Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 11 · Section 1
NOw I thinke it good to ſpeake ſomwhat of whordome or fornication. In Iud. 16, verſe. 4.For as there were manie in old time, ſo now there are not a few, which affirme, that it is no ſinne. But I will prooue by the ſcriptures, and by moſt certeine reaſons, that it is a gréeuous ſinne. They which extenuate this wicked crime, doo ground vponupon diuers arguments. verſe. 20.Firſt, in the Acts of the apoſtls, the 15. chapter, when in thoſe firſt times there aroſe a diſſention among the Iewes and the Graecians, it was by common aſſent decréed, that the Ethniks ſhould abſteine from bloud, from ſtrangled, from things offered vntounto idols, and from fornication. Héere (ſaie they) whoredome is reckoned among thoſe things, which in their owne nature are not ſinnes: wherefore it appéereth, that of it ſelfe it is not ſinne. For theſe things were then for a time decréed by the apoſtles, that Chriſtians might liue peaceablie together. For No creature of God is euill: as Paule vntounto Timothie ſaith. 1. Tim. 4, 4.Furthermore, they ſaie, God would not command that, which of it ſelfe is ſinne: but he bad Oſeas the prophet, to take vntounto him an harlot, Oſe. 2, 1.and to beget children of fornication; ſo that of it owne nature it ſéemeth not to be euill. Moreouer, euerie ſinne is againſt charitie: either againſt that charitie, which we owe vntounto God; or elſe that, which we owe vntounto our neighbour. But in whoredome or fornication, there ſéemeth to be nothing committed againſt God; for his honour and religion is not hurt: neither alſo againſt our neighbour, for there is no violence vſed againſt his wife; neither is there anie wrongfull oppreſſion committed.
Auguſtine.Moreouer, Auguſtine in his booke De bono coniugali, writeth, that as meate is vntounto the bodie, ſo is the bed for procreation. But if a man eate and drinke a litle more than he ought, he is not accuſed of ſinne: ſo likewiſe, if a man doo ſtraie a litle in the companie of women, he is not to be iudged guiltie of ſinne. Laſtlie, thoſe things, which God hath forbidden as ſinnes, are ſo plaine and manifeſt, that euen by the light of nature, euerie one may vnderſtand them to be ſinnes: but fornication, in mans iudgement, is not ſo accounted; and manie thinke that it is no ſinne. Mitio in the Comedie in Terence ſaith; Beléeue me it is no wicked act for a yoong man to commit fornication. And there wanted not ſome in the church of Corinth, which were of that opinion. So as by theſe reaſons, the filthineſſe of whoredome is ſo extenuated, that either it is not counted for ſinne; or elſe thought that it ſhould be reckoned among the leaſt ſinnes.
2 We muſt not hauehave a reſpect vntounto the reaſons of men, but vntounto the word of God; not what men thinke or iudge, but what the holie Ghoſt ſpeaketh in the holie ſcriptures. In the prophets, and in Salomon there is deteſting of fornication in euerie place: Fornication is forbidden by teſtimonies of the lawe.but in the lawe they ſaie there is nothing decréed againſt it. Séeing they will reſon by the lawe, I alſo will bring teſtimonies out of it; whereby it may eaſilie be vnderſtood, that fornication is forbidden. In Leuiticus, in the booke of Numbers, and in Deuteronomie, the Iewes are forbidden to linke themſelues vntounto ſtrange women. Againe, verſe. 17.in Deuteronomie the 25. chapter, it is commanded, that there ſhould be no harlot nor common woman in Iſraell. Let theſe places be compared togither. It was not lawfull to hauehave anie harlots, neither ſtrange women, nor yet women of Iſraell: Therefore they were all forbidden. But ſome will ſaie, How then had Samſon fellowſhip with an harlot? Some of the Hebrues anſwer, Iud. 16, 1.that ſhe was not an harlot, with whom Samſon had fellowſhip; but one that kept a vitling houſe. But forſomuch as that is but a weake anſwer, me thinketh that an other anſwer muſt be made. The publike weale of the Hebrues was at that time corrupted: for they liued then vnderunder the Philiſtines. Neither is it anie maruell, if they had then receiued ſome of their vices and corrupt maners. Wherefore, ſome harlots they had; howbeit, not by reaſon of their owne laws, but through the vſe and conuerſation of the Philiſtines.
3 But in the new teſtament, It is forbidden by teſtimonies of the new teſtament. Heb. 13, 14whoredome is openlie and manifeſtlie forbidden. To the Hebrues it is thus written; Adulterers and fornicators the Lord will iudge. The Lord is not ſaid to iudge and to auenge, except it be for gréeuous ſinnes. And to the Epheſians, not onelie couetous men and idolaters, Epheſi. 5, 5.but alſo fornicators are excluded from the kingdome of God. To the Corinthians alſo, where Paule writeth of excommunication; I ſpeake not (ſaith he) of all ſorts of fornicators, 1. Cor. 5, 11.but if anie brother be named a fornicator, with ſuch ye ſhall not ſo much as eate. But he treateth much more manifeſtlie of all this matter, in the ſixt chapter of the ſame epiſtle, and that of verie purpoſe. For manie (as it is ſaid) were of an euill opinion as touching this kind of wickedneſſe. Firſt (he ſaith;) Meate is ordeined for the bellie, 1. Cor. 6, verſe. 13, &cand the bellie for meate, but God ſhall deſtroie both this and that; now the bodie is not for fornication, but for the Lord. Moreouer, all meate of his owne nature is pure; but for the offenſe of our neighbour, we ought ſometimes to abſteine. Howbeit, ſome man might ſaie; Meate is neceſſarie to liue by. It is (ſaith Paule) in this life, but in the bleſſed reſurrection God ſhall deſtroie both the meate and the bellie. Wherefore, thou muſt not ſo much eſtéeme it, that for ſuch a cauſe thou ſhouldeſt offend thy brother. It is not commanded, that thou ſhouldeſt abſteine from all meate generallie, but from that onelie, whereby thy weake brother is offended. But as touching fornications (ſaith he) of which ye make ſmall account, Ibidem.there is a far other reſpect; Your bodie is not appointed for fornication, but for the Lord.
And this muſt not be paſſed ouer, that Paule with great wiſedome ſaith not, that the bodie is not giuen for procreation, but that it is not giuen for fornication; ſith the bodie is alſo giuen for procreation ſake. Oftentimes men are woont to excuſe their faults, and to impute them vntounto nature. The nature of the bodie (ſaith he) is that it may be giuen vntounto the Lord: ſo then the rule of life muſt be taken thereby, and not by euill examples. The nature of relatiuesThis is the nature of relatiues, not onelie of thoſe relatiues, which in the ſelfe-ſame thing that they be, belong to other; but alſo of thoſe, which by anie meanes are referred to another thing: as the head vntounto the bodie, and likewiſe the bodie vntounto the head. For when we ſée the head, we ſtraitwaie require the bodie: and againe, when we ſée the bodie, we require the head. Such relatiues, as the Logicians ſaie, are called Secundum dici. The Lord is the head of the bodie of the church, and the church is the bodie of his head. Wherefore Paule, both wiſelie and pithilie diſputeth, when he ſaith; The bodie is not made to this end, that it ſhould pollute it ſelfe with luſts, but to be correſpondent vntounto the head, and to be conformable vntounto it. And he addeth; verſe. 14.God, which hath raiſed vp Chriſt, ſhall raiſe vsus vp alſo by his power. The firſt argument was taken from relatiues, the ſecond from God himſelfe. For if he ſhall raiſe vp our bodies, as he hath raiſed vp Chriſt, why then doo we ſhamefullie vſe them? He procéedeth further, verſe. 15.and ſaith; But doo you not knowe, that your bodies are the members of Chriſt? Shall I then take the member of Chriſt, & make it the member of an harlot? Vndoubtedlie a weightie argument, which he concludeth; Shall I take (ſaith he) the member of Chriſt? As though he ſhould hauehave ſaid; No without doubt: for this were to rent in péeces the bodie of Chriſt. And it is a moſt cruell thing to plucke awaie the members from a liuelie bodie, and to ioine them to a rotten or dead bodie. But herein the ſtrength of the reaſon dooth conſiſt; Chriſt cannot commit fornication; wherefore, if thou wilt commit fornication, thou muſt be firſt plucked from Chriſt. Here is ſhewed, that fornication is not onelie a ſin; but alſo a deadlie and moſt gréeuous ſin, bicauſe it plucketh vsus awaie from Chriſt.
4 Afterward he addeth; verſe. 16.He which coupleth himſelfe vntounto an harlot, is beecome one bodie [with hir:] for they ſhall be two in one fleſh. And he, which is ioined with God, is one ſpirit. This place is verie full of conſolation: Before in the tenth plac, art. 6.forſomuch as it declareth, that we are ioined moſt nigh vntounto Chriſt, from whom we muſt néeds be plucked awaie, before we be made the members of an harlot. He, which cleaueth vntounto an harlot, is become one bodie with hir: for they ſhall be two in one fleſh. The apoſtle ſéemeth at the firſt ſight to abuſe the words of Geneſis, in tranſferring them to whooredome, which be ſpoken of matrimonie. For theſe words were firſt ſpoken of Adam and Eue: bicauſe the fleſh of Eue was before in the fleſh of Adam, from whom GOD tooke a rib, and made thereof a woman, which he againe ioined vntounto Adam, to be with him one fleſh. But in verie déed the apoſtle abuſeth not this ſentence, forſomuch as whooredome is a certeine corrupting of matrimonie: ſéeing one matter; namelie, the coniunction of the fleſh, is common to both. For bodies are communicated as well here as there. So as Paule had a reſpect to that, which is common to them both, when as yet there is this difference betwéene them; that in whooredome the coniunction is againſt the lawe of God: and therfore fornicators muſt be pulled one from another, otherwiſe there is left no hope of ſaluation for them. But in matrimonie the knitting togither is brought to paſſe by God, and therefore it is become an indiſſoluble knot. Séeing then the coupling togither is all one, and the ſelfe-ſame in either of them; Paule did rightlie applie that ſentence to whooredome. He that cleaueth vntounto God, is one ſpirit. Theſe words ſerue much for this preſent matter: for if we be with God one ſpirit, we muſt with earneſt labor flie from th…ſe things, which he hath forbidden. Wherefore aptlie hath the apoſtle added; Flie from whoordome. He ſaith moreouer; Euerie ſinne, which a man committeth, is without the bodie; but he, which committeth whooredome, ſinneth againſt his owne bodie. If the arguments, which I hauehave brought before, doo not mooue you; at the leaſtwiſe hauehave a regard to your owne bodie, the which you ſéeme to hate and contemne, How we ſin againſt our owne bodie by fornication.when ye commit whooredome.
But it may be demanded, how other ſinnes be without the bodie; and how by fornication we ſin againſt our owne bodie? For we doubt not, but he which is verie angrie, nouriſheth and augmenteth choler: whereby the bodie is not a little hurt. Sickneſſe alſo dooth verie much weaken the bodie: Pro. 17, 22.wherefore Salomon ſaith; A ſorrowfull ſpirit drieth vp the bones. Againe, droonkenneſſe and gluttonie doo hinder health, and doo in a maner vtterlie deſtroie the bodie. Yea and enuious perſons doo ſéeme alſo to ſinne againſt their owne bodie: for thou maiſt perceiue them to be dried, withered, and in a maner dead with leanneſſe. How can it then be, that other ſinnes are without the bodie? Some ſaie that fornicators doo ſinne againſt their owne bodie; bicauſe verie manie times, through the companie, which they hauehave with whoors, they are infected with the pocks, and with leproſie. But let others ſaie what they will: I had rather thinke, that the apoſtle had reſpect vntounto thoſe things that went before; in ſo much as he had ſaid, that the fornicator is made one bodie with an harlot. And he ſéemeth to ſinne verie gréeuouſlie againſt the worthie ſtate of his bodie, who maketh it all one with the moſt vile and filthie bodie of an harlot. For if anie king or prince ſhould marrie a wife of a ſimple and baſe degrée, A ſimilitude.it will be ſaid, that he hath ſtained his kindred. I knowe there be ſome, which thinke that theſe words are ſpoken hyperbolicallie: bicauſe there be found other ſinnes alſo, which hurt the bodie; but this ſinne dooth moſt gréeuouſlie and moſt of all hurt it.
5 The ſame Paule dooth yet further argue; Doo ye not knowe that your bodies are the temple of the holie Ghoſt? 1. Cor. 6, 19.And aſſuredlie, he which deſtroieth the temple of God, him will God deſtroie. As if he had ſaid; Ye hauehave not your bodies of your ſelues, but of God; God hath made them his temple, & the holie Ghoſt dwelleth in them; ye are not your owne: wherefore ye doo not a little violate iuſtice, in defiling the thing that belongeth to an other. Ye are bought with a great price, glorifie therfore God in your bodie. Theſe arguments of Paule are excellent, and of verie great weight: wherwith if anie man be not well ſatiſfied, let him looke vponupon Samſon. He was no idolater, no murtherer, no théefe; and yet was he taken, bound, his eyes put out, caſt into priſon, and compelled there to grind, as if he had béene a foure-footed beaſt. Paule by manie arguments laboureth to prooue whordome to be ſinne. And no maruell, ſéeing he then wrote to the Corinths, who at that time excéeded others in fornications: whereof came the prouerbe; Non cuiuis Corinthum; that is, It is not méet for euerie man to go to Corinth. And generallie, all the Ethniks were in an ill opinion touching this vice. For which cauſe, when the church was yet in growing (as Euſebius teſtifieth in the 3. booke of his hiſtorie, Euſebius.the 29. chapter,) The Nicolaits did openlie and manifeſtlie commit fornication and fathered the cuſtome of their naughtineſſe vponupon Nicolas the deacon.The hiſtorie of Nicolas the deacon. Clemens of Alexandria.
Howbeit Clemens, biſhop of Alexandria, in his Stromata, dooth excuſe Nicolas; for he ſaith, that he neither thought nor taught anie ſuch thing. But hauing a verie faire woman to his wife, and was thought to be gelous ouer hir, he brought hir foorth before the people, and ſaid; This is my wife. And that ye might vnderſtand that I am not gelous ouer hir, I am content for my part, that anie man take hir to wife. Which alſo he ment, ſo farre as the lawe of God would ſuffer. Howbeit, they which were afterward called Nicolaites, vnderſtanding his words peruerſelie, ſuppoſed him to thinke, that wiues among Chriſtians ought to be common. Of this ſect it is written in the Apocalypſe; But this thou haſt, Apoc. 2, 6.bicauſe thou haſt hated the dooings of the Nicolaites, which I alſo hate. So that it is no maruell, if Paule tooke ſo great paines, to teach that whoredome is ſinne.
6 This miſchéefe is an enimie vntounto matrimonie, ſéeing they which follow wanton luſts, & harlots, are enimies vntounto marriage. Whervpon Terence ſaith; They which louelove, can ill abide to take a wife. For which cauſe Clemens ſaith, Clemens.that Whoredome leadeth from one matrimonie vntounto manie; that is, from one lawfull coniunction, to manie vnlawfull & wicked. Heb. 13, 14.The epiſtle to the Hebrues ioineth fornicatours with adulterers, & teſtifieth, that God will iudge them. And theſe two vices are ſo ioined togither, that they are comprehended in the ſelfe-ſame precept, wherein it is ſaid; Thou ſhalt not commit adulterie. Exo. 20, 14.Alſo this peſtilent vice is repugnant both vntounto charitie, and to the publike weale. VntoUnto charitie (I ſaie;) bicauſe the fornicatours doo iniurie vntounto their children, who not being lawfullie procreated, are ſcarſelie at anie time brought vp honeſtlie and vertuouſlie. And they hurt the Common-wele; bicauſe they defraud it of good citizens. For Manzer, a baſtard I meane, Deut. 23, 2and one borne in fornication, is forbidden to be receiued into the church: not that he is reſtrained from the holie communion, or from the myſteries of ſaluation; but bicauſe it is not lawfull for him to rule the publike weale, and to be numbred among citizens. Some thinke, that this euill would be remedied, if a man might kéepe a concubine at home: ſo (ſaie they) the iſſue ſhall be certeine. Certeine perhaps it might be, but lawfull it ſhall not be. Séeing therefore that this miſchéefe is both againſt matrimonie, and charitie, and alſo the publike weale; it cannot be denied, but that it is a ſinne moſt gréeuous.
And for ſo much as it is ſo; whie are the ſtews at this daie openlie ſuffered in cities? I ſpeake not of the Ethniks, I ſpeake of the Chriſtians; and of thoſe Chriſtians, which will alone ſéeme to be the ſucceſſors of Chriſt, and to be called by that name. Within their dominion whooredome is moſt ſhamefullie mainteined, they not onelie being willing vntounto it, but alſo taking aduantage and reuenues for the ſame. That which is againſt the word of God, againſt matrimonie, againſt charitie, and againſt the publike weale; either it is no ſinne at all, or elſe it is a notable ſinne. If it be a ſinne, why is it not taken awaie, and wéeded out? Howbeit, I knowe what they will babble. Auguſtine.They bring foorth Auguſtine, who in his booke De ordine, writeth thus; Take awaie brothell houſes, and all places will be filled with filthie luſts. But let vsus conſider at what time Auguſtine wrote this booke. Doubtleſſe, while he was yet Catechumenus, that is, vnbaptiſed, and not ſufficientlie inſtructed in religion. And although he had not béene Catechumenus, yet this ſaieng of his dooth not agrée with the word of God, neither with verie Auguſtine himſelfe: who in another place affirmeth, that the good, which commeth of euill, as a recompenſe, muſt not be admitted. Which alſo Paule vntounto the Romans taught, euen as they were woont to ſaie of vsus; Rom. 3, 8.Let vsus doo euill, that good may come therof, whoſe damnation is iuſt. We muſt neuer hauehave regard to the end and euent, when we be vrged by the commandement of God. Sometimes men ſaie vntounto vsus; Vnleſſe thou commit ſinne, this or that euill will ſuccéed. But we muſt anſwer what God hath commanded; the care of the ſucceſſe ſhall reſt vponupon him. Neither is it méet, that one onelie ſentence of Auguſtine ſhould be of greater authoritie, than ſo manie reaſons, which we hauehave brought, and ſo manie plaine places of the word of God.
7 God commanded abſolutelie, and by expreſſe words, Deut. 23. 17that there ſhould be no harlot in Iſrael. But ſome go about to wreſt this place from vsus, Certeine words taken both in the good part and the ill.in ſaieng that theſe Hebrue words, Kedeſcha and Kedeſchim, ſignifie not Whoores or Harlots; but rather the prieſts of Priapus, which were vowed and conſecrated to things moſt filthie. But contrariewiſe, I thinke, that Kedeſcha ſignifieth an Harlot; and Kedeſchim, Buggerers and effeminate perſons. God would hauehave neither of thoſe ſuffered among the people. And that, which they obiect of the holie ſeruices of Priapus, it is nothing. For it was ſufficientlie before decréed touching idolatrie: and what néed it to be repeated againe? Yet that we may the more manifeſtlie vnderſtand, that Kedeſcha ſignifieth an Harlot; Gen. 38, ver. 15, &c.let vsus read the hiſtorie of Iuda and Thamar in the booke of Geneſis; and there we ſhall ſée, that Zonah and Kedeſcha, are taken both for one and the ſelfe-ſame thing. For which cauſe we muſt note, that there are certeine words, which may be taken both in the good and euill part. Of which ſort among the Hebrues, is this word Kedeſcha, which ſignifieth, both Holie, and alſo an Harlot: euen as is this word Sacrum among the Latins, & it ſignifieth curſſed. And therevpon Virgil ſaith; Auri ſacra fames, Virgil.that is; The curſſed hunger of gold. This Hebrue word Kedes, is To prepare, or To be prepared: whereof is deriued that word, which ſignifieth an Harlot; bicauſe ſuch women are prepared and ſet readie for all men: or elſe, bicauſe they are woont to go trimlie decked and painted. Wherfore Clemens ſaith, Clemens.that The Lacedaemonians ſuffered harlots to weare wrought garments, fine apparell, and gold: which things were not lawfull for matrons to vſe.
Now let vsus ſée what followeth in Deuteronomie; verſe. 18.And the hire of an harlot ſhall not be brought into the ſanctuarie. Here againe the lawe calleth that Zonah, which it had before called Kedeſcha. But thou wilt ſaie; If the lawe would not hauehave harlots to be ſuffered, what néeded it to hauehave forbidden their oblations? What néeded this lawe? They which ſpeake on this wiſe, doo ſéeme indéed to ſpeake wittilie; but yet they ſpeake not ſufficientlie. For foreine nations alſo ſent gifts for the furniture and vſe of the temple. The Eunuch of the Quéene of Aethiopia came to Ieruſalem, to offer in the temple. The Macedonians and Romans gaue yéerelie oblations and ſacrifices in the temple. Wherfore the lawe forbiddeth, that if anie thing be offered by ſtrangers that is gotten by the gaine of an harlot, the ſame ſhould not be admitted into the ſanctuarie. Beſides this, God had giuen a charge, that there ſhould be no harlot in Iſrael: but he knew that they would not obſerue that lawe. And when the Philiſtines, Macedonians, and Romans reigned ouer them, they had harlots. Matt. 21, 31Yea and Chriſt maketh mention of harlots and publicans togither. Then right well dooth God firſt forbid, that there ſhould be no harlots among the Hebrues: and afterward he decréeth, that if in caſe they were had, the gaine comming of them, ſhould not be admitted into the ſanctuarie. Which vndoubtedlie he commanded, bicauſe of the vileneſſe and filthineſſe of the gaine. In the ſame place he added; Ibidem.The price alſo of a dog ſhall not be brought into the ſanctuarie: bicauſe that beaſt is fowle and vncleane.
8 Caligula, otherwiſe a deteſtable monſter, decréed (as we hauehave in Suetonius) that they, Suetonius.which ſhould commit whooredome or brothelrie, ſhould be openlie puniſhed. Hoſtienſis.Hereof Hoſtienſis writeth ridiculouſlie; Harlots indéed (ſaith he) are bound to paie and to offer, but the church cannot nor ought not to receiue the ſame. Yet the gloſe dooth much better decrée in the Decretals, diſtinction the 90. in the chapter Oblationis; namelie, that Nothing at all, which commeth of the gaine of an harlot, ſhould be offered in the church. But prieſts and moonks, when they feared that ſome of their profit ſhould be gon, hauehave deuiſed an other reaſon. For although (ſaie they) the gaine of harlots cannot be receiued for an oblation; The Pope makes an vniuſt gaine of harlots. Looke In Gen. 38, 21.yet nothing letteth, but that it may be receiued for almes. But after what ſort dooth the Pope receiue the monie of harlots? Surelie, not as an oblation, bicauſe he cannot; nor as almes, bicauſe he is not poore: it reſteth therfore, that he receiueth the ſame as a prince. The Lord would not hauehave this kind of monie in his ſanctuarie; but the Pope will hauehave it in his treaſurie, and he hath it, and getteth a woonderfull great gaine by it. Whoſe vicar then is the Pope? Gods vicar? Naie, God refuſed ſuch a gaine. What? Is he the vicar of Chriſt? But Chriſt neuer departed from the will of his father. Then muſt it conſequentlie followe, that he is antichriſt; when as he both teacheth and dooth thoſe things, which are expreſſelie and purpoſelie againſt the word of God & of Chriſt. But he will ſaie, that he exacteth this monie as a prince. Let him then be a prince. But I demand, whether he be an euill prince, or a good prince? It is not lawfull for a good prince to depart from the lawes of God. Let him then be an euill prince: let him be euen a Caligula.
Peraduenture he will anſwer, that in reſpect he is a prince, he dooth according to the ciuill lawes, which doo not take awaie harlots out of the Romans dominion: yea rather, they diſdaine not to decrée ſomewhat touching their price or reward. A decree for gifts vntounto harlots.In the Digeſts De condictione ob turpem cauſam, in the lawe Idem etſi, it is decréed; that They cannot demand againe, that which they hauehave giuen to an harlot. And there is a reaſon added; For though it be a ſhame for an harlot to be an harlot, yet it is no ſhame to take hir hire being an harlot. Theſe words are obſcure, ſo that they may ſéeme to be a riddle. Further in the Digeſts, in the title De donationibus, in the law Affectionis gratia, it is decréed; that It is lawfull to giuegive as well vnhoneſtlie as honeſtlie. Whether it be lawful to giuegive vnhoneſtlie.It is lawfull honeſtlie to giuegive, as to parents, kinſfolks, fréends, &c: vnhoneſtlie, as to harlots. But I would know, by what licence that is lawfull? Hath God giuen goods vntounto men, to caſt them awaie on harlots? Howbeit, they confeſſe héere, that ſome ſhamfulnes there is: for though it be lawfull to giuegive, yet if thou haſt promiſed anie thing vntounto an harlot, thy obligation bindeth thée not; neither can the harlot challenge thy promiſe: as it may be ſéene in the Gloſe, in the title De donationibus, in the lawe Ea quae.
But it is a doubt, that if ſhe doo not receiue it ſhamefullie, whie it may not be lawfull for hir to aſke it without ſhame. They anſwer, that this followeth not: bicauſe manie things are taken honeſtlie, which are not honeſtlie demanded. And for that matter he citeth the lawe 1. De varijs & extraordinarijs cognationibus. Wherfore the Pope will not, by the ciuill lawes, take awaie harlots; but receiue monie of them: which he ſéeth cannot be ſuffered by the lawes of God. But héere I will reaſon with him a little. Certeinlie he profeſſeth himſelfe to be a ruler ouer the ciuill laws, and in verie déed he hath altered manie of them, as though he would amend them; when as yet he hath taken awaie the good, and ſometime, in the ſtéed of them, hath put ſuch as be euill. Whie hath he not amended thoſe lawes for the ſuffering of harlots; ſéeing they be repugnant to the lawe of God? Vndoubtedlie, the true cauſe why he hath not taken awaie the lawes of harlots, is this: bicauſe it ſhould be ouer hurtfull vntounto the Popes treaſurie. For at Rome they meaſure their lawes by profit, and not by honeſtie.
9 Howbeit, by what ciuill right doo they receiue monie of harlots? They anſwer; for tribute. But why doo not they rather ſaie; for brothelrie? Doutleſſe, if we will ſpeake trulie, Popes in this reſpect are not altogither frée from brothelrie. Let them diligentlie marke the ciuill lawes, whereby they now go about to defend themſelues, What the lawes decree touching brothelrie.and ouer which they boaſt themſelues to be rulers; and let them looke what thoſe iudge of brothelrie. In the Digeſts De ritu nuptiarum, in the lawe Palàm, it is thus written; He which hath bondwomen for gaine, the ſame committeth brothelrie. Now I demand of theſe men, in what condition they count the harlots in Rome? For citizens? Nothing leſſe. They count them therefore in a maner for bond-women, and of them they make gaine: ſo as in a maner they are brothelers or bawds. As much might be ſaid of vſurie. In their dominions they ſuffer Iewes, which are vſurers; and they take gaine of their vſurie, euerie yeare a certeine part, the twentieth part at the leaſt. Wherfore the Pope is not onlie a bawd, but alſo an vſurer. And that which I affirme of the Pope, let prophane princes alſo take héed, leaſt the ſame ſhould be alſo ſaid of them, which exerciſe this kind of gaine of the Iewes. To them vndoubtedlie agréeth that ſaieng of Dauid; If thou ſaweſt a theefe, Pſal. 50, 18.thou ranneſt with him, and laiedſt thy portion with adulterers.
But they ſaie that theſe be tributes. But in the Code, in the title De …ectigalibus & commiſſis, in the lawe Ex praeſtatione, and in the lawe Allegatis; Tribute is defined to be that, which is paid for thoſe things, which are brought into the publike weale from forren nations: for they are called in Latine, Vectigalia, of the verbe Vebere, Tribute defined.which ſignifieth To carrie. And the eight part of euerie thing was paid, in the name of a tribute, or cuſtome. Wherefore cuſtomers were called Octauarij, of Octaua parte, that is, The eight part, which they gathered. But what (I praie you) doo harlots bring vntounto the publike weale? Euen filthineſſe and luſts; of the which the Courtiers and Popiſh prieſts doo gather not the eight part, but the whole. Theſe Vectigalia are alſo called tributes and cuſtomes, which are taken of féelds and lands. But what féelds hauehave harlots? What lands? None forſooth: then let them leaue to excuſe a moſt ſhamefull thing by ſo honeſt a title. I knowe they will ſaie; If harlots were ſuffered to be frée and at libertie, they would ſinne more licentiouſlie. O goodlie kind of correction!
Can harlots be reſtreined by no other means, but ſo? They ought rather to decrée, that they ſhould not remaine in the citie, that they ſhould hauehave ill-fauoured and darke houſes, that they ſhould caſt awaie all the ornaments of the bodie, that they ſhould not come abroad openlie; and they ſhould be ſhamed by ſome notes of diſhoneſtie, that thereby they might be mocking ſtocks to the world. By this meanes they might peraduenture be called home into the right waie. But now (good God!) how are they kept vnderunder? The luxuriouſneſſe of harlots in Rome.Their houſes be moſt gorgious, they ride openlie in chariots, apparelled like princes, they ride vponupon their fine foote-cloths. They hauehave in their companie men wearing chaines, and diſguiſed perſons, yea and ſometimes Cardinals, eſpeciallie in the night, and a moſt ſumptuous traine of waiting women. Will they denie that theſe things are true? Then let graue and faithfull men, which hauehave at anie time béene in Rome, ſhew whether the thing be ſo or no. If they will not beléeue me, I can bring for witnes both Cardinals and Prelates of Rome.
10 Paulus the third of that name declared once, that he minded ſome reformation of the church: he committed the matter to certeine Cardinals and Biſhops, which were counted more pure than the reſt. And what they iudged, it is extant in the third volume of Councels. And they complaine, that the power of harlots is ſo great at Rome, as it was in no other place the like. But hath Paulus the third amended this? Alſo in the ſynod of Trent, the clergie of Rome promiſed ſome great reformation: but they did it not; neither did they indeuour it at all. Why doo they not rather imitate and followe the laws of Iuſtinian? He, in his Authentiks, in the title De lenonibus, willeth, that Harlots ſhould be vtterlie thruſt out of the citie; and that, if they promiſed anie thing vntounto bawds, they ſhould not be bound to paie and accompliſh the ſame. Naie rather, if they hauehave ſworne to be harlots for a time, the Pope abſolueth them of their oth. Theſe things doo theſe men diſſemble, and doo ſuffer and mainteine harlots. Which neuertheleſſe we are not to woonder at: for ſéeing they ſo diligentlie reteine and increaſe ſpirituall fornication of minds; namelie, ſuperſtition and idolatrie, how can they but ioine therewith the fornication of the bodie? But ſéeing they tooke awaie wiues from their maſſing prieſts, it was a hard thing, yea and vnpoſſible, to be without brothell houſes.
Iuſtinian ſorrowed, bicauſe he ſawe brothell houſes ſo nigh vntounto the churches of GOD: but now they dwell in the middeſt of cities, not far from the houſes of diuine ſeruice; & it gréeueth not the Pope one whit. But let the owners, in whoſe houſes theſe harlots dwell, plead their owne cauſe. But ſuch houſes, for the moſt part, apperteine to Biſhops and churches: and they will ſaie; We doo not take part of the gaine of an harlot, but (as méete is) we receiue rents of our houſes. Which is not prohibited by the ciuill lawes: for in the Digeſts De petitione baereditatis, in the lawe Ancillarum, it is ſaid; that Brothell houſes are vſed in the citie rents of honeſt men. And in the ſame title, in the lawe Si poſſeſſor, it is ordeined; that If a man hauehave vnhoneſt gaines, he ſhould be compelled to reſtore them, leaſt an honeſt meaning might bring profit vntounto him that is an owner, by an vnhoneſt gaine. Howbeit, ſéeing they will mainteine it by lawes, why hauehave they not a reſpect vntounto the interpretation of thoſe lawes? Namelie, if this kind of gaine be once exacted of harlots, that ought to be reſtored vntounto the heire: otherwiſe it is not lawfull to require them. Neither can contrarietie of lawes be auoided by anie other meanes: for theſe lawes ſhould not agrée with thoſe of Iuſtinian, which are to be read in the Authentiks. De lenonibus & ſcenicis mulicribus.
But let them (I beſéech you) marke the words which are read in the title De ritu nuptiarum, in the lawe Palàm: and in the title De ijs, qui notantur infamia, in the lawe Athletas; that That woman is infamous, which profeſſeth hir ſelfe an harlot, and he alſo that is partaker of the gaine; and generallie, that all bawds are infamous. Let vsus alſo (which is of much more weight) hauehave a regard to the word of God, who commandeth; Be ye holie, for I am holie. Leuit. 11, 44What doo we gather by theſe words? Euen that that is not to be ſuffered among chriſtians, whereby men are made infamous. So then let bawds and harlots be remooued awaie, forſomuch as theſe kind of perſons are noted infamous by the ciuill lawe. But they will ſaie; Men oftentimes fall, and ſometimes commit thoſe things, whereby they are made infamous. I grant it: yet is not this to be borne withall, wherby they are made infamous, whether they will or no. But though they had a thouſand ciuill lawes on their ſide, yet ought we more to eſtéeme the word of God. Ierom, Ierom.ſpeaking hereof, writeth verie well in his epitaph of Fabiola; Ciuill lawes (ſaith he) ought not ſo carefullie to be cited; Papinianus writeth one thing, Tertullian.and Paule an other. And before Ierom, Tertullian De anima; Brothell houſes (ſaith he) are deteſtable before God.
11 But if harlots (ſaie they) ſhould be ſuffered, there is ſome hope of their conuerſion. For Chriſt ſaith; Matt. 21, 31The harlots and publicans ſhall go before you into the kingdome of heauen. But let them ſhew me, whether they can by no other meanes be called home into the kingdome of God, but by ſufferance. But he meaneth not harlots, ſo long as they be harlots, and be not conuerted. For what cauſe then is it ſaid, that they ſhall go before the Phariſies and Scribes into the kingdome of God? Bicauſe they, being conuerted, doo acknowledge and bewaile their ſinnes: but the Phariſies & Scribes regarded not their wicked acts, but would ſéeme to be moſt holie. If harlots ſhould be ſuffered, bicauſe they may be conuerted; then ſhall there be no ſinne ſo gréeuous, which ought to be puniſhed. For there is none ſo farre paſt grace, but that ſome hope remaineth, that he may be called home into the right waie. And ſo by this means, all lawes ſhall be ſilent. They ſaie moreouer, that God did forbid harlots, as we read in Deuteronomie; and yet they were afterward permitted: 1. King. 3. 16for Salomon gaue iudgement betwéene two harlots. Firſt I anſwer, that it is not certeine that they were harlots: in ſo much as this word Zonah, ſignifieth hir alſo that kéepeth a vitling houſe, and one that getteth hir liuing by ſundrie ſort of gaine. Further, though they were harlots; it is yet but a weake and friuolous argument. For we muſt not reaſon from that which is doone, vntounto that which ought to be doone. GOD vndoubtedlie forbad harlots, but afterward diſcipline quailed, and manie things were committed againſt the lawe. Howbeit, we muſt hauehave a regard, not vntounto that which is doone; but vntounto that, which GOD hath commanded to be doone: otherwiſe, if we will liue according to examples, there are ill examples enow euerie where.
For Popes and Cardinals doo not onelie ſuffer harlots; but alſo they themſelues kéepe them as things moſt deintie. Neither can they abide the Canons, which decrée, that a prieſt for whoredome ſhould be depriued; in the diſtinct 82. chapter Preſbyter: when neuertheleſſe the Gloſſe ſaith there; Now a daies no man is depoſed for whooredome. The ſame we hauehave in the 2. cauſe, queſtion 7. chapter Lator. The apoſtle excludeth whooremoongers from the kingdome of God, but theſe exclude them not from the church: neither thinke they that they ought to be depoſed. The papiſts reckon adulteries among light crimes.But it is no maruell, ſéeing they ſaie that the biſhop may diſpenſe with adulteries, and other light crimes: as may be perceiued in the Extrauagants De iudicijs, in the lawe At clerici. Looke 2. Sam. 11. 2.They be the words of Alexander the third: whereby it appéereth, that theſe men account adulteries for verie ſmall crimes. Whie ſhould we then depend vponupon their examples? Philo a Iew ſaith; Philo Iudaeus.that In the publike weale of the Iewes, harlots might not be ſuffered: for of neceſſitie it behooued all, when they came to ripe yeares, to be either huſbands or wiues. Some widowes indéed there were, but thoſe were ancient in yeares, and of a tried chaſtitie. This example ſhould we follow; namelie, of ſuch an holie publike weale: and not the example of the Popes court.
At a certeine time I being in Rome, A wittie ſaieng of Crates.remembred a wittie ſaieng of Crates. He; when he came to Delphos, and ſawe in the temple of Apollo, a golden image of Phryne a verie notable harlot, cried out; Behold a triumphant token of the wantonneſſe of the Graecians! So I conſidering there the ſumptuouſneſſe and magnificence of harlots, ſaid; Behold a token of the wantonnes of the biſhops of Romes prelates! But let vsus leaue them, and procéed with the words of God, and the reaſons brought from thence. Baſil, Baſil.in his firſt booke vponupon the Pſalmes, expounding theſe words; And hath not ſit in the chaire of peſtilence, writeth verie well: Whooredome (ſaith he) ſtaieth not it ſelfe in one man, but inuadeth a whole citie. For ſome one yoong man comming vntounto an harlot, taketh vntounto himſelfe a fellow; and the ſame fellow alſo taketh an other fellow. Wherefore, euen as fire, being kindled in a citie, A ſimilitude.if the wind blowe vehementlie, ſtaieth not in the burning of one houſe or two, but ſpreadeth farre and wide, and draweth a great deſtruction with it: euen ſo this miſchéefe, being once kindled, rangeth ouer all the citie. Ambroſe. verſe. 7.Ambroſe alſo prudentlie writeth vponupon the 119. pſalme, alledging the words of the 16. chapter of the prouerbes; Who can noouriſh burning coles in his boſome, and not be burnt with them? Who (ſaith he) can thinke that harlots may be nouriſhed in a citie, and yoong men not be corrupted with whooredome? And ſo may we aptlie inuert that ſentence of Auguſtine; If thou take awaie harlots, Auguſtines ſentence inuerted. Matt. 19, 8.all places ſhall be filled with filthie luſt. We rather ſaie the contrarie; Nouriſh harlots, and all places ſhall be filled with filthie luſts.
They obiect againe a recompenſe of ſinnes, and will hauehave brothell houſes to be ſuffered, leſt violence ſhould be offred vntounto honeſt matrons. I hauehave anſwered before, that Euill things muſt not be doone, that good may come thereof. Yea, Rom. 3, 8.but God himſelfe (ſaie they) hath ordeined a recompenſe to be made for ſinnes; ſéeing he for the hardneſſe of the Hebrues harts, to the intent they might not fall into greater inconuenience, Matt. 19, 8.appointed them a bill of diuorſement. But theſe men ought to remember, that we muſt not call God vntounto anſwer; neither is it lawfull to require of him a reaſon of his lawes. Wherefore it is no ſound concluſion: God did ſo; Therefore it is lawfull for vsus to doo the like. We muſt not looke what God hath doon, but what he hath commanded vsus to doo. But God ſawe that hatred happeneth oftentimes betwéene man and wife, and danger of committing of murther: rather than the ſame ſhould happen, he appointed that a bill of diuorſement ſhould be made. But it is a falſe argument: GOD appointed a bill of diuorſement; Therfore it is lawfull for vsus to kéepe brothell houſes.
A confutation of the aduerſaries obiections. To the firſt reaſon. Act. 15. 20.12 Now remaineth to confute the obiections of the aduerſaries. Firſt they ſaid; Whooredome in the Acts of the apoſtles, is numbered among thoſe things, which of their owne nature are not euill: as bloud, things ſtrangled, and things dedicated vntounto idols. For No creature of God is euill, that is receiued with thanks-giuing. Wherfore, ſéeing fornication is reckned among theſe, it is no ſinne. Howbeit, this is a weake reaſon: for theſe things are not reckoned vp of the apoſtles, bicauſe the nature of the fault ſhould be alike euerie one of them; but bicauſe all theſe, if they ſhould hauehave béene vſed, would at that time hauehave diſturbed the church. The Iewes, by the cuſtome of the lawe, abſteined from bloud, and from that which was ſtrangled: and the Ethniks made no account of whooredome. So, to the intent that peace might growe betwéene them all, they decréed, that they ſhould all abſteine from thoſe things. Whereby it followeth not, that all theſe things be alike faultie: but this rather we may infer, that all theſe things were an occaſion of diſturbing the church. Further, they obiected, that God commandeth not ſins: but he commanded Hoſea the prophet to hauehave fellowſhip with an harlot. Hoſe. 2, 1. To the ſecond.I anſwer: Euerie ſinne, in that reſpect is ſin, bicauſe it is againſt the word of God: What is the proper nature of ſinne.but if God particularlie command anie thing to be doone, which otherwiſe diſſenteth from the word written, that verelie is no ſinne. Sinne it is to take other mens goods awaie; Gen. 22, 1.yet God commanded the Hebrues, when they ſhould go out of Aegypt, that they ſhould borrowe ſtuffe and ſiluer veſſels of the Aegyptians, and take them awaie with them: which they did without ſinne.
Alſo, no man doubteth, but that murther is ſinne: Gen. 22.and yet Abraham, if he had ſacrificed his ſonne at the commandemt of GOD, which he was readie to doo, he had not ſinned. So may we ſaie of Hoſea the prophet, if he committed whooredome at the commandement of God, his whooredome was no ſinne. I knowe there be ſome, which thinke, that Hoſea was not bidden to commit whooredome, but to take a harlot to his wife: but that agréeth not. For it followeth; And thou ſhalt beget of hir children of fornication. Children gotten after that maner; namelie, of a lawfull wife, ſhould not hauehave béene children of fornication. Ierom.Ierom dooth better interpret theſe things hyperbolicallie, and ſaith; that By this image was expreſſed the wickedneſſe of the Iewes, which had forſaken God a huſband to them all, and had committed fornication with the idols of the Gentils, and had begotten vnlawfull and baſtard children, as touching the ſeruice and religion of God. Moreouer, To the third.that is falſe, which they alledged; namelie, that whooredome is neither againſt charitie, nor religion. For we hauehave before declared, that it is otherwiſe: neither is it here néedfull to repeate that, which we hauehave ſaid. Auguſtine was brought, To the fourth.which ſaith; What meate is vntounto the bodie, that is the bed for procreation; But to eate or drinke a little more than néedeth, is not a gréeuous ſinne; No more therefore is whooredome.
The ſimilitude agréeth not in euerie point, but ſerueth onelie for that part, for which it is taken. And vndoubtedlie, he which eateth or drinketh more than he ought, dooth not ſtraitwaie forgo the health of his bodie; but he, which ſtraieth in carnall fellowſhip, and plaieth the harlot, may eaſilie foorthwith procreate a child, vntounto whom he dooth iniurie, bicauſe through his fault he is borne a baſtard. Moreouer, there followeth euill education, and by that meanes charitie is hurt. I might alſo ſaie, that euen as euill and noiſome meate deſtroieth the bodie (yea Adam, by eating of the forbidden fruit, corrupted his poſteritie:) ſo whooredome killeth the ſoule. Laſtlie, whereas they alledged, To the fift.that fornication is therefore no ſinne; bicauſe this cannot be perceiued by the light of nature, that I ſaie is nothing. For the precepts of God may be knowne euen by nature, that they are iuſt: howbeit, by ſuch a nature as is ſound and vncorrupt; ſéeing a corrupt nature dooth oftentimes allow vices in ſtéed of vertues. For among the Lacedaemonians, theft was commended: Thucidides.and (as Thucidides writeth) among the ancient Gréeks piraſie was counted a vertue. Furthermore, it followeth, Looke in the explication of the queſtions at the end of this booke.that the precepts of God may by nature …e knowne to be iuſt and honeſt; but yet by a nature inſtructed and framed with the word and ſpirit of God. Otherwiſe (as Paule witneſſeth) A carnall man knowech not the things, which are of God.