Seventh Cpmmiuidment. · Men of Old . yet it never was otherwife than a Sin f rom the Foundation of the World. And tberefore the Prophe[ hialacby refers us to the Primitive lnftirution of Marriage, to thew the obliquity of this Pra£\ice, Mal. 2. i5. Did not he make One? That is did not he Cr..ate One \'Yoman for One Man? Yet hadhe the Rt./idue qf the Sptrit 1 ' i. e. the fame Spirit and Power whereby be Created all Things in the World refided !!ill in God, and therefore he could as eafily h ave formed more Women as well as one had be not purpofed to oblige them one to the other folely, and to teach them by tbcir being paired at firft not to feek Multiplication of Wives after. m• . . . ' Therefore Polygamy was unlawful in the Beginning, even then when the Ne cetlity of increafing the World might feem to plead tor it; an d how much more unlawful now when that Neceffity i• ceafed. Befides this, th e Apo!Ue bath commanded; 1 Cor. 7· 2· Let every .Man b4Ve bis. own Wift, and every fVoman bcr own li11J-. band. · . fljtbly, Here alfo are forbidden all thofe Monfters of unnatura l Luft, and thofe Prodigies of Villany and Filthinefl, which are not fit to be named among Men, but thought fitto be puni!h'd upon Beaftsrhemfelves, as ye may read, Lev. 20. J;, J 6; Lev. 11. 22, Zj. . Sixth!y, Allthofe Things that may be Incentives to Lull, and ad d Fewel to this Fire are likewife forbidden in this Command; all Imp urities of the Eyes, of Con; raEl' of leud and obfcene Speech, all immodeft SpeE!a cles, wanton AE!ions, .uncivil and 'garifh Atrire, or whatfoever elfe may kindle either in our felves or others anJ unchafte Affei\ions; for all thefe Things do but lay in Pro vifion for the Flelh, to fulfil it in the Lull thereof. Sevenrhly, Becaufe this Law is Spiritual, therefore it not only for bids the grofs outward ACts of Fihhinefs, but tbe inward Uncleannefs o f the Heart; all luftful Contemplations, and Idea's, and Evil Concnpifcences : Fot it is not enough to refrain una challe Defires from breaking forth into A€\, but we muf t alfo refrain om Hearts from entertaining any fuch Defires. Thefe Flames pent up in the Heart will foot and conf•me it; and though its Ruin be more invifible, yet it will be fad and fatal: As there is an Heart-Murther, forhere is is an Heart-Adulte ry; and he that commits fpeculative Uncleanne(s, and profiitutes his Thoughts and Imaginations to the impure Embraces of filthy Luft, is, according to out Saviour'£ lnteipretation, gu ihy of the Tranfgreffion of thls Command : So, Mat. 5· 27, 28. Ye bavt beard that it warfaiJ to tbtm of Old Time, tboujhalt not commit Aduil e,[y; but I fay untoyou, that who.. fo looketh on a Woman to lujl after her bath conzmr )ud Adultery already with /Jcr iti bis Heart. And thus you fee what is prohibited. All that now remai~s, is, . , , Firj/, To fct forrb the exceeding Heinoufnefs of this Sin; and to !hew you why it is fojuOly odious unto God, and ought to be fo unto u s: And, Stcondly, To give you fome Rules and Direaions which may fecu re you from it. The Greatnefs and heinous Nature of this Sin appears, Firj/, ln that it is a Sin which Murtbers Two Souls at once ; a nd therefore the mo!l uncharitable Sin in the World. Other Sinners can perilh fingly. The Swearer damns none by his Oaths bur himfelf; and although he curfe o thers to the Pit of Hell, yet fnall defcend thither alone for them. The Drunkard with his Intemperance drowns but his own Soul in Perdition: The Bloody Murrherer may fay with LameciJ, Gen. 4 ; 23. I have flain a Man to my wounding, and ayoung Man to m} or~Jn Hurt. And indeed all other Sinners, though their Wickednefs prompt them ro· draw in Affociates and Partakers wirh them, yet •he Nature of their Sin d orh not require a Pannerfhip intbeir Guilt, but they may lie Solirarily wicked, and peri!h alone: Only this SiB of Adultery nece!farily requires Partnerlbip, and involve s another .in the fame Condemnation. And is it nothing to thee that another's Damnation fhall be fet upon thy Score, and the Blood of their Souls charged upon th ine for ever? Think with your feh·es what horrid Greetings thcfe unclean Wretch es will give e2ch other in Hell, when they wbo have here wallowed together in Beallly Senfuality, !hall there wallow together in unquenchable Flames, and with ineff able Anguilb exclaim againft and curfe both t-hemfelves and one another\ the one for enticing, the other for con~ fehting, aad both forfillfilling, their impureDefires: Or fu ppofe tharGod lhould vouchfafe thee Repentaoce ijOtO Life, yet art thoufure that bi sJuftice and Severity will not B b b 2 harden i8j
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