Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 3 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII. The obiection of fornicatours anſwered, who excuſe their ſinne vnderunder the pretence of marriage.
ANd thus hauehave I ſhewed the manifold and grieuous puniſhments, which the Lord inflicteth vponupon whoremongers and vncleane perſons, both in this life and the life to come. Now in the laſt place it remaineth that I anſwer briefly an obiection or excuſe, which is commonly made by fornicatours of the better ſort, whereby they thinke themſelues acquitted from the guilt of ſinne, and priuiledged from all danger of puniſhment; namely, that they are purpoſed before they commit this follie, to marrie the partie whom they hauehave defiled, and ſo to make amends for the fault committed. To which I anſwer, that howſoeuer this is the beſt courſe which they can take after they hauehave fallen into this ſinne, if it be ioyned with ſerious and ſound repentance; yet it is no argument to incourage any to commit this wickedneſſe vnderunder this colour and pretence. For howſoeuer they be reſolued to marrie the partie, yet in the meane while they grieuouſly ſinne againſt God, themſelues, the partie defiled, and the fruite of their owne bodie. They ſinne againſt God not only by committing fornication, but alſo by making whoredome their paſſage and entrance into his holy ordinance of mariage, and ſo hauing offered their firſt fruits and the prime of their ſtrength vntounto Satan, and their owne filthie luſts, they reſerue for God the remainder, and as it were their leauings. They abuſe themſelues by imagining that they can by mariage ſatisfie for their ſinne, and ſo ſecurely paſſe it ouer without repentance; whereas in truth there is no other meanes to waſh their defiled bodies and ſoules from the pollution of their ſinne, but the precious blood of the immaculate Lambe Ieſus Chriſt. They depriue themſelues of all aſſurance and comfort of Gods bleſſing vponupon their mariage into which they make ſuch a wicked entrance; for how can they hope for a good proceeding, where the beginning is ſo wicked and vnlawfull? how can they expect that God will build that houſe whoſe very foundation is laid in ſinne? that hee will make them a happie couple who were firſt ioyned in fornication? or cauſe her to become a vertuous wife vntounto him, who hath alreadie abuſed her as his ſtrumpet? Againe, what greater iniurie can hee offer vntounto her whom hee pretendeth chiefly to louelove, ſeeing hee expoſeth her to the danger of perpetuall infamie and reproch? For who hath aſſured him that he ſhall liue to ſolemnize the promiſed mariage, eſpecially ſeeing the Lord might in his iuſtice preſently inflict death of bodie and ſoule for his ſinne? and if hee doe not, what doth he but die a fornicatour, and leaue her to liue a reputed harlot, by her owne deſert and others eſtimation? But though it ſhould be granted that he had procured from heauen a leaſe of his life, yet what wrong in the meane time doth hee offer her to whom he pretendeth mariage, ſeeing he maketh her his harlot before he maketh her his wife? and ſpoiling her of her honeſtie and virginitie, maketh her fit to enter into the ſtewes, before he admitteth her into the honourable bed of mariage? What iniurie is this to blemiſh her good name which he ſhould moſt honour? For howſoeuer hee hath by mariage cured the wound which hee hath made in her reputation, ſo as it is not mortall to her credit, yet there euer remaineth as it were a running iſſue of rumour, and infamie, or at leaſt a foule ſcarre (if euer it come to light) in others eſtimation, or (if it remaine ſecret) in their owne conſciences, which will euer after make them more iealous the one of the other. Finally, he ſinneth againſt the fruite of his owne bodie, in that he begetteth it of the ſeede of fornication, imbaſing it in his conception, and marking it with the ſtampe of his ſinne, before it enioyeth the light of the Sunne.