5thly, By mocking, fcoffing, and deriding speeches. Thefe are reckoned among the fufferings of the martyrs, Heb. xi. 36. "Others had trial of cruel mockings." The foldiers mocking of Christ, John xix. 3. is compared to the baiting by dogs, Pfal. xxii. 16. See how children paid for this ufage to the prophet Elisha, 2 Kings ii. 23, 24.

Lastly, By curfings, imprecations, and wrathful wifhings of ill and mischief to our neighbour's; which is but throwing up of hellish fire on others, that comes down and burns up him that threw it, Pfal. cix. 18.

3. There is eye-murder, which vents itself by a wrathful countenance, and all geftures of that kind, fuch as high and proud looks, and fierce looks, Prov. vi. 17. The spirit of God takes notice of Cain's countenance, Gen, iv. 5. As there is adultery in looks, fo there may be murder in them, not only angry looks, but looks of fatisfaction on the miferies of others, which God knows the meaning of, Obad. 12.; gnashing with the teeth, and all fuch geftures of a person, denoting a heart boiling with wrath and revenge, Acts vii.

54.

4. There is hand-murder, even where death killeth not. And people may be guilty of this two ways.

1ft, By way of omiffion, when we with-hold and give not help to those that are in diftress, to fave their life or living, Judg. v. 2, 3.; neglecting the fick, not vifiting and helping them as need requires, Luke x. 31, 32.; not affording means of life to the poor in want, Jam. ii. 15, 16.; for those put out the flame of life that do not feed it. We fhould then put on bowels of mercy and charity, in imitation of Job, chap. xxxi. 16. &c. It is obfervable, that the sentence against the wicked runs on unmercifulness to the poor members of Christ, Matth. xxv. 41. &c.

2dly, By way of commiffion. And fo men are guilty,

(1.) As they ftrike against the living of others, their means and way of fubfiftence. This goes under the general name of oppreffion, a crying fin, Ezek. xxii. 7. Thus this command is broken by extortion, landlords racking of their lands fo as labourers cannot live on them, tenants taking others lands over their heads, fometimes to the ruin of honeft families, masters not allowing fervants whereupon to live and, generally, by all kind of oppreffion, which in God's account is murder, If. iii. 14, 15. Micah iii. 3.

;

(2.) As they strike against the body and life itself. Thus men are guilty, by fighting, ftriking, and wounding others, Exod. xxi. 18, 22. How many have been guilty as murderers in the fight of men, that have had no defign to go the full length, when they fell to fighting?

Perfecution is a complication of all thefe; and therefore the better the caufe is, the worse is the deed. It is a main engine of him who was a murderer from the beginning. And God will reckon with them as murderers at the great day, Matth. xxv. 41, 42, &c.

Lastly, Men may be guilty of the blood of others otherwife. As,

(1.) By finful occafioning in others those things whereby our neighbour fins against his own foul, Quod eft caufa caufa, eft etiam caufa caufati. So people fin by occafioning in others discontent, fretfulness, immoderate forrow, &c. 1 Sam. i. 6. Wherefore we should beware of that, as we would not be guilty of their blood.

(2.) By all the ways we faid men co-operate to the deftroying of others fouls, they may be guilty of killing others bodies; as by commanding, counfelling, or anywife procuring the taking away of men's living or lives unjustly. So David murdered Uriah by the sword of the Ammonites. So informers against the Lord's people in time of perfecution are murderers in God's fight, Ezek. xxii. 9. Yea, the approving, or any way confenting to it, makes men guilty,

Acts viii. 1.

Now, Sirs, examine yourselves in this matter; and who will not be brought in blood-guilty, guilty of their own and their neighbour's blood, the blood of their fouls and bodies! God's law is fpiritual, and fees the guilt of blood where we plead Not guilty. Let us be humbled and convinced, and apply to the blood of Chrift, that we may be washed from it.

OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.

EXOD. XX. 14.-Thou shalt not commit adultery.

of

HE fcope of this command is the preservation of our own and our neighbour's chastity and purity. God is a holy God, and the devil is an unclean spirit: we must therefore study purity in all manner of converfation. Our Lord puts this command before the fixth, Mark x. 19.; because our chastity fhould be as dear to us as our life, and we should be as much afraid of that which defiles the body as that which deftroys it.

This command is a negative precept, and exprefsly forbids adultery but under that is comprehended all manner of uncleanness whatsoever, with all the causes and occafions leading thereunto. And the positive part of this command is, that we must preferve our own and our neighbour's chastity by all due means.

In difcourfing further, I fhall confider,

I. The duties required in this command.
II. The fins forbidden therein.

III. Make fome practical improvement.

I. Our firft bufinefs is to confider what is required in this command; and the Catechifm, agreeably to holy fcripture, tells us, that it requires "the prefervation of our own and our neighbour's chastity in heart, fpeech, and behaviour."

The duties of this command may therefore be reduced to two general heads. 1. The prefervation of our own chastity. 2. The preservation of that of our neighbour.

FIRST, This command requires us to preserve our own chastity and purity. There is a twofold chastity. 1. In fingle life; when it is led in purity, it is like the angelical; when in impurity, it is devilish. 2. There is conjugal chastity, when married persons keep themselves within the bounds of the law of that ftate. This lies in two things. (1.) With respect to all others, keeping themselves pure and uncorrupted.

(2.) With refpect to another, keeping themselves within the bounds of Christian sobriety and moderation. In whatsoever ftate we are," this is the will of God, even our fanctification, that we should abstain from fornication; that every one of us fhould know how to poffefs his veffel in fanctification and honour, not in the luft of concupifcence," 1 Theff. iv. 3.

4. 5.

Now, there is a threefold chastity required of us, and to be preserved by us.

First, Chastity in heart, 1 Theff. iv. 5. forecited. God knows the heart, and therefore his laws reach the heart, and he will judge for heart-fins. We must keep our minds pure, that the thoughts be not led aftray and corrupted. Hence Job "made a covenant with his eyes," chap. xxxi. 1. And we must keep our affections pure, that they be not vitiated. Job faw this when he appeals to God, "If mine heart have been deceived by a woman," ver. 9. This is to be pure before God, who feeth in fecret, and fearcheth the hidden things of darknefs. The leaft glance of the heart over this hedge is

a crime.

Secondly, Chastity of speech, Col. iv. 6. "Let your fpeech be always with grace, feafoned with falt." As there is tongue-murder, there is tongue-adultery. But our fpeeches muft favour of fobriety and purity: and fo they will, if the heart be pure; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpeaketh. The Holy Ghoft, in the fcriptures, gives us a pattern to be imitated in our fpeeches concerning those things that have a natural turpitude with them, vailing the fame in modeft expreffions.

Thirdly, Chaftity in behaviour, which comprehends both the keeping of the body undefiled by any grofs act, and a modeft carriage every way, 1 Pet. iii. 2. Modesty muft appear in the whole of our behaviour, that the purity of the heart may fhine forth thereby, as the candle gives light through the lanthorn.

Now, as this threefold chastity is required here, fo the proper means for preferving it are alfo required.

1. Watching over our fenfes. These are the ports at which Satan breaks in, and ruins people's purity. The heart and the senses are like a candle-wick, at the end of which lies a heap of powder. Objects set fire to the senses VOL. III. No. 23. K

at the wick, and these carry it along to the heart where the corruption lies as a heap of powder. Particularly,

(1.) The eyes, Job xxxi. 1. These were the gates at which fin first entered into the world; and these have been the gates of deftruction to many, whereby their fame, body, and fouls, have been destroyed together. It is remarkable that the Sodomites were fmitten with blindness, who took fo little care to watch their eyes while they had the use of them. Curious glances of the eye have been fatal to many, as to David, 2 Sam. xi. 2. and to Jofeph's mistress, Gen. xxxix. 7.

(2.) The ears. The corruption of the heart makes people liable to be chained with Satan's fetters by the ears as well as the eyes; as appears from Prov. vii. 21. 22. "With her much fair speech fhe caufed him to yield, with the flattering of her lips the forced him. He goeth after her ftraightway, as an ox goeth to the flaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks." And curious listening to rotten speeches, or whatsoever has a tendency to corrupt the heart is to open the door to let out our purity.

2. Temperance, a fober use of meat, drink, fleep, and recreations. Hence our Lord warns his difciples, Luke xxi. 34. "Take heed to yourselves, left at any time your hearts be overcharged with furfeiting and drunkennefs." Temperance is a neceffary hedge for chastity, and the breaking over that hedge is a near way to facrifice the other. See Acts xxiv. 24, 25. "And, after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drufilla, which was a Jewefs, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.—And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled." Why did the apostle chufe that fubject before these great perfons? Why, truly it was very fit. Hiftorians tell us, that this Drufilla was a moft libidinous woman, and had left her husband, Aziz king of Emenessa ; and while he was yet living, fhe was married to Felix, who was taken with her beauty; and fo they lived together in adultery. The body being pampered, becomes a luxuriant beaft; and those that cram their bellies with meat or drink, are but one remove from, and in near difpofition to filthinefs; for one fenfuality makes way for another.

On this account it is that fafting and prayer may be to people a duty of this command; for, as fome devils are not