es in general, which confifts in Mens Conformity to the Will of God both in the Heart and Life. m1 But T think not fo taken here, but for Chaſtity,as oppoſite to the Sin of uncleannel;, as the Apoftle explains It in the next Words, For toabftain from Formication is the Will of God. And by it is meant all unchaſtneſs either of Perſons married or unmarried, Ani that either in the Heart, or in Speech, or in the Eye, or laſcivious Gefture as well as in the very A it ſelt. It was a Sin common among the Gentiles, cſpecially the Grecians, and judged as no Sin. And therefore it is particularly mentioned and forbidden to the believing Gentiles by the Council of Feruſalem, left they ſhould appre- herd it not to be an Evil, A#. 15.20, For it is not ſo evident by the Light of Nature as many other mezal Eyils; and therefore the Apoſtle
IT. THESSALONIANS.
Chap, 1y, tells the Theſſalontans, that it is the WM of God they ſhould ab$ain from it, and that it is a ſufficient ground either of doing, or not ac. inz: This Will of God is expreſs'4 in the Seventh Commandmer: which though the Jews well knew, yet theſe new converted Gentile; night not yet ſo well underſtand. And therefore the Apoſtle in his «.. veral Epiſtles to the Gentile Churches doth dehort them from it c lhe. cially the Corinthians, 1 Cor, 6.9, and that by many Arguments, It i a Sin which corrupts and effeminates the Mind, captivates the Hear: conſumes the Fleſh, and waſts Mens Eſtates. So that this Wi1 of Gl that forbids it, is a good Will, Rom. 12. 2. as all the Commandment of God are ſaid to be for our good, Dext. 10, 12. MT
4 That every one of you ſhould know how to poſleſy his veſſel in ſanctification # and honour o,
# This is added as a means to prevent that Sin. By Veſt! oe underſtand the married Wife, who is called the Weaker Veſſel, 1 Fs 3 7. and her Husband is to poſſeſs her in Chaſtity, as the Greek org may fignifie here, 0 For as Marriage is honourablr to all Men, #-; 12+ 4. lo to live chaſtly in a married Eftate is honourable alſo. Fo 'ry Whoredom Man gets Diſhonour, axd bis reproach ſhall nor 5e wind away, Prov.6. 33. Others by Veſſet underſtand the Body, which i; the Vellel of the Soul; the Soul carries it up and down,uſeth it in the ſerera} functions of the vegetative, ſenſitive, and intelleual Life. And { ſome underſtand the Words of Davi4 to the Prieft, 1Sam.21.5.The Veſſels of the young men are boly,being kept from Women ; that is,their Bodies. Forni- cation is.{aid above all other fins to be a Sin againſt the Body, 1 Ctr, 6. 18. and he that keeps his Body chaſt pofſeſſeth his Veſſel, keeps it under government ; whereas by Fornication we give it to an Harlor and that which is a Member of Chrift we make it the Member of an 'Harlot, 1 Cor, 6, 16. and though the Words are direRed properly to ithe maſculine Sex, the word Zecaſton being maſculine, yet under that the temale is comprehended. And becauſe the pratice of this Duty requires Care, Skill, and much Watchfulneſs againft Temptations : therefore, ſaith the Apoftle, that every man may know how to poſſeſs his Veſſel in SanQiſication, to which is added, and in honour, for As of uncleanneſs diſhonour the Body, Rom. 1.24.God gave them up to uncleas.- n:ſs though the luſts of their own hearts to diſhonour their own bodies, &c. God hath beſtowed much curious Workmanſhip upon the Body, i: is part of Chriſts purchaſe, and with the Soul is a Member of ChriR, x Temple of the HolyGhoft in all true Saints,and therefore ſhould he pol. ſeft with Honour. Or it is to be kept to the honour and glory of God, as 1Cor.6,ult.and $0 be ofteredup an holy Sacrifice to him, Rom, 12, 1,
5 Not in the luſt of concupiſcence |] p, ® even as they g; ,, Gentiles * which know not God q. a" the yy
p Any violence of Affettion we call Paſſton, whether of Love or An-ſ 7 4, ger, or Defire, becauſe the Soul is paſſive, or ſuffers thereby. There, © Stoicks ſaid Paſhons were not incident to a wiſe Man, and they that are * £1}, l Chrifts, ſaith the Apoſtle, have crucified the Fleſh with the Paſſins and 17, 1, Luſts, Gal. 5. 24. And Luft is uſually taken for all inordinate a#e-* I Cor, Qion, either with reſpect to the Objett Or Degree. Thouzh the 15.24 Greek word doth ſignifie only Deſire, and is ſometimes taken in a Eph,y,if good Senſe, as Phil, 1. 23, For there are good Luftings as well as cvilz asGal. 5, 17. The Spiric luſteth againſt the Fleſh : But here the Word is taken in a bad Senſe, for the Luft of Uncicanneſs, which the Apoſtle here calls the Luſt of Concupiſcible, The Philolophers %i- ſtinguiſh of the AffeRions or Paſhons of the Soul, ſome arc iraſcible, ſome concupiſcence, The former are converſant about evil, to repel it, or fly from it ; the latter about good, either real or imaginary, to purſue it, or imbrace it. And the Lufts of Concupiſcence are either 0! the Mind or of the Fleſh, Eph. 2. 3. here we underſtand the latter : that fleſhly Concupiſcence that is converſant about Women, which it by Veſſel in the Tormer Verſe is underſtood man's Lawful Wite,then he forbids all unchaſtneſs eyen towards her ; if the Body,then he forbils all unchaſte ulage of the Body in any kind,or towards any Perſon whatfor- ver, Andto avoid Fornication he forbids Luſt that leads to it, q Which ] the Apoſtle uſeth as an Argument to them, tho'ye are Gentiles by Na-
It as well as others, yet not in ftate, ſuch as know not God. There is