et in proximum quemque transi then she loved. The eye oft sets the heart on fire; therefore Job liunt, SEN. Sin is a disease very catching one man tempts another to sin, and hardens him in sin. There are three cords to draw men to adultery: the inclination of the heart-the persuasion of evil company-and the embraces of the harlot and this threefold cord is not easily broken, Ps. cvi. 18., "A fire was kindled in their company." I may allude to it, the fire of lust is kindled in bad company.-7. Beware of laid a law upon his eyes, Job xxxi. 1., "I made a covenant with my eyes, why then should I think upon a maid?" Democritus the philosopher plucked out his eyes, because he would not be tempted with vain objects: the scripture doth not bid us do so, but set a watch before our eyes.-Look to your lips. Take heed of any unseemly word that may enkindle unclean thoughts in yourselves or others, 1 Cor. xv. 33., "Evil going to plays. A play-house is communications corrupt good oft a preface to a whore-house,manners." Impure discourse is Ludi præbent semina nequitia. the bellows to blow up the fire of We are bid to avoid all appearance lust. Much evil is conveyed to of evil: are not plays the appearthe heart by the tongue, Ps. cxli. ance of evil? Such sights are 3., "Set a watch, O Lord, before there as are not fit to be beheld my mouth."-4. Look in a special with chaste eyes. Both Fathers manner to your heart, Prov. iv. and Councils have shewn their 23., "Keep thy heart with all dislike of going to plays. A diligence." Every one hath a learned divine observes, that tempter in his own bosom, Mat. many have, on their death-beds, xv. 19., “Out of the heart pro- confessed with tears, that the ceed evil thoughts." And think- pollution of their bodies hath ing of sin makes way for the act been occasioned by going to plays. of sin. Suppress the first risings-8. Take heed of mixed dancof sin in your heart. As the ser- ing. Instrumenta luxuriæ tripupent, when danger is near, keeps dia. From dancing, people come his head, so keep your heart, to dalliance one with another, and which is the spring from whence all lustful motions do proceed. 5. Look to your attire. We read of "the attire of a harlot," Prov. vii. 10. A wanton dress is a provocation to lust. Curling and towerings of the hair, a painted face, naked breasts, are allurements to vanity. Where the bush is hung out, people will go (saith he) of a marriage-feast, in and taste of the liquor. Hie- and of virgins going before with rom saith, such as by their lasci- lamps," Mat. xxv. 10., but of vious attire endeavour to draw dancing there we read not.' Many others to lust, though no evil fol- have been ensnared by dancing; low, yet these tempters shall be as the duke of Normandy and punished, because they offered others. Saltatio ad adulteras non poison to others, though they pudicas pertinet, AMB. Chrysoswould not drink.-6. Take heed tom saith, where dancing is, there of evil company. Serpunt vitia the devil is: I speak chiefly of from dalliance to uncleanness. mixed dancing. And, whereas bel,-Corpus impinguatum recalwe read of dances in scripture, citrat.-11. Take heed of idleExod. xv., those were sober and ness. When a man is out of a modest. They were not mixed calling, now he is fit to receive dances, but pious and religious, any temptation. We do not use being usually accompanied with to sow seed in fallow-ground: singing praises to God.-6. Take but the devil sows most seed of heed of lacivious books, and those temptation in such as lie fallow. pictures that provoke to lust. (1.) Idleness is the cause of sodomy Books. As the reading of the and uncleanness, Ezek. xvi. 49. scripture doth stir up love to God, When David was idle on the top so reading of bad books doth stir of his leads, then he espied Bathup the mind to wickedness. I sheba, and took her to him, 2 could name one who published a Sam. xi. 4. Hierom gives his book to the world, full of effemi- friend this counsel, to be always nate, amorous, and wanton ex- well employed in God's vineyard; pressions: before he died, he was that when the devil came, he much troubled for it, and did burn might have no leisure to listen to that book, which did make so a temptation.-12. To avoid formany burn in lust. (2.) And nication and adultery, let every to lascivious books, I may add la- man have a chaste, entire love to scivious pictures, which bewitch his own wife. Ezekiel's wife was the eye, and are the incendiaries the desire of his eyes, chap. xxiv. of lust. They secretly convey 16. When Solomon had dissuadpoison to the heart. Qui aspicit ed from strange women, he preinnocens aspectu fit nocens. Po- scribes a remedy against it, Prov. pish pictures are not more prone v. 18., " Rejoice with the wife of to stir up idolatry, than unclean thy youth." It is not the havpictures are to stir up to concu- ing a wife, but the loving a wife, piscence.-10. Take heed of ex- makes a man live chastely. He cess in diet. When gluttony and who loves his wife-whom Solodrunkenness lead the van, cham- mon calls his fountain-will not bering and wantonness bring up go abroad to drink of muddy, the rear. Vinum fomentum libi- poisoned waters. Pure conjugal dinis; any wine inflames lust; love is a gift of God, and comes and fulness of bread is made the from heaven; this, like the vestal cause of Sodom's uncleanness, fire, must be cherished, that it do Ezek. xvi. 49. The rankest weeds not go out. He who loves not grow out of the fattest soil; un- his wife, is the likeliest person to cleanness proceeds from excess, embrace the bosom of a stranger. Jer. v. 8., when they were fed to -13. Labour to get the fear of the full, "every one neighed after God into your hearts, Prov. xvi. his neighbour's wife." Get the 6., By the fear of the Lord 'golden bridle of temperance.' men depart from evil." As the God allows recruits of nature, and banks keep out the water, so the what may fit us the better for his fear of the Lord keeps out unservice; but beware of surfeit. cleanness. Such as want the fear Excess in the creature clouds the of God, want the bridle that mind, chokes good affections, pro- should check them from sin. vokes lust. St. Paul did keep How did Joseph keep from his under his body, 1 Cor. ix. 27. mistress's temptation? The fear The flesh pampered is apt to re- of God pulled him back, Gen. 66 xxxix. 9., "How then can I do (2.) Few that are entangled in this great wickedness, and sin the sin of adultery recover out of against God?" St. Bernard calls the snare, Prov. ii. 19., "None holy fear, janitor anima, the that go to her return again." door-keeper of the soul.' As a That made some of the ancients nobleman's porter stands at the conclude that adultery was an undoor, and keeps out vagrants, so pardonable sin; but not SO. the fear of God stands and keeps David repented, and Mary Magout all sinful temptation from en- dalene was a weeping penitent; tering.-14. Get a delight in the her amorous eyes, that had word of God, Ps. cxix. 103., sparkled with lust, she seeks to be "How sweet are thy words to revenged of them, she washed my taste!" St. Chrysostom com- Christ's feet with her tears: so pares God's word to a garden. If that some have recovered out of we walk in this garden, and suck the snare. But "none that go to sweetness from the flowers of her return," that is, " very few ;" the promises, we shall never care it is rare to hear of any who to pluck the 'forbidden fruit.' are enchanted and bewitched with Sint casta deliciæ meæ scripturæ, this sin of adultery, that recover AUG. The reason why persons out of it, Eccles. vii. 26., "Her seek after unchaste, sinful plea- heart is snares and nets, and her sures, is, because they have no hands as bands." "Her heart is better. Cæsar, riding through a snares," that is, she is subtle to city, and seeing the women play deceive those who come to her; with dogs and parrots, said, and," her hands as bands," that Sure they have no children: so is, her embraces are powerful to they that sport with harlots, it is hold and entangle her lovers. because they have no better plea- Plutarch said of the Persian kings, sures. He that hath once tasted" They were captives to their Christ in a promise, is ravished concubines;" they were so inwith delight; and how would he flamed, that they had no power to scorn a motion to sin! Job said, leave their company. This conthe word was his necessary sideration may make all fearful of food," Job xxiii. 12. No won- this sin; "none that go to her der then he made "a covenant return again." Soft pleasures with his eyes."-15. If you would harden the heart. abstain from adultery, use serious consideration. Consider, 6 (3.) Consider what the scripture saith, and it may ponere obi (1.) God sees thee in the act cem,-lay a bar in the way to this of sin. He sees all. thy curtain sin, Mal. iii. 6., "I will be a wickedness. He is totus oculus, swift witness against adulterers." -all eye, AUG. The clouds are It is good when God is a witness no canopy, the night is no curtain" for us," when he witnesseth for to hide thee from God's eye. our sincerity, as he did for Job: Thou canst not sin, but thy judge but it is sad to have God a "witlooks on, Jer. xiii. 27., I have ness against us." "I (saith God) seen thy adulteries and thy neigh- will be a witness against the adulings," Jer. xxix. 23., "They have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives;" even I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord. terer." And who shall disprove his witnessing? And he is both witness and judge, Heb. xiii. 4., "Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (4.) Consider the sad farewell | heart, she should go to prayer. this sin of adultery leaves: it Prayer is the best armour of leaves an hell in the conscience, proof; prayer quencheth the wild Prov. v. 3. 4., "The lips of a fire of lust. If prayer will "cast strange woman drop as an honey-out the devil," why may it not comb, but her end is bitter as cast out those lusts that come wormwood." The goddess Diana from the devil? was so artificially drawn, that she Use ult. If the body must be seemed to smile upon those that kept pure from defilement, much came into her temple, but frown more the soul of a Christian on those that went out. So the must be kept pure. This is the harlot smiles on her lovers as meaning of the commandment, they come to her, but at last comes not only that we should not stain the frown and sting. "A dart our bodies with adultery, but that strikes through their liver," Prov. we should keep our souls pure. vii. 23. "Her end is bitter." To have a chaste body but an unWhen a man hath been virtuous, clean soul, is like a fair face with the labour is gone, but the com- bad lungs; or a gilt chimneyfort remains; but when he hath piece, that is all soot within, 1 been vicious and unclean, the Pet. i. 16., " Be ye holy, for I am pleasure is gone, but the sting holy." The soul cannot be lovely remains. Delectat in momentum, to God, till it hath Christ's image cruciat in æternum, JEROM. stamped upon it, which image When the senses have been feasted consists in righteousness and true with unchaste pleasures, the soul holiness, Eph. iv. 14. The soul is left to pay the reckoning. must especially be kept pure, beStolen waters are sweet; but, as cause it is the chief place of God's poison, though it be sweet in the residence, Eph. iii. 17. A king's mouth, it torments the bowels. palace must be kept clean, espeSin always ends in a tragedy. cially his presence-chamber. If Memorable is that which Fince- the body is his temple, the soul lius reports of a priest in Flan- is the "holy of holies," this must ders, who enticed a maid to un- be consecrated. We must not cleanness. 16. Pray against this sin. Lu- any only keep our bodies from carnal pollution, but our souls from envy and malice. QUEST. How shall we know our souls are pure? Ans. 1. If our souls are pure, then we flee from the appearance of evil, 1 Thess. v. 22. We will not do that which looks like sin. When Joseph's mistress did court and tempt him, he "left his garment in her hand, and fled," Gen. xxxix. 12. It was suspicious to be near her. Polycarp would not be seen in company with Marcion the heretic, because it would not be good report. 2. If our souls are pure, this light of purity will shine forth, Aaron had "Holiness to the the brinish tears of repentance, Lord" written upon his golden and bathed in the blood of Christ, plate where there is sanctity in is made pure. (2.) Pray much the soul, there "Holiness to the for pureness of soul, Ps. li. 10., Lord" is engraven upon our life;" Create in me a clean heart, O we are adorned with patience, God." Some pray for children, humility, good works, and shine others for riches; but pray for as "lights in the world," Phil. soul-purity. Say, "Lord, though ii. 15. Carry Christ's picture in my body is kept pure, yet, Lord, your conversation, 1 John ii. 6. my soul is defiled, I pollute all I O let us labour for this soul pu- touch. O purge me with hyssop, rity! Without it there is no let Christ's blood sprinkle me, let seeing of God," Heb. xii. 14.: the Holy Ghost come upon me, and "What communion hath light anoint me! O make me evanwith darkness?" And that we gelically pure, that I may be may keep our souls pure, (1.) translated to heaven, and placed Have recourse to the blood of among the cherubims, where I Christ; this is the "fountain set shall be as holy as thou wouldst open for sin and uncleanness," have me to be, and as happy as I Zech. xiii. 1. A soul steeped in can desire to be!" OF THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. EXOD. XX. 13., Thou shalt not steal. ' As the holiness of God sets be at other men's cost, and both him against uncleanness, "Thou first and second course shall be shalt not commit adultery," so served with stolen goods.-2. the justice of God sets him against Covetousness. The Greek word rapine and robbery, "Thou shalt for covetousness signifies an not steal." The thing forbidden immoderate desire of getting,'— in this commandment is, meddling this is the root of theft. A man with another man's property, "Thou shalt not steal." The civil lawyers define furtum, stealth or theft, to be " the laying hands unjustly on that which is another's,' -the invading another's right. QUEST. 1. Whence doth theft arise? covets more than his own, and this itch of covetousness makes him scratch what he can from another. Achan's covetous humour made him steal the wedge of gold, which wedge did cleave asunder his soul from God, Joshua vii. 21. Ans. 1st. The internal causes A. 2. The external cause of are: 1. Unbelief. A man hath theft is, Satan's solicitation: Juan high distrust of God's provi- das was a thief, John xii. 6. dence: "Can God furnish a ta- How came he to be a thief? ble in the wilderness ?" Ps." Satan entered into him," John lxxviii. 19. So saith the unbe- xiii. 27. The devil is the great liever, "Can God spread a table master-thief, he robbed us of our for me? No, he cannot." There- coat of innocency, and he perfore he is resolved he will spread suades men to take up his trade: a table for himself, but it shall he tells men how bravely they |