Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 128
On Tewsday the xiiii. of Ianuarie. 1556. The Cxxviij. Sermon which is the fourth vponupon the two and twentith Chapter.
13 If a man take a wife, and when he hath lyen with her, hate her,
14 And laye slaunderous things vntounto her, and bring vp an euil reporte of her, and say: I toke this wife, and when I came to her I found her not a maide:
15 Then shall the father and the mother of the maide take the signes of her virginitie and bring them forth before the elders vntounto the gate.
16 And the maids father shall say vntounto the elders: I gaue my daughter vntounto this man to wife, and hee hateth her:
17 And lo he layeth slaunderous things to her charge: saying, I founde not thy daughter a mayde: notwithstanding beholde the tokens of my daughters virginitie. And they shal spreade the vestures before the elders of the Citie.
18 Then the elders of the Citie shall take that man and chastice him.
19 And shall condemne him in an hundred pieces of siluer, and giuegive them vntounto the father of the maide: because he hath brought vp an euil report vponupon a maide of Israell, and she shalbe his wife, and he may not put her away as long as he shall lyue.
20 But if this thing be true that the young woman be not founde a maide:
21 Then shal they bring forth the maide to the doore of her fathers house, & the men of the Citie shall stone her with stones, and she shall die: because she hath doone leawdly in Israell, by playing the whore in her fathers house, and so thou shalt put away the euill from a mong you.
22 If a man be founde lying with a woman married vntounto an husband: they shall die euen both twaine: namely the man which lay with the wife, and the wife her selfe. And so thou shalt take away the euill out of Israel.
23 If a mayde be betrothed vntounto a husband, and a man finde her in the Citie and lye with her:
24 Then shal yee bring them both vntounto the gate of the Citie, and stone them with stones that they die: the mayde because she cried not out being in the citie, and the man because he hath humbled his neighbours wife, and so shalt thou take away this euil from among you.
ALl this which we hauehave here recited serueth to declare what speciall care God hath, that chastitie should be maintained among his people. And hereof wee may gather this, that if whoredomes hauehave their full skope among vsus, it is such an abomination in the sight of God, that it prouoketh his wrath and vengeance. And that people must needes be accursed, among whom there is a lawles libertie to goe a whorehunting, and where this vile filthinesse is not clensed. Ye see then in effect whereunto we must apply this whole doctrine. But yet for all that, we must note the thinges as they are set down here, to the intent we may apply eueryevery point vntounto his vse. First of all therefore our Lord sheweth, that by great reason he ought to be chastised, which bringeth vp a slaunderous report vponupon any body: for eueryevery mans estimation ought to bee maintained. Moreouer, that if a man or woman complayne that he is wrongfully accused, when notwithstā ding he is found faultie, his punishment ought to be doubled. And from this Lawe we may gather a good lesson. We know how it is sayd: yt a mans good name is better and more precious than either golde or siluer. And if a man bee once past shame, it is a sure token that he is wedded to all wickednesse. It is natural therefore to eueryevery man, to maintayne his credite. In deede we must not be ambitiou…ly giuen, as they which couet naught else but to bee esteemed of men. Wo woorth vsus if we goe that way to worke.… 12.17 But we ought (as Saint Paul sayth) to procure that which is good, not onelyonly in conscience before God, but also in the sight of men; to the intent that we be not a stumbling blocke of offence, and that men take vsus not for a buckler, when they will doe amisse, and alledge, and did not such a one doe so? For what a thing were it if men should take occasion by vsus, to offend God? Ye see then to what end we ought to maintayne our credit as much as lyeth in vsus.
And for this cause it is sayd here, that if any after that he hath taken a woman to wife, accuseth her that she behaued herself lewdlie before he tooke her, then the father and the mother shall come and maintaine the honestie of their daughter: and the man which shall bee found to hauehave wrongfullie charged her whome hee had espoused, shall bee punished both in his bodie and in his purse: and their daughter shall so remaine with him, that he may neuer bee diuorced from her. Wee see now how God would not suffer the husband to accuse the wife wrongfully▪ and therefore by greater reason it may bee concluded, that it is not lawfull for a straunger to flaunder one in respect of chastitie which is foūd innocent. For the husband might alledge that he hath more libertie to doe so, because hee is her head and superiour. But in any wise God wil not that a woman bee falsely accused, and hee commaundeth that the husband should bee punished for so doing, yea, and that in his very person. For besides that monie which is here set downe, there was a further appointed correction by the Iudges. And let vsus note that this was done, not onelyonly to maintaine the womans good name, but also to moue women the more to liue chaste, when God declareth himselfe the protectour of their honestie. When we see that God hath this care that they which liue honestly and wtout reproofe hauehave their good name also maintained, and that the husband shal be chastised if he slaunder his wife: when God (I say) abaseth himselfe to execute this office; should women be so beastly and wicked as to giuegive themselues ouer to vnchast villanie? No: for surelie this priuiledge cannot be to highly esteemed, & yet they make a skorne of it. Ye see then what the end is which God amed at, and what wee hauehave to beare in minde in this Lawe.
Now withall let vsus note, that when Iudges and Magistrates are warned of their office, eueryevery one in particular ought to gather an instruction hereby. As how? If a false reporte be raised on one which is innocent; the office of them which beare the sword, is to maintaine the good name of eueryevery one. That is it which God commaundeth them. As for vsus on our side, let vsus not waite for our punishment at the handes of Iudges and Magistrates for false accusing of any: But let vsus keepe our selues from all slaundering, sith it is a thing which so highly displeaseth GOD. Let vsus therefore take heede how wee open our mouth to stayne
as if wee woulde defie him, if when wee see him set vsus such a barre and to threaten v… by other mens harmes, yet wee cease not to followe the same wickednesse. This is al one (say I) as if we woulde defie him, and proclaime open warre against him. So then let vsus learne, that when God ordayneth any execution of punishment, it is not only to the intent that he which hath offended shoulde bee chastised: but also that wee shoulde take it for a rule to learne howe to behaue our selues as we ought, and not be so senselesse as to cast our selues headlong into wickednesse, seeing our lesson so written before our eies. And so to bee short, let all the corrections which are contained in the Lawe serue vsus for so manie bridles to restraine vsus withal; and let them teach vsus to walke in the feare of God, or at least let vsus take them for preseruatiue medicines, and let vsus not tarie till the mischiefe light on vsus, but prouide for our selues before hande and pray God that hee so guide vsus as we taste not of his anger. And let vsus put that in practise also which S. Paul saieth speaking of adulteries and such like things that no man deceiue vsus with vaine words.Eph. 5.6. Take heede saieth hee yee bee not deceiued: for the worlde dispenseth easilie with it selfe euen so far as to dallie wt God, & to set his iustice at nought: but bee not you deceiued in that behalfe (saieth hee) for the wrath of God commeth vppon the children of disobedience for those things. Nowe if God by punishing of sinnes sheweth howe hee detesteth them, in that hee setteth downe a law in writing, and appointeth Iudges and Magistrates to execute that which he commaundeth, I pray you is it not a most certaine warning, and such a one as ought to touch vsus more neare the quicke? And if for all this we will be stubborne and hardhearted in our wickednesse, is it not a rushing with our hornes against God, as I hauehave saide alreadie? [Yes surely]. And therefore let vsus note that seeing God hath punished aduowtries so grieuously, it is to shewe vntounto vsus, that it is so great a filthinesse as cannot but nourishe his wrath and vengeance. Therefore his will is that aboue all thinges faithfulnesse should bee kept in marriage.
Now here the speciall case is of adulteries. Without doubt all kinde of whoredome displeaseth God. For we must euer returne backe to this principle or grounde, that sith God blessed man and woman, when he ioyned them in marriage, he curseth all whoredome, accordingly as the Apostle also saieth, That marriage is holy & honourable:Heb. 13.4. insomuch that when the bedde is dedicated vntounto the name of God, that is to say, when the parties are ioyned together in his name, and do liue honorablie, it is as it were an halowed estate: but adulterers and fornicatours God will iudge. He speaketh not onelyonly of adulterers, that is to say of such as hauehave broken their owne marriage and the marriage of others, but also hee speaketh generally and without exception of all them which giuegive ouer themselues vntounto any manner of whoredome, in respect wherof S. Paul saieth also that not onelyonly adulterers are shut out & banished from ye kingdome of God,2. Cor. 6.9. but fornicatours also. And againe we see that when hee speaketh of such as liue a wicked and loose life, and therfore ought to be excommunicated and cast out of the Church; hee speaketh not alonely of adulterers, but of fornicators also. And the reason why, is most worthie noting. For what are our bodies and soules, but the temples of the holy Ghost? Seeing God vouchsafeth vsus this honour to dwell in our soules and bodies, is it not great reason that they shoulde bee kept holy and vndefiled? And if a man soyle himselfe by coupling himselfe with an harlot, is it not all one as if he woulde teare in pieces the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ? Let vsus therfore note that generally God detesteth all kindes of whooredome.
But hee speaketh in this place of adulteries, because in them there is the greater villanie. And why? because if a maide promise marriage and falsifie the faith she hath plighted, shee defileth not onelyonly her owne bodie, and so consequently violateth the temple of God, but she also dishonoreth her husbande with whome shee was coupled, so that she robbeth another of his good, yea of such good as cannot bee recompensed with golde or siluer. For she setteth him forth vntounto open shame, for whom (if neede so required) shee should spend her life. Is it meete then that it should be suffered? Therefore let vsus note that whereas our Lordes will is, that the maides which hauehave promised marriage shoulde be stoned if they commit whoredome: it is because they hauehave committed villany against their husbandes in not keeping their faith to whome they were betrothed. And therefore he wil th… such a fornicatour bee likewise punished. And why? Because hee robbeth an other man of his good name, and breaketh an holy and sacred promise. Men punish falsifiers and forgers: As for example: if a man steale a publike Recorde [as an indenture, deede, bonde, or such like] or falsifie it, he shalbe grieuously punished: & is not marriage a greater thing than a contract of an hundred crownes, or a bargaine of an house or of land? This case concerneth the fellowship of two reasonable creatures, yea and their fellowship for life and death; the case concerneth an holy bande which God himselfe hath stablished among vsus, yea and that to this intent that al cō fusion should be taken out of the world, so as we should not be like vntounto brute beastes which couple together wtout any difference, but that ye mā shoulde hauehave his wife & the wife her husbande. And if this be violated and taken away, al order of nature is corrupted. If we play the blinde bus…ards and winke at such geare, & so let it slip: let vsus not deceiue our selues for all that; for God will requite it with horrible reuenge. And we see it is not without cause that God hath so grieuously punished the fornications of such as had promised or betrothed themselues vntounto husbands.
And if this bee so with them, what shall bee saide of the wife which is alreadie married? For shee is giuen to an husbande to helpe him to gouerne his house in the name of god; & if she giuegive her selfe ouer so villainously vntounto whoredome, shee not onelyonly robbeth her husbande of his good name, and worketh him a great outrage, but she spoileth also the name of the whole familie: For shee playeth the whore with another man, and the children which she beareth, through that whoredome, doe beare the name of her husband. And againe the goods and substance of the man are taken from the lawfull children, and be giuen to bastardes which hauehave no title thereunto. And is not yt a more wicked villanie, than if one had broken vp an house, rifled all the coffers, spoyled and taken away all things, and committed the greatest robberies in the worlde? Yes verily, and it ought lesse to bee borne withall: and that knewe the heathen men well ynough. If we had no more but the Lawe of Moses, yet ought we to be more ashamed to see whoredome nowadayes so easily pardoned, and so small account to be made of it. But when the heathen men teach vsus our lesson, and vse better order by a great deale than those which at this day call themselues Christians, I pray you what a witnesse will that be against vsus at the latter day? Blind men hauehave beene of more clearer sight than we. Wee Christians say continually, that Iesus Christ hath brought a true declaration of the Lawe, to the intent we shoulde knowe that that is our perfect holinesse which is there contained. Indeede hee added nothing thereunto. But yet neuerthelesse wee ought to bee better learned than the fathers which liued before the Gospel. But how profite we? There is no account made nowadaies of whoredome. Wedlock is broken, faith is falsified; & yet men make no reckning of it, it passeth scotfree. In what state then thinke yee are wee? If men will shifte the matter by saying, Oh sir yee must beare with our weakenesse; thinke wee it shalbee taken for payment before God? Is not his worde alwayes vnreuocable? Is it not all one as if he shoulde say: HaueHave yee no care of that which I commaunde you? And what are yee? Are you trowe yee wiser than I? Well, I will make you to knowe that I am your Iudge. And let vsus note well that the sinne and wickednesse is doubled, when men cannot finde in their hearts to yeelde vntounto that which God hath once spoken, but will needes choppe Logike with him. So then let vsus knowe that there is a double woe threatened vsus when wee see God on the one side speaketh vntounto vsus and telleth vsus that whoredome is such a pestilent infection as hee can in no wise suffer it, and that hee declareth when marriage which hee hath dedicated in his name is corrupted, that it must needes bee punished. When wee heare that God proceedeth vntounto such seueritie, and also see, that euen onelyonly by nature hee hath inspired the heathen to knowe that there coulde bee no order among men, except whoredome shoulde be seuerely punished, what are wee able to say? Nowe then first of all whereas it is saide heere, that a maide which hath betrothed her selfe vntounto an husbande shal bee stoned with the fornicator, if shee suffer herselfe to bee defiled: wee must vnderstande that seeing shee was so leawde as to falsifie her faith, yea and that in so holy and sacred a thing as is marriage, our Lord esteemed her as one giuen ouer to all vice and sinne. For a woman which plaieth the harlot, is alreadie worse than a thief, because shee hath done much worse in working her husbande such wrong and villanie, than if she had robbed him of his monie. Moreouer wee must returne to this point, namely to consider of the promise that is made in marriage of howe great importance it is. For we knowe to what ende marriage was ordained, namelie, to the intent that men shoulde liue honestlie together, and that there should be no such beastlie loosenesse of coupling themselues together like dogges and bitches, or like bulles and kyne, but that they shoulde shewe that they beare not the likenesse of God in vaine. Seeing then that marriage is ordained vntounto this ende; if men will walk cleane contrarie, is it not an open defiance of God? Is it not a plucking of him out of his throne, and such a wyping out of his image as men can no more know themselues: bu… become as bulles and dogges? Therfore when men fall to such extremitie, must not God shew forth his anger?
But let vsus alwayes returne vntounto that point which wee named before; that as this commandement is giuen vntounto Iudges and Magistrates touching ciuill order, so ought euerie of vsus to be admonished of his duetie, that wee walke more carefully in our vocatiō. If such as beare ye scepter of iustice in their hands, do suffer whoredom to raigne and wedlocke to bee broken, so as neither faith nor promise be kept any longer: they shall yeeld an account hereof vntounto God. But yet for all that, let vsus looke vntounto our selues, and let euerie man so walke, as yt he hauehave not God for his iudge. For what shall we winne by scaping ye hands of men so as our offence is not perceiued▪ or else we bee by some wicked shifts & practises quit from punishment, and no man sayes a word vntounto vsus. Yet for al that, we must come to our reckening before God, who will not lose one iot of his right. Although men be negligent or play the blinde men, yet will God in the end shew that he forgate no peece of our doings, but registred thē euerie one in his book. Let vsus therfore take heed we walke in such sort, as wee esteeme highly of mariage. And forasmuch as wee see yt God beareth rule ouer it and accurseth al adulterers and fornicatours, let that moue vsus to be helde in the greater feare and carefulnesse. Wee see howe the Paynims for al their superstitions and ydolatries, had yet I knowe not what a blind motion, whereby they were perswaded for the better maintaining of marriages that their gods or rather ydolles were the protectours thereof. And why thought they so? It was euen of a meere follie. I graunt it: but yet this folly of theirs proceeded from a good grounde. They were corrupted with superstitions and had imbrewed it with their inuentions and errors. But yet neuerthelesse, this alwayes remained, & was so engrauen in their mindes as it coulde not bee wiped out, that God meant there should be such a marke in marriage and that men should know that hee had a care of it. Seeing it is so, let vsus take good heede that wee make not God our enimie and aduersarie partie, which doubtlesse we shall doe, if wee falsifie the faith of marriage. If a man lay waite for an other mans wife, if a woman giuegive her selfe ouer to a whoremonger, bee shee married or be she betrothed, if they falsifie the promise which they plighted, and breake ye faith which they gaue; it is all one as if they waged battle with God, and they shall feele that they deale with too hard a match. Let vsus therefore walke in such stayednesse, as our Lord may accept of vsus, and that we may finde fauour in his sight: Let euerie of vsus resist his wicked lusts, and not giuegive our selues the bridle to ouer leape our bounds so farre as to venter to corrupt so holy an order.
Nowe if the punishment be so grieuous when a maide which is but betrothed committeth fornication: much more reason is it that it should bee so in a married woman, as I saide afore. And why? Because shee wrongeth her husband, shee setteth him out into open shame, shee spoileth also the name of his house, shee robbeth the children which are yet vnborne, shee robbeth those which are alreadie begotten in lawfull wedlocke. When a woman is become such a diuell, what other remedie can there bee, than to roote out the whole mischiefe? And this is the cause why it is expresly saide, Thou shalt put away the euill from thee. Heereby our Lorde ment to giuegive vsus to vnderstande, that if men suffer a woman vnpunished whē she is growen to such wickednesse as not to pitie her owne children, they suffer a monster to liue. For what may one think that woman to be but a monster, which hath no regarde of her children, and which maketh no account to hauehave bastardes mingled with lawfull children? And that is a thing contrarie to al nature. So then (as I hauehave tolde you) the fault must needes be extreme, when the punishment is so grieuous, that God will hauehave it serue vsus for an example, and that they which hauehave been offensiue by their life, shoulde serue for an instruction vntounto others by their death, that they may learne to keepe themselues chast. Thus yee see what we hauehave to beare in minde.
Nowe touching whooremasters, they are guiltie of the like. Indeede the woman shall not be spared, because she hath falsified her faith towardes her husbande, and hath committed an vnpardonable crime. If a man rifle his neighbours coffer, hee shalbe punished, & that not as a single thiefe, but as a robber. But the whorehunter commeth to defile ye whole house, hee commeth to infect it with whoredome, hee commeth to robbe his neighbor of his honour, credite, and good name, and in steed of the right seede, hee through cursed and villanous falsenesse, deliuereth a straunge and bastarde seede. Therefore if a man commit such a robberie, I pray you is it a sinne to bee punished with eight dayes imprisonment onelyonly; and peraduenture by being put to breade and water, that is to say, to be feasted at the tauerne? For wee see that the punishmentes which are vsed nowadayes against adulterers and fornicatours are but a meere mockerie both of God, and of Iustice, and of Lawes, and of all ciuil order. For when a man is put in prison for committing adulterie, or for playing of ye fornicator, it is al one as if he were put there for men to bring him euerie man his glasse of wine and to say, Taste which is the best. If he were in his owne house, he would be contented with ordinarie: but there hee shal bee at greater choyce than if he were in a common tauerne. Euerie man will come to visite him, yea forsooth, the poore prisoner must be pitied. Yee see what is ordinarily done in this behalfe. And as for my selfe, I hauehave prayed God that whoredome might rather goe vnpunished, than proceede in that order as we see it doth nowadayes. For it is a setting of Iustice forth to open shame, and skorning of God and of all his commandementes. And therefore wee neede not to meruaile if whoredoms be so rife, seeing they which offende are sent so to the tauerne. But let vsus put the case that the Lawe were obserued, and that adulterers and fornicatours were locked vp in close warde, there to fast with breade and water. What is al that? O, saies one, they shal fast three dayes or (as some say) nine dayes. Yea but if a thiefe be taken and accused, he shal be indited, he shalbe clapt vp by the heeles in the stocks, he shalbe manacled and tyed with an halter, and in the ende sent to the gallowes: or when hee scapeth best for some pettie filching, hee shall bee whipt. And why? Oh he is a thiefe, he hath robbed a man, hee hath cut a purse in the open market place. And what hath the whooremunger done? Questionlesse hee hath done worse in entering into the bedde which God had hallowed in his owne name, than if he had committed all the theeueries in the worlde. Hee hath marched himselfe in whoredome like a beast: and is not this an intollerable offence, and such a one as ought to bee punished to the full? If wee open not our eyes to beholde it, yet the Lawe of Moses must needes condemne vsus. But besides this, the Painims (who hauehave obserued a better order than wee, and hauehave had lawes to punish whoremongers and to cause wedlocke to be kept vndefiled) euen they shal rise vp against vsus in the latter day, and shall proue that we offended not of ignorance, or for lacke of warning, but of wilfull malice, because wee woulde foster such wickednesse.
True it is indeede that this wicked custome is come from great antiquitie, as the Papistes will say that wee are not vnderunder the Lawe but vnderunder grace, and therefore we must not punish whoredome. But it is a mocking of God when we take the Law of grace for a Lawlesse libertie to commit all wickednesse. And albeit our Lorde Iesus Christ punished not the woman which was taken in adulterie;Iohn. 8.1…. wee may not say therefore, that he hath giuen vsus leaue to commit adultery. For why? Hee refused also to bee Iudge: and being desired to part the inheritance betweene two brethren, he woulde not doe it. Must wee therefore say that such partings are not lawfull? No. But this was to shewe that hee came not to bee an arbiter and a Iudge. Againe let vsus note that he saith, No man accuseth thee, therefore I condemne thee not. But withall let vsus knowe, that he came not to take away the law of his father or to breake al order, or to make his church a hogges stye as it is nowadayes, by graunting men libertie to doe all manner of euill: No, No; Be it farre from vsus to impute such a crime vntounto our Lorde Iesus Christ: for that were a blaspheming of him aboue measure. But let vsus know that whereas we hauehave here this law▪ it ought to serue vsus for an instruction vntounto the end of the worlde, that we may walke in such chastitie, that when we hauehave kept mariages vndefiled among vsus, wee may looke for the blessing of God which shall cause vsus to prosper.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him to make vsus feele them better than we hauehave done, and that we may be so clean ridde of all our wicked desires, that renouncing all our vices, wee may dedicate both our soules and bodies vntounto our good God, in such sort as he may be glorified in all things, and we keepe such faithfulnes and trustines one towardes another, as wee may thereby shewe that we are true brethren, and hee may receiue vsus for his children: and that this may encourage vsus to call vppon him, & to lift vp our harts vntounto him, to approch more neare & neare vntounto him & to cleaue vntounto his righteousnes in all purenes of heart. That it may please him to grant this grace not only vntounto vsus but also to all people and Nations &c.