Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 3 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. That the fornicatour ſinneth many waies: and firſt in reſpect of God.
THe fourth reaſon to reſtraine all men from the ſinnes of fornication and vncleannes,§. Sect. 7. That the ſinnes of vncleannes are hainouſly euill. is becauſe they are hainouſly euill, there being no reſpect or relation of euill to bee named, which is not coincident and inſeparably ioyned with theſe vices. For whereas all kinde of euill may be reduced to two heads, as being either the euill of ſinne, or the euill of puniſhment; this ſinne of fornication compriſeth them both, like an euill, yet fruitfull tree, bearing both the ſommer fruite of ſinne, and the autumne and after fruite of puniſhment. Firſt, that it is out of meaſure ſinfull, it may hereby appeare, in that it is not only in it ſelfe a grieuous ſin, but alſo like a wicked mother onelyonly fruitfull in wicked and monſtrous births, it bringeth forth many other kindes of wickedneſſe, which reſemble the parent in their malignant nature and qualitie, ſo as they may be eaſily knowne to be of her ofſpring and progenie. The grieuouſnes of this ſinne being ſimply conſidered in it ſelfe is hereby manifeſt, in that whereas there is but a threefold relation of ſinne, either as it is committed againſt God, our neighbour or our ſelues, this ſinne alone comprehendeth them all, and that in many and almoſt innumerable reſpects.
Firſt, the fornicatour grieuouſly ſinneth againſt God,§. Sect. 2. The fornicator ſinneth againſt God by diſhonoring him. directly and immediatly, when as profeſſing himſelfe a Chriſtian, and conſequently one of Gods familie, he by polluting and defiling his bodie, diſhonours his Lord and father: for if mortall men who ſtand vponupon their credit, doe count it a great iniurie and diſgrace, to themſelues, when as a ſeruant of their familie is defiled, and much more when their owne daughters are polluted with filthie whoredome; then how much more doth the Lord deteſt this vncleannes, which redoundeth to the diſhonour of his holy name, when as it is committed not onelyonly by a common ſubiect vnderunder his dominion, but by a ſpeciall ſeruant of his familie, yea by ſuch as would be reputed in the number of his children? And this was a principall argument which aggrauated the filthineſſe of Sichem and Ammon, Gen. 34.7. 2. Sam. 13.12.13.becauſe they committed this villanie or follie in Iſrael, that is, in the Church and familie of God, which in a peculiar manner he had choſen and ſanctified vntounto himſelfe: and this alſo made Dauids grieuous ſinne much more hainous, becauſe being committed by him who had profeſſed and approued himſelfe to be the ſeruant and ſonne of God, it greatly tended to Gods diſhonour, in that it cauſed the enemies of his trueth to blaſpheme, as appeareth 2. Sam. 12.14.2. Sam. 11.14.
Secondly,§. Sect. 3. Secondly, the fornicator offendeth God by reſiſting his vvill. the fornicatour ſinneth grieuouſly againſt God by reſiſting his reuealed and knowne will; for the Lords will is, that being ſanctified we ſhould abſtaine from fornication, and that eueryevery one ſhould know how to poſſeſſe his veſſell in holineſſe and honour, and not in the luſt of concupiſcence, as the Gentiles which know not God: 1. Theſ. 4 3.as appeareth, 1. Theſ. 4.3.4.5. It is the will of God that wee ſhould bee prepared as pure brides for his ſonne Chriſt,Epheſ. 5.27. not hauing any ſpot or wrinckle, holie and without blame. Yea, ſo far off ſhuld we be from defiling of our bodies,Epheſ. 5.3. by committing theſe ſins of vncleanneſſe, that hee would not hauehave vsus ſo much as to defile our tongues by once naming of them, with the leaſt approbation or delight. Whoſoeuer therefore perpetrate and commit theſe works of darkeneſſe, they contumaciouſlie reſiſt the will of God; the which their rebellion is ſo much the more intollerable, becauſe they diſobey the Lord to obey their owne filthy luſts, and rebell againſt their ſupreme Soueraigne, to pleaſure and gratifie their ſlauiſh, baſe and brutiſh affections.
Thirdly,§. Sect. 4. 3. Fornicators ſinne againſt God by ſubuerting mariage which is his own ordinance. whoremongers ſinne hainouſlie againſt God, by ſubuerting and deſtroying marriage, which is Gods holy ordinance, inſtituted by the Lord himſelfe in Paradiſe, that it might be the only lawful meanes of propagating his Church and people, and to preſerue them from being defiled with filthie luſts and inordinate concupiſcence. For they who ſpend their ſtrength vponupon harlots,Gen. 2 24. Mal. 2.15. 1. Cor. 7.2. diſable themſelues for lawfull marriage, they who louelove the ſtewes, loathe the mariage bed; and if the heart be inueigled with the inticing allurements of filthie ſtrumpets, they will neuer deſire a lawfull wife; but the mariage yoke vntounto ſuch, is an intollerable burthen,Qui amant agrè ſibi ſerunt vxorem dari, inquit Comicus. and they ſeeme to themſelues to indure a miſerable thraldome, and to bee depriued whollie of their libertie, when as being inſeparablie ioyned with a yokefellow, they are reſtrained from running into lawleſſe licentiouſneſſe. And becauſe they are in louelove with their ſpirituall diſeaſes of vncleanneſſe, therefore they hate the cure, and abhorre marriage, the remedie of their ſinne.§. Sect. 5. Fornicators ſin againſt eueryevery perſon in the Deity, and firſt againſt God the father.
But as fornicators ſinne againſt the whole Godhead; ſo more diſtinctly againſt eueryevery perſon in the Deitie in a peculiar manner. As firſt they ſin againſt God the father by robbing him of the end and honour of their creation. For the Lord created our bodies, as the Apoſtle teacheth vsus, not for fornication,1. Cor. 6.13. but for himſelfe; not that we ſhould ſpend our ſtrength in vncleane luſts, which is the ſeruice of ſinne and Satan; but that we ſhould both in ſoule and bodie doe faithfull ſeruice vntounto him our Lord and Creator, and with all our power and might glorifie his name, who is the author of our being. Seeing therefore fornicators rob God of his right, ſpoile him of his glorie, and as much as in them lieth fruſtrate him of his end in their creation, and in ſtead of ſeruing him ſerue his enemies, ſinne, Satan, and their owne luſts; it is no meruaile if the Lord honour himſelfe in their deſerued puniſhment, and glorifie his name by deſtroying his owne workemanſhip, which is ſo much degenerate from it firſt creation.
Secondly,§. Sect. 6. 2. The fornicator ſinneth againſt God the ſonne: Firſt, by robbing him of the right of our redemption. the fornicator ſinneth againſt God the ſonne our Sauiour and Redeemer; firſt, by robbing him of the right of our redemption; for he hath giuen the ineſtimable price of his moſt precious blood to redeeme vsus out of the miſerable bondage of ſinne and Satan, to the end that being deliuered we ſhould ſerue him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the daies of our life; he hath bought vsus with a moſt precious price, to the end that becomming his, and ceaſing to be our owne,Luk. 1.77. we ſhould not any longer fulfill our owne filthy luſts, but deuote our ſelues wholly to the ſeruice of our gratious Redeemer,1. Cor. 6.20. and glorifie him by our holy obedience, both in our bodies and in our ſoules. Now what greater iniurie can we offer vntounto our Sauiour, then being by ſuch an ineſtimable ranſome ſet at libertie, wee ſhould againe returne into our miſerable thraldom, & withdrawing our ſelues from vnderunder the gratious gouernement of our Lord and maſter, yeeld obedience vntounto his arch enemie the diuell for the fulfilling and ſatisfying of our filthie luſts? What greater diſgrace can wee offer vntounto him, then to ſell our bodies and ſoules vntounto Satan, for the baſe price of a momentanie and beaſtly pleaſure, which hee hath redeemed with the precious price of himſelfe? For what is this but to make a mocke of his ſufferings, and to tread vnderunder foote his moſt holy blood, as an vnholie thing of no value?
Againe, the fornicator who profeſſeth Chriſtianitie,§. Sect. 7. ſinneth againſt our Sauiour Chriſt, both as hee is our husband and as he is our head;Secondly, the fornicator ſinneth againſt Chriſt as he is our husband and bead. as he is our husbād, we exceedingly diſgrace and diſhonor him, by defiling our bodies with whoremongers, and preferring their louelove before the louelove of Chriſt. The which if it be a foule and abominable fact in a wife towards an earthlie husband, then how much more wicked and intollerable towards our Lord and husband Ieſus Chriſt, who is moſt louely, being infinite in all perfection, and hath moſt dearely loued vsus, who are moſt vnworthie of the leaſt glimpſe of that fauor which he cauſeth to ſhine vponupon vsus with full raies? So alſo they moſt ſhamefully diſhonour and deſpite our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, whileſt profeſſing him to bee their head and themſelues members of his bodie, they ioyne their bodies in fornication with filthie harlots; whereby either they draw as much as in them lieth, our Sauiour, who is moſt holy, pure and vndefiled, into the communion of their ſinne; or elſe rent themſelues from his bleſſed bodie, whereof they were profeſſed members, and make their bodies members of the harlot, with which they are conioyned; for as they who are ioyned in lawfull mariage by vertue of this coniunction become one fleſh; ſo they who are vnlawfullie ioyned in fornication, become one with the harlot, as the Apoſtle teacheth vsus,1. Cor. 6.15. 1. Cor. 6.15. Know you not that your bodies are the members of Chriſt? ſhal I then take the members of Chriſt, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16. Doe ye not know, that he which coupleth himſelfe with an harlot is one bodie? for two, ſaith he ſhall be one fleſh.
Thirdly,§. Sect. 8. The fornicator ſinneth againſt God the holy Ghoſt. they ſinne againſt God the holie Ghoſt, either by reſiſting his calling whereby they are called, not vntounto vncleannes, but vntounto holines, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 1. Theſ. 4.7: or being called and waſhed with the blood of Chriſt, and with the water of the ſpirit from their filthineſſe,1. Theſ 4.7. they fruſtrate his holie worke, by defiling themſelues againe, like the hogge,2. Pet. 2.22. which being waſhed returneth to wallow in the filthie puddle. Againe, they commit againſt him fearefull ſacriledge, in that they make their bodies, which are by right his temples, to become habitations for vncleane ſpirits, and turne the holie houſe of God into a filthie brothell or common ſtewes; whereby they vex and grieue the holy ſpirit, and make him to forſake this vncleane lodging to their owne deſtruction. Know ye not (ſaith the Apoſtle) that your bodie is the temple of the holie Ghoſt, which is in you? And in another place,1. Cor. 6.19. and chap. 3.16.17. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the ſpirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man deſtroy the temple of God, him ſhall God deſtroy: for the temple of God is holie, which ye are.