A Bright Star which Leadeth Wise Men to our Lord Jesus Christ, Commandment 7

A Bright Star which Leadeth Wise Men to our Lord Jesus Christ · Commandment 7

Thou ſhalt not commmit adulterie.

THe ſumme of it is that we ſhould auoyd all vncleanenes in our ſelues and others, and vſe all meanes to preſerue our owne and our neighbours chaſiitie.

The things

forbidden eyther

Inward in all vncleane luſts.

Outward

1. Adulterie.

2. Fornicatiō

Vnnaturall with

others

ſelfe.

naturall in mariage eyther

entring

without parents conſent &c.

vſing out of ſeaſon and immoderatly.

3. Vncleaneneſſe eyther

Wantonnes.

In the

Things parteyning to bodie, as apparrell, food, ſleepe.

bodie

parts

hand eye and foot.

whole in dauncing.

FIrſt for filthie luſts and deſires of the heart conſented vntounto. Though they be kept in & neither breake forth in word nor deede, yet this verie luſt and deſire it ſelfe makes, one a breaker of this commandement before God. As our Sauiour Chriſt the lawe maker and therefore alſo the beſt expoſiter of it doth teſtifie Math. 5. 27. I ſay vntounto you hee that p. 52looketh vponupon a woman to luſt after, hee hath committed adulthrie with her all readie in his heart. They of olde (afore hee ſaith) meaning the Phariſes had ſaid thou ſhalt not commit adulterie, extending the commandement no further then the groſſe act and that they would not hauehave men commit, becauſe it would bringe reproch vponupon their name and death vntounto their bodie▪ but Chriſt makes a more narrow meaning, and ſhewes that the adulterie of the heart is odious to God as well as that of the bodie, and that men cannot more eaſily ſee and perceiue that outward filthineſſe, then he doth the inwarde; for hee hath pure eyes that can abide none iniquitie, and hee ſearcheth the heart and reynes. An vncleane heart therefore wiſhing foule thinges, and meditating vponupon vile matters is moſt hatefull to God.

The vſe of this is to condemne thoſe, that when they heare Gods curſe againſt the breakers of this commandement concerning adulterie, that thinke if they hauehave not broken forth into the outward action, they are free and out of gunſhot, it pertaines not vntounto them. But let them know that if they hauehave an ill heart, though men cannot charge them with the euill act, yet God can charge them with the euill thought, and that they are lyable to Gods curſe as well as thoſe that offend outwardly. Indeede there be degrees, and the increaſe of ſinne bringes an increaſe of iudgement, and groſſer ſinnes ſhall hauehave more greeuous plagues, but the leaſt thought is ſufficient to condemne them. And thoſe that will not humble themſelues, nor care not for inward motions will if occaſion be offered, eaſily be drawne to the outward practiſe. For if luſt hauehave conceiued it, bringes forth ſinne, and he that will not refraine it, in the conception, ſhall not be able to hinder it in the birth; therfore he that would not hauehave ſin borne, muſt not let luſt cōceiue but labour earneſtly to kill it in the wombe as it were; for howſoeuer thought be free in reſpect of the ſight and law of men, yet it is not free from Gods, nor from his law, which was not only giuen only to reforme and rule the outward manners, but the ſoule alſo and the affections.

Secondly, this ſerueth for the inſtruction of thoſe which hauehave thus offended, that they muſt repent and craue pardon at Gods hands and intreat him of his merciemercy to kill this luſt and to waſh away the filthineſſe of their heart, that they may not only be freed from the iudgement of God due to the ſinne, but alſo may hinder the birth of ſo filthy a monſter as will proceede of this ſo ill a conception; in either conception it is a foule fault after the conception to take any thing that may diſable the encreaſe and birth of it; but in this conception it is the greateſt vertue and ſafeſt way to take ſuch a receite as ſhall quite kill it, that it may neuer come forth to light; and this conceite is only to repent and craue pardon, for elſe God will bring their ſecret ſinne to open ſhame and their inward filthie deſire to outward publique diſgrace.

Now the meanes to purge ones heart and to make it cleane and pure from ſuch filthie affections, is firſt, to pray to God often and earneſtly, to puniſh the heart and to ſanctifie it by his holy ſpirit. Then ſecondly, to be faithfull and diligent in ſome honeſt and lawfull calling that may buſie the heart vponupon ſome thing lawfull and profitable; for idleneſſe is the mother of foule luſts. As a ſtanding poole not hauing any courſe of running growes filthie of it ſelfe and full of toades and neuts and filthie vermine; ſo the heart that is not taken vp in ſome good and honeſt calling, is a fit place for the diuell to breede and engender all monſtrous and filthie luſts, idleneſſe procures luſt nothing more; as what was the reaſō why the Sodomits grew ſo filthie & vncleane, that no people euer were ſo filthy and beaſtly, but becauſe hauing the moſt fruitfull and abundant contrrie in the world (for it was like the garden of God) that yeelded them all commoditie and profit, grew rich, and then like fooliſh men, as all naturall men vſe, grew idle and to ſettle themſelues to nothing but there eaſe and delight, for their nature was no worſe then any of others; but their idleneſſe ſo corrupted their hearts, as the diuell had leaſure to caſt in, and they to purſue all monſtrous and vncleane deſires whatſoeuer, and that was the cauſe that they were ſo outragious. Alſo temperance in p. 53meat and drinke, and watching and faſting. Theſe meanes by Gods bleſſing will ſlaye theſe luſtes, and emptie the heart of ſuch ill deſires, that one ſhall hauehave a pure and chaſt heart.

But if that all theſe meanes being vſed, notwithſtanding theſe luſts will not be ouercome, but ſtill ariſe and ſtill ouerburden the heart and ſet it on fire with ill deſires, and the fleſh will not be humbled, then one muſt ſeeke the remedie of mariage and pray to God to giuegive him an yokefellow; and then one may looke that God ſhould heare his requeſts. For when hee hath done his endeuour to beat downe his fleſh, and yet cannot ſo tame it, but that he ſtands in neede of an helpe this waies, then God hath called him to the eſtate of matrimonie, and as hee hath giuen him a calling, ſo will he giuegive him ſuch an one as ſhal bee a comforter to him, and an helper both in this life and in the life to come. And ſo much for the inwarde breach.

The outward breach of this commandement hath many branches. But the cheife are comprehended by the Apoſtle. Galat. 5. Where he ſaith, the fruites of the fleſh are, adulterie, fornication, vncleanneſſe, wantonneſſe. Theſe are the cheefe outward branches of this commandement. And firſt for adulterie. That is, when the partie offending, is either maried or contracted, for if he be eitheir ioyned by mariage or contraction, that commits the act, then it is adulterie. This is a verie high breach of this commandement. For when they hauehave beene either married or contracted, then they breake the couenant of God. For when they come together in either of theſe knots, they doe make a couenant not only one with an other, but with God himſelfe, that hath appointed the ordinance, that wil faithfully & truly keepe their fidelitie one to the other, and therfore if they deale vnchaſtly, it is not only vniuſtly done one to another, but they forfeit their bond to God, euen their ſaluation, and prouoke his curſe both on their ſoule and bodie. And this is a thing peculiar to adulterers, that hauing come in the ſight of God and before mē and Angels, to make a couenant, & there alſo in the face and by the voyce of the congregation craued a bleſſing of God vponupon their proceedings, they abuſe god, angels men and all, if after they breake this couenant and polute their bodies.

But how foule and vile a ſinne this is, The ill effects that follow of it doe declare, the firſt is ſet downe Prouerbs. 5. 11. it conſumes the fleſh and the bodie. It is a fire in the bones, it breedes eating & incurable diſeaſes, that as the ſin makes one lothſome in the ſight of God, ſo the plague may make him lothſom in the ſight of men. If one be ſo audatious as to breake the couenant of God, though it be a thing much neglected of men, and they will not cut him of according to Gods law, (for by the law of God the adulterer is as culpable of death as the willfull murderer) yet God meetes with him, and by filthie diſeaſes brings him to his death. Prouerbs. 6. 26. the holy Ghoſt ſaith, it bringes one to a morſell of breade, that is, to extremitie of pouertie, and ſo Iob in Chap. 31. ſaith of this ſin, that had beene a fire to hauehave rooted out all mine encreaſe, this will make ſpoile and hauocke of all a man hath. And it conſumes not only the goods and bodie, but there is a further conſumption then all this, hee that doth it deſtroyes his owne ſoule; hee forfeits his bodie and goods, and worſe then all this he gets a perpetuall blotte to his name that he ſhall neuer be able to put away, vnleſſe hee doe truely repent, and ſo get it waſhed away by the bloud of Chriſt that will make all cleane. But elſe hee ſhall hauehave a ſhamefull name, an ill report, all the braue apparell, all the bribing and colouring in the world will not couer this blotte of the name and eſtimation, for he is a needeleſſe theefe that doth not ſteale for neceſſitie, but of preſumption and therefore deſerues no pittie.

We ſee that if a theefe vponupon neceſſitie, (as it ſeemes to him,) but indeede no neceſſitie ſhould make a man ſinne) doe prige or ſteale from his neighbours, men hauehave ſome kind of merciemercy and doe not altogether ſo much abhorre it, but when one hath the remedie, and hath profeſſed his thankefulneſſe to God for the helpe, and his contentedneſſe and reioycing in it, he is a p. 54needeleſſe theefe he ſhall finde no merciemercy, but he deſtroyes his ſoule and makes his name to ſtinke among men. And he that doth committe adulterie doth not only deſtroy his own ſoule but he doth what he can to deſtroy an other mans ſoule to, and ſo to kill two at once, & in this regard this ſin is worſe thē either theft or murther. For if a theefe ſhould ſtrip a man of all hee had and beſides that take away his life to, the man were not one whit the worſe man for all this, but his ſoule might goe to heauen as well as if he had died in his bed, but hee or ſhee that inticeth an other to commit adulterie robs the party of his ſoule and ſaluation ſo farre as in them lies, for little doth he knowe whether euer they ſhall repent or be conuerted from this ſinne, for this is ſuch a wound as no phiſition can lay his hand to heale it, but the holy Ghoſt; no medicine can cure it, but the bloud of the ſonne of God; this is not to ſpoile his bodie but the ſoule, a far more dāgerous thing thē robbing. For though one ſhould make the bloud runne about ones eares with many wounds, yet there were hope that one might find ſome skillfull chirurgion to make all whole againe, but he that hath ſtricken ſo deeply into the ſoule and conſcience, and hath kindled the fire of Gods vengance in the heart, how knowes he whether euer this ſhall be healed? And what a fearefull thing is it to be an inſtrument to draw an other into hell and to an incurable wound for any thing that he knowes?

And againe an adulterer is a theefe for foiſting in his child into an other mans lands or goods, that, that which one hath laboured for, and taken paines for, and hoped to leaue to his own ſeed and his poſteritie after him, he ſhould beſtow vpō his moſt mortall foe. For of all men in the world, he would be moſt vnwilling if he knew of it to beſtow it on him, much rather would he giuegive it to a ſtranger whom he neuer knew before, then vntounto one that had ſo ſhamefully abuſed him; and could better find in his heart to leaue his goods vntounto a vagrant begger, then to one whom vnwittingly now he feedes and cloths, and who ſhall enioy all his laboure. This ſinne of adulterie therefore is a moſt foule ſinne in regarde of the wrong one doth to man, and to God alſo, who hath ſo great a regard of mariage, that it be faithfully obſerued for the comfort each of other, as that he thought it not ſufficient that they ſhall binde themſelues in promiſe one to the other, but he will hauehave them alſo enter into a couenant with him, to bee true one to the other, which if they violate and contemne, it is a moſt odious thinge in Gods account.

Now the vſe that we muſt make of this is; That ſith it is ſo foule a ſinne and yet our nature is ſubiect to fall into, as Dauid, after many corrections and humiliations, after many mercies and benefits when he was ſome thing well in yeares, and had the remedie alſo, yea and as the corruption of thoſe times was, many wiues, yet fell into his foule ſinne. This lothſomnes of the ſin and the proudneſſe of our nature to commit it, ſhould moue vsus to vſe thoſe meanes and preſeruatiues which might keepe vsus from it. For if Dauid did fall into it, to his great woe and to ſome blotting alſo and blemiſhing of his name, then we muſt not be ſecure and thinke our ſelues ſafe. But the meanes to make a man liue chaſtly in mariage, are theſe. Firſt, if there hauehave beene fornication before mariage that is a ſecret poyſon that lurkes within, and if it bee not ſtayd it will breake out to adulterie. Therefore that fire muſt be quenched by true repentance, and ſo it ſhall neuer flame out into adulterie; but elſe it will certainly hauehave his vent: an olde fornicator ſhall be an new adulterer, I meane by an old fornicator, ſuch an one as hath committed fornication before mariage without repentance, for he hath a wilde fire within, that will not keepe within long, but will make him burne in luſt as faſt as before. And it may be ſaid of him as GOD ſaid to Caine, thy ſinne lyes at the doore; ſo his old ſinne lies at the dore readie to catch him, yea it will let him hauehave no peace, but lies in wait, doggs and purſues him, and meetes him at euerie turne till it hauehave brought him to naught, vnleſſe he by repētance firſt bring it to naught.

This then muſt be the firſt care if one hauehave beene a fornicator to repent for that. But if one hauehave not yet, he muſt keepe p. 55and obſerue this ſecond rule. Euerie married perſon muſt labour for pure and feruent louelove to his yoake-fellow. As Prou. 5. He wils men not to follow after the ſtraunge woman, but how ſhall I chuſe? he anſweres in 18. verſe. Reioyce in thy wife of thy youth, and delight in her louelove continually. If married perſons get feruent and pure louelove one to another, this will keepe them ſafe, for it is not hauing of a wife, but the louing of her that makes a man liue chaſtly, and it is not the hauing, but the louing of an huſband that preſerues a woman from whoredome, but if ſhe hauehave him, and yet hate him, and diſpiſe him, ſhe is in danger euerie day, to be defiled. Feruent louelove then muſt be ſought for. Not ſuch as fleſh can yeeld; for the nature of fleſh is, as to be fond before, ſo to be readie after to finde occaſions and iarres, and diſlike, but it is a gift of God, and a ſparke that comes from heauen, and hath this vertue to make a man liue chaſtly. But now if one will ſay, Adulterie? Sure I will neuer be an adulterer, yet for all that he cares not for his own wife, but contemnes and diſpiſeth her, he hath no warrant to ſay ſo: nay he takes the next way to bring himſelfe into the ſnares of adulterie, by this firſt breach of the bond of marriage, in that he doth not louelove his wife.

An other meanes to auoid adulterie is ſet downe in Prouerbs 2. 8. 16. If knowledge enter into thine heart, and wiſedome delight thy ſoule: Then ſhall it keepe thee from the ſtraunge woman that flattereth with her lips. To delight and reioyce in the pure word of God, and to embrace it in ones heart, this will ſo ſatisfie the minde, & content the ſoule with ſweet comfort and delight, as that one ſhall not need to follow the impure and foule pleaſures of the fleſh that are contrarie to God and his word. But if wiſedome enter not into the heart, luſt will, and if a man finde no reioycing nor pleaſure in the word of God, he is in continuall daunger to ſeeke at the fleſh, for no man can liue without his delight, and though it breake not ſtreight to the mayne ſinne of adulterie, yet it will beginne with other vanities, and not ceaſe till it hath traced one through all the idle and fooliſh delights, and at length leaue him wallowing in this filthie and loathſome pleaſure, for certaine where there is not a pure delight there is an impure.

Thirdly, will we be kept from this foule and monſtrous ſinne we muſt marke the rule of Salomon. Eccleſ. 7. 28. I find more bitter then death, the woman whoſe heart is as nets and ſnares, and her hands as bands. He that is good before God ſhall be deliuered from her, but the ſinne ſhall be taken by her. He ſhewes how one may eſcape the lewd woman, and keepe himſelfe free from her ſnares, namely, be a good man, walke religiouſly & keepe peace with god, elſe he ſhal ſure be taught. He ſhews why God ſuffers filthy ſtrumpets, & harlots to ly vpō the earth, namely, that they may be as a gaile or priſon to keepe wicked ſinners, & chains, wherin to hāper all vngodly perſons, they be as fowlers to catch hypocrites that hauehave not the true feare of God, that thoſe which be hatefull to God for other ſins may be made hatefull to men alſo for this ſin. For whē men prouoke God by ſins that he hates as much, but be leſſe ſubiect to diſgrace in the world, then he giues thē vp to thoſe ſinnes that may ſhame them, & bring them into cōtempt before the world. And it not as moſt men ſay alas he was an honeſt man till he ſlipt into this fault; no, had he been honeſt before, God would not hauehave deliuered him vp to this vilde ſinne. But becauſe he was wicked before, therefore God puniſheth ſinne with ſinne, and makes him more wicked outwardly, that his inward wickedneſſe might appeare to his diſgrace; he hath liued irreligiouſly in the firſt table, and now God in vengeāce giues him ouer alſo to liue vnrighteouſly in the ſecond. Theſe be the means to keep one pure, namely, an vpright life that one liue in no other ſinne that breaks off peace betwixt God and him. And to take delight in the word of God, and vſe all good means to get a pure & feruent louelove to the yoakfellow, and to purge out by godly ſorrow, that venime of ſornication, if any hauehave beene committed before, that elſe would infect the heart with adulterie; for mariage cannot kill luſt, onelyonly repentance can doe that, and marriage is an helpe to a penitent man to preſerue his chaſtitie.

But now if one hauehave fallen to adulterie, and broken the p. 56couenant of God, there is no way for him but onelyonly one, euen to confeſſe his filthie ſinne, and to be grieued and iudge himſelfe for it, and then to lay hold on the merits of Chriſt Ieſus, & to craue Gods merciemercy, knowing that he can as eaſily forgiue to the penitent perſon, & the blood of Chriſt can as eaſily waſh away adulterie in the higheſt degree, as the leaſt ſpot, of wantonneſſe. So much for the firſt outward breach, viz. Adulterie, the next followes, and that is called Fornication, that is, when ſingle perſons commit the filthie act.

And this howeuer it be not grieuous as the former, becauſe it doth not breake the couenant of God, and is not puniſhable with bodily death, yet it is a fearefull ſinne lyable to the curſe of God and damnation. For ſo 1. Cor. 6. No fornicator ſhall enter into the kingdome of heauen: It is ſuch a ſinne as ſhuts one out of Gods kingdome, and caſts him downe headlong to hell, and the euerlaſting vengeance of God. And the ill effects of adulterie afore named, namely a diſeaſed bodie, a poore eſtate, a blemiſhed name, and damned ſoule, and the drawing and murdring of an others ſoule doe agree to this ſinne to. Oh but they will marrie the partie, and ſo all ſhall be well, and they will make an amends. But this cannot make an amends, for nothing can waſh away the pollution of the ſoule, but the bloud of Chriſt. But if you doe marrie the partie, why will you giuegive the firſt fruits of your bodie to the fleſh and the diuell, and the refuſe to God? it is a ſhameful thing, to ſerue ſinne with the chiefe of his ſtrength, and God with the remainder. How can they looke for a bleſſed proceeding from ſo foule a beginning?

Why will he doe ſuch wrong to his firſt borne to make him baſe borne; and his poſteritie a baſtardly generation? why will they beget a continuall ſorrow to themſelues, that they ſhould not be able to looke vponupon their childe without bluſhing, and cannot ſee the fruit of their bodie, but they muſt looke on the fruit of their ſinne, and behold a witneſſe before them of their owne filthineſſe and diſobedience to God? Or if he purpoſe not to marrie her that doth this, why doth he rob her of her virginitie, and make her vnfit for any other elſe? Therefore this is a foule ſinne and daungerous, for vnleſſe it be repented for ſoundly, fornication before marriage makes a plaine and high way for adulterie after mariage.

The third outward breach of this commaundement followes. And that is vncleanneſſe which is eyther vnnaturall or naturall; vnnaturall, as Sodomie practiſed of the Sodomites, condemned Rom. 1. when man with man workes wickednes, woman with woman commits villany, or elſe that beaſtly ſin, when the ſeed of man is mixt with the ſeed of a beaſt. Theſe nature abhorres and they be commonly puniſhments of ſome other wickednes, and follow a verie prophane and dead heart, & are worſe then dulterie. The naturall vncleanneſſe is eyther alone, one by himſelfe may defile his owne bodie in moſt filthie ſorte, which though it be more ſecret from man, yet it is moſt abhominable before God, and often God brings it to light by puniſhing thoſe which hauehave vſed it with teares of conſcience, and horrible feares in their minde, or elſe with frenſie and frantickneſſe. Theſe puniſhments hauehave often fell on the practiſers of this ſecret ſin, and then all goes abroad, then they lay open, and vomit out all their owne ſhame, and howeuer they ſeemed chaſt and pure before, yet now their filthineſſe is brought to light. Alſo an other kind of naturall vncleanneſſe is betweene married people, eyther in their entrance into marriage, or elſe in their proceeding and vſe of marriage. The vncleanneſſe in the entrance is eyther if one marrie an other of a contrarie religion; as a profeſſor, and a Chriſtian to wed an Atheiſt or a Papiſt; their whole life ſo led till repentance and conuerſion, is vncleane in the eyes of God, for their marriage was not lawfull before God, and therefore in Ezra; theſe that had ſo married were conſtrained by God to put away both their wiues and children as illegitimate. Alſo if thoſe marrie together that be within the degrees of conſanguinitie or affinitie forbidden, they may cloake and ſhift as long as they will, but they ſhall neuer ſhift of the account and eſtimation of being vncleane perſons before God, ſith they marrie without the warrant, yea contrary to the commaundement of God. Alſo thoſe that marrie without conſent p. 57of parents, their mariage is lawfull, and life vncleane, till they be reconciled to God by repentance, and their parents by ſubmiſſion. Theſe be in the entrance and taking the eſtate of mariage. In the vſe of it vncleanneſſe is committed.

Firſt, in comming together at vnſeaſonable times; this was a cauſe that made the land of Canaan vomit out their inhabitants, becauſe they had no regard to obſerue times, and this was to be puniſhed with death in both parties in the olde law, becauſe the time and manner of ſeparation was then inſtituted. Alſo in mariage one may deale vncleanly by exceſſe for want of moderation, for as a man may be drunken with his own drinke, and he were a drunkard that would ſit at home and ſwill till he were ouercome: ſo likewiſe a man may be vncleane in exerciſe, though otherwiſe his marriage be lawfull; and this ſinne though the hand of the Magiſtrate cannot puniſh it yet Gods hand often findes it out, and the children diuers times prooue monſtrous and vnſhapen, or elſe idiots and naturals, or elſe verie vngodly and ſtubborne, and thus Godmeets with theſe ſecrete ſinnes when men will not meete with him by repentaunce.

The laſt breach of this commaundement is in wantonneſſe, which is the preparation and foundation for all the former, conſiſting eyther in things belonging to the bodie, or the bodie it ſelfe. In things belonging to the bodie as in the coſtly apparrell, not that there ſhould not be things fitting the eſtate, and that there were not a diuerſitie of degrees to be had, but in no eſtate or degree, may one be ſo exceſſiue as to hinder him from good works of merciemercy and religion, that one ſhould beſtow ſo much time in trimming the bodie as he can hauehave no time for trimming his ſoule, and beſtow ſo much coſt in rich apparrell as hee can ſpare nothing to beſtowe on poore ſeruantes.

Secondly, in ſtraunge apparrell, as in Zephaniah the prieſt, the kings children are rebuked, for that hauing more money and maintenance then their neighbours; they did not beſtow it in doing any Worke of merciemercy to the poore, or prouiding any thing of profit for the commonwealth, but onelyonly in ſetting out themſelues by new faſhions, that no new tricke or odde fooliſh deuiſe could come vp, but they muſt hauehave it ſtraight, yea they neuer thought themſelues well vntill they were beginners of ſome new fangled inuention concerning their coates, that other folkes might looke at them and luſt after them, and theſe kinde of perſons howſoeuer they ſeeme fine in their owne eyes, yet they be filthie in Gods eyes: Alſo in exceſſiue diet too much meat and drinke, for as one cannot lay on more fuell, but he ſhall hauehave a greater flame, ſo ſtuffing ones ſelfe with meate and drink will make the heart more outragious in all euill luſts. As the prophet ſaith, They riſe vp full, and then they neighed after their n…ghbours wiues, as a fed horſe after a mare; for though this be an homely compariſon, yet the holy Ghoſt vſeth it to make the ſinne more loathſome.

Alſo in exceſſiue ſleepineſſe and lazing in bed, that a man liues ſo, as the world, nor the place where he liues ſhall be no whit the better for him, but he giues himſelfe onelyonly to take his eaſe, to reſt his bodie vponupon his bed: to doe nothing but eate and drinke and ſleepe, that that time which God hath giuen to get good and ſome knowledge of good and ſome knowledge of God, and aſſurance of ſaluation, a man ſhould abuſe to follow his carnall and vaine ſports, and to ſlugging on his bed; ſuch manner perſons be wantons, and by the Apoſtle put in the number of filthie perſons that ſhall not inherit life.

In the bodie it ſelfe, and that is eyther in the parts or the whole. In the parts as an eye full of luſt, as Peter ſaith, that ceaſeth not to ſinne, though thy bodie ſometimes ceaſeth for want of occaſion, or for weakneſſe, yet the eye is all buſied in vnchaſt & wanton luſts. And the tongue in vnchaſt & wanton ſongs and reading louelove bookes, of daliance & filthineſſe, which is a kind of contemplatiue fornication. They that made them be wantons and thoſe that read them, and ſo euerie other geſture that ſtirs vp ones ſelfe, or many an other purpoſely to luſt, that is wantonneſſe as the wiſe man ſaith, that a wicked man makes a ſigne with his finger, and ſpeakes with his eye.

The whole bodie is abuſed to wantonneſſe in dauncing, for here euerie part is abuſed to daliance, the eye, the hand, the foot, and all in meeting in embracing, in tickling, and ſuch like. All the action is nothing but a profeſſion of an vnchaſt heart, here is an artificiall grace, an artificiall pace, an artificiall face, and in euerie part a wicked art is added to encreaſe the naturall filthineſſe; and if you call it a ſport, it is a verie diuelliſh ſport to vſe the bodie as an inſtrument of wantonnes and an inducement to fornication and adulterie.

Thoſe alſo hauehave offended in wantonneſſe that giuegive themſelues libertie to be preſent, and ſee ſuch things that be practiſes of wantonneſſe, as ſtage playes, which ſerue for nothing but to nouriſh filthineſſe, and where they are moſt vſed, their filthineſſe is moſt practiſed: where the man is cloathed with womans apparrell, and that as ordinarily is put in vſe, which the Lord calleth abhomination; this is a way to breed confuſion of ſexes, and it is a plaine belying of the ſexe. Thoſe that then hauehave thus hurt themſelues or others muſt craue pardon, and repent, and thoſe parents, that themſelues in youth hauehave taken libertie this way, muſt reſtraine their children: contrarie to the common practiſe of filthie parents that hauehave themſelues beene olde fornicators and wantons, now that themſelues are ſpent, it doth them good, and makes their …eart glad to ſee their young children treade in their ſteppes, and runne madding and skipping vp and downe with all wanton and vnſeemely behauiour. This, howeuer men make but a ſport of it, yet God will not tolerate, for if he cannot put vp the abuſe of one member alone, to wantonneſſe, he will neuer endure that the whole bodie ſhould be thus abuſed. Thus much of the ſeuenth commaundement concerning preſeruing our owne and an others chaſtitie. The next is concerning goods, in the eight commaundement, which is.