Exposition Upon the Ten Commandments, Exposition 2 · Commandment 7
The 7. Commaundement.
Where first consider the order this set before, that which followeth, to shew that the breach of this commaundement is a greater fault then to steale. Whereupon in Gods law, he who did steale, did onelyonly make restitution foure or fiue fold. but he that cōmitted adulterie was put to death, if it were but a breach into contracted mariage: so as that we should not think of the breach of this commandement without great detestation, howsoeuer some take it to bee but a tricke of youth. Iude seemeth to count it brutish, 1.10. And sure there is nothing more dulleth the heart then this: marke it in Salomon, who when he followed fleshly desires became most sottish. And this is the greater, for that God hath allowed a generall remedy for all sorts, viz. Mariage, so as the offēders hauehave nothing to excuse themselues by. Besides, he that faileth herein, sinneth against his owne bodie, 1. Cor. 6.15. making his bodie an instrument and obiect, otherwise then it is in euerie other sinne.
Quest. Why doe our gouernours set a greater punishment vponupon theft then adulterie?
Ans, They thinke that theft hindereth societie more then adulterie.
In this Commaundement, as in others, we may consider the person of the thing, the person thou, as before none whosoeuer, Courtier, or any that thinke it a token of louelove, &c. none must offend.
The thing forbidden is Adulterie: Adulterie properly is betweene two persons, whereof one at the least is maried.
Adulterie is here put for other vncleanesse, the worde in Hebrew may signifie whordome, and may be read thus, Commit no whordome, whereby chastitie is commaunded. Chastitie is abstinence from all strange and rouing lusts about the desire of sexe. Strange lusts are those which are not according to nature, and which are not in & towards our maried cōpanion, husband, or wife. Or it is the pure and honest act of the power which God hath giuen to beget with, not onelyonly for deed, but for thought and desire: so teacheth Christ. Mat. 5.28. Which is likewise to be vnderstoode of a woman, so, which if she doe likewise desire to that ende, she doth offend, if it be beside her own husband, or owne wife. So as that a man may be free from touch, & yet not chast. Peter sayth, there bee eyes full of Adulterie. 2. Pet. 2.14. Or it is the possession of ones vessell in holinesse and honour. Thes. 4.4. Possession is continuall so keeping, as Luke. 21.19. By your patience possesse your souls. Be constant in patience, so as that if one faile but once, he loseth the credit of continuance.
This continuance is to be thought of for the returning of desires: for desires are at one time more stirred, and stronger then at an other. He that can forbeare in all stirring, he possesseth: and he yeeld not but resist the temptation. Vessell, all doe not vnderstand alike: some take it for the whole bodie, and euerie part, not much amisse, for in deed the whole bodie must be chast. It was well said by one, it skilleth not in what part one be vncleane if hee bee vncleane: wherefore eies, hands, &c. must be ordered.
We might stretch it, though somewhat further to the soule, and so the whole person of a man, where in euerie power he must be cleane. But submitting that which I shall say to bee iudged by other, I take it, by vessell is meant that which cannot honestly be named, and putteth difference betwene man and woman, in which sense the place. 1. Sam. 21.5. is to bee taken. The vessels of the yonger men are holy, for hee had said before, women hauehave beene separated from vsus these two or three dayes. Where hee sheweth what it is to hauehave the yong mens vessels holy, that is, seperate from women. This place the most learned Tremelius and Iunius hauehave interpreted amisse, taking vessels for implements necessarie for their iourney: so speaketh Plautus in Penulo. I doe otherwise, then adulterers taken in the deed doing, I come home with my vesselles safe and sound, they were wont who tooke them in the deede to cut off their priuities.
Vessell is the Instrument of generation, as the Canonists speake of vnnaturall venery. Extravasa.
Now it is thus called to teach vsus to speake and thinke honestly & chastly to forbeare all ribaldrie and filthy speech: This vessell must be possessed in holinesse: this holinesse is the pure vse of it euen in the presence of God: where neither the person is defiled, the dutie, instrument not abused by deede, worde, looke, thought, &c. Besides it must be in honour, which is when we so vse our selues, as that neither in our selues, nor before others wee neede not be ashamed.
Sinne in this kind causeth shame. Instruments of this sinne are likewise shame: now therfore as on our comely parts we put on more honour, 1. Cor. 12.23.24. That is, let them neuer shew their vnseemlinesse, but make them as handsome as wee can: so much we procure all things here.
This chastitie is in single or married life: single life, is when one liueth without the other sexe: and this is in maidens or widdowes life.
Maidens or virgines life is beefore one is married: widdowes life is after mariage when the husband or wife is dead: each of these is a pure forbearing of the act and motion or stirring to begetting.
Pure forbearing, is that which is free from all pollutions, looke, Eph. 5.12. so as that wee must hauehave continent eyes and lookes.
This chastitie in single life is not nor neuer can be without a speciall gift: so saith Christ, Math. 19.11.12. & Paul. 1. Cor. 7.37. so as that without this gift all vowes whatsoeuer are impossible in law, & vord at their instant.
This gift is called continencie and is a speciall gift of God, whereby one can liue without the neede of other sexe to satisfie desire.
1 This gift God onelyonly giueth.
2 It is rare, all hauehave it not.
3 It maketh vsus not more acceptable to God.
4 Sometimes it is preferred beefore mariage chastitie, only in respect of some afflictiōs, that then were vponupon the church: and for that somtimes the dutie of a mariage, leaue not a married partie so free from worldly cares as single life doth.
5 It is not perpetuall he that hath it, may hauehave it taken from him afterward.
Chastitie in mariage life is the bedde vndefiled, Heb. 13.4. in the lawfull vse of the married companion: bed companie in married parties one to other with themselues is no sin, though many corruptions creepe into it, which it pleaseth God in Christ to forgiue: some cautions in this must be remembred.
1 Call to mind what Moyses hath Leui. 2.
2 To fast and pray, they must forbeare, 1.7.5. that is extraordinarie & set solemne prayer vppon some great occasion, else must they pray eueryevery day, 1. Pet. 3.7. vponupon extraordinarie, occasion the Bridegrome newly maried must come out of his chamber, and the Bride out of her bridechamber. Ioel. 2.16.
3 Parties must be of grauitie and modestie, one saith, a partie may cōmit adulterie with his or her married companion: he meaneth, he may sin in want of grauitie and modestie: as if:
1 Either partie be intemperate & vse mariage for brutish lust, not for necessitie and child procreation.
2 If too much boldnesse bee before others: this was Isaaks ouersight who thought he might do that which he did, should not hauehave done it in other folkes sight. Gen. 26.8. Therefore, Gen. 24.67. He tooke her into his mothers Tent. Marke that Sampson. Iudg. 15.1. Would goe into the Chamber. It is too much to vse open dealing with ones owne companion, too bad is the fault, and filthie speech of some married folks, speaking openly of the secrets of mariage.
Mariage is a lawfull knitting togither, of one man, and one woman, in vndeuided societie for remedie of lust, comfort of life, bringing forth of children. This knitting is the most neere that can be, and hath full communion of all things betweene them, so as that their bodies are not their owne. 1. Cor. 7. Vndeuided societie, is that which no cause but warrantable by the word of God can dissolue. Lawfull is, which is according to Gods lawes, and the lawes of honestie. Gods lawes require that marriage should bee in the Lord. 1. Cor. 7. That is in the Lord which is.
1 Betweene parties that doe truly feare the Lord in pure religion, it is not lawfull to marrie in Adulterie.
2 Is in reuerence.
3 Is with consent of parents, that is of the necessitie of marriage, not onelyonly of the honestie of marriage.
Parents must not be hard, nor wilfull, but what God will, that ought they to will. And this marriage must be but of one man, and one woman onelyonly: many husbands for one wife, or many wiues for one husband, are not allowable to hauehave. Many wiues was a sinne in the Patriarkes. Marriage is dissolued according to the worde of God by death, iust diuorse, malitious desertions, and then the suruiuer and innocent partie, after due proceeding may marrie againe, though neuer so often, so as second and third marriages are not vnlawfull.
They of the Romane religion erre, in counting one to hauehave two wiues, who hath married againe after the first marriage dissolued, or who hath married a widow. To marriage God calleth all such as hauehave not the gift of continencie, so as that they may not forbeare marriage without sinne. Looke. 1. Cor. 7.9. Yea any whosoeuer hauehave made a vow to the contrarie. For no vow must bind to sinne, and a man must sinne, where he hath no gift to do otherwise.
Those hauehave not the gift of continencie who doe burne, 1. Cor. 7.9. To burne, or to be burnt, all doe not vnderstand alike: they of the Romish teaching holde that it is to commit fornication, that is (I take it) whoredome, as though effeminatenesse, sodomie, and such like, were no faults. The Apostle speaketh of a thing that few did take to bee a sin, many knew that fornication was: but he noteth the roote and originall therof, concupiscence of desire which few did know. Rom. 7. And sure it were verie strange, if onelyonly before fornication the Apostle should preferre mariage, such an honourable ordinaunce of God, as was giuen in mans innocencie. To burne therfore, or to be burnt in the place before alledged is to be interpreted according to the vse of tongues and speech. Virgill saith of Dido: Wretched woman she is burnt, or burneth after Aeneas.
Another sayth, that Cupids darts are dipt in fire. Earnest desires are meant so. Hos. 7.4. They are as an Ouen heated by the Baker. Paule speaketh more plainely. Rom. 1.27. They burned in lust one toward another. So is it taken here to bee burnt, or burne with lusts, which is, when a partie hath an vnconquerable armie of vnchast thoughts and desires in him, dishonouring him and his vessell.
Thoughts and desires signifie all motions, many and oft: for seldome is any alone Vnchast are those which are not towards ones owne married companion. Vnconquerable they are, when they cannot be ouercome, but doe ouercome and make one yeeld to them: this one shall finde in himselfe, if he cannot with quiet conscience liue in the feare of God, and discharge of his dutie: but these thoughts will possesse vsus, they are vnconquerable. We may not vse Phisick which destroyeth nature, to take them away, since that wee hauehave a remedie, Such as may be mastred, must neither must wee for them bee called to marriage meanes to quell lustes and thoughts, are.
1 moderate diet, specially being giuen to wine, and strong drinke.
2 Not too much sleep, nor too soft attire.
3 Companie.
4 Talke.
5 Spectacles, pictures, or such like readings, amorous.
To these must be ioyned:
6 Exercise of the worde.
7 Prayer with fasting, not to hurt the bodie.
Obiect. But one may say, how may I knowe whether I hauehave vsed these meanes sufficiently.
Ans. Indeed it is somewhat hard so to doe, but,
1 Be constant and earnest in the meanes, and God shall in time giuegive vsus grace to see.
2 Chuse out some faithfull experienced men, to whome open your heart, and heare them.
3 After the vse of the meanes, finding no setled perswasion: I take it the safest for that partie, to thinke that he hath not the gift, because it is rare.
Obiect. What if in marriage, I can not containe?
Ans. I hope there is none so vile, that were most fearefull, there is no remedie for such till they die.
This is the thing commaunded, whereby the thing contrarie forbidden might easily be set downe: but to spare labour: and least while I should set out to auoyde, some might take to follow it, this that hath beene said of one onelyonly part shall suffice.
Thus much for chastitie. Now followeth the cōmaundement for maintaining of goods, and it is.