A Diſcourſe of Uncleanneſs.
THIS Chapter begins with an Exhortation to heavenlymindedneſs, that the generous ſpirit of a Chriſtian may be elevated beyond thoſe terrene and ſublunary enjoyments and objects of ſenſe, to the inviſible things of Faith: v. 1. Seek thoſe things which are above; proſecute them with might and main, uſe all diligence by the moſt earneſt and ſerious endeavours for the attainment of thoſe2 things, as St. Paul hath it, Phil. 3. 12. following after, if that I may apprehend, &c. or lay hold on eternal Life, and preſſing forward for the prize of our Calling in Chriſt Jeſus,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, our calling from above, or our heavenly calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus, v. 13. In the 2d. v. poſitively, Set your Affections on the things above, the things of the other World, thoſe better things that you look for hereafter, according to the exceeding great and precious Promiſes that God hath made you in his Son. Negatively, and not on the things on Earth, the baſe and mean Objects, the poor pittiful things here below, as not worthy of your affections, of your cares, and your thoughts, according to the original,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which ſignifies primarily the application of our minds, our reaſon and underſtanding, ſurſum ſapere, (as in the Latine) to be wiſe for the things above, and not the things on earth.
The Reaſons enforcing this Exhortation, are drawn, Firſt, From their ſpiritual Reſurrection in conformity with Chriſt; If ye be riſen with Chriſt, v. 1. or have felt the power of his Reſurrection, as Phil. 3. 10. or as Eph. 1. 19, 20. the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Chriſt when he raiſed him from the dead; if this power hath quickned you, raiſed you from3 ſin, if this heavenly life and diſpoſition be in you, then let the ſame appear by your heavenly-mindedneſs.
2d. Argument, From Chriſt's reſidence in Heaven in his ſtate of Exaltation, where Chriſt alſo ſitteth on the right hand of God, v. 1. in the lat. part. Is Chriſt our Head in Heaven, and ſhall we the Members be groveling here on earth? ſhould we not rather by our heavenly minds and affections aſcend up thither, whither Chriſt is gone before to prepare a place, and ſitteth to keep poſſeſſion for us?
3d. Arg. Becauſe〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ye are dead from theſe things below, in the 3d. v. by a death unto ſin, as in our Baptiſm, renouncing and diſowning the World, the Fleſh,•nd the Devil, to live no longer according to the courſe of this World, the Luſts of•he Fleſh, or the Works of the Devil, in•onfiſtent with the Chriſtian Profeſſion and Practice.
4th. Arg. From their expectation of a glorious life hereafter, at Chriſt's ſecond•oming, v. 4. For when Chriſt, who is our•ife, ſhall appear, then ſhall ye alſo appear•ith him in glory; that therefore we ſhould•ave our Converſation in Heaven, from whence we look for that bleſſed Hope, and he glorious appearing of the great God,4 and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, Tit. 2. 13.
The Apoſtle having enforced the poſitiv•part, or his Exhortation to heavenly-mindedneſs with theſe Arguments, falls upo•a farther proſecution of the Negative; S•not your Affections on things on earth; gi•ing the Coloſſians, and us with them, a d•rection how to carry our ſelves toward•them, even in a Mortification of our Members which are upon earth, Fornication, &•that is, of our earthly and ſenſual Affection
Mortificare, or to Mortifie in Engliſh, as much as mortuum facere, to make dea•cauſe to dye, or put to death; when applied to ſin, it is a figurative Speech take•from things which have life, and (probabl•enough) from the Sacrifices under the Law which were kill'd and ſlain by the Prieſt, b•fore they were offered upon the Altar; a•ſwerably to which we muſt kill the old ma•of ſin, before we can become a Sacrifice a•ceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt.
Killing the Old man, or the firſt Ada•as 1 Cor. 15. 45. Not in reſpect of t•Subſtance, but the Quality, the evil Diſp•ſitions, the corrupt Nature deſcended a•conveighed to us from Adams ſin and•from God, and the Holineſs of his fir•eſtate.
Crucifying the fleſh we read of, and Cr•cified5 to the World; an Alluſion to Chriſts death upon the Croſs, a painfull and tormenting death, and ſo is Death commonly attended with pain, the pains of Death at the laſt hour, and the preceding hours, and ſometimes days, which makes Nature look upon Death with a great deal of horrour and reluctancy. And thus corrupt Nature looks upon mortifying the fleſhly luſts as a ſore evil; it puts the fleſh to a great deal of pain and miſery; it afflicts the Body in denying it ſatisfaction, croſſing it in its ſinful deſires, its evil luſtings, and therefore it is compared in Scripture to the plucking out a right Eye, to the cutting off a right Hand, or a right Foot, and caſting it from one; ſo difficult is it for a man to deny himſelf herein, in the Mortification of his darling Luſt.
This, to mortifie your members, &c. (ſaith one of the Fathers,) is the hardeſt Text in the whole Bible, and the hardeſt Duty in Chriſtianity that we can go about. Mortification of ſin is the giving a deadly wound to ſin, to the reigning and commanding power of ſin, which is the Life of ſin; ſubduing the Corruption and wickedneſs of our Natures, the evil Inclinations and diſpoſitions of man in his ſaln ſinful ſtate, ſo6 that the heart is cleanſed and purged from the love of ſin; ſin diſabled from lording it, and having the dominion over us; every unruly Luſt overmaſtered and brought under. This is Mortification, or the giving a deadly wound to ſin, even as a man is ſaid to be a dead man when he is mortally wounded, or when he is inwardly decayed as to his vital parts, or the breaking ſome principal Vein in the Body, albeit in ſome ſuch caſes they have ſome remainder of life, and that may continue ſometimes years after; or as when the main Body of an Army is routed and beaten out of field, or dead upon the place, though there may be ſome ſtriving and ſtrugling, or faint reſiſtance from the remainder, yet it doth not hinder them from the Victory: Even ſo it is here, when the main Body of ſin is ſubdued and beaten out of the Heart of a Chriſtian, though there be ſome Reliquiae or remainders of corruption, yet ſin is mortified; for this mortifying work i•not perfect here, it doth not root out ſin and diſpoſſeſs it wholly, that we ſhould have no ſin at all left in us, or ſin no more and be pure from ſin after Mortification ▪ For the moſt righteous man upon the•ac•of the Earth hath the ſeed of ſin, the roo•of evil in him, Fleſh as well as Spirit, a•7Heart deceitfull and deſperately wicked, conſidered naturally in and of it ſelf, as well as a new heart and a new ſpirit formed in Chriſt Jeſus: And therefore the unregenerate part hath need to be ſtill mortified, leſt otherwiſe it break out into thoſe evils and abominations which we read of, in Lot's Drunkenneſs and Inceſt; Jacob's deceitful dealing with Laban, Davia's Murther and Adultery, Solomon's Idolatry and Carnality, Jonah's great Impatience and Murmuring againſt God, and ſelf-juſtifying in his ſo doing; Peter's denyal of his Maſter with Curſing and Swearing too, St. Mark 14. 71. Which are ſad evidences of the frailty of our Nature, and the abiding of ſin alter ſanctification, as Rom. 7. largely proves our indwelling ſin to be ſoliciting, and tempting, and ſtirring to evil; and we have need of continued Influences of the Spirit to carry on this work of Mortification continually; it is not to be only for a time, by fits and ſtarts, but when we have maſter•d ſin, and conquered its temptation at preſent, it will renew its ſtrength, and return upon you again; like that Monſter, Hydra's•ead, it will repullulate, and find you work or repeating your aſſaults, and reiterating•our mortifying blows; like a conquered Nation, which will be labouring ſtill to recover8 its former power and ſoveraignty, and muſt be continually kept under with ſtanding Garriſons; ſo ſin will be reſtleſs, and ſtriving ſtill for the maſtery, taking all occaſions to ſoil us if we do not hold up a conſtant work, killing ſin when it is reviving, nipping it when in the bud, leaſt it ſprou•and grow up again, and bring forth its corrupt fruit: But more of this in the Uſe for Trial of our Mortification.
Having ſhown what Mortification is, we come next to ſhew what is meant by Members, Piſcator ſays of the Apoſtle, Cupidi tates vocat membra; and Mr. Leigh in hi•Annotations much the ſame, Luſts, ſome o•which he nameth afterwards. Dr. Hammond underſtands it of our inordinate Affections. Dr. Preſton ſays by Members i•meant Sin, or any foul Affection, or deſir•of the Heart, when our Affections fix o•ſettle upon an unlawful Object, as anothe•Man's Poſſeſſions, another Man's Wife, o•any acts of Uncleanneſs, as thoſe out of married eſtate are all unclean; any Heatheniſh or Popiſh Antichriſtian Honour and Preferments.
Or when the Heart is ſet upon lawf•things in an undue meaſure, an immoderat•diſtruſtful care of his worldly concern•which otherwiſe were lawful, and muſt b•9cared for with Faith and Sobriety: A Man may take ſome kind of Pleaſure, and uſe ſome ſports, Hunting, Fiſhing, Hawking, Bowling, for his Recreation, while he hath the command over his Affections, but if he be captivated, and his heart brought under the power of any, as 1 Cor. 6. 12. to love the World, to love his lawful Comforts or his Child exceſſively; if his love to any Creature eclipſe his Love to God, and draw away his Heart from Religion, and deaden his joys and delights in God and Duty, or be ſo predominant, that a man cannot reſign up that Creature, that Comfort to God, to bear the loſs of it, it becomes ſin, and defiles the Man.
Our Luſts and corrupt Affections are called Members, becauſe, 1. The whole Corruption of Man's Nature is compared to a Mans Body, and called the body of Sin, Rom. 6. 6. and the body of Death; the latter not only becauſe it was ſo grievous to the Apoſtle, (as that lamentable Exclamation noteth, O wretched Man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death, Rom. 7. 24. ) that it was as death is to a natural Man, or worſe than death to him; but a body of death in that ſenſe, as we are dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, being the curſed fruit and effect of ſpiritual death, the remainder10 of that death, and called a body becauſe of its quantity, there being a maſs, an heap of Corruption even in the Saints, though it be overpowred by God's Grace, and hindered from breaking forth in their Lives in that meaſure as it doth in the Unregenerate. Now every ſoul Affection is as a Member of this Body, every unmortified Luſt a limb in this old man of ſin.
2. Luſts are called Members, becauſe they do work in our Members, Iam. 4. 1. Whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your luſts which war in your members? and Rom. 7. 23. I ſee a law (ſin likened to a Law, as claiming Obedience to be due to it, all Mankind being fallen under the Dominion of ſin) in my members, this Law, this Imperium, acting and ſtirring in my Members, and warring againſt the Law of my mind, or the Law of God in my mind, and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of ſin which is in my Members. Sin doth as it were reſide and dwell in our Members, according to the import of theſe words; ſin which is in my members, as inhabiting there, as well in the Body as in the Soul: And though the Body doth not always ſin actually, yet it is ne〈…〉pure from ſin, but hath an habit of ſin in wicked men, the corruption of the11 Soul having overſpread the whole Man; but the principal ſenſe that I inſiſt on, is that wherein the Members ſerve for the acting of ſin, and ſo they are called weapons of Ʋnrighteouſneſs, (or as the common Tranſlation hath it) Inſtruments, fit Tools for to work and do the deed, when once ſin is inwardly conceived in the Soul, and hath made its motion for the conſent of the Will, and gained the point; Voluntas domina Membrorum, the Will is the Commandreſs of the Members, which are as Servants ready to do their Miſtreſſes pleaſure in the execution of ſin: you know Luſt works in the eye gazing upon Beauty, in the ear hearkning to laſcivious Diſcourſe, in the hand by a wanton Dalliance, and in the Palate delighted in the taſting of dainty Meats and Drinks; ſo that in a ſecondary ſenſe it may be underſtood of theſe to be mortified, keeping the Body under by Faſting and Abſtinence.
3. Our Luſts are called Members, becauſe they are as dear unto a carnally-minded man, and as well b•loved a•his Members, and therefore in Scripture our Luſts are called a right-hand and a right-eye, that is, they ſ•ick as cloſe to the Heart and Affections, and it is as hard to deny theſe to part with a beloved Luſt, as to part with••e12 of our deareſt Members. I have read o•one who having ſore Eyes, (it might have been better for Temperance if he had had a ſore throat) and being told he muſt leave off his Drunkenneſs, elſe he muſt looſe hi•eye-ſight, ſaid, Farewell then ſweet Eyes ſo dear was that Luſt to him, that he would keep it with the loſs not of one, but ever of both his Eyes. And I have heard of•greater Perſon who (having had a fit of th•Apoplexy, and being much addicted t•Women) was told, if he did not leave of that ill-courſe, it would ſhorten his Life yet his Peccatum in deliciis, his ſweet Morſel, or as the Pſalmiſt calls it, Pſal. 18. 23 his own iniquity would not be denied, an•proved eventually true of his untimely end Though Life is ſweet, yet you ſee a Luſ•is ſweeter, ſo that Life, and Honour, an•Conſcience, and Heaven, even all muſt g•for a beloved Luſt.
They are not only called Members, bu•Members which are upon Earth. Firſt, Becauſe they are exerciſed upon earthly things as Riches and Treaſures, which are as•were fetched out of the Earth, as our Golden Silver Mines, &c. afford us our Money, and other choice Jewels, muſt not b•referred to Air, Fire, Water, but Earth as the Element to which they belong, an•13into which they will be diſſolved, into a more pure and refined Duſt; or the delicious Fruits of the Earth, which ſerve for Meat and Drink, and are abuſed to Gluttony and Drunkenneſs; even the Bodies of Men and Beaſts are Earth in their Original, and in the Funeral Service we ſay elegantly, Earth to Earth, Duſt to Duſt; ſo that the pleaſure which the Glutton hath from his Meat, and the Unclean Perſon from his Luſts, are but earthly pleaſures.
Secondly, Our Luſts and evil Affections are called Members upon Earth, becauſe they continue with us during our natural abode upon Earth. We here are in a corruptible State, and ſo we gather ſoil and defilement by converſing with an evil World; and the fleſh will be luſting in us, and en•icing us to ſin until we come to Heaven and that bleſſed State there, more ſpiritual and refined from the Dreggs of Earth, and the impurities of the Fleſh.
Having handled in general the Doctrine of Mortification of Luſts, I now come to particulars.
Fornication comes in the firſt place to be conſidered; ſometimes it is uſed more large•y for actual Uncleanneſs, as 1 Cor. 5. 1. The Inceſtuous Corinthians act in marrying his Fathers Wife called Fornication; and14 this ſenſe ſeemeth to be the more commo•ſenſe of the Word in Scriptures, as in Ma•15. 19. 1 Cor. 10. 8. yet in 1 Cor. 6. 9 ▪ Neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor eff•minate, nor abuſers of themſelves with mankind; where the other ſorts of Uncleanneſs natural or unnatural are reckoned up, (a•but Beſtiality) which makes for the othe•ſenſe of the word Fornication, that of Whoredom, which is committed between two ſingle unmarried Perſons, and in that it differ•from Adultery, becauſe it is not againſt an•Marriage-Covenant, and ſo hath no Perjur•of that kind, and becauſe the Married hav•the Remedy againſt Uncleanneſs, and conſequently the better may and ought to be ſatisfied therewith, yet the place before mentioned, 1 Cor. 6. 9. aſſures us no Fornicato•ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven not excluding Repentance, here as in othe•ſins there remaining ſome place for Repentance; and becauſe we do not find in th•Law of God the Puniſhment of Whoredom to be abſolutely Death as in caſe o•Adultery.
This Fornication muſt be Mortified i•thoſe that have done thus wickedly, tha•they do ſo no more, and ſin not for th•time to come as heretofore; but work ou•of their Hearts the love of the ſin, and cea••15the practice of it, until they have got the victory to relapſe no more into it, and loath themſelves for their former Abominations, bewailing that ever they were ſo foully ſpotted with the Fleſh. But the beſt way is to mortifie or ſubdue the temptations to it, ſo as never to ſin the ſin. None that carry Fleſh and Blood about them, ſhould think it ſtrange to be tempted to it, that of the Apoſtle being true herein, that no temptation hath happened to them•ut what is common to men, incident to•umane nature, to good as well as bad;•en the beſt have found themſelves temp•ed, (and probable enough,) very ſtrong•y tempted by ▪ their youthful Luſts;•hey are a ſore temptation, if not the•reateſt in our whole Lives, and there is•s much difficulty in conquering theſe un•ly Luſts, as in breaking young head•rong Horſes, and taming of wild Beaſts,•r the like; and a great part of peoples•eligion muſt be placed in it, and they•uſt be very careful however they fall by•ſſer guilt and the corruption of their•earts, to keep off from this greater guilt,•is deadly or damning ſin, as Fornicati•n is named in our Letany; and I am per•waded God doth not give men up to this•n, until they have provoked him very16 much by long neglect of holy duties, (and then no wonder if evil prevail, and corrupt ſo many, when there is little or no good to withſtand it; if they have little ▪ or no grace to overcome the temptation where the means of Grace are neglected or uſed very little, and but in a very careleſs negligent manner;) or by much inward filthineſs of long continuance, or great wantonneſs, for nemo repente fuit turpiſſimus. And if thou beeſt one who haſt long indulged thy ſelf in theſe, thou art prepared for further Guilt, there is but a ſtep between thee and this ſin; and therefore tremble in a ſenſe of thy Guilt, and danger of more; but yet better theſe than the ſin it ſelf, or the actual uncleanneſs ▪ vaſtantia conſcientiam, that lay waſte and make havock of a good Conſcience, o•great gaſhes and wounds in the Conſcience and ſink men into deſtruction, and commonly, ordinarily hold them faſt in it, a Prov. 2. 18, 19. ſpoken of a naught Woman: For her Houſe inclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead: None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold o•the paths of Life; which is true in a proverbial ſenſe, (Proverbs being ſayings o•common obſervation, and ſo true by common experience, as it is here,) That the•17who go on thus far never return to God again, and uſually periſh, though not ever without exception. Conſider of this,•or prevention of ſin now in time, leaſt•hou be forced to conſider of it afterwards, to deſpair for ſin. A word ſpo•en in due ſeaſon, and received, how•ood is it! The next word is Ʋncleaneſs,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which doth comprehend•l ſorts of actual ſins of this kind, thoſe•gainſt the 7th. Commandment, and the•ternal Luſts againſt the 10th. Command•ent, Thou ſhalt not covet thy Neighbours•ife, where in the Septuagint it is〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, thou ſhalt not have any luſtful•eſire after her. What ever is impure•d unchaſt, inward or outward, natural•unnatural Luſts, this word being of a•rge ſignification reacheth them all,•ough here it chiefly and more eſpecially•ſpects the outward acts, there being•njoyned in the ſame verſe, other words•at ſignifie Luſt within us, as inordinate•fection, and evil concupiſcence do. I•oke already ſomewhat to the natural•s of Luſt, under the conſideration of•e former word, I ſhall ſpeak now to o•er unnatural acts of Luſt, that of peo•es corrupting themſelves, and ſinning a•inſt their own bodies. Ah how far hath18 this abominotion ſpread it ſelf! how many have committed folly in this ſort! Ah this ſingle Fornication (as ſome call it,) how ſoon have ſome began to practiſe it! out of a wantonneſs and laſciviouſneſs to taſte of pleaſure before its time! other ſome from their Parents fault and negligence, ſtaying their Children for a good Match ſo long, until their patience is ti•red out. And thus they (who might and like enough would have been ſatisfie•with the true and proper remedy againſ•Luſt, and with the lawful means) fall t•unlawful, when they ſee their Parent•provide no Portion for them, and tak•no care to diſpoſe of them. Luſt will no•ever be ſhut up in the heart, it will brea•out; this fire will have a vent ſome wa•or other. If you find your Childrens inclinations ſtrong to Marriage, the tempe•and conſtitution of their Bodies requirin•it, their corruption ſtirring, and temptations powerful, and their age competent•deny them not Marriage. And if th•Match be not altogether ſo deſireable•to this world, and ſo well as you cou•wiſh, yet all things conſidered it may•beſt, leaſt they ſhould do worſe, and tak•ſuch a liberty in this kind before Marriag•as ſhould either make them unfit for Ma•riage,19 or at leaſt both Soul and Body rue it afterwards, and find the ſad and miſchievous effects of it on themſelves and their Children. But becauſe this ſin may be involuntary, not only after one for ſome time hath given himſelf to it, to be given up thereto by God, as Rev. 22. 11. Him that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill; but poſſibly (though very rarely,) it may be involuntary in the firſt riſe and occaſion of it, coming upon a more innocently minded perſon, in a manner ſecret and undiſcernable by him, but then it is ſent as a puniſhment (perhaps) for ſome guilt upon the Family, a juſt God viſiting the ſins of the Parents, (eſpecially if they have been addicted to this vice) upon their Children; or for ſome other more known and wilful ſin, which they overlook and ſay nothing unto, though it be highly diſpleaſing unto God, and provoke him to make them vile in this manner. But from what cauſe ſoever it proceed, Parents muſt be very careful to prevent it, or check it betimes: And becauſe the Devil is moſt buſie with ſuch when they are ſolitary, moſt violent in his aſſaults to excite their Corruptions, and ſet them a-work on this wickedneſs, it is not ſo ſafe to ſuffer them in private, or truſt them to be much alone,20 eſpecially theſe that know how to d•evil.
There are other ſorts of actual Uncleanneſs, as by Inceſtuous mixtures an•Marriages, forbidden, as coming withi•the degrees of Conſanguinity and nearneſ•of Relation by the Fathers or the Mother ſide, as Lots two Daughters. Gen. 19. 32. who ſaid, there was not a Man in the Earth to come in unto them after the manner of all th•Earth, and ſo they made their Fathe•drink Wine, and lay with him when th•Wine had overcome him. Judah and Tha•mar his daughter by Marriage, or Sons Wife. Amnons inceit with Tamar his own Siſter by Father. I could mention that whole Nation among the Heathens ſtood guilty, th•Perſians of lying with their own Mothers the Macedonians and Aegyptians Marrying their own Siſters; and this done even a•Athens it ſelf, the Queen or Miſtreſs of al Greece for Civility and Learning: their Hiſtories were full of them, their Plays and Tragedies which they frequented every day, and reſpected with great applauſe repreſented them as lawful and commendable. Some that are more curious tha•ſober in Religion, are very inquiſitiv•who was Cains Wife. Suppoſe we that Adam had Daughters, (though thei•21Names be not mentioned in Scripture,) as well as Sons, God could diſpenſe with the Marriage of his own Siſter, at that time when there were no other Virgins in the world, even as under the Jewiſh Law, he did diſpenſe with the Brothers going in unto his Brothers wife, to raiſe up ſeed unto his Brother; but that would be no example for others to follow when the world was peopled.
Beſides theſe, we read of other unnatural Luſts, for Luſt is ſo wild a paſſion, that it flies out into all manner of Extravagancies; you read in Gen. 19. That two Angels came to Sodom at Even in the likeneſs of men, and Lot entertained them for his Gueſts, but before they lay down, the men of the City compaſſed the Houſe round, both old and young, all the people from every Quarter, and demanded of Lot to bring the men out to them, that they might know them: even as you read in Rom. 1. 26, 27. God gave them up, even the Heathens, unto vile affections, for even the Women did change the natural uſe into that which is againſt nature; and likewiſe alſo the men leaving the natural uſe of the Woman, burned in their Luſt one towards another, men with men working that which is unſeemly: and you find, 1 Kings 15. 12. Aſa took away the Sodomites22 out of the Land: in 2 Kings, you read of the Houſes of the Sodomites, (ſo great an abomination) by the Houſe of the Lord ▪ where the Women wove hangings for th•Grove: Which Houſes good King Joſiah in his general Reformation, brak•down.
Socrates (as Tertullian, Apol. c. 46. p. 36.) th•great Glory of the Heathen world, (fo•the improvement of his natural Reaſo•in Religion,) was condemned at Athens, amongſt other things for Sodomy and th•corrupting of Youth. The Hiſtory of th•Reformation tells us, upon inquiry int•the corruptions of Religious Houſes, Monaſteries, Abbies, &c. many were foun•guilty of this ſort of wickedneſs: and w•are told, in Sicily, where the burning Mountain is, that at ſome times, of latte•years eſpecially, it hath overrun Towns an•Cities, with a torrent of fiery ſulphureous matter, that their Sin as well as their Puniſhment is that of Sodom, and tha•common among them, as Mr. Vincent o•the three Burnings. Grotius de Relig. Chr. 1. 2. tells us, Apud Sinenſes & Gentes alia•pro licito eſt. In the 18. of Leviticus, 22 ▪ 23. you read, Thou ſhalt not lye with Mankind as with Womankind, neither ſhalt tho•lye with any Beaſt to defile thy ſelf therewith ▪23 it is abomination. Which ſhows how deſperately wicked the heart is in this kind, that it hath all uncleanneſs in it, as it is ſaid to work all, or all manner of uncleanneſs with greedineſs, Eph. 4. 19. and ſo you find our bleſſed Saviour aſſuring us, Mark 7. 21. that not only evil thoughts, but Fornications, in the plural number, as if it were all kinds of Luſts, or at leaſt ſeveral kinds of actual uncleanneſſes come from within, out of the hearts of men, proceeding thence: And indeed when men are ſo prodigiouſly luſtful, they will loſe all command over their affections, and not ſtick at any Luſts, that they are urged to with violence of temptation; neither at Raviſhments of Virgins, nor Beſtiality it ſelf, which Hiſtory affords ſome inſtances of; and they may be perhaps forſaken in ſuch manner, for ſetting their affections too much upon ſuch Creatures, as the cauſe of ſome: other ſome for their vileneſs in their vile Luſts, or abominable wickedneſſes, or ſinful curioſity to try and experiment all ſorts of Luſt. I have read as if this ſin among the Moors in Africa was oftner committed, and of one or two Relations (which carry ſome Credibility in them,) of thoſe who in the acting of this ſtrange kind of Luſt,24 or this wild-fire, have been puniſhed with extraordinary Judgments.
R. B. in his Wonderful Prodigies of Gods Judgments, citing it out of the Adventures of Mr. T. S. an Engliſh Merchant, taken Priſoner by the Turkiſh Pirates, and carried into the Inland Cuntreys of Africa, we find this wonderful Relation. That near Tezrim, this Gentleman ſaw the perfect Stature of a Man, b-g-g his Aſs, which was ſo lively, that at a little diſtance he thought it to be real, but when he came near, he ſaw that they were of perfect Stone: Upon enquiry, he was informed that this was never made by man, but that ſome perſon formerly had been turned into that Image with the Aſs, in the very moment of the Act, by the mighty power of God, the fleſhly ſubſtance of the man being changed into firm Stone, as an eternal reproach to Mankind. Upon farther ſearch, he found the Stone to repreſent, not only the perfect ſhape, but alſo the colour of every part of the man and the Beaſt, with the Sinews, Veins, Eyes, Mouths, in ſuch a lively manner, that he was convinced of the truth of it, and was told, that ſome who had laboured to carry from thence that Monument of mans ſhameful Luſt, either their perſons25 or their Cattel were ſtruck dead upon the place in the attempt, it being neceſſary the Moors ſhould have ſuch ſignal teſtimonies of Gods diſpleaſure before their Eyes, becauſe of their proneneſs to ſuch filthy actions. He mentions another in p. 179. Printed under the name of Sir Ken. Digby.
Next come inordinate Affection, and evil Concupiſcence to be conſidered, which reſpect the luſts of men as they are internal, though they never break forth into acts of naughtineſs. Some conceive〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉to be a general unlimited word, that reacheth unto all particular ſinful affections, deſires and inclinations of the heart, all ſuch as are diſorderly, againſt the dictates of right Reaſon, or the Word of God.
The word indeed may comprehend any violent ſtrong paſſion; but ſo it is beſides my diſcourſe: I ſhall take it in the other ſence, for the paſſion of Love or Luſt; for it is ſpoken of here in an ill ſenſe, as that which is to be mortified, as Amnons paſſion, the fury of which paſſion preyed upon his vital Spirits, ſo that he waxed lean from day to day. When a mans paſſion is ſo mighty ſtrong towards any Creature, and ungovernable, it argues that our love to God is weak. For when our affection is carried out after him, it will be predominant,26 and take off our inordinate exceſſive affection to the Creature, ſo that it ſhall not continue long uncontroulable. Elſe the word may ſignifie ſuch an habit of corrupt affection, as is in thoſe who are given over to laſciviouſneſs; ſuch a luſtful diſpoſition as is affected upon almoſt every occaſion or temptation; and hence Pathici vocantur molles & effeminati, (ſays Pareus upon the place) quales fure Sardanapalus & Heliogabalus: Such as are weak this way, as King Charles the Second in reſpect of Women: Of which Prince, ſaith an eminent Writer, our greateſt kindneſs to him will be to forget him, unleſs God cauſe us to remember him, and his ſins of this ſort by ſome remarkable Judgment; as the ſins of Manaſſah were remembred afterwards in the days of good King Joſiah. Our way to mortiſie this affection, will be to beg the Holy Spirit to cleanſe our hearts, and to expell the evil habit, and to poſſeſs and dwell in our hearts, that ſo corrupt affections may not ſtir; and to ſet our affections upon the right Object, even Almighty God, and then they will be fixed, and like the Houſe that was founded upon a Rock, ſtand firm, and not be moved or ſhaken with temptations, which argues great lightneſs and27 unconſtancy, to be taken with every fair Object, and ſet on fire with every ſpark of temptation.
Next comes〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, evil Concupiſcence to be conſidered, taken ſometimes for Original ſin and the corruption of our natures, our inherent Luſts, as Rom. 7. and the 7th. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; I had not known Luſt, unleſs the Law had ſaid, Thou ſhalt not covet; coveting there in the 10th. Commandment, comprehending all thoſe irregular Appetites and evil Deſires which proceed from that Luſt within, which is ſet as the Fountain of Iniquity, eſpecially of uncleanneſs; and ſo in St. James, ch. 1. 14. the word is tranſlated Luſt there, and Concupiſcence, according to the original of the word; being a Latin word, ſignifies more eſpecially Conjunctionis appetitus, a deſire to be together, or a deſire after carnal copulation; and in this latter ſence, ſhall I uſe the word for the Luſt of uncleanneſs, the internal corruption of this ſort. The Original Impurity of our hearts, or naughtineſs that is in them naturally, that gives birth and being to evil motions, and is as the Mother-ſin to them, the Luſt which conceiveth them, when tempting objects preſent themſelves,28 or upon the reading or hearing of any laſcivious ſpeeches, or in the heat of Summer, or upon ſundry other occaſions, and ſometimes they are ſuggeſtions of Satan. Theſe are of two ſorts, either filthy Thoughts and Imaginations concerning uncleanneſs, in the Acts of it, or the Circumſtances; or thoſe things which have any concern therein, or relation to them, whatever may ſtir up Luſt in us: theſe muſt be mortified, we muſt reject them at the firſt motion, caſt them out as ſoon as Satan caſts them in, turn away from thoſe objects which preſent theſe corrupting fancies to us; take off our thoughts, and fix them upon ſomewhat elſe, fall into diſcourſe when you have company with you, and divert your ſelf ſome way or other to chaſe away theſe Imps of the unclean Spirit; or if you are alone, with ſome place of Scripture, or with a Prayer in this time of Temptation, if they be very urgent and powerful, and preſſing upon you, for then Satan, he is in them, working and ſetting them home.
Next come actual Deſires or Luſts, not only after Whoredom or Adultery, but all laſcivious touches, or the company of ſuch perſons, or after their wanton Wit, or any of thoſe things which afford entertainment29 to the Luſts of men. I diſtinguiſh theſe latter, evil Deſires (as ariſing from the will,) from evil thoughts belonging to the mind, a thinking faculty. To mortifie theſe deſires, Firſt, By a contrary deſire and endeavour to ſerve God with a pure heart here, and with the pure in heart to ſee God and enjoy him for ever hereafter: if this deſire were but ſtrong and vehement, if this deſire were but rooted and ſettled in the heart, and that betimes, or indeed if the heart were but ſeaſoned with grace, it would work out unchaſt deſires, or bring them under in ſubjection of the fleſh to the Spirit.
Next, when the heart is purged, to deſire Spiritual things above the pleaſures of ſin; refer it to God, deſire of God to chooſe for thee a ſingle or a Married life, as ſhall be foreſeen in his Wiſdom, to be moſt for his Glory and thine Eternal Salvation: this ſhould be every ones deſire that hath the gift of Continency; if you have not that gift, and cannot attain it, you muſt deſire after Marriage, to quench the burning and flaming of Luſt inwardly, though it never come to action; and thou muſt beg of God that bleſſing, pleading before him, that thou doſt not deſire Marriage for any falſe ends, of Riches, Honours, or30 to Indulge thy Luſt and Brutiſh Senſuality, but as 1 Cor. 7. 2. a Remedy againſt Fornication, to ſubdue thy Luſts, and keep thee from any ſinful effects of them, that thou mayſt ſerve God with a more pure Heart, and that 'tis for the Salvation of thy Soul (which thou feareſt is endangered by thy Luſts) that thou deſireſt it, or for the begetting of Children to be brought up in the fear of the Lord; and ſeriouſly promiſe or reſolve with Gods Aſſiſtance, upon the Religious Education of thy Children, which God ſhall give thee in a married Eſtate; and then thou haſt reaſon to hope God will give thee thy Requeſt; and pray for ſuch an one as may be an help to thee Heavenwards, begging of God in the mean time Repentance for thy paſt Sins, and Grace to preſerve thee for the time to come. As for thoſe that are Married, their deſires muſt be towards their Husband, as Gen. 3. 16. and the Husbands towards his Wife, and be confined within the Bonds of Matrimony.
But if theſe evil Motions and Suggeſtions of the Mind, and of the will, be not rejected and mortifyed, they will be entertained with Complacency and Delight, they will be hugg'd and cheriſhed as the darlings and the dearly beloved, the ſweet and delicious31 danties of the Soul, and ſo corrupt the Heart and Affections: there will be a pleaſing our ſelves too in the Fancy of luſt, a good liking, and a friendlineſs unto it; and as he whoſe delight is in the Law of the Lord, in his Law is ſaid to Meditate Day and Night, Pſal. 1. 2. ſo on the ſame account of our delight in theſe things, they will be our Meditation Day and Night: When Sleep departeth from us in the Night, and our reſt faileth us, this will inſinuate it ſelf into our Minds, and fill up our thoughts, and perhaps our former Sins return upon us with a contemplative uncleanneſs, and we fetch over our old Sins, with all the pleaſure that was enjoyed in them, chewing upon the ſweetneſs of thoſe Sins (as Aholibah, Ezek. 23. 19, calling to remembrance the days of her Youth, and v. 21. the lewdneſs of thy Youth, is ſaid to have multiplyed her Whoredoms by ſo doing,) inſtead of a Serious and Penitent reflection on them, with great regret and grief of mind, and loathing our ſelves for all our Abominations. Thus to repeat our Sins, muſt needs be an hainous Provocation, bring a double guilt upon us, and put us farther from Repentance than before, if not bind up the puniſhment of thoſe Sins upon us, and Seal them under Impenitency,32 unto the Judgment of the grea•Day.
Our love then, which we naturally bea•our luſts, muſt be turned into hatred, an•Sin muſt be bitter for ſweet, with as muc•or more bitterneſs than ever we delighte•in it; ſuch a remorſe for this ſweet Morſe•as eſtrangeth our Affections from our ow•Iniquity, argueth indeed that we have gained the point in Mortification. But, becauſe there is a further ſtep in this evi•Concupiſcence, as the Original, ſending out its evil Motions, and then the Complacency or Delight when it once becomes habitual, and evil thoughts, and unchaſt deſires, to ſettle and lodge in the Soul, and make their Abode in it, as they will, if they find ſuch a welcom and Entertainment in the Soul, and if the Affections be carryed out after them; then the will is not like to hold out long againſt the outward Arts of Sin, when it ſhall have let in ſuch a Multitude of Enemies, and ſuch an Army of luſts have got poſſeſſion, laying cloſe Siege to the Will, and almoſt continually Aſſaulting and Importuning it to Surrender, and give up its conſent; naturally to be ſure it will yield, and the Filthineſs within abounding, grieves the Holy Spirit, and provokes him to withdraw his33 Supernatural Strength, and leave it deſtitute; and when Sin and Satan have beaten a Chriſtian out of this Poſt, and overcome the Will, which is as the walls to a City, the Strength and Fortification of it, and its Defence, then the day is its own; when the walls are won, the City is taken, ſo when the Conſent of the Will is come over to Sin, but a ſtep from the Will to the Deed, a quick and an eaſie paſſage then for to work out Uncleanneſs, and to fulfill the Luſts of the Fleſh. For though the Spirit Luſteth againſt the Fleſh, and ſo may diſappoint it for once or twice in the ſudden motions of the Will for conſent, as by ſtirring in the Conſcience, and awaking it at the Inſtant when it would have Sinn'd, or by denying it opportunity, or by preſenting ſome unexpected Let or Remora in the way of Sin, yet if the Will remain deliberately in its choice, evil Inclination and Diſpoſition to Sin, if it can have a fit opportunity; opportunity will not ever be wanting, nor a Will to Sin, when Temptation and Opportunity ſerve; and when once Mens Luſts break forth, they are Fruitful, and Multiply to the working all Uncleanneſs with greedineſs, ſo that unleſs we mortify our inward Corruption, and keep the Heart right, or bent34 of the Will againſt Sin, we loſe all: Hi•labor hoc opus, here is the difficulty in th•work of Mortification.
The next thing to be conſidered is Covetouſneſs, an Evil coveting after Riches, for meaſure more than God gives us, a greater portion than his Providence deals out to us in our Place and Calling; and i•they be deſired or ſought after in an undue manner, any way that is in conſiſtent with our Duty to God or Man, this Covetouſneſs is tearmed Idolatry, Spiritual Idolatry, as you read, Ezek. 14. 3. Of thoſe that ſet up their Idols in their Hearts, the giving that inward Worſhip to a Creature which is due to God, by loving our Wealth more than God and Godlineſs; fearing the loſs of them, more than the loſs of Gods favour, of Chriſt and of Heaven; taking Riches for their chief good and comfort; Setting up Wealth for their ſtrong Mountain and Defence againſt evil, and putting their Confidence therein, or truſting in the multitude of their Riches; ſeeking them more earneſtly, or ſerving not God, but the World, with all your ſtrength. But this is ſomewhat beſides my intended diſcourſe, and hath been excellently handled as to the matter, by Mr. Richard Allen in his World Conquered, or Faiths Victory35 over the World, to which I referr you againſt the World. ¶ I come now to the general Duty contained in the words, that all Uncleanneſs is to be mortifyed: God will have the Body of this Sin deſtroyed, and every particular Limb or Member, Fornication, Inordinate Affection, evil Concupiſcence; Root and Branch, none of it muſt remain unſubdued, be ſtubbed up by the Roots, as well as the Boughs lopped off: 2 Theſ. 4. 7. God hath called us not to Ʋncleanneſs, but to Holineſs; and he will have us to be clean, that ſo we may be holy; that our Bodies be not abuſed to Fornication, becauſe that, 1 Cor. 6. 13. The Body is not for Fornication, not deſigned by him that made it, for ſuch an uſe; and that our Souls do not reſemble the unclean Spirits, that they do not enter in and dwell there, but that our Souls and Bodies be preſerved pure and chaſt, (Jud. 28.) our inward and outward Man cleanſed from all Filthineſs, Gal. 5. 24. and that we hate even the Garments ſpotted with the Fleſh, or Crucifie the Fleſh with the Affections and the Luſts thereof.
The firſt Argument for Mortification of our Luſts, is for to anſwer the Purity and Holineſs of the Chriſtian Religion. Our Religion is pure and undefiled, in reſpect〈1 page missing〉44cuſe us of them. Minutius Foelix, p. 24. Such infamous filthineſs which we do not care to hear, and may much leſs defend.
As to the Jews, their practice did not reach the purity of the Chriſtian Religion: Abraham had his Hagar, and Iſſue by her as well as by Sarah his Wife. Jacob had his two Wives, Leah and Rachel, and their handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah, Gen. 30. David and Solomon had their many Wives and Concubines, and no doubt but they did offend therein, though it was not ſo plainly and undoubtedly evil as it is now in the clear light of the Goſpel.
As to the Turks, thoſe whom they call Imailer, or Religious Brothers of Love, are worſe than Beaſts in their Luſts, ſparing neither Women nor Boys; they take many Wives according to their Wealth and Quality, and the Grand Seigniour his Seraglio full of Virgins for his own uſe: When Malachi, ch. 2. 14. 15. The Lord hath been witneſs between thee and the Wife of thy Youth, againſt whom thou haſt dealt treacherouſly; yet is ſhe thy Companion and the Wife of thy Covenant; and did he not make one? One Woman for one Man, only Eve for Adam; and wherefore one? that he might ſeek a Godly ſeed; an Holy ſeed or poſterity in Gods way, and according to Gods Ordinance45 in its firſt Inſtitution in Paradiſe, and not according to the depravation and corruption of it afterwards by Poligamy. I ſhall conclude this head with an excellent Relation out of Euſebius his Eccleſ. Hiſtory, lib. 8. c. 14. p. 312. When Maximinus the Emperour governed in the Eaſtern parts, among other effects of his wild and brutiſh fury and extravagance, he filled all places where he came with Adulteries and Raviſhments, abuſing Women, and deflowring Virgins, which ſucceeded well enough (ſays the Hiſtorian,) with all others except only Chriſtians, who generouſly deſpiſing death, made light of the rage and fury of the Tyrant: The men underwent all ſorts of Puniſhments which Cruelty could invent; the Women bore up with a Courage no leſs manly and unconquerable, and when any were drawn out to be abuſed, they rather ſubmitted their Lives to Death: which ſhowes that the Lives of thoſe Primitive Chriſtians, was anſwerable to the preceptive part of their Religion, and their practice above all others.
Second Reaſon for Mortification of all Uncleanneſs, Becauſe that while our Luſts remain unmortified, all our Services will be rejected, Iſa. 1. 13, 14. Their46〈…〉ings were vain, Incenſe an Abominati••; their Religious days, their New-Moons,••eir Sabbaths, and their appointed Feaſts my Soul hateth, ſaith the Lord; their religious Aſſemblies too I cannot away with, it is Iniquity even your ſolemn meeting; In the 16 verſ. Waſh you, make you clean, inwardly clean, or as verſ. 10 implies, cleanſe your ſelves from the ſins of Sodom, according to thoſe words, Ye Rulers of Sodom, Ye people of Gomorrha; and verſe 21, How is the faithful City become an Harlot! may be compared with that before, be literally underſtood, and argue their guilt even in this kind. Further, the 2 Tim. •. 22. Flee alſo youthful Luſts, but follow Righteouſneſs, Faith, Charity, Peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart; the words import, as if none did follow after Righteouſneſs, but ſuch as call on the Lord out of a pure heart, others are not mentioned in the number, nor their Services of any account, not accepted as the works of Righteouſneſs. If I regard Iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayers, ſaith David: David was an Holy man, God himſelf gave him that Teſtimony, yet while his Luſts remained unmortified, after his Adultery with Bathſheba, and like enough ſome time before47 it, his Prayers were not heard; it is plain enough by that inſtance of his Murther of Ʋriah, adding Sin unto Sin. If his Prayers had been heard, (as no doubt but he did pray in the Interim between the Adultery committed, and the Prophet Nathans reproof of him by the Parable,) God would never have left him to fall further, not into ſo crying a Sin as the Murther of the Husband. This ſeems too to have been the caſe of Solomon, while his luſts remained unmortified, as during his many Wives; all his religious performances availed little or nothing, as 1 Kings, 11. where you find him drawn away by his Women to Idolatry; in the 4th. verſe it is ſaid, his Wives turned away his heart after other Gods, building high places for their Idols. Even thus it is with Good men, while their luſts remain unmortified, their Services remain unaccepted. In Malachi, 2. 13. ye read of thoſe that covered the Altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, but the Lord regarded not their offering, nor received it with good will at their hands; yet they ſaid, Wherefore? Anſwered, becauſe they dealt treacherouſly with the Wife of your youth; verſ. 1•explaineth it, the Lord ſaith that he hateth ▪ putting away. This I urge in no wiſe as an•48argument againſt prayer and other duties, as if people ſhould ceaſe to pray and leave ſerving God, becauſe of the naughtineſs of their hearts; for that were running farther and farther from God, and that grace which ſhould reform and better them: But only for this end, that people ſhould pray more, and even turn the chief force of their prayers againſt their Luſts, and labour more to bring their Luſts in ſubjection, that ſo nothing remain to hinder their prayers from being heard, or to defile and pollute their Services.
Third Argument for Mortification, Unmortified luſts argue a man to be dead in Grace, ſuch as remain unſubdued, when conſtant and permanent, and not only temporary, as in good men, Titus, 3. 3. For we our ſelves alſo were ſometime fooliſh, diſobedient, ſerving divers Luſts and pleaſures; ſometime, that is, in their unregenerate Eſtate, 1 Tim. 5. 6. She that liveth in pleaſure is dead while ſhe liveth, even as thoſe, 2 Tim. 3. 4. Who were lovers of pleaſures more than lovers of•od. And thoſe, Eph. 2. 1, 2, 3. before they were quickned or received the ſpirit of Life from God, were•ead in treſpaſſes and ſins; dead as to the•piritual Life, the life of Gaace, which••the moſt ſad and deplorable kind of49 death: they are ſaid to have had the•Converſation in the luſts of their Fleſh, fulfilling the deſires of the Fleſh and of the mind, and were by nature, (or their corruption of nature ſince ſin and the fall,) children of wrath even as others; all others are while they walk in the luſts of the fleſh, (Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the fleſh ye ſhall dye,) ſtand Condemned by the word of God, and adjudged to eternal death: But if ye through the ſpirit do mortiſie the deeds of the body, ye ſhall live. When any of Pythagoras his Scholars had degenerated in their Morals, from the ſober, modeſt and vertuous precepts of their Maſter, and let themſelves looſe to all kind of Vice, and brutiſh ſenſuality, there was ſet a Bier as for dead mens Corps in his Room, to ſignifie that the man was dead, though the Beaſt was alive. Among thoſe that were invited to the Goſpel Feaſt, Luke 14. 20. you find one made his excuſe, he had Married a Wife and could not come; not come and ſerve God in his Ordinances, or at leaſt not heartily, his heart was after his Luſts: Not to be ſo taken, as if a Married State were inconſiſtent with Religion, or that they did ill in Marrying, which is an Ordinance of God, but the laying Religion aſide then ▪ as if it were not a time for Religion, and50 indulging their Luſts, and giving themſelves up to their Marriage pleaſure, without any regard to God, for to ſerve him, which muſt be our main buſineſs in every eſtate of Life.
Fourth Argument for Mortification of our Luſts, Becauſe we vowed to God and Covenanted in our Baptiſm, to renounce the ſinful luſts of the Fleſh: The Devil, the World, and the Fleſh, are the enemies of our Salvation, mentioned in our Church Catechiſm, and in holy Scripture, as Eph. 2. 2, 3. St. James, ch. 1. 4. Luſts are ſaid to War in our Members; and in 1 Epiſt. of Peter, c. 2. 11. Abſtain from fleſhly Luſts which War againſt the Soul; and the Soul muſt War againſt them for ever, renouncing all the ſinful luſts of the Fleſh, that is, diſowning, rejecting them, their motions and temptations, with an hatred and abhorrence of them in our hearts, or at leaſt ſuch a diſlike of them as may prevail againſt them.
Now if Covenants made in worldly matters, as Bonds and Leaſes, bind their Heirs and Succeſſours, even the Children yet unborn; ſo in Spirituals, when Parents Covenant for their Children in Baptiſm, deſiring it for their Children, and procuring others as Sureties to be bound51 with them for the greater aſſurance of the Childrens Religious Education, and performance of the Covenant Duties and Conditions, no doubt but it binds them as much in Spirituals, to ſtand to, and perform the Religious, as well as the Civil Contracts and Covenants. And he is Perjur'd who breaks this ſolemn Vow and Covenant, that lives at peace and at friendſhip with the World or the Fleſh, loving his Luſts, without that hatred and enmity which he is bound to by Baptiſm, to ſtrive and ſtruggle with them for the Maſtery, to Watch and Pray, and uſe all good and holy means for their Mortification; and ſo long as ye hold out this good fight of Faith, reſiſting this Spiritual Enemy, and praying againſt your Luſts, ſo long you keep your ground and quit your ſelves like men, and are Conquerours if you are not Conquered, though you may not have that full Victory, that triumphant ſatisfaction in your Spirit, and that inward peace which ſome others have. But if once they work you off from Prayer, and you cannot pray againſt them, or no otherwiſe than St. Auſtin before his Converſion, Domine da caſtitatem, da Continentiam, ſed non modo, Lord give me Chaſtity, give me Continence, but not now. 52If people are loth that God ſhould hear their prayers; but if they pray really, and the heart truly deſire what they pray for, ſo long it looks well, and no longer; or if a man means to make a Truce or Ceſſation of Arms and Hoſtility for any time, during the heat of Summer, or the preſence and Company of this or that beloved Body, he throws away his Weapons, he yields, and is overcome; and if he live in a continual Peace and League with them, and do not recover himſelf, and renew his Spiritual Warfare, he is utterly loſt and undone for ever.
Fifth Argument: We muſt Mortify our Luſts, or if you will, luſtful Members, according to the literal ſence of the words, becauſe our Bodies are Members of Chriſt, and this Argument the Holy Ghoſt urgeth, 1 Cor. 6. 15. Know ye not that your bodies are the Members of Chriſt: Shall I then take the Members of Chriſt, and make them Members of an Harlot? God forbid. I muſt ſnew in what ſence our Bodies are the Members of Chriſt; and then how that argues for Mortification of our Luſts. Chriſt and Chriſti•ns are one Body, one Spiritually, as 1 Cor. 6. 17. and Eph. 1. 22, 23. Chriſt is ſaid to be head over all things to his Church, which is his Body, &c. 53Chriſt the Head and Fountain of Spiritual Life, Senſe, and Motion; and Chriſtians Members of that Body, influenced, acted, and enlivened by one and the ſelfſame Spirit, which Chriſt received without meaſure, or infinitely in perfection, that ſo he might abundantly communicate it to his Members, enabling them to mortiſie the evil Concupiſcence in their hearts, and the Luſts of the Fleſh, that Fleſh and Blood, or Bodies of Sin which they carry about them. Now ſince there is ſuch a Spiritual Union between Chriſt and us, and we are taken into ſuch a near Relation unto Chriſt, as Members in that Myſtical body, whereof he is the Head of Influence; ſhould not the Members bear a Conformity to their Head? If he was pure even to perfection, ought not we to reſemble him in that Purity, by a Mortification of Uncleanneſs? And as it is in the Marriage Office, Keep your ſelves undefiled Members of Chriſt's body.
Again, Our Bodies are Members of Chriſt, as they are Members of the ſame Fleſh and Blood, or bodies of the ſame kind with that which Chriſt•ook upon him in the days of his Fleſh, as it is expreſſed, Hebr. 5. 7. Chap. 2. 14. For as much then as the Children are partakers54 of Fleſh and Blood, he alſo took part o•the ſame, and ſo exalted our Nature above the nature of Angels, by aſſuming it, and uniting it to his Divine Nature. He was God-man, or God manifeſt in the Fleſh, 1 Tim. 3. 16. And thus he honoured it in the higheſt Nature, and made it adorable in that Hypoſtatical Union with the Divine Nature.
Again, He honoured it by the Purity of his immaculate Conception, through the power of the Holy Ghoſt, (and not after the ordinary manner of men, in their fallen and corrupt State, by a ſinful Generation,) and by the pure manner of his Birth, of a Virgin undefiled, and free and pure from men: The force of this Argument conſiſts herein, If Chriſt ſo highly exalted our Nature, above that of Angels, ſhall we abaſe it to the Beaſts that periſh, by living to ſenſe, and the ſinful cravings of the Fleſh? Shall we make that Fleſh vile by our Luſts (and ſo contemtptible,) which the Son of God made Venerable by his Incarnation, and which is glorified in Chriſt as in Capite, and which we expect hereafter to be made like unto Chriſt's glorious Body? Can we expect this corruptible (ſubject to corruption, in the worſt ſence of the words,) ſhould35 put on incorruption, unleſs it put off all its corrupt Luſts before it dyes, on this ſide the grave, that ſo it might be ſit for that Inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, &c.
Sixth Argument for Mortification of our Members or Luſts, Becauſe our Bodies are Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, which is in you, which ye have of God. Our Souls and Bodies were Dedicated to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, in our Baptiſm, and thereby Conſecrated and become Holy, even Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, through his gracious preſence and Inhabitation.
But by Luſt, theſe Temples are polluted and profaned, and become the Habitation of Devils, and the hold of every foul Spirit, and a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird, as it is propheſied of ſpiritual Babylon, Rev. 18. 2. Conceive we of Mens Luſts flying up and down in their Minds and Imaginations, as Birds do in the Air, or ſhut up in their Hearts, as Birds are cooped up in a Cage, ready to fly out upon opportunity, and break looſe, as the Luſts of Mens hearts are almoſt upon every Occaſion and Temptation.
You have heard in time of our Domeſtical56 Wars, of turning Churches into Stables, and polluting them; but it is to tur•theſe Temples of the Holy Ghoſt into worſe than Stables, if we proſtitute them to our vile luſts. You read in Eph. 4. 29, 30. a Caution, Let no Corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth; and it follows in the next verſe, And Grieve not the holy Spirit; noting to us, that the pure and holy Spirit of God is grieved, afflicted, and as it were made ſad by naughtineſs of our diſcourſe, thoughts or actions, and ſo provoked to withdraw from us, and to leave us. The moſt naſty Kennels or Gutters, and Sinks, that receive the filth and off ▪ ſcouring of things; the very Excrements themſelves, and the worſt dunghils, are not ſuch an Annoyance and Offence unto us, as our vile Luſts and corrupt Affections are to the Holy Spirit of God; theſe are more loathſom, and a greater Abomination unto him, than the moſt ſtinking unſavoury ſmells are unto us.
The laſt Argument ſhall be taken from the tremendous Judgments that the Lord hath Denounced and Inflicted on Sinners in this ſort. Heb. 13. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers, God will Judge; and that ſeverely too, puniſhing them commonly in this World, and in the World to come. Gen.57 6. 2, 3. ſhows you that it had an hand in drowning the World: When the Sons of God (that is, the holy Seed of Seths Race) ſaw the Daughters of Men (wicked Men, and the Children like the Parents wicked too, according to the ſence of the words) that they were fair, they took them to Wives; their Luſts within, was ſmitten with the others Beauty, and betrayed them to that graceleſs Match; then it ſoon follows, even in the next verſe, My Spirit ſhall not always ſtrive with Man; and after it: The wickedneſs of Man was great in the Earth, and it repented the Lord that he had made Man: And the Lord ſaid, I will deſtroy Man, whom I have Created, from the Face of the Earth, both Man and Beaſt. And you know, the filthy Converſation and unlawful Deeds in this kind of the Men of Sodom, as they vexed Righteous Lot at the Heart, ſo they brought down the greateſt ſort of Judgment that ever was inflicted on any Sinners, Fire and Brimſtone from Heaven to conſume Sodom and Gomorrah, with the Cities of the Plain. And Numb. 25. 12. when Iſrael began to commit Whoredom with the Daughters of Moab, and that led them unto the Spiritual Whoredom of Idolatry, the Lord ſent a Plague among them; which in the 9th ver. ſwept away four and twenty58 thouſand; with Zimri and Cozbi ſlain. Deut. 22. 22. both the Adulterer and the Adultereſs were to be put to death by the Lords own Commandment; and if the tokens of Virginity were not found for the Damſel after Marriage, Deut. 22. 21. Then ſhe was to be ſtoned with ſtones at the Door of her Fathers Houſe: And ſo Numb. 5. 14. you find the Tryal of Jealouſie; If the Spirit of Jealouſie come upon a Man, and he be Jealous of his Wife that ſhe is Defiled, the Prieſt ſhall take Holy Water, and of the duſt that is in the Floor of the Tabernacle, and put it into the Water, and charge the Woman with an Oath of Curſing, ſaying, The Lord make thee a Curſe, and an Oath among thy People, if thou be Defil'd; and this Water that cauſeth the Curſe, ſhall go into thy Bowels to make thy belly to ſwell, and thy thigh to rot; And the Woman ſhall ſay, Amen, Amen: And in the 27th ver. it ſhould be fulfilled accordingly, and the Woman be a Curſe among her people, by that extraordinary Judgment. And in Jer. 5. 7, 8. When they committed Adultery, and Aſſembled themſelves by Troops in the Harlots Houſes. Shall I not viſit for theſe things, ſaith the Lord, &c. Go ye up upon her Walls, and destroy. Ezek. 16. 49. ſaid of Judah, That the Iniquity of her Siſter Sodom was in her, and in her Daughters; called59 Siſter to Sodom, becauſe ſhe was like her in Lewdneſs; in the 58 ver. Thou haſt born thy Lewdneſs, and thine Abominations, ſaith the Lord, and that was in her Captivity, as the 58 ver. ſhows: So that it doth appear this wickedneſs had a great hand in the ruine of that Kingdom; and of Samaria likewiſe, put for Iſrael in this Chapter. How ſtrangely hath this Sin encreaſed, at the ruine of Empires and Kingdoms! as of the Aſſyrian in Sardanapalus his time, ſo effeminate and degenerated, that he lived altogether among his Women and Concubines, not ſuffering Men to come to the ſight of him. The Ruine of the Famous Troy, was through an Adultereſs Paris taking away, and keeping Helen Wife to King Menelaus. The Roman Empire declined, and the Emperours came to ill ends, when they became ſo prodigiouſly Luſtful; Nero's vile abuſe of his Body with perſons of the neareſt Conſanguinity. Commodus that kept 300 Concubines, and as many Boys for deteſtable uſes: Baſſianus his Inceſtuous Marriage of his own Mother in Law Julia; next to him, Macrinus given over to Luſt and Senſuality; after him, Heliogabalus, who appointed in Rome a Senate of Women: The matters there treated of, were Inventions and means60 how to practiſe their Filthineſs and Abomination; at his removing from Rome, often followed him ſix hundred Chariots laden only with Bawds and common Harlots: He ordained Day-buſineſſes to be done by Night, and Night-buſineſſes to be done by Day. Maximinian, of whom before. Maxentius, ſo Villanous in his Behaviour, that he abſtained not from abuſing the Wives of Noble Senatours, taking them violently from their Husbands. Not one of theſe dyed a•natural Death: Beſides that the Kingly Government at Rome was ejected, upon Tarquinius Superbus his forcing of that Noble Matron Lucretia. Herod (not Herod mentioned Acts 12. 23. eaten with Worms,) and Herodias, that Inceſtuous Harlot, are ſaid to have died in great Penury and Miſery at Lyons in France.
And alas! How many Evils doth this Sin bring upon the Body! How doth it weaken and enfeeble the ſtrength of Men and Women that are much addicted to it! eſpecially thoſe that are given to ſelf-pollutions: Inſomuch, that they bring that Curſe upon themſelves, denounced in the Holy Scriptures, that the wicked ſhould not live out half their days: Which ſad experience ſhows to be true, that many of theſe Sinners (againſt their own Souls or61 Bodies, ſhall I ſay, or indeed againſt both) dye in the midſt of their Age, or young in compariſon with what they might have reached to in the courſe of Nature, had they no ways ſhortned their days, and brought themſelves to an untimely end, by their undue or exceſſive Luſt. And why ſhould not Men be afraid of ſome ill Diſtemper, ſo incident and common to thoſe that make a common trade and practice of this Sin, ſuch a foul and loathſome Diſtemper, that they are an Offence and Annoyance to others whither ſoever they come, and can ſcarce be endured above ground; ſo infectious it is, that all ſhun ſuch Creatures. And ah! How many have dyed Martyrs to this Sin! Oh, England, that boaſteſt of thoſe that have been Martyrs for thy God, be aſhamed and confounded, that the number doth ſo much exceed of thoſe that have dyed in this ſort of Martyrdom! And O what more lingring deaths have theſe been put to, rotting even alive, and dying by piece-meal, and that with Pain and Torment too, burning with a conſuming Fire, which their Luſts have kindled here, until they come to dwell with that devouring Fire, or fierceneſs of Gods wrath, and everlaſting Burnings hereafter. And ſurely the ſence and conſideration of ▪62 everlaſting burnings, would have enough in it to quench the flames of Luſt, and make the unclean perſon tremble, and flee from his impure and adulterous embraces, ſo ſhort for pleaſure, but in the pain and puniſhment following them everlaſting.
Beſides what hath been ſaid, this Sin is no leſs miſchievous to the Souls, than to the Bodies of Men, by corrupting the Judgments of lewd perſons with dangerous (if not damnable) errours, and their Converſations with filthy and abominable practices, ſcandalous to the pure Religion of Chriſtian: Many Inſtances may be given of this; as in the firſt Century, Cerinthus againſt whom, and Ebion, denying the Divinity of Chriſt, ſome have thought the Goſpel of St. John to have been more directly intended, for Confutation of their Errours. Cerinthus pretended to Revelations from Angels (and for ought I know, he might be in the right, if he had Father'd it on the evil Angels, not on the good:) That after the Reſurrection from the dead, Chriſt ſhould have an Earthly Kingdom in this World, and that the Subjects of Chriſts Kingdom ſhould eat and drink, and Marry, and keep Holy-days; for he himſelf was a Man given to fleſhly Luſts, and he imagined that the pleaſures63 of Chriſts Kingdom ſhould conſiſt in fulfilling the Concupiſcence of the Fleſh. Euſeb. lib. 3. cap. 18.
The Nicolaitans alſo, mentioned Rev: 2. 6. of the Church of Epheſus, that ſhe hated the Deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I alſo hate, ſaith the Lord. Acts 6. and 5 verſ. Nicolas, one of the Deacons choſen by the Apoſtles (as Clemens Alexandrinus writes, Strom. 3.) had a Beautiful Wife, and was accuſed of overmuch jealouſie: To purge himſelf, he brought forth his Wife into the midſt of his Brethren, and ſaid, he was content any Man ſhould Marry her. Of which words, many took occaſion to live promiſcuouſly like Beaſts, no Man having his own proper Wife, but making them all common, as our Family of Love did in Queen Elizabeths days. The Gnoſticks alſo in the beginning of the ſecond Century, they were juſtly called Borbo i•ae or coenoſi, becauſe they were filthily polluted in the mire of Uncleanneſs: By their unhoneſt and filthy Converſation it came to paſs, that the true Profeſſors of the Goſpel were vilely Slandered by perſecuting Pagans, objecting to Chriſtians the Banquets of Thyeſtes, and the Chambering of Oedipus. The Encratitae condemned Marriage in this Century. In the third64 Century we read of the Adamiani, who had their Aſſemblies in ſubterraneal places, called Hypocauſta, becauſe that under the place of their meetings, a furnace of Fire was kindled to warm the ſame, where they uncloathed themſelves, when they entred into it, and ſtood naked, both Men and Women, according to the Similitude of Adam and Eve before their fall. Apoſtolici alſo, who among other things, rejected Marriage, giving out a Sentence againſt themſelves, that they were unclean, becauſe they were procreated by Marriage, and conſequently they were for promiſcuous Luſt.
Origeniani and Turpes (as they were called) were vile and filthy Beaſts, not abhorring from Whoredom, but from procreation of Children, to the end, that they might ſeem chaſte, not unlike to Onan the Son of Judah, whom the Lord deſtroyed. Theſe are mentioned by Epiphanius, as alſo the Hieracitae, who condemned Marriage, and Manichees, as Epiphanius contra Haereſes, and Hiſt. Magdeb. In the 4th Century, we read of the Priſcillianiſts in Spain, that renewed the Hereſie of the Groſticks, who diſallowed Marriage, and commended Fornication: Some Biſhops of Spain were entangled with this Hereſie, ſuch as ▪65 Juſtantius, Salvianus, and Helpidius, whom Adygimus Biſhop of Corduba Condemned in a Councel; but when Appeals would not relieve them, with Bribes they ſolicited the Emperours Cubiculars, and were ſent back again to enjoy their own places. In the 5th. Century, we read of the firſt Councel of Toledo in Spain, aſſembled under the Reigns of Arcadius and Honorius, where we find Canons concerning the prohibition of Marriage to ſome perſons, and the admitting of a Man to the Communion who wanteth a Wife, and contenteth himſelf with one Concubine only. In the 6th Century, the Councel of Tours in France, ordained that a Biſhop ſhould count his Wife as his Siſter, and that he ſhould no manner of way company with her; and the firſt Councel of Maetiſcon, that neither Biſhop nor Presbyter ſhould intangle themſelves with carnal Luſts: And not to company with their Wives, was honeſt and chaſt behaviour, Satan bringing in Fornication and all Uncleanneſs into the Church by this means, until at length Marriage of Prieſts was called the Hereſie of the Nicolaitans by Gregory the 7th. In Century the 14th. in Alberts time, the Emperour, in Lombardy, a ſect of Hereticks which under colour of Religion and Charity66 made all things common, and they moved one another to Carnal Conjunction, alledging it to be a deed of Charity.
I come now to conſider of the Temptations or the prevailing Motives or Inducements of this Sin, which are either, Firſt the ſtrong and ſtrange delight and pleaſure of the Sin; our natures by Sin and the fall being as it were ſunk into Fleſh, and brutiſh Senſuality; thoſe things that carry with them the greateſt Gratifications of the Senſe, are the moſt acceptable to our corrupt depraved natures, as this Sin is upon the very ſame account, being a fleſhpleaſing ſenſual Sin. What do thoſe that commit this Sin promiſe themſelves but pleaſure? To be ſure, the pleaſure of the Sin is always ti•ing them, ſo that of all the Temptations to this Sin, this bids the faireſt with the Sinner to gain the point. The Remedy againſt this Temptation:
Firſt, Conſider, that Man as to the Soul (the more extellent part, that animates and acts the Body in its Life and Motion) is a ſpiritual being, and muſt have a ſpiritual good and happineſs, called an Inheritance incorruptible, und•filed, or pure and uncorrupt, refined from Senſe; when the pleaſures of the fleſh cannot anſwer that noble End for which man is deſigned, nor67 ſuit with ſuch a being as Man is, being mer•ly accommodated to the Animal, and not the Intellectual Angelical Life.
Secondly, Though ſome have ſaid, that the pleaſures of Luſt, might vye with the pleaſures of Paradiſe; have you not heard too of a Paradiſe of Fools? For indeed, this is ſuch a Paradiſe, as only Fools and the worſt of Men would take for their Portion and Happineſs: Good and Chaſt, Vertuous and wiſe Men value it but at a a low rate, being convinced of the poorneſs and meanneſs of a ſenſible good, the emptineſs and inſufficiency of ſuch good: After long enjoyment, ſuch pleaſures grow flat and dry, perhaps ad nauſeam uſque, and Mens appetite to them ceaſeth, as Amnons to Thamar, or leaveth ſuch a longing and hankering after them, that they are ſtill uneaſie and in pain in the long intervals.
Thirdly, Look and aim at higer pleaſures, the pleaſures that are to be found in the ways of God; for all his Ways are ways of pleaſantneſs, and his paths are peace. You read of thoſe that call the Sabbath a delight, and, delighting thy ſelf in the Lord, taking delight in approaching unto God, and thoſe fearing the Lord, and delighting greatly in his Commandments.
68Next the pleaſures that follow and flow from a conſcientious diſcharge of our Duty to God and Man, ſuch as the loving kindneſſes of the Lord, in whoſe favour is Life, or vita verè vitalis, the peace of Conſcience, the comforts of the Spirit, and the Hope of Glory, and thoſe better pleaſures which are at Gods right Hand for evermore, pleaſures in perfection, ever fatisfactory, never cloyed therewith.
Fourthly, Conſider though this pleaſure be ſweet in the Mouth, and the taſt, yet it is bitter in the end, and the preſent pleaſure bought with future pain, this Moment with Eternity. Ah! Nocet empta dolore voluptas; ſuch pleaſure coſts too dear, if there be no pain and remorſe in the conſcience, when the Sinner reflects on his way and his doings: If the Body eſcape too that Painful and Tormenting Diſeaſe, yet Soul and Body muſt both rue it in the other World, and that not according to the time they enjoyed theſe pleaſures, which would then be ſhort indeed, if their Miſery could end ſo ſoon as their ſhort-lived pleaſure, but momentum quod delectat, &c. the act of Sin is tranſient, the guilt, and conſequently the puniſhment diuturnum, and beyond that, aeternum, not only long, but Eternity long.
69Thirdly, Conſider how unlike this is to the Purity of the Primitive Christians; inſtead of finding pleaſure, and being drawn to Sin under that Notion, they looked upon it as one of the ſevereſt puniſhments to be proſtituted and expoſed to the Luſts of Men, by Rudeneſs and Violence. This Tertullian urgeth in the cloſe of his Apology, c. ult. p. 40. While you chooſe to Condemn a Woman that is a Chriſtian to the Stews, then to the Lyons, ad Lenonem ▪ quam ad Leonem, you plainly confeſs that the Violation of Chaſtity, is accounted by us an heavier penalty, than any puniſhment or kind of death which you can inflict upon us. St. Hierom relates an eminent inſtance hereof, Vita Paul. Eremit. Tom. 1. p. 237. In the Decian Perſecution, a young Man, a Chriſtian, in the Flower and Beauty of his Age, was carried into a Garden that had••things conſpiring to make it a place for Pleaſure and Delight, being laid upon a Bed of Down, and faſtned to it with ſilken Cords, the Company withdrawing, a Beautiful Strumpet was ſent in to him, who careſſing him, and treating him with all the Arts of wantonneſs, not conſiſting with modesty to name, the young Man finding the Temptation beginning to prevail, preſently bit off his Tongue, and ſpit it in her face as ſhe attempted to kiſs him. 70Origen at Athens, when put to this unhappy choice, either to Sacrifice to Idols, or ſuffer his chaſt Body to be defiled with a filthy Aethiopian, choſe rather to commit Idolatry, than Fortification, though that too was rather his enemies Act than his own, they thruſting the Frankincenſe into his Hand, and haling him up to the Altar. For which Fact, or the ſcandal of the report, he was Excommunicated and Diſowned by the Chriſtians: However, this ſhowed his Abhorrence of Uncleanneſs, &c.
Oh! Then flee from, and fear the killing ſmiles, and flattering Luſt, dally not, parly not with them, leaſt the deceitful and tempting pleaſure of this Sin beguile and corrupt thee. Give not place to the Devil, while he is feeding thine imagination with the pleaſures of the Fleſh, and perſwading thee to taſt of his ſweet Diſh: Reſiſt the Devil, and then he will flee from you. Principiis obſta, is a good Rule in this caſe, ſtop Sin in its firſt onſet, then it is weakeſt, but gets ground and gathers ſtrength as you give way to it, and entertain it in its motions. The pleaſure of this Sin to a conſidering Man, muſt needs be inconſiderable, ſuch as commonly all things conſidered even in this Life, brings more grief and diſquietment than Satisfaction: Such71 pleaſure as we ſhall be more Spiritual and better without it, than with it; and ſuch pleaſure, as to be ſure will be bitterneſs in the latter end. Alas! wee look upon Sin only in its ſpecious poſture coming towards us, Fair and Beautiful to behold, in a goodly dreſs, recommending it ſelf to us with Profit, Pleaſure, Honour, or the like Allurements; but could we ſee the hinder parts of Sin, it would appear like the Father of it, the Devil, when he is taking his leave and Vaniſhing, ugly and Deformed: When Sin is going from us after the Commiſſion of it, it is black and Melancholly, hanging down its head with Sorrow, or hiding its Face for Shame or Fear, or like thoſe that gnawed their Tongues for pain, or with gnaſhing of Teeth for very madneſs and Vexation of Spirit, with Scorpion ſtings at the tail of it, to Torment the Sinner, and the Fire burning towards him, to come at him, and catch him within its flames: This ſight indeed, would cool the Sinners Courage, and make Men flee from Sin as from a Serpent. Again, ſome there are, to whom this Sin holds forth its two fair Breaſts, of Profit as well as Pleaſure, to allure them within its Embraces: Theſe are chiefly of the other Sex. Thoſe who keep publick Houſes, and ſo the keeping of a naughty72 Woman, brings cuſtom to the Houſe, and they ſay encreaſeth their Trade; and thoſe who are kept as Miſſes to great perſons, and I ſuppoſe look upon themſelves to have attained great Preferment, beſides thoſe that proſtitute themſelves to the Luſts of any comers in a common promiſcuous manner, perhaps making a Trade of this Sin, and getting their Maintenance this way. Other ſome perhaps by promiſcuous Luſts to hinder Conception, and ſo for prevention of more Children, and to ſave the charge and coſt that is required in the feeding and cloathing and portioning of them.
To which I anſwer, Firſt, how vile a thing is it to let out themſelves to hire, to fell as it were their Souls for the poſſeſſion of the Devil that unclean Spirit, and their Bodies to the filthy Luſts of Men. O ſhame upon thoſe that renounced the World (Worldly gain ſo far as Sinful) the Fleſh and the Devil, thus ſhamefully to Apoſtatize! How near doth their Sin approach to that wicked Ahab, who ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs, and hath it ſet as a Brand or Mark of Infamy upon him, and whoſe Sin was ſo notoriouſly great, that it could not be cleanſed without the Deſtruction of his Family.
73Secondly, Others there are that find this a very Chargeable Sin, putting them to the charge firſt of a Treat or Entettainment, then for the Act of Naughtineſs, and a third charge many times for the Cure after it. The keeping of lewd Women, and providing portions for their baſe Brood, Adulterous iſſue, hath waſted great Eſtates, and been the ruine of many Families, or at leaſt what vaſt expences hath it put many to, ſo that what the one party gets, the other loſeth, and more beſides. Even ſome among the other ▪ Sex have been loſers in this World, ſometimes by Marrying ſuch as were too well known by them before, in the days of their firſt Husband, and who hath ſpent all, and brought them to Poverty; or if of meaner Rank, by getting ſuch a noiſome Diſtemper, as hath made them abhorred by all, that none would imploy them for a livelyhood, none Receive or Entertain them; or which made them unfit for work, or ſo weakned and impaired their ſtrength, that they could do but little when their old Age came upon them, or their Trade failed.
Thirdly, All ſuch Gain as is gotten in this manner, is accurſed, it will defile the reſt of your Subſtance, even contrary to what is ſaid of Alms; Give Alms of ſuch74 things as ye have, and behold all things are clean unto you; that is, cleanſed from Sin, Sanctifyed, Bleſſed, ſo as not only to have them with Gods leave, but with his Love. But ſuch filthy lucre (in the literal downright Senſe of the words) will make all polluted and unclean, all under the curſe, if ſuch gain at the laſt will not be ſeparated from the reſt, even the clean from the unclean. When did you ever know any enrich a Family by this means, with an abiding Wealth? Is it not likely that ſome at leaſt of the Poſterity, ſhould ſpend and conſume it upon their Luſts, in the ſame way that the other got it?
Fourthly, If you get never ſo much Gain this way, yet when you come to caſt up your accounts at the General Reckoning and great Day of Accounts, you will come off a loſer, an eternal loſer, when all your gain will ſignifie nothing, none of it abide with you for your comfort. But what would it profit you, if you gained never ſo much in this World? For what ſhall one give in exchange for the Soul? That is, the Soul is of ſo much worth, that nothing in the World can equalize it, nothing can vye with, or countervail the loſs of an immortal Soul, which is an infinite loſs, being loſt to all Eternity, and ſo irrecoverably.
75Fifthly; As to thoſe Married perſons, who proſtitute their Bodies to the Luſts of Men, leaſt they ſhould conceive and bear Children, and bring a charge upon themſelves, by living honeſtly with their own Husbands:
I Anſwer, Firſt, That doth not always take effect. All that do or would keep company in this manner, cannot have their end in this. For all are not ſo bad and abominably wicked, as to ruſh headlong into ſuch a damning guilt as Adultery is: Nay, I hope, very few in our Country Pariſhes remote from the City, but what would ſtartle and boggle at ſuch a wickedneſs, and what through their neceſſary Employments in their Worldly buſineſs, and the fear of being diſcovered, or ſtrongly ſuſpected, if they ſhould Treſpaſs, and•e often in ſuch perſons Company; and what through their Ignorance of theſe Women, that are ſo evil and Adulterous, few even of theſe that would make no Conſcience of the Sin, do actually concur for the prevention of Children in theſe promiſcuous Luſts.
Again, Parents ought to truſt God to provide for their Children, that God (as the Prove•b is) who ſe•ds Mouths, will ſend Meat. He that feedeth the young Ravens that cry unto him, will not ſuffer little76 Children to periſh for want of Food. Pſal. 147. 9. When was it known? Scarce ever, that any Infant or Child ſhould be ſtarved. You know the Law will allow them neceſſaries.
Again, Thirdly, Thoſe that have many Children, above all perſons are the fitteſt Objects of Charity: For it is ſome ſign that they live honeſtly and chaſtly; and the charge which they are to their Relations, or to a Pariſh, is ſuch as God and Nature offer to them, and ſuch as cannot be avoided well, nor juſtly blamed. There have been priviledges allowed by ſome Nations, (by the Roman eſpecially) to thoſe that had four ▪ Children. And in all doles or charitable gifts, we ſhould have a conſideration of ſuch perſons eſpecially, as having more lets and hinderances from their work, than others, and by the number of the Children, their ſtrength ſomewhat impaired; upon which accounts, one of our moſt uſeful ways of beſtowing our Charity, is upon ſuch as theſe that abound with Children.
Fourthly, Children and the Fruit of the Womb, are a Gift and Heritage that cometh of the Lord: A Bleſſing of the Lord, who as Gen. 9. Bleſſed Noah and his Sons, and ſaid, Be Fruitful and Multiply, and repleniſh77 the Earth. Such a Bleſſing it is to have Children, that many would give hundreds, thouſands of pounds for Iſſue; and how earneſtly did Hannah beg it of God? Abraham and Sarah prize their Iſaac: And Rachel longs for Children: Who would not rather have many Children, than none at all? Such Marriages where they have no Children, are looked upon as Comfort•eſs and Unbleſt. Children are the deareſt pledges of the Parents Love, and the joy and ſtaff of their old Age.
Another prevailing Motive and Temptation to theſe Sins, is Honour; as when they ſhall be Solicited to this Sin by perſons of Quality, or thoſe that are above•hem, they more eaſily yield, who would have though ſcorn to have been naught with thoſe of Inferior Rank. To be a Miſs or Whore to a great perſon, hath been looked upon as a piece of great Preferment, and•or a Servant to be admitted to this Sinful•amiliarity with his Miſtreſs, a choice Fa•our, if not a Credit to him; ſo if a fine•uffling Spark come, he ſhall more eaſily•elude a poor Country Maid, under the•retence of Marriage, aſpiring to be a•reat perſon.
In Anſwer to this, Firſt, Whoredom is Whoredom, and Adultery is Adultery;78 whether the perſon be high or low with whom thou ſinneſt, the ſin is the ſame, and ſtands ſentenced to the ſame Condemnation by the Word of God. Therefore flatter not thy ſelf, that it will be any excuſe to thy ſin, or plea for thee, that thou ſhouldeſt eſcape the Righteous Judgment of God. You will not ſay then it was the King, or ſome great Perſon, and I could not tell how to deny him, or it would have been taken ill, and I ſhould have fell under his diſpleaſure, &c.
Secondly, God is the Original of all Honour, the pattern to take after, and ſo much nearer as we come unto God, by reſemblance and conformity to him, ſo much the more of real worth and excellency is in us, and honour deſervedly due to us; but ſinners in Scripture-ſence, the lewd perſons in particular, (as Rom. 1. 26. vile affections,) are vile and diſhonourable: Pſal. 15. 4. In whoſe eyes, (that is, in the ſight or eſteem of the Righteous,) a vile or wicked perſon is contemned, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. All good Chriſtians, chaſt and vertuous Heathens, honour thoſe that reſiſt, and withſtand theſe temptations and preſerve their Chaſtity, but look upon others as contemptible.
79Thirdly, This ſin doth really abaſe man•elow the dignity of his Nature, and level him with the Beaſts: For the pleaſures of the Fleſh are but the ſame that the Beaſts have, and thoſe who make theſe•heir choiceſt delights, and place their•ood in the enjoyment thereof, have loſt•hemſelves as men; and indeed this ſin•akes away from men the uſe of their Rea•on; for no ſooner ſhall a temptation of•his ſort be preſented, but Luſt captivates•nd carries the ſinner away, as Prov. 7. 22. He goeth after her ſtraightway, as an Ox go•h to the Slaughter, or as a Fool to the Cor•ction of the Stocks, not conſidering what•e does, nor whither he goes.
Fourthly, Conſider, beſides the falſe•eſs, and unfaithfulneſs to thy Maſter and•iſtreſs, thou art certain to draw their•iſpleaſure upon thee, if ever thy Wick•dneſs come to light, and to break the•eace of a Family, and that conjugal love•nd affection which ought to be between•he Married perſons; and bring baſe blood•to a Family, ſtaining the Honour and•redit of the Family.
Fifthly, Conſider the ſhame that fol•ws this Sin when it is found out, the•uilty perſons being taken notice of by all,•nd upbraided with it, almoſt upon all80 occaſions. I ſay, if this ſhame were conſidered, eſpecially in Virgins, and youn•Widows, it muſt needs awaken them to reſiſt and withſtand the Sin, if they hav•any concern for their good Name. Fo•what greater reproach and blot can ther•be upon them, than for them to miſcarr•and fall ſo foully before Marriage, ſpo•ling their Fortunes, and bringing the Honeſty into ſuſpition ever after. S•that if they have any regard to their ow•Honour and Credit, the Honourablene•of the Soliciter will be of little for•to corrupt them. And they muſt have a Whores-forehead for Impudency, wh•are not touched with the ſhame, like tho•mentioned, Jer. 6. 15. Were they aſham•when they had committed Abomination? Na•they were not at all aſhamed, neither cou•they bluſh.
Laſtly, Conſider of ſome Inſtances, of Joſephs rej•cting his Miſtreſſes imm•deſt and unchaſt deſires, Gen. 39. 7. •lie with her, though ſhe was Wife to a gre•and honourable Perſon, no leſs than Ca•tain of the Guard to Pharaoh, as the wor•ſeem to import. And Euſeb. Hiſt. Eccl•lib. 8. c. 14. p. 312. He tells us of a W•man of Alexandria, the Emperour Max•minus often attempted her by all the Ar•81•f Solicitation, but all in vain, till at•ſt, not being able to prevail, he would•ot put her to Death, but ſpoiled her being of Noble Birth and great For•nes) of her Eſtate, and then ſent her•Baniſhment.
The like he relates of a Noble Wo•an at Rome, Wife to the Prefect or Go•ernour of the City, that Maxentius the•mperour, being paſſionately in love with•er, ſent Officers to fetch her, who break•g into the Houſe, would violently have•ized on her; of whom ſhe begg'd only•much time, as to dreſs and adorn her•lf a little, under which pretence reti•ng, ſhe caught up a Sword, and by a fa•l ſtroke-diſpatch'd her ſelf: They were•ot ſo compliant as the Women of our•ays, with the Luſts of Princes.
Another prevailing motive, and power•l Attractive to this Sin, is the Beautiful•eſs of the Perſon. An handſome man, or a•andſome Woman, ſtrikes the eye as plea•nt to behold, and the eye being enamou•ed with the Object, or the Soul (which•eth thorough the eye as the Organon vi•s,) being delighted therewith, corrupts•e heart to a luſting after it, in an evil•oncupiſcence. Thoſe Women that are•ept under the Name and Notion of Miſs,82 are real or fancied Beauties: and the r•port of a Beauty, (if ſhe be corrupted, an•ſo will comply with luſtful mans deſire fets him on his March; when the app•tite is dull, and another perſon will n•reliſh with him, yet this comely perſo•this Beauty, will have its Charms, an•ſuch ſtrong ones, that he is preſently ca•tivated; which made Democritus put o•his eyes, becauſe not able to defend himſelf againſt the Charms of Beauty.
To which I anſwer, Firſt, Scriptur•and Reaſon tell us, Beauty is vain, Pro•31. 30. Vain it is, as being altogether uſeleſs in point of Religion, a dangero•ſnare and temptation to the perſon tha•hath it, and to others; an hinderanc•commonly rather than help to Religio•Vain again as to emptineſs, as void of a•real good, worth, or excellency, an•conſequently inſufficient for the comfor•and happineſs of mans Life. Vain, becauſe Res••eſt Forma fugax: Beauty is ſubject to decay, and may be impaired or lo•many ways, by a Cut or Wound on th•Face, by a falling fit into the Fire, as have known, or a fall from an Horſe, o•otherwiſe hurting or bruiſing, blemiſhin•the Countenance, or by the ſmall-Pox disfi•guring the face, or a tertian ague, the Palſy83 o•the like, being ſubject to many Chan•s; and if perſons be not honeſt as well fair, to ſomewhat worſe, which will not•enly disfigure, yet change the fair Co•ur in time into a pale or black ſwarthy comelineſs. But however, old Age•ll impair it; and if you look for it af•r Death, you will find but a Worm-ea•n Carkaſs, all the Beauty gone and laid the duſt. And if Beauty be vain, as•u have heard, who but vain perſons will ſuch fooliſh admirers of it? What•ſe perſons will be ſo migh•ily in love•th Vanity, to court it, and catch at it greedily? Or what will its embraces•ofit a man? Or vanity turn to any ac•unt in the enjoyment of it? Beſides,•at other Creatures excell man in this•pect, the brightneſs of the Stars, and•eral precious Jewels, the redneſs of•e Roſe, the White of the Lilly, and•odlineſs of the Flowers, exceed the•i•e and red of the greateſt Beauty; and•ne of them, as the precious Stones,•ld their luſtre, when that of Beauty is•cayed; which ſhould teach you to ſet•re light by Beauty, not ſo highly to•ze and prefer it, to ſeek or purſue it,•bleſs your ſelf in the love and ſociety,•ſſeſſion and fruition of ſuch a Vanity.
84Secondly, Beauty is not only vain, b•worſe than Vanity when vitiated and•praved. As a Jewel of Gold in a Swi•Snout, ſo is fair a Woman without diſc•tion, that is, without Wiſdom to preſe•her Chaſtity. Well may ſhe be com•red to the Swine, becauſe the Swine lo•to wallow in the Mire, and naſty di•filthy places, defiling it ſelf; ſo doth Beauty, corrupted by a foul heart a•filthy lewd courſes, pollute and defile•ſelf, and make her ſelf a moſt loathſom a•abominable Creature, with the worſt, not indeed the only deformity, beyo•the greateſt bodily blemiſhes. For as the Shape and Feature of the Body, m•or leſs Comely, every one is as God ma•them, who made every thing good, a•ſo none as to their bodily ſhape, ought be ſlighted or deſpiſed, as an ugly def•med ill-ſhapen Creature, much leſs ma•a mock and a ſcorn and matter of deriſio•for that reproach falls upon their Mak•whoſe Workmanſhip they are, eſpecia•when they have that inward Beauty, a•Spiritual Comelineſs of Modeſty and C•ſtity, Vertue and Religion. But a•Face, with a foul Heart, it is but Sk•deep Beauty, a goodly ſhew and app•rance, or as a little flouriſh or gild•85outwardly, when there is the worſt Ugli•eſs and Deformity, the moſt vile Naſti•eſs and Filthineſs inwardly, that if it•ould but be ſeen, it would turn the Sto•ack, ad nauſeam uſque, to the very loa•ing of the perſon that you ſo much ad•ire for her Beauty. And indeed thoſe•at have the leaſt of this bodily Comeli•eſs and outward Beauty, are to be pre•rred before her, not half ſo ugly and•eformed Creatures as ſhe is: And if you•ould not be naught with ſuch perſons,•ecauſe they have no form nor comelineſs•them that you ſhould deſire them, nor•ould you with theſe, if you could diſ•rn their Spiritual Deformity, and•ould ſet that againſt their Skin-deep•eauty, much outweighing it, becauſe•e deformity is of the better part, ſuch•is Spiritual, and will be an eternal blot•d blemiſh upon them without Repen•nce.
Thirdly, If Beauty tempt thee, no•ubt but thou wilt meet with ſome come•Perſons who will not be corrupted by•ee; ſome that are ſo well fortified with•race, that all thy ſolicitations to Sin•ll but return upon thy ſelf with ſhame•d diſappointment; and if thou canſt•t withſtand the pretended Charms of86 Beauty, then thy paſſion will continue,•Amnons to Thamar, 2 Sam. 13. 2. A•Amnon was ſo vexed, that he fell ſick for•Siſter Tamar, and grew lean from day to da•through the fury and violence of his pa•on raging inwardly: and then to wha•ſad Condition wilt thou be brought, p•haps like to Haman, through the cont•ry paſſion of hatred and revenge, who•Eſth. 5. 11, 12, 13. notwithſtanding t•Glory of his Riches, and the multitude of•Children, and all his Honour, yet all•availed him nothing, ſaid he, ſo long as•could not be ſatisfied in his revenge up•Mordecai; one paſſion unſatisfied, w•put the whole man out of order.
Fourthly, Thou mayeſt expect m•comfort in thine own Wife, than in a•other, Eccleſ. 9. 9. God hath comm•ded thee to live joyfully with the Wife wh•thou loveſt, (or ſhouldeſt love,) all•days of thy life. God gave her to thee•a Comfort, and there is nothing to h•der but that her love may be ſweet a•comfortable unto thee, and anſwer•end of Marriage, for the mutual he•ſociety and comfort, that each ought•have of other in Proſperity and Adve•ty. But an Adulterous love, is ▪ ſo•from having God•bleſſing to theſe en•87that it hath ſuch evils attending it, as do embitter the ſweet of it with an accuſing Conſcience, and the ſenſe of Sin in ſo doing, and that the end of it will be ſad and diſmal, with the fear of diſcovery, and the ſecrecy that is ſought out, and opportunity to Sin, which is hard to be found without ſuſpition; the long abſence and Baniſhment from each others company,•inning only by ſtealth, with the ſhame•hat follows ſuch Lewdneſs when it is•ound out. And what though ſhe be more beautiful, was not your own Wife•ovely in your eyes when you Married? And ſhould ſhe not ſtill be precious in thy•ight, and her love content thee? Further, Beauty is either in a fair Complexion,•andſome Features and ſhape of the body;•heſe are only pleaſing to the eye, and are•ot at all concerned in the Act of Whore•om or Adultery, which doth not eye•he beauty of the perſon, nor can enjoy•hat; nor hath its pleaſures increaſed•ore or leſs, according to the proporti•n of Beauty in the perſon; and conſe•uently, if the beauty of a perſon be an•gument to look, yet not to Luſt, or•ulterate with the perſon; where beauty•oth not reach, nor contribute to the•eaſure of any of thoſe Acts, which may88 be greater in thoſe that are void of beauty, and are not ſo common to the Luſts of men, as your corrupted beauties are of all the moſt ſought unto, and conſequently the moſt common. Beſides, that it cannot be ſo ſafe for any man to company with them as with his own Wife, if ſhe be honeſt and true to him, which cannot be expected of the other ſort of Creatures, but that they ſhould ſerve for others as well as himſelf, if not for all comers, with whom they make any gain and advantage by their Sin, by which means of their commonneſs, they as commonly come to be infected. I ſhal•leave a better example of three famou•Beauties, for others to admire, in thei•care to preſerve their Chaſtity, Domnin•the Mother, Bernice and Proſdoce th•Daughters, in whoſe commendation St•Chryſoſtom made an Oration on purpoſ•Hom. 5. 1. de S. S. Domn. Bern. Proſ•Tom. 1. p. 557. They, eminent for the•beauty, and features of their bodies, wer•ſought for as a prey to Luſt, under th•Diocleſian Perſecution, and fled for it, b•being found out by the Soldiers ſent t•ſearch for them, begged leave to ſtep•little out of the Road for ſome priva•occaſions, and then drowned themſelve•pariſhing in the Waters.
89Another prevailing Temptation and Inducement to the Commiſſion of this Sin, is the hope of Secrecy. The eye of the Adulterer waiteth for the twilight, ſaying, no eye ſhall ſee me; and diſguiſeth his face. And therefore this Sin, like the Works of darkneſs, flees the Light, and ſeeks for the moſt ſecre•Chambers and places of retirement to hide it ſelf, and is very ſhy of all ſuch places or perſons as may diſcover it.
To which I Anſwer, Firſt, That this Sin often leaves ſuch marks in the Countenance as diſcover it; the hollowneſs of the eyes more than ordinary, and more pale look than at other times, a great ſhyneſs of coming into preſence, and ſome fear and timorouſneſs after the Commiſſi•n of this Sin, leſt it ſhould be diſcove•ed; or ſometimes by the gifts or preſents made upon ſuch account, as Judahs Sin with Tamar, Gen. 38. 18, 35. By his ſignet,•racelets, and his Staff. Next, perſons can•ot long practiſe this Wickedneſs, but the Neighbours, Children, or Servants of one•r both the perſons, will ſhrewdly ſuſpect•hem, and their over familiar converſe and•elight in one anothers Company, and the•ove which they bear to each other, will•iſcover it ſelf in Company, and their•aunts many times are found out, and their
reſort to this or that place of ſecrecy.
Thirdly, Thoſe who are addicted to this Vice, in their variety are like to meet with thoſe of both ſorts, Sound and unſound, and to get a ſpice of an ill Diſtemper, and that will diſcover the Wife to her Husband, or Husband to the Wife, and ſometimes to all the Neighbours, and they become contemptible upon that account to all that know them.
Fourthly, Though Married Women have got (as the Proverb ſaith,) a Cloak for their ſin, yet you know the Fruits of this Sin diſcover themſelves in thoſe Women that are corrupted before Marriage, and their ſhame comes to light. The Tokens of Virginity were to be ſought in the New-Marri•d Woman, as Deut. 22. 17.
Fifthly, The Providence of God worketh for the diſcovery of this wickedneſs very often remarkably: He ſo diſquiets the Conſcience of ſome of the perſons, that they can have no peace untill they diſcover it: if ever they come to any ſenſe of, and Repentance for the Sin, they muſt confeſs their offence and ask forgiveneſs, eſpecially if it can be done prudentially ▪ without an open publiſhing of their ſhame ▪
How often doth the man in Drink, bla•out and diſcover his ſhame, though no•91without the hand of God in it? Or how often doth the Child prove the very Picture of the Lover, and diſcover it, ſo that people read Adultery in the Face of it, and can diſcern the true Father of it! Or when people come to dye, then〈◊〉leaſt, the Conſcience finds the weight of Adultery lye heavy upon it; and thoſe that are under ſuſpition of it, the Miniſter, according to our duty, may put it to them, that if they find their Conſciences troubled with any weighty matter, (as it is in the Viſitation of the Sick,) to make ſpecial confeſſion of their Sin, and not to go out of the World, with ſuch a guilt upon their Souls unrepented of.
Sixthly, If they ſhould hide it from Man at the time of acting this Sin, yet ſhall not God ſee it. I have read of a Woman, who being very importunate with one of the Fathers, (Paphnutius,) to corrupt him, he at laſt yielded to her, provided ſhe could contrive it ſo, as to be ſure none ſhould ſee them; and when ſhe had led him up into the moſt ſecret Chamber, ſhe thought ſhe had done the condition: But, ſaith he, are you ſure that there is no one preſent? or to that effect; doth no•God ſee us? If we ſin, will it not be in his preſence? And upon the ſenſe of being under92 Gods ſight and preſence urged home by him, ſhe was ſo effectually convinced, that ſhe fetched a deep Groan, her eyes run down with tears, ſhe fell down upon her Knees, deteſting her wicked Life, and••ntinued for her life-time praying, Thou that madeſt me, have mercy upon me. Conſider, thou that art afraid to commit Adultery in the Market-place, or in the preſence of thy Husband, how art thou not afraid to ſin in the preſence of that God, who is of purer eyes than to behold Iniquity? If men ſee thee, thou wouldeſt be aſhamed, but God ſees thee, and his Eye is upon thee, who beholdeth ungodlineſs, and wrong to requite it, and recompenſe the ſinner according to his ways: He ſeeth in ſecret, into the ſecrets of thy heart, and intentions of Adultery, and into thy ſecret Chambers. Pſal. 139. ſets forth Gods allſeeing eye, and Omnipreſence. And you know God hath appointed a day in which he will Judge the World; and as Eccleſ. 12. 14. God ſhall bring every work into Judgment, with every ſecret thing. Matth. 4. 22. There is nothing hid which ſhall not be manifeſted, neither any thing kept ſecret but that it ſhall come abroad.
Again, laſtly, Some are emboldned to ſin with the hopes of Repentance; they ſay93 it is but repenting and all is well; and though now their youthful blood runs hot in their Veins, yet when the heat of youth is over, or when they are out of their Time, ſaith this or that Apprentice, and when they light of a good Match, they will Marry and live honeſtly.
I Anſwer, I could heartily wiſh that you would repent at any time, but I muſt tell you, you are not ſure of repenting at all unleſs you do it now. There are thouſands in Hell who meant to repent before they dyed, but they preſumed that they were yet young enough, and might have time to repent hereafter, and ſo ſinned on untill they were either hardened in their ſin, and had no will to repent; or put it off ſo long until Death came upon them in their unpardoned and unrepented ſins, and dying in their ſins they periſhed everlaſtingly: And tell me, would it not be ſad to put off Repentance ſo long?
Secondly, Thy reſolving to Repent ſo many years hence, is but a purpoſing to ſin in the mean while; and that muſt be a ſin of knowledge, againſt checks of Conſcience, telling thee that thou oughteſt to repent at preſent; and ſinning deliberately too, conſidering thy danger and the hazard thou runneſt in not repenting94 at preſent; and a ſinning wilfully too, thou wilt have thy ſin at preſent whatever comes of it: and all theſe amount to a great meaſure of guilt.
Thirdly, This ſin leaves little place for Repentance: Firſt ▪ Acts of Whoredom and Adultery do not uſe to go ſingly, but to multiply in their kind. When hath it been known that ſuch Perſons have ſtopt at the firſt act, and ſinned no more, eſpecially if they have opportunity for more? And you know that this ſin it ſelf is great and deadly, (as St. James, 3. 8. uſeth that word, and our Church, From Fornication and all other deadly ſin, good Lord deliver us.) If one ſingle act of Fornication be ſuch an hainous ſin, much more will repeated acts of the ſame ſin harden men in ſin paſt all recovery. Beſides, the pleaſure of this Sin is of ſuch a b•witching nature, that the firſt ſin leads on to a ſecond, the ſecond to a third, falling further and further ſtill; as through the pleaſure (for ſtolen waters are ſweet,) ſo partly through the love the parties bear to each other; ſo that if they come into one anothers compa•y, their Affections diſcover themſelves, and they would fain have opportunity to ſin again: Nay, this Sin begets ſuch a love in the Adulterous Perſons, that an Husband or a Wife muſt95 be left, if not (as ſometimes it falls out) murthered, that they may be the more free and undiſturbed in the enjoyment of each other. Upon which accounts, and becauſe this Sin exceedingly griev••the Pure and Holy Spirit of God, that proves true by common experience, which we find in Prov. 2. 18, 19. of the ſtrange Woman, which forſaketh the Guide of her youth, and forgetteth the Covenant of her God, — for her houſe inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead, yea, and to the damned: None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life: Scarce any that go to her return, or repent unto Life and Salvation, as thoſe words import. Think of this place of Scripture when you are tempted by a lewd Woman; think of it ſeriouſly, and repeat it inwardly in your minds, and if there be opportunity ſpeak it openly in•he hearing of others, and you will find the thoughts of Repentance afterwards, and the temptation to ſin upon that account, vaniſh.
Laſtly, Few can follow this Sin but•hat they will be tainted with ſuch a Di•temper as will engage and oblige them to•in on, and give it to others, that ſo (as•he common ſpeech goes) they may find•ome caſe and cure to th•mſelves, (ſuch96 as ſin upon that account, ſhould remember that they may come off with the worſt, and encreaſe their diſtemper by ſinning with ſome; this hath been found true) though ſuch a〈◊〉deeply infected, if they neglect a timely cure, will be put under a neceſſity of ruining Soul or Body; of ruining the Body if they forbear ſinning, and that ruine to the Body by ſuch a loathſome diſtemper as makes them dread the thoughts of it, and rather to perſiſt in the Sin, and compleat the ruine and damnation of the Soul, which they looked upon in a manner as ruined, or half ruined before. And indeed, by ſinning to Fornication or Adultery, the Soul is fair for ruine; yet (with Clemens Alexandrinus, whoſe error mentioned in Mr. Sympſons Hiſtory of the Church,) Poſſibly God may grant to them that have ſinned〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but if we ſin oftner than once or twice, there is no more renewing by Repentance, or pardon for ſin, but a fearful expectation of Judgment. Though Gods Mercy, which is Infinite, and can abundantly pardon, muſt not be limited as if he could not, nor would not pardon thoſe that have repeated and multiplyed their acts of ſin, if they repent; and becauſe Gods Grace is freely97 given, (as an Infinite Being muſt needs be free in his Operations,) therefore ſuch Sinners are not utterly to be excluded all hope of Repentance; yet being under ſuch miſerable circumſtances of ruining Soul or Body, (whatever hope there might be of their Repentance otherwiſe) this is like to hold them faſt in their ſins, until they have ſinned away their day of Grace, and are forſaken utterly.
Thirdly, If ever you ſhould repent, (which I muſt acknowledge a poſſibility) yet you had better never ſin than repent after ſinning: For beſides the defilement of the Soul, and Guilt thereby, you will pay dear for ſinning, if ever you repent, you will ſmart for it even in this World; if you ſin, be ſure your ſin will find you out. And ſurely if you have but any true love to your ſelves, that principle of ſelf-love ſhould avail ſomewhat for prevention of•heſe ſins, and you would reſolve the ſame as Demoſthenes did with reſpect to the Har•ot of Corinth, that famous or infamous Lais, who required ſo great a price for•he uſe of her Body, that ſeveral Gentlemen refuſed to company with her, and•he Orator Demoſthenes ſaid, He would not•uy repentance at ſo dear a rate. Let David•e an example to you in that kind,98 2 Sam. 12. 11. Thus ſaith the Lord, Behold I will raiſe up evil againſt thee out of thine own houſe; and I will take thy Wives before thine eyes, and give them to thy Neighbour, and he ſhall lie with thy Wives in the ſight of the Sun; and this puniſhment for his Adultery with Bathſheba the wife of Ʋriah: And•oth Verſ. Now therefore the Sword ſhall never depart from thine houſe, becauſe thou haſt ſlain Ʋriah the Hit•ite with the Sword. But you know that was but to cover his Adultery with the Wife, or that he might take her to Wife; ſo that Adultery was the Mother Sin, and Murther the Daughter of that, and conſequently all the puniſhment of them both muſt be charged on his Adultery. Read but the 38th Pſalm, 2. 3, 4, 5. and ſo on. Thine Arrows have ſtuck faſt in me; thine hand preſſeth me ſore: There is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, becauſe of thine anger; neither is there any reſt in my bones becauſe of my ſin: I go mourning all the day long: — I have roared by reaſon of the diſquietneſs of my heart; — my heart panteth, my ſtrength faileth me. Pſal. 102. 3. My days are conſumed like ſmoak, and my bones are burnt as an hearth: My heart is ſmitten and withered like Graſs, by reaſon of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin: I am like a Pelican of the Wilderneſs, like an99 Owl of the deſert: I have eaten aſhes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, becauſe of thine indignation and thy wrath, &c. Now you ſee how dear this ſin coſt David; ſo that you have little encouragement to ſin from David's Repentance after ſin, if you conſider all his ſorrow in his Repentance.
But becauſe I would not hinder, but help forward ſo good a Work as Repentance is, beſides what hath been ſaid already, conſider further, That there are ſome Examples of Penitents in this kind, of Repentance, in 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8. For Lot's Inceſt, Gen. 19. 31. Father Abraham, who had promiſed to him, that his ſeed ſhould be as the Stars of Heaven for number and multitude, Gen. 15. 5. and in Gen. 12. 3. That in him (when he was married at that time to Sarah, as v. 5.) ſhould all the Families of•he Earth be bleſſed, yet he goeth in unto Hagar his Handmaid, becauſe that God deferred the fulfilling of his Promiſe, and•e had then no iſſue by Sarah, yet it is certain that he repented; and ſo we•hink of Jacob with his two Wives, and•heir Handmaids, that he offended herein; David, and Solomon eſpecially by his many Wives and Concubines that drew away his•eart after their Idols; yet theſe repented100 in general to be ſure of theſe ſins; an•we have reaſon to think that God ſhewe•them ſomewhat of ſin in theſe things, an•brought them to a particular Repentance To be ſure, the Lord did not hold the•ſinleſs, guiltleſs in ſo doing; for in Ma•lachi, a Prophet of the Old Teſtament ch. 2. 14. eſpecially 15. verſ. The Lord hat•been witneſs between thee and the Wife of th•Youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherouſly. And did he not make one? wherefor•one? that he might ſeek a godly ſeed: Therefore take heed to your Spirit, and let none deal treacherouſly againſt the Wife o•his Youth.
Again, In the New Teſtament we find ſome encouragement to repent, when it is ſaid of Publicans and Harlots, that they enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, (which I am ſure they can never do without Repentance) before you; (that is the ſelf ▪ righteous, ſelf juſtifying Phariſees) they would ſooner repent. I have read in Mr. Mead's Almost a Chriſtian, about Gifts, (Anno 1523.) That Speiſerus, a famous Miniſter in Germany, preached fo powerfully, that many Harlots were Converted by his Miniſtry, but he himſelf fell off in time of tryal to the Papiſts: Mary Magdalen is ſuppoſed to have been ſuch an one, out101 of whom it is ſaid, Chriſt caſt out ſeven De•ls. Luke 8. 2.
And after the Exhortation to Mortifica•on of Uncleanneſs, in the 7th. ver. of this Coloſſ. In the which ye walked ſometime, when lived in them: though they were become•enitents, yet time was, that they lived•the Fleſh. And we have an Example•f the Inceſtuous Corinthian, 1 Cor. 5. 1. •ecome a Penitent, in the 2 Cor. 2. 6, 7, 8. •Forgive him, and Comfort him, and con•m their Love towards him. 1 Cor. 6. 9. •either Fornicatours, nor Idolaters, nor A•ulterers, nor effeminate, nor Abuſers of•emſelves with Mankind, ſhall Inherit•e Kingdom of God: Continuing ſuch means. But in the 11th. ver. And ſuch•ere ſome of you; but ye are Waſhed,•ut ye are Sanctifyed, but ye are Juſtifyed•the Name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the•pirit of our God. So that you ſee they•epented, though I muſt acknowledge too•hat they had greater Advantage, and•ere fairer for Repentance at the firſt•ublication of the Goſpel, than thoſe that•ave long enjoyed it, and turned the Grace•f God into wantonneſs; yet it is certain,•ere is great Encouragement to repent•rom hence. It is thought moſt of the•orinthians were infected with this wickedneſs,102 becauſe the City was infamou•(even to a Proverb) upon this account•〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉ſignifying Scortari, to be Laſci•vious, Lecherous, or commit Fornication•
That you may improve this place o•Sripture, repeat it often in your mind, an•pray it over, earneſtly begging of Go•that you may be found in the number, tha•you may be waſhed, you may be ſanctify•ed, you may be juſtifyed; and mentio•before him, that the Lord is gracious, for giving Iniquity, Tranſgreſſion and Sin•who pardoned the Sinners above-mentioned, and who is the ſame Lord, an•changeth not, and can give Repentance to ſuch a vile Creature as you have mad•your ſelf by Sin. O reſt not, be not ſatisfied without it, ply it hard at the Thron•of Grace, continuing inſtant in Prayer•and take no denial from God, and tho•wilt ſpeed in great likelihood.
3. The Remedy of Gods appointmen•is to Marry, and live honeſtly. It is not to be denyed, but that ſeveral have been reclaimed by this means, and never returned again unto folly. And herein let them be ſure to make choice of ſuch a Wife, o•ſuch an Husband, as they can heartily love ▪ above any other, that ſo the paſſionate (o•at leaſt real and moſt unfeigned) love103 which they bear to their own Wives and•usbands, may engage them the more•werfully againſt their former Courſes,•d forſaking all others (as in the Office•Matrimony) the Man to keep only to•Wife, and the Wife only to her Hus•nd, ſo long as they both ſhall live. We•nnot find in our hearts to wrong the•rſons that we dearly love: And if a•ife be beloved according to that near•s and Relation which ſhe hath by Mar•ge, her love will ſo rule and overrule•others, that the Heart of her Husband•ll not depart from her: As King Charles•1ſt. in his laſt words ſent from him to•Queen, bid them tell her, That his•ughts had never ſtrayed from her. And•s could proceed from no other princi•, but that conjugal love which he bear•er in the fear of God.
The Ancient Church was too inclina•to offend againſt Marriage, by binding•ple over-much from it, tying them up•ſtrictly to a ſingle Life; which in•d in thoſe times of the Heatheniſh and•ian Perſecution, was highly convenient,•all had not the Gift of Continency. •ur Church ſets forth very excellently•Cauſes for which Matrimony was Or•ed.
104Firſt, It was Ordained for the Procrea•on of Children, to be brought up in the fe•and nurture of the Lord, and to the pra•of his holy Name. And this is the gr•end of Marriage, that which both G•and Nature deſigned in it, the propo•tion of Mankind, that human Soci•might not fail; as Juſtin Martyr, Apol. 2•71. and Athenagoras, Apolog. pro Christi•p. 37. Either (ſaith he) we Marry not at•but keep our ſelves always continent; or if do Marry, it is for no other end, but the bri•ing forth, and the bringing up of Child•Whoever among us takes a Wife, accordin•the Laws preſcribed us, he reckons he do•only for the begetting of Children, within t•his deſires are bound and limited; as the H•bandman concerns himſelf no further in Ti•his Ground, and Sowing of his Corn, tha•bring forth the Crop at Harveſt. Henc•was, that they ſeldom Marryed more t•once, (as Minutius Foelix ſpeaks, p. 26.) that merely out of a deſire of Child•
The Second end of Marriage was f•Remedy againſt Sin, and to avoid Fornica•that ſuch perſons as have not the Gif•Continency, might Marry, and keep th•ſelves undefiled Members of Chriſts B•marry even to a Second Marriage, ſaith mens Alexandrinus, as more moderate105 Orthodox in his Judgment, Stromat. lib. 3. 428. And indeed, not only to a ſecond•arriage; for it may ſo happen, that a•an or Woman may be left young, or of•iddle Age, after the death of the ſecond•third Husband or Wife, and may have•ed to Marry; and therefore Marriage•uſt not be confined for number to the ſe•nd or the third, but repeated as often•there is occaſion for it, for this world or•the other.
There may be an abundance of Laſcivi•ſneſs in a marryed Eſtate, and dalliance•th their Luſts to ſuch a Degree, that Sa•may Tempt them for their Incontinency, in 1 Cor. 7. 5. and that which is intended•God and Nature as a Remedy of For•ation, and other Sins forbidden in the•. Commandment, by this means doth•her heighten the Diſeaſe, and becomes•re like Oyl to encreaſe, than Water to•ench the flame. And therefore our•urch had great need to give that Cau•n concerning Marriage, That it is to be•ertaken Reverently, in the Fear of God,•lightly, wantonly, to ſatisfie Mens Carnal•ſts, like brute Beaſts, that have no under•ding. And St. Paul tells us juſt before,•ſ. 5th. of Faſting, i.e. for Mortification their Luſts, and Prayer withal, as uſeful,106 if not needful ſometimes in the M•ryed Eſtate. If perſons find themſel•notwithſtanding Marriage tempted to•dultery and unlawful pleaſure, the D•eaſe encreaſed, and themſelves to be ha•ted with their evil Luſts more than f•merly, it is a ſign that they have not u•the remedy aright, not in the fear of G•with that due Modeſty, Sobriety, Chaſti•which Morality and Religion require•them as reaſonable Creatures, and as C•ſtians. And here I find Mr. Steel, in the S•plement to the Morning Lectures, ſpe•ing excellently to this purpoſe, p. 2•ſecond Edit. A Man may be a wicked Dr•kard with his own drink, and a wretched B•in his own Marriage-Bed, and that an int•perate Man in Wedlock, differs little from Adulterer. And to this purpoſe, the•man Oratour Cicero, de Senect. That in Predominancy of ſenſual Pleaſure,•can have no Commerce with Vertue: Voluptas Regno nullum omnino cum Vir•Commercium. Directions alſo muſt be•ven, or ſome helps to them who have S•ned after Marriage, that they may com•Repentance.
Conſider, That ſome of thoſe Penit•mentioned before, for your Encoura•ment to Repent, were ſuch as had ſin•107•er Marriage, and againſt Marriage. A•ham with Hagar, Jacob with his two•ives and their Handmaids, David in his•ultery, and Solomon with his many Wives•Strangers, forbidden Nations; and•ſe in the Corinthians not only Fornica•rs, but Adulterers, that were waſhed•cleanſed from their Sin, Sanctified and•ſtified; and for ought we know to the•ntrary, ſome of thoſe mentioned, Epheſ. •1. You hath he quickned (with a Spirit of•e from God) or Sanctified, who were dead Treſpaſſes and Sins: Wherein in time paſt ye•lked, according to the courſe of this World,•. Verſ. 3. In the Luſt of the Fleſh, ful•ng the deſires of the Fleſh: The Lusts of•ſh in general here ſpoken of, whether•rnication, Adultery, or any other Acts•Naughtineſs. And in Titus 3. 3. For•our ſelves alſo were ſometimes Diſobedient,•ving divers Luſts and Pleaſures,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉•the Greek, the Luſts of Concupiſcence, as•l. 8. 4. and ſo may comprehend Sinners•this ſort among the reſt.
Second Direction for the Marryed: Let•Guilty offending pa〈…〉Acknowledge•e Wrong done, be it the Husband or the•ife, and ask Forgiveneſs according to•at, Luke〈◊〉If thy Brother Treſpaſs,•. and turn again unto thee, ſaying, I repent,109 forgive him; though it be ſeven times in day; upon ſerious profeſſion of Repe•tance, he is to be forgiven; and this is•quired in order to obtain forgiveneſs fro•God. This to be done only in gene•words, if the Husband or Wife•doubtful in point of Secrecy, whether•or ſhe will publiſh your ſhame, a particul•Confeſſion of the wrong done againſt t•Marriage-Covenant ceaſeth to be a Du•then, unleſs it be at the hour of Deat•for then none ought to go out of t•World with ſuch a Guilt upon their Co•ſcience, and not confeſs it and the Tr•paſs.
Third Help to Repentance: App•your ſelf to the Perſon, or chief Perſo•with whom you have Sinned, teſtifyi•your Repentance to them, and Exhorti•them to Repentance. And if you be y•weak in your Repentance and Reſolutio•do not truſt your ſelf alone, leaſt t•Temptation ſtir and prevail in your p•vacy, but write your mind, (which m•be more fully delivered in writing, th•by word of Mouth or Conference) or ta•a Serious perſon along with you, as a w•neſs of your chaſt Behaviour; and th•beſpeak your Fellow. Sinner, as that gre•example of a Penitent, the Lord Rocheſt•108did ſome of his Brethren in Iniquity. Re•mber all the Evil that you and I have been•ilty of together, and that before it be too•e; that you may come to the like Repentance,•ich by the Grace of God I have given me:•to this effect. You may intimate to them,•at you are going to give an Account, or•lled hence to Judgment, and as ever they•pe to find Mercy from the Lord, and to•pear before him with Comfort, ſo that•ey would break off their Sins by Repen•nce. How can any one hope for Mercy,•at dyeth in theſe Sins unrepented of? •d if it be true Repentance, it will uſe•good means for bringing others to Re•ntance, as well as bringing Guilt and•ndemnation upon them, by Sinning with•em.
Fourthly, Call in help from the Prayers•others, thy Miniſter if he be a diſcreet•d Religious Man, or any eminent Chri•an; and take all opportunities of pub•k Prayer, on the Week-days as well as•e Lords-day, that the Prayers there for•rdon of Sin, and power againſt Sin•ay be heard for thee, and the Prayers of•y Relation, thy Wife or Husband eſpe•ally, may more acceptably intercede, as•gainſt whom thou haſt offended.
The firſt Means for Mortification of our110 Luſt, is Abſtinence, that is, a more ſpari•Diet and Faſting, much commended a•practiſed upon this account by the Prim•tive Chriſtians, in the hotter Countries,•keep the Body under, as St. Paul ſpeaketh,•1 Cor. 9. 27. to tame the unrulineſs of t•Fleſh, and bring it in ſubjection to t•Spirit: And Origen contra Celſum, lib. •p. 264. We in all our Abſtinences do•only to keep under the Body, and•bring it into ſubjection, endeavouring•mortifie the deeds of the Body, to e•pel and to extinguiſh our Members whi•are upon Earth, Fornication, Unclea•neſs, inordinate Affection, and eve•evil Concupiſcence and Deſire.Sin•the Holy Ghoſt recommends it in t•Word of God, (1 Cor. 7. 5. That ye m•give your ſelves to Faſting;) I need not•aſhamed to mention it, though ſome ma•take occaſion to make it matter of ſpo•and paſtime: It is not a piece of Romiſh S•perſtition, not lying upon the cold groun•nor rolling your ſelves among the Thor•or among the Nettles, nor Whippin•and Scourgings until the Blood com•nor eating Fiſh in Lent, that will do t•work, to humble and ſubdue Mens Luſt I do confeſs the Abſtinence in Lent amo•the ancient Chriſtians (as that in uſe no•111among ſome Proteſtants) was to a good intent, as then the Summer drawing on when Mens Luſts ſtir moſt, and the Temptation is ſtrongeſt, to humble and afflict both Soul and Body for paſt ſins, and as a good Preventive of future, to lay up a ſtock of Prayers beforehand to help us in the time of need, and ſtrengthen us in the•our of Temptation.
On the contrary, high gluttonous feed•ng is known to add fuel to this fire, to•ouriſh and cheriſh it: Jer. 5. 7, 8. When•fed them to the full, they then committed Adultery, and aſſembled themſelves by troops•n the Harlots houſes: They were as fed Hor•es in the morning, every one neighed after his•eighbours Wife. And fulneſs of Bread you•nd among the Sins of Sodom; that is not•o be underſtood of meer Plenty and Abun•ance, but the abuſe of theſe to Gluttony,•ampering their Bodies that they might•e ſtrong for their Luſts.
2d. Means for Mortification, or at leaſt•good Preventive and Preſervative from•s of this kind, is Sobriety or Temperance,•to Drink as well as our Meat, 1 Pet. 5. 8. •ſober, be vigilant, for your Adverſary the evil goeth about ſeeking whom he may devour,•make his Prey; intimating to us, that we be not ſober, (and ſober we are not112 like to be, unleſs we be watchful to keep•ſober company) the Devil is like to hav•an advantage againſt us: And indeed Drun•kenneſs makes a man fit for any wicked•neſs, or lays him open to all ſins that th•Devil or lewd Perſons tempt them to. •have read of a ſad Story, that one of th•Fathers of the Church had a Son, who i•his Act of Intemperance defiled his Siſte•murthered his Father or Mother who wou•have hindered it. Conſidering the Tem•tations and Opportunities that Men ha•of ſinning in publick houſes, many of whi•drive on a double Trade, and deſerve mo•the name of Brothel-houſes than Ale-houſe ▪ And thoſe that live by the ſins of the Pe•ple in one ſort, as Ale-houſes that ſe•not for lodging and entertaining Gueſ•Travellers, and the like, but to uph•Drunkenneſs, who matter not how m•People drink to exceſs, if they do•ſpend their Money largely, may very•be ſuppoſed to make little Conſcience other ſins, eſpecially ſuch as are thou to encreaſe their Trades, and bring cuſt•to the Houſe, as they reckon their na•ty Women do. Conſidering the ho•Oaths and Curſes, the Sabbaths profa•the great waſt of God's Creatures by ſot•neſs and intemperance, the many Wh•113doms and Adulteries, lying and cheating by falſe Reckonings, and abundance of all ſorts of Wickedneſs committed in ſuch Houſes, one might expect almoſt that every ſtroak of Thunder ſhould tear them down to the ground, or every flaſh of Lightning conſume them to Aſhes, or the Earth open her mouth, and ſwallow them up alive for their wickedneſs, but that there is a great day of Accounts, when all theſe things ſhall receive the recompenſe which is meet.
3dly. The keeping our ſelves employed in our honeſt Labour, or ſome good Calling, with due diligence therein, is a good preventive and preſervative againſt Satans Temptations in this ſort, and a means to weaken and enfeeble the ſtrength of Luſt, which is heightned by indulgence to the Body in eaſe and idleneſs. The poor Horſe•hat fares hard, and works hard all the Week long, is not neighing after others,•o game ſome as the Horſe that lives at eaſe,•nd in full Paſtures. Idleneſs was one of•he ſins of Sodom, as Ezek. 16. 49. Abun•ance of Idleneſs was in her, and in her Daugh•ers, and ſhe abounded in Lewdneſs, and is•nfamous for it. Idle Perſons you know are•ll for their Eaſe and Pleaſure, and the•ait and allurement to this ſin is the pleaſure114 of it. James 1. 14. you read, Then is a man tempted when he is drawn away of his own luſt and enticed: The word〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉ſignifies baited, as Men do bait for Fiſhes with ſomewhat alluring and pleaſing to the taſt of the ſilly Fiſh; ſo doth Luſt ba••and allure idle voluptuous Perſons wit•the pleaſure in it. This is the reaſo•why great Perſons are more addicted t•this Vice and Wickedneſs, becauſe the•living idly, and loving their Pleaſures, th•Devil as he finds them much at leiſure t•be tempted, and to hearken to his ſugge•ſtions, ſo he knows they look upon them ſelves as born for their Pleaſures, an•therefore he hath commonly more ſucce•with his Temptations of this ſort on ſ〈…〉as they are; whereas thoſe buſied abo•their honeſt Calling cannot ſo well tu•aſide and leave their employ to follow t•Works of the Devil, and be ſo ready•his beck to fulfil his pleaſure, they havi•other work to do, their minds muſt be•a great meaſure taken up with that, a•ſo have not that opportunity; beſides tha•they have not that plenty of Money•ſpend upon their Luſt, and are in Go•way, and in ſome meaſure in his protec•on, while they are about their law•works and worldly buſineſs; but Tem•tations115 come with doble the force to idle•ich Epicures. If perſons will not ſet themſelves to work ſome way or other about their worldly concerns, or the concerns of Religion, the Devil will be ſure to ſet them on work about that which is evil, God having made it the Duty of all religiouſly or uſefully to employ themſelves and their precious time, ſo as either God may be glorified, or the World benefited by them.
Another Means for the Mortification of our Luſts, or at leaſt a good Preventive and Preſervative from ſins of this kind, is•o have a due regard to Reſtraining Grace;•abour to ſee your need of it, and to live•n a ſenſe of your weakneſs, and in a con•inual dependance on God for his Grace;•or ſcarce any other means will take effect•ntil Perſons have learnt this leſſon. Igno•ance and Unbelief of Reſtraining-Grace,•r diſregard of it, hold People under•he power of this ſin, and cut off from•hem the means of their Recovery, and•hat power which ſhould reſcue them. They that think they have no need of God and his Grace to keep them back•om this kind of Wickedneſs, as if they•ould keep from it of themſelves, it is juſt•hat God ſhould leave them to ſome temptation116 from the Devil, or ſome alluring and enſnaring Beauty captivating them, or in ſome meaſure let looſe the Corruption of their Natures, that ſo they may find that by Temptation, or ſad experience in their own falls, which they might•and ought to have learnt from the Word, that they are weaklings in the ſpiritual warfare, and their ſtrength is not their own, that they ſtand not alone, of themſelves, but that it is God's hand that bears them up, and that the frailty of their Natures is ſuch, as without him they cannot but fall.
The Devil is much in Temptations o•this nature; thoſe that never diſcerne•the Devil tempting them, never wer•throughly convinced of their need o•Grace to reſtain him. The Devil is called an Ʋnclean Spirit not falſly, but becauſ•of his inſtigations to this ſin. The evi•dence from Hiſtory is too apparent to b•denied, or ſatisfactory at leaſt, that th•Devil hath taken up the dead Bodies of ſom•beautiful Women, and walked ſome wa•with them, and when luſtful Perſons hav•met them, and courted them, and lay•with them, in the morning when they a•wak'd they have ſound nothing but a dea•Corps by them: And the Devil, or D•vils117 (they being many indeed, but all conſpiring as one) are reported credibly enough in bodily ſhapes to have had carnal Knowledge of ſome Witches; it is not new to talk of Incubus and Succubus Spirits. There is never a Chriſtian upon Earth but the Devil deſires and labours all he can to corrupt him, many evil thoughts riſe up in your minds through his injections or ſuggeſtions, though he conceals himſelf, that you can but ſeldom diſcern him directly in the Temptation, and when the Temptation continues long, and you are followed with it, and haunted with theſe Luſts from day to day, 2 Sam. 13. 4. Amnons Caſe, that you wax lean, are ready to conſume or pine away by that means, then you may gather the Devil is in it, and ſets them on, and hopes by perſeverance and long continuance of the Temptation to prevail againſt you. When alſo the Temptation is very ſudden, and unthought of, and unexpected, and you are carried out to this or any other ſin with double the force that at other times, then he is in it that filled the Heart of Ananias, Acts. 5. 3. and that worketh mightily in the Children of Diſobedience, Eph. 2. 2.
As we have need of God's powerful reſtraint in reſpect of Satan, ſo in reſpect118 of the tempting Objects, and the corrupting Beauties, as Gen. 6. 2. When the Sons of God ſaw the Daughters of men, that they were fair, they took them Wives of all which they choſe: The Sons of God, that is, the holy Seed of Seth's race; the Daughters of men, of wicked men, of Cain's race, or ſuch as were common and proſtitute to men, as ſome think; the Sons of God were taken with their Beauty, when they ſaw that they were fair, then they choſe them, and took them for Wives, and were corrupted by them, as the 12th. v. God ſaw the Earth, and behold it was corrupt, for all fleſh had corrupted its way upon the earth. Tamar was a fair beautiful Woman, and therefore Amnon loved her, 2 Sam. 13.
Our indwelling-ſin is as ready to catch at a motion of Satan, Luſt within to be ſet on fire, as Tinder is to catch at a ſpark of fire lighting upon it, ſo vile and corrupt is the Nature of Man, and exceeding prone to this evil, yea carrying us out to work all Ʋncleanneſs with greedineſs, Epheſ. 4. 19. And our Bleſſed Saviour tells us, From within, out of the Hearts of men proceed evil thoughts, Fornications, Adulteries. Swarms of evil thoughts are naturally in our Hearts. Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth ſpeaketh its corrupt119 things, the Eye looketh on a Woman to luſt after her, and the Ear attends ſuch rotten and filthy Communication, and the whole Man acts. It is the evil within that brings forth the Fornications and Adulteries, even all ſorts of naughtineſs; therefore there is an abſolute need of God's Grace to ſuppreſs the evil of our Hearts; and great need have we to Pray, Lead us not into Temptation; for no Temptation of this ſort, whether from without or from within, but what is common to Men, Saints as well as Sinners, their Nature is unclean and full of evil luſtings, but only the Holy Spirit that abideth with and in the Saints luſteth againſt the Fleſh, and ſtriveth to over-maſter and keep down its evil motions, ſo far at leaſt as to purifie their Hearts, and to keep them back from accuſtomed ſins of this ſort, and bring them to a diſlike and ſome hatred of theſe ſins in themſelves or others, and bring them to deep ſorrow and Repentance•f they fall into groſſer ſins of this kind.
And as you muſt labour to be throughly convinced of your need of Reſtraining Grace, ſo you muſt be heartily thankful for•t. When God hath for a long time reſtrained the corruption within, and the Temptations from without, and preſerved120 thee pure and chaſt, he expects Men ſhould give the Glory of it to his Grace, as that which freed and preſerved them from theſe Sins, and not take it to themſelves, as if by their own Power, Care and Wiſdom, uſe of their Reaſon, and Government over their paſſions, they had kept and preſerved themſelves. We are taught in Galat. 5. 23. that the Fruit of the Spirit is〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Temperance, Continence elſewhere, 1 Cor. 7. 5. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉rendred Incontinency. In our Homilies it is rendred Chastity; And the Author of the Whole Duty of Man, tells us, p. 135. Every Vertue is among the goods of Grace, and therefore do we pray for it, becauſe (as every good and every perfect Gift) it cometh from above, from the Father of Lights. As to our Power to mortifie our Luſts, or to keep us from being Corrupted by them, it is from God and our Wiſdom for the Government o•this paſſion, it is from God; and therefore we are taught where we ſhould have it; If any Man lack Wiſdom, let him ask of God, St James, Chap. 1. 5. And as to the uſe of our Reaſon to any good ends, it i•from God and his Grace: For the Devil•are reaſonable Creatures, as well as we nay, in a higher Capacity, but cannot improve their Reaſon to any good uſe, becauſe121 they are forſaken utterly. St. Auſtin (as I have read) brings in one ſpeaking, I have Sinned little, and yet love much. Who kept thee; who preſerved thee, ſaith he, but the God of all Grace? To whom thou oweſt even this, that thou haſt not Sinned much, not Sinned ſo much as others, who haſt the ſame corrupt Nature with others. Holy Mr. Bradford, when he had ſeen or heard of any other Chriſtians falling into any Scandalous Lewdneſs or Wickedneſs, uſed to ſay; There remains in my Nature, the Seed of the ſame Evil, if it were not reſtrained by Gods ſpecial Grace. And if we look with one eye upon our Sinful ſelves in the•orruption of our Natures, and with the•ther eye Gods Grace, it will teach us•he ſame Humility and Thankfulneſs. Is•here any young Man or Maid that God•ath kept from theſe Sins, and given them•ome meaſure of Purity, let them learn•is leſſon to be Thankful, elſe they will•rieve the Spirit of God, and provoke•im, not only to withhold further Grace,•ut to withdraw Grace given: 1 Theſſ. 5. 8. •e are commanded in every thing give•anks; and ſo Phil. 4. 6. In every thing by•ayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving, &c. •uch more for ſo great a Grace as this is,•hich is taken for Sanctification it ſelf in122 ſome places. Acts. 15. 9. Rom. 1. 21. ſaid of the Heathens, that when they knew God, they Glorified him not as God, neither were thankful. 24th. ver. Wherefore God alſo gave them up to Ʋncleanneſs, through the Luſts of their own Hearts. Thus God leaves the Unthankful to fall back, and to fall foully when they are wanting in obſervance of Gods Mercy and Grace in any reſpect. The Saints of God have ſound it ſo, that when God hath given them a conſiderable meaſure of ſome particular Grace, that they have been afterwards to ſeek for it, and almoſt as far from it as ever, and ſometimes there is no other Reaſon to be given for it, but their defect as to this thankfu•Acknowledgment of that particular Grace and not giving the praiſe of it to God, a•his Work. As 'tis not a Praying Frame o•Heart, without Prayer it ſelf, that is accepted with God, as James 4. 2. not th•deſires after good, without actuating them and u•tering them before the Lord, ſo 'ti•not a thankful frame of Heart: that i•not enough, without actual Thankſgiving for this or that particular Grac•Our M〈…〉i•s or Bleſſings are matter o•Thankſgiving, as much as our wants o•Petition, and our Sins of Confeſſion.
Another means for the Mortification•123our Luſts, or a good Prevention and Pre•ervative from theſe ſorts of Sins, is the Mortification of our Pride. If we ſearch out the cauſing Sin, why we are thus and thus Tempted by our Luſts, we ſhall often find Pride to be the cauſe, though not by any Moral efficency, as Covetouſneſs is of Niggardlineſs and Uncharitableneſs to the•oor, but Meritoriouſly, as one Sin provokes God by way of Puniſhment to leave us to another. And thus for our Omiſſions and neglect of good, we are juſtly left to fall into Sins of Commiſſion.
Thus Luſt, and a Temptation to ſome•aughtineſs, is often a Puniſhment for Pride, Pride of Beauty, Pride of Wit, Pride of Grace. Beauty is an outward Ornament, the Excellency of Gods Workmanſhip in our Bodies. But Pride defa•eth this, the Beauty even of Beauty it•elf, and its Lovelineſs in Gods Sight, and ſo provokes God to leave it to ſuch Sins as pollute and defile it, and make the Perſon loathſom and abominable with God. Further, Beauty, when it corrupts the Perſon with Pride, that Pride aims to let out it ſelf in all its Advantages, that it may appear Ami•ble in the eyes of Men, and allu•e, if not excite the Luſts of Men; and you know, Beauty is had in Admiration124 by the worſt and vileſt of Men, b•them eſpecially who have no command ove•their corrupt Affections; and they being once captivated by it, ſeek to corrupt th•perſon with the ſtrongeſt and moſt importunate Solicitations. But Pride not only lays the Beautiful perſon open to Temptations of this hind more than another ▪ but robs the Soul of Gods Protection, an•leaves it Spiritually Naked and Deſtitute and ſo weaker to withſtand the Temptation, than another: When Beauty hath need of a double meaſure of Grace, to preſerve its Innocency, and to reſiſt the Soli•iters to Sin. A Proud Beauty will more eaſily be corrupted by thoſe that are High and Honourable, and ſuch as ſhe looks upon to be above her, however ſhe may look down with Scorn and Contempt upon thoſe that are below her; and refuſe to Sin with them in point of Honour, though ſhe valueth not the diſhonouring God by her Sin: Uncleanneſs, or T•mptations to them, carry great ſhame along with them in the Eyes of the World; and therefore God makes uſe of them to humble the Proud. The Wiſe Man ſaith, Prov. 11. 2. When cometh Pride, then cometh Shame. And again, Pride goeth before a fall, Prov. 16. 18. Not only in Worldly125 Matters, but even Spiritually, when good Chriſtians ſhall at any time be lifted up, or•e in danger of ſwelling with the abundance of their goodneſs, and think more•ighly of themſelves than they ought to•hink, then God gives them up as he did St. Paul, to this Thorn in the Fleſh. So when Chriſtians ſhall begin to think themſelves•o good, and ſo holy, that they are above•uch filthy Sins and Abominations, or that•hey ought not to be Tempted to them,•r, as ſome Quakers, that they are pure•rom Sin, or ſo ſtrong, that they need not•ear any Temptation of this kind; and•reſuming on their Spiritual Strength,•row bold, and run themſelves into Temp•ations, they are in a ſoul way for ſome in of this ſort, and the next news they•ear, is, they are ſtrongly tempted, if not•vercome, to fall under the Temptation. •t is remarkable what we read of Dr. •ee the Famous Mathematician in Queen•lizabeths time, who aſpiring after things•oo high for him, prayed to God for an•xtraordinary Wiſdom, in effect, that God•ould make him wiſer than all the World•eſides: And ſo God left him to the Buf•tings or the Wiles rather, and Sn•res•f the Devil. The Devils appeared as•telligences or Angels fent from Heaven,126 to Reveal this extraordinary Wiſdom•the Philoſophers Stone, which ſhould tur•all into Gold: He purſued this Wiſdo•long in the way theſe Intelligences taugh•him, with whom he daily, or very ofte•Converſed; and a•laſt was brought to th•point, and promiſed it, but the condition of it was promiſcuous Concubitus between him and Kelly (who was Studen•under him in the ſame Art of Wiſdom•and their Wives. The grave Docto•(who had been with the Emperour o•Germany, and acquainted him with theſ•Intelligences, and that they would infor•him of extaordinary Wiſdom, and ha•Audience of the Emperour) failed here•point of Wiſdom, and was very eager t•perſwade the reſt, even God could di•penſe with Adultery, as with Cains an•Seths Marriage of their Siſters, Abraha•offering up his Son Iſaac: But great ſti•there was to perſwade Kelly unto it, an•therefore there was a Paper thrown in•mong them in a terrible manner, wit•threatnings againſt Kelley, if he did no•conſent to it, and that prevailed to ſuch abominable Folly and Wickedneſs. Yo•ſee here the Pride ending in Luſt, and a•little enough to humble the Pride of Ma•Uncleanneſs is ſuch a vie, baſe, Brutiſh Si•127that it muſt needs very much grieve, and•dly afflict a good Chriſtian to be Tempted•ſuch a Wickedneſs, that he ſhould not•above that, who thought himſelf ſo e•inent in Grace. When God would hum•e Chriſtians, and abaſe the Pride of Man,•en God lets Satan looſe to ſtir up the•rruptions of their Hearts (as Mr. •rkins, Dr. Gouge, Mr. Capel, and others•irm) and ſhews them what is in their Na•res, how vile and corrupt and abomina•e they are, and makes them to ſigh un•r the Burthen of their Corruption, and•ath themſelves for their polluted Na•res: This comes to paſs in that work of•d, wherein he would diſcover the hid•n evil of our Hearts (that the Heart is•l of evil, ſwarming with evil Thoughts,•rnications and Adulteries) to humble us•Gods intent, to grieve and to ſoil us in•tans ſifting and ſearching us, to ſee what•il he can find in us, and ſtir up, actuate,•d work upon. Chriſtians are moſt gene•ly ſubject to Spiritual Pride after their•ſt Converſion. And therefore St. Paul Ep. to Tim. 3. 6. Not a Novice, (ſpoken•a Biſhop) leaſt being lifted up with Pride,•fall into the Condemnation of the Devil. •hile they are but weak Chriſtians, and•e but a ſlender knowledge of Chriſt,128 and Grace, and the Truth of Gods Pro•dence, as the giver and dealer forth of•good, Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal•his Government of the World; and whi•the work of Humiliation doth not rea•their Hearts: The knowledge of the•things will certainly humble a good Ch•ſtian, and fill him with Grace: But Pri•moſt troubles Chriſtians in the days•their Ignorance and Emptineſs. Emp•Veſſels make the greateſt ſound. Th•have the beſt conceit of themſelves, w•have the leaſt, or but little Grace to d•cover their Corruptions. Now there is•way of removing the Temptation to Lu•until the cauſing Sin be removed: A•therefore that muſt be firſt found out, a•the force of our Prayers, and our Reſ•ance be ſet againſt it. In vain do we ſ•to be pure and Chaſt, while we contin•abominably proud: We may pray a•cry, and ſigh too, and ſtrive as it were•Heart Blood out, to get the maſtery o•our Luſt, and yet God not ſpeed us,•we not find any ſucceſs anſwerable to•Pains and Endeavours, becauſe we do•reſiſt aright, nor ſee the Original•Principal Evil: Even as a Phyſitian, if•miſtake, or diſcern not the cauſe of his•tients illneſs, his Medicines are like to ſ•129•d perhaps the Patient be as bad or worſe•an he was before: Or even as in a Be•eged Town, there is in ſeveral caſes a•lſe and true Attack made, and then your•eſiſtance will not ſecure the Town, un•ſs it be at the right place, where the•reat ſtreſs lies, and the main force of•e Beſiegers. Here then your work will•e to importune the Holy Spirit, that was•romiſed to Reprove or Convince the World•Sin, St. John 16. 8. that he would help•ou to find out the cauſing Sin. In ſuch•aſes, it may be for ſome Sin paſt, preſent,•r to come, or coming upon you, that you•re Tempted; the which Sin the Holy Spi•according to his Office will ſhew you, if•ou be willing to know the worſt of•our ſelf, and ſeek it.
Firſt, For ſome paſt Sin, as Job com•lains, Ch. 13. 26. Thou makeſt me to poſ•ſs the Sins of my Youth: And David cries•ut, O remember not againſt me the Offences•my Youth, Pſ. 25. 7. and Pſ. 79. 8. O re•ember not againſt us former Iniquities, or•r old Sins, as in the old Tranſlation. •nd it is a common Maxim in Divinity,•hat Sins before Converſion, or turning•nto God, are puniſhed after Converſion:•nd ſo our youthful luſts may be puniſh•d upon us many years afterwards, even130 when we hate them and loath them; y•through the Fury and Violence of Sata•Aſſaults and Inſtigations we may be haun•ed and peſtered with our luſts, and eve•wonder what is the matter with us; an•this is to humble us for thoſe former i•quities, by confeſſion of our ſins, and P•tition for Pardon. The guilt of paſt ſi•remains upon the Soul even after th•Power of them is ſubdued. Althoug•at a Mans Converſion, or the turning•his Heart unto God, or when the Wi•is determined for God, reſolved fo•Godlineſs, againſt the Riches, Honou•and Pleaſures of the World, ſo far•they cannot be gotten or kept witho•ſinning againſt God, all his ſins are ſo f•forgiven, that he is in a pardoned, j•ſtfied ſtate before God; yet the tempor•chaſtiſement and puniſhment is not forg•ven, (as is plain in the caſe of Davids p•niſhment for his M•rther and Ad•ltery and Micah 7. 9. I will bear the Indignati•of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned again•him, until he plead my cauſe, &c. And wh•I viſit, I will viſit their ſin upon them:) N•the Spiritual Puniſhment ſo wholly ſo•given, but that thoſe evil courſes whic•a Chriſtian was moſt addicted unto in h•days of ſin, while he was unconverte•131may ſtick by him afterwards, and that•cloſely that they may fetch tears from•is eyes, and ſigns from his heart, and•e the grief and hitterneſs of his Spirit,•nd make him cry out, Oh wretched man•at I am, who ſhall deliver me, &c. Yea he•ay be ready to faint under the Violence•f his temptation, and be full of doubts•nd fears, as if God had forgotten to be gra•ious, and ſhut up his loving kindneſs in diſ•leaſure, &c. Pſal. 77. 9. Yea others, who•ave ſeemed righteous, and as if they•ere returning unto God, when their paſt•s have returned upon them, and the••ght of Gods. Wrath for thoſe ſins lain envy upon their Spirits, have been beat•n off from the ways of God; and though•hey had as it were one foot in Heaven,•ave drawn that back; yea, ſom•have•een ſo far overcome of the Evil One,•s to have been ſwallowed up in deſpair,•nd concealing their guilt the Diſtemper•ath raged the more inwardly, until at•aſt they have made away themſelves. I•peak this as one that paſſed through this•ery trial, through the Lords goodneſs,•hen one and the other periſhed in it. •nd thu•it will be, and it muſt be, that•here the Sinner ſinneth moſt, and is•oſtdeep in guilt, that there his Humiliation132 muſt be the greater: And for t•very end it is that God ſuffers the tem•tation to return upon him, though a•nitent, and holds him long under•temptation, until he be ſufficiently a•effectually humbled, and ſmart for ſins, and find that it is an evil and bit•thing that he hath ſinned ſo much. •muſt be puniſhed either in this World, the other World; but for true Peniten•the future Puniſhment cannot reach the•There is no condemnation for them that are Christ Jeſus; therefore their ſins are grief and vexation to them; their p•and miſery, and puniſhment to them h•being chastened of the Lord both corpor•ly and ſpiritually, (by the terrours of Lord let in upon their Souls for ſin) •ſo they ſhould not be condemned with the wo•1 Cor. 11. 32.
Elſe in the ſecond Place, it is for ſo preſent ſin that we are tempted by•Luſts, either for our neglect of Pray•and ſo we grow weak, and want that ſ•ritual ſtrength againſt theſe ſins wh•we uſed to have, and our Luſts gr•ſtrong, and get ground upon us; or•our lewd Company, or high glutton•feeding, or ſpiritual Pride and Conſide•on our own ſtrength; or for diſrega•133•f Gods Word, when that is vile in our•yes, and ſlighted, God may then give us•p to ſome vile luſt; or for indulging our•aſe and idleneſs, or for Incontinency and•ſciviouſneſs in Marriage; or defiling,•olluting the Holy Sacrament, or the•ther Ordinances of God, by entertain•ng the fancies of Luſt, and contempla•ing them in the very time of Gods Worſhip.
Or Thirdly, It muſt be for prevention of•ome ſin to come: and thus our good God diſcovers to Chriſtians the corrup•ion and•ickedneſs of their Natures, as the Foun•ain-head of all their Luſts, for a greater Mortification of this Heart-wickedneſs, and deeper humiliation for it: And this will be the beſt means to prevent ſins for the future, even when the inner rooms of the Soul are ſwept und cleanſed from•in; for from within out of the hearts of men proceed evil Thoughts, Fornications, Adulteries. The more the Heart is purg•ed, the leſs will the life be corrupted.
That was partly preventive of evil, when St. Saul (2 Cor. 2. 7. ) was tempted (as he calls it) by a thorn in the fleſh, leaſt he ſhould be exalted above meaſure. God will make the beſt know how vile their Nature is, that they are Fleſh and Blood as well as134 other men, leaſt their exaltation in Gra•ſhould make them forget themſelves, a•their depravation by Nature: And po•bly, when we begin to grow more ſec•and careleſs, more ſlack or neglige•then ſome Luſt is let looſe to awaken us ▪
Another means for the Mortification our Luſts, or a good Preventive or P•ſervative from ſins of this ſort, is a d•care to flee all appearance of evil, not o•ſuch things as may corrupt Peoples Mi•and Manners, but whatever carries w•it b•t a ſuſpition of lightneſs and im•deſty; not only to ſhun ſuch ſpeeches a•actions, ſigns and ge•tures of the Bo•and manner of Apparel, as is tranſpar•and next to nakedneſs, with ſ•ch thi•as have an apparent wantonneſs and la•viouſneſs in them; but avoiding th•things which are commonly reputed ſ•Places and Perſons of ill Name, and thoſe things that may bring an ill rep•upon you, though poſſibly you may innocent, and in that reſpect it be un•ſervedly. A Man would not only h•his Wife be honeſt, but not to go in•Dreſs like to this or that Strumpet, t•ſhe may not ſo much as appear to be i•modeſt: And thus our Church is not•ly a pure Church, having the Goſpel140〈1 page duplicate〉141〈1 page duplicate〉130〈1 page duplicate〉131〈1 page duplicate〉132〈1 page duplicate〉133〈1 page duplicate〉134〈1 page duplicate〉134〈1 page duplicate〉135a Tranſlation uncorrupt, and the Ordinances of God, Prayer and Preaching, and the Sacraments in their Doctrinal Purity (though ut naevus in pulchro corpore, ſome blemiſh in her neglect of Diſcipline) but hath and muſt have a care not to come too near that ſhameleſs Strumpet of Rome, if it be in appearance only. The Doctrine of our Church againſt Tranſubſtantiation, and Declaration in the Rubrick after the Communion, ſufficiently clear us from ſymbolyzing with Idolaters, in kneeling at the Sacrament; and wearing the Surplice without conſecraring it, from Superſtitition and an Opinion of Holineſs of the Garment: And as to the ſign of the Croſs, ſome have wiſhed it were left at liberty, or the uſe of it forborn; if there be any appearance of evil in it unto the People, it appearing lawful to the Miniſter, he ſhould have his liberty allowed him by them, to adminiſter the Ordinance of Baptiſm belonging to him, and not to the People; and ſo it hath not the nature of ſcandal and offence as other things, if not endangering the People, or•rawing them to do the like, to whom it•ppeareth evil. But to return from this••greſſion, even as thoſe that go to the ut•oſt of what is lawful, may juſtly be140 carried a ſtep farther, and fall into ſomewhat that is ſinful; even ſo God may juſtly leave thoſe to fall into real evils, who go ſo far as to allow themſelves in known appearances of evil, under pretence that there is no hurt in them, and that they mean honeſtly: For People cannot diſcer•inwardly what is in your heart, but only judge outwardly according to what is viſible and appeareth. St. Cyprian, de Diſcip•& Habit. Virg. p. 167. juſtly chides, and that ſeverely, with ſome Virgins, for being preſent at Weddings, where the•laughed freely, could not but hear looſ•Diſcourſes, ſee uncomely Carriage•feed upon luxurious Diſhes, all whic•muſt not only kindle, but add fuel to th•Fire, and•ill the mind with undecer•thoughts and deſires. St. Hierom on th•other hand, does as much commen•ſome whom he knew, who always ke•at home on Feſtival days, to avoid th•crowd and gazes of the People, and woul•never go abroad at thoſe times, whe•they could not venture into the Public•without the greateſt care and cuſto•over themſelves. They were not willi•to come within the ſhadow of a temptat•on; ſuch was the cautiouſneſs of the Pr•mitive Chriſtians; they ſtood at a d•ſtance141 from whatever was offenſive either to their eyes or ears; their ears they ſtopt againſt all looſe idle Songs, all filthy and obſcene Diſcourſes; their eyes they ſhut againſt all uncomely Objects, all wanton and laſcivious Pictures. Clemens Alexandrinus expreſly tells us, Not doing any thing that ſeemed to carry an ill colour with it. The 30th Canon in the Laodicean Council, did forbid Chriſtian men to uſe the ſame common Baths with Women. St. Cyprian writing to Pomponius, charges him, that Men and Virgins ſhould not only not ſleep near one another, but not dwell together in the ſame houſe, (Religious Houſe for Eccleſiaſtical Perſons of whom he ſpeaks,) leaſt the infirmity of their Sex, and the ſlipperineſs of their Youth ſhould betray them into the Snare of the Devil. In the Councel of Nice, can. 3. ubi vid. Zonar. it was univerſally forbidden, and no Man within the Clergy was allowed to have any Woman near him, unleſs his Mother, his Siſter, or his Aunt, or ſuch only of whom there could be no ſuſpition. The Councel of Antioch, Anno 272. condemned this in Paulus Samoſatenus among•he reſt, that he and his Presbyters and Deacons kept theſe introduced Women,138 called〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whereby horrible inconveniences did ariſe; for beſides the Snare and Temptation of it, although they ſhould keep themſelves innocent, yet they could not avoid the ſuſpition and ſcandal that would ariſe, and the danger of drawing in others by their bad Example. So that it is not convenient for theſe to have ſuch a familiarity in their converſe, eſpecially not to be much together alone and in private; above all, no•any young or new-m•rried Woman wit•any other, though they may have a little o•Religion in them, yet we know not wha•may come of ſuch a familiarity, when the•carry Fleſh and Blood about them, an•having opportunity may be tempted an•fall under the temptation: We kno•the truſting Young Women in ſecret wit•the Prieſts of the Church of Rome, in o•der to their Confeſſions of ſin, hath bee•ſhrewdly ſuſpected of ſinning as well•confeſſing.
I ſhall here put in a word of Cautio•Be not forward to entertain ſuſpitions•others, and to believe ill of them in this kin•Whilſt Peoples naughty hearts (whi•are naturally too prone to it) receive a•give credit to ſuch reports of Whiſpere•〈◊〉open Slanderers, they often offend•gainſt139 Charity: for you know it hath been the great Policy of the Churches Enemies to ſlander the moſt Eminent Servants of God in this kind. The Primitive Chriſtians, as Minutius Foelix, p. 7, 8. That the Chriſtians knew one another by certain privy marks and ſigns, and were wont to be in love with, almoſt before they knew one another; that they exerciſed Luſt and Filthineſs under a pretence of Religion, promiſcuouſly calling themſelves Brothers and Siſters, that by the help of ſo ſacred a Name, their common Adulteries might become inceſtuous; that upon a ſolemn day they met together at a Feaſt with their Wives, Children, Siſters, Mothers; where after they begin to be warm and merry wit ▪ exceſs of Wine, Fleſh is thrown for the Dogs, who being tied to the Candleſticks, begin to leap and frisk about until they have run away with and put out the lights, and then in the dark, the fit cover for Impudence and Villany, they promiſcuouſly run amongſt one another into filthy and inceſtuous Embraces. One would ſcarce think it could enter into the Heart of Man to conceive ſuch abominable falſhood. Beſides, the Arians ſuborned a Woman who accuſed Athanaſius of Whoredom.136 or Adultery with her, but in the Councel Athanaſius ordered one Timotheus a Presbyter to ſpeak, he himſelf being ſilent: She pointing out to Timotheus, with clamours void of all modeſty, affirmed he had abuſed her, ſo that all preſent diſcovered the Forgery. The forged accuſations alſo ſealed with Oaths and Imprecations againſt Narciſſus Biſhop of Jeruſalem, in the third Century, and God's Judgments upon the three perjur'd wretches, are well known: and the Bleſſed Servants of God, Calvin and Luther ſlandered in Turner's Latine Epiſtles (an•Engliſh Apoſtate) for the moſt deteſtable Luſt among other abominable falſhoods, the Churches Enemies throwing dirt ſtoutly, that it may ſtick ſomewhere. And I have found it true by ſad experience. Charity obligeth not to ſuſpect the worſt of others, where you can prove none really and effectually; they may be more innocent than you imagine: it is a great wrong for a good Chriſtian upon any ſlight ſurmiſe from his looks, or for hearſay, the ſly reports, whiſpers and ſuggeſtions of his Enemies, to be cenſured, reported or reputed as naught, or for ſome ſmall appearance of evil, a pleaſant look, ſmiling Countenance, or unhandſome jeſt, &c.
137Another Means for the Mortification of our Luſts, or at leaſt a good Preventive and Preſervative from Sins of this ſort, is to abſtain from leud Company; as Pſal. 18. 26. With the Pure thou ſhalt ſhew thy ſelf pure. There is a Proverb among the Jews, Tell me with whom thou goest, and I will tell thee what thou doſt: And ſo in Prov. 22. 24, 25. Make no friendſhip with an angry Man, and with a furious man thou ſhalt not go, leaſt thou learn his ways, and get a ſnare to thy Soul: The like may be ſaid of every Sinner. And indeed we are not only apt to learn the ways of the wicked, but we grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by chooſing his known Enemies for our Aſſociates; by an intimate Fellowſhip with ſuch we loſe the Fellowſhip of the Spirit, and in time ſhall find our ſelves infected with their evil courſes, whoſe Company we ſo much delight in. Many a lewd Man hath corrupted his Companion, drawing him along with him to the impure and unchaſt embraces of an Harlot, and involved him in the ſame guilt and condemnation with himſelf. By the Company and Allurements of ill Women, how many hopefull young Men have been enſnared and captivated, and ruined Soul and Body for ever! This hath been the142 undoing of thouſands, and hath made them a grief to their Father, and a ſhame to her that bore them! Chriſtians are out of Gods way, and conſequently out of Gods Protection while they are in ſuch bad Company, fall they may, and that foully too. And many a Young Maiden, or Young Woman, more innocently minded, by the temptations and continued ſolicitations of lewd Perſons, whoſe Company they delighted in, have been robbed of Modeſty and Chaſtity at once: And when once they have tranſgreſs'd, they have thought there was no other way of ſaving their Credit, but by multiplying their Whoredoms in a promiſcuous Concubitus, whereby they think to hide their ſhame from the World, as if they had not ſinned; after the way of an Adulterous Woman, that wipeth her mouth, and ſaith I have done none ill. And thus it comes to paſs, that thoſe who at firſt had ſome modeſty in ſinning, and ſenſe of ſhame in ſo doing, and were fain, as it were, to offer Violence to their baſhfulneſs; yet in time come to grow bold in ſin, and from being tempted fall to tempting and ſoliciting others, and make a trade of ſin, ſinning their ſouls into deſparation or an utter hardneſs and impenitency of Heart.
143Improve all the Ordinances of God to this end, to the Mortification of your Luſts. I ſhall begin with Baptiſm. You know we are all born in ſin, polluted and unclean, as Job 25 ▪ 4. How can he be clean that is born of a Woman? Ch. 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? But Baptiſm is an Ordinance for waſhing and cleanſing us, Souls and Bodies, from this natural pollution and defilement by ſin. Chriſt is ſaid, Eph. 5. 26. to cleanſe his Church by the waſhing of Water, &c. that is, by Baptiſm; and the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt which cleanſeth from all ſin, St. John, 1 Ep. 7 verſ. latter part of the Verſe. As Water applyed to the Body, is of a clean•ſing nature to waſh away Spots and Stains, ſo the Blood of Chriſt ſignified by the Water in Baptiſm, this Blood of Chriſt in its ſpiritual and gracious Effects, is of great power and efficacy for cleanſing the Soul•rom Sin ▪ And if Naamans waſhing in Jor•dan becauſe it was Gods own Command, was bleſſed to the curing and cleanſing him from his Leproſie, how much more•hall the Blood of Chriſt, the eternal Son of God, (and as Zech. 13. 1. the Fountain open•d for ſin and uncleanneſs,) who through the•ternal Spirit offered himſelf without ſpot to God; I ſay this Blood of Chriſt, (through144 the Power of God working with it in his Ordinance,) purge our Hearts and Conſciences from dead works to ſerve the living God, Heb. 9. 14. and that Service out of a pure Heart: Then there is (as hath been ſhewed) a power in Baptiſm towards the waſhing away of ſin, and cleanſing the Soul from ſin.
1. To waſhing away the Guilt or Stain that Sin leaves behind it upon the Soul, even for a long time after the Commiſſion of it: Acts 2. 38. Repent, and be Baptize•every one of you in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt for the Remiſſion of ſins. Now whenſoever any true Penitent labours under the ſenſ•of his ſins paſt, and finds the guilt ly•heavy upon his Conſcience, or his pa•ſins returning upon him, though he be dil•gent in the uſe of the means of Grace, an•walk with God rather better than before let him know, it is a ſign that his paſt ſi•of this kind remain unpardoned; an•that there yet lacks that particular R•pentance and humiliation for thoſe ſin•(though ▪ they were committed a lon•time ago) and ſueing out Pardon throug•the Blood of Chriſt, and the Improvement of our Baptiſm to that•ffect, whic•is Gods Ordinance, for waſhing away of ſi•as Acts 22. 16. ſaid to Paul, Ariſe a•145be baptized, and waſh away thy ſins: Baptiſm ſignifying and ſealing the Pardon of their ſins to thoſe that truly repent. Every Ordinance of God hath a greater bleſſing working along with it than every thing that is not an Ordinance. Mr. Calvin excellently improves this Notion in his Inſtitutions, in the Part de Baptiſmo. S. 3. Quocunque Baptizemur tempore, nos ſemel in omnem vitam ablui & purgari. Itaque quoties lapſi fuerimus repetenda erit Baptiſmi memoria. Puritas enim Chriſti meo oblata eſt, jis tantam qui ſub peccatis ſuis fatigati & deſolati gemunt, ne in deſperationem ruant. To remember the waſhing away our ſins: Now the efficacy of Baptiſm is not to be tied only to Baptiſm, to keep us from deſpair for ſin in troubles of Conſcience, in the very inſtant of Baptiſm, but may be of force afterwards: At what time ſoever a Sinner repenteth of his ſins in general, and after of any ſin in particular, that he ſhould find his ſins done away through the Blood of Chriſt, and the comfortable ſenſe of Gods Mercy pardoning him, ſealed unto him in Baptiſm, conditionally upon his Repentance; Pardon being conjoyned with Repentance; as Acts 3. 19. Repent, that your ſins may be bloted out; with Luke 24. 47. 146So that the Blood of Chriſt, with Peac•and Pardon by it, is never applyed to an•in their ſin, but upon their Repentanc•and Purification from Sin.
And ſo as to the power in Baptiſm t•cleanſe from the filth of Sin: This may b•of ſome force and uſe afterwards, no•only monitory to us, that as we were waſhed in Baptiſm, which we know is an Ordinance for cleanſing from ſin, ſo w•ſhould keep our ſelves, Souls and Bodies pure and clean, and not return again wit•the Dog to his Vomit, or the Sow that i•waſhed to the wallowing in the mire; but tha•alſo afterwards, when we come to year•of Diſcretion, by Faith to lay hold o•the inward and ſpiritual Grace of Baptiſm, that we may then find our Soul•ſanctified and cleanſed by the waſhing o•Water, or the myſtical waſhing away o•Sin, of unclean to be made clean and pur•from the ſpots and filth of the Fleſh. This Improvement of Baptiſm is to be made eſpecially, in the Interim between Baptiſm and that Age that is fit for admiſſion to the Lords Supper: Thoſe tha•are troubled with youthful luſts, tha•they may find ſome Power from this Ordinance, (for certainly there is a power in every Ordinance,) and help againſt147 this ſin, a great Power and effectual that cleanſeth from natural pollution; and this is done in thoſe luſts that ſhall die after Baptiſm, in a ſtate of Salvation; and ſo clean and holy, who are born unclean. Becauſe that our natural inclinations are ſo ſtrong to this Sin, therefore it is that our lives are ſo much ſtained with it: And if Baptiſm doth cleanſe our Natures, (as when the inward Grace accompanies the outward Sign, it certainly doth) the efficacy of Baptiſm muſt needs be great, and the benefit of it being great, we muſt in all humility ſeek it of God, and in Faith expect it, and depend upon God for it.
Next Ordinance to be improved, is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; where we may get ſome help alſo againſt this ſin; againſt the guilt of this ſin, in that Chriſts Blood was ſhed for the Remiſſion of ſin, and ſo he is ſaid to bear our ſin on his own Body on the Tree, and Chriſt dyed for our ſins; the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſins of the world, St. John 1. 29. and putting away ſin by the ſacrifice of himſelf: Chriſts Death being conſidered in that Ordinance as an Atonement for Sin. Againſt the Power of Sin, you know the Sacrament is a ſtrengthning Ordinance,148 according to that, My Fleſh is Meat i•deed, and my Blood is Drink indeed; that i•Chriſts Body and Blood being receive•ſpiritually, the taking Chriſt in his Offices of Prophet, Prieſt, and King, is•real nouriſhment for our Souls, (ſpirit•al Beings requiring ſpiritual Food) •Meat and Drink is for our Bodies. Eating and drinking is for ſtrengthning th•Body; and ſo this ſpiritual food is hearty food, of good nouriſhment, of grea•ſtrength: I can do•ll things through Chriſ•ſtrengthning me, ſaith St. Paul, Philip. 4. 13 ▪ And in this Ordinance Chriſt ſtrengtheneth, here eſpecially. If our Luſts b•ſtrong and powerful, ſo be it they hav•not the Dominion over us; (for then w•are not fit for this Ordinance, if we com•with unmortified reigning luſts) lo her•is one that is ſtronger, and is able to bin•theſe luſts, to overmaſter them, and kee•them under in ſubjection: And thus ma•a Soul plead with God at this Ordinance or as the Leper, Mat. 8. 2. Lord, if tho•wilt, thou canst make me clean, and he ſaid, I wil•be thou clean. Lord ſpeak to my Soul tha•powerful word, and I ſhall be clean. Tho•that commandeſt the tempeſtuous Winds and they ceaſe, the troubled Sea and Water that caſt up mire and dirt, and they reſt149 command my unruly luſts, and they ſhall be ſtill, and not ſend forth their filthy and polluted imaginations, thoughts, words, or actions, to defile my Soul and Body: And as we receive Chriſts Body, (pure from Sin by an immaculate Converſion) that ſo our ſinful Souls and Bodies may be waſhed and made clean by his Body, as•t was given for our ſins, and through his moſt precious Blood, and our Bodies continue pure and undefiled Members of Chriſt, and not be made the Members of an Harlot. One thing too ſhould not be forgotten, that if you have formerly come to this Holy Sacrament with your Luſts, and ſo polluted this Ordinance, and defiled the Body and Blood of Chriſt, and made them vile by taking them into your•ile Bodies, unclean, loathſome and abominable, be ſure your Soul be humbled for that; and perhaps you will find your Luſts ſtir before the Sacrament, to put you in mind of it, and call you to this Humiliation for polluting former Sacraments, that nothing may remain to corrupt or hinder the efficacy of the preſent Sacrament. One thing more alſo, in Miniſters eſpecially, may provoke God to leave them to ſins or temptations of this kind, when they allow a mix'd Communion150 of the clean and the unclean, not only in the Church, but in this Ordinance•A corruption and depravation (in the ſcandalous neglect of Diſcipline at preſent which the Holy God diſalloweth of, an•complaineth that his Prieſts had profanc•the holy things, putting no difference between the holy and the profane, the clea•and the unclean, Ezek. 22. 26. 1 Cor. 5. 1•. and the Rubrick before the Communion, condemning this practice, &c.
Another Ordinance to be improved, i•the Word: You know the Word is powerful; and as in the 119th Pſalm, v. 9 ▪ Wherewithall ſhall a young man cleanſe hi•way? by taking heed thereto according to th•Word. Youthful Luſts they are called, a•if that Age above and beyond all other•were moſt in danger by theſe luſts; and therefore a Young Man hath great need to cleanſe his way, to walk in clean paths ▪ And how muſt this be done? it is ſaid by taking heed, by a due care to walk according to the Word of God: Pſal. 19 ▪ 8, 9. The Commandment of the Lord is pure, and the fear of the Lord is clean; clean i•its effects, cleanſing the Soul from ſin ▪ John 15. 3. Now are ye clean through the Word which I have ſpoken unto you. When you hear the Word of God preached for151 Mortification of Luſt, Purity of Heart,•r the like, take diligent heed to that word eſpecially, for that is a proper Word, a ſuitable word for your Soul: And•f your own Pariſh Miniſter do not preach•pon ſuch ſubjects, or very little, and•ery ſeldom preach againſt this reigning•n, if you hear upon enquiry of Texts of•ny other Miniſter that preacheth near•ou on this point, go hear him for one Lords day or two; for God works moſt with the Word preached, and that Word which is preached is moſt proper, pow•rful too, when it touches your conditi•n moſt, and comes home to your belo•ed Luſt.
Beſides this there is another way of•mproving the Word of God to very•reat Advantage, and that by treaſuring•p ſuch places of Scripture, as ſuit moſt•ith the caſe of your Soul; as in this parti•lar ſuch places of Scripture: Pſal. 119. •. Wherewithal ſhall a young man or maid•eanſe his way, &c. and 2 Tim. 2. 22. Flee ſo youthful lusts, but follow righteouſneſs,•ith, charity, with them that call on the Lord•t of a pure heart. Coloſſ. 3. 5, 6. Mortifie•erefore your Members which are upon Earth,•ornication, Ʋncleanneſs, inordinate affecti•, evil concupiſence, &c. For which things152 ſake the Wrath of God cometh on the Chi•dren of Diſobedience. But, Mat. 5. 8. Ble•ſed are the pure in Heart, for they ſhall ſ•God: And 1 Ep. of St. John 3. 3. Eve•one that hath this hope in him, purifieth himſe•even as he is pure. Create in me a clean Hea•O God, &c. Pſ. 51. 10. (Lord if thou wi•thou canſt make me clean. ) with Ezek. 37. 3•Then ſhall ye remember your own evil w•and your doings, which were not good, and ſh•loath your ſelves in your own ſight, for yo•Iniquities, and for your Abominations. •bring you to Repentance,
Theſe and the like places of Scriptur•being often Repeated in your Mind, eve•day, or in the time of Temptation, w•be of great uſe to charm your Luſts, a•lay them aſleep, to cleanſe the young M•way. If the Devil at the rehearſal•ſome words ſerviceable to the black A•Charms people, how much rather do y•think, that the Holy Spirit will work w•the Word inſpired by him? And w•ſhould it not be as powerfully and effec•ally, as the Devil doth in his Char•Works, if you be as much devoted God, and as skilful in the word of Ri•teouſneſs as they are in the Devils A•and devoted unto him.
153But if we reject the Word, as thoſe Pſ. 81. 11, 12. But my people would not hearken•o my Voice, i. e. the word of God: Where•ore I gave them up to their own hearts Luſts. God will make thoſe vile, in whoſe eyes•is Word is vile, or any other Ordinance•f God. Rom. 1. 25. Who changed the truth•f God into a Lie, and Worſhipped and ſerved•he Creature more than the Creatour, who is•leſſed for ever. For this cauſe, God gave•em up unto vile Affections ▪ unnatural Luſts;•nd ſo, in the 23. ver. and all this for diſ•onouring God in his Worſhip. If thou•alt lye like a Logg in the preſence of•od, in in ſuch a c•releſs irreverent Bru•ſh Poſture, as manifeſteth a downright•ontempt of Gods Worſhip, thou diſ•noureſt God in this Worſhip, and God•ay puniſh and make thee as vile by thy•uſts, and Diſhonourable.
We read of polluting the Sabbath, Iſ. 56. 2. •the Ordinances of God, when we al•w and indulge our Luſts in the very•emple of God, and Acts of Worſhip,•r upon the Lords Day follow our Luſts,•do any thing which makes the Lords•ay vile, this may provoke the Lord to•ave us to pollute our ſelves.
But as the Word of God, and the Or•nances of God duly performed, promote154 Purity, ſo there are other things as contrary to it, to be carefully avoided, as fearful Temptations and Provokatives to Luſ•ſuch are lewd Ballads, Plays, Stories, an•Laſcivious Songs of Love,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Chryſoſtom calls them, Songs of•Devils compoſ•re, which vitiate and co•rupt the minds of Youth; it being nat•ral for the Heart and Mind to be wroug•upon by thoſe things which are much•the Mind and the Tongue, until they r•ſemble, and are made Conformable un•them, as the word to work Purity; oth•things frame the Mind into Wanto•neſs.
The laſt means is Prayer, and this I p•in the laſt place, becauſe Prayer muſt g•Gods Bleſſing upon all the other mea•Every thing is Sanctifyed by the Word a•Prayer. (The Word put in, as bringing•to the knowledge of Chriſt, in and throug•whom all things are Bleſt to us, Eph. 1. 3. ev•our Prayers accepted, being offered up•his Name, which the Word teacheth us•do;) but Prayer, that eſpecially begs a•obtains Gods Bleſſing, Grace to flee tho•Evils which may Corrupt us, and to pr•ctiſe thoſe things, attend thoſe Ordina•ces which may puriſie us. It is not enoug•to know our Duty, our Helps to Vertue•155and to this of Chaſtity in particular, and our Temptations and Hinderances, but if we would have Grace and Strength enabling us to practiſe accordingly, Prayer muſt procure it. But beſides, Prayer of it ſelf is a ſpecial Help in this Caſe. Pray•hat ye enter not into Temptation, Mat. 26. 41. that ye be not drawn away of your own Luſts•nd enticed and allured with the pleaſure of this Sit•. For then are you Tempted, as St. James 1. Prayer is an excellent fence and preſervative againſt this Temptation:•nd therefore David Prays, Make me a clean Heart, O God, Pſ. 51. 10. and keep thy Servant back from preſumptuous Sins; then ſhall•be undefiled, and innocent from the great of•ence; in the Church Tranſlation of the Pſalms. However, Davids great Offence was his Adultery with Bathſhcba, that cau•ed the Murther of Ʋriah her Husband.
A Praying Chriſtian, may plead thus with God. It is for thine Honour, to kill•very Corruption: It is thy work to San•tifie and Purifie our Hearts. Chriſt gave himſelf for that end, to redeem us from all•niquity, and purify to himſelf a peculiar peo•le, zealous of good works; or that we may•eny our ſelves, and do Violence to our corrupt Nature, Crucifying the Fleſh with the Affections and Luſts thereof; Mortifying157 our Members, Fornication, Ʋncleanneſs, inodinate Affection, &c. That our Bodies m•be pure and undefiled Members of Chriſt and not the Members of an Harlot. Th•our Bodies may be preſerved everm•chaſt and uncorrupt, Temples fit for t•Holy Ghoſt to dwell in: That we may ſcape the pollutions which are in the Wor•through Luſt, and adorn that pure and u•defiled Religion, which we profeſs: — O Make us clean Hearts, O God; and ren•right Spirits within us, that we may reme•ber our own evil ways, and our doings that we not good, and loath our ſelves in our own ſig•for our Iniquities and our Abominations: T•is very fit to bring us to Repentance, e•for a Perſonal uſe, or in behalf of the N•tion. And for young perſons, that th•may have Grace to flēe Youthful Luſt And to follow after Righteouſneſs, Faith, C•rity, calling upon the Lord out of a pure Hea•Prayer is a drawing nigh to God: A•God draws nigh to us with his Grace a•Spirit, when we draw nigh to him, he nigh at hand, ready to help us; but•ſtand at a great diſtance from God, looks upon us too as a far off, when•make no Conſcience of this duty of Pra•er. When we abſent our ſelves from t•Throne of Grace, and are not ſeen wi•156God in Secret, then God hides his Face from us, and upon Gods withdrawing and deſerting, our Spiritual Enemies are preſent, the Fleſh and the Devil, and the Al•urements of the World, they Tempt, At•ack and proſper. How others find, it, I•annot tell, but I am ſure I find that the Devil is buſie with me whenev•r I neglect Prayer; ſome evil thoughts or other he•ollows me with; but then my Heart is•ure, when I am moſt conſtant in Duty,•nd keep cloſeſt to God in Prayer, which God never appointed in Vain, but as a means, and a very choice means to fetch•n Grace, and help againſt the World, the Fleſh and the Devil. But I think it is im•oſſible for thoſe Chriſtians to have pure Hearts, or good quiet Conſciences, who•ive in the neglect of daily Prayer. We•all find our ſelves ſtrong in the Lord, and•he power of his Might, or his Almighty•ower engaged for us, when we give God•is due in Prayer, and then our Luſts will•e weak. But when we neglect prayer,•e are weak, our ſtrength is gone, our ſup•ort and our props drawn from under us,•nd nothing left to bear us up, and keep•s from falling. It is Gods uſual courſe,•hen People for a long time leave God in•ot Praying or Reading, &c. and doing158 the good they ſhall do in Religion, not o•ly to with hold his further Grace, b•to withdraw the preſent meaſure, and lea•them firſt to Temptations, that they m•awaken them, and if they amend no•then to fall under them, doing thoſe Wic•edneſſes and Abominations, which ſhall b•bitterneſs to them in the latter end. Wh•Sin, or the love to your Luſts work o•Prayer; then you may Sin on in a cour•of Sinning, until you be hardned in Sin and paſt Feeling or Remorſe for Sin. B•if you hold on in Prayer, which ſhould•a mighty Encouragement unto you, yo•will weaken Sin, even ſtrong Luſts, and•length get the Maſtery. For Prayer w•either work out Sin, or Sin will work o•Prayer.
Firſt Ʋſe, for Confutation of all D•ctrines forbidding to Marry, which t•Apoſtle is ſo far from owning, as t•Doctrine of the Goſpel, and of Je•Chriſt, that he Cenſures it as the Doctr•of Devils; 1 Tim. 4. 3. ſuch as the Devi•thoſe unclean Spirits perſwade Men in•And ſurely there cannot be a more effect al courſe taken to promote Fornicati•and all Uncleanneſs in the World, th•by denying Men the remedy of Gods pr•viding, even the lawful uſe of the W•159man. All ſuch Prohibitions, whatſoever ſpecious pretences they may carry along with them of Spirituality, and freedom from the Entanglements and Cares of the World, are of Malignant Influence to Religion. The great Apoſtacy and Defection from the Faith, was uſher'd in by the Reception of this and the other Doctines, as St. Paul to Timothy, 1 Tim. 4. Propheſied. It began in the Councel of Ancyra, Anno Dom. 308. It was ordained that Deacons who at the time of their Ordination, did proteſt that they had not the Gift of Continency, might Marry, and remain in their Miniſtry; but thoſe who profeſſed Continency in the time of their Ordination, if they Marryed, ſhould be removed from their Miniſtry. This Conſtitution was blameable, becauſe thoſe that had the Gift at their Ordination, might not have•t continue with them all their Lives, or at•eaſt were not ſure of it. In the General Councel of Nice, Anno Dom. 330. or as o•hers, 333, ſeveral were of Opinion that Biſhops, Elders and Deacons, who were Marryed before their Ordination, ſhould•n time to come abſtain from the Compa•y of their Wives: Which ſhewed that•he Coelibacy of the Clergy was too much•n repute, though the Councel rejected the160 Motion, and were perſwaded to leave•Marriage as indifferent to every Mans Liberty, according to the Reaſons of Paph•nutinus: Firſt, That Marriage was Honourable, and the Cohabitation of a Ma•with his Marryed Wife, Chaſtity. Second Argument, That Coelibacy was a difficult thing to be performed, and woul•open a door to unchaſt living: And certainly there he was in the right, as after Ag•made it appear true in the event. Th•Councel of Carthage, Cent. 4th. reco•mended Continency, with Abſtinence fro•Matrimonial Society: Siricius Biſhop•Rome, at the end of the 4th. Century,•joyned Coelibacy to the Clergy; but oth•Biſhops Repealed it. Particular Counc•Eſtabliſhed it within their Territories,•the firſt Councel of Toledo, Cent. 5•Councel of Tours, Cent. 6th. and the••Councel of Matiſcon, and the 8th. Co•cel of Toledo, in the year 671. Wher•Marriage was utterly forbidden Biſho•and Prieſts; and places of Scripture•ſerably wreſted to confirm it, as Col. 5th. Mortiſie your Members which are on•Earth, &c. Wretched ignorance, t•counted Marriage to be Uncleanneſs,•a Member of the body of Sin; which•Apoſtle commandeth to mortifie. •161Sub-deacons that pleaded againſt it, were in a moſt ſevere manner interdicted from the company of their Wives, elſe to be thruſt into a Monaſtery, to ſuffer penance to the laſt period of their Lives. The Councel of Mantua, under Pope Alexander the Second, eſtabliſhed it in the Churches of the Weſt, which had received the Popes Supremacy long before. Since which time it hath been continued unalterably by the following Popes.
The 4th. Century, furniſheth us with inſtances how much the Monaſtick and Nunniſh life grew into requeſt. Pelagii Laodicenus married a young Woman, and the firſt Night after her Marriage, perſwaded her to prefer Virginal Chaſtity before the Marryed life. Aeas alſo, who marryed a young Wife, procreated three Children with her, and in the end left her, and entered into a Monaſtery, forgetting his Matrimonial Covenant. And Paula's building of four Religious Houſes at Bethlehem of Judea: One whereof, the Monks, Jerom governed, and Paula the other three, being Nunneries for holy Virgins. In proceſs of time, Kings and Queens entered into them, as Theodoſius Emperour of the Eaſt, Cent. 8. reſigning the Empire; and the Emperour Charles 5th. of latter years,162 and Lotharius the Emperour, Son to Ludovicus Pius of the French Race, with ſome Kings of the Gothes in Italy.
The Ancient Church alſo was too ſevere againſt ſecond Marriages, even ſome of the Fathers. Tertullian ſell into this Error, as his Book de Monogamia: Cyprian alſo, and Hierom, with Minutius Foelix did inveigh againſt ſecond Marriage with too much bitterneſs and ſeverity, violently preſſing many places of Scripture to ſerve the cauſe. And Athe•agoras in his Apology for the Chriſtians, p. 37. runs to a great height: Among us, every Man remains either as he was born, or engages himſelf in one only Marriage. For as for ſecond Marriages, they are but a more plauſible and decorous kind of Adultery. Minutius Foelix, We willingly contain our ſelves within the Bond of ſingle Marriage, and either know but one Woman, or none. The Ancient Canons, as Zonaras tells us, in Can. 7. Concil. Neocaeſ. ſuſpended ſuch perſons from the Communion for a whole year: And the Council of Laodicea, Can. 1. though it determine not the time, yet it requires that they ſhould ſpend ſome ſmall time at leaſt in Penance, in Faſting and Prayer, before they be received to the Communion: And by the Canons called Apoſtolical,163 Can. 17. ſuch an one was rendered by his ſecond Marriage, incapable of any degree in the Miniſtry; which ſeem to be much more genuine proper Senſe of the Canons, than of Marriage to another Wife upon Divorce of the former, which had Allowance in ſome places from the Laws of the People: Clemens Alexandrinus was more moderate in the Caſe, Stromat. Lib. 3. p. 428. We admire the Gravity and Stayedneſs of thoſe who content themſelves with a ſingle Marriage; but yet ſay withal, that Compaſſion ought to be had of others, and that of the Apoſtle, is to take place in ſecond Marriages; If they cannot contain, they ſhould Marry: For it is better to Marry than to burn.
This Condemning of firſt or ſecond Marriage, hath been of Ill-Conſequence to the Church of God. Gregory the firſt called Magnus, made a Conſtitution, forbidding the Marriage of Prieſts, but in his time was forced to Abrogate it, becauſe it was not only the occaſion of Uncleanneſs, but alſo of ſecret Murthers of Innocent Babes: Inſomuch, that I have read, that upon emptying of a pond near the Religious Houſes, there were found abundance of Infants Bones in it. Whereas the Apoſtle ſaid, it was better to Marry than164 to burn, Pope Gregory was forced to ſay, It was better to Marry than to Murther. Another Evil beſides, was the taking Concubines inſtead of Wives, and ſo Whoredom inſtead of Marriage, as the firſt Councel of Toledo; where they made firſt Canons for the Prohibition of Marriage to ſome perſons, and then reckon'd it a Vertue to content themſelves with one Concubine, or at leaſt tolerate in admitting ſuch perſons to the Communion. Inſtead of Marriage, alſo Adultery, as Pope John the 13th, who was killed in the very Act of Adultery by the Husband of the Woman whom he defiled. And it is a common ſaying of the Romiſh Prieſts, That their Children warm themſelves by other Folks Fires.
The Vows of perpetual Chaſtity or Continence, have occaſioned other harm than that of Secret Whoredoms and Murthers: even Marcion the Heretick had vowed Chaſtity, but afterward polluted himſelf with Whoredom, and was caſt out of the Church, and coming to Rome, and being denyed the fellowſhip of the Church, he fell to Cerdon, and Augmented his Errour of a Supream Inviſible God: Secondly, a Viſible God, Creator of all things: Thirdly, the Devil as a mid-thing between165 the Viſible and Inviſible God. This Hereſie ſpread it ſelf in Italy, Egypt, Paleſtina, Arabia, Syria, Cyprus, Thebaida, Perſia, and many other places. They denyed alſo the Reſurrection. Marcion called juſtly by Tertullian, Primogenitus Diaboli, the firſt-born of the Devil.
Now by way of Tryal and Examination, whether you have attained to this Purity of Heart, and Mortification of Luſt. Firſt, Mortification muſt be laid at the Root of the Tree, a deadly Wound be given Sin at the Heart. It is not enough to Lop off ſome of the Branches, to cut off ſome of the outward Acts of Sin, for theſe will grow again in time. To cleanſe the Streams will be to little purpoſe, if the Fountain be left unſcowred, that will ſend forth ſuch foul waters again, as ſhall make all Mire and Dirt. Thus the Heart muſt be purged and cleanſed from filthineſs, elſe the Life will be polluted and unclean. The labour at the Pump of the Ship in caſting the Waters out, will ſignifie little, while they neglect to ſtop the Leak: The Heart lets in all theſe Evils which defile the Man: Therefore the Heart muſt be rectifyed, and the abundance of wickedneſs ſtopped and ſuppreſſed there.
Firſt Rule to know when the Heart is166 purged and purified, is, when the Will is reſolved for Purity againſt all the Temptations to the contrary, and that with a ſerious and deliberate, fixed and ſettled purpoſe and reſolution. Suddain Purpoſes, as they are taken up without conſideration of the difficulties they ſhall meet with, ſo they fail in time of Trial and Temptation; but when all the hinderances are weighed, and all the allurements of the Fleſh, and a Man finds himſelf armed with a Chriſtian Courage, and ſtrong in the Lord and the power of his might, what hardſhip and difficulty ſoever there be in this maſtery of his Luſts; (for the words mortifying and crucifying the Fleſh with Affections and Luſts, import that there is a great deal of pain and miſery in the Duty, much of Self-denial in this Purification of the Heart) then ſuch a Purpoſe, ſuch a Reſolution as this, is like to carry it; for Voluntas domina membrorum, the Will commands the outward Man; and if the Will be fortified and fully bent againſt Whoredoms, Adulteries, and alſo other acts of Luſt, againſt corrupt Communication, lewd Company, laſcivious Songs, &c. the man is like to be and act accordingly: for Men do not uſe to be forced to theſe groſſer ſins againſt their Wills, though I deny not but167 that corruption is working in the Saints, and ſtirring them up through the inſtigations of Satan to the doing the evil which they would not do, and hindering them from doing the good which they ſhould and would do, in the Combate between the Fleſh and the Spirit, as Rom. 7. 14. Where, I am carnal, or corrupt, ſold under ſin, ſaith the Apoſtle; that is, a Slave to Satan, under the bondage of corruption naturally, led captive by the Devil at his pl•a•ure, and by our own Luſts, 2 Tim. 2. 26. The evil which I would not, that do I: Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but ſin that dwelleth in me, Rom. 7. 19, 20, 21. In actual ſins commonly at leaſt and ordinarily, God doth not uſe to charge any more of ſin upon us than there was of the Will in the deed, even ſo much evil was there in it; yet here we muſt diſtinguiſh between ſuch ſins as were voluntary at firſt, and afterwards Perſons may be given up unto them and ſin involuntarily, and be but a ſpiritual Curſe and Judgment from the Lord upon them; or when there is ſome other ſin which is voluntary and allowed of, ſinning that ſin knowingly and wilfully, Perſons may juſtly be puniſhed with ſome other ſin involuntarily and yet culpably.
168Next, when there is a real Hatred and Enmity between us and our Luſts. As,
1. When there is an effectual reſiſtance of the Temptations to this ſin, ſuch a reſiſtance as prevails againſt the Temptations from without, and our own Luſts, and overcometh and eſcapeth the pollutions which are in the World through Luſt.
2. When a Chriſtian holds out Praying againſt his Luſts, and that with a real and unfeigned deſire to be preſerved from the evil of them, and uſeth all holy means and Ordinances of God in Faith, and dependance upon God for this preſerving Grace. There is never a Prayer, hearty Prayer, but it gives a wound to the Fleſh and our Luſts, a mortifying blow.
3. When there is a Zeal againſt this ſin in one kind as well as in another, and that not out of an hypocritical pretence to ſeem holy and more pure than others, but out of a ſenſe of the evil, and a concern for the Honour of God and our Religion. There is much of Anger and Indignation in Zeal, and that argues ſomewhat to offend and diſpleaſe, which we may apply to the Luſts ▪ of Men; we really hate and diſlike this ſin when we are truly Zealous againſt it. We are commanded in the firſt of Tim. 5. 22. Partake not of other mens169 ſins: keep thy ſelf pure. Every filthy ſpeech, lewd Story, or unlawful Deed, and Act of Luſt of others, which pleaſeth you and delighteth you; ſo that you diſlike it not, and ſhew not your diſlike of it by leaving the Company, or ſhaking your head, or reproving and admoniſhing the Offenders, brings a guilt upon you: So that if you would be pure, you muſt not partake of other mens ſins.
The Third Rule for Trial of this Purity, by the ſpiritual ſight and ſenſe of this Sin. A Man that hath been uſed to live in a bad, foggy, unwholſome Air, he diſcerneth not, feeleth not any thing noiſom or offenſive in it; it is all one to him as it were pure Air. Thus is it with one that hath an Heart habitually filthy and unclean, evil luſtings are not evil to him or in his Account, they do not afflict him or offend him, he ſeeth no ſuch hurt in them, but that if he forbear the groſſer acts he may be a pure Saint; and ſo they ſettle themſelves, and lodge in the Heart quietly and without moleſtation: But a Chriſtian, that hath an habit of Purity in his heart, if at any time his Luſts do ſtir and are tempting, and continue for a time (and it is but for a time only) thus ſoliciting him, they are170 as a Diſeaſe, grievous to one that uſeth to enjoy his Health; he is in pain and miſery as one that hath a bone out of joynt; they are as a wound to his Spirit, as an heavy burthen; the Man is reſtleſs and uneaſie, and cannot be ſatisfied until he get rid of theſe unclean Spirits, and recover his former purity again.
As for our own ſins, ſo for the ſins of the Nation, to bewail them and lay them to heart, as it is a great help to the Mortification of Luſt, ſo is it an infallible ſign (being conjoyned with the former) that our heart is purified, and the love to this ſin mortified. In the 2d Ep. to Pet. 2. ch. 7. and 8. Verſes, you will find Righoeous Lot vexed with the filthy converſation of the wicked; and again its ſaid, in ſeeing and hearing, that he vexed his righteous Soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds: And ſo Jer. 9. and 2. Oh that I had in the wilderneſs a lodging place, that I might leave my People, and go from them, for they be all Adulterers. Jer. 23. 9, 10. Mine heart within me is broken, &c. for the Land is full of Adulterers. Pſal. 119. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, becauſe men keep not thy Law: And as David wept for his own ſin in this kind, his Adultery; ſo no doubt but it fetched tears from him, to bewail the ſins of171 others againſt the ſeventh Commandment as well as the reſt: 158. v. I beheld the Tranſgreſſors and was grieved, becauſe they kept not thy Word. Where the Godly have offended moſt, when they are recovered they uſe to repent moſt, and to grieve moſt for ſins of that kind, to manifeſt the truth of their Repentance; and grieving alſo for the fearful Judgments that this Sin muſt needs bring down upon this Nation. Oh but to what a paſs is this Nation come! That inſtead of grieving at the ſcandalous guilt, and trembling at the fearful Judgments that theſe Abominations have denounced againſt them in the Word of God, are ſo far hardened as to make it matter of Sport and Paſtime, their laughter and merriment with the Adultery, and the lewd Women of Great Perſons. How many abuſive Jeſts are there upon the blameleſs Husband of the Adultereſs, to ſhame him! It would not be ſerious enough to mention them, nor the Name which is commonly given him. He that would not partake of the Judgments of God, and the Plagues Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal, when he comes to take Vengeance on the Nation for this Sin, and other our Sins, which without a further Reformation, are not like to go unpuniſhed, muſt be in the number of thoſe that mourn in Zion, for all theſe abominations. Oh how provoking a thing is it to make a mock of Sin!
This is one great ſtep towards committing of the Sin, to have pleaſure in it when acted by others. And no wonder if this Sin break forth in their Hearts and their Lives, who are ſuch friends to it in the Diſcourſe, and who are ſo much taken with it in the Story, will be much more pleaſed in the acting of it, and ſhow plainly enough that they have not mortified their Uncleanneſs of Heart, not the ſweet, not the pleaſure of the Sin. Conſider172 the inhumanity of this practice that makes it Diverſion, Recreation, to toſs about the ſins of others, from one to the other, until they go round the Pariſh, and afford jocular Entertainment to all that hear and know the Offenders. If a Man fell into a Pit, and lamed, or wounded, or grievouſly hurt himſelf, ſo as by that fall to bring his life into great and apparent Danger, were not that Man to be pitied, rather than laughed or ſcoffed at? and thus it is with the Adulterous Perſons, they fall into a pit and ſnare of the Devils, and of the Fleſh; they wound their ſouls moſt ſorely and deſperately, and bring themſelves into ſuch danger of eternal Death and Damnation, as that but very few eſcape; and are not ſuch Perſons Objects of pity? And ſhould we not be compaſſionately concerned for them, if we have any ſenſe of that ſad and wretched caſe they are in? Not as many, laugh at their Calamity, and mock at their Miſery, which is moſt barbarous. You that can weep at the Death of a Friend, and are afflicted in any great Affliction that befalls them, what, can't you ſhed a tear for their Eternal Condition, and the Evil which this Sin expoſeth them unto?
The laſt Mark for Diſcovery of this Purity, is from the Conſtancy of it. Sin may be held in for a while by common Reſtraining Grace; and ſo the outward Acts be forborn, until the Violence of Temptation comes to try and aſſault their Chaſtity; and then it cannot hold it out without an inward Principle of Grace, and an Heart ſet againſt the Sin with Reſolution. If your Purity and Chaſtity hold in the heat of Summer, as well as in the cold of Winter; when temptation is preſent, and you have opportunities of ſin, as well as when there are none of theſe nigh you to importune you: If the manner and courſe of your Life be chaſt, if it173 be common, cuſtomary, without any relapſes into your old ſins and Acts of Whoredom, or the like, for one ſuch Act calls all your Repentance into queſtion, and may ſet you again into your old courſes, and unmortifie all your Morti••eation, eſpecially if it proceed to a ſecond and a third.
Uſe. Hence we learn how ſadly Chriſtianity in the practice is degenerated from the Precept; how much our Luſts have defiled the pure and undefiled Reli••on. Where ſhall we find the Purity and Chaſtity of a Chriſtian? The Church of Rome that boaſts her ſelf to be the Mother of all Churches, or the Metropolis of Chriſtendom, ſhe is become the Mother of Harlots in a literal ſence; as Rev. 17. 5. And as to their Doctrine, corrupted too, forbidding to marry, and allowing Fornication before it: And that they may not want proviſion for their Luſt, ſeveral of the Popes have not only given an open Toleration of Brothel-houſes, but received Salaries from them. And though the late Puritan Pope, as they called him, excell'd his Anceſtors, and would not ſuffer them in his Territories, yet they removed but a little further, and ſet up their Brothel-houſes in the very next Principality.
As to our own Nation, that goeth under the Name of Reformed, but hath as much and more need of a Reformation now in this particular, than ever in the Times of Popery: We read of one or two of the Romiſh Kings that kept their Women, or rather ſome particular Perſon for this ill uſe, but it was in corners and by ſtealth: but hath not our late King of the Reformation out-done all that were before him in the number and multitude of his Women, and their open-fac'd Boldneſs and Impudency. So that it hath had too great an encouragement from the Examples of Great Perſons, and grown into Faſhion at Court, Regis ad exemplum. 174As to our National City, may we not take up the Lamentation of the Prophet, How is the Faithful City become an Harlot! Iſa. 1. 21. God was known in her in the Infancy of our Reformation, and ſhe was a Praiſe among the Nations for their true Faith and Fear of God: But ah! how ſhamefully hath ſhe fallen from her firſt Love, and her lovelineſs in Gods ſight, and become an abomination for her lewdneſs? Hath ſhe not ſpread it far and wide? corrupted all the neghbouring Towns and Pl•ces? And if Innocency be any where to be found, it is in the remote corners of the land: commonly ſo far off or near as places are to her, ſo much the more or leſs corrupt are they in this particular.
And as to the Sacred Order, it is to be feared (and never enough to be bewailed) that they alſo are infected with this Vice, and the very Fountains and Nurſeries of Learning corrupted; that temptations and Opportunities of ſinning abound even among them, which together with their youthful Luſts are powerful, and almoſt irreſiſtible inducements to ſin. To conclude, all Orders and Degrees, high and low, rich and poor, Magiſtracy, Miniſtry, and People, have declared their Sin as Sodom, and have great need to declare and manifeſt their Repentance as clear and as publick as their Sin.
Next come we to an Uſe of Exhortation: Be we entreated and perſwaded then to mortifie and reform our corruptions in this kind; for ſurely by what hath been ſaid, you muſt needs be convinced that there is great need of a Reformation herein. And to begin firſt with the Magiſtracy, we cannot but own it a wonderful Bleſſing from Heaven, that we have ſuch a Prince, over whom (as it hath been the common Obſervation) Wine and Women have no Power: Both King and Queen unſpotted in this particular,175 and moſt exemplary. And ſince great numbers and multitudes have followed the Vices of Princes, why ſhould they not be followed in Vertue, but walk as it were in a path by themſelves, ſingle and alone.
Beſides, It were to be wiſhed, that ſuch Laws were made as might ſeverely puniſh Adultery, and other Perſons that are infamous for their lewdneſs, or that life were put into ſuch Laws as are already made, and that the Magiſtrate would ſee to the due Execution of them; and be very active and zealous to ſuppreſs all ſuch Publick Houſes as are notorious upon this Account, or to reform them, if it can be done without it, elſe to put them down. Alas! Whoredom and Adultery are bare-faced, as it were in contempt or defiance of the Laws both of God and Man; and Perſons that have been found faulty, and that are pointed at as they go along in the Streets, walking to pick up ſome of their Comrades and Aſſociates; ſuch as theſe brazen-ſac'd it out, and there is none, or ſcarce any to diſcountenance them, or a terrour to ſuch evil-doers.
And as to the Miniſtry, it is very neceſſary that ſuch ſhould fall under the Laſh of Diſcipline, and ſuch as are known to live in Whoredom or Adultery, how great ſoever they be, (Kings and Princes not excepted) that they be barred the Holy Communion, according to the Cannons of our Church, which ſtrictly forbid it: And 1 Ep. Cor. 5. 11. I have written unto you not to keep Company, if any man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator, &c. with ſuch an one, no not to eat: and in 2 Cor. 6. 14. For what Fellowſhip hath Righteouſneſs with unrighteouſneſs? and what Communion hath Llght with Darkneſs? Verſe 17. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye ſeparate, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.
176In one of the Exhortations before the Communion;If any of you be a Blaſphemer of God, and hinderer or ſlanderer of his Word, an Adulterer, &c. Repent you of your Sins, or come not to that Holy Table.
Canon 109. of our Church: If any offend their Brethren either by Adultery, Whoredom, Inceſt, or Drunkenkenneſs, or by Swearing, Ribaldry (a kind of Baudy Speech) or any other Uncleanneſs or Wickedneſs of Life, the Church-Wardens ſhall faihtfully preſent all and every of the ſaid Offenders, to the intent, that they and every of them may be puniſhed by the Severity of the Laws, according to their Deſerts: And ſuch Notorious Offenders ſhall not be admitted to the Holy Communion, until they be Reformed. Amongſt all the Sins that were puniſhed in the Ancient Church, Adultery was one of the chief; whoever was Convicted of it, was immediately caſt out of the Church, and diſowned as a rotten Member. In thoſe firſt times, the puniſhment of Adultery was very great, perpetual Penance all a Mans Life, and ſcarce being admitted into the Communion at the very hour of Death; till Pope Zephyrinus about the year 216. conſidering the great Inconveniences of ſo much Severity, Perſons hereby being oft driven into Deſpair, and others diſcouraged from coming over to the Chriſtian Faith, ordered that Penance in this caſe ſhould be limited to a ſhorter time, which being ended, ſuch perſons might be received again into the Boſom of the Church. This Decree was oppoſed by the African Churches, as an Innovation. By the Ancyran Councel, Anno 315. it was Decreed, that whoever was Guilty of Adultery, ſhould be puniſh'd with ſeven years Penance for the firſt fault; and if he fell afterwards into the ſame Sin again, he was not to be taken into Communion, no not at the hour of Death, Can. 7. p. 13. In the Synod of Illiberis: The ſame puniſhment in Can. 12.177 they inflicted upon Bawds, and ſuch perſons as for gain proſtituted the Bodies of their Children, by ſelling them, (or themſelves rather, of whom their Children were a part) to Luſt and Ruine. Gregory Biſhop of Nyſſa, treating about the ſame Affairs, appoints Fornication to be puniſhed with no leſs than nine years Penance, and Suſpenſion from the Sacrament; and Adultery and all other Species of Uncleanneſs, with double that time; though allowing a Liberty to the Spiritual Guide, to Contract this time as the Circumſtances of the Caſe or Perſon might require: And St. Baſil the Great (his Brother) ſets Adultery at 15. Fornication at 7 years Penance. The Cenſures of the Church did much vary according to time and place in this particular, yet the mildeſt of them ſhewed how deteſtable all filthineſs and impuriry whatſoever, was to thoſe firſt Ages of the Church, and how much the looſneſs of the latter Ages, hath receded from the Primitive ſtrictneſs in Diſcipline. Indeed in Geneva, there is yet ſome Severity ſhewed, puniſhing Fornication the firſt time with ſome days (9 days to the beſt of my Remembrance) Impriſonment, the ſecond time with one years Baniſhment, the third time if they Relapſe with Death. It is well known (as Biſhop Taylor ſays,) that the Civil Laws in the Primitive Church, puniſhed Adultery with Death, the Husband killing the Wife in the Act with Allowance from the Law. I need not mention that Heathen Prince, as puniſhed Adultery with the putting out both the eyes of the Offenders, and his Son being caught in the Crime, he put out one of his own eyes, and one of his Sons eyes, to ſatisfie the Law. To mention but one inſtance more of this kind, becauſe of Civil, and not Eccleſiaſtical Relation. The Emperour Aurelian having found one of his Souldiers to have committed Adultery with his Hoſteſs, in his Exerciſe of Military Diſcipline he178 commanded, that having bowed down the Heads of two Trees growing nigh together, the Souldiers legs ſhould be tyed thereto, which being ſuddenly let go, he was torn in two parts, the one hanging by the one Tree, the other by the other. Some of the Brutiſh Creatures may teach us Diſcipline, and Storks (a ſort of chaſt Birds) which are accuſtomed to beat thoſe Storks out of their Number, that having a Mate, joyn themſelves unto another: And ſhall not we Chriſtians ſeparate them from our Communion, who defile other Mens Wives? And ſome keeping company with them openly, and leaving their own Wives and Husbands for the Adulterous Lover: Others keeping their Whores under their Wives Noſe. Is there no remedy from the Civil nor Eccleſiaſtick Cenſures againſt this lewdneſs? Or is there a lukewarmneſs and indifferency among the Neighbourhood, as unconcerned, and not offended at their vile practices? Is there no Scandal in theſe things? Are they not a•oul Spot and Reproach to that Church which ſuffers them within its Communion? Is there any Quaker, Anabaptiſt, and Independent, who doth not make the Lewdneſs and Debauchery of ſome Conformiſts, the chief reaſon and ground of his Separation? Why are our Cenſurers (ſaith Biſhop Tailor, Epiſtle before Lib. of Proph. in Collect. of Diſc. Polem. and Moral,) ſo zealous againſt thoſe we call [Schiſmaticks and] Heretick, and yet great Friends with Drunkards, Fornicators, &c. Let it be remembered, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks as freely againſt Communion with Fornicatours and all diſorders practical, as againſt Communion with Hereticks, in 1 Cor. 5. 11. I am as certain that a Drunkard [or Fornicator] is as contrary to God, and lives as contrary to the Laws of Chriſtianity, as an Heretick; and I am ſure I know what theſe are, but I am not ſure ſuch a Perſwaſion is Hereſie or Schiſm, &c.179 and therefore the former are fit Objects for a pious Zeal to conteſt againſt.
It were to be wiſhed alſo, that Parents and Family Governours would do their parts, and ſuffer it not in their Children or Servants to do ſo wickedly: Though they cannot purifie and ſanctifie, or work Grace in the hearts of thoſe committed to their care, yet they may check the firſt Motions to ſuch evil courſes, and by their Authority rebuke them ſharply, and reſtrain them from ſuch lewd Places and Perſons, Books, Ballads, Plays, Songs, and the like, as have any natural tendency to corrupt them, and thoſe that are hardned in ſuch Practices, and incorrigible, they may ſend them going if Servants, and get better in their rooms; and if Children, not to ſatisfie themſelves in ſuch a faint Reproof as Eli gave his Sons, 1 Sam. 2. 22, 23, 24. Eli being very old, heard what his Sons did unto all Iſrael, and how they lay with the women that Aſſembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and he ſaid unto them, Why do ye ſuch things? for I hear of your evil doings by all this People: Nay, my Sons, for it is no good report that I hear, ye make the Lords People to tranſgreſs: In the Third Chap. and the 13 verſ. I have told him, ſaith the Lord, that I will judge his (that is Eli's) houſe, for the Iniquity which he knoweth, becauſe his Sons made themſelves vile, and he reſtrained them not. Therefore the Lord expects that Parents ſhould uſe their Authority, and reſtrain their Children from filthy Speeches, &c. when young by Correction, afterwards by Rebuke, and a Senſe of their Diſpleaſure at their evil ways, and all other good Means which can be uſed: And that every good Chriſtian ſhould ſhew his Zeal againſt this wickedneſs, frequently and powerfully reproving it, to diſcountenance the ſin, that it may be aſhamed and confounded, and carry it no longer180 in Vogue and Al-a-mode. And to this end, O that all manner of Chriſtians would bewail the preſent guilt of the Nation, in a ſelf-abaſing, ſelf-condemning Humiliation, as the Lord calls for in Jer. 3. 13. Onely acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou haſt tranſgreſſed against the Lord thy God, and hast ſcatiered thy ways to the Strangers, &c. In Building men uſe to lay the Foundation low, that ſo the Work may ſtand firm and ſure; and ſo muſt we lay our ſelves low before that Majeſty which is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, that our Reformation-work may hold it, when a ſound Humiliation lays the foundation for it; that we remembring our way and our doings which have not been good, and loathing our ſinfull and polluted ſelves for all our abominations, our ſins of this king may not be had in remembrance againſt us, as the ſins of Manaſſeh and the Jews were in the days of Joſiah, 2 King. 23. 26, 27. even to a decreee to remove Judah into Captivity. Though we enjoy as it were another Joſiah in our days, yet how deep in guilt the preceding Princes were, you cannot be ignorant: And the Judgments of God declaring againſt this ſin, you may diſcern, Amos 4. 11. I have overthrown ſome of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha: While our ſin was as Sodom, and we burned in our Luſts towards one another, no wonder if our Puniſhment was as Sodom upon the great City of the Nation. Was not that place, Iſa. 1. 10. Hear the Word of the Lord, ye Rulers of Sodom, and — — ye people of Gomorrha, applicable unto us, when our Luſts had ſo prodigiouſly encreaſed beyond what was ever known before?
And laſt of all, O that the few living Names, as in the Church of Sardis, Rev. 3. 4. which have not defiled their Garments; or as Rev. 14. 4. which are not defiled with Women; and thoſe from whom the Lord hath taken away their filthy Garments, (as is ſaid181 of Joſhua the High-Priest, Zech. 3, 4.) would inter cede for a ſinful and polluted Nation, as in Ezek. 36. 25. the Promiſe runs, I will ſprinkle you with clean wnter, and ye ſhall be clean: from all your filthineſs will I cleanſe you, v. 29. I will alſo ſave you from all your uncleanneſs: v. 31. Then ſhall ye remember your own evil ways, &c. and ſhall loath your ſelves, &c. For his Names ſake that he would do it; as in the 22. v. I do not this for your ſakes, O houſe of Iſrael, but for mine Holy Names ſake; and for his dear Sons ſake: Tit. 2. 14. who gave himſelf for us, to redeem us from this and all other iniquity, and purifie us unto himſelf as a peculiar People, zealous of good works.
A Prayer.
Amen.