any thing that is his.
Q. 1. What is theprincipalseope and aim of the tenth commandment?
A. It is to prevent all occasions of tranfgreffing the other precepts of the second table,by restraining this finofcovetoufhefs in the heart; Psalm cxix. 35, 36. Make me togo in the pathos thy commandments, for therein do I delight.
Incline myheartuntothy testimonies, and not tocovetousness.
Q. 2. What doth this tenth command require of us in refe rence to ourselves ?
It requires of us perfect contentment and satisfaction with that estate andconditionwhereinGod hath placed us in
VOL. VIII.
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism. 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 ; Psalm cxix. 67. Before I was afflicted, I went astray ; but now have I kept thy word.
And verse 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.
Q. 3. Is contentment with God's appointments attainable in this life ?
A. Some Christians have attained to a very great measure, and eminent degree of contentment in the midst of changeable and afflictive providences ; Phil. iv . 11.
I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Psalm 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 in pleasant places : yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Q. 4. Is there no danger of the sin of discontent in a full and prosperous 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 desires enlarge as the estate doth ; Psalm lxii . 10.If riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
An instance whereof we have in Ahab, 1 Kings xxi. 4. AndAhab came ins to his house heavy and displeased, because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers ; and he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
Q.5. Whence doth discontent with our condition spring ?
It springs partly from our ignorance of God's wisdom 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 no thought, saying, What shall we eat ? Or what shall we drink ?
Or wherewithal 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 a charitable frame of spirit towards our
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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 forbidden in this commandment ?
A. It directly and especially forbids all sinful and inordinate desires 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 in this 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. And when 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 of thy vineyard: thou shalt leave them for the poor and the stranger :
I am the Lord your God.
Q9. What is the third sin forbidden in this command. ment?
A A. It forbids the detaining of the hirelings wages, when it is due; Hab. ii, 9, 10, 11. Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he maybe delivered from the power of evil. Thou hast consulted shame to thy house, by cutting off many people, andhaft finnedagainst thy soul.
For the stone shall cry out 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. It distracts the heart in duties ; Ezek. xxxiii. 31. And they comeuntothee as the people cometh, and they fit before thee as my people, andtheyhear thy words, but they will not do them ;
: for with their mouths they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
Provokes the wrath of God , Ifa.