Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 10
THE X. LECTVRE.
AMOS 2.7.
And a man and his father will goe in vntounto the ſame maid to prophane my holy name.
THey who hauehave begun to goe beyond the lines, and the limits prefined vntounto them in the word of God, doe by little and little proceed from euill to worſe, from one wickedneſſe to another. This you hauehave ſeene verified in theſe Iſraelites. You hauehave ſeene their crueltie, their couetouſneſſe, their oppreſſions, their calumnies. They were cruell; they ſold the righteous, they ſold the poore, ver. 6. They were couetous; they ſold the righteous for ſiluer: they ſold the poore for a paire of ſhoes, in the ſame verſe. They were oppreſſours; they panted after the duſt of the earth on the head of the poore, verſ. 7. They were calumniators; falſe accuſers of their needie brethren; they turned aſide, they peruerted the way of the meeke, in the ſame verſe. Now are the barres and bounds of all ſhame broken; now are the raines of all modeſtie let looſe; giuen vp to their vile affections, they feare not to commit deteſtable Inc…ſt. For A man and his father, will goe in vntounto the ſame maide, to prophane my holy name.
Before we enter into a particular diſcourſe of that abhominable ſinne, wherewith the people of Iſraell are in this text charged, it will not be amiſſe to take a briefe view of the words as here they lie.
A man and his Father] that is, A ſonne and his Father; The originall word foreign ſignifieth a man; for it the Septuagint read foreign, and the vulgar Latin, Filius; A ſonne. A ſonne and his Father—will goe in.] The vulgar Interpreter hath Iêrunt, hauehave gone; the Septuagint foreign, did goe in. The Hebrew is foreign will goe. It is very familiar with the Hebrewes to put one tenſe for another; the future for the preſent; the time to come, for the time that is inſtant. An inſtance hereof we hauehave, Pſal. 1.2. There its ſpoken of the bleſſed man; He aforeignſhall meditate in the law of the Lord day and night. He ſhall meditate, ſo goeth the text: the meaning is; he doth meditate: Bleſſed is the man that doth meditate in the Law of the Lord day and night. In Pſal. 2.1. it is ſpoken of Chriſts enemies; theybforeign ſhall imagine a vaine thing. They ſhall imagine; ſo goeth the text: the meaning is; they doe imagine. Why doe the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vaine thing? In Pſal. 5.3. The Prophet Dauid earneſt and vehement in Prayer, thus ſpeaketh of himſelfe; In the morning will I pray vntounto thee. cforeignI will pray vntounto thee; ſo goeth the text: the meaning is; I doe pray vntounto thee. My voyce ſhalt thou heare in the morning, O Lord; in the morning doe I direct my prayer vntounto thee. It is the very Hebraiſme, that we hauehave in my text; A man and his fatherdforeign will goe in vntounto a maid, to prophane my holy name. They will goe in; it is the letter of my text: the meaning is, that reſolutely without ſhame, without feare; They goe in, or they vſe to goe in. Doe they vſe to go in? Then may each reading be admitted: they hauehave gone in, they did goe in, they doe goe in, they will goe in.
A man and his father will goe in foreign vntounto a maide] What maid? any maide? No. But a knowne maid, a certaine maide. So much is implyed by the Hebrew Article foreign, which here is connotatiue, or diſcretiue. The Greekes ſay diſtinctly foreign, to the ſame maide. Our now Engliſh ſo readeth it; and well. For ſo the ſenſe of this place requireth.
A man and his Father will goe in vntounto the ſame maide.] By this maide S. Hierome vnderſtandeth the ſonnes wife, or the fathers wife; ſo doe others alſo, as Ribera obſerueth. Mercer, of late the Kings profeſſour of the Hebrew tongue, in the Vniuerſitie of Paris; by this maide vnderſtandeth, one, that is affianced, or betrothed to either, the ſonne, or the father. Of like minde is Arias Montanus. By this maide (ſaith he) we vnderſtand non meretricem, not a common ſtrumpet, one that makes gaine by the proſtitution and abuſe of her bodie; ſed viro ſponſam, but one that is betrothed to a man, aut certè nubilem, or at leſt, one that is marriageable and is in her fathers houſe appointed for wedlocke. Some are of opinion, that by this maide, you may vnderſtand, any maide; the daughter of any other man, to whom yet this man and his father vſe to reſort to ſatisfie their luſts.
Now, if we will collect, as Montanus doth, the Father knew his owne daughter, his ſonne knew the ſame, though ſhe were to him, his ſiſter: or the father knew his ſonnes wife, his daughter in law: or the ſonne knew his fathers wife, his mother in law: or both, the father and the ſonne were naught with ſome other mans daughter: or all theſe wickedneſſes were in that corrupt ſtate of Iſraell vſually acted. Of that ſtate we may ſay with Brentius: Qualis pater, talis filius: pater fornicatur, filius ſcortatur, pater adulterium committit, filius inceſtum; pater libidinem exercet prohibitam, filius turpem ſequitur luxum. It is a fathers part, by his example of chaſt liuing, to invite his ſonne to chaſtitie. With theſe Iſraelites there was no rule, ſo good obſerued. Here was like father, like ſonne: the father a fornicator, the ſonne a drabber: the father an adulterer, the ſonne inceſtuous: the father delighting in vnlawfull luſt, the ſonne wallowing in ſenſualitie: yea the father and the ſonne did oftentimes faſten their impure and vnchaſt louelove vponupon the ſame maide: which is the very thing avowed in my text: A man and his father will goe in vntounto the ſame maide. It followeth,
To profane my holy Name.] What? Did this man and his father goe in vntounto the ſame maide, with a minde to prophane Gods holy Name? was this their end? No doubtleſſe, it was not their end. Their end was to enioy their carnall pleaſures. And yet its here expreſſely ſaid; they did it, to profane Gods holy Name.
For the remoouing of this ſcruple, that old Canon of an auncienteChryſoſtom. Father, will ſerue. It is proper to the Scripture, to put that for a cauſe, which indeed belongeth to the event. Ribera thus explicats it: It is the manner of the Scripture ſometime ſo to ſpeake as if it conſidered onelyonly, what a man doth, and not at all, with what mind he doth it: as if it onelyonly conſidered what men doe vulgarly and vſually collect and iudge of any action by the event therof. For the Scripture many times ſpeaketh as the cuſtome of the common people is.
This rule the Ieſuite fTom. 4. p. 654.Pererius in his Comment vponupon Geneſ. chap. 43.6. thus plainely deliuereth. When vponupon the deed of any one, any thing falleth out beſides the purpoſe and will of the doer, it is commonly beleeued, and ſaid to be done, as if the doer had of purpoſe willed it. Will you hauehave this rule made plaine by examples? Then thus. A man ſinneth. His ſinne draweth vponupon him the loſſe & deſtruction of his owne ſoule. Now he that ſinneth doth not intend any ſuch matter; hee intends not the loſſe, or deſtruction of his owne ſoule. Yet becauſe he doth that, from whence followeth, the loſſe and deſtruction of his ſoule, he is ſaid to will and ſeeke the perdition of his owne ſoule.
This Canon rightly vnderſtood, much helpeth for the explanation of diuers Scripture places. IngHebr. Pſal. 11. Pſal. 10.6. according to the vulgar Latin, we read, Qui diligit iniquitatem, odit animam ſuam; he that loueth iniquitie, hateth his owne ſoule. Did euer man hate his owne ſoule? We may not imagine it. Yet becauſe he that loueth iniquitie, liueth for the moſt part as if he little cared for his ſoules health, it is there abſolutely ſaid: Hee that loueth iniquitie, hateth his owne ſoule.
In Geneſ. 43.6. the vulgar Interpreter makes Iſrael thus to ſpeake to Iudah, and other his ſonnes, In meam hoc feciſtis miſeriam, vt indicaretis ei, & alium vos habere fratrem; you hauehave done it to my miſerie, that ye told the man, that you had another brother. Its true: Iacobs ten ſonnes, when they were in Egypt to buy corne, told Ioſeph (whom then they knew not to be Ioſeph) that their yongeſt brother was liuing. But did they doe it with a mind to bring miſery vponupon their aged father Iacob: Iacob himſelfe could not thinke ſo, and the ſtorie cleares them from that imputation. Yet becauſe by that their deed, miſerie might hauehave fallen vponupon their father Iacob, Iacob ſaith vntounto them after a vulgar cuſtome of ſpeech, In meam hoc fecistis miſeriam, you hauehave done this to make me miſerable.
In 2. King. 4.16. the good woman of Shunem, that was by Eliſha promiſed a ſonne, notwithſtanding her ſelfe was by nature barren, and her husband alſo old, ſaid vntounto Eliſha: Nay my Lord, thou man of God, doe not lie vntounto thine handmaide. Doe not lie! What! Eliſha a Prophet, a man of God, could he, or would he lye? No; it beſeemed him not. Yet becauſe he promiſed, what was not in mans power to performe, (a ſonne to a woman that was naturally barren, and her husband alſo old) ſome might thinke, that he went about to deceiue the woman. The woman therefore after the common kinde of ſpeech, ſaith vntounto him; Nay my Lord, thou man of God, doe not lye vntounto thine handmaide.
Other like inſtances I might alledge for the further explanation of the Canon or rule which euen now I propoſed, But I need not. The kind of ſpeech is familiar in our Engliſh tongue. If you ſee a ſicke man intemperate, or refuſing to follow the aduiſe of his learned Phyſitian, you wil ſtraight way ſay, this man ſeekes his owne death; hee will kill himſelfe; When your meaning is, not that he hath a purpoſe to ſeeke his owne death, or to kill himſelfe; but, that if he continue intemperate, and will not follow his Phyſitians wholeſome counſaile, death will ſoone lay him in the pit.
Now let this rule be laid vntounto my text, and the ſcruple, whereof I but now ſpake, is gone. A man and his father will goe in vntounto the ſame maide to profane my holy name: they are the words of my text; and the Lord in the mouth of his Prophet Amos hath ſpoken them. But he ſpeaketh after our manner; as we vſe to ſpeake: His meaning is, that with the Iſraelites it was an ordinarie matter for a man and his father, to commit filthineſſe with the ſame maide, and that by their ſo doing, (though themſelues had no ſuch purpoſe in ſo doing) the holy name of God was prophaned. This prophanation of Gods holy name was not the finall cauſe, it was not the end, why ſuch filthineſſe was committed in Iſraell. It was rather the event, or conſequent of it. Filthineſſe was acted in Iſrael, and thereof followed the prophanation of the holy name of God. A man and his father, &c.
To prophane my holy name] My holy name. The Hebrew hath, the name of my holineſſe: where the ſubſtantiue is put for the adiectiue, the Abſtract for the Concrete: which in that holy tongue is very vſuall. In the 3. of Exod. ver. 5. The Lord ſayth to Moſes: Put of thy ſhoes from of thy feete for the place, whereon thou ſtandeſt, is ground of Holineſſe. Its ground of Holineſſe, that is, its holy ground. In the 12. of Exod. verſ. 16. Moſes and Aaron are charged to ſay vntounto the people of Iſrael: In the ſeauenth day there ſhall be a conuocation of holineſſe vntounto you. A conuocation of holineſſe, that is, a holy conuocation. In the 22. of Exod. ver. 31. The Lord ſayth vntounto the ſame people of Iſrael: Yee ſhall be men of Holineſſe vntounto me. Men of Holineſſe, that is, Holy men.
Were it needfull I could ſhew vntounto you, that theaEſai 63 11. Spirit of Gods holineſſe, thebEſai. 52.10. arme of his holineſſe, thecPſal. 3.5. mountaine of his holineſſe, thedPſal. 11.4. temple of his holineſſe, theeDeut 26.15. habitation of his holineſſe, are put for his holy Spirit; his holy arme, his holy mountaine, his holy temple, his holy habitation. I could yet ſhew vntounto you; thatfExod 24.4. garments of holineſſe, gNum. 3.51.veſſels of holineſſe, hLamen. 4.1.ſtones of holineſſe, i1. Sam. 21.4.bread of holineſſe, kIerem. 11.15.fleſh of holineſſe, andlNum. 35.25. oyle of holineſſe, are in the holy Bible, put for holy garments, holy veſſels, holy ſtones, holy bread, holy fleſh, holy oyle. But I hauehave ſaid enough, to ſhew what I intended, namely, that vſually in the Holy tongue, the Abſtract is put for the Concrete, as holineſſe, for holy: as in this my text. A man and his father will goe in to the ſame maide, to profane the name of my holineſſe; that is, to prophane my holy name.
Can Gods holy name be prophaned by men? Why not, ſith it may be ſanctified by men? That the name of God may be ſanctified by men, its out of doubt, Caput votorum, the very firſt petition, which wee are taught to poure forth vntounto God, is, that his name may be ſanctified, Hallowed be thy name: The name of God is holy in it ſelfe, it needs not to be hallowed by vsus; its impoſſible for vsus to adde vntounto it any purity or holineſſe, which it had not before. YetmScala coeli, Serm. 9. Caput votorum, the firſt petition of our prayer is, Hallowed bee thy name. Our deſire therein is, that Gods name which is holy of it ſelfe, may bee ſo accounted off by vsus, may bee holily vſed by vsus, and may, by our holy vſage of it, bee manifeſted to the world, that it is holy.
Now then, as the name of God is Hallowed, when for our holy and vnſtained liues, men bleſſe the name of God, and praiſe him: ſo when for our impure and ſpotted liues, men blaſpheme the name of God, and diſhonour him, the name of God is prophaned. Well then, doth our Prophet Amos heere charge the people of Iſrael with prophanation of Gods holy name, for aſmuch as their liues were very impure and much ſpotted. It was with them no ſtrange matter, for a man and his father to commit filthineſſe with the ſame Mayde.
Thus hauehave you the words of my text expounded.
A man and his father] A ſonne and his father, will goe in vntounto the ſame mayde] do ordinarily, without feare or ſhame, commit filthineſſe with the ſame young woman, and ſo doing, doe prophane my holy name] they cauſe my name to bee blaſphemed, and ill ſpoken of.
Two things are heerein remarkable. One is, the ſinne heere obiected to the Iſraelites: the other is, the conſequent of this ſinne. The ſinne is poynted at in theſe words, A man and his father will goe in vntounto the ſame mayde: the conſequent in theſe, to prophane my holy name. The ſinne is vnlawfull pleaſure, taken either in inceſt, or in adultery, or in fornication, or in any other vncleanneſſe: the conſequent is, the prophaning of the holy name of God.
The doctrine ariſing from both, I deliuer in this one poſition.
Inceſtuous perſons, adulterers, fornicators, & otherwiſe ſhameleſſe ſinners, are oftentimes the cauſe of prophaning the holy name of God.
Inceſtuous perſons, adulterers and fornicators, all are ſtarke naught: but the firſt are the worſt. Inceſt, adultery and fornication, each of them is a ſinne, that throweth the ſinner into the euer-burning lake; yet the moſt greeuous of them is inceſt. Inceſt! It is one of the groſſeſt vices of luſt. EueryEvery mixture of man and woman of the ſame kinred, within the degrees forbidden by the law of God, is Inceſt. It is forbidden in the ſeuenth Commandement, wherein, although adulterie be onelyonly mentioned, yet vnderunder that kinde of vncleanneſſe, are comprehended and noted, Sodomitrie, inceſt, rape, ſimple fornication, all the reſt, together with their cauſes, occaſions, effects, antecedents, and conſequents.
But more preciſely is inceſt forbidden, in the eighteenth of Leuiticus, from the ſixth verſe to the eighteenth. In the ſixth verſe, the inhibition is generall: None of you ſhall approach to any that is neere of kinne to him, to vncouer their nakedneſſe: I am the Lord. It is then the Lord that ſpeaketh to you: None of you ſhall come neere to any of your kinne, to vncouer their ſhame. But what kinred meaneth hee? There is a kinred by ſociety of bloud; it is called conſanguinity: there is alſo a kinred by marriage; it is called Affinitie. And to both theſe kinreds will the Lord hauehave his inhibition to extend: You ſhall not approch to any that is neere of kinne to you, to vncouer their nakedneſſe, that is, you may not marry with, or otherwiſe luſtfully abuſe any of your kinred, be they of your kinred, either by Conſanguinity, or by Affinity.
Now to treat of all theſe degrees, that are in the eighteenth of Leuiticus forbidden, were needleſſe at this time. One aboue the reſt will fit my text. Its that in the eighth verſe. The nakedneſſe of thy fathers wife thou ſhalt not vncouer. Thy fathers wife, that is, thy ſtep-mother, not thine owne mother. Her nakedneſſe, though ſhee bee but thy moth…r in law, thou ſhalt not vncouer. This might hauehave beene the ſin of theſe Iſraelites in my text. Heere you ſee, A ſonne and his father went in vntounto the ſame maide. If this maide were wife vntounto the father, then was ſhee ſtepmother to the ſonne, and the ſonne was inceſtuous.
This vncleanneſſe the very Heathen hauehave deteſted. S. Paul acknowledgeth as much, 1. Cor. 5.1. It is reported commonly, that there is fornication among you, and ſuch fornication, as is not ſo much as named amongst the Gentiles, that one ſhould hauehave his fathers wife. Not ſo much as named amongst the Gentiles? What? doe not Heathen hiſtories yeeld examples of this vncleanneſſe? They doe.
They giuegive vsus to vnderſtand ofnPlutarch. in Demetrio. Antiochus ſonne of Seleucus; how he burning with the inceſtuous louelove of his mother in law Stratonice, got her by his Fathers aſſent to be his wife: They tell vsus ofoPlutarch. in Artaxerxes. Darius, ſonne of Artaxerxes, how he obtained of his father by requeſt, that he might take to wife, his mother in law, Aſpaſia. They relate vntounto vsus, howpAelius Spartianus in Antonino Caracalla. Peretius in Mellificio hiſtorico parte 2. pag. 202. Antoninus Caracalla Emperour tooke to wife his mother in law Iulia. Antoninus bewitched with her beautie, and deſiring to marrie her, with ſighes ſaid vntounto her, Vellem, ſi liceret, Mother, if it were lawfull I would make you my wife. Shee; monſter as ſhe was, ſhamefully replyed: Si libet, licet; An neſcis te Imperatorem eſſe, & leges dare, non accipere. Sonne, you hauehave called me mother; if you liſt to make me your wife, you may. Know you not that you are Emperour? you giuegive lawes, you take none: With this her anſwere Antoninus inflamed, matrem duxit vxorem, he married his mother.
Other examples of this vncleanneſſe Heathen hiſtories hauehave affoorded vsus. How then is it, that S. Paul in the but now-alledged place, ſaith; that this vncleanneſſe, is ſuch as is not ſo much as named among the Gentiles?
We need not fly to an Hyperbole to excuſe the Apoſtles aſſertion. His meaning is, that though ſuch vncleanneſſe were ſometime practiſed among the Gentiles, yet that among the very Gentiles lawes were made againſt it: and that the better ſort of the Gentiles did deteſt it, as a filthie, ſtrange, and monſtrous villanie.
Was this vncleanneſſe held in ſuch deteſtation by the Gentiles, who were guided onelyonly by natures light? No maruaile then is it, if the Lord, here in my text, do ſo ſharply reproue Iſrael for this vncleanneſſe among them. Iſrael! They were the people of the Lord, they were his inheritance, they had the lampe of the word of God to be their guide. Yet Iſrael, rebellious and diſobedient Iſrael, hath played the harlot: A man and his father went in vntounto the ſame maide. VnderUnder this one kinde of inceſt are comprehended all the reſt; And not inceſt onelyonly, but adulterie alſo, yea, and fornication too. So that indeed the Iſraelites are here reproued in generall for their filthie luſts. They were ſo inordinately vicious, and ſo diſolute, that they bluſhed not once, to pollute themſelues with fornication, with adulterie, with inceſt, with all manner of filthineſſe: and hereby was the holy name of God prophaned.
It is true. Peccatorum turpitudine violatur nomen Dei ſanctum: ſuch is the filthineſſe of ſinne, that through it, the holy name of God is often violated. It was violated by Dauids ſinne. Dauid the man after Gods owne heart, yet conuicted of murther, and adultery. Of murther, forq2. Sam. 12.9. killing Vriah the Hittite with the ſword; and of adulterie, for taking to wife the wife of Vriah, is by the Prophet Nathan reprooued for prophaning the name of the Lord. In 2. Sam. 12.14 they are the expreſſe words of Nathan vntounto Dauid, By this deed thou haſt giuen great occaſion to the enemies of the Lord to blaſpheme. Dauid (you ſee) was the ſinner; others thereby tooke occaſion to blaſpheme the name of God.
The name of God was likewiſe blaſphemed for the ſinnes of the Iſraelites. The Iſraelites rEzech. 37.23.defiling themſelues with the Idols of the Heathen, with their abhominations, with their iniquities, are in the Bookes of the Prophets reprooued for prophaning the name of the Lord. It is the complaint of the Lord himſelfe, Eſai 52.5. My name continually eueryevery day is blaſphemed: and Ezech. 36.20.22.23. The Iſraelites liuing among the Heathen hauehave prophaned my Holy name. The Heathen there could ſay: Hi; populus Iehovae theſe are the people of the Lord; theſe are come out of the land of the Lord. A holy people ſure. The Iſraelites, you ſee, ſinned: the Heathen thereby tooke occaſion to blaſpheme the name of the Lord.
The name of the Lord was likewiſe blaſphemed through the ſinnes of the Iewes in S. Paules time. The then-Iewes, notwithſtanding they made their ſRom. 2.17.boaſt of God, andtVerſ. 18. knew his will, and wereuVerſ. 19. confident, that they were guides of the blind, the light of them which were in darkeneſſe, xVerſ. 20.inſtructors of the fooliſh, teachers of babes, that they had the forme of knowledge, and of the truth in the law; yet foraſmuch as they were ſpotted with theft, with adultery, with ſacriledge, with other enormities; they are by S. Paul reprooued, for prophaning the name of the Lord.
The reproofe is, Rom. 2.21. &c. Thou which teacheſt another, teacheſt thou not thy ſelfe? Thou that preacheſt, a man ſhould not ſteale, doeſt thou ſteale? Thou that ſayeſt, a man ſhould not commit adulterie, doeſt thou commit adulterie? Thou that abhorreſt Idols, doeſt thou commit ſacriledge? Thou that makeſt thy boaſt of the law, through breaking of the law diſhonoureſt thou God? It followeth, verſ. 24. For the name of God is blaſphemed among the Gentiles through you. The Iewes, you ſee, were the ſinners: The Gentiles thereby tooke occaſion to blaſpheme the name of God.
Thus is my doctrine confirmed vntounto you: Inceſtuous perſons, adulterers, fornicators, and other vncleane ſinners, are oftentimes the cauſe of prophaning the holy Name of God.
Let vsus now a while conſider, what Vſe wee may make hereof vntounto our ſelues.
Is it true? Inceſtuous perſons, adulterers, fornicators, and other vncleane ſinners, are they oftentimes the cauſe of prophaning the holy name of God? Then (dearely beloued) let vsus from hence be admoniſhed, ſo to ſpend the remainder of our pilgrimage in this preſent world, in all holy conuerſation, that no boyling, inordinate or vnruly motions, no vicious or vnchaſt affections, no act of vncleanneſſe, may ſo far hauehave dominion ouer vsus, as to cauſe the holy name of GOD through vsus to be prophaned. S. Auſtine Enarrat. in Pſal. 146. ſpeaketh plainely: Cum blaſphematur Deus de malo opere tuo, opere tuo blaſphemas Deum: that is, When God for any euill worke is blaſphemed, thou by thine euill worke blaſphemeſt God. To the ſame purpoſe ſayth the ſame Father, Tract. 27. in Iohan. Rarò iam inuenivntur, qui linguâ blaſphemant Deum; ſed multi, qui vitâ: Seldome now adayes doe we finde any that with their tongue blaſpheme God, but many that blaſpheme him with their life. Such were they in S. Pauls time, of whom the bleſſed Apoſtle, Tit. 1.16. ſayth: They profeſſe that they know God, but in workes they denie him. And will we be ſuch? Farre be it from vsus.
We profeſſe that we know God, we profeſſe our ſelues his ſeruants; walke we therefore worthie of our profeſſion, as it becommeth the ſeruants of God. And how ſhall wee ſo walke? We ſo walke if we walke in holineſſe. For (as St Paul ſpeaketh) this is the will of God, euen your ſanctification, that yee ſhould abſteine from fornication, that eueryevery one of you ſhould know how to poſſeſſe his veſſell in ſanctification and honor, not in the luſt of concupiſcence, euen as the Gentiles which know not God. For God hath not called vsus vntounto vncleanneſſe, but vntounto holineſſe. And therefore as the ſame Apoſtle aduiſeth the Epheſians, Chap. 5.3. ſo aduiſe I you: Fornication and vncleanneſſe let them not be once named amongst you, as it becommeth Saints. Not once named! How then is it that the Apoſtle nameth them? How is it, that in this exerciſe I hauehave named vntounto you inceſt, adultery, fornication, and other ſinnes of vncleanneſſe? Yes beloued; you may name them; but it muſt be out of deteſtation to ſhunne them; and not out of delight to nouriſh them.
From hence may you make this Collection: If I may not once name fornication, but with deteſtation, then may I not commit it. If I may not commit fornication, much leſſe may I commit adulterie; much leſſe inceſt; much leſſe ſome other ſinnes of vncleanneſſe; ſinnes againſt nature; monſtrous and prodigious ſinnes. Now that we may not commit fornication, it is euident by theſe reaſons.
Firſt, it is vnlawfull by the law of Nature. The very Heathen, who hold no other light for their guide, but the glimmering light of Nature, hauehave ſo accounted of it. Memorable is the ſaying of Demoſthenes, concerning theyDimidium talentum vnius pretium noctis. great price that was ſet him, by the notorious ſtrumpet Lais: zMacr…b. Saturnal. lib. 2. c. 2.foreign, I like not to buy Repentance ſo deare. Doth he not thereby intimate, that diſhoneſt pleaſure, & the vnbridled deſires of the fleſh, hauehave euermore for their companion, Repentance? Diogenes, the Cynicke, reſembledaLaertius lib. 6. in vitâ Diogenis. beautifull harlots to ſweete wine, tempered with deadly poyſon. What elſe doth he thereby intimate, but that vnchaſt luſts, howſoeuer to a carnall man, they may at firſt ſeeme ſweete, they are notwithſtanding full of bitterneſſe, and are attended with perpetuall ſorrow? Crates, the Philoſopher, beholding at Delphi, the golden image of the harlot Phryne brake forth into this exclamation,bPlutarch. de fortuna Alexandri lib. 2. The like Laertius reporteth of Diogenes lib. 6. vit. Diog. foreign: this is the trophie, the monument of the looſe liues of the Greekes. Doth he not thereby intimate, that incontinencie is euen by Natures law vnlawfull? I might here produce many goodly ſentences, many notable examples of Ethnickes, and Pagans, to ſhew vntounto you the iuſt puniſhment, which for the moſt part followeth this deteſtable vice hard at the heeles; which might alſo ſtirre vsus vp to hate it, and to flie from it with all our might. But its time that I returne to the Booke of God.
Therein alſo doe we finde, that this filthy ſinne, the ſinne of fornication, is reputed vnlawfull by the very law of Nature. In Rom. 1.29. it is expreſſely named among the ſins of the Gentiles, who were meerely naturall men. And Leuit. 18.24. it is layd to the charge of the Cananites, Gentiles too, that with ſuch vncleanneſſe themſelues were defiled, and the land, wherein they liued was defiled: and therefore are they in that place threatned, that the land ſhould ſpew them out. You hauehave now the firſt reaſon, why we may not commit fornication. The reaſon is, becauſe it is vnlawfull by the law of Nature.
Secondly, it is forbidden in holy Scripture. In Epheſ. 5 3. And in 1. Theſ. 4.3. In the latter place we are commanded to abſtaine from c1. Cor. 6.18.fornication, and in the former, not once to name it.
Thirdly, it is malum lubricum, a ſinne full of great danger: So meaneth Salomon, Prou. 23.27. where he ſayth, A whore is a deepe ditch, and a ſtrange woman is a narrow dProu. 22.14.pitt. The compariſon is plaine; A Harlot to a deepe ditch, and to a narrow pit. The meaning of the holy Ghoſt is: As a man that falleth into a deepe ditch, or, into a narrow pit, breaketh either an arme, or a legge, and with much adoe getteth out againe: ſo is it with them, that are ouertaken with this vile ſinne of fornication: the woman eEccleſ. 26.7.whoſe heart is as ſnares and nets, and her hands as bands, will bee to them more bitter then death; with much adoe ſhall they eſcape from her.
Fourthly, it ſtoppeth the paſſage into Heauen. S. Paul affirmeth it, 1. Cor. 6.9. Fornicators ſhall not inherite the kingdome of God; and againe, Epheſ. 5.5. No whoremonger hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Chriſt. S. Iohn, Reuel. 21.18. ſayth as plainely: Whoremongers ſhall hauehave their part in that lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone.
Thus hauehave you, of many, foure reaſons, why wee may not commit fornication.
1. It is vnlawfull by the law of Nature.
2. It is forbidden by the law of God.
3. It is full of great danger.
4. It ſtoppeth the paſſage into Heauen.
Now ſee the validitie of my former inference. We may not commit fornication, for the reaſons now ſpecified; much leſſe may we commit adulterie; much leſſe inceſt; much leſſe other ſinnes of vncleanneſſe, ſinnes againſt Nature, monſtrous and prodigious ſinnes. All theſe S. Paul, 1. Cor. 6. hath euen chayned together, to caſt them into Hell. And that you may take notice of it, he hath a foreign for you verſ. 9. foreign, Be not deceiued. Neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor abuſers of themſelues with mankinde, ſhall inherit the kingdome of God. Thus farre hath the firſt vſe of my doctrine led mee. The ſecond followeth.
My doctrine was, Inceſtuous perſons, adulterers, fornicators, and other vncleane ſinners, are oftentimes the cauſe of profaning the holy name of God. This in the ſecond place ſerueth for the reproofe of ſuch as ſuffer themſelues to be kindled with the burning fire of luxuriouſnes, or carnall luſts. And hereby are all inceſtuous marriages condemned.fCaietan. in Aquin. 2. 2. qu. 154 Art. 9. §. Reſpondeo. Emanuell King of Portugall married his wiues ſiſter:gCaietan. ibid. Ferdinand the younger King of Sicilie married his fathershJoannam. ſiſter: Philip the ſecond King of Spaine married his ſiſtersiAnnam. daughter: Henry the eight King of England married his brotherskCatharinam. wife. All theſe were inceſtuous marriages, and are by this doctrine condemned.
But ſome may ſay; theſe marriages were not concluded, but by the Popes diſpenſation. Why then ſay I, they are condemned? I ſay ſo; becauſe they are preciſely againſt the law of God written, Levit. 18. But may not the Pope diſpenſe againſt that law? What! Diſpenſe againſt the law of God!
We are not ignorant, that the chiefe patrons of the Pontificiall law, howſoeuer they grantlIn cap. Mennā. 2. q. 5. Annotat. marg. Papam quandoque nimiùm papaliter diſpenſare, that the Pope ſometimes diſpenſeth too much Pope-like; doe notwithſtanding expreſly affirme,mGloſſ. in Cap. Poſt tranſlationem Extra, de Renuntiatione. & 25. qu. 1. Cap. Sunt quidam. Papam bene diſpenſare contra Apoſtolum; that the Pope well diſpenſeth againſt the Apoſtle. nRainold. Theſ. 5. pag. 141.Neither do they grant vntounto the Pope this power of diſpenſing, only in cauſes perteining to the poſitiue law of man, (with which colour they now paint ouer that ſame flagitious gloſſe of diſpenſing againſt the Apoſtle) but alſo in matters ratified by the law of God.
I could here tell you of many wicked diſpenſations, that hauehave bin granted by the Pope; as thatoCap. ad Apoſtolicae in Sexto de Sentent. & re iudicat. Bulla Pij 5. contra Reginam Angliae. ſubiects may be diſcharged of their oath and fealtie, and may be licenced to withdraw their allegiance from their Prince, yea, to take armes againſt him, yea to lay violent hands on him; thatpConcil. Conſtanſ. Seſſ 19. Cap. Quòd non obſtantibus C…luis conductibus. promiſe may be broken, with God and man; that moſt horribleqRainold. Theſ. 5. § 41. pag. 188. abominations, may be committed; that all things, diuine and humane, may be peruerted; right and wrong, Heauen and earth, lawfull and vnlawfull may be confounded togither. But I may not ſo far digreſſe from my preſent purpoſe. Let it ſuffice for this time, that you ſee the impietie of the Popes diſpenſations, (or rather diſſipations, asrDe Conſid. ad …ug…n. lib. 3. c. 4. S. Bernard calleth them) in his allowing of inceſtuous mariages, that a man may marry his wiues ſister, or his fathers ſister, or his ſisters daughter, or his brothers wife: all preciſely againſt the law of God.
Here might we ſtand amaſed and wonder, that ſuch irregular and ſhameleſſe diſpenſations, ſhould paſſe with the approbation of the Pope, who beares a face, as if he were moſt holy, yea Holineſſe it ſelfe. Speake we to him, or write to him, our compellation muſt be Pater Sanctiſſime, most holy Father; and Sanctitas Tua, your Holineſſe. But knowing him to be that ſ2. Theſſ. 2 3.man of ſinne, that ſonne of perdition, that grand Antichriſt, who according to the prophecies of the Holy Ghoſt in the Scriptures, was to be reuealed in theſe latter times, we need not wonder though he diſpenſeth with all the moſt horrible and abominable impieties, that may be. Can wetMatth. 7.16. gather grapes of thornes, or figs of thiſtles? can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit? Can we expect that the Pope, whou2. Theſſ. 2.4. oppoſeth himſelfe againſt God, and exalteth himſelfe aboue all that is called God, ſhould either himſelfe liue, or cauſe others to liue, according to the holy law of God?
For the Popes themſelues (would the time and your patience permit) I could rip vp their liues, and ſhew vntounto you how they hauehave bin ſtained and defiled with all manner of fearefull, notorious, and abhominable ſinnes. But my text will not ſuffer me ſo farre …o range. The ſinnes of vncleaneneſſe, wherein thoſe holy fathers hauehave, to the aſtoniſhment of the world, wallowed, are the ſinnes in my preſent text and doctrine ſmitten at.
What ſhall I tell …ou of the inceſt committed by many of them? by Iohn the 13. with Stephana, his fathers concubine? by Iohn the xAliâs the 24.23. with his brothers wife? by Paul the 3. with two of his Nieces? by Pius the 5. with his owne ſiſter, byyJoan. Iovian. Pontan. Alexander the 6. with his owne daughter.
I could make true report vntounto you of many of them very infamous for their beaſtly Sodomie, for their filthy adulterie, for other their vncleane luſt. So holy were thoſe holy Fathers. Neither were they themſelues alone giuen ouer to ſuch filthineſſe, but they alſo tooke order to hauehave others like vntounto them. They could not alone be wicked.zSZeged. Spec. Pontif. Alexander the ſixt gaue leaue to Cardinall Mendoza to abuſe his owne baſtard ſonne in inceſtuous Sodomie. aDownam de Antich. lib. 1. cap. 6. Orm…rod. Pict. Pap. SZ…ged. ſpec. Pont. Veſcel Kroning Tractat. de Indulgentijs.Sixtus the fourth gaue licence to the Cardinall of S. Lucie, and to all his familie, that they might in the three hot moneths of the yeare freely vſe Sodomie. Iohannes a Caſa a Florentine, Archbiſhop of Beneventum, Legat for Iulius 3. at Venice, ſet forth a booke in Italian Metre in commendation of this Diana of the Papiſts, this abominable ſinne of Sodomie. Will you heare more of Sixtus the fourth? He to incite and incourage others to be as filthy as himſelfe, built in Rome a famous ſtewes, not onelyonly of women, but alſo of males. The femall ſtewes, how aduantagious it hath bin to the Pope, and gainefull to his coffers, may from hence appeare, that the Pope hath receiued from them a yearely penſion, amounting ſometimes to three thouſand, ſometimes to foure thouſand Ducates. It is ſaid of Paulus the third, that in his tables he had the names of 45000 Curtizans, which paid vntounto him a monethly tribute.
Now that the Pope neede not to looſe ſo great a reuenew; ſome hauehave beſtirred themſelues to patronize his ſtewes by argument and by autoritie. Their chiefe reaſon is: that common Curtizans in hot countries are a neceſſarie euill.
Harding Confut. Apol. Iewelli par. 4. cap. 1. thus ſpeaketh of it, It is common in all great Cities in hot countries, not to baniſh from among them, the filthy generation of harlots for the auoyding of a greater miſchiefe.
Dr Biſhop in his ſecond part of the Reformation of a Catholicke deformed, in the treatiſe of repentance, ſaith, The ſtewes in ſome hot Countries, are tolerated to auoyd a greater miſchiefe.
The cheife autoritie they bring is S. Auſtines, out of his ſecond booke de ordine cap. 4. Aufer meretrices de rebus humanis, turbaveris omnia libidinibus: Take harlots from among men, yee ſhall diſturbe all things with leacherous luſts.
To their reaſon, that Curtezans in hot Countries are a neceſſarie euill: we ſay, that the heat of a countrey is no ſufficient warrant for the popiſh ſtewes. The land of Iſrael is a hotter climate, then that of Italie, yet ſaith God vntounto the Iewes, Deut. 23.17. There ſhall be no whore of the daughters of Iſrael, neither ſhall there be a whore-keeper of the ſonnes of Iſrael.
For S. Auſtines autoritie, wee acknowledge it to bee great and reuerend. But withall we ſay, that S. Auſtine, when he wrote thoſe words, was not S. Auſtine. When he wrote that tract of Order, himſelfe then liued in diſorder; a yong gallant, a novice in the faith, not well inſtructed, not yet baptiſed in the name of Chriſt; himſelfe then kept a concubine, and liued in whoredome.
But the ſame Saint Auſtine, afterward fully inſtructed and baptiſed, ſaid thus: Iſtam, in vſu ſcortatorum, terrena civi…as licitam fecit turpitudinem. The words are De Ciuit. Dei lib. 14 cap. 18. The citie of the world, not the Church of God hath made this filthineſſe of harlots to bee lawfull. So doth not Saint Auſtines autoritie hold vp the ſtewes. Saint Paul beates them downe flat, Rom. 3.8. they who ſay, Let vsus doe euill that good may come thereof; their damnation is iust. In a word, the toleration of the ſtewes, is an occaſion of vncleaneneſſe to many a yong man and woman, that otherwiſe would abſteine from all ſuch kinde of filthineſſe.
What an abomination is it, for a brother and his brother, a father and his ſonne, a nephew and his vncle, to come to one and the ſame harlot, one before or after the other? Is it not the very abomination, which the Lord reproueth in my text: A man and his father will goe in to the ſame maide, to profane my holy name? I hauehave held you too long. May it pleaſe you to remember my doctrine. It was, Inceſtuous perſons, adulterers, fornicators, and other vncleane ſinners, are oftentimes the cauſe of profaning the holy name of God.
A twofold Vſe I made of it. One was; to ſtirre vp our ſelues to a holy converſation. The other, to reproue ſuch as are giuen ouer to vncleaneneſſe. I conclude with that exhortation of Saint Peter, 1. Epist. chap. 2.11. Dearely beloued, I beſeech you, as ſtrangers and pilgrims, abſteine from fleſhly luſts. They may ſeeme vntounto you a Paradiſe to your deſires; but they will proue a Purgatorie to your purſes, and a Hell to your ſoules. Doe you louelove your bodies? Abſtaine from fleſhly luſts; for they are rottenneſſe to your bones. Doe you louelove your ſoules? Abſtaine from fleſhly luſts; for they warre againſt your ſoules. Doe you louelove your credits? Abſtaine from fleſhly luſts; for they are diſhonourable. The heate of carnall luſts, what is it but an infernall fire, whoſe fuell is fullneſſe of bread, and aboundance of idleneſſe; whoſe ſparkes are euill communication, whoſe ſmoake is infamie, whoſe aſhes are pollution, whoſe end is Hell.
Dearely beloued, I beſeech you, as ſtrangers and pilgrims, abſtaine from fleſhly luſts; hauehave your conuerſation honeſt among all men, that they beholding your good works, may glorifie God in the day of viſitation.
Now gracious Father, ſo worke in vsus, thou and thy power, thou and thy mercy, ſo bring it to paſſe, that we may ſo ſpend the remainder of our dayes here in all holy converſation, that after this life ended, we may hauehave our inheritance in thy kingdome. Grant this for thy ſonne Chriſt Ieſus ſake. To whom with thee &c.