Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 36
PRINCIPLES VPPON THE SEAVENTH COMMANDEMENT OF GODS LAVVE. XXXVI.
1 SEeing wee hauehave dealt in the ſixt commandement, concerning the preſeruation of mans life, which is the foundation of this commaundement, and the reſt that followe: (for they who were not in this life, ſhould neede neither marriage, nor riches, nor the eſtimation of their good name) and that next vntounto the care of our life, nothing is more to be regarded then mariage; the commandement concerning the ſame, is juſtlie adjoyned next vntounto the former.
2 The reaſon of this commandement, as of the former, is three-fold, Diuine, Naturall, and Politicke or Ciuill.
3 Diuine, becauſe God, who himſelfe is holie, (and that chaſtitie is part of holines) will hauehave vsus therefore to liue chaſtly.
4 Natural, becauſe that ſeeing the conjunction of male and Fe-male, is drawen from the very fountaine of nature: it behooueth the ſame to bee pure, holye, and voyde of all vncleannes; and therefore, there was neuer any nation, who at the leaſt, by the teſtimonie of their conſcience, hauehave not condemned wandering and diſordered copulation of men and women, and approoue marriage.
5 Politicke, becauſe it is behoofull for the Commonwelth, that families ſhuld be diſtinguiſhed, & that baſtards ſhould not be taken in ſtead of true and natural Children, and Citizens: to be ſhort, that peace and concord ſhould not be broken; all which would be diſordered, if men were ſuffered to pollute themſelues in wandring and diſordered conjunction.
6 In this commandement, by ſetting down the part for the whole, is forbidden all copulation of men and women out of marriage, and alſo al prouocation of luſt. Of vnlawfull copulation, there are fiue ſorts; Inceſt, Whordome, Fornication, adulterie, and copulation againſt nature.
7 Inceſt is the conjunction of kinsfolkes or alies, which in the degree and order of generation is forbidden both by the lawe of honeſty, which is commonly called publick, and alſo by the lawe of God: Now with theſe degrees can no mortal man diſpence. Deteſtable therefore is the Pope, who claimeth vntounto him ſelfe the power, to diſpence at his pleaſure with theſe degrees. Neither doeth it anie waies make for him that in the firſt ages, men maried their owne ſiſters, wherevnto they were enforced by necesſitie, when as yet, mankinde was not multiplied, and ſeeing it was the pleaſure of God, that from one male, & one female, al mankind ſhould be deriued, it was neceſſarilie vnderſtood that he did ordaine the conjunction of Brethren and Siſters to be then lawful: But this ocaſion ceaſing it is manifeſt, that he would not hauehave that cuſtome to be accounted as a law.
8 Whoordome is the copulation of a man with a harlot, which the law of God forbiddeth by the ſame reaſon, that it doth al other conjunction out of mariage, for in all vnlawfull copulations, men ſinn againſt their own bodies, and violate the temple of the holie Ghoſt.
Therfore of al other men they are moſt deteſtable, who think that to avoid the greater danger, publicke ſtewes may bee allowed.
9 Fornication is committed, when an vnmaried man medleth with a maide or a widowe out of marriage.
10 Adulterie is when as the bedde of marriage, (which ought to be of one man, with one woman) is defiled either by the husband or by the wife.
Polygamie therfore, or the hauing of more wiues then on, although it was a long time tollerated amongſt the auncient Fathers, yet was it neuer lawefull, either by the teſtimonie of the conſcience, or in the preſence of God: Neither did God ever allowe diuorcements, ſaue onelie in the caſe of Adulterie.
11 Now if any man ſhall adjoyne force vntounto any ſuch vnlawefull copulation, there is no doubt but hee ſinneth more grieuouſlie.
12 Conjunction againſt nature is, when as either male with male, or female with female, doe in a brutiſh kinde of furie, and ſuch as nature it ſelfe abhorreth, burne in luſt on towardes an other: Or when as they pollute themſelues with beaſts, being a wickednes moſt abhominable and not to be named.
13 This commandement doth belong vntounto all, of what age, ſexe or ſtate ſoever they be.
14 God who is the only ſearcher of the hart, and doth abhorre all pollution in what parte ſoeuer of the ſoule or of the bodie it doth appeare, forbiddeth vntounto vsus, in this commandement, not onelie theſe outwarde ſinnes, but alſo the inwarde, and ſuch as are preparations vntounto luſt.
15 God therfore doth here eſpeciallie forbid the mind within to burne with luſt, and even that in our eies, hands, or any other behauior, & jeſture of our body, there be nothing, that may ſauor of wantonnes, and vnſhamefaſtnes: to be briefe, all filthy ſpeaking, and all wanton writinges, and vndecent pictures are here forbidden by the Lord.
16 The Magiſtrate, ſeeing the breach of this commandement doth moſt grieuouſlie anoy the ſocietie of man, is to puniſh the offenders heerein, according vntounto the greatnes of their faultes: neither can it be juſtlie doubted, but that inceſt, adulterie, rauiſhing, and copulation againſt nature doe deſerue death, even by the law of nations.
17 The Lord forbidding all vncleannes in this commandement, doth on the contrary commaunde, that wee leade all the partes of our liues, in Chaſtitie and ſhamefaſtnes.
18 And therefore they, who are not ſoe farre endued with the guift of Chaſtitie, but that they burne, are bound to marie, and husbands are to vſe the remedie of marriage in all moderation and honeſtie.
The vowe of Chaſtitie therfore is to bee condemned, both as being moſt vnagreeable vntounto the lawe of God and nature, and alſo moſt raſhlie, neither doth it binde the conſcience of any man.
Defended by IOHN R…E of Normandie.