Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. That the fornicator grieuouſlie ſinneth againſt whole ſocieties.
ANd thus the fornicatour ſinneth againſt particular perſons.§. Sect. 1. The fornicator poyſoneth the fountaine of humane ſocieties. But he alſo offendeth againſt whole ſocieties; for whereas the Lord hath giuen vntounto man a naturall vertue and facultie of generation, whereby his kind might be propagated and multiplied, and hath ordained mariage as an honorable meanes to preſerue it honeſt, pure and holy; the fornicator peruerting Gods ordinance, doth corrupt & pollute this generatiue facultie, with his filthie luſts and impure affections: and ſo poiſoneth the iſſue and ſtreames of humane ſocieties euen in the verie fountaine, and ouerturneth common honeſtie, a chiefe ornament of mankind, in the roote.
But that I may ſpeake more diſtinctlie,§. Sect. 2. The fornicator ſinneth againſt priuate families. the fornicator ſinneth againſt all ſocieties, both priuate and publicke; as firſt againſt particular families, both his owne, and his neighbours, for he defileth them with his filthie vncleanneſſe, and maketh them liable to Gods heauie iudgements. And wheras they ſhould be ſo many little Churches wherein God is worſhipped and ſerued, hee turneth them into ſecret ſtewes and polluted brothels; and ſo hauing heat and fired them with the fire of his filthie luſt, hee hereby alſo inflameth the fierce wrath of God, which ſhall burne and conſume them to their deſtruction.Iob 31.9. As appeareth, Iob 31.9. If my heart hath been deceiued by a woman, or if I hauehave laid wait at the doore of my neighbour. &c. This is a wickedneſſe to be condemned; yea this is a fire which ſhall deuoure to deſtruction, and which ſhall roote out all mine increaſe. For although they multiplie their whoredomes, their ſeede ſhal not be multiplied, both becauſe Gods curſe purſueth theſe vncleane coniunctions, according to that Hoſ. 4.10.Hoſ. 4.10. They ſhall commit adulterie, and ſhall not increaſe. With which agreeth the ſaying of the ſonne of Syrach, chap. 23.25.Eccleſ. 23.25. The children of the harlot ſhall not take roote, and her branches ſhal bring forth no fruit: And alſo becauſe by their often whordoms, they diſable thēſelues for lawful generation: for hauing lauiſhly ſowne their corne in ſtrange fields, they hauehave nothing remaining but chaffe for their owne ſoile. Or if their familie be increaſed by ſuch vncleane whoredomes, they commonly prooue fire-brands in the houſe, and like Abimelech become wicked inſtruments,Iudg. 9.5. which bring the whole poſteritie to ruine and deſtruction.
Secondly,§. Sect. 3. Fornicators ſin againſt the Church. they ſinne againſt publicke ſocieties, and that both the Church and Common-wealth. They ſinne againſt the Church, by hindring as much as in them lieth the propagation thereof; for whereas the Lord hath ordained that the Church ſhould bee increaſed by an holie ſeede, borne in lawfull matrimonie, as appeareth, Mal. 2.15.Mal. 2.15. their poſteritie is a baſterdly broode, polluted with vncleanneſſe, euen in their generation,Deut. 23.2. which by the law of God might not come into the congregation; and anſwerablie are excluded out of the number of the inuiſible Church, vnleſſe the Lord extraordinarilie, to ſhew the riches of his power and goodneſſe, doe with his word and ſpirit ſanctifie and cleanſe them from the impurity of their conception, and ſo admit them into the number of his holy people. The which as it cānot be denied, but that it is in ſome meaſure the ſtate and condition of all the poſteritie of Adam; ſo muſt it alſo be granted, that it is verified in the children of fornication, in an extraordinarie and peculiar manner.
So alſo they ſin againſt the countrie and common-wealth,§. Sect. 4. Fornicators ſin againſt the countrie and common-wealth. firſt, by polluting it, and by robbing it of good and honeſt citizens. For families being defiled, the commonwealth cannot be cleane, ſeeing they are the roote from which it ſpringeth; the priuate Seminaries wherby the large orchard of the State is ſtored and furniſhed, and as it were the particular members of this great bodie. If therefore the bud and bloſſome bee blaſted and corrupted in the familie, they will hardly euer bring forth good fruite in the common-wealth; if the roote be poiſoned, the tree cannot flouriſh, and if the particular members be rotten and full of corruption, the bodie cannot be whole and ſound. Beſides, as they defile the common-wealth with ſin, ſo they make it grone vnderunder ye heauy waight of Gods iudgements: for as the Prophet ſpeaketh, becauſe of the fornications of the people the land mourneth,Ier. 23.10. neither taſting of any of Gods gratious benefits, whereby it might be nouriſhed, nor clothing it ſelfe with her beautifull fruits, as it were with her kingly coate of diuers colours, but ſitteth in the darke, deſolate and forſaken, being depriued of the comfortable beames of Gods fauour, which ſhould ripen all her hopes. Yea and as it maketh the countrie liable to priuatiue iudgements: ſo alſo to poſitiue plagues and puniſhments, as wee may ſee by manie examples. When Sodome and Gomorah were heated with luſt like a bakers ouen, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, they inflamed Gods wrath,Hoſ. 7.4. and were deſtroyed with fire and brimſtone, which rained downe from heauen. The filthineſſe of the Canaanites cauſed the land to ſpue out her inhabitants,Leuit. 18.25.28. and to become a pray to their conquering enemies. And when the Iſraelites could not be warned by their example for the ſame ſinne, the whole tribe of Beniamin was vtterly deſtroyed.Iud. 20.