The Golden Book of Christian Matrimony, Chapter 10
The. x. Capter.
¶ How shamefull, vycious and abhominable, the synne of whordome i….
ANd to the entent that the praise honour goodnesse & cōmēdacion of holy wedlock may the more clearly appeare, I will now set whordome ryght ouer agaynste it on the other fyde, and declare how shamefull, vycious, & abhominable it is before god & all honestye: That youth may louelove the honoure of god, and auoyde dishonesty: & y• eueryevery one may eschewe vycious whordome, and betake hym to holy wedlocke.
Paul the chosen man of god writeth thus to the Corinthiās: Flye from whor…ome. All the Whoredome defylethe the members of Christ which is thy owne body.synnes that a man doth, are without his bodye but who so committeth whordome, synnethe agaynst his owne body. And immediately afore the sayd wordes, he expressethe the vnderstōding of this sētence, & sayeth. Know ye not that your bodies are the membres of Christ? Shall I than take Christes membres, & make them the membres of an harlot? God forbyd. Paul then whā he spake those wordes (All the synnes that a mā dothe, et c.) had repsecte vntounto wedlocke. For lyke as wedlok maketh of two personnes or bodies, one personne and one bodye. Euen so lykewyse ☞the spirituall mariage, namely the receauynge of gods grace, in that we are baptysed īto christ and become Christen maketh one body betwene Christ and vsus beleuers, so that we be called and are in dede Christes membres. Nowe lyke as he y• is maried (yf he take another besyde his wife dothe synne agaynste his owne body: Euen so lykewise doth that Christen mā synne agaynste his owne body, yf he commytte whordome. For he dishonoureth the grace of Christ, & defylethe the holy couenaunt made betwene: Christ and him. For it foloweth in Paule: Knowe ye not, that he which ioyneth himself to an harlot, is be come oue body For they two sayth the lord shall be one flesh, or one bodye. But who so cleuethe vntounto the lorde, is one spyrite. Neuertheles thorow whordome is the sprete banished and excluded. For thy sprete, herte and mynd that ought to …leue vntounto y• lord, is ioyned to ye harlot, withe whom thou art one and incorporated Therfore they that cōmytte whordome, do synne agaynst the couenaunt and spirituall mariage, where with we must be ioyned vntounto Christ.
Furthermore it foloweth in Paul: Or know Whroedome robbeth god of his owne.ye not, that your bodyes shuld be the tēple of the holy goost, which is in you whō ye hauehave of god, & y• ye are not in your awne power? For ye are dearly bought. Wherof it foloweth constantly that they which commytte whordome, do dishonoure and waist away theyr owne bodyes. For they geue ouer theyr mēbres, yee theyr hert and mynd vntounto whordome: And yet Christ for his i. Pet. i:honoure & our clenlynesse dyd bye the san…e, and that not with mony, but with his owne bloud. It foloweth also, that they which are geuen vntounto whordome, be vnderunder the great plage of god. For Paul saith here, that Christē mens bodies are the tēple of god the holy goost. Thus saleth Whoredome …he …he … of godhe. i. Cori. iii. yf any mā defyle the tēple of god, him shall god destroye. Is it not an horryble defylynge of gods tēple, to set that vycious harlo… Wenus, euē in the place where god shuld reigne with his sprete, & to be ioyned & do seruice vntounto her with body & soule? Let them come forth now … for… …s a …ous sin.that wyll alwaye excuse syngle fornicacion, as though it were not synne (or at the leest not so greate syn) one syngle person to abuse another. Paul the Apostle of Christ saieth, that whordome deuydeth vsus from God, breaketh the couen…unt which we hauehave wyth God, spoyleth and robbeth god of that which is his, mysordreth the m…s of god, maket of christes mēbres ye mem b… of an haclotte, defyleth and vnhaloweth the tēple of god, thē therfore that wyll folow whordom…, shal god destroye. Yf all this be to be estemed but a small thinge, then do I confesse, that whoredome and fornicacion is euen as lytle a synne, as vy…ious vayne people do make it.
It is more then ones also, that Paul him selfe Whoredome shut mē oute of heauen.shutteth whormongers out of heauen, who so beleueth not my wordes, let him reade. Rom. i. i. Co…. v. and. vi, Gala. v. Ephe. v. i. Tess. iiii. To the Hebrues he saieth planely, that as for whoremongers & aduoutrers, God wyll iudge them. What can be more sayde? Yf thou not wythstondyng all this, wylt yet say, that whordome or fornicacion is no synne, then cryeth the holy Prophet Esaye that horrible woo vpō the and sayth, Esaye. capit. Woo vntounto you that call euel, good. Or do ye not knowe, that euen nowe in this tyme, God doth sore punysh whordome as a great vice: Paule sayth. i. Corin. x. Lette vsus not cōmitte whoredome, as some of them of olde dyd, & were destroyed in one daye a great nōbre. It is euident what slaunder & dishonour, Samson brought vntounto hym selfe, specially to the glory & name of God among Gods enemies & hys, & among all the children of Israel wt his bolde and vicious whoredome, & howe shamefull an ende he made by the means of the same harlot.
In the fyfth of the Prouerbes of Salomon saye after this maner: The lyppes of an harlot Whoredome spoylethe a mā of his ho neste body … good.are as aswete droppynge hony combe, and her throte is softer then oyle: but her end is bitterer then death, & as sharpe as a two edged swearde. Her feete lead vntounto deathe, & her pathe drawethe vntounto hell. Therfore se that thou go not in vntounto her, nether draw nygh to the dores of her house, lest straungers hauehave thy substaunce, and left the cruell gette thyne encreace. Wythe fewe wordes both Salomon describe the shorte and swete disceatfulnesse of whoredome, which yet leaueth be hynd it a perpetuall vytternes, and brefely he she weth, howe that whoredome destroyeth in soule, in honoure, in body and in good. As for ensamples, we nede not to sette forthe any there are to many before oure eyes, the more pitie. The stories The French pockes, how it …yrst camedo testify, that the Frenche pockes came of an harlot into the worlde thorowe whoredome. Howe many a man hath consumed all his substaunce & goodes wyth harlottes, and at the last hath ben hanged, drowned or headed? &c.
Yet go the shamelesse harlots forth styll into Whorem…ngers hauehave no rest.theyr owne perdicion, vice & abhominaciō, yea & vnderunder take to blaspheme wedlocke, & somwhat to excuse theyr owne mischefe. Therfore talke they of muche trouble that is in wedlocke. And as for theyr whorysh lyfe, it is nothyng elles but open vyce & abhominacion before God and all honest people. Fylthy is fylthynes styll, althoughe the fylthy swyne delyte therin, They speke much of euyll wyues, which whan some men had taken, they coulde not be ryd of them wythe any fayre means. And yet can they not leaue theyr vayne crafty & vnfaythfull harlottes, of whō they thē selues are mocked, and scorned to the vttermost yea & are fayne to suffer more of suche vicious & fylthy bodyes, than any man doth of his honest wyfe. They speake much lykewyse of bryngyng vp of chyldrē which are borne in wedlocke. And yet they them selues in whoredome are fayne to brynge vp the bastardes that they hauehave gotten, lyke as afore tyme they were wont to bylde mā met houses & felde Chapelles, wythe collections and gatherynges of eueryevery man.
They speake of muche trauayle and carefulnes, Whores are insa…able … hauehave neuer inough.howe the housholde must be brought vp and prouided for in wedlocke. And yet the dotynge fooles them selues are fayne to nomysshe those shamefull harlottes wythe muche greater care, and yet be afrayed, that whan they hauehave done theyr best, the gredy sacke wyll not be fylled, and that the fylthy strompette wyll yet brynge forth a greater rekenynge vponupon thy trencher, and all to get the bagge of money into her owne hādes. Moreouer among whores is waystyng and expenses The ende of whoredome is beggery.moost regarded, nether art thou welcome but thy money. No more money, no more louelove. I must hauehave the money & purse, sayth the harlot take thou thy cloke and thy baggage. Lette another come that hathe more money, for he hathe bene in the bath, and is dispatched. Thus maye he byte hys lyppes and cratch his pate, and take that for his farewel that he getteth of hisharlot.
They complayne moreouer of the cryeng of the chyldren in the nyghtes, and how that mari ed folkes can not stepe, but must watche by the means therof. And yet the dotynge fooles them selues go all the nyght long vp and downe thorow the stretes, & kepe the dyuels watche, wythe paynefulnes, frost and vnrest. Let no reasonable manne therfore be snared styll in whordome by such harlottes, to the slaunder & dishonoure of holy wedlocke. Whoredome (no doubte) ha…he muche more disquietnes, anguyshe and trouble, then hath the holy state of maryage. The payne also that is in marryage, is godly and honest. God gyuethe suche pacience, strength and good wyll vntounto the faythfull, that they canne easely awaye wythe all manner of con…gale cares. As for harlottes, they are the dyuelles martyrs, and hauehave alwaye dishonour and shame.
Where as certayne men saye: if whoredome Stewes.be so great a synne before God, & bryng so much vice and mischiefe wyth it, why do some hyghe rulers and prelates of the world thē mayntayne open stewes: To that I answere: Many thynges are suffered, that ought not so to be, and yet for suffryng therof are the suffrers neuer the bet ter. But let those prelates & regētes of the world make aunswere vntounto God for theyr owne acte. God hathe commaunded the and vsus all: Thou shalte not commit whoredome. Let eueryevery Christen man followe him, what so euer other folkes suffer or do. The holy Apostie Paul sayth: Let neyther whoredome nor any vnclennesse be once named among you, as it becommeth Sayntes. Ephe. v. Chap. Now yf amonge Christen folke as an holy people that is clensed thorowe the bloud of Christ there may no whordome be na med, much lesse no doubte ought vycious stewes to be set vp and openly mainteyned, for a playne shame is it and a manifest confusion. Let them therfore that maynteyne such shamefull houses, looke well to themselues, how and what answere they will geue vntounto God for this their acte.
They that saye they are suffred for auoyding of greater incōuenience, let them considre whether, they meane to put awaye a worse thinge with an euell, be a meane that is comely and pleasing vntounto god? or whether God hath at any tyme commaunded or geuen lycence, to suffre and maynteyne open and shameles whordome, that virgins maye be the lesse forced & defloured or that yet worse thinges be not commytted of wilfull persones? Paulsaieth. Thou ought stnot to do euil, that therof might come good except thou wilt be dampned iustely. Roma iii We fynde daylye by experience, that the same way helpeth not, & that there are whore houses and in the meane season the worse thinge, not eschued, And therfore euell with euell, and vyce with vyce do runne together, so that abominacion and myschefe preuayleth. Wherfore let eueryevery reasonable Christen man ceasse now from vyce, braule who so list: yf thou wilt do that god cōmaundeth the, & the thing wherof thou mayst haur worshippe & welfare in the sight of God & honest people, then medle not with harlottes, …ether come at the stewes. Mayntayne thē not and vse them not. But to auoyde whoredome, let eueryevery man hauehave hys owne wyfe and eueryevery woman hir owne husband.
Yee but it is not mete for eueryevery man to mary Many poore mariages make many beggers. Obiection.Ther is no man compelled to mary, nether yet afore the tyme, nor whan thou hast not a conue nient cause therto. OnelyOnly yf it be not mete for the to be vertuous, it shall be no vyceous thinge to mary. Now yf thou thinkest it wyll not frame with the to mary, then leaue thine whordome Marke wel.also. And then we are agreed. For goddes sake man, kepe thy selfe honeste, sober, pure and cleane, vntyll the tyme that it be mete and expedient for the to mary. Thou wilt say: Halas we are but flesh and bloud. Iaūswere: were not our fore fathers flesh & bloud also? dyd they therfore continue stil in child hode? Or haūted they harlotrye in the meane time? Beholde the example of Isaac, Iacob, Ioseph and other excellent men, which maried not tyll they were of a good & per fecte age, and yet neuertheles spent theyr youth vertuously in clenlynesse of lyfe. Therfore shulde oure youth feare God lyke wise as they dyd, hauehave Gods commaundement before theyr eyes, call vponupon God for grace, auoyde ydlenesse & all that maye prouoke to an vnclenly lyuyng: but contrary wise, geue them selues …o labour, and resyst manfully in tētacion. But nowe we fynd it other wise, for oure youth hath lytle respecte vntounto god & his cōmauudementes, calleth not vponupon God, goeth vp and downe ydle, haunteth euell company & dronkennesse, Hereof commeth it now that they can not refrayne, & they thinke that they must nedes folowe harlottes still, or els hauehave wiues, & yet can they nether laboure …er get theyr lyuing. And thus came they to naught: therfore is it theyr owne vnthristynesse and not holy wedlok that destroyeth the… ▪
Doth not the hauntyng of harlots make beggers also? Whence come then suche swarmes of Mariage (saye they) ma…eth m… ny beggers.beggers & wretched pockye people: Euē of whor dome get they that mischefe for the most parte. And this doth no mā esteme ner considre. But whā a good vertuous yong man which is come to his age, doth honestly mary, then is the walet brought before him, to feare him, or els to with holde other mē frō holy wedloke, and to make thē cōtynue still in whordome. This …ā the sotil deuell ☜do. The rych, faithful & almighty God dyd neuer fayle any mā, that seketh him in trewe ve Whoredomeleffe, that laboureth faith fully, and that is vertuous and honest, Let nomā therfore besnared styl in synne. To be shorte, whordome with dra weth & separateth the mynd frō god, maketh vsus to breake our couenaūte, dishonoureth the grace of God & mēbres of Christ, robbeth God of that which is his, vnhaloweth the tēple of god, & plucketh vsus vtterly with sprete & flesh into the myre & into all fylthynesse, maketh vsus of men, beastes defyleth body and soule, taketh frō vsus all oure substaunce, honestie and good, shameth de stroyeth and caryeth to bell wyth wrechidnesse, misery & sorow. Contrary wise: wedlok delyuereth Wanion coū sayle.vsus ones from all suche inconuenience. And therfore is it a myserable thynge, that all thys wyll not be consydred, and that yet also there be olde men, whiche esteme whordome to be no synne, and talke so lightly and wantonlye ther of before yong people, that youth beynge prouoked for warde in their wicked purpose, are now the more hard harted and obstinate therin
Deare children, harken ye rather vntounto Paul the electe seruaunt of god wiche speaketh out of Ephe. vithe holy goost these wordes: Be ye sure, that no whormonger or vncleane personne hath in heri taunce in the kyngdome of Christ and of god. Be not disceaued wyth vayne wordes. For because of such thynges commeth the wrath of god vponupon the chyldren of vnbelefe. Marke this well, and remēber it. God wyll not regarde the wanton and vile communicacion of such, so lyght as they make it. Wherfore yf ye wyl escape ye wrath of God, then kepe your selues from whordome, and marry at your iust age.