Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 3 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII. Of the ſinne of Adulterie, and the hamouſneſſe thereof.
ANd thus hauehave I intreated of the ſinne of fornication,§. Sect. 1. Of Adulterie, and the kinds thereof. which is that ſinne of vncleannes that is committed betweene ſingle or vnmarried perſons, and hauehave ſhewed the hainouſneſſe of it, and the grieuouſneſſe of the puniſhment which doth accompanie it. In the next place I am to ſpeake of the ſinne of adulterie, which is that vncleanneſſe that is committed by thoſe that are either married or betrothed; for the law of God as deepelie condemneth, and as ſeuerely puniſheth the latter as the former, as appeareth, Deut. 22.22.24.Deut. 22.22.24. In which argument I will obſerue the ſame order which I did in the former, ſhewing firſt what it is, and the kinds thereof, the hainouſneſſe of the ſinne, and the grieuouſneſſe of the puniſhment. Adulterie is the defiling of anothers bed with the act of vncleanneſſe; as the name it ſelfe alſo ſignifieth; For it is called, Adulterium, quaſi ad alterius thorum acceſſio. The which ſinne is of two kinds: for either it is ſingle, or double adulterie. Single adulterie is that vncleanneſſe which is committed, either betweene a married man, and a ſingle woman, or a married woman with a ſingle man. Double, when as both the parties are married, who defile themſelues one with another.
Concerning the hainouſneſſe of which ſinnes I ſhall not neede to ſay much;§. Sect. 2. That adultery is an hainous ſinne. for if the ſinne of ſimple fornication and whoredome bee ſo wicked and damnable, as before I hauehave ſhewed, then muſt it neceſſarilie follow that the ſinne of adulterie (which is a finne of the ſame kinde,Leuit. 18.20.29 Ier. 7.9 10. Ezech. 22.11. but in a much higher degree of wickedneſſe) is a notorious crime and an horrible abomination, as the Scriptures alſo call it, which continually calles and cries at the throne of Gods iuſtice for fearefull vengeance vponupon the offenders. And therefore leauing that which hath bin ſaid, concerning the greatneſſe of the ſinne of fornication, and the grieuouſneſſe of the puniſhment to be applied to this ſinne of adulterie, but with a great ouermeaſure, in as much as it farre exceedeth in a higher degree of wickedneſſe; I will content my ſelfe briefly to adde that which ſeemeth to bee more peculiar to this crime, both in reſpect of the ſinne, and the puniſhment due vntounto it.
Firſt then,§. Sect. 3. That the adulterer ſinneth againſt God, by violating his holy ordinance. the adulterer ſinneth in a peculiar manner againſt God, in that he doth in the higheſt degree violate his owne ordinance of marriage, which is moſt ancient, as being inſtituted of God in Paradiſe; moſt honourable, as challenging the Lord for the firſt author and ſolemnizer therof; and moſt holie and pure, as being inſtituted and ordained in the ſtate of innocencie; and ſince the fall, appointed as the ordinarie meanes to preſerue our bodies and ſoules in puritie and chaſtitie, vnſpotted and vndefiled. For whereas the Lord hath ordained, that by marriage there ſhould be ſuch a neere communion between the parties conioyned, that they ſhuld be no more two but one fleſh, in regard wherof a man ought to forſake father and mother, that he may cleaue to his wife, louing and cheriſhing her as being a part of himſelfe; and that to theſe ends, that they may bee preſerued from whoredome and all manner of vnlawfull luſts, procreate an holy ſeede, and be mutuall comforts one to another; the fornicator doth vtterly violate this holy ordinance; for he diſioyneth thoſe whom God hath conioyned, and breaketh the bond of holy marriage by ioyning himſelfe with an harlot, and becomming one fleſh with her, hee forſaketh his deere ſpouſe, for whoſe ſake he ſhould forſake father and mother, and adhereth to a filthie ſtrumpet; he loatheth his wife, and loueth his whore; he defileth his bodie and ſoule, created according to Gods image in holineſſe and purity, with whoredome and vncleanneſſe; he begetteth an vnholy ſeede and baſterdly brood, and becommeth vntounto his wife, of a chiefe comforter, a moſt grieuous tormentor, filling her heart with griefe and iealouſie, and her face with ſhame, when ſhe ſeeth her ſelfe reiected, and ſet at naught.
Secondly, the adulterer ſinneth againſt God,§. Sect. 4. 2. He offendeth God by breaking his couenant of marriage. by breaking the couenant of the Lord, which was made at the ſolemnizing of their mariage. For then they do not only make a mutual contract one with another, yt they wil faithfully obſerue marriage fidelitie and louelove betweene themſelues; but alſo they make a couenant with God in his preſence, and in the face of his holy aſſemblie, that they will performe this vow and promiſe betweene them made: and therefore when they violate this holie contract, they doe not onelyonly treacherouſly breake their promiſe made one to another, but alſo their couenant made with God. As appeareth plainly, Prou. 2.17.Prou. 2.17. whereas he ſaith, that the adultreſſe who forſaketh the guide of her youth, doth therein forget the couenant of her God. Whereby they offer great iniurie vntounto the Lord; ſeeing when a couenant is violated, the wrong redoundeth not only to him whom it directly concerneth, but alſo vntounto him, in whoſe name the couenant is made and concluded.