{"collection":"philosophy-ethics","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_61940/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_61940","id":"gutenberg_61940","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61940","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Sermons, English"],"text":"Transcribed from an undated copy in Kensington and Chelsea local studies,\nbound with pamphlets by Rev. Joseph Phillimore.  Many thanks to\nKensington and Chelsea local studies for making it available for\ntranscription.\n\n                      [Picture: Public domain cover]\n\n\n\n\n\n                                    A\n                                 SERMON.\n\n\n                               EXODUS, XX. 14.\n\n                      _Thou shalt not commit Adultery_.\n\nNOTHING is more serious than religion, and this Commandment, which God\nhimself hath taught us, nothing is less seriously considered; religion\nteacheth us our duty to our Creator, our fellow creatures, and ourselves,\nshewing us the way to escape future misery, and present trouble, and to\nobtain everlasting happiness.  In the present \u00e6ra, the crime of adultery\nseems much to prevail, to the great dishonour of what I have just\nmentioned; let me implore the attention of this congregation to enquire\ninto the causes of it, pointing out the fatal and dreadful consequences\nattendant on this course of living, and if haply, we can find them,\neradicate the same, as an evil apparently spreading in the world, it\nbecometh the professors of christianity to condemn and discourage it, as\nwell as the preacher of the Gospel to intimidate his hearers, in order to\nsuppress the progress of it in future, as a crime that must undermine all\nthe social virtues the heart possesses, and all the real enjoyment and\nhope of happiness, here and hereafter.  My first endeavour is to find out\nthe origin or cause of this most melancholy evil, to prevent its present\nas well as future extent, and save the souls of many who are at a very\ncritical time just entering into life, big with the prospect of enjoying\nevery comfort, innocency and pureness of heart can receive, till art and\ndelusive sin make their various attacks; for if we enter into life void\nof sin, void of hypocrisy, and of a deceitful heart, with minds desirous\nof being informed with every requisite perfection that adorns and\nanimates the human race, to perform virtuous and laudable actions, it is\nto be acquired at a time when we are supposed to have arrived at mature\nage, and reason directs us, and are judged proper and fit to be\naccountable only to our conscience for the loss of our souls, and not\nowing to ignorance and inattention to those instructive commandments, we\nought to have had engraved and written in our hearts the ten\nCommandments, as the guide of our youth, and the great comfort of old\nage; the world in general wants a thorough reformation, and all ranks and\ndegrees of people whatever, and whensoever any societies private or\npublic meet or assemble, and encourage or countenance such neglect of\nduty, and the breaking of any one single commandment of our blessed\nSaviour\u2019s as trifling or of immaterial consequence, they ought to be\ninformed of the great danger they stand in here in this life of trial and\napprobation, and of the little hopes of futurity, for scripture assures\nus God can as soon destroy whole nations and cities, as he has done, for\ncontinuing in wicked and abandoned courses, as he can take away the life\nof a single individual, therefore let the world be warned of and desist\nfrom its error, as it will encrease in the displeasure of the Almighty,\nand let not this cause be advanced, that any one commits it through\ninattention, or having had examples which apparently are not immediately\ncorrected by the hands of providence, yet God knoweth the very secrets of\nall our hearts.  The next reason to be advanced for the origin, or cause,\nI am afraid on examination more like to be, than the preceding one,\ntherefore weigh them both deeply in your minds, all ye that this day hear\nmy text and discourse, and which ever you think most likely to prevail\nforsake it\u2014This then, I am fearfully, wonderfully and sorely afraid is\nthe source, the disturbed and impure spring from whence the mind is\ntainted while young, and very susceptible of receiving the first\nimpressions whether good or bad, is idolized, neglected, or flattered,\nand for want of examination either, from an affectionate father,\nguardian, or conductor, whether she improved as she grows mature, in\nvirtue, steadiness, discretion, and understanding the commandments of our\nblessed Redeemer, the full meaning, the full intent and design of them,\nas our fond father wished, and hoped every one would in whatsoever sphere\nof life, either male or female, moved in, that they were to be the great\nfoundation from whence every comfort present and future should flow, and\nbring salvation at the last great day of universal judgment to our\nimmortal souls: but many have been taught them insignificantly, and at a\ntime long ere they come into the world have forgot the great use of them,\nthinking they were to be learnt while very young, and of no consequence\nto be attended to hereafter, and that other ornaments and qualification\nwere far more requisite, and more desirable, all qualifications and\nimprovements are highly laudable in any one to obtain: but yet may you\nall remember the commandments of your God are the sole protectors of\ninnocency, religion and virtue, and when all others fade they will\nremain, and plead for the broken and contrite heart at the throne of\ngrace, for Satan misses no opportunity of pursuing the ignorant and\nneglected, and is continually on the watch seeking whom he may devour\nlike a ramping and roaring lion greedy of his prey, laying his snares,\nand while young the heart is soon tempted and led astray, and instantly\nas the incautious and giddy enter into the large and spacious world\nsurrounded with gaiety and pleasure, they fall a sacrifice to infamy and\ndisgrace which let succeeding years let ever so quick, ever so many, can\nnever entirely wipe away or extinguish.  If there are any among you\nchosen as examples of virtue, be religious and let not this be laid\nagainst you, who ought to have been examplary in every thing that is\npraiseworthy behaved quite contrary to morality and decency.  Think on\nthe fond parent who watches the infant, with every tender thought, with\nevery affectionate look, folds him in his arms, with transports of the\ngreatest love and joy, reflecting within himself can I but support my\nchild, with industry will I labour night and day, till it is able to\nsecure comfort to itself, I am determined it shall not want food for its\nmaintenance, or raiment for its body to protect it from the inclemency of\nsevere and nipping winter, and every improvement for its mind that is to\nbe acquired; all these advantages for a beloved child will I eagerly seek\nafter, even suffer adversity rather than it should be neglected, and a\ndenial of many wonted comforts, for I shall be rewarded by it hereafter\nwhen it arrives at years of discretion, and judgment: but, alas after all\nthese warm, these most pleasing feelings; the time comes for these\nvirtues and all this affection, and accomplishments to shine forth, and\nto be returned to the aged parent declining with years and almost bending\nto the brink of the grave, to bid a long farewell to the world, and\nreceive the last comforts of worn out and decrepid old age, this darling\nobject in which all his delight and happiness for many past years had\nbeen placed and vainly thought to be innocent, is led forth, accused, and\ncondemned by the great council of the nation of the most horrid crime of\nadultery; oh, miserable state, lost innocence and fallen virtue truly\nlamentable, never to be restored or recovered.\n\nHaving given you two reasons from whence this unhappy sin arises.  I\nshall proceed to inform mankind why God instituted marriage, and prove it\nthe most solemn engagement on this side of the grave concluding with some\nuseful reflections on my text.  Providence\u2019s delight, pleasure, and\nsatisfaction, is, was, and ever will be to consult and provide every\ncomfort for man void of sin, during his short and uncertain passage on\nearth, knowing very well when he created him, he could not live alone,\nand it was highly necessary the human race should be spread into\ndifferent parts of the earth and of God\u2019s large and spacious dominions in\norder that the whole earth might be inhabited and that a knowledge of a\nfuture state should be delivered down to posterity, that religion should\nflourish; that God should be worshipped in spirit and in truth, that man\nshould have a due sense of his nature, how wonderful he was in all his\nworks, that he made the heavens, and the earth, and the stars; and the\nsun to rule by day, and the moon by night, that learning should flourish,\nthat an eager desire of improvement in every art and science should enter\ninto the mind of man according to the abilities nature had endowed him\nwith; some men should turn their thoughts to lofty and sublime\ncontemplations, others to the various sorts of husbandry and agriculture,\nand that the earth should be tilled and at a proper season, man for his\nearnest endeavours of industry and integrity should be paid for his\ntrouble, and expence in his respective employment, whether high or low;\nfor God loveth the good in every situation: that he should look round\nabout him and be thoroughly satisfied with these blessings, but all these\nthings could not be accomplished and brought to perfection without man\nwas to have a mate and partner in life; accordingly, that nothing should\nbe deficient or wanting for man\u2019s real happiness, God, instituted this\nholy and solemn ceremony that by living together in pureness and love the\nworld should be peopled, this was the only means Providence in his great\nwisdom and mercy to a fallen generation condescended to prevent sin and\nsecure to himself a peculiar people free from corruption and\ndisobedience, shewing at the same time how manifestly, and how greatly he\nwished the salvation of his beloved children he ordained this\ncommandment, thou shalt not commit adultery, for as Isaac and Rebecca\nlived together soberly and quietly and as Sarah obeyed Abraham in calling\nhim Lord, so ought all ye as long as ye live together, in sickness and in\nhealth, in adversity as well as prosperity, till death either the one or\nthe other takes away.  Yet this sacred, this wonderful affection and love\nof our great and fond father, creator and redeemer is like the rest of\nhis most valuable precepts and institutions in these our sinful days very\nfrequently broken, therefore be cautious all ye who are about to\napproach, the sacred altar of God and come not irreverently, I mean\neither male or female disinterested in your choice having made it either\nfor lucre or splendor, but pay due attention to what you then hear and\nare about to perform, a ceremony, which must give God the greatest\npleasure if you adhere to your commandments and as you call upon God to\nwitness the truth of your intention, you ought previously to have\nrevolved serious thoughts in your minds in order not to be negligent or\ninattentive to what you then hear and ought to understand, never\nintending to fulfil your promise faithfully, you act the most wicked and\nunfeeling of all human actions, for whoever breaks this commandment is\nsure to bring unhappiness and misery on one side, and most likely\ndestruction and a broken heart on the other; adultery induceth sinful man\nto do what is wrong to his fellow creature, but God is not thus to be\ndealt with, and without allowing a single moment\u2019s thought or reflection,\non future punishment, for wicked deeds; by this crime his own feelings\nmust plunge him into trouble and unhappiness in the day time, and in the\ncalm and serene hour of sleep and refreshment awaken him with the guilt\nof a wicked conscience, having disunited by subtility and hypocrisy, the\nhearts of those who had been once endeared to each other and knitted\ntogether in the bonds of friendship and in the tenderest and dearest ties\nof affection and love.  Present time and youth may make sinners\ninattentive to such wickedness, but depend upon it, the serious departing\nhour and a death bed repentance will renew all these sad and melancholy\nactions to our view, when the broken heart is overwhelmed with grief, and\nthe tongue too feeble to pray to its God.\n\nWe read in Scripture of one of the best of men having been guilty of this\ncrime, but God suffered him not to go unpunished, for king David very\nmuch displeased the Lord for the treatment of Uriah the Hittite for the\nsake of Bathsheba, and besides the crime of adultery he was hypocritical\nand perfidious and ungrateful, and for this very purpose it is mentioned\nso very strong in holy writ, to prevent in future, the very best of men\nin every other respect from committing this crime.  David became penitent\nand sorrowful, for having displeased the Lord, for as his crime was of\nthe highest nature, it called aloud for his severe vengeance, and he\npunished him in the most feeling manner, for the little child which he\nhad born unto him in which his soul delighted, the Lord struck with\nsickness and it died: this is scripture evidence of temporal punishment,\nbut what makes this crime the greater, it is generally attended with\nhypocrisy, for the very person that performs it pretends to be the most\nsincere friend, to him, in whose heart he pierces the most sharp pointed\ndart, and secretly bereaves him of that peace of mind the world can never\nrestore, and that confidence the greatest of all happiness, which he\nvainly thought no time or circumstances could ever remove; remember this,\nO ye dealers in iniquity, it was not an open enemy that had done me this\ndishonor, but it was even thou my companion, mine own familiar friend.\nMen are exhorted in scripture to love their wives, as Christ loved the\nchurch, and gave himself for her, and to forsake father and mother, and\ncleave to their wives; as for the female part of the creation, let them\nremember, a virtuous woman is a crown of glory to her husband, but she\nthat maketh him ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.  Be wise now\ntherefore, O ye sons and daughters of Abraham and attend to the proverbs\nof Solomon, the Lord giveth wisdom and discretion unto thee, to preserve\nthee, from the ways of the evil man, whose ways are darkness and sorrow,\nand from the strange woman, which flattereth with her words, and\nforsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God;\nwhose house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead, none that\ngo unto her return again, neither take they hold of the path of life.\nMarriage is reduced by our Saviour to its original institution, as it was\nin the beginning, before the passions of men had broken through the\nrules, which right reason prescribed, and by polygamy had brought poverty\nand discord into houses, and many troubles and wickedness into the world,\nto which had been added another evil, that of frequent divorces.  The\nGospel requires of all those who enter into this holy state, that they\npass their days together in sacred love, fidelity, and friendship, and in\na joint care of their families.\n\nBefore I conclude, there is one rank of people, I most feelingly address\nmyself unto, in order to prevent adultery, and that is, parents of every\ncondition, being as such myself, most affectionately interested for the\nfuture race avoiding disgrace, and ignominy, as well as the present.  My\nadvice and recommendation to one and all, is to consider the weighty and\nimportant characters they support, and maintain it in dignity and being\npatterns of virtue themselves, and governing their children by good\nexamples, rather than threatenings or punishment, for the truly\naffectionate and virtuous parents, God in his great mercy in all\nprobability will grant obedient and affectionate children, as a\nrecompence, that will honour them while on earth and reverence their name\nafter their departure, remembering there is no advantage to speak evil of\nthe dead especially he who hath walked uprightly, walketh surely, but he\nthat perverteth the ways of the good shall be known.  Two qualifications\nfor the mind are incumbent on all parents, who are capable, which few are\nnot, in these our enlightened and improved days, to learn their children,\nat least if not to learn them, to examine them frequently, and hear them\nwhen instructed, and particularly on the sabbath day, that is their\nprayers and the church catechism, which may appear to the giddy and\ninconsiderate an arduous and irksome task, yet to the truly pious and\nreligious, must be laudable, and meet with approbation: this will be\nbuilding their posterity on a rock which will not easily be moved, and\nwhen the vices of the age which have ruined, and I am afraid will\ncontinue to shorten the lives of many of their cotemporaries, they will\nstand fast, having prayed to God night and morning for his peculiar care\nand protection, wherefore Providence having carried them through the many\ncasualties of infancy, and safely guided them against, and turned them\naside from the perpetual dream and pressing torrent of unruly and raging\npassions swollen with intemperance and excess, at a maturer age he will\ncrown them with virtue at the end.  Children are not looked upon by many\nparents as the greatest of all blessings, and as a gift and heritage that\ncometh of the Lord, many treat them not as the first and principal object\nof man\u2019s heart, remembering what our blessed Saviour saith, suffer the\nlittle children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the\nkingdom of heaven, but train up a child in the way he shall go, and when\nhe is old, he will not depart from it; this is of the highest moment to\nall parents, and let them remember, not to deserve the rebuke and\nchastisement of that all merciful and most affectionate father of the\nuniverse, who wishes not that the least of all these his little children\nshould perish, but live, be happy, and be immortal.\n\nI will now point out a method, which I hope will prevent this crime, as\nfor man, let him marry a woman purely for her virtue, and the woman the\nhidden man of the heart, preferring one another, concealing nothing from\neach other which concerns mutual affection, remembering, we are all\nimperfect beings, yet we are the noblest objects of God\u2019s thoughts, and\neach sex as valuable in its respective situation, in the sight of God,\nthe one as the other, therefore as God was without spot and blemish, let\nus imitate him and become as pure as our frail nature will admit of, let\nus obey the text, and turn not from the path of righteousness.  We should\ndo all that is in our power for the mutual advantages of one another, and\nif either is guilty of any trifling fault, look upon it as accidental,\nand not a designed intention of disobliging, by which means we shall\nnever have cause to dispute one with another, for frequently from very\ntrifling circumstances, inattention first begins, succeeded with dislike,\nand then successive faults on both sides, the one grows careless and\ninattentive to the other, till at last a thorough dislike arises on each\nside, and for revenge, this unhappy sin takes its origin, attended on one\npart with all the disgrace and dishonour the female has to boast of, and\non the other, dissatisfaction and inquietude at home, from whence, man\nbecomes restless, and uneasy in his mind, for as soon as he is deprived\nof comfort in his own dwelling, in vain will he hunt for peace in the\nwhole world besides.\u2014Therefore in order to preserve virtue and chastity,\nlet all make trial at a proper season of life of this divine blessing,\ninstituted and ordained by Providence, and those that are joined together\nin God\u2019s presence, by obedience in their situation, let not man have it\nin his power to put asunder, but by living together in harmony,\nfaithfulness and constancy, in adversity as well as prosperity, for the\nschool of adversity which we all wish to escape, is the great trial of\nour faith and obedience, and in vain let the sycophant boast at that\nperiod, the unhappiness, woe, and misery he hath caused the innocent to\nexperience and frustrate all the mischievous and insinuating attempts of\nartful and deceitful men, which, let them be ever so long secreted from\nman during his passage here, at the last great day, God will disclose\nthem, and the secrets of the libertine and adulterer brought forth to\ncondemn him.\n\nThus have I endeavoured to prove how highly culpable, every person is and\nhow daring to presume to break through: a commandment descended from so\ngreat an author; the disadvantages accompanying this disobedience I have\nalready fully described, and am persuaded, must be unhappiness\ncontinually while we are here, for reason before mentioned and observed,\nbut still there is worse punishment and inconveniencies to fear, and\ngreater sufferings to undergo, and that is not man\u2019s displeasure only,\nbut Almighty God\u2019s just and severe correction, remembering he will grant\nhis most gracious pardon to all those who ignorantly do wrong and by that\nmeans fall into error, but this is one of his most express commandments,\nand he adds, happy are ye when ye know them, if ye do them, but if ye\ncontinue to break them, your future salvation, will be insecure when you\nquit this scene of life, resting assured there is not a greater crime to\nbe committed by man than this, therefore write it in your hearts, that\nperfect obedience to the divine will of our father which is in heaven, is\nthe only spring, the only fountain from whence peace in this present\nworld can be obtained, and the only method of receiving pardon and\nforgiveness in the world to come, in those blessed mansions where the\npure alone will see God.\n\nRemember this, O ye wives, as St. Paul saith to the Ephesians, submit\nyourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord, and let every man in\nparticular, says the same apostle, so love his wife as himself, and the\nwife that she reverence her husband.\n\nBe ye followers of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also\nhath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and sacrifice\nfor a sweet smelling favour.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                  FINIS.","title":"A Sermon: Thou shalt not commit Adultery","tradition":"philosophy-ethics","translated_text":null,"word_count":3817}