Lectures Upon John 4, Part 5 · Lecture 19
Lecture the nineteenth, Iuly 4. 1609.
IT remaineth now, that we come to the second vse of the former Doctrine.
That forasmuch as fornication, and all vncleannesse is proued to be so hainous and dangerous a sinne: we would therefore eueryevery one of vsus hearken vntounto, and embrace that exhortation of the Apostle, 1. Cor. 6. 18. Flie fornication: and 2. Tim. 2. 22. Flie also from the lusts of youth. Which is more then if he should hauehave said, abstaine from fornication, abstaine from the Lusts of youth. His meaning is, that no Christian should too farre presume of his owne strength in this case, but (to shew his detestation of this sinne, and care to auoid it) he should flie as farre from it, as he can. So that the exhortation consisteth of two branches.
1. That we should shun all shewes, and signes, and appearances of this sinne.
2. That we should shun all occasions and prouocations to this sinne.
No Christian must thinke it sufficient, to abstaine from this sinne, but eueryevery one is bound so farre to detest it, as to shun all shewes and appearance of it, that may giuegive men occasion to suspect vsus of it. Tush (will some say) what care I what men thinke of mee: so long as God and mine owne conscience can witnesse with me, that I am free from sinne? And in this many doe maruellously flatter and deceiue themselues. Some that are indeed free from the sinne it selfe, and some that are guilty of the sinne, please themselues in this, that men can charge them no further then with appearance, and shewes of this sinne: and what care they for that? But marke what the Holy Ghost saith in this case: 1. Thess. 5. 22. Abstaine from all appearance of euill. Exod. 23. 7. Thou shalt keepe thee farre from a false matter. And the Apostle saith, that true repentance will worke in a man a care to cleare himselfe from the sinne he had committed, 2. Cor. 7. 11. And whereas they say, they care not what men thinke of them: It is certaine, that he that careth not what men (specially good men) thinke of him, hath no true feare of God in him, Prouerbes 22. 1. A good name is to be chosen aboue great riches; And the Apostle would needs hauehave Titus, and two other chosen by the Church, to ioyne with him in carrying the beneuolence of the Church of Macedonia to Ierusalem; because he was carefull to auoid all suspition of dealing ill in that businesse, 2. Cor. 8. 20. Auoiding this, that no man should blame vsus, in this abundance that is ministred by vsus. Ver. 21. Prouiding for honest things, not onelyonly before the Lord, but also before men. And on the contrary, it is noted as a signe of extreme vngraciousnesse in the vnrighteous Iudge, that he neither feared God, nor reuerenced men, Luke 18. 2. So that it is plaine eueryevery Christian should so hate this sinne, as to shunne all signes and shewes whereby hee may giuegive men occasion to suspect him of it: or to thinke he doth not much dislike it.
This reprooueth fiue sorts of men.
First, such as entertaine familiarity with such as are infamous for this 1.sinne. EueryEvery ones heart and disposition may be knowne by his company. Dauid takes comfort in this (as a speciall note of the vprightnesse, and innocency of his heart) That hee had not haunted with vaine persons, nor kept company with the wicked, Psal. 26. 4, 5. And on the contrary, it is made a signe of a wicked man: Psal. 50. 18. to be partaker with Adulterers. And Paul wrote to the Corinthians that they should not keepe company with fornicators, 1. Cor. 5. 9.
There be some men so infamous for this sin, that there is none (how honest soeuer) whom they are familiar with: but they must needs incurre a blot in their reputation by them. Let none such comfort themselues in their innocency, for if they did flie fornication, and hate it as they ought they durst not seeke, or desire the familiarity of such persons.
Secondly, Such as haunt suspected houses. Salomon speakes of such a one: Pro. 7. 8, 9. Who passed through the street, by the corner where the 2.harlot dwelt, and went toward her house in the twilight of the euening, when the night began to be darke. Loe he haunted a suspected house at a suspicious time. Therefore he calleth him a foole, a youth void of vnderstanding. And therefore he giueth eueryevery one counsaile: Pro. 5. 8. Keepe thy way farre from her, and come not neare the dore of her house. I deny not but some that vse such houses may be honest, they may hauehave other intents in going to them: but surely such as haunt them doe not flie fornication, nor detest this sinne, as they ought to doe.
3. Such as vse light, and immodest attire: and setting out of their beauty. It is a fond, and prophane conceit to thinke it mattereth not how men, and 3.women goe attired, so that their mind be honest: For the Holy Ghost commandeth all (specially women) to shew modesty and shamefastnesse euen in their attire: 1. Timothie 2. 9. I will that the women attire themselues in comely apparell, with shamefastnesse and modestie. And there is a kind of attire, and setting forth the beauty, which is called an harlots attire (because harlots first deuised it; and doe most vse it) Prouerbs 7. 10. Behold there met him a woman in an harlots attire (ornatu meritricio, as the word in the originall signifieth, and all the best Interpreters reade it) And to this the Lord alludeth: Hosea 2. 2. Let her take away her fornications from her face, (for so it ought to be read foreign) and her adulteries from betweene her breasts. How could there be fornication in her face, and adultery betweene her breasts? Truely the meaning is: she wore the badge and cognisance of that sinne in those parts. The laying out, and painting of the breasts is called, the adultery of the breasts: and the painting of the face (which is noted by the Holy Ghost, 2. Kings 9. 30. Ieremie 4. 30. to hauehave beene the practice of harlots) is called the fornication of the face. I make no doubt but many that are honest vse this now a dayes: yet can I not, nor dare I excuse them that vse it: but I must needs say, that though they sin not in fornication, yet they sinne in immodesty. Though they seeme to make conscience of this commandement (thou shalt not commit adultery) yet there is another commandement, Flye fornication, auoide all appearance of euill) which they make no conscience of at all: and therefore they are guilty of hainous sinne.
Such as vse filthy talke, and filthy songs. It is strange to see what liberty many (euen some that in many things will seeme religious: will pray 4.dayly; and heare deuoutly) will giuegive to themselues this way. Though they hauehave no other exercise of their wit (if their company serue them) but in scurrulous iests, and filthy communication, no such musicke in their mirth as amaroas and filthy songs; yet if they can say they are honest for all this, they thinke they are well. These men I would hauehave to obserue these things. 1. Filthy words (whatsoeuer thou sayest) doe argue a filthy heart: Matthew 15. 18. Those things which proceed out of the mouth, come from the heart, and they defile the man, Matthew 12. 34. From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Yet hauehave we many old fornicators (whose bodies are disabled to this sinne) that hauehave yet as bad hearts as euer they had, and shew that by the delight they take in speaking filthily. And yet (silly fooles) they slatter themselues in this, that they hauehave left that sinne. 2. Say thy heart were cleane, that is not enough: thou must also make conscience of thy words. The froward mouth doe I hate (saith the Lord) Pro. 8. 13. & 18. 21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, Matth. 12. 37. By thy words thou shalt bee iustified, and by thy words thou shalt bee condemned, Iames 1. 26. If any man among you seeme to bee religious, and bridle not his tongue, but deceiues his owne heart, this mans Religion is vaine. Ephes. 4, 29. Let not corrupt (rotten) communication come out of your mouthes; And 5. 4. Let no filthinesse, nor foolish talking, nor iesting, be once named among you. Marke how iesting (foreign) is ioyned to filthy talking: because men are wont to excuse it thus, they speake in iest, they meane no hurt, we must giuegive them leaue to be merry: Such speech (though it be vsed but in iest) is condemned. This is one kind of that mirth that Salomon speakes of: Eccl. 2. 2. I said to laughter thou art mad. Pro. 26. 18. 19. Like mad men they cast about them firebrands, and deadly things and say they are in sport. 3. Our tongue of all the members of our body is giuen of God, to be the principall instrument, whereby we may glorifie God. Therefore it is in the Hebrew Phrase called our glory. Psal. 30. 12. Therefore shall my glory praise thee, and not cease. Iames 3. 9. Therewith blesse we God. That is the cause why the Lord can worst endure to be dishonoured by that member. Therefore Diues is said to hauehave felt a speciall torment in his tongue: Luke 16. 24. Send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger in water, and coole my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. To conclude; pretend, and glory neuer so much of thy honesty, certaine it is if thou didst flie fornication and hate it as thou oughtest, thou durst not accustome thy selfe to thy filthy talke.
Such as delight in, or can endure filthy talke: such as will prouoke filthy persons to speake filthily; such as will call to the Musitians for the filthiest 5.songs they hauehave. For this is a shrewd signe of a filthy heart, specially in women, because modesty is chiefely required of that sex: it argueth an vncleane heart to delight in the lewd speech of others: Pro. 17. 4. A wicked do… giueth eare to a naughty tongue. 1. Certainely it will grieue, and vexe an honest heart to heare such things. Ephes. 4. 29, 30. Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth, verse. 30. grieue not the holy Spirit of God. It is said of Lot, his righteous soule was vexed with hearing such things as he heard in Sodome. 2. Pet. 2. 8. 2. There is a speciall force in such speech to corrupt them that heare it. 1. Cor. 15. 33. Be not deceiued: euill communications corrupt good manners. 3. The eare is giuen of God to another end, that is, to heare the Word, and to be (sensus disciplinae) that sence whereby knowledge should be conueyed into the heart: he that hath eares to heare (Gods Word he meanes) let him heare, saith our Sauiour, Matth. 11. 15. 4. A good man should not endure him that vseth to bring lies to him, and raise slanders, Psalme 101. 7. Hee that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight, much lesse should hee endure them that talke filthily. 5. If any shall obiect. How can I let lewd men from speaking lewdely? It is to no purpose to reproue such, they would be the worse for it. I answer, that if honest men would shew that dislike as they might, they would not be much troubled with such varlets. That which Salomon saith in another case (Pro. 25. 23. An angry countenance driueth away a backebiting tongue) would hold in this also. They might euen with a countenance restraine, or chase them away. And that which hee speaketh, Pro. 20. 8. Is not true of Kings, and great men onelyonly (though in them principally) but of all Christians; They may scatter away euill, and lewdenesse, euen with their eyes, and countenance.