The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 2 · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII. Shewing that Stues ought not to be suffered among Christians.
BY this which hath been spoken it appeareth manifestly, how infamous a thing is it among Christians to privilege and allow publique places for Adulteries, albeit it is a common thing in the greatest Cities of Europe; yea, and in the very bowels of Christendom, where no such villany should be tolerated. There is nothing that can cast any colour of excuse upon it, seeing it is expresly contrary to Gods ediet in many places: as first, Thou shalt not commit Adultery: and in Lev. 19. 29. Thou shalt not pollute thy daughter in prostituting her to be a where, lest the land be defiled with wheredom, and filled with wickednesse: and in Deut. 23. 17. Let there be no where of the daughters of Israel, neither a where-keeper of the sonnes of Israel. This is the decree of God, and the rule which he had given us to square our affections by, and it admitteth no dispensation. But some do object, that those things are tolerated to avoid greater mischiefes: as though the Lord were not well advised when he gave forth those Commandments, or that mortall men had more discretion than the immortall God. This truely is nothing else but to reject and disannull that which Saint Paul requireth as a duty of all Christians; namely, That fornication Ephes. 5.and all uncleannesse should not once be named amongst us, neither filthinesse, foolish talking, or jesting, which are things not comely; forsomuch as no whoremonger nor unclean person can have any inheritance in the Kingdom of God. Plate the Philosopher, though a Panim, and Dial. 3.ignorant of the knowledge of the true God, for bad expresly in his common wealth Poets and Painters to represent or set to the view any unclean and lascivious counterfeit, whereby good manners might be any wayes depraved. Aristotle following his masters steps, ordained in his Politiques, That all filthy communication should be banished out of his City. How Lib. 7. cap. 17.far then were they from giving leave and liberty for filthy and stinking brothel-houses to be erected and maintained? In this therefore the very Heathen are a shame and reproach to those that call themselves Christians and Catholiques. Besides, the goodly reason which they alleage for their upholding of their Stues is so far from the truth, that the contrary is ever truer; namely, that by their odious and dishonest liberty more evill ariseth to the world than otherwise would, insomuch as it setteth open a wide door to all dissolutenesse and whoredomes, and an occasion of lechery and uncleannesse even to those that otherwise would abstain from all such filthy actions. How many young folke are there, as well men as women, that by this meanes give themselves over to loosenesse, and undo themselves utterly? How many murders are, have been, and still will be committed thereby? What a disorder, confusion, and ignominy of nature is it, for a father to lie with her with whom his son had been but a little before? Or the son to come after the father? and such like: but by the just judgement of God it commeth to passe, that that which is thought to be enclosed within the precincts of certain appointed places, spreadeth it selfe at large so far, that oftentimes whole streets and Cities are poysoned; yea, even their houses, who in regard of their place either in the Law or policy, ought to stop the stream of such vices: nay, which is more marvell, they that with open mouth vaunt themselves to be Gods Lieutenants on earth, Christs Vicars, and Successours to his Apostles, are so filthy and abhominable, as to suffer publike bauds and whores to be under their noses uncontroled; and which is more, to enrich their treasures by their traffique. Cornelius Agrippa saith, That of all the …e-bauds of his time, Pope Sextus was most infamous: for he builded a most glorious and stately Stues (if any state or glory can abide in so bad a place) as well for common Adultery, as unnaturall Sodomy, to be exercised in. He used (as Heliogabalus was wont to do) to maintain whole heards of whores, with whom he participated his friends and servants as they stood in need, and by Adulteries reared yearly great revenues into his purse. Baleus saith, That at this day every whore in Rome payes tribute to the Pope, a Iulle; which amounted then to twenty thousand Ducats by the year at least; but now the number is so encreased, that it ariseth to fourty thousand. I thinke there is none ignorant, how Pope Paul the third had by computation five and fourty thousand whores and curtezans, that paid him a monethly tribute for their whoredomes: and thus also this holy Father was a protectour and upholder of the Stues, and deserved by his villanous behaviour (for he was one of the lewdest Adulterers of that time) to bear the name of the master and erectour of these filthy places: and herein both he and the rest of that crue have shewed themselves enemies to God, and true Antichrists indeed, and have not onelyonly imitated, but far surpassed shamelesse and wicked Caligula in all filthy and monstrous dealings. Thou shalt not (saith Moses) bring the hire of a whore into the house of the Lord Deut. 23.thy God for any vow: by what title then can these honest men exact so great rent from their whorish Tenants, seeing it is by the Law of God a thing so abhominable? Truly it can no otherwise be but a kinde of art of baudery, as may be gathered out of the Law which is in F. deritu nupt. L. palem. Qui habet mancipia, &c. The meaning whereof is, That he which for gain prostituteth his slaves to the lust of men, and draweth thereby commodity to himselfe, is a Baud: He is also stained with infamy by the Law Athletas, that partaketh the gain or wages of a whore. How much more then is that Law of Iustinian to be commended, which commandeth all whores to be banished out of the confines of Cities and Commonwealths? It was also a worthy and memorable act of Theodosius, when he rooted the S…cr. l 5. c. 18. Ecclesiast. hist.Stues out of Rome; and of Saint Lewis King of France, that pulled downe the Stues at Paris, and chased away, as neer as he could, all loose and whorish women from his Dominions. The antient Romans permitted no woman to become an open whore, before she had made a formall declaration Lib. de pud.of her intent before the Aediles; thinking by this meanes to quench their hot lust, because they would be ashamed to make such an open confession. And by a decree of the Senate it was enacted, That no woman comming of gentile stocke should be suffered to give her selfe over to this Trade, it being a stain and blot to true Nobility.