unmercifully treating others when they are not able to stand out against him as Laban did in changing Jacob's wages ten times Gen. 31.41 and many such characters are there whereby the covetous may be tryed and discovered as especially when they come to justifie and defend and continue in these forementioned unseemly wayes of getting gain and much more when unlawful shifts are used to gain by It is like that in such cases covetous persons have been ecclesiastically reprehended or at least there hath been a brotherly withdrawing from them to put a note on them as was put on drunkards extortioners c. as also 2 Thess. 3.14 the Apostle commandeth these persons who were guilty of the opposit sin of Idleness to be marked with a note of shame And although it be hard to make out covetousness in particulars where there is no sin in the matter yet generally where there is a person that excessively is so there will be both a common account of him to be such in his dealing by those who can discern and many complaints of all almost against him and a hard disesteem of him From the grounds that have been touched on it is somewhat evident that such who generally are called neer hard rigid men though they be not properly unhonest are guilty of this sin of covetousness and consequently of the breach of this Command But however when covetousness cometh to be scandalous so as it may be made out it falleth within the compass of the object of Church-discipline and certainly seeing covetousness even when there is no direct theft or oppression is often so scandalous and offensive It would seem there must have been in the Apostles time some way to make it out and that then upon such certain evidence of the scandal brethren have spoken one to another about it in which admonition if they did not acquiess it proceeded further and at last private Christians were to shun the familiar company of such for their shame who thus walked disorderly by pursuing and gathering riches too eagerly as well as of others who fell into the contrary sin of negligence and idleness 2 Thess. 3.14 As to the 3. Consideration of the punishment of theft what it may be in the Civil Courts of men or by the Magistrate we will not insist here without our sphear and line But to speak here a little to the punishment of direct and plain theft which is that commonly noticed and pu â—â—â—ed among men certainly Blasphemy Adultery and such other sins are in themselves at least no less if not more capital then this And those who have observed the Laws and Customs of Nations assert That in no place generally theft was punished with death till Draco that bloody Prince whose Laws were written in blood did it certainly the Politick or Judicial Laws of Moses were for tenderness as conscientious for equity as just and for wisdom as profitable Laws to the Common-wealth as ever any since were or could be being immediately Divine yet find we not death ordained by them to be inflicted upon it but restitution to be made double fourfold or fivefold according as the thing was in worth and as the neighbour was prejudged by the taking it away Exod. 22.1 2. It is true if the man had nothing then was he to be fold for his theft to make up his neighbours loss Exod. 22 3. And if in the night one had been smitten digging through a house it was not to be accounted murther If I say it was in the night or before Sun-rising because that by these circumstances it became a violation of mens common security and the design of such an atrocious attempt might be presumed to be against the life or persons of men And upon this ground such Robbers as break the publick peace that men through fear of them cannot travel go about their affairs or live at home or whose robbery doth carry direct hazard to mens lives with it these upon that account are worthy of death but not so much for sinning against this Command as against the sixth the Reason is because there is no proportion betwixt a mans wronging another in his goods and the losing of his life and in justice where circumstances do not highly aggredge the crime and bring it under some other consideration there should be a proportionableness betwixt the crime or hurt done and the punishment and retribution thereof as eye for eye hand for hand c. otherwayes it were better and more safe to thrust out a mans eye then to steal his horse or sheep Hence it is that there was no restitution in the Law to be made for what marr'd life but the person thus offending was to be punished lege talionis but in other things it was not so It now remain â—â— that we should speak somewhat of Vsury concerning which as there are many words spent in dispute so no question there are many sins in practise by custom the name of Vsury is become odious and may be taken for unlawful gain gotten by the meer loan of money and in that case the Scripture being so clear there is no place left for questioning of its sinfulness If we abstract from the word and consider the thing in it self viz. if it be lawful for the meer loan of money to compact for some advantage it will be another question And here indeed in respect of mens corruptions who can keep no bounds there is great hazard of miscarrying yet we conceive in answer to it there are two extreams to be shunned so that we can neither say that simply it is lawful in all cases nor simply unlawful Not simply lawful because there is some such sin committed directly condemned in the Law Exod. 22.25 Deut. 23.19 Nor simply unlawful so as in no case it is to be allowed for suppose one that is unable to labour have only some money and no land or other visible estate or suppose men to have Orphan-childrens means committed to them may not that person or the tutors of these children lend the money to such as are in capacity to make gain by it and receive some proportionable advantage for the loan of it we conceive no ground can altogether condemn it as contrary either to the rules of equity or charity It is not contrary to the rules of equity that when one is so much benefited by the estate of another that the person whose the estate is should proportionably share of that benefit which without him and his money the other had not reaped Nor is it contrary to the rules of charity for although Charity command us to lend for our neighbours necessity yet not for his gain and the inriching of him and it would seem strange that a man having nothing but money should be obliged to lend it freely to rich men who making conqueish thereby should reap the benefit and yet he get nothing The law of equity That we should do to others as we
though Civil or Religious being seldom speedily reclaimed from them This was also Examplified in that late English Gentle-Woman of good-rank Who spending much of her pretious Time in Attendance on Stage-Plays and falling at last into a Dangerous Sickness whereof she dyed Anno 1631. Friends i â— her Extremity sent for a Minister to prepare her for Death who beginning to Instruct and Exhort her to repent and call on God for Mercy she made him no Reply at all but cryed out Hieronimo Hieronimo O let me see Hieronimo Acted And so calling for a Play instead of calling on God for Mercy closed her Dying Eyes and had a Fearful End answerable to her Miserable Life And in these sevearl Persons who were distracted with th Visible Apparition of the Devil on the Stage at the Bell-Savage-Play-House in Queen Elizabeth's Dayes while they were there beholdidg the History of Faustus prophanly Acted To which might be added many other Lamentable Examples and Warnings of such who by little and little have made Desection from the Faith being allured hereto by the Dangerous custome of beholding such Plays wherein Tertullian saith They Communicate with the Devil Will any Man or Woman dare to appear before the Dreadful Tribunal of God to maintain and make out the warrantableness of allowing more t â—me to these and such other Practises several of which are excellently discoursed by the Author in the following Tractat and most of them with their Respective Authorities by Master Prinn in his Histrio Mastrix then to reading of this and other such Treatises If any will they must answer it I mind not through Grace to take part with them i â— so bold and desperate an Adventure Now Christian Reader without further Prefacing to bring thee in upon the Treasure of the Treatise it self If thou wilt read it seriously and consider it suitably I think I may humbly in the Name of the Lord bid thee a Defyance to come away from it without a Bosom-full of Convictions of much guilt and without crying out with the Lepper under the Law Unclean Unclean With Job Behold I am vile With David looking stedfastly on the Glasse of this Law brightly shined on by Gods Light and ref â—ecting a most clear Discovery of Innumerable Transgressions of it as so many Attoms in a clear Sun-shine Who can understand his Errours Cleanse thou me from secret faults With the Prophet Isaiah VVe are all as one Unclean thing as uncleanness it self in the Abstract most Vnclean and all our Righteousness are as Filthy Raggs With the Apostle James In many things we offend all And finally with the Apostle Paul VVe know that the Law is Spiritual but I am Carnal and sold under Sin O VVretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death That thou mayst also with the same Apostle bein â—ase to say and sing to the Commendation of his Grace I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord is the Cordial desire of Thy Servant in the Gospel for Christs sake Postscript Christian and Candid Reader THOU seest that in this Epistle which for the most part of it was written above two years ago I have spoken a word of Stage-playes prophane Interludes Comedies c. at that time and several years before much in use amongst us whereto I would now add a few words more and deduce a little their infamous idolatrous devilish and damnable Pedigree and Original and give thee a brief account of the judgment of the ancient Christian Church about them that the Actors in them with the Patrons and haunters of them may with the greater dissatisfaction reflect on their own by-past unsutable and disconform practise and that all others may for ever hereafter learn to fear and to do no more so unchristianly To which I am the rather induced that the worthy Author of this Treatise hath only in passing made mention of them as a breach of the Seventh Command they being then utterly in disswe â—tude with us and it having not so much as once entered into his thoughts that after so bright and glorious a Sun-shine of Gospel-light the Generation would ever let be so quickly have so far degenerated as to suffer themselves to be tempted to have any fellowship with such unfruitful works of darkness I say then that Stage-playes in their several sorts were prohibited reprobated and condemned and the Actors in them appointed to be excommunicated by the Canons of several more particular and of some general Councels which Canons I forbear for brevities sake to â—et down at length as namely by the fifth Canon of the first Councel at Arl â—s in France Ann. 314. in the time of Constanstine the Great by the twentieth Canon of the second Councel held there Ann. 126. or more probable 389 as Fr. Longus a Coriolano reckoneth in his sum of all the Councels by the fifty seventh sixty second and sixty seventh Canons of the Eliberine Councel in Spain Ann. 30 â— by the eleventh and thirty fifth Canons of the third to wit from Constantine's time as Spondanus reckoneth Councel of Carthage An. 397. the very same with the thirteenth and thirty fifth Canons of the Councel of Hippo in Africk held Ann. 393. as Longus a Corialono sheweth who sets down the sum of the Canons framed at Hippo at the close of the Canons made in this third Councel of Carthage by the twelth Canon of the African Councel held Ann. 408 whe â—â— Augustine was present the Canons of both which Councels suppose persons to have been excommunicated on this account and provide for their reconciliation to the Church in case of repentance and turning from these practises to the Lord and by the fifty first and sixty second Canons of the sixth general Councel called by some the fifth held a â— Const â—ntinople Ann. 680. the Canons w â—â—â—eof we â—e â—on â—w â—d in that Counc â—l held at Constantinople Ann. 692. which is called Qui â—isex â—um these two Canons are very express and â—â—eremptory in this thing And can any Christians warrantably and without sin recreate themselves with beholding such playes the Actors wher â—in deserve to be excommunicated what is there no bet â—er no more innoc â—n â— and inoffensive way or is this th â— only or the â—est way to recreate men to refine sharpen and polish their wits to pers â—ade and prevail with them to ha â—â— and flee vic â— and to love and follow vertue to acquaint â—â—â—em from History with to impress on them the remembrance and to ex â—ite them to the imi â—â—tion of the noble and truly â—â—itable actions of illus â—â—â—on â—â—â—e â—oes and other great men to breed them to a sutable confidence to make them eloquene and fine spokes-men and to help them to a becoming gest in all actions places and societies the grave Seers and great Lights of the Church did never see any such thing in them but on the contrary have with common
of practising it when known which pride doth not Thus we see both how exte â—sive and how necessary to Christians in whatsoever station they are this excellent grace of humility is which is a special ornament of Christians and a notable piece of beautiful conformity to meek and lowly Jesus THE SIXTH COMMAND Exodus 20.13 Thou shalt not kill IN the fifth Command the Lord generally prescribed humility and that respect which is to be shown by every one to another in their several stations and relations he proceedeth now more particularly to give directions in these things that are most dead and necessary to men first in the matter of life command sixth 2. In the matter of chastity and temperance Com. 7. 3. In what concerneth their Estate Com. 8. 4. In what concerneth truth and more especially our neighbours name Com. 9. Lastly in what concerneth the inward frame of our hearts towards our own estate and the estate of others Com. 10. For understanding this Command Thou shalt not kill we may consider 1. It 's Object 2. It 's act to kill 3. It 's subject to speak so Thou As for the first this Command cannot be considered as relating to Beasts as if they were not to be killed because God gave man all the Beasts for his use to feed on them Gen. 9.3 and we are to eat of whatever is sold in the shambles by his allowance whose is the earth and the fulness thereof I Cor. 10 25. Beside man in all these Commands is properly directed in reference to his Neighbour and not to beasts Yet I grant by striking a beast a man may offend as 1. when that stroke wrongeth his Neighbour to whom that beast belongeth 2. when in our striking there is 1. unreasonableness as if we would require that capacity in a be â—st that is in reasonable creatures and so are ready to offend when they answer not our expectation 2. when there is a breaking out into anger and passion at brutes as when a horse rydeth not well a Dog runneth not well a hawk flyeth not well c. which speaketh an impotency in us who are so easily mastered by irrational passions which will sometimes also seize upon us even in reference to senseless and lifeless Creatures when they do not accommodate us to our mind â— 3. when there is bitterness and cruelty in striking Something of this the Lord reproveth by making Balaams Ass speak and rebuke the madness of that Prophet who unreasonably smote the Ass and wished he had had a Sword to kill her Numb 22.29 whereas a just man pitieth his beast and regardeth the life thereof Prov. 12.10 But for the better Understanding of the Object of the Command we shall proceed to speak to it and the act of killing vvhich is the second thing complexedly and if we consider killing in reference to a mans self it is certainly understood here for that being the sum of all the commands of the second Table thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self it must be understood as repeated in each of them as here thou shalt not kill thy Neighbour more than thy self or shalt preserve him as thy self which supposeth that it is not free for a man to wrong himself more than to wrong others and generally these reasons whereby the Lord restraineth us from killing others will also hold in restraining us from killing and other ways wronging our selves therefore there is no question if it be a sin to wrong hurt or torture others whether in body or in their soul as to the tranquillity and quiet frame thereof and any ways to procure or further their death it will be no less so to do thus to our selves because love to our selves is the pattern that we ought to walk by in loving others We may be guilty of the breach of this Command in reference to our selves by omissions as well as by commissions as when things needful for entertainment and health of the body are either designedly or with an excessive misregard to health and life omitted We may further fall into the breach of this Command in reference to our selves either directly as purposing and intending hurt to our own bodie or indirectly by casting our selves in unnecessary seeming dangers by wilful or careless overusing of known unwholesome food by excessive and immoderate toyl by spending and wasting the body with unchastness by drunkenness and gluttony vvhereby many more are destroyed then with the Sword according to the common saying plures gulâ quà m gladio pereunt and many other vvays If we consider this command vvith respect to others vve may conceive it in reference to a threefold life which vve should endeavour to preserve and promote in them in any one of which a commission or omission will make a breach thereof 1. There is a life of the body and vvhatever cometh from us that vvrongeth that either directly as stroaks challenges or appeals c. or indirectly if it vvere but by keeping back something that is in our power to give vvhich might be useful to our neighbour in his need that no doubt maketh guilty of this sin of killing in respect of this bodily life I have mentioned appeals to Duels under the former branch because albeit that in the matter of private duels the pride and corruption of men do ordinarily either commend a vain bravery and gallantry or pretend the ex â—uses of a seeming Obligation in the point of honour or necessary defence Yet vve are sure that the judgment of God vvhich is according to truth by pointing out on the part as vvell of the accepter as of the appealer these ensuing irregularities â—do condemn the thing as exceeding sinful As 1. Impotency of mind and excess of passion vvhich if sooner in the accepter doth only add deliberation to his other guilt 2. Contempt of the publick Laws and civil order 3. An Usurpation of the Magistrates sword vvhich is given to him both for punishing and protecting And 4. An invasion of Gods â—ight of vengeance vvhich he hath so expresly reserved to himself and from this the accepter observing ord â—nar â—ly no more moderament in his defense than there vvas necessity for the engagement hath no excuse more than the challenger so that in effect although the mediate rise may be thought to be on the appealers part yet the sin is common land is in a vvord a plain complication of hatred against our neighbour contempt against the Laws and Powers and God who hath appointed them â—and a bold and desperate despising and rashing upon Death Judgment and Eternity vvhich do so immine â—tly attend all such rencounters O how much more heroick and noble were it for men to approve the wise and great King â— choice he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit then he that taketh a City to hear him vvho is higher than the Princes of the earth who commands us Love your Enemies
bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and confirmed all by his own most perfect example And lastly the study of that divine goodness which embraceth both good and evil just and unjust to aspire to that height of all felicity and glory in being perfect as our Father vvhich is in heaven is perfect But to proceed 2. There is a spiritual eternal life of the soul thus sin deadneth and killeth men and in this respect all vvho are unfaithful to others in the matter of their souls or vvho cause them to sin or sinfully give them occasion of sin become guilty of soul-murther so Ezek. 3.18 and 33.6 his blood will I require at thy hands saith the Lord to the Prophet Men become guilty of this not only 1. By commanding as Saul did Doeg to kill the Lords Priests and David did Joab to cause Vriah to be slain 2. By counselling and advising as Jonadab did Amnon in reference to his sister Thamar 3. By alluring and downright tempting as Tamar did Juda 4. By consenting to the sin of others or any vvise assisting countenancing or incouraging them in it as Saul vvas consenting to the death of Stephen and vvas standing by keeping the cloaths of them that stoned him and as men may be in reference to false Teachers 2 Epist. of John 10 11. 5. By giving high Provocations to others and thereby stirring them up to sin such as are reproaches opprobrious speeches chartallings and challenges to fight c. but also 6. By evil example as David vvas accessary to the sin of the Adversaries blasphemous reproaching by vvhat he did and the Apostle often insinuateth Christians may be thus guilty by their insutable deportment in the several relations they sustain and stand under this may also be by doing vvhat hath the appearance of evil yea even by doing of things in themselves lawful but inexpedient because unseasonable and vvith offence Thus one Christian may be accessory to anothers stumbling and may sinfully hazard the destroying of these for vvhom Christ dyed as the Apostle discourseth concerning offences even in things not sinful in themselves 7. By not warning faithfully before sin be committed as is clear Ezek. 3.18 8. By not reproving after the sin is committed but suffering it to lye on our brother Lev 19.6 9. By not suiting and proportioning the reproof to the greatness of the sin but making it too soft and gentle not shewing just indignation against it which vvas Eli his guilt who though he did not altogether neglect or omit to reprove the prophanity and gross vvickedness of his Sons yet did not reprove at that rate of holy severity called for and answerable to their atrocious and villanous wickedness he frowned not on them and dealt not roughly vvith them as he should have done as is clear by comparing 1 Sam. 2.22 23 24 25 with 1 Sam. 3.13 10. By rash putting men in Offices for vvhich they are not at all or not competently qualified and so cannot but in all probability sin much in them especially in the Office of the Ministry 1 Tim. 5.22 11. By not endeavouring by all suitable and lawful means within the compass of our power and calling to prevent the sin of others and to restrain them from it as Eli is on this account challenged by the Lord 1 Sam. 3.13 12. By broaching venting teaching and spreading heresies and false doctrine thus Antichrist is notoriously and primely guilty of this sin of soul-murther as all false teachers and seducers are less or more according to the nature of the doctrine taught by them and their industry in propagating the same and likewise all that tolerate and do not restrain them whose Office obligeth them to it according to their power All these and other ways may men be accessory to other mens sins and so make themselves guilty of this great and cruel sin of Soul-murther This sort of murther aboundeth and is very rife and yet is in an especial manner forbidden by this command and the prevention of it accordingly called for it being a greater evidence of love to our neighbour to be careful of his soul then of his body the one being more pretious then the other and however false Prophets teachers and seducers seem ordinarily to be most tender of mens persons and most desirous to please them yet are they in this sort horridly guilty of their murther 3. There is a life of contentment consisting in the tranquillity of the mind and the calm frame of a quiet spirit vvith comfort joy and chearfulness to this purpose saith Paul 1 Thess. 3.8 I live if ye stand fast in the Lord and it is said of Jacob Gen. 45.27 when he heard that Joseph lived his spirit revived as if it had been dead before because of his great heaviness arising from the supposed death of his Son thus we become guilty of this Sin of ki â—ing when vve obstruct or interrupt the spiritual comfort and joy or the inward contentment of our neighbour by fear heaviness disquietness discouragement c. whereby his life is made bitter and his tranquillity impaired and so his hurt procured or furthered As Josephs brethren did not only become guilty of his blood but of weighting their Father and deadning as it were his spirit which afterwards at the news of Josephs being alive revived so people may be guilty against their Ministers when they make them do their work not with joy but grief as it is Heb. 13.17 Again Murther as it respecteth the bodily life of our Neighbour is either immediate as Cains was of Abel Joabs of Abner and Amasa or mediate as Sauls was of the Lords Priests Davids of Vriah and Achabs of Naboth Again killing may be considered either as purposed such as Cain's was of Abel and Joab's of Abner and Amasa or not purposed which again is twofold 1. Innocent which is even by the Law of God every way so and is indeed no breach of this Command as when a man following his duty doth that which beside and contrary to his intention and without any previous neglect or oversight-in him proveth the hurt and death of another 2. Culpable because although it do proceed beyond the purpose of the person yet it is occasioned and caused by a culpable negligence As suppose one were hewing with an Axe which he either knew or might have known to be loose and the head not well fastened to the helve did not advertise those about him of it if by flying off it happened to wound or kill any person he were not innocent but if without any inadvertencie he either knew not that it vvere loose or that any vvere about him if then it should fall off and kill his Neighbour in this case he is guiltless So vvhen the Lord commanded those vvho built houses to build battlements about the roofs of them if any person fell vvhere the battlements vvere
with the lot that God hath carved out â—o you without the least inordinate motion or inclination to the contrary which may either be inconsistent with love to him or with contentment and a right composure of spirit in your selves From this we may see that this Command is unreasonably and unjustly divided by Papists into two Commands the one relating to the Neighbours house th â— other to his wife and what followeth For 1. this concupiscence or lust looketh not only to the Seventh and Eighth but to the Fifth and Sixth and Ninth Commands there being an inordinate affection towards thy Neighbours life and honour or estimation also and it is instanced in these two because they are more discernible and common This then sheweth that God t â—keth in this inordinateness of the heart under one Command in reference to whatsomever object it be otherwayes we behoved to say that either the Commands are defective or that there is no such inordinateness to other objects of other Commands which is absurd or by the same reason we must multiply commands for them also which yet the adversaries themselves do not 2. The Apostle Rom. 7.7 comprehendeth all inordinateness of heart towards whatsomever object it be in that Command Thou shalt not lust which is as Thou shalt not desire his wife so nothing else what is thy Neighbours 3. The inverting the order which is here in Deut. 5.21 where the wife is put first not the house sheweth that the Command is one otherwayes what is Ninth in the one would be Tenth in the other and contrarily and so the order of these ten words as they are called by the Lord would be confounded But the great thing we are mainly to inquire into is the meaning of this Command in which Papists being loath to acknowledge corrupt natures case to be so desperate as it is and designing to maintain perfection of inherent righteousness and justification by works do make this sin of Lust forbidden in this Command a very general thing and all of us ordinarily are apt to think light of this sin We would therefore say 1. That we are to distinguish Concupiscence and consider it as it is 1. Spiritual in a renewed man for there are motions and stirrings called Lustings of the Spirit against the Flesh Gal. 5.17 2. As it is partly natural to man to have such stirrings in him as flow from the natural faculty and power of desiring so Christ as man desired meat and drink and this being natural was certainly in Adam before the fall and as the will and understanding a â—e not evil in themselves so is not this It is neither of these that this Command speaketh of 3. There is a sinful Concupiscence called evil Concupiscence Coloss. 3.5 and the lusting of the Flesh against the Spirit it is this that is here spoken of the inordinateness of that Lust or concupiscibleness or concupiscible power turning aside out of its natural line to that which is evil It is this which God forbiddeth in this Command and setteth bounds to the desiring or concupiscible faculty 2. We say there is a twofold consideration of this sinful Concupiscence 1. As it is in the sensual part only and the inferiour faculties of the soul as to meat drink uncleanness c. Or 2. we may consider it as it reacheth further and riseth higher having its seat in the heart and will and running through the whole affections yea even the whole man who in this respect is called Flesh in the Scripture Gal. 5.17 and there is Heresie and other evils attributed unto it v. 19 20 21. which will not agree to the former so Rom. 7.23 24 it is called the Law of the Members and the body of death and hath a wisdom Rom. 8.7 that is enmity against God corrupting all and inclining and byassing wrong in every thing so that a man because of it hath not the right use of any faculty within him This Concupiscence which is seated not only in the sensible but in the rational part of the soul is that which is intended here which is the fountain and head-spring of all other evils for from the heart proceed evil thoughts c. Matth. 15.19 it is the evil treasure of the heart Matth. 22.25 3. We may consider this Lust 1. As it is habitual and is even in young ones and in men when they are sleeping whereby there is not only an indisposition to good but an inclination to evil it lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 and is enmity to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 and lusteth to envy James 4.5 and conceiveth sin James 1.15 this is the sad fruit and consequent in all men by nature of Adams first sin and hath a disconformity to the Law of God and so is called the Flesh Rom. 7.5 and the law of sin and death â— Rom. 8.2 in the first respect this sin is a body and a person as it were an old man Rom. 6.6 and in the other it hath members in particular to which it giveth Laws requiring obedience 2. We may consider i â— as acting and stirring in its several degrees And 1. we may say it stirreth habitually like the raging sea Isa. 57. penult and as grace tendeth to good or as fire is of an heating nature so is this Lust still working as an habitual distortion crook or bending upon somewhat that should be straight or as a defect in a legg which possibly kytheth not but when one walketh yet there is still a defect or rather it is a venom which is still poysonous thus Rom. 7.5 it is called the motions of sin in the Flesh. 2. The more actual stirrings of it are to be considered either in their first risings when they are either not adverted into and without direct excitation or actual and formal approbation or as they are checked and rejected as Paul did his Rom. 7.15 and 2 Cor. 12.3 or as they are delighted in though there be not a formal consent yet such a thing in the very mind is someway complyed with as desirable and pursued after this is called morosa delectatio or as they are resolved on to be acted and when men seek means and wayes how to get the sin committed after that inwardly approving complacency and liking of the thing hath prevailed to engage the mind to conquish for instance such an estate unjustly or to compass and accomplish the act of filthiness with such a woman 3. It may be considered in general either as the thoughts are upon riches or covetousness or filthiness without respect to any particular thing or person or as they go out upon them in particulars 4. We say we would put a difference betwixt tentations objectively injected by the Devil as he did on our Lord Jesus Matth. 4.1 and Lusts rising from an internal principle which are most common see James 1.14 The first is not our sin of it self except it be 1. entertained some way or 2. not rejected
assertion Rom. 7.7 that he had not known this sin of Lust but by the Law maketh it evident that the Command speaketh of Lust not easily discernable yea that he himself discerned it not till he was renewed and so it spoke of such Lusts as after regeneration to his sense and feeling abounded most Now none can say there were either in him more resolutions to sin or more delight in them then before but a quicker sense of these sinful stirrings and irritations then he had formerly 3. We take in here morosa delectatio o â— the entertaining of extravagant Imaginations as of honour greatness lust pleasure c. with delight where the heart frameth such Romances and pleaseth it self with meditating and feeding on them which Eccles. 6.9 is called the wandring of the desire and in other places of Scripture the imaginations of the heart of man which even nature it self may teach to be sinful this properly cometh in as a legg to say so or member and degree of this sin and as an evidence of one ac â—â—ally discontented with his own lot contentedness wi â—â— which is the positive part of this Command and is a whoring of the heart after vanity in a palpable degree to satisfie it self in its phantasies and notions and this is not only when the heart runneth upon sinful objects but also vain objects which David hated Psal. 119.113 for this reilling proving of heart is ever upon some other mans portion at least upon what is not ours and tendeth ever to the imagining of some thing which is not as an addition to our good which supposeth discontent with what we have 4. We take in here such Concupiscence as though it approveth not unlawful means to prosecute its inordinate designs yet it is too eager in the pursuit and discontent when it falleth short as for instance when Achab would buy Naboths Vineyard and pay for it or a man would marry such a woman lawfully supposing she were free and there were consent of parties c. the one is not stealing nor the other adultery yet both of them suppose a discontent when the desire of having is too eager and when there is an inordinateness in the affection or desire after it as when one cometh thus peremptorily to desire to have such a thing or to wish that such a thing were I would fain have this or that O that this or that were even as David longed for a drink of the Well of Bethlehem In a word we take in all that is opposite to or inconsistent with satisfaction in our own lot and love to our Neighbour under which this Command as the rest is compreh â—nded Rom. 13.9 even the least risings of any thing tending that way or that inclineth to discontentment in our selves It is true every desire to have something added to our lot or amended in it is not to be condemned but when it is inordinate as 1. when the thing is not needful 2. when the desire is too eager 3. when the thing too much affecteth and even discontenteth till it be effected and done Now this being the scope and sum of this Command it may be gathered of how broad and vast extent the breaches of it are Is there one hour wherein there a â—e not multitudes of these evil thoughts flowing running and roving through the heart Ah! what discontents with providences grudgings vain wishings c. are there and although all these as they reflect on God are against the first Command yet as they imply discontentment in us with our lot or as they are risings of heart to evil though wrestled against and wherein the Spirit getteth the victory they are against this Command so that not only vain Imaginations that are formed with delight but even those that are scarce suffered to breath yet having once a being are against this Command and sinful For 1. they break a Law and are disconformed to that which we should be 2. In Paul Rom. 7. who yet gave not way to these they are called sin and the body of death 3. He wrestleth against them and cryeth out under them desiring to be quit of them verse 24. now if they were only penal such out-cries and complaints were not so like him whom a complication of sharpest afflictions could never make once to groan but this body of death made him to cry out 4. They lust against and oppose the Spirit Gal. 5.17 and so are against the Law of God Rom. 7. and tend to obedience to the Law of Sin and further the execution of its decrees 5. These are of the naâ—ure of Original sin and a branch growing of that â—oot and so what is born of the flesh is flesh the branch â—ust â—e of the nature of the root if the tree be corrupt the fruit must be so 6. These make way for other sins and keep the door open for temptations to grosser evils and give the Devil access to blow up the fire 7. They keep out many good motions and obstruct many duties and indispose for them 8. They marr communion with God who should have the all of the soul heart and mind and sure if he had his due there would be no place for these as there will be none for them among the spirits of the just men made perfect 9. These sinful risings in the heart are a great burthen to a tender walker who groaneth under that habitual lightness and vanity of his mind in the gaddings whorings and departings of it from God for because of it he cannot get his whole delight uninterruptedly set on him and though he delighteth in the Law of God after the inner man yet he cannot win up to full conformity to it in his practise or when he would and resolveth to do good yet ere he wit as it were ill is present with him and his heart is away and on the pursuit of one foolish toyl and vanity or another 10. Paul speaking of these lustful stirrings of the heart doth make it evident Rom. 7. throughout the Chapter that this Command speaketh of such Lusts which he had not known except the Law had said thou shalt not lust Now men naturally know that inward assent to sin even before it be acted is sinful yea Paul knew he had such things as these corrupt motions in him but he knew not that they were sinful but from the Law and that after its spiritual meaning was made known to him and from this it is that such who are regenerate see more sins in themselves then ever they did while unregenerate not simply because they have more but now having the spirit and a contrary principle within they discern that to be sinful which they took no notice of as such formerly 11. The frequency of this sin of inordinacy in the first stirrings and motions of the heart is no little aggravation of it for what hour of a mans life when waking yea even when asleep in dreaming a man