Ans. In giving him up to a reprobate mind, and a seaied conscience, Rom. i. 28. And now he is in such a condition that he cannot repent. This is to be abhorred of God ; such a person stands upon the thresh- hold of hell, and when death gives him a» jog, he tumbles in. All which may sound- a retreat in our ears, and call us off from> the pursuit of so damnable a sin as unclean- ness. I will conclude with two scriptures, Prov. V. 8., " Come not nigh the door of her house ;" Prov. \\\. 27., " Her house is the way to hell."
Twelfthly, Adultery is a sower of dis- cord ; it destroys peace and love, the two best flowers which grow in a family A- dultcry sets husband against wife, and wife ;igainst husband; and so it causeth the ' joints of the same body to smite one n- gainst another.' And this di^nsion in a family works confusion; for " A house di- vided against a house fallcth," Luke xL 17.,. Omne divisibile est corruptibile.
Quest. How may we abstain from this sin. of adultery J
Ans. I shall lay domi some directions, by way of antidote, to keep you from being
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OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
infected with tliis sin. — 1. Come not into the company of a whorish woman ; avoid her liouse, as a seaman doth a rock, Prov. V. 8., " Come not near the door of her house." He who would not have the plague, must not come near houses infected ; eveiy whore-house hath the plague in it. Not to beware of the occasion of sin, and yet pray, " Lead us not into temptation," is, as if one should put his finger into the candle, and yet pray that it may not be burnt. — 2. Look to your eyes. Much sin comes in by the eye, 2 Pet. ii. 14., " Hav- ing eyes full of adultery." The eye tempts the fancy, and the fancy works upon the Iieart. A wanton amorous eye may usher in sin. Eve first saw the tree of know- ledge, and then she took, Gen. iii. 6. First she looked and then she loved. The eye oft sets the heart on fire ; therefore Job laid a law upon his eyes. Job xxxi. L, " I made a. covenant with my eyes, why then should I think upon a maid?" Democritus the philosopher plucked out his eyes because he woidd not be tempted with vain objects : the scripture doth not bid us do so, but set a watch before our eyes. — 3. Look to your lips. Take heed of any unseemly word that may enkindle unclean thoughts in yourselves or others, 1 Cor. xv. 33., " Evil communications corrupt good manners." Lnpure discourse is the bellows to blow up the fire of lust. Much evil is conveyed to the heart by the tongue, Ps. cxli. 3., " Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth." — 4. Look in a special manner to your heart, Prov. iv. 23., " Keep thy heart with all diligence." Every one hath a tempter in his own bosom, Mat. xv. 19., " Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts." And think- ing of sin makes way for the act of sin. Suppress the first risings of sin in your heart. As the serpent, when danger is wear, keeps his head ; so keep your heart, which is the spring from whence all lustful motions do proceed. — 5. Look to your at- tire. We read of " the attire of a harlot," Prov. vii. 10. A wanton dress is a j)rovo- cation to lust. Curlings and towerings of the Iiair, a painted face, naked breasts, are allurements to vanity. Where the bush is hung out, people will go in and taste of the Uquon Hierom saith, such as by their las-