not goe single but by couples into hell §. Sect. 2. Fornicaion in some respects more hainous then either thest or murther Whereby it appeareth that howsoeuer this sinne is but lightly esteemed and turned into a iest amongst wicked men yet in this and some other respects it is worse and more pernicious to our neighbour then either theft or murther and oftentimes more vncomfortable to our owne consciences it exceedeth these euen in theft for the thiefe onely strippeth the bodie but the fornicator spoileth the soule of his chiefe ornaments puritie and chastitie the thiefe taketh away momentanie riches which oftentimes doe the owner little good and sometimes much hurt when as they through abuse become the mammon of iniquitie and furtherances in sinne but the fornicator robbeth his neighbour of Gods graces a good conscience cleannes of heart puritie of body and soule and finally of the assurance of his saluation And so also he exceedeth the murtherer euen in the act of murthering for the murtherer inflicteth deepe wounds in the bodie the which sometimes may be cured and healed by earthly meanes but the fornicator grieuouslie woundeth both his owne soule and the soule of his neighbour which no worldly thing can cure but onely the soueraigne balme of Christ Iesus his precious blood the murtherer whē he hath done his worst doth only kil the body in the meane time he who is killed being a faithfull Christian is neuer the worse because this temporarie death is but a passage into life eternall but the fornicator destroyeth the bodie and soule of his neighbour eternally by drawing him into sinne the wages whereof is euerlasting death vnlesse it bee preuented by hartie and vnfained repentance Rom. 6.23 yea and which is more horrible and vnnaturall he with the same blow also murthereth himselfe The murtherer inflicteth onely the euill of punishment the which poyson the Lord so tempereth with his gifts and graces that it becommeth a wholesome medicine to cure his seruants of their spirituall diseases but the fornicator inflicteth the euill of sinne which without repentance is accompanied with eternall condemnation And in this respect also this sinne of whoredome is most vncomfortable §. Sect. 3. The sinne of vvhoredome most vncomfortable and destitute of all peace of conscience for whereas they who commit other sinnes sinning alone may also repent alone and vpon the assurance of their true conuersion may recouer their former peace of conscience being by Gods gratious promises ascertained of his fauour the fornicator euen after himselfe hath repented of his sinne can not but be exceedingly troubled and turmoiled in his mind when as his conscience shall tell him that by his lust and vncleannes he hath brought others through his wicked fellowship into the same sinne and condemnation in which state they still remaine without repentance or at least hee their companion in wickednesse is not assured that they also accompanie him in his true conuersion But as the fornicatour sinneth against his copartner in vncleannes § Sect. 4. The fornicator sinneth against the parents and friends of the partie defiled so also against others as namely against his owne and his companions parents and neere friends first because this filthinesse causeth a tainter in the blood and with the staine thereof bringeth some blemish vpon their name though they be innocent of the fault The which so much incensed Iacobs sonnes for the deflouring of their sister because the shame thereof redounded not only to her selfe but to her father and friends for so it is said that they were grieued and very angrie because this villanie was committed in Israel Gen. 34.7 and because Sichem had lien with Iacobs daughter And this was the cause why the high Priests daughter playing the harlot was by the law of God to be burnt with fire because by her whoredome she had polluted her father as it is Leuit. 21.9 Leuit. 21.9 And secondly in that hereby robbing their children or friends of grace vertue and that chiefe ornament of chastitie they also depriue their hearts of all true ioy and sound comfort which they otherwise might haue had of them when as being priuie to their sinne they cannot looke vpon them without shame and blushing nor acknowledge them for their owne vnto others lest they may seeme to haue some interest in their faults So also they sinne grieuously against their owne children begotten in fornication and that before they are borne § Sect. 5. The fornicator sinneth against his owne children begotten in fornication and afterwards for they ingraine them in the deepe die of their sinne which wil neuer be washed out although it may be couered with their vertues and brand them with the infamous marke of bastardie before they breathe the aire They make the poore infant beare the punishment of their sinne euen whilest it selfe is borne in the mothers bellie and before it hath any name giuen it they intitle it to the infamous surname of a base bastard They also rob it of their owne loue not for any faultines in the childe but for the guilt of their owne sinne in which respect whilest it is in the wombe the mother wisheth that it may bee a false conception and abortiue and the father that it may neuer liue to see the Sunne When it is borne they are readie to thinke that when it crieth it proclaimeth their sinne and when it beginneth to speake they blush for shame when they heare themselues called vpon by the sweete names of father and mother because thereby their sinne is called to remembrance And as they do communicate to their poore children the shame and punishment of their faults so also their sinnes and corruptions themselues for they poison them in the bud and the fountaine of generation being defiled with filthie lust and vncleannes polluteth also the streames which issue from it so that it is no rare thing to see such children resemble their parents in their vnchast manners more then in their face and countenance All which iniuries they recompense by shewing themselues more iniurious for as they hated them in the birth so they neglect them commonly in their growth and make amends for their sinfull generation with giuing vnto them loose and prophane education whereby they grow in their corruptions faster then in the stature of their bodie And yet this is not halfe the mischiefe which they do vnto them for besides all this as much as in them lieth they exclude them out of the couenant of grace and blot them out of the number of Gods people and family the which the Lord will haue procreated and increased with a holie seede Matth. 2.15 whereas they remaine polluted being the children of fornication and vncleane seede of vncleane parents 1. Cor. 7.14 And if at all they bee admitted into the outward couenant and receiue the seales thereof it is not for their parents sake if they continue in their sinne
about to their graues as certainly though not so speedily For it bringeth cruditie to the stomacke and ach to the head rheumes impostumes gouts consumptions apoplexies whereof men perish and so howsoeuer drunkennesse is not the mother yet it is the grandmother of their death though men are ashamed like vpstarts in our times that it should deriue it pedigree so farre for so base a kinred therfore intitle it after the name of the next parent Neither in truth can there be any cause alleaged that maketh this our age so weak diseased and short liued which beareth greater sway in producing these miserable effects then drunkennesse and intemperance It is true indeede that the world now waxing old and as it were horeheaded cannot generate children of such strength and vigour as it did in the time of youth and full strength and therefore we must needes decline as the world declineth It is true also that the mother earth is infeebled with much bearing and hath her strength much abated with so innumerable child-birthes and being now come to her cold melancholie age cannot bring forth her fruites so full of vertue and strength and so fit for the nourishment of our bodies as shee did in former times but that there should be such a change so suddaine and so extraordinarie and that there should be such great difference in health and strength and long life betweene this our age and that which went next before it can be imputed vnto nothing more then this that now drunkennesse and intemperance is after an extraordinarie manner increased whereby the naturall and vitall heate of men is drowned and extinguished before it bee neere spent like a candle cast into the water before it bee halfe burned If then wee thinke it a fearefull sinne for a man to murther himselfe and by laying violent hands on his owne person to shorten his life then let vs not esteeme drunkennesse as a small offence seeing it produceth the same effects though by other meanes and instruments and bringeth our bodies to the same vntimely death although it bee by a diuers way And these are the temporall euils which the drunkard bringeth vpon himselfe §. Sect. 10. The spirituall euils which drunkennesse bringeth which though they be manifold and grieuous yet are they not to be compared with those spirituall euils into which through a wilfull necessitie hee is plunged euen whilest hee continueth in this life For first by this sinne he excludeth himselfe out of the number of those children who are borne vnto God by regeneration and new birth and is separated from Iesus Christ so as he hath no communion with him nor part in his benefits for those who are regenerate are begotten vnto God by his spirit dwelling in them and where the spirit of God dwelleth there it sheweth it selfe both by mortifying the old man and subduing the lusts of the flesh and by quickening the new man and bringing forth the fruites of the spirit Now gluttonie and drunkennesse are the workes of the old man and speciall fruites of the flesh Gal. 5.21 and 23. as appeareth Gal. 5.21 from the which Gods spirit doth purge and cleanse vs as soone as hee maketh choice of our bodies to be his temples and contrariwise doth adorne vs with sobrietie and temperance as it is vers 23. so that they who liue in drunkennesse are dead in their sinnes they liue not to God as being his children seeing they are destitute of his spirit but they liue to Satan Rom. 8.14 the world and the lusts of their owne flesh and remaine their vassals vnto whom they doe faithfull seruice Rom. 6.16 Neither are they in Iesus Christ seeing they walke not after the spirit but after the flesh they haue not as yet put on Christ seeing they haue not put off drunkennesse for he will not be our garment wherein being clothed we may appeare glorious and righteons in Gods sight before we cast away from vs the filthie ragges of the flesh and therefore the Apostle teacheth vs first to giue a finall farewell to gluttonie and drunkennesse chambering and wantonnes strife and enuying casting them from vs as polluted ragges which are not worth our wearing and then to take vnto vs Iesus Christ and put him on as our wedding garment with the hand of faith Rom. 13.13 14. Rom. 13.13.14 Secondly as this drunkennesse quencheth the spirit §. Sect. 11. Drunkennesse quencheth the gifts of the spirit so it choaketh the gifts thereof and therefore the Apostle teacheth vs that there must be an emptinesse of wine before there can be a fulnes of the spirit Eph. 5.18 Be not drunke with wine wherein there is excesse but be fulfilled with the spirit Eph. 5.18 For the holy Ghost scorneth to be an inmate where drunkennesse is the inhabitant and if we make our bodies with much drinking to become wine caskes the Lord wil neuer thinke them fit vessels to receiue his spirit which is the water of life neither will this wine of the flesh Ioh. 7.38.39 Basil mag Serm. 2. de ieiunio and water of the spirit be euer mingled To this purpose one saith Ebrietas dominum non recipit spiritum Sanctum expellit vt fumus apes abigit sic spirituales gratias crapula reijcit Drunkēnes neither receiueth the Lord nor retaineth his spirit but as smoake driueth away Bees so it expelleth spirituall gifts Another maketh this similitude Our bodies saith he are earthie now as by too much raine the earth is resolued into durt and made vnfit for tillage so our bodies being ouer moistned with excessiue drinking August de vitan ebriet Serm. 231. are altogether vnfitted for the spirituall tillage and so can bring forth no good fruites of holinesse and righteousnesse Yea rather being turned into boggs and marishes they are fit to breed nothing in them but vglie serpents froggs and vermine that is all manner of abominable sinnes and lothsome wickednesse Thirdly §. Sect. 12. Drunkennesse strengtheneth the flesh and the lusts thereof as drunkennesse weakeneth the spirit and the gifts thereof so it strengtheneth the flesh and the lusts thereof Now we know that the flesh and fleshly lusts are our mortall enemies which continually fight against our soules as it is 1. Pet. 2.11 so that the victorie of the flesh is the Christians ouerthrow 1. Pet. 2.11 and the welfare thereof his destruction What follie therefore it it to arme our enemie against our selues and to put in his hand a sword which will pearce our owne hearts What madnesse is it when the enemie is readie to giue a sharpe assault to pull downe the walls of our owne citie and to lay open large breaches whereat he may make a free entrance And yet this follie doe these men commit who pamper the bellie and addict themselues to this sensuall voluptuousnesse as the wise man plainly sheweth Prou. 25.28 Pro. 25.28 A man that refraineth not his appetite
from him to bestow vpon her louers but also in bringing into his familie an adulterous issue who deuoure the fruite of his labours and confusedly diuide his substance and patrimonie amongst his owne children In which respect the adulterie of the wife is more pernicious then of the husband because it is accompanied with more abominable deceit no man being able who hath an harlot to his wife to know his owne children from the children of a stranger whereby hee is compelled to nourish his enemies for feare of destroying his chiefest friends and to giue inheritance to the children of fornication lest otherwise through his ignorance he may perchance disinherit the lawfull fruite of his owne bodie Lastly §. Sect. 6. Adulterers rob their yoke-fellovv of their heart and affection the adulterer or adultresse rob their wife or husband of their most valued right namely their hart affection and the vse of their bodie of which there is by vertue of mariage a communion in respect of one another and a peculiar and incommunicable proprietie in respect of all other persons in the world 1. Cor. 7.4 So the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 7.4 The wife hath not the power of her owne bodie but the husband and likewise the husband hath not the power of his owne bodie but the wife And therefore in adulterie there is also included the grossest and most pernicious kinde of theft seeing married persons liuing in this sinne are not only theeues of goods but man-stealers and theeues of the bodie and person which is of much greater value Thirdly and lastly §. Sect. 7. The adulterer sinneth against his owne familie the adulterer in a peculiar manner sinneth against his owne familie both by vtter neglecting of it all his thoughts endeuours and imployments being wholly taken vp by his harlot so as he hath neither leisure nor pleasure either to spend his time in the honest workes of his calling whereby he may maintaine his charge or with any wise prouidence dispose of that which he alreadie hath whereby he runneth into wilfull beggerie not caring which end goeth forward and maketh all his familie to partake of the fruit of his sinne and feele the like want and miserie And also by bringing Gods iudgements and heauie punishments vpon the whole house for his sinne whereby it is destroyed and brought to nought For this sinne of whoredome is a fire that shall deuoure vnto destruction and which shall roote out all the adulterers increase as Iob speaketh chap. 31.14 Iob 31.14 But as the adulterer sinneth against others §. Sect. 8. That adulterers sinne most grieuouslie against themselues so most grieuously against himselfe in that he not only defileth his bodie and soule with this abominable filthines but also woundeth his conscience with a sinne which as it is in it selfe very hainous so likewise of all other sinnes most vnexcusable seeing the Lord hath not only prouided a remedie against this sin but also hath in mercie granted vnto him the vse and fruition of it namely lawfull mariage For why should hee steale of his neighbour that hath plentie of water in his owne cesterne as the Wise man speaketh Prou. 5.15.19 Why should hee delight himselfe in vnlawfull lusts with a stranger vnto whom God hath giuen a wife in whom hee may reioyce as being neere vnto him euen as a part of himselfe and who may bee vnto him if the fault be not his owne either in his choice or vse as the louing Hinde and pleasant Roe Prou. 5.19 whose breasts may satisfie him at all times and in whose loue he may delight continually Whereby it appeareth that the adulterer is a wilfull theefe who stealeth not vpon necessitie but through curious wantonnesse like a rich miser who hauing plentie of gold at his owne command steales from his neighbour brasse or copper And this is that argument which the holy Ghost vseth to aggrauate the sinne of adulterie farre aboue the sinne of theft Men saith he doe not despise a theefe when he stealeth to satisfie his soule because he is hungrie c. But he that committeth adulterie with a woman he is destitute of vnderstanding he that doth it Prou. 6.30.32 destroyeth his owne soule Prou. 6.30.32 CHAP. XVI Of the punishment of Adulterie ANd thus haue I shewed that adulterie is a grieuous sinne §. Sect. 1. That by the law of God adulterie was pun shed with death The consideration whereof should bee an effectuall argument to restraine all men from falling into it for if euery ordinarie sinne deserueth Gods anger and eternall condemnation then what fierce wrath and deepe condemnation is due vnto them who make no conscience of committing these sinnes which are so capitall and hainous But because many secure worldlings make light account of the heauiest burthen of sinne and care little for prouoking Gods wrath so they may securely enioy their carnall pleasures therefore in the next place I will also shew how fearefully this sinne is punished and that both in this life and the life to come In this life the punishment of adulterie is either ordinarie or extraordinarie The ordinarie punishment which by the law of God is to be inflicted vpon adulterers Leuit. 20.10 is death it selfe as appeareth Leuit. 20.10 The man that committeth adulterie with another mans wife because he hath committed adulterie with his neighbours wife the adulterer and adulteresse shall die the death Deut. 22.22 So Deut. 22.22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to a man then they shall dye euen both twaine to wit the man that lay with the wife and the wife so thou shalt put away euill from Israel The which law was executed with the greatest seueritie among the people of God by his owne expresse appointment for whereas other crimes were not punished with death vnlesse the party were conuicted by the direct testimonie of two witnesses at the least the Lord permitted the iealous husband to make a speciall triall of his wiues chastitie and honestie and gaue vnto him an extraordinary and most admirable meanes for the conuincing her if she were guiltie of her sinne when no witnesses could bee produced namely that shee should drinke of the cursed water which should not hurt her being innocent but rather should make her fruitfull but if shee were guiltie then vpon the drinking thereof her bellie should swell and her thigh rot and so the woman should be accursed among her people Num. 5.14.15.27.28 Numb 5.14.27 So that rather then the Lord would haue this hainous sinne of adulterie goe vnpunished he would himselfe after this wonderfull manner discouer and punish it Now this punishment of adulterie by death §. Sect. 2. That the punishment of adulterie by death is a law of common equitie seemeth to be not a meere iudiciall law which was proper and peculiar to the common-wealth of Israel but a law of common equity which bindeth and holdeth in subiection all
nations vnto it First because long before the iudiciall law was giuen the same punishment was inflicted vpon adulterrers as appeareth by Iuda his sentence against his daughter in law Thamar Gen. 38.24 namely that because being espoused to his sonne shee had plaied the harlot she should be burnt to death So when Abimilech being a king had no superiour to execute this law vpon him the Lord himselfe threatneth death against him if he abused Sara Abrahams wife Gen. 20.3.7 The same punishment also Abimilech threatneth against any of his people without exception that should touch Isaacs wife Secondly Gen. 26.11 because the Heathens themselues who had not Moses law by the light of nature inflicted the punishment of death vpon adulterers whereby it appeareth that it is not iudiciall but morall and perpetuall seeing it was common to the Iewes and Gentils Ier. 29.22.23 Lucianus Strab. geograph lib. 16. Euseb de praeparat Euangel lib. 6. cap. 8. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 1. Lib. 1. bell Ieth So Nebuchadnezzar caused those two adulterous Prophets Zedechias and Achab to bee burnt with fire as the Prophet foretelleth Ier. 29.22.23 So Saletus Prince of Crotone a citie of Greece enacted a law that adulterers should be burnt to death By Draco his law likewise the same punishment was inflicted vpon the like offenders In like manner this sin was capital among the Arabians as Eusebius recordeth And so also among the Gothes as Procopius writeth Finallie among the Romans adulterie was punished with death both by the twelue tablei and by their law called lex Iulia which was made by Augustustus Cesar Other nations which did not inflict death vpon the adulterers punished them with tortures as bitter as death The Egyptians decreed that the nose of the adultresse should be cut off Diodor. Sic. lib. 1. cap. 6. and that the adulterer should bee beaten with a 1000. stripes almost vnto death Zaleucus King of the Locrenses made a law that the adulterer should lose both his eies which law when his owne sonne transgressed notwithstanding that the people being inclined to pitie would haue had his fault remitted he would not condescend but caused one of his owne Aelian in varia hist lib. 13. and one of his sonnes eies to be pulled out Among the Germans as Cornelius Tacitus recordeth the adultres being stripped naked before her kindred and friends had first her haire cut off and afterwards was beaten with cudgels through the towne by her husband By all which it appeareth §. Sect. 3. An obiection ansvvered that euen by the light of nature adultery in all ages hath bin condemned punished as a capitall crime and consequently that this punishment among the Iewes was not meerely iudiciall but morall and of common equitie Neither is that obiection of any force that our Sauiour Christ refused to condemne the woman taken in adulterie seeing hee came into the world not to execute the office of an earthlie Iudge but of a mediatour who should from God procure the pardon of our sinnes he came not to condemne but to saue and to giue his life a ransome for manie againe whereas our Sauiour asketh the woman if any man had condemned her according to the law in that case prouided it seemeth thereby that if the sentence of death had been lawfully passed against her he would not haue repealed it for he came not to violate the law but to fulfill it §. Sect. 4. That Magistrates ought to punish this sinne of adulterie vvith all seueritie And therefore our Christian Magistrates are to be exhorted that they would not lightly account of this sinne of whoredome which the law of God and the law of nations hath condemned as capitall but that they would enact seuere lawes for the punishment of this sinne which is so abominable vnto God and so pernicious vnto humane societie otherwise the guilt thereof will lie heauie vpon the land and prouoke the Lord in his iust displeasure Deut. 22.22 Ezech. 22.11 not only to punish them and the whole country for their negligence and remisnesse but also to take vengeance of the offenders himselfe by his extraordinarie iudgements when ordinarie punishments are not inflicted For when Magistrates neglect their dutie in punishing this sinne then the Lord will take the sword of iustice into his owne hand according to that Heb. 13.4 Heb. 13.4 Mal. 3.5 Whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge So he saith Mal. 3.5 that himselfe would come neere vnto the people of Iuda in iudgement and would be a swife witnesse against the adulterers and Ier. 5.7.8.9 Ier. 5.7.8 he professeth that in his instice he could not spare them who were guiltie of this sinne of whoredome but would visit them and be auenged on them for this and such other abominations As therefore it is impossible for a man to take fire into his bosome or to walke vpon the hot coales and not be burnt so impossible is it that a man should defile his neighbours wife and be acquitted of the Lord as innocent as the Wise man telleth vs Prou. 6.27.29 Prou. 6.27.29 Now the punishments which the Lord vsually inflicteth vpon adulterers in this life §. Sect. 5. God punisheth adulterie by the lavv of requitall are not only the same which hee inflicteth vpon fornicators of which I haue alreadie spoken as pouertie infamie slauerie to their lusts and harlots lothsome diseases impenitencie and such like the which the Lord encreaseth according to the rule of his iustice in a due proportion to their sinne and causeth them to light much more heauily vpon the adulterer then vpon the fornicator in as much as hee much more hainouslie offendeth but also with some peculiar punishments which are more proper to this sinne As first hee punisheth adulterie by the law of requitall and as they defile other mens wiues so hee suffereth other men to abuse theirs with the like filthines and vncleannesse And this is that punishment which the Lord threatned against Dauid 2. Sam. 12.11 and 16.22 and afterwards inflicted vpon him for his adulterie with Vriahs wife 2. Sam. 12.11 Thus saith the Lord Behold I will raise vp euill against thee out of thine owne house and will take thy wiues before thine eies and giue them vnto thine neighbour and he shall lie with thy wiues in the sight of this sunne The which was accordingly executed as appeareth 2. Sam. 16.22 And this iudgement Iob to approoue his innocencie in this behalfe imprecateth against himselfe if he had at anie time polluted himselfe and his neighbours wife with this sin Iob 31.9.10 Iob 31.9.10 If mine heart hath been deceiued with a woman or if I haue laid waite at the doore of my neighbour let my wife grinde vnto another man and let other men bow downe vpon her Secondly §. Sect. 6. God punisheth adulterie with his heauie curse Gal. 3.10 the Lord punisheth this hainous sinne with his
tame and gentle as the Cowe or Calfe Esa 11.6.7 according to the prophecie Esa 11.6.7 The Woolfe shall lie with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie with the Kid and the Calfe and the Lion and the fat beasts together and a little child shall leade them and the Beare shall feede with the Cowe and their young ones shall lie together not that regeneration doth take away nature and the affections but because it doth partly subdue their violence and furie and partly sanctifieth and reformeth them so that whereas they were hurtfull and pernicious now they are good and profitable to themselues and others the qualitie and the obiect of them being altered Their loue which was immoderately set on the world and the pleasures of the flesh is now fixed vpon God their neighbour and spirituall things Their ambtious hope which expected nothing but honors and riches now longeth after the presence of God and fulnesse of ioy in the heauenly Ierusalem Their timorous feare wherby they were restrained from doing good and constrained to doe that which was euill because they would not displease men is now a notable bridle to curbe in their vnlawfull desires and a sharpe spurre to pricke them forward in the course of godlinesse because they would not offend God and whereas before it was a corrupt fountaine from which nothing did spring but polluted streames of sinne whose descent is into the deepe gulfe of eternall perdition now it is become the Welspring of life to make vs auoid the snares of death Prou. 14.27 as it is Prou. 14.27 So likewise rash and vnbridled anger which before regeneration caused men to rage against the person of their neighbour doth now oppose it selfe against sinne and vniustice only whereby God is dishonored and the Church and common-wealth damnified Do not therfore hereafter excuse thy furious rash anger by alleaging thy nature for thou mightest as wel say I cānot abstaine from it because I am carnall and vnregenerate as because I am hastie by nature for those who haue laid aside the old man and are renewed by Gods spirit haue this affection partly tamed and subdued and partly sanctified reformed and made fit for necessarie profitable vses whereas on the other side they that let the raines loose to this corrupt affection were neuer washed with the water of Gods spirit and consequently while they continue in this state cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3.5 Iohn 3.5 But that we may neuer alleage this vaine excuse let vs consider further that it is no better then Lazers ragges to couer the deepe festred sores of our corruption or then Adams fig leaues to hide the nakednesse of sinne which may be as fit a vizour to disguise euen the most vglie vices as this of anger for nature corrupted prouoketh not onely to rash anger but also to all outrages And therefore the murtherer by as great shew of reason might excuse his murther because he is by nature cruell or the adulterer his adulterie because he is by nature lecherous or the theefe his theft because he is by nature couetous as the hastie man his anger because he is by nature cholericke As therefore if a murtherer or theefe should come before a Iudge and excuse his fact by saying it was his nature and therefore he could not chuse but commit it the Iudge would answere that it was his destinie also that he should be hanged So when wee shall bee arraigned before the Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen and earth the alleadging of our corrupted nature wil be so farre from excusing vs that it alone will bee sufficient to condemne vs. And so much for the first sort of anger which is to be seen in angry and cholericke men The second sort is of such as are slow to anger §. Sect. 2. 2. Anger which is slovvly entertained but long retained but being incensed are hardly pacified And these are like vnto more solid timber which is long before it be kindled but being kindled continueth long in burning As these are better then the other in respect of their slownesse to wrath so they are farre worse because they continue in it for anger retained becommeth hatred which is an affection farre more pernicious then anger it selfe and much more incorrigible for as rash anger is most commonly ioyned with repentance so this inueterate anger is alwaies ioyned with perseuerance in euill And he that is subiect thereunto doth not onely fall into sinne but also is resolued to continue in it yea he taketh delight therein oft times by meditating on reuenge as we may see in Esau who was resolued to retaine his anger against Iacob till his fathers death and in the meane time comforted himselfe by thinking on reuenge Gen. 27.41.42 Gen. 27.41.42 But if wee would bee the children of our heauenly father we must resemble him not onely in slownesse to anger but also in swiftnesse to forgiue and though our brother offend vs seuentie times seuen times yet must we continually bee readie to imbrace reconciliation Mat. 18.22 Matth. 18.22 and so wee shall not be ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse as the Apostle exhorteth vs Rom. 12.21 Rom. 12.21 Whereas if we continue in malice we shall make our selues like vnto Satan and subiect to Gods wrath Matth. 7.2 For with what measure wee mete it shall bee measured vnto vs againe Matth. 7.2 And as we forgiue men their trespasses so will our heauenly father forgiue vs Mat. 6.14.15 §. Sect. 9. Hastinesse to anger and slovvnes to reconciliation Matth. 6.14.15 And so much for the second sort The third sort is of them who are easilie prouoked vnto anger and being prouoked will neuer be reconciled These men are monsters in nature and flat opposite to the Lord for whereas he is slowe to anger and readie to forgiue they are most slowe to forgiue and most prone to anger This anger I know not how to expresse nor to what I may compare it seeing naturall things cannot resemble it because it is monstrous and against the nature of all things sauing man For the most fierce Lions and cruell Tigers haue some cause which incenseth them to anger and some measure and end of their furie after it is prouoked and therefore they are far worse who are angrie without a cause and know not how to make an end Seeing therefore naturall things are not fit to resemble them let vs consider artificiall They are like vnto tinder which being kindled with the least sparke will also retaine the fire till it be consumed But herein they are vnlike the tinder may easilie be extinguished but their anger can by no meanes bee mitigated the tinder doth but consume it selfe or at the least those things which are neere about it but those that are frō them furthest distant are often scorched with the burning heat of their furious passion It is like vnto wild fire which
FOVRE TREATISES TENDING TO DISSWADE ALL CHRISTIANS from foure no lesse hainous then common sinnes namely the abuses of Swearing Drunkennesse Whoredome and Briberie WHEREIN THE GREATNES AND odiousnesse of these vices is discouered and the meanes and remedies which may either preserue or weane men from them are propounded WHEREVNTO IS ANNEXED a Treatise of Anger By IOHN DOVVNAME Batcheler in Diuinitie and Preacher of Gods word ESAY 58.1 Crie aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for WILLIAM WELBY and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Greyhound 1609. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE IOHN LORD HARRINGTON BARON OF EXTON AND TO THE NOBLE AND VERTVous LADIE his wife I. D. wisheth all increase of grace and true honor in this life and eternall happinesse and blessednesse in the life to come IF euer there were a time Right Honourable wherein Gods Ministers should crie aloude Esa 58.1 and lift vp their voice like a trumpet to tell the people of their transgressions and the house of Iacob of their sinnes then surelie it is now in these our daies and in this our land For howsoeuer the light of the Gospell hath for manie yeeres clearelie shined among vs shewing vnto vs the way of righteousnesse in which we walking may attaine vnto happinesse and the manifold by-paths of error and sinne to the end we may auoid them and though we haue had Gods faithfull Ministers sometimes piping vnto vs the sweete tunes of the Gospell to allure vs vnto holie obedience and sometimes thundring out the dreadfull sound of Gods fearefull iudgements due to sinne to restraine vs from running on in wicked courses yet there is little reformation and amendment but rather we are growne from ill to worse and waxe euerie day more secure and sensuall in our sins And because men haue not imbraced and loued Gods truth nor submitted themselues to bee ruled with this scepter of his kingdome therfore many are giuen vp of God to their own filthie lusts and to a reprobate minde and through the hardnesse of their hearts all the meanes of their conuersion and saluation become not only vneffectuall and vnprofitable but rather cause them to bee more obdurate in their sinnes The resplendent light of the Gospell doth make them more blind so as they goe groping in ignorance euen at noone daies the sound of the word and loud cries of Gods Ministers in their eares calling them to repentance doe make them more deafe to all instruction and admonition the comfortable beames of Gods gracious promises shining vpon their hearts doe not supple and soften them but rather make them more hard and obdurate and as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 2.16 the word of God which in it own nature is the sauor of life vnto life becommeth vnto them the sauour of death to their deeper condemnation And as this is the state of all the who haue sold themselues to worke wickednesse and lie frozen in the dregs of their sinnes so euen the better sort who haue giuen their names vnto Christ haue been so intoxicated with the sweete cups of prosperitie and through long rest peace and plentie haue so rusted in their corruptions that it is to be feared they will not recouer their ancient puritie and brightnesse vntill the file of affliction with an heauie hand hath come often ouer them But neither the crying sinnes of those who are notoriouslie wicked nor yet the grosse corruptions of such as make profession of religion doe cause the state of our land to bee so dangerous and almost desperate as the nice wantonnesse of sinne which maketh it impatient of the least touch for howsoeuer it is in it selfe of the most slauish nature yet is it so backed in these times with the numerous multitude of offenders and so countenanced and befriended by men of best qualitie and greatest power that it is growne to be a matter farre more dangerous to reprooue sin then to commit it especiallie when it is cunninglie acted and plainelie reprehended Gods spirituall Chirurgions may indeede in these times make as manie corrasiues as they will but if they loue their peace and life they must take heed that they doe not apply them for patients wounded with the sores of sinne when they admit them to the cure hold the dagger of reuenge in their hands readie to stab them if they but touch them to the quicke And therefore needs must these impatient patients fester in their corruptions to the verie death of bodie and soule seeing they will by no meanes indure to haue their wounds searched Neuerthelesse all this must not daunt and discourage those whom the Lord hath called to the function of the Ministerie from the performing of their dutie but the more dangerous and desperate their state is who are committed to their charge the more earnest and diligent should they shew themselues in seeking their preseruation For they ought to preferre the spirituall health of those who are by God committed to their cure before their owne temporarie life and being appointed the Lords watchmen the more securely the people sleepe in sinne the louder must they crie till they haue awakened them when they see Gods iudgements approching and readie to seaze vpon them Ezech. 33.7.8 otherwise the people shall die in their sinnes but their blood shall be required at the watchmens hands The consideration of which dutie and the intire loue which I beare to my deare countrie hath made me willing whom the Lord hath vouchsafed this great and excellent calling to beate down as much as in me lieth foure capitall sins of this land prophane Swearing beastly Drūkennes filthie Whordome and corrupting Bribery both because they are so odious and abominable in Gods sight that they make our whole countrie liable to his wrath and to stand indangered to the fearefullest of his iudgements and also because I perceiue that they are not in the wane but in the increase and that like fretting cankers they spread further and further in the body of our State so that if those members which are alreadie infected bee not either cured by Gods Ministers or cut off by his lawfull Magistrates it is to be feared that these sores of sinne will grow desperate and past hope of any cure The which my poore labours I desired should offer themselues vnto the publicke view vnder the safe-guard of you honourable patronage being mooued thereunto both by mine owne loue and your fitnesse my loue towards your Honours being chiefely grounded vpon your loue towards God and to his true religion shewed both in your holy profession and Christian practise hath imboldned me to leaue vnto the world this perpetuall testimonie of your worth and my good-will and maketh me beleeue that these my workes shrowded vnder your names shal find with you kind acceptance not vpon
estate if his meane subiects should appeale vnto him as their Iudge in euery trifling businesse and produce him as a witnesse in euery slight cause which either needeth no proofe as being a matter of no importance or may easilie be proued either by manifest reasons or more inferiour testimonies then what dishonour and disgrace doe we offer to this supreme Maiestie the most glorious King of heauen and earth when in our ordinarie speeches and businesses we doe in an idle and senselesse manner name him hauing no occasion at all to speake vnto him or inuocate him by our oathes as a witnesse or Iudge in euery trifling and needlesse businesse which either deserueth no proofe or may easily be proued by other meanes seeing he is the chiefe soueraigne and supreme Iudge of heauen and earth vnto whom we are only to appeale in matters of highest nature and greatest necessitie Lastly §. Sect. 3. That it is a great sin to svveare by the seuerall parts of Christ if according to the common practise of the sonnes of Belial wee blasphemously sweare by the seuerall parts of Iesus Christ as his flesh blood heart and such like what doe we else but as much as in vs lieth in most despitefull manner crucifie him afresh and make a mock of his incarnation and sufferings What doe wee but most vngratefully dishonour him who took vpon him our fraile flesh indured a miserable life and suffered a cursed death that so hee might worke the worke of our redemption make vs of the heires of perdition and firebrands of hell the children of God and inheritours of the eternall ioyes of Gods kingdome In a word what doe wee else hereby but causlesly aggrauate the hainousnesse of our sins and plunge our bodies and soules into a fearefull degree of condemnation Iudas is a condemned wretch in hell because hee betrayed his master vnto the high Priests to be crucified for thirtie peeces of siluer what a fearfull sentence then are they to expect who themselues crucifie and teare in peeces his most precious bodie hauing no inducement of pleasure profit or credit to draw them vnto it but through meere vanitie or maliciousnesse whereby they are readie to gratifie the diuell by despiting God himselfe The souldiers are iustly taxed and reproued for parting but the garments of Iesus Christ and therefore how much more are they worthie of rebuke and punishment who diuide and teare in peeces his glorious and indiuisible person his manhood from his Godhead his soule from his bodie and all his blessed members one from another The Iewes grieuously sinned as all confesse in crucifying the Lord of life but these blasphemers sinne in diuers respects much more grieuously for they sinned of ignorance because they did not know him to be the promised Messias these of knowledge after they haue confessed and professed that hee is the Sauiour of mankinde they called vpon Pilate to haue him crucified these crucifie him themselues and in stead of crosse and nailes they rend him in peeces betweene their owne teeth they committed this sinne but once these innumerable times euerie day in the yeere euery houre in the day speaking no oftner then they do blaspheme they sinned against him in the state of humiliation when hee was but in the forme of a seruant these after hee is exalted to glorie and maiestie sitting at the right hand of God as the soueraigne Lord and Iudge of heauen and earth Many of them were pricked in conscience and repented of their sin at the hearing of one sermon Act. 3.17 these haue no sight sense nor remorse of their sinnes though their consciences haue been often conuinced in the ministerie of the word and though the Lord hath for many yeeres together granted them the meanes of their conuersion yet they continue in their sinne and in their hardnesse of heart As therefore they surpasse them in sinne so surely they shall exceede them in punishment and as it shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of iudgement then for the people of the Iewes so shall it bee easier for the Iewes at that day then for these blasphemers Thirdly we are to abhorre this vaine and prophane swearing §. Sect. 4. 3. Because vaine svvearing doth smother the chiefe graces of Gods spirit because it doth smother and choake in vs the chiefe graces of Gods spirit As for example inuocation and prayer for with what face can we presume in the time of want and affliction to call vpon that name for helpe which wee haue so often abused by prophane swearing So also faith in Christs merits for how can wee beleeue that Christs body was crucified for vs which we so often and despitefully crucifie vnto our selues afresh or that his blood shall wash away our sinnes which by impious and prophane swearing wee haue so often trampled vnder our feete as an vnholy thing making but a mocke of it It ouerthroweth also our affiance in Christ both in this life and at the day of iudgement for how can wee trust in him as our Sauiour whom we daylie despite as though he were our enemie how can wee when we are cited before the tribunall of Christ hold vp our heades with any assurance of fauour when as our consciences shall tell vs that we haue seldome remembred him but to blaspheme him and haue more often named him in our oathes then in our prayers Fourthly this vaine swearing is to be auoided §. Sect. 5. 4. Because this vice ill beseemeth a Christian 2. Col. 4.6 Ephes 4.29 because it is a vice which ill beseemeth those who make profession of Christianitie for a Christians speech should bee poudred with salt and not with oathes it should not bee vnsauorie and much lesse stincking and noysom it should minister grace to the hearers and not like a contagious leprosie infect the weake nor like thornes and swords vexe and grieue the strong For howsoeuer euill men can easilie passe it ouer when they heare Gods name dishonoured as being a thing which doth not at all concerne them yet if those who truely feare the Lord and bee zealous of his glorie heare these blasphemies their heart quaketh their ioynts tremble and their haire standeth vp an end as it is Eccl. 27.14 Moreouer it is an vndoubted badge and infallible note of a prophane person who maketh conscience of no sinne but would if he might with as little danger or discredit doe it commit any manner of wickednesse And hence it is that as Salomon maketh it a true note of a faithfull man to haue a reuerent respect of an oath so he pinneth it as a badge vpon the wicked mans sleeue Eccle. 9.2 that he maketh no conscience of customable swearing For as he parallelleth and opposeth the wicked to the iust the pure to the polluted the sinner to the good man so likwise the vsuall swearer to him that feareth an oath The reason is manifest for if neither Gods
ioyne consent of will nor approoue his theeuish courses neither yet doth intend any such thing in his gift but onely the safegard of his life And therefore this continuance in theeuing cōmeth to passe not simply through the gift of the true man but accidentally by reason of the theeues corruption and maliciousnesse who abuseth it vnto sinne And whereas it is further obiected that by swearing secrecie wee sinne because wee hereby indamage the Common wealth and indanger our neighbours to this I answer that this commeth to passe not simply through our secrecie for he might surcease his robbing being concealed and become a profitable member of the Common wealth but if at all it happen it is accidentally quite beside our scope and intention through his owne corruption and maliciousnesse who will not giue ouer his robbing Againe though it be a sinne simply to indamage the Common-wealth and to expose our neighbours vnto danger yet it is no sinne when in a lesser damage is contained a greater benefit Now by sweaing secrecie wee preserue our liues who are profitable members of the Common-wealth and it is a greater benefit to the bodie to preserue a sound and good member then to cut off such a member as is vnsound and rotten If indeede the question were of treason against our Prince and countrie then the obiection were of force for as much as the safegard of the Prince and State is much more highly to bee valued then the preseruing of our owne liues who are but particular members and priuate persons and therefore such an oath being pernicious to our countrie is not to be made to escape the danger of death or if through infirmitie we should yeeld vnto it wee ought not to performe it seeing it being vnlawfull doth not binde the conscience But to returne to our former question of concealing fellons I adde further that by refusing secrecie to saue our liues we shall not at all benefit the Common-wealth seeing their discouerie hereby is rather hindred then furthered for whilest wee liue it only standeth vpon the certaintie of our oath and resolution but being killed by them it becommeth in respect of our reuealing plainly impossible And we after a sort bring vpon the malefactor a kinde of wilfull necessitie of running into a more horrible sinne then he intendeth for where as if wee sweare secrecie he onely falleth into the sinne of theft by denying to keepe his counsell wee vrge him vpon the perill of his owne life to commit the fearfull sinne of murther and to defile himselfe with our innocent blood Neither doe we expose our neighbour vnto the like perill seeing by this secrecie wee intend not the danger of his life but the safegard of our owne of which if for denying secrecie wee suffer our selues to be depriued he is neuer the more priuiledged from danger yea rather he is in greater perill seeing the theefe who before only robbed is now also fleshed in blood Finally though it should be granted that through our secrecie our neighbour by accident should bee indangered yet this doth not make our oath vnlawfull seeing we are to preferre the auoiding of our owne certaine death before the securing of our neighbour from vncertaine perill The fifth question is like vnto the former §. Sect. 11. Whether oaths made through errour do bind the conscience and therefore needeth no long answere namely whether oathes made through error and wrested from vs by deceit and fraud doe binde the conscience vnto performance I answere briefly that they do bind vs if the things we promise by such oathes be lawfull and in our power A plaine example whereof wee haue in the oath which Iosua and the Princes of Israel made vnto the Gibeonites Ios 9.9.15.18 to the making wherof they were drawn by their subtiltie quite against their purpose and meaning which oath for the reuerence of Gods glorious name Iosua and the Princes performed and afterwards being violated by Saul 2. Sam. 21.1.8 it was seuerely punished by God with a grieuous famine and the destruction of seuen of Sauls posteritie The sixth question is §. Sect. 12. VVhether an oath made by the creatures or Idols bind the conscience whether an oath made by the creatures or by Idols and false gods bindeth the conscience To this I answere that such oathes bind the swearer to performance Concerning oathes by the creatures it is apparant seeing it is the question which was betweene Christ and the Pharises for they held that such oathes did not binde to performance but our Sauiour affirmeth the contrarie and yeeldeth this reason because they who sweare by the creatures sweare indirectly by God himselfe Matth. 5.34.35 and 23.21 Qei super lapidem salsum iurat periurus est c. Non te audit lapis loquentem sed punit Deus te fallentem Tom. 10. serm 28. there remaining in them some resemblances of his power and Maiestie Heauen is his throne the earth his footstoole Ierusalem his citie the Temple his house To the same purpose Austine saith that he who sweareth falsly by a stone is periured and that howsoeuer that is not holy by which hee sweareth yet the Lord is holy before whom he sweareth and therfore though the stone heareth him not speake yet God will punish him if he doe deceiue To conclude our simple promise would bind vs to performance and therefore much more being confirmed by an oath The like may bee said of oathes made by Idols §. Sect. 13. Of oathes made by Idols and salse gods and false gods for howsoeuer it is vnlawfull to sweare by them yet whosoeuer hath sworne by them as by true gods he is bound to performe his promise not for the Idols sake but for Gods sake before whom he sweareth not because they are true gods indeed but in that they are so in the swearers opinion and therefore the Turke swearing by Mahomet is periured if he doe not performe his oath and so likewise the Papists swearing by the Idoll of the Masse The seuenth question is whether oathes made in societies and companies to maintaine their statutes and orders §. Sect. 14. Of oathes made in societies and how farre forth they bind the conscience doe bind the conscience and whether those who sweare to such orders are periured if they doe not obserue them To which I answere that amongst these statutes there are some absolute requiring simple obedience some penall and conditionall requiring either performance or submission to vndergoe the mulct and punishment some substantiall and essentiall which are the fundamentall lawes and orders vpon the performance whereof the good continuance and being of the corporation is grounded which being obeyed the societie is preserued but being broken and violated it is ouerthrowne and destroyed Others are ceremoniall tending onely to order and decencie and rather for ornament then for necessitie Now as the lawgiuers require simple and absolute obedience vnto the former kind namely
legib Periurij poena diuina exitium humana dedecus Diuine punishment inflicted vpon periured persons for their false swearing is destruction humane is shame and discredit And this is that punishment which both the Ciuill and Canon law imposed vpon such namely that if they were taken with this fault they should for euer bee so disabled in their credit and reputation that they might not be admitted to be witnesses and to giue testimonie either in their owne or other mens causes in any iudicial proceedings The which punishment was in Gods righteous iudgement inflicted in some proportion according to the qualitie of their sinne for whereas they to grace themselues in their vntruths care not as much as in them lieth to dishonour God by deriuing the imputation of fraud and deceit vpon him whom they inuocate as a witnesse of their lies God iustly meeteth with them and returneth the infamie and reproch vpon their owne heads Besides which punishment of infamie § Sect. 2. Other punishments of periurie the same lawes impose others vpon him that commits this sin as that he shall be depriued of all Ecclesiasticall preferments and dignities if he possesse them and not be admitted either into the Ministerie or gouernment of the Church That likewise he shall be dispoiled of all ciuill aduancement so as he shall not bee admitted vnto any such preferment nor reentred after he is displaced Besides which punishments in name and state they determine that he should be punished as a common cosener and be either beaten with cudgels and staues or exiled and banished or if it were in capitall matters and concerned the life of his neighbour he should be punished with death it selfe according to the law of God in that case prouided Deut. 19.19 The which punishment of death was inflicted vpon all among the Egyptians Patric lib. 5. tit 5. who were conuicted of wilful periurie vpon any cause whatsoeuer as Patricius recordeth But because these humane punishments are not alwaies inflicted vpon the offenders §. Sect. 3. How the Lord himselfe punisheth periurie either because their sinne being cunningly or closely acted is not discouered or through their negligence and want of zeale for Gods glorie who haue the sole authoritie to see the lawes executed therefore the Lord himselfe oftentimes taketh his owne cause into his owne hand and howsoeuer men wincke at and acquit them yet he holdeth them not guiltlesse who thus by their periurie prophane pollute his holy name And because his glory which is by this sin impeached is most deare vnto him therfore the Lord doth seuerely punish those who thus offend both with temporarie and eternall punishments in themselues and also in their posteritie as the Poet well obserued In prolemdilata ruunt periuria patris Et poenam merito filius ore luit Claudianus in Curctium And as this sin of periurie is in an extraordinarie sort abominable in Gods sight so doth he punish it with extraordinarie plagues and besides those vsuall punishments which are common to all offenders he hath inflicted vpon periured persons such fearefull iudgements from time to time which haue been so fitte and proportionable to the sinne that one might reade their offence written in their punishment as it were in great text letters set ouer their heads And thus did the Lord punish the breach of the couenant made with the Gibeonites and confirmed by oath with three yeeres famine and with the death of seuen of Sauls posteritie who had violated this oath 2. Sam. 21. and that not in a secret manner but openly declaring what was the sinne for which hee inflicted these punishments So because Zedechia broke the oath of the Lord which hee had made vnto Nebucadnezer hee had his sonnes slaine before his face and that hee might neuer behold cause of comfort after this sad spectacle his eyes were presently put out and he being bound with chaines was led captiue vnto Babylon where he slauishly liued and died wretchedly all which punishments were inflicted vpon him principally for his periurie Ezech. 17.15 as appeareth Ezech. 17.15.16.18.19 Besides which temporall punishments the Lord inflicteth vpon such as thus offend §. Sect. 4. God punisheth periurie with spirituall punishments and eternall death those which are spirituall and eternall for he hath denounced against them his fearfull curse which shall light so heauie vpon the periured person that it shall not onely destroy him and his posteritie but shall euen consume his house with the timber and stones thereof as appeareth Zach. 5.4 Zach. 5.4 And after this life if the flame of Gods wrath in the meane while be not quenched with the teares of vnfained repentance it shall burne hot against him kindling and preparing for him the fire of hell in which he shall bee eternally tormented for if the liar hath his portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Apoc. 21.8 as it is Apoc. 21.8 then much more the periured person who confirmeth his lies by an oath calling God himselfe to be not onely a witnesse and suretie but also a Iudge to auenge his falshood shall with the intollerable waight of this outragious sinne be suncke into the deepest bottome of this hellish condemnation And thus haue I shewed the lawfull vse of an oath §. Sect. 5. The conclusion of this treatise and also how it is abused both by vaine swearing and impious forswearing and withall haue propounded many reasons and arguments which may serue as wholsome preseruatiues to keepe those who haue any feare of God from falling into these sinnes or as profitable medicines to cure them of these dangerous diseases of the soule if alreadie they haue seazed on them Now as I heartily pray vnto God that all who shall reade this treatise and all other who professe the name of Christ may by these and such like reasons made effectuall by his grace and powerfull working of his holie Spirit bee brought both to a forsaking and also to an vtter hatred and detestation of these sinnes so with all humble earnestnesse I intreate our Magistrates and Gouernours who are as Gods deputies and Lieutenants set amongst vs to execute his righteous iudgements that they will in feruent zeale to Gods glorie whose person they doe sustaine as being pettie gods vpon earth not onely carefully reforme themselues of these vices whereby Gods holie name is polluted both in their owne particular and as they are examples vnto others but also that they would wisely enact and diligently execute such wholsome lawes as may restraine or seuerely punish these grosse abuses of vaine swearing and impious forswearing which in these times so commonly raigne amongst vs. That hereby they may shew and approne themselues truly religious in that they are carefull not only to suppresse such abuses and sins as tend to the hurt of their countrie and Common-wealth or to the damage and hindrance of particular subiects for
constrained in their old age to drinke water So it is said Prou. 21.17 He that loueth pastime shall be but a poore man and he that loueth wine and oyle shall not be rich And Pro. 23.21 Pro. 21.17.23.21 The drunkard and the glutton shal be poore and the sleeper shall be clothed with rags And these §. Sect. 6. The drunkard sinneth against his seuerall parts and first against his soule with many more euils this vice bringeth to the whole man Besides which common mischiefes it is also pernitious to his seuerall parts for first it infatuateth the vnderstanding peruerteth the will and corrupteth all the affections To this purpose one saith Vbi regnat ebrietas ratio exulat intellectus obtunditur consilia deuiant iudicia subuertuntur Where drunkennesse raigneth as King there reason is banished as an exile the vnderstanding is dulled counsell wandreth and iudgement is ouerthrowne With this accordeth Seneca his definition of drunkennesse Nihil aliud est ebrietas quà m voluntaria insania Drunkennesse is nothing else but a voluntarie madnesse Extende in plures dies illum ebrium habitum nunquid de furore dubitabis If this drunken habite bee continued for many daies together who would make any doubt but that the partie were out of his wits Nunc quoque non est minor sed breuior But take it as it is and it is no lesse madnesse then frenzie but only shorter Although then drunkennesse be not direct madnesse yet to speake the best it is a temporarie forfeiture of the wits and in this it must needes be confessed to be worse then frenzie in that this is violent that voluntarie this the euill of punishment but that the euill of sinne Yea this vice doth not only rob men of reason but also of common sense so as they can neither preuent future danger nor feele present smart And this the Wise man in liuely manner expresseth Prou. 23.24 where hee saith Prou. 23.34.35 that the drunkard shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea and as he that sleepeth in the top of the mast 35. They haue stricken me shall he say but I was not sicke they haue beaten me but I knew not when I awoke therefore I will seeke it yet still A notable example hereof wee haue in Lot who was so besotted with drinke and depriued of sense and reason that vnwittingly he committed incest with his owne daughters Gen. 19.35 neither knowing when they lay downe nor when they rose vp So that whilest drunkennesse lasteth it hath the same operation with deadly poison for it intoxicateth the braine benummeth the senses infeebleth the ioints and sinewes and bringeth a man into a temporarie lethargie Hence it is that Cyrus in his childhood being asked by his grandfather Astiages Xenoph. in padia Cyri. lib. 1. why at the feast hee did not drinke wine returned this answere full of wittie simplicitie Because said he I tooke it to bee poison for at the last feast I obserued that those who drunke of it were soone after depriued of their vnderstanding and senses Whereby appeareth the odiousnesse of this sinne for if it bee a hatefull thing for a man to wound his owne flesh and wilfully to maime the members of his bodie how abominable is it to wound the minde it selfe and to offer violence against our reason and vnderstanding If it be a crime to offer violence against the subiects then surely to lay violent hands vpon the King himselfe and to pull him out of his regall throne must needes be condemned as outragious wickednesse And thus the drunkard sinneth against his owne soule §. Sect. 7. How the drunkard sinneth against his body 1. by deforming it Propert. lib. 2. eleg vlt. Neither is he a better friend or lesse iniurious to his bodie for first he deformeth it and defaceth that goodly feature in which it was created according to that Vino forma perit vino corrumpitur aetas By wine beautie perisheth and the vigour of age is disabled Neither is there almost any part of the bodie which is not disordered and deformed with this vice of drunkennesse their eyes become red their face is inflamed their breath noisome their speech stammering their bodies staggering their gestures apish and all their actions foolish And hence it was that the Lacedemonians vsed to shew vnto their children their Helots and slaues in the time of their drunkennesse thinking that their vgly deformitie both in bodie and minde would be an effectuall argument to make them lothe this vice which euen at the first view shewed so odious Secondly §. Sect. 8. 2. It disableth and weakneth the bodie as it deformeth the bodie so also it disableth it turning strength into weaknesse and health into sicknesse For as the earth it selfe with too much moisture is turned into bogges and quagmires so also is the bodie thereby wholly corrupted and through the redundance of humours the naturall heate being extinguished is brought vnto grieuous diseases as dropsies gouts palsies apoplexie and such like So that euen in this respect the drunkard buyeth his beastly pleasure at a high rate Senec. epist 59. for as one saith Ebrietas vnius horae hilaram insaniam longi temporis taedio pensat Drunkennesse requiteth one houres merry madnesse with a long and tedious time of sorrow and repentance As therefore sobrietie and temperance is the best nurse to preserue health and continue strength so drunkennesse excesse and surfetting are the speediest meanes to ouerthrow thē and the readiest way which a man can take to come with posting haste to immature age and vnnaturall weaknes Lastly it shortneth the life and bringeth vntimely death §. Sect. 9. Drunkennesse shorteneth the life and bringeth vntimely death For to say nothing of those dangers vnto which they expose themselues by quarelling and brauling in the time of their drunkennes in which many haue perished and to passe them ouer who hauing lost the sterne of reason wherewith they should guide themselues haue as it were dashed against vnhappie accidents and so made shipwrack of their liues some on the land some in the water some in the streetes and some in the ditches how many are there who haue drunke themselues dead and haue presently died with the weapon as it were in their bellie so that there needed not any Iurie to go vpon them to finde out the cause of their death it being no more sudden then the cause apparant Whose deaths charitie it selfe must needes iudge most miserable seeing they die in their sins and are taken away in Gods iust wrath euen whilest they are sacrificing their soules vnto Satan But yet small is the number of those who perish in this apoplexie of drunkennesse in comparison of those multitudes whom it linggringly consumeth for it doth by little and little quench the naturall heate and drowne the vitall spirits and so leadeth men though not by so direct a passage yet but a little way
2. The speciall meanes to preserue vs from the sin of drunkennesse let vs set before vs in a generall view the hainousnes thereof and the manifold euils and mischiefes which doe accompanie it of which I haue alreadie spoken as that it is a vice condemned by God and men Christians and Infidels that thereby wee grieuouslie offend God by making our bellies our god by vnfitting and disabling our selues for his seruice by abusing his good creatures which with a plentifull hand hee hath bestowed vpon vs the necessarie vse whereof many better then wee want that thereby we sin in a high degree against our neighbours generally and particularly against the whole Church and common-wealth strangers and familiar acquaintance and most of all against their owne familie that we hereby most grieuously sinne against our selues by making vs vnfit for our callings and for the performance of all good duties by disgracing our profession and bringing our selues into contempt by making our selues the voluntarie slaues of this vice by impouerishing our state and bringing vpon vs want and beggerie by infatuating our vnderstandings and corrupting our wills and affections by deforming disabling weakening and destroying our bodies and bringing our selues to vntimely death by excluding our selues out of the number of Christs members and of those who are regenerate by quenching the gifts of the spirit and strengthening the flesh and the lusts thereof by causing our soules to bee possessed with finall impenitencie which is inseparably accompanied with eternall damnation Let vs also remember that as in it selfe it is most sinfull so also it is a cause of other sinnes and a fruitfull mother of all wickednesse as of the manifold and horrible abuses of the tongue of manie wicked and outragious actions and particularly of those fearefull sinnes of murther and adulterie Let vs also call to minde that as it is the cause of sinne so also of many heauie and grieuous punishments for it maketh a man liable to a fearefull woe and Gods heauie curse it subiecteth his name to infamie and reproch his state to beggerie his bodie to diseases and immature death his soule to senselesse sottishnesse and depriuing the whole man of the ioyes of heauen entreth him into the possession of eternall hellish torments All which being duelie considered may mooue any who hath not onely any dram of religion but euen any naturall reason or but common sense to hate and abhorre leaue and forsake this brutish sinne which being odiously wicked in it selfe is also the cause of so innumerable mischiefes For if those who being diseased with the dropsie will when they are aduised by the wise and faithfull Physition restraine their appetite and refraine from much drinking though by reason of their disease they are continually tormented with an insatiable thirst and that onely to recouer bodilie health and to preserue for a while their temporarie life in the meane time hauing no assurance of attaining vnto their end with all this paines then how much more should those who haue been formerly addicted to this sinne of drunkennesse bridle their appetite and abstaine from excessiue drinking although through their accustomable carousing they haue brought vpon themselues such a necessitie of drinking that it is a torment to forbeare seeing so innumerable euils doe necessarilie accompanie it both in this life and in the life to come which are much more earnestly to bee auoided then many deaths Lastly § Sect. 3. The last means is to auoid the companie of drunkards they who would willingly reclaime themselues from this vice of excessiue drinking must carefully auoide the companie of drunkards And vnto this the wise man perswadeth vs Prou. 23.20 Keepe not companie with drunkards nor with gluttons Prou. 23.20 And the Apostle chargeth vs that if one who is a brother be charged to be a drunkard we should not so much as eate with him 1. Cor. 5.11 1. Cor. 5.11 For if they still haunt this wicked societie after they are recouered of this disease they will easilie through this cōtagious fellowship be againe tainted and fall into a fearefull relapse of their sinne for they will not onely allure them by their example but also draw them with the pretended bond of good fellowship yea vrge and prouoke them with challenges to answere them in their carouses and sometimes with vnkindnes taken and threats of reuenge if they doe refuse and if all this will not mooue them to reenter into their old course they will not sticke after an impudent and impious manner to gibe and scoffe at their new reformation and to lay vpon them the imputation of too austere precisenesse in that they will not follow the practise of their old companions The which motiue although it be of no true force in it selfe yet is there no small strength ministred vnto it by our corruptions for the foiling and ouerthrowing of new conuerts for howsoeuer the wicked are bold in sinne and care not in what companie almost they act their impietie if it bee not within danger of law yet those who haue not receiued a great measure of grace are bashfull and loth to bee seene in any vnaccustomed goodnesse and as if it were some blemish vnto them they are readie to blush if more then ordinarie pietie be laid to their charge or if wicked men doe accuse them of being too religious And thus much I thought good to speake of the sinne of drunkennesse §. Sect. 4. The conclusion of this treatise both to perswade all men to abhorre this vice who are not ouertaken therwith and to disswade those who haue defiled themselues by wallowing in this filthie puddle from persisting in this brutish course The Lord make that which hath been said effectuall to these ends that wee may not only performe the duties of pietie towards him and the duties of righteousnes towards our neighbours but also the duties of temperance and sobrietie toward our selues that so by our Christian liues and conuersation God may bee glorified our brethren edified and we more and more assured of our inheritance amongst Gods Saints in heauen when as we liue as it becommeth his children and seruants here on earth The which grace the God of grace and goodnes vouchsafe vnto vs for his Christs sake to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be al praise and glorie now and for euermore Amen FINIS A TREATISE AGAINST FORNICATION AND ADVLTERIE WHEREIN IS SHEWED THE hainousnes of these sins the grieuousnes of their punishments and the meanes whereby we may be preserued from them CHAP. I. The sins of the people indanger the Common-wealth AS when the great bodie of the Common-wealth is throughlie purged from the noisome dregs of sinne §. Sect. 1. The sins of the people cause the land to vomit out her inhabitants wherewith it is oppressed and surcharged it sucketh plentifully and as it were with a good appetite Gods liberall gifts and blessings like wholesome food the which
assault and encounter the spirit and the fruites thereof Gal. 5.19 Gal. 5.19 The workes of the flesh are manifest which are adulterie fornication vncleannes wantonnes The which corruptions wee are especially commanded to mortifie and subdue Col. 3.5 Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are vpon earth fornication vncleannes the inordinate affection and euill concupiscence 1. Pet. 2.11 And not without great cause are we to imploy our chiefe strength in mortifying and subduing these filthie lusts of the flesh seeing as the Apostle telleth vs they fight against our soules and therfore if we doe not incounter them they will assault vs if wee doe not master and ouercome them they will surely giue vs a shamefull ouerthrow they are fruites of the flesh and notable signes of vnregeneration which stoppeth the entrance into Gods kingdome for except we bee borne againe wee shall not enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3.3 Ioh. 3.3 And as they dispossesse vs of our heauenly patrimonie so they enter vs into the certaine possession of the hellish inheritance for they who walke after the flesh in fulfilling the lusts thereof they are not in Christ Rom. 8.1.13 and consequently haue not escaped condemnation yea whosoeuer liue after the flesh they shall die euen the spirituall death of bodie and soule If therefore wee would not march in the rancke of the vnregenerate and fight vnder the conduct of the flesh whose victorie is our vtter ouerthrow and destruction if we loue eternall life or feare euerlasting death and condemnation in the hellish torments let vs not nourish these filthie lusts but vse our best meanes and imploy our strongest forces and most earnest endeuours to mortifie and subdue them CHAP. IIII. That the fornicatour sinneth many waies and first in respect of God THe fourth reason to restraine all men from the sinnes of fornication and vncleannes §. Sect. 7. That the sinnes of vncleannes are hainously euill is because they are hainously euill there being no respect or relation of euill to bee named which is not coincident and inseparably ioyned with these vices For whereas all kinde of euill may be reduced to two heads as being either the euill of sinne or the euill of punishment this sinne of fornication compriseth them both like an euill yet fruitfull tree bearing both the sommer fruite of sinne and the autumne and after fruite of punishment First that it is out of measure sinfull it may hereby appeare in that it is not only in it selfe a grieuous sin but also like a wicked mother onely fruitfull in wicked and monstrous births it bringeth forth many other kindes of wickednesse which resemble the parent in their malignant nature and qualitie so as they may be easily knowne to be of her ofspring and progenie The grieuousnes of this sinne being simply considered in it selfe is hereby manifest in that whereas there is but a threefold relation of sinne either as it is committed against God our neighbour or our selues this sinne alone comprehendeth them all and that in many and almost innumerable respects First the fornicatour grieuously sinneth against God §. Sect. 2. The fornicator sinneth against God by dishonoring him directly and immediatly when as professing himselfe a Christian and consequently one of Gods familie he by polluting and defiling his bodie dishonours his Lord and father for if mortall men who stand vpon their credit doe count it a great iniurie and disgrace to themselues when as a seruant of their familie is defiled and much more when their owne daughters are polluted with filthie whoredome then how much more doth the Lord detest this vncleannes which redoundeth to the dishonour of his holy name when as it is committed not onely by a common subiect vnder his dominion but by a speciall seruant of his familie yea by such as would be reputed in the number of his children And this was a principall argument which aggrauated the filthinesse of Sichem and Ammon Gen. 34.7 2. Sam. 13.12.13 because they committed this villanie or follie in Israel that is in the Church and familie of God which in a peculiar manner he had chosen and sanctified vnto himselfe and this also made Dauids grieuous sinne much more hainous because being committed by him who had professed and approued himselfe to be the seruant and sonne of God it greatly tended to Gods dishonour in that it caused the enemies of his trueth to blaspheme as appeareth 2. Sam. 12.14 2. Sam. 11.14 Secondly §. Sect. 3. Secondly the fornicator offendeth God by resisting his vvill the fornicatour sinneth grieuously against God by resisting his reuealed and knowne will for the Lords will is that being sanctified we should abstaine from fornication and that euery one should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God 1. Thes 4 3. as appeareth 1. Thes 4.3.4.5 It is the will of God that wee should bee prepared as pure brides for his sonne Christ Ephes 5.27 not hauing any spot or wrinckle holie and without blame Yea so far off shuld we be from defiling of our bodies Ephes 5.3 by committing these sins of vncleannesse that hee would not haue vs so much as to defile our tongues by once naming of them with the least approbation or delight Whosoeuer therefore perpetrate and commit these works of darkenesse they contumaciouslie resist the will of God the which their rebellion is so much the more intollerable because they disobey the Lord to obey their owne filthy lusts and rebell against their supreme Soueraigne to pleasure and gratifie their slauish base and brutish affections Thirdly §. Sect. 4. 3. Fornicators sinne against God by subuerting mariage which is his own ordinance whoremongers sinne hainouslie against God by subuerting and destroying marriage which is Gods holy ordinance instituted by the Lord himselfe in Paradise that it might be the only lawful meanes of propagating his Church and people and to preserue them from being defiled with filthie lusts and inordinate concupiscence For they who spend their strength vpon harlots Gen. 2 24. Mal. 2.15 1. Cor. 7.2 disable themselues for lawfull marriage they who loue the stewes loathe the mariage bed and if the heart be inueigled with the inticing allurements of filthie strumpets they will neuer desire a lawfull wife but the mariage yoke vnto such is an intollerable burthen Qui amant agrè sibi serunt vxorem dari inquit Comicus and they seeme to themselues to indure a miserable thraldome and to bee depriued whollie of their libertie when as being inseparablie ioyned with a yokefellow they are restrained from running into lawlesse licentiousnesse And because they are in loue with their spirituall diseases of vncleannesse therefore they hate the cure and abhorre marriage the remedie of their sinne §. Sect. 5. Fornicators sin against euery person in the Deity and first
maligne his person must bee exposed to all dangers in reuenge of her quarrell That I may say nothing of his continuall hopes feares despaire griefe ielousies quarrels truces wherewith he is no otherwise tormented then if hee were daily vpon a torturing rack sauing that himselfe chuseth his tormentor and voluntarily indureth this hellish punishment In which respect this sinne of vncleannes is by one compared to an infernall fire Hierom. O ignis infernalis luxuria cuius materia gula c. whose matter or nourishment is gluttonie and drunkennesse the flame burning lust the sparkles corrupt speeches and filthie communication the smoke infamie and disgrace the ashes vncleane filthinesse and the end hell torments Neither are base and effeminate men onely subiect to this tyrannical slauerie but euen the most strong and valiant §. Sect. 6. That the most vvise and valiant become slaues to their harlots being first conquered vvith their owne lusts the wisest and best qualified are in no better case when they haue giuen themselues ouer to bee ruled with their filthie affections for to say nothing of the thrice valiant Hercules who hauing vanquished many monsters was afterwards made through the violence of his lusts a base slaue to Omphale and changed his club and lions skinne into a spindle and distaffe receiuing his worke by taske among her maides nor of Sardanapalus the great king of Assyria who was so basely inthralled with his lusts that he vsed to weare womens apparrell and to spinne amongst his harlots the Scriptures themselues doe offer vnto vs two notable examples the one of the strongest the other of the wisest amongst meere men who being first made slaues to their owne lusts were afterwards subiected in the basest thraldome vnto their concubines and harlots The strong Sampson who with the iaw bone of an asse slew a 1000. men was so basely deuoted to the harlot Dalilah that when he was bewitched with her allurements he could not conceale from her his chief secret which imported him no lesse then his life though he had often experience of her treacherie falsehood And Salomon so much admired for his wisedome was so besotted vpon his wiues and concubines that they withdrew his heart from God who had inriched him aboue all other with his gratious benefits and inticed him to ioyne with them in their grosse idolatry So that no strength is able to incounter the violence of these fleshly lusts no wisdome can priuiledge men from being deluded and abused with the cunning wiles of these filthie harlots Thirdlie §. Sect. 7. God punisheth the fornicators bodie vvith lothsome diseases God punisheth the fornicator in his bodie with grieuous sicknesses and lothsome diseases for so wisely hath he ordred it by his wisdome and prouidence that they who who will taste the honie of this sinne shall also feele the sting of punishment for it spendeth the vitall spirits consumeth and extinguisheth the naturall heate and moisture which are the onely preseruers of health strength and life whereof followeth the corruption of the blood dissolution of the sinewes rottennes of the marrow aches in the ioynts cruditie in stomacke paine in the head lamenesse in the limnes gouts palsies and innumerable diseases Besides all which naturall and ordinarie sicknesses and infirmities the Lord hath of late punished this sinne with that most lothsome and desperate disease which is so odious euen to carnall men that all nations are ashamed to owne it whereof it is that it is diuerslie called by diuers people as the Neapolitan Indian and French disease which was neuer heard of in the daies of our ancestours till men in an vnusal manner multiplying their filthie lusts the Lord not much aboue an hundred yeeres-since brought vpon them this vnusuall punishment which is now growne almost as common as the sinne The consideration whereof should mooue all-men whose liues are more deere vnto them then their lusts and whose health and strength is more valued then a short and brutish pleasure to leaue this sin and loath these harlots who in this respect may not vnfitly bee compared to sweete but poysonous potions which delight in the taste but kill in the disgestion or vnto bandogs sauing that these hurt by fighting they by fauning these wound with biting they with kissing and wanton dalliance Or like the Iuie which whilest it seemeth louingly to imbrace the tree adioyning sucketh from it the naturall sap and moisture and so causeth it to rot and perish Lastly §. Sect. 8. God punisheth fornicators in their posteritie as the Lord punisheth this sinne in the fornicators themselues in regard of their owne person so also in respect of their posteritie As sometimes he punisheth them with barrennesse whereby their offpring is vtterly cut off and as it were dried in the spring according to the saying of the Prophet Hos 4.10 They shall commit whoredome and not increase Hos 4.10 Sometimes he visiteth the sinnes of these fornicators in their vncleane issue and pulleth them vp as soone as they begin to take roote because such pernicious weedes are not fit to cumber his Church or common-wealth In which respect Iob calleth whoredome a sire which deuoureth to destruction Iob 31.12 and wholly rooteth out a mans increase With which accordeth the saying of the sonne of Syrach namely that the harlots children shall not take roote nor her branches bring footh fruite Eccles 23.25 And if they liue and continue vpon the earth the Lord commonly giueth them ouer to patrizate and follow the father in his sinnes so as vsually the whorish issue may bee no more easily knowne by resembling their parents in their face and countenance then in their leaud liues and vnchaste conuersation CHAP. XI Of the spirituall punishments which God inflicteth vpon fornicators ANd these are the temporall punishments which are inflicted vpon fornicators §. Sect. 1. God subiecteth fornicators to his fierce vvrath besides which the Lord imposeth vpon them many spirituall iudgements as first he subiecteth them to his wrath and heauie displeasure as the Apostle witnesseth Ephes 5.3.6 where he saith Ephes 5.3.6 that for these sinnes of fornication vncleannesse and such enormous crimes commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience and therefore it behooueth vs to mortifie these earthly lusts Col. 3.5.6 as he exhorteth vs Col. 3.5.6 that we may not incurre the heauie displeasure of our dread Lord and Soueraigne for if we feare to prouoke against vs the iust wrath of an earthly prince because in the light of his countenance is life Prou. 16.14.15 and 20.2 and his fauour is as a cloud of the latter rame whereas contrariwise the feare of a king is like the roring of a lion and his wrath is as the messengers of death then how much more should wee auoide those sinnes which prouoke the heauie wrath of the king of kings whose voice is like the dreadfull thunder and whose wrath causeth death eternall of
neither doth our Soueraigne Lord and supreame Iudge take the execution of iustice into his owne hands but when it is neglected by his inferiour and earthly officers Whereas contrariwise when Magistrates sleepe and wincke at enormous crimes then the Lord especially watcheth and beholdeth them when as their sword of iustice most rusteth in the scabberd then is the Lord most readie to draw out the terrible sword of his fearce vengeance whereby he destroyeth both the wicked people and the negligent Magistrates CHAP. XIII Of the eternall punishments which God inflicteth vpon fornicators ANd these are the temporall punishments which the Lord inflicteth both vpon priuate persons §. Sect. 1. 1 God depriueth them for this sin of the ioyes of heauen and whole common-wealthes for this sinne of whoredome the which although they are many and grieuous yet are they nothing in comparison of those eternall punishments which hee hath prepared for those who are guiltie of this crime in the life to come For first whereas our chiefe happinesse shall then principally consist in the fruition of God because hee is infinite in all goodnesse and perfection and in an vnspeakeable and vnmeasurable degree comprehendeth in himselfe alone al that vertue excellence delight comfort and whatsoeuer good thing may be desired either for the inflaming of our loue or the perfecting of our ioy with which if wee compare all the goodnesse and excellence of the creatures which either haue beene are or shall bee they are altogether incomparably lesse then the least drop in respect of the maine ocean and then the smallest graine of sand in comparison of the whole globe of the earth this sin of whordome doth exclude vs for euer out of his presence in which is fulnes of ioy and casteth vs into an euerlasting banishment out of his heauenly kingdome So the Apostle telleth vs That neither fornicators 1. Cor. 6.9 nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers c. shall inherit the kingdome of God And that dogs inchanters whoremongers Apoc. 22.15 murtherers and such outragious sinners shall bee shut out of the gates of the new Ierusalem If therefore banishment out of our earthly countrie bee accounted such a heauie punishment that euery one carefully auoideth such faults as may deserue it the which in truth in comparison is but a temporarie changing of the place of our exile the whole world being but a place of banishment from our heauenly countrie how much more carefully should we auoide these sinnes of vncleannes which will cause vs to be eternally banished out of our heauenly countrie which containeth in it such ioyes that in respect thereof the most pleasant princely palace on earth is but an irksome prison and most vncomfortable dungeon and the greatest worldly ioyes that can be thought on but like tedious griefes and bitter torments If it be such a grieuous punishment to bee exiled out of our natiue soile into a forraine countrie where perhaps wee shall haue not much lesse ioy and comfort nor much more cause of griefe and sorrow and where we shall spend when it is at the longest a momentarie and when it is at the best a wretched and miserable life and afterwards haue as readie and short a passage into our heauenly countrie where all ioy and happinesse attend vs as if we still remained at our natiue home then how much more grieuous is it to bee banished out of our new Ierusalem where there is all comfort without mixture of discontent and all blessednes without the least griefe or miserie and that not for a momentanie life but for euer and euer And yet this is but the one half of their miserie which they shall then indure §. Sect. 2. Fornicators shall be cast into hell fire For well were it with them if they might become like the beasts which perish and that hauing lead a brutish life they might also die a beastly death feeling neither weale nor woe after their departure but their condition shall be much more miserable for as they shall lose the comfort of Gods presence so they shall finde the horrour of the cursed fellowship with the diuels and damned spirits as they shall be dispossessed and depriued of the ioyes of heauen and of all that blessednesse which is prepared for the Saints who haue kept their vessels in puritie and holinesse so shall they haue their portion in the hellish torments in vtter darknesse prepared for the diuell and his angels For among many other wicked sinners whoremongers shall haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death as the holie Ghost telleth vs Apoc 21.8 Apoc. 21.8 And therefore as one naile driueth out another so should the remembrance of the fire of hell extinguish the flames of lusts kindled in mens hearts and the consideration of these intollerable and euerlasting torments should restraine men from those short vaine and sensuall pleasures which are the causes and forerunners of them August de honest mulier Cap 3. Tom. 9. For as Augustine saith Citò praeterit quod delectat permanet sine fine quod eruciat The pleasure of lust which for the time delighteth doth soone vanish but the paines of hell into which they plunge vs doe continue for euermore CHAP. XIIII The obiection of fornicatours answered who excuse their sinne vnder the pretence of marriage ANd thus haue I shewed the manifold and grieuous punishments which the Lord inflicteth vpon whoremongers and vncleane persons both in this life and the life to come Now in the last place it remaineth that I answer briefly an obiection or excuse which is commonly made by fornicatours of the better sort whereby they thinke themselues acquitted from the guilt of sinne and priuiledged from all danger of punishment namely that they are purposed before they commit this follie to marrie the partie whom they haue defiled and so to make amends for the fault committed To which I answer that howsoeuer this is the best course which they can take after they haue fallen into this sinne if it be ioyned with serious and sound repentance yet it is no argument to incourage any to commit this wickednesse vnder this colour and pretence For howsoeuer they be resolued to marrie the partie yet in the meane while they grieuously sinne against God themselues the partie defiled and the fruite of their owne bodie They sinne against God not only by committing fornication but also by making whoredome their passage and entrance into his holy ordinance of mariage and so hauing offered their first fruits and the prime of their strength vnto Satan and their owne filthie lusts they reserue for God the remainder and as it were their leauings They abuse themselues by imagining that they can by mariage satisfie for their sinne and so securely passe it ouer without repentance whereas in truth there is no other meanes to wash their defiled bodies and soules from the pollution
that both body and soule may be saued And these are the things required in iust and holy anger which if we obserue our anger will be not onely lawfull but also necessary both for the setting forth of the glory of God and also for the good of our selues and of our neighbours CHAP. II. Of vniust Anger ANd so much for the first part of my text Sect. 1. wherein iust anger is commaunded now I am to speake of vniust anger forbidden in the words following but sinne not that is by falling into corrupt and vniust anger Vniust anger condemned as a great sinne Which vicious affection is not onely here condemned but also in other places of the Scripture as in the 31. verse of this Chapter Let all bitternesse Colos 3.8 and anger and wrath and euill speaking bee put away from you with all maliciousnesse So Col. 3.8 Put ye away all these things Gal. 5.20.21 wrath anger maliciousnesse c. and in the 5. Chapter of the Galathians verse 20.21 it is reckoned among the workes of the flesh which who so follow shall not inherit the kingdome of God It is forbidden also in the sixt commaundement vnder the name of murther both be cause it is the chiefe meanes and cause which moueth men therevnto as also because it is the murther of the hart and therfore murther in truth in Gods sight who more respecteth the hart then the hands for a man may be innocent before him though his hands haue slaine his neighbour if his hart haue not consented therevnto as appeareth in the old law where Cities of refuge were appointed for such by the Lords owne commandement but if the hart haue consented and desired any way to violate the person of our neighbor which vniust anger alwaies affecteth though our hands are free from the act we are guiltie of murther in the sight of God And this our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs in the exposition of the sixt commandement Mat. 5.22 Mat. 5.22 Whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly is culpable of iudgement By these places it is euident that anger is forbidden condemned as a great sinne and therefore it is to be auoyded of vs as a most dangerous enimie to our soules health The generality of this vice of vniust anger Which that we may performe with so much the more vigilant care Let vs further consider that this vice is generally incident to all by reason of our naturall corruption so that there is none so yong nor any so old none so wise nor any so foolish neither male nor female which do not carry this fire in their bosome therefore vnles they quench daily this fiery dart of Sathan with the water of Gods Spirit and the shield of faith they will be in danger of burning Prou. 6.27 for who can carry fire in his bosome and not be burnt Prou. 6.27 But the dangerousnes of this affection wil more euidently appeare if we consider the violence therof Sect. 2 The violence of this turbulent affection for there is scarce any other affection so strong which it doth not easily subdue Loue is said to be stronger then death Can. 8.6 and yet anger if it be once admitted easily ouercommeth it Can. 8.6 for there was neuer any loue so hartie and entire but anger hath subdued it The Father in his anger forgetteth his loue to his child and the child to his father the husband to his wife the wife to her husband and causeth them in stead of duties of loue to bring forth the fruits of hatred yea it maketh a man to forget the loue of himself as appeareth by those men who to satisfie their anger violently thrust themselues into imminent dangers of death Nay it maketh a man offer raging violence against such a friend as is more deare to him then his own life as it is euident in the example of Alexander who in his anger slew his friend Clitus whō he loued so entirely that he needs would haue reuenged his murther by putting himselfe to a wilfull death As therefore we cannot discerne the heat of the Sunne when we are neare vnto a scorching fire so the heauenly heate of diuine loue is not felt if the furious flame of anger be kindled in our harts Couetousnes also is a most violent and strong vice which nothing almost can vanquish but death and they who are possessed therewith do loue their riches better then their owne liues as we may fee in their example who being depriued of them murther themselues yea they are more deare vnto them then the saluation of their owne soules as may appeare by those who fall into outragious sinnes whereby they plunge their soules headlong into hell that they may get momentarie riches by them also who despise the meanes of their saluation in comparison of a small worldly trifle and yet anger being once admitted doth ouercome couetousnes as it is euident in the example of them who to satisfie their furious anger by the death of their enimie are content to forfeit their goods though they be neuer so couetous besides the double hazard of their liues which they incur both in their priuate quarrell and in satisfying by deserued punishment publike iustice The like also may be said of them who by anger being incited to reuenge are content to spend all their substance by prosecuting wrangling suites in Law of little or no importance to the end they may impouerish him also with whom they are offended and so are content to pull the house vpon their owne heads that they may ouerwhelm another vnder the vvaight of the same ruine Feare also is an affection of no small force and violence for oftentimes it compelleth men to thrust themselues into imminent dangers that they may auoyde dangers and to kill themselues for feare of greater torments and yet anger vanquisheth feare many times causing them who would tremble to see anothers vvound contemne their owne death and so turneth the most cowardly feare into most desperate rage and furious resolution So that other affections lead a man but this drawes him others intice him but this compels him other dazle the sight of reason but this makes it starke blinde other make vs prone vnto euill but this casts vs headlong euen into the gulfe of wickednesse Considering therefore that this turbulent vice of vniust anger is in the eyes of God so hainous Sect. 3. in regard of vs so generall and in respect of it owne nature so strong violent I purpose to intreat of it at large to the end we may learne the better to preuent it or the more easily to subdue it And to this purpose I will first shew what it is and what are the causes and properties thereof secondly the kindes of it and lastly I will prescribe the preseruatiues and medicines whereby we may cure this vice in our selues or in others For the first The definition of
fallen into them For anger casting a mist of perturbation before the sight of reason maketh men vnable to iudge of good or euill right or wrong and whereas reason in it owne nature iudgeth that which is right anger maketh that seeme right which it iudgeth If therefore wee auoide those things most carefully which hurt the eyes or if they bee hurt vse such medicines as are fit to cure them because the eye is the light and guide of the whole bodie with how much more attentiue care ought wee auoide anger that blindeth reason seeing it is the light and guide of the soule which onelie eye of humane direction being put out like Polyphemus wee wander in the desarts of sinne and wickednesse If men abhorre drunkennesse and that worthilie because it maketh them differ from brute beasts onely in shape of the bodie why should they not for the same cause hate this vice of anger which like a burning ague doth so distemper disturbe the mind that while the fit lasteth it vttereth nothing but rauing Secondly §. Sect. 8. 2. Jt inflameth the soule with the heat of surie as anger hurteth the soule by blinding reason so also it doth macerate and vex it by inflaming it with furie for what greater torment can bee imagined then to haue the minde distracted vpon the racke of rage As therefore wee would account him a madde man who with his owne hands should set his house on fire and consume it so alike mad is hee to bee thought who will set his soule on fire with the raging flames of anger wherein it is not onely tormented in this life but also without repentance in the life to come it shall bee tormented euerlastingly because vniust anger is murther in Gods sight as appeareth Matth. 5.12 Matth. 5.22 and murtherers shall not inherite the kingdome of God but haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Reuel 21.8 Reuel 21.8 Seeing therefore anger inflicteth on the soule the wound of sinne and sinne vnlesse it be cured with the soueraigne salue of Christs merit causeth death let vs carefully arme our selues against the violence of this passion and manfully repell this fierie dart with the shield of faith Yea let vs so strongly curbe it in with the raines of reason that no outward iniurie pricke it forward to seeke vniust reuenge For as we would condemne him of follie who when a wrong were offred him by another should in reuenge wound his owne bodie so more foolish is hee to bee esteemed who when another offereth him iniurie doth in seeking cruell and vniust reuenge wound his soule with sin And so much for the euils which anger bringeth to a mans selfe §. Sect. 9. The euils which anger bringeth to our neighbour 1. It ouerthroweth all friendship Now wee are to intreate of the euils which it bringeth to our neighbour First it ouerthroweth that excellent and comfortable vertue to mankind true friendship for there was neuer any friendship so inuiolable which anger if it were admitted hath not violated And hence it is that wise Salomon counselleth vs not to make friendship with an angrie man because he will bee sure to breake it Pro. 22.24 Prou. 22.24 Well therfore may that speech of Inno to Alecto be applied to anger Tu potes vnanimes armare in praelia fratres atque odijs versare domos Virg. Aeneid lib. 7. Thou it is who canst arme most louing brethren one against the other and ouerthrow whole houses and families with contentious discord Secondly §. Sect. 10. 2. It prouoketh men to offer iniurie it prouoketh to offer all indignities and wrongs to a mans neighbour as also to reuenge the smallest iniuries without all proportion For men incensed with anger will wittingly and willingly reuenge those iniuries which haue vnwittingly and vnwillingly been offered for angry words they will giue blowes for blowes wounds and for wounds death And therefore the Wise man saith That anger is cruell and wrath is raging Prou. 27.4 Prou. 27.4 Yea it prouoketh men not onely to reuenge small iniuries but also no iniuries for anger rageth euen against the innocents and that oftentimes because they are innocent and but too vertuous as the furious man imagineth And this is euident in the example of Cains anger against Abel Sauls against Ionathan and Dauid Nebuchadnezzars against the three children Herods against the innocents the Scribes and Pharises against Christ as before I prooued But as anger causeth men to be hurtfull to all others Anger most hurtfull to a mans owne familie so especially to those whom they should most loue cherish and defend that is they who are of a mans owne familie who because they are necessarilie conuersant with them are continnallie subiect and euen exposed to their furie and outrage the wife to their bitter speeches if they doe not worse that is like mad men beate their owne flesh the children to furious and vnreasonable correction the seruants not onelie to reuiling speeches but also to cruell stripes and blowes so that as one saith well we may know an angrie man if wee but looke in the faces of his seruants Plutarch de cohib irac §. Sect. 11. The euils which anger bringeth to common-wealth namely by their scarres and bruises And so much for the priuate euils which accompanie vniust anger Now we are to speake of the publike Vniust anger is the cause of all tumults and vprores seditions and conspiracies massacres and bloodie wars yea the ouerthrow and confusion of all cities and common-wealths It is the cause which inciteth the Magistrate against the subiect and the subiect against the Magistrate the Prince against the people and the people against the Prince kingdome against kingdome and nation against nation and that not onely vpon waightie causes but also vpon trifling occasions For as to make a furious and vnquenchable flame it is not materiall how small the fire is that kindleth it so the matter bee apt to receiue it wherein it is kindled for one coale is enough to burne a whole citie if it fall among flaxe and one sparke if it light in tinder or gunpowder so it mattereth not how small the cause is which inflameth anger for if the minde which receiueth it be subiect to be inflamed it is sufficient to set on fire and consume whole Kingdomes and Common wealths especially if power be correspondent to the violence of the affection Infinite examples might be brought to make this manifest Examples Gen. 34. as of Simeon and Leuie who in their anger put a whole Cittie to the sword though their quarrell were but to one man Of Abimelech Iudg. 9. 1 Sam. 22. Hest 3. who in his fury destroyed all the cittie of Sichem of Saul destroying Nob of Haman who being incensed onely against Mordecay laide a plot for the destruction of the whole nation of the Iewes But I shall