Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 1 · Verse 13
VERSE 13. — Not in chambering and wantonneſſe. —
THeſe are the ſecond paire of vices, contrary to temperance and honeſt walking.
Chambering, the Greeke word ſignifies a bed, or bedchamber; Aquinas;and ſome hauehave interpreted it ſuperfluous ſleepe, which followes gluttony and drunkenneſſe; and then wantonneſſe followes ſuch ſleepe. Good Dauid at Euening-tide roſe from his bed: this was not well to riſe from his bed at Euening; and what wantonnes followed the ſtory declares.
The Syrian Tranſlator reades Non in dormitorio immundo, not in a filthy ſleeping place; if it ſhould bee taken for a place, I would thinke the ſtewes to be forbidden.
Here theſe are doubtleſſe meant, and alſo all preparation and prouiſion made for intiſing and nouriſhing our luſts, as the Harlot is deſcribed in the Prouerbs, to hauehave Deckt her bed, and perfumed her Chamber, &c.Pro. 7.16, 17.
But principally fornication and whoredome it ſelfe, by a metonymie, calling it by a modest terme: ſo is the word vſed, Heb. 13.4. Martage is honourable, and the Bed vndeſiled; and foreign is tranſlated to conceiue. Rom. 9.10.
Wontonneſſe: foreign, ſignifies, a monſirous profuſion, foreign.and powring out and ſpending ones ſelfe without meaſure, in, and vntounto all laſciuiouſneſſe: The word is thought to be compounded of foreign, and foreign; Selge, they ſay was a city betweene Galatia, and Cappadocia, the inhabitants whereof were moſt modeſt and temperate, and then foreign, is priuatine, as noting one in whom there is no modeſty at all; others affirme that people to hauehave beene moſt diſſolute and lewd, and then foreign to bee foreign, intenſiue, dilating, and increaſing the ſenſe. foreign etiam dicitur foreign, Fellator.Pliny makes mention of the oyle of Selge, Selgilicum, which is good for the ſinewes, thought to be found out and vſed by that people, to confirme and ſtrengthen them, hauing ſpent themſelues, in mutuall and abominable filthineſſe.
By theſe two words, are not forbidden, either a bed, or a bed-chamber, or the lawfull vſe of them; nor mariage, nor the ſporting of Iſaack and Rebecah, nor friendly ſalutations; but all vncleanneſſe, and vnlawfull copulation, either according or contrary to kinde, with all immodeſt and filthy behauiour.
All fedity, Doctr. obſcenous and filthy behauiour is contrary to that honeſt walking which is inioyned Chriſtians. Gal. 5.19. Ephe. 5.3. Col. 3.5. 1 Theſſ. 4.3.4. 1 Peter 4.3.
The Holy Spirit cals vncleane actions by the name of Chambering, to teach vsus to abhor euen vncomly words: Vſe 1 Many lewd perſons account it no mirth if their tongues muſt bee bound to the law of grace, and may not runne riot in all filthy and broad language.
Sermo caracter mentis: out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh: An vncleane mouth, comes from an vncleane heart, and ends in vncleane actions.
Here maried couples are to bee admoniſhed, Ʋſe 2 to poſſeſſe their veſſels in ſanctification and honour, and to keepe the mariage bed vndefiled.
Their bed-chamber muſt not be a ſhop of intemperance, but of modesty; not a place of luſt, but as a temple conſecrated to chaſtity, and ſhamefaſtneſſe; as accuſtomed to prayer, holy conferences, and meditations; as to pleaſure.
The bed and bed chamber are ſo to be vſed, that we may not be aſhamed there to call vponupon God: In no place take liberty of immodeſt and vncomely behauiour, for God ſeeth in ſecret; in no time, not in the darkeneſſe of the night, Deorum immortalium etiam noctes ſunt, Heſiodus.ſaid the Poet. The Nights are the Lords, as well as the Dayes.
Note the order of theſe: Vſe 3 After rioting, and drunkenneſſe, follow Chambering and wantonneſſe: As they are here ioyned together, Hoſ. 4.11.ſo a Prophet ſaid, Wine and whoredome take away the hart: where drunkennes goes before, there whoredome ſoone followes after.
Tertullian ſaith thus, Tertul. lib. de ſpectac. tit. de Theatro.Liberto et Ʋeneri conuenit; Duo iſta Daemonia conſpirata et coniurata inter ſe ſunt, ebrietatis et libidinis. Bacchus and Venus, agree and goe together: Theſe are two foule fiends which conſpire and are coniu…ed together for the deſtruction of Mankind: Hieron. in Titū.Hierome affirmeth that he will neuer beleeue that a drunkard is chaſt.
Exod. 32.6. The people ſat downe to eate and drinke and roſe vp to play, that is, to all manner of filthy practices vſuall amongſt Idolaters; as they did, Numb. 25.
Hee which is a riotous feeder and giuen to drunkenneſſe and ſaith he will liue chaſtly, is like vntounto him who ſaith hee will ſet ſtubble on fire, and quench it when he liſt: As fire in ſtubble cannot be quenched eaſily, ſo nor vncleane luſts in riotous perſons and drunkards.
Abhor fornication, Vſe 4 whoredome, and all filthineſſe.
Though the world will not take knowledge of the hainouſneſſe of the ſinne of vncleanneſſe; yet it is a tranſcendent ſinne: witneſſe the old world, the filthy brood whereof were waſhed away with a flood.
Sodome alſo, and the twenty three thouland in Numb. 25. and 1 Cor. 10.8.
It breeds ſuch foule diſeaſes, the naming of which could not but be offenſiue to mens ſtomacks and eares.
It ſhuts out of the kingdome of heauen, 1. Cor. 6.9.10. Hebr. 13.4. Gal. 5.19.21. Reu. 21.8.27. and 22.15.
Helpes againſt vncleanneſſe are diuers, eſpecially theſe following.
1 Remember ſuch Scriptures as ſpeake againſt it, and among the reſt this in hand, Aug. Confeſi. l. 8. cap. vl.by which Saint Auguſtine was helped, and obtained an end of his vncleane luſts: For, as himſelfe reports, with many teares begging power and an end of his incontinencie, hee heard a voice from the next houſe, as of ſome boy or girle ſinging, and often repeating theſe words, Tolle lege, Tolle lege, whereupon hee preſently fetched codicem Apoſtoli, S. Pauls Epiſtles, and the firſt place he lighted on, was this, Not in chambering and wantonneſſe; and by the power of this word his bands were releaſed.
2 Conſider thy Reſurrection: Thy body muſt riſe againe; wilt thou hauehave a filthy polluted body to appeare before the Iudge?
3 Hate Idleneſſe, and walke diligently in thy calling: Otiaſi tollas, &c. Take Idleneſſe away, and Cupids bow will ſoone decay.
— Qui ſinem quaeris amoris
Cedit amor Rebus; Res age, tutus cris
4 Faſt and pray: Faſt, for ſine Corere & Baccho friget Venus: and pray, for Chaſtitie and continencie are Gods gifts: Theſe ſinnes are of thoſe kinds, which goe not out but by prayer and faſting.
If thou beeſt guiltie, vſe theſe helpes, and repent betimes, leſt thou be eternally damned: If Saint Paul liued in theſe dayes, and beheld the goatiſh behauiour, and horrible vncleanneſſe committed, not onelyonly with impunitie, but with boaſting, how would hee thunder the iudgements of God, both againſt the guiltie, and againſt Magiſtrates, which cauſe not ſuch things to be ſeuerely puniſhed. Surely God will be auenged of both.