Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 · Verse 28
Verse 28.
But I say vntounto you, that whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adulterie with her alreadie in his heart.
Here our Sauiour Christ laies down the true sense of this commandement, and as we see, hee speaketh as the Law-giuer, and Prophet of his Church, who hath absolute power to giuegive lawes, and to expound the same. But I say vntounto you: The Pharises said there was no adultery, but that which was outward, and bodily; but Christ plainely confuteth that, and saith, he that looketh on a woman to lust after her: that is, either in looking on her, lusteth; or by looking, lusteth after her: that is, desireth to increase his lust, he hath committed adulterie with her alreadie in his heart. Here then our Sauiour Christ setteth down two things touching the interpretation of this law: First, the occasion of adulterie, which is looking to lust. Secondly, that the …ust of the heart, that is, the motion and inward inclination of the heart, vntounto this sinne, is adulterie before God, though it neuer come into action.
For the occasion: To looke vponupon a woman, is not sinne, but may bee done lawfully; yea, thereby a man or woman may glorifie God, as the Queene of Sheba, by beholding▪ Salomons person, and hearing… 1. King. …. …. his wisdome, did take occasion to glorifie God: but here is meant the abuse of the sight; that is, the idle looking, or curious looking of menIdle looking on man or woman. vponupon women, or women vponupon men. Now idle looking, is when one looketh without iust cause; as when a man looketh with intent to lust: Thus did the sonnes of God behold the daughters of men: Genesis 6. 2. by whose looking came lust, and for lust came the flood: so Potisers wife bGen. 39. ….first, lift vp her eies vponupon Ioseph, and then lusted after him: and Dina cGe. 34. 1, 2.Iacobs daughter went out to see the daughters of the countrie, and to bee seene againe, and so when Shechem saw her, hee lusted after her, and rauished her: so the Prophet Dauid d2. Sa. 11. 2, 3▪liuing in peace and securitie, cast his eie idlie and curiously vponupon 'Bathsheba, as shee was washing her selfe, whereupon he lusted after her, and so committed both Adulterie and murther. This idle and curious looking, Saint Peter calleth e2. Pet. 2. 14▪an adulterous eie, both because it is the beginner of lust, and the increaser thereof. But this sinne is little regarded, and made a small matter with many, who can bee content to come with Christian eares into the assemblies, and yet will bring with them idle and curious, yea adulterous eies: but such persons, which so abuse their sight, to the dishonour of God, must know, that they are adulterers before God: & howsoeuer they may perswade themselues, that grace enters into their hearts by hearing, yet vndoubtedly by their idle and curious eies, Sathan enters into their soule, and keepes out Gods word, whereby the soule should be renued. Wee therefore must here bee admonished, to take heed how wee vse the sight of our eies, especially when wee are in the assemblies of the Saints, and holy exercises: and to preuent this euill, it were to bee wished, that men and women, would sort themselues, and not bee mingled in the congregation, vnlesse it were the husband with his owne wife. Againe, if the idle and curious eie be the beginning of adulterie, then wee must learne, with care to gouerne our eies, as the seruants of God hauehave done. 'Dauid praied the Lord to fPs. 119. 3….keepe his eies from regarding vanitie: and Iob, because hee would auoid vnchast thoughts, gIob. 31. 1.made a couenant with his eies, not to looke on a maide.
Now, as looking to lust is here forbidden; so by proportion are all otherOccasions of adulterie here forbidden. like occasions vntounto adulterie: as first, reading of vnchast and wanton books of louelove matters, and vsing light and wanton talke. Many are giuen to these kinds of delights, but they must know, that herein they1 sinne grieuously; for they hauehave not onelyonly a wanton eie, but a lasciuious tongue also. Secondly, the acting of all such Plaies and Comedies, the2 matter whereof, is the representation of the light behauiour of men & women; for therein are idle and curious lookes set forth to the eie, which ought not to be, beeing here condemned. Thirdly, the wearing3 of vaine and light attire, whereby others are prouoked to cast their eies vponupon them vntounto lust; for if the light and wanton eie bee condemned, then that which causeth it, is much more condemned. This ought to bee regarded; for light and forraine attire is a secret profession of an vnchaste heart. Fourthly, mixt dauncing of men and women, in4 time and measure, for therein is more occasion and prouocation vntounto lust, then by the bare beholding of each other with the eie. Fiftly,5 euill companie: so are the wordes of the Apostle Paul out of an Heathen Poet, h1. Cor. …. 33. Menander in Thaide.Euill conuersings, corrupt good manners: which may well include that vnseemely conuersing of men with women, not warranted either by the generall, or particular calling. Sixtly, the6 pampering of the bodie with daintie meates, or strong drinkes; this was the sinne iEzek. 16. 49.of Sodome: and it is much more an occasion of lust, then the bare sight of the eie. Seauenthly, Idlenesse and lazinesse, in not7 imploying the bodie in some honest calling, for thereby also is lust incited.
And thus much of the meaning of this commandement, forbidding all occasions to adulterie, vnderunder a lustfull eie.
Now considering that a man is guiltie of adulterie, that vseth the occasions thereof; hereby we may see, that we cannot excuse our selues from the breach of this law: for though we be cleane from the bodily outward facte, yet who can say, My heart is cleane? who is free from the occasions thereof? as from a wanton eie, vaine apparell, wanton speech, intemperance, and the rest; all which makes vsus culpable of this sinne: and therefore wee must laie our hands vponupon our mouthes, and condemne our selues of guilt before God; we must humble our selues, acknowledging our sinnes, and breaches of this commandement: and lastly, we must take heede of all occasions, that may mooue or incite vsus vntounto lust or wantonnesse.
The second point which our Sauiour Christ propoundeth, in the interpretation of this law, is this; that the lust of the heart, though it neuer come into acte, is Adulterie: now that we may know what our Sauiour Christ meaneth by lust, sundrie points are to be handled: First, how lust can bee a sinne, considering it is onelyonly a hidden desire of the heart: Secondly, how lust can bee a sinne of the seauenth commandement, seeing it is forbidden in the tenth: and thirdly, how great a sinne lust is.
For the first, that lust is a sinne, is thus prooued: Gods Law requirethLust is a sin. obedience of the whole man, both in soule and bodie, and in eueryevery part, facultie, and power thereof; Thou kMat. 22▪ 37.shalt louelove the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength: and that obedience which commeth not from the whole man, is sinnefull. Now when a man conceiueth vnchast thoughts in his heart, then his soule, and mind, & his affections, hauehave not done their dutie vntounto God; and so he sinneth in lusting.
Yet this doctrine was neuer receiued of all, but some hauehave still excepted against it, and their principall reasons are two: 1. They say, lustPelag…an…. is a naturall inclination, desire, and appetite, which was in Adam before his fall, and so cannot be a sinne? Ans. Lust or appetite in the heart, is not simply a sinne; for so it is a naturall desire, which was in our first parents in their integritie: but to lust after that which God forbiddeth, that is the sinne; as for a man to lust after a woman, or a woman after a man, not beeing man and wife, which we see here Christ condemneth. 2. They say, God blesseth adulterers and fornicators in their lust, with the issue of seed in child-bearing, as well as man and wife, in lawful mariage; and therefore it cannot be a sinne? Ans. In adulterie two things may be considered; the vnlawfull lust of the heart, and the acte of generation: now when God giues issue to adulterers and fornicators, it is no approbation of their sinnefull lust, but onelyonly a common blessing of naturall generation, which is his owne ordinance by creation: for howsoeuer God approoues not of our sinne, yet he preserues nature in sinfull workes. And thus we see that lust is a sinne.
II. Point. How can lust be a sinne of the seauenth commandemēt, seeing it is directly forbidden in the tenth, for in this briefe decalogue there is no needlesse repetition of any thing? Ans. Lust is two-folde, either without consent of will, as when vnchaste desires come into the minde and heart, and are not entertained of the will, but bee speedily checked so soone as they arise; and such lust is forbidden in the tenth commandement: or with consent of will, when a man is willing to entertaine and cherish the vnchast thoughts that come into his minde; though he neuer put them into practise, and these are forbidden in the seauenth commandement.
III. Point. The greatnesse of this sinne of lust: This is here expressedLust of the heart a grieuous sinne. by Christ, calling it Adulterie before God; as if he should say, Looke how great a sinne bodily adulterie is before men, who punish the same with death; euen so great and hainous a sinne before God, is the inward vnchast lusting of the heart, whereto a man giues consent of will, though he neuer bring it into action; for this he stands culpable of adulterie before God, and shall therefore be condemned, vnlesse hee repent.
The vse of this Third Point is manifold: First, hereby we may learne how to examine our selues by this seauenth commandement; for our Sauiour Christ here teacheth vsus, that they which willingly retaine vnchasteHow to examine the heart by the 7▪ commandement. desires with delight, though they neuer giuegive their bodies to the outward acte, are Adulterers before God: and therefore when wee would examine our selues by this commandement, wee must search our hearts, whether we hauehave willingly retained therein any lustfull thoughts; and if we hauehave, wee must know that we are guiltie of Adulterie before God. And because none of vsus are free from this sinne, it must humble and cast vsus down before God, as breakers of this commandement.
Secondly, if the lust of the heart be Adulterie before God, then wee must with care and diligence learne the Apostle Pauls lesson, 2. Corinthians 7. 1. To purge our selues from all vncleannesse both of flesh and Motiues against lust.spirit: that is, wee must labour to keepe our hearts and mindes pure and chaste, as well as our bodies. And to induce vsus herevnto, consider the Reasons following: First, we all desire to see God, and to know his1 louelove in Christ, for our comfort in this life, and saluation for euer: but without holinesse and puritie aHeb. 12. 14of heart, wee can neuer see God, nor knowe the comfort of his louelove: for when a man defiles his minde, with vnchaste thoughts, hee depriues himselfe of the taste of Gods fauour, and of the experience of his louelove. Secondly, consider the state and2 condition of mans heart, by effectuall calling; it is the dwelling place and Temple of the holy Ghost, (for when a man is in Christ, hee liueth in Christ by faith, and Christ in him by his spirit:) now then looke, as men vse to trimme vp their dwelling houses, for the receiuing of some noble guest, so ought wee to keepe our hearts pure and cleane from vnchaste lustes, that they may bee fit habitations for the blessed spirit of God; but by vnchaste lustes, we make the heart a stable for the deuil, and a cage of all vncleane spirits. Thirdly, if wee suffer3 our hearts nowe to burne with fleshly lust, we make an entrance in them, for the burning of hell fire for euer: for these two alwaies goe together, burning lust, and hell fire, (vnlesse repentance come betweene.)… And therefore, if wee would escape hell fire, wee must quench the fire of lust, and cleanse our hearts from this vncleannesse. Fourthly,4 by profession we seeme to be the members of Christ; and if we would be so indeed, then we must take heed of vnchaste lusts, for thereby wee pull our hearts from Christ, and knit them to an harlot. These and such like …sons, must mooue vsus to auoide all vnchaste desires▪ and for the preseruation of chastitie in our hearts, these Rules must bee obserued.
First, the minde must be filled with godly meditations, and the word of God must dwell in our hearts plenteously: for vnchast lusts1 Rules for the preseruation of chastitie.doe therefore arise in our hearts, because we are idle minded, and emptie of Gods word: if that were truly ingraffed in vsus, these wicked desires could not enter, or at least take no place in vsus. Secondly, we must2 often giuegive our selues to the spirituall exercises of faith, repentance, and new obedience; as to the vsuall hearing, reading, and meditating in Gods word, to the often receiuing of the Lords supper, and to continuall prayer, not onelyonly publikely, but priuately especially: for these confirme Gods graces in the heart, and doe euen nippe in the head all vngodly motions whatsoeuer. Thirdly, we must vse sobrietie in meat,3 drinke, and apparell: for vngodly lusts are kindled, fedde, and nourished with too much pampering of the bodie: Sodome and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim sinned most grieuously in this kinde through fulnesse of bread; and therefore we must vse a moderation in these things, that grace may be strengthened, and all euill lusts weakened in vsus. Fourthly, we must alwaies be doing some good thing, either in4 our generall calling of a Christian, or in our particular calling: yea, in our lawfull recreation we must intend and practise good: for when men are idle, Satan fills their hearts with euill thoughts, and so defiles the same. Fiftly, men and women must not priuately conuerse together,5 without warrant so to doe, either from their generall, or particular calling, so as with good conscience they can say, the Lord doth call them so to conuerse: for the mutuall conuersing of men and women, is the cause of many noysome lusts: and therefore neither men nor women without good warrant, should thrust themselues into such occasion of temptations. Remember what the Apostle saith, a1. Cor. 15. 33.Euill conuersings, corrupt good manners. The Apostle Peter felt tho smart of this boldnes, though in an other case: for comming to warme himselfe in Caiphas hall, without good warrant so to doe, when a silly maide demanded of him, whether he was not one of Christs companie, he denied him flatly, and that with cursing: and so many men and women conuersing without warrant where they should not, doe fall into many noysome sinnes; and when they thinke themselues most strong, then with Peter, hauehave they the greatest falls.