Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 3 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. That the adulterer ſinneth grieuouſlie againſt his neighbour.
ANd as they ſinne hainouſlie againſt God,§. Sect. 1. 1. He ſinneth againſt him whoſe wife hee deſileth: 1. By diſgracing him. ſo alſo againſt their neighbour; and firſt againſt the partie whoſe yokefellow they defile; for they brande his name with ignominie and reproch, becauſe in regard of that neere vnion which is betweene married perſons, the diſgrace and diſcredit which of right belongeth to the wife, redoundeth alſo vntounto her huſband, who is as it were the better part of her ſelfe. Of which we hauehave common experience in our owne countrie by thoſe diſgracefull nick-names which are vſually, though vnworthilie, giuen to the innocent partie.
So alſo they commit againſt their neighbour the moſt diuelliſh deceit and notorious theft that can be imagined; for they,§. Sect. 2. 2. He committeth againſt him diueliſh deceit, and notorious theft. like Satan himſelfe, ſow in his choiſeſt ground ſuch curſed weedes, that they are aſhamed to reape, or owne in the time of harueſt; and graft into his beſt valued ſtocke wilde and wicked imps, which hee carefully nouriſheth as though they were his owne handy-worke, vntill their wicked and vnnaturall fruites diſcouer them to be none of his. They cuckow-like lay their filthy egges in anothers neſt, making him to louelove, cheriſh, and nouriſh it, as if it were his owne iſſue, till being growne to ſome bigneſſe, it vnnaturally ſeeketh to deſtroy the nurſe,Iudg. 9. and vtterly ruinateth his whole poſteritie. In a word, they theeuiſhly thruſt their owne baſtardly broode into another mans poſſeſſions, cauſing him to receiue the portion of a childe from him, who is not his father, and to ſhare the inheritance among them who are not his brethren. And that which is worſt of al, through this deceit they make the innocent partie to carke and care, to ſpend his ſweate, and to ſpare from his owne backe and bellie, that in the end hee may beſtow the fruite of his labours, to maintaine and prouide for ſuch an one, as is not only a ſtranger, but the iſſue of his mortall enemie, who aboue all men liuing hath moſt diſgraced and abuſed him. And yet this is not the worſt kind of theft which the adulterer vſeth; for hee not only ſpoileth his neighbor of his common and ordinarie goods, the which loſſe hee might recompence with a proportionable ſatisfaction; but hee alſo robbeth him of his chiefe treaſure, and moſt eſteemed iewell, the hart, louelove and affection of his wife, the which wrong hee can neuer recompence though hee ſhould beſtow vponupon him his whole eſtate, nor mitigate his raging iealouſie, breathing nothing but reuenge, if euer hee come to the knowledge thereof, though hee ſhould inrich him with his gifts. For (as the Wiſe man ſaith) iealouſie is the rage of a man, therefore he will not ſpare in the day of vengeance. He cannot endure the ſight of any ranſome, neither will hee be appeaſed though thou augment the gifts. Prou. 6.34.35.Prou. 6.34. 35.
Finally,§. Sect. 3. The adulterer oftentimes plaieth the murtherer. as the adulterer plaieth the theefe againſt his neighbour, in robbing him of his goods; ſo oftentimes hee plaieth the tragicall part of a bloodie murtherer, in ſpoiling him of his life: for being inwardly tormented with the raging flames of luſt, at firſt he is thereby vrged to thruſt in as an vniuſt ſharer in another mans right; but being intruded hee doth not ſo content himſelfe, but ſcorning to hauehave any copartner or corriuall in his louelove, hee laboureth to hauehave the intire intereſt and to become the ſole owner of his delights. And becauſe the husband of his harlot ſtandeth in his way and croſſeth his deſires, hee ſeeketh by all meanes to bring him to deſtruction, both by open violence, if the law doe not reſtraine him, and by ſecret trecherie. As wee may ſee in the example of Dauid, who, that hee might enioy his louelove,2. Sam. 11. and hide his ſhame, murthered Vriah his faithfull ſeruant.
Secondly,§. Sect. 4. 2. The adulterer ſinneth grieuouſlie againſt his owne yoke-fellow. the adulterer or adultereſſe ſinne grieuouſly againſt their owne yoke-fellow, either wife; or husband; for firſt they breake the couenant of mariage made betweene them in the preſence of God, and in the ſight of his congregation: for whereas they hauehave obliged themſelues one to the other, that they will obſerue and keepe mariage fidelitie, and reſerue their bodies chaſt and vndefiled for one anothers peculiar vſe; they trecherouſly violate this their promiſe, and defile their bodies with ſtrange luſts, making them to become more fit gueſts for a filthie brothell, then for the honourable bed of mariage. Whereas they mutually promiſed mariage louelove, which farre ſurpaſſeth the louelove of parents towards their children, both in excellencie and in proprietie, they fixe their louelove vponupon ſtrangers, and loath their yoke-fellowes, as if they were their mortall enemies. Neither is it poſſible that the adulterous wife ſhould louelove her husband, when ſhe is beſotted with the louelove of her filthie copes-mate, nor for an adulterer to louelove his wife, when he is intangled in the harlots ſnares, and carried away with her bewitching allurements. And this is that breach of couenant which the Lord laieth to the Iſraelites charge as a grieuous ſinne: Mal. 2.14. The Lord hath been witneſſe betweene thee, Mal. 2.14.and the wife of thy youth, againſt whom thou haſt tranſgreſſed, §. Sect. 5. Adulterers rob their yoke fellovv of their goods.yet is ſhe thy companion, and the wife of thy couenant.
Secondly, whereas by mariage there is alſo a communion of their goods and perſons, by vertue whereof they hauehave iuſt intereſt and proprietie both in their ſtates and bodies, the adulterers do robbe their yoke-fellow of their right; for firſt the adulterous husband ſpendeth his ſubſtance in maintaining his harlot, and in nouriſhing and bringing vp his adulterous broode; whereby hee impoueriſheth his wife, and bringeth her vntounto want and miſerie, either becauſe of the inſufficiencie of his eſtate to maintaine both his harlot, and his owne charge; or through the hardnes of his heart, and want of louelove to his own ſpouſe; for it is the vſuall fruite of whoredome and adulterie, to make a man prodigall abroad, and niggardly at home, bountifull to his harlot, and all that belong vntounto her; and miſerably neere, and ſordidous, to his wife, and his lawfull begotten children. So alſo the adulterous wife robbeth her husband, not onelyonly by catching and purloining all ſhe may from him, to beſtow vponupon her louers; but alſo in bringing into his familie an adulterous iſſue, who deuoure the fruite of his labours, and confuſedly diuide his ſubſtance and patrimonie amongſt his owne children. In which reſpect the adulterie of the wife is more pernicious then of the husband, becauſe it is accompanied with more abominable deceit, no man being able, who hath an harlot to his wife, to know his owne children, from the children of a ſtranger, whereby hee is compelled to nouriſh his enemies, for feare of deſtroying his chiefeſt friends; and to giuegive inheritance to the children of fornication, leſt otherwiſe through his ignorance he may perchance diſinherit the lawfull fruite of his owne bodie.
Laſtly,§. Sect. 6. Adulterers rob their yoke-fellovv of their heart and affection. the adulterer or adultreſſe rob their wife or huſband of their moſt valued right, namely, their hart, affection, and the vſe of their bodie, of which there is by vertue of mariage a communion in reſpect of one another, and a peculiar and incommunicable proprietie, in reſpect of all other perſons in the world.1. Cor. 7.4. So the Apoſtle ſaith, 1. Cor. 7.4. The wife hath not the power of her owne bodie, but the huſband: and likewiſe the huſband hath not the power of his owne bodie, but the wife. And therefore in adulterie there is alſo included the groſſeſt, and moſt pernicious kinde of theft, ſeeing married perſons liuing in this ſinne are not only theeues of goods, but man-ſtealers and theeues of the bodie and perſon; which is of much greater value.
Thirdly and laſtly,§. Sect. 7. The adulterer ſinneth againſt his owne familie. the adulterer in a peculiar manner ſinneth againſt his owne familie, both by vtter neglecting of it, all his thoughts, endeuours, and imployments, being wholly taken vp by his harlot; ſo as he hath neither leiſure nor pleaſure, either to ſpend his time in the honeſt workes of his calling, whereby he may maintaine his charge, or with any wiſe prouidence diſpoſe of that which he alreadie hath; whereby he runneth into wilfull beggerie, not caring which end goeth forward, and maketh all his familie to partake of the fruit of his ſinne, and feele the like want and miſerie. And alſo by bringing Gods iudgements and heauie puniſhments vponupon the whole houſe, for his ſinne, whereby it is deſtroyed and brought to nought. For this ſinne of whoredome is a fire that ſhall deuoure vntounto deſtruction, and which ſhall roote out all the adulterers increaſe, as Iob ſpeaketh, chap. 31.14.Iob 31.14.
But as the adulterer ſinneth againſt others,§. Sect. 8. That adulterers ſinne moſt grieuouſlie againſt themſelues. ſo moſt grieuouſly againſt himſelfe, in that he not only defileth his bodie and ſoule with this abominable filthines, but alſo woundeth his conſcience with a ſinne, which as it is in it ſelfe very hainous, ſo likewiſe of all other ſinnes moſt vnexcuſable; ſeeing the Lord hath not only prouided a remedie againſt this ſin, but alſo hath in merciemercy granted vntounto him the vſe and fruition of it, namely, lawfull mariage. For why ſhould hee ſteale of his neighbour that hath plentie of water in his owne ceſterne? as the Wiſe man ſpeaketh.Prou. 5.15.19. Why ſhould hee delight himſelfe in vnlawfull luſts with a ſtranger, vntounto whom God hath giuen a wife in whom hee may reioyce, as being neere vntounto him, euen as a part of himſelfe; and who may bee vntounto him (if the fault be not his owne either in his choice, or vſe) as the louing Hinde and pleaſant Roe; Prou. 5.19.whoſe breasts may ſatisfie him at all times, and in whoſe louelove he may delight continually. Whereby it appeareth that the adulterer is a wilfull theefe, who ſtealeth not vponupon neceſſitie, but through curious wantonneſſe, like a rich miſer who hauing plentie of gold at his owne command, ſteales from his neighbour braſſe or copper. And this is that argument which the holy Ghoſt vſeth to aggrauate the ſinne of adulterie, farre aboue the ſinne of theft: Men (ſaith he) doe not deſpiſe a theefe when he ſtealeth to ſatisfie his ſoule, becauſe he is hungrie, &c. But he that committeth adulterie with a woman he is deſtitute of vnderſtanding: he that doth it, Prou. 6.30.32destroyeth his owne ſoule. Prou. 6.30.32.