assault and encounter the spirit and the fruites thereof Gal. 5.19 Gal. 5.19 The workes of the flesh are manifest which are adulterie fornication vncleannes wantonnes The which corruptions wee are especially commanded to mortifie and subdue Col. 3.5 Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are vpon earth fornication vncleannes the inordinate affection and euill concupiscence 1. Pet. 2.11 And not without great cause are we to imploy our chiefe strength in mortifying and subduing these filthie lusts of the flesh seeing as the Apostle telleth vs they fight against our soules and therfore if we doe not incounter them they will assault vs if wee doe not master and ouercome them they will surely giue vs a shamefull ouerthrow they are fruites of the flesh and notable signes of vnregeneration which stoppeth the entrance into Gods kingdome for except we bee borne againe wee shall not enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3.3 Ioh. 3.3 And as they dispossesse vs of our heauenly patrimonie so they enter vs into the certaine possession of the hellish inheritance for they who walke after the flesh in fulfilling the lusts thereof they are not in Christ Rom. 8.1.13 and consequently haue not escaped condemnation yea whosoeuer liue after the flesh they shall die euen the spirituall death of bodie and soule If therefore wee would not march in the rancke of the vnregenerate and fight vnder the conduct of the flesh whose victorie is our vtter ouerthrow and destruction if we loue eternall life or feare euerlasting death and condemnation in the hellish torments let vs not nourish these filthie lusts but vse our best meanes and imploy our strongest forces and most earnest endeuours to mortifie and subdue them CHAP. IIII. That the fornicatour sinneth many waies and first in respect of God THe fourth reason to restraine all men from the sinnes of fornication and vncleannes §. Sect. 7. That the sinnes of vncleannes are hainously euill is because they are hainously euill there being no respect or relation of euill to bee named which is not coincident and inseparably ioyned with these vices For whereas all kinde of euill may be reduced to two heads as being either the euill of sinne or the euill of punishment this sinne of fornication compriseth them both like an euill yet fruitfull tree bearing both the sommer fruite of sinne and the autumne and after fruite of punishment First that it is out of measure sinfull it may hereby appeare in that it is not only in it selfe a grieuous sin but also like a wicked mother onely fruitfull in wicked and monstrous births it bringeth forth many other kindes of wickednesse which resemble the parent in their malignant nature and qualitie so as they may be easily knowne to be of her ofspring and progenie The grieuousnes of this sinne being simply considered in it selfe is hereby manifest in that whereas there is but a threefold relation of sinne either as it is committed against God our neighbour or our selues this sinne alone comprehendeth them all and that in many and almost innumerable respects First the fornicatour grieuously sinneth against God §. Sect. 2. The fornicator sinneth against God by dishonoring him directly and immediatly when as professing himselfe a Christian and consequently one of Gods familie he by polluting and defiling his bodie dishonours his Lord and father for if mortall men who stand vpon their credit doe count it a great iniurie and disgrace to themselues when as a seruant of their familie is defiled and much more when their owne daughters are polluted with filthie whoredome then how much more doth the Lord detest this vncleannes which redoundeth to the dishonour of his holy name when as it is committed not onely by a common subiect vnder his dominion but by a speciall seruant of his familie yea by such as would be reputed in the number of his children And this was a principall argument which aggrauated the filthinesse of Sichem and Ammon Gen. 34.7 2. Sam. 13.12.13 because they committed this villanie or follie in Israel that is in the Church and familie of God which in a peculiar manner he had chosen and sanctified vnto himselfe and this also made Dauids grieuous sinne much more hainous because being committed by him who had professed and approued himselfe to be the seruant and sonne of God it greatly tended to Gods dishonour in that it caused the enemies of his trueth to blaspheme as appeareth 2. Sam. 12.14 2. Sam. 11.14 Secondly §. Sect. 3. Secondly the fornicator offendeth God by resisting his vvill the fornicatour sinneth grieuously against God by resisting his reuealed and knowne will for the Lords will is that being sanctified we should abstaine from fornication and that euery one should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God 1. Thes 4 3. as appeareth 1. Thes 4.3.4.5 It is the will of God that wee should bee prepared as pure brides for his sonne Christ Ephes 5.27 not hauing any spot or wrinckle holie and without blame Yea so far off shuld we be from defiling of our bodies Ephes 5.3 by committing these sins of vncleannesse that hee would not haue vs so much as to defile our tongues by once naming of them with the least approbation or delight Whosoeuer therefore perpetrate and commit these works of darkenesse they contumaciouslie resist the will of God the which their rebellion is so much the more intollerable because they disobey the Lord to obey their owne filthy lusts and rebell against their supreme Soueraigne to pleasure and gratifie their slauish base and brutish affections Thirdly §. Sect. 4. 3. Fornicators sinne against God by subuerting mariage which is his own ordinance whoremongers sinne hainouslie against God by subuerting and destroying marriage which is Gods holy ordinance instituted by the Lord himselfe in Paradise that it might be the only lawful meanes of propagating his Church and people and to preserue them from being defiled with filthie lusts and inordinate concupiscence For they who spend their strength vpon harlots Gen. 2 24. Mal. 2.15 1. Cor. 7.2 disable themselues for lawfull marriage they who loue the stewes loathe the mariage bed and if the heart be inueigled with the inticing allurements of filthie strumpets they will neuer desire a lawfull wife but the mariage yoke vnto such is an intollerable burthen Qui amant agrè sibi serunt vxorem dari inquit Comicus and they seeme to themselues to indure a miserable thraldome and to bee depriued whollie of their libertie when as being inseparablie ioyned with a yokefellow they are restrained from running into lawlesse licentiousnesse And because they are in loue with their spirituall diseases of vncleannesse therefore they hate the cure and abhorre marriage the remedie of their sinne §. Sect. 5. Fornicators sin against euery person in the Deity and first
legib Periurij poena diuina exitium humana dedecus Diuine punishment inflicted vpon periured persons for their false swearing is destruction humane is shame and discredit And this is that punishment which both the Ciuill and Canon law imposed vpon such namely that if they were taken with this fault they should for euer bee so disabled in their credit and reputation that they might not be admitted to be witnesses and to giue testimonie either in their owne or other mens causes in any iudicial proceedings The which punishment was in Gods righteous iudgement inflicted in some proportion according to the qualitie of their sinne for whereas they to grace themselues in their vntruths care not as much as in them lieth to dishonour God by deriuing the imputation of fraud and deceit vpon him whom they inuocate as a witnesse of their lies God iustly meeteth with them and returneth the infamie and reproch vpon their owne heads Besides which punishment of infamie § Sect. 2. Other punishments of periurie the same lawes impose others vpon him that commits this sin as that he shall be depriued of all Ecclesiasticall preferments and dignities if he possesse them and not be admitted either into the Ministerie or gouernment of the Church That likewise he shall be dispoiled of all ciuill aduancement so as he shall not bee admitted vnto any such preferment nor reentred after he is displaced Besides which punishments in name and state they determine that he should be punished as a common cosener and be either beaten with cudgels and staues or exiled and banished or if it were in capitall matters and concerned the life of his neighbour he should be punished with death it selfe according to the law of God in that case prouided Deut. 19.19 The which punishment of death was inflicted vpon all among the Egyptians Patric lib. 5. tit 5. who were conuicted of wilful periurie vpon any cause whatsoeuer as Patricius recordeth But because these humane punishments are not alwaies inflicted vpon the offenders §. Sect. 3. How the Lord himselfe punisheth periurie either because their sinne being cunningly or closely acted is not discouered or through their negligence and want of zeale for Gods glorie who haue the sole authoritie to see the lawes executed therefore the Lord himselfe oftentimes taketh his owne cause into his owne hand and howsoeuer men wincke at and acquit them yet he holdeth them not guiltlesse who thus by their periurie prophane pollute his holy name And because his glory which is by this sin impeached is most deare vnto him therfore the Lord doth seuerely punish those who thus offend both with temporarie and eternall punishments in themselues and also in their posteritie as the Poet well obserued In prolemdilata ruunt periuria patris Et poenam merito filius ore luit Claudianus in Curctium And as this sin of periurie is in an extraordinarie sort abominable in Gods sight so doth he punish it with extraordinarie plagues and besides those vsuall punishments which are common to all offenders he hath inflicted vpon periured persons such fearefull iudgements from time to time which haue been so fitte and proportionable to the sinne that one might reade their offence written in their punishment as it were in great text letters set ouer their heads And thus did the Lord punish the breach of the couenant made with the Gibeonites and confirmed by oath with three yeeres famine and with the death of seuen of Sauls posteritie who had violated this oath 2. Sam. 21. and that not in a secret manner but openly declaring what was the sinne for which hee inflicted these punishments So because Zedechia broke the oath of the Lord which hee had made vnto Nebucadnezer hee had his sonnes slaine before his face and that hee might neuer behold cause of comfort after this sad spectacle his eyes were presently put out and he being bound with chaines was led captiue vnto Babylon where he slauishly liued and died wretchedly all which punishments were inflicted vpon him principally for his periurie Ezech. 17.15 as appeareth Ezech. 17.15.16.18.19 Besides which temporall punishments the Lord inflicteth vpon such as thus offend §. Sect. 4. God punisheth periurie with spirituall punishments and eternall death those which are spirituall and eternall for he hath denounced against them his fearfull curse which shall light so heauie vpon the periured person that it shall not onely destroy him and his posteritie but shall euen consume his house with the timber and stones thereof as appeareth Zach. 5.4 Zach. 5.4 And after this life if the flame of Gods wrath in the meane while be not quenched with the teares of vnfained repentance it shall burne hot against him kindling and preparing for him the fire of hell in which he shall bee eternally tormented for if the liar hath his portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Apoc. 21.8 as it is Apoc. 21.8 then much more the periured person who confirmeth his lies by an oath calling God himselfe to be not onely a witnesse and suretie but also a Iudge to auenge his falshood shall with the intollerable waight of this outragious sinne be suncke into the deepest bottome of this hellish condemnation And thus haue I shewed the lawfull vse of an oath §. Sect. 5. The conclusion of this treatise and also how it is abused both by vaine swearing and impious forswearing and withall haue propounded many reasons and arguments which may serue as wholsome preseruatiues to keepe those who haue any feare of God from falling into these sinnes or as profitable medicines to cure them of these dangerous diseases of the soule if alreadie they haue seazed on them Now as I heartily pray vnto God that all who shall reade this treatise and all other who professe the name of Christ may by these and such like reasons made effectuall by his grace and powerfull working of his holie Spirit bee brought both to a forsaking and also to an vtter hatred and detestation of these sinnes so with all humble earnestnesse I intreate our Magistrates and Gouernours who are as Gods deputies and Lieutenants set amongst vs to execute his righteous iudgements that they will in feruent zeale to Gods glorie whose person they doe sustaine as being pettie gods vpon earth not onely carefully reforme themselues of these vices whereby Gods holie name is polluted both in their owne particular and as they are examples vnto others but also that they would wisely enact and diligently execute such wholsome lawes as may restraine or seuerely punish these grosse abuses of vaine swearing and impious forswearing which in these times so commonly raigne amongst vs. That hereby they may shew and approne themselues truly religious in that they are carefull not only to suppresse such abuses and sins as tend to the hurt of their countrie and Common-wealth or to the damage and hindrance of particular subiects for
constrained in their old age to drinke water So it is said Prou. 21.17 He that loueth pastime shall be but a poore man and he that loueth wine and oyle shall not be rich And Pro. 23.21 Pro. 21.17.23.21 The drunkard and the glutton shal be poore and the sleeper shall be clothed with rags And these §. Sect. 6. The drunkard sinneth against his seuerall parts and first against his soule with many more euils this vice bringeth to the whole man Besides which common mischiefes it is also pernitious to his seuerall parts for first it infatuateth the vnderstanding peruerteth the will and corrupteth all the affections To this purpose one saith Vbi regnat ebrietas ratio exulat intellectus obtunditur consilia deuiant iudicia subuertuntur Where drunkennesse raigneth as King there reason is banished as an exile the vnderstanding is dulled counsell wandreth and iudgement is ouerthrowne With this accordeth Seneca his definition of drunkennesse Nihil aliud est ebrietas quà m voluntaria insania Drunkennesse is nothing else but a voluntarie madnesse Extende in plures dies illum ebrium habitum nunquid de furore dubitabis If this drunken habite bee continued for many daies together who would make any doubt but that the partie were out of his wits Nunc quoque non est minor sed breuior But take it as it is and it is no lesse madnesse then frenzie but only shorter Although then drunkennesse be not direct madnesse yet to speake the best it is a temporarie forfeiture of the wits and in this it must needes be confessed to be worse then frenzie in that this is violent that voluntarie this the euill of punishment but that the euill of sinne Yea this vice doth not only rob men of reason but also of common sense so as they can neither preuent future danger nor feele present smart And this the Wise man in liuely manner expresseth Prou. 23.24 where hee saith Prou. 23.34.35 that the drunkard shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea and as he that sleepeth in the top of the mast 35. They haue stricken me shall he say but I was not sicke they haue beaten me but I knew not when I awoke therefore I will seeke it yet still A notable example hereof wee haue in Lot who was so besotted with drinke and depriued of sense and reason that vnwittingly he committed incest with his owne daughters Gen. 19.35 neither knowing when they lay downe nor when they rose vp So that whilest drunkennesse lasteth it hath the same operation with deadly poison for it intoxicateth the braine benummeth the senses infeebleth the ioints and sinewes and bringeth a man into a temporarie lethargie Hence it is that Cyrus in his childhood being asked by his grandfather Astiages Xenoph. in padia Cyri. lib. 1. why at the feast hee did not drinke wine returned this answere full of wittie simplicitie Because said he I tooke it to bee poison for at the last feast I obserued that those who drunke of it were soone after depriued of their vnderstanding and senses Whereby appeareth the odiousnesse of this sinne for if it bee a hatefull thing for a man to wound his owne flesh and wilfully to maime the members of his bodie how abominable is it to wound the minde it selfe and to offer violence against our reason and vnderstanding If it be a crime to offer violence against the subiects then surely to lay violent hands vpon the King himselfe and to pull him out of his regall throne must needes be condemned as outragious wickednesse And thus the drunkard sinneth against his owne soule §. Sect. 7. How the drunkard sinneth against his body 1. by deforming it Propert. lib. 2. eleg vlt. Neither is he a better friend or lesse iniurious to his bodie for first he deformeth it and defaceth that goodly feature in which it was created according to that Vino forma perit vino corrumpitur aetas By wine beautie perisheth and the vigour of age is disabled Neither is there almost any part of the bodie which is not disordered and deformed with this vice of drunkennesse their eyes become red their face is inflamed their breath noisome their speech stammering their bodies staggering their gestures apish and all their actions foolish And hence it was that the Lacedemonians vsed to shew vnto their children their Helots and slaues in the time of their drunkennesse thinking that their vgly deformitie both in bodie and minde would be an effectuall argument to make them lothe this vice which euen at the first view shewed so odious Secondly §. Sect. 8. 2. It disableth and weakneth the bodie as it deformeth the bodie so also it disableth it turning strength into weaknesse and health into sicknesse For as the earth it selfe with too much moisture is turned into bogges and quagmires so also is the bodie thereby wholly corrupted and through the redundance of humours the naturall heate being extinguished is brought vnto grieuous diseases as dropsies gouts palsies apoplexie and such like So that euen in this respect the drunkard buyeth his beastly pleasure at a high rate Senec. epist 59. for as one saith Ebrietas vnius horae hilaram insaniam longi temporis taedio pensat Drunkennesse requiteth one houres merry madnesse with a long and tedious time of sorrow and repentance As therefore sobrietie and temperance is the best nurse to preserue health and continue strength so drunkennesse excesse and surfetting are the speediest meanes to ouerthrow thē and the readiest way which a man can take to come with posting haste to immature age and vnnaturall weaknes Lastly it shortneth the life and bringeth vntimely death §. Sect. 9. Drunkennesse shorteneth the life and bringeth vntimely death For to say nothing of those dangers vnto which they expose themselues by quarelling and brauling in the time of their drunkennes in which many haue perished and to passe them ouer who hauing lost the sterne of reason wherewith they should guide themselues haue as it were dashed against vnhappie accidents and so made shipwrack of their liues some on the land some in the water some in the streetes and some in the ditches how many are there who haue drunke themselues dead and haue presently died with the weapon as it were in their bellie so that there needed not any Iurie to go vpon them to finde out the cause of their death it being no more sudden then the cause apparant Whose deaths charitie it selfe must needes iudge most miserable seeing they die in their sins and are taken away in Gods iust wrath euen whilest they are sacrificing their soules vnto Satan But yet small is the number of those who perish in this apoplexie of drunkennesse in comparison of those multitudes whom it linggringly consumeth for it doth by little and little quench the naturall heate and drowne the vitall spirits and so leadeth men though not by so direct a passage yet but a little way
make those who are alreadie merrie mad and franticke It was giuen to cheere the heart and not to oppresse it to comfort the stomacke and not to loade and glut it to worke in vs such a spirituall ioy as should intice vs to praise Gods name in the fruition of his gifts of which our Prophet Hosea speaketh Cap. 2.15 and not such a worldly and carnall ioy as sheweth it selfe in filthie ribauldrie and impious blasphemies In a word the Lord doth bestow vpon vs not onely the competent wages of sufficiēcie but also the extraordinarie vailes of plentie and abundance that thereby we may be incouraged to performe vnto him more faithfull and cheerefull seruice and not that through our abusing them to excesse we should disable our selues for all good duties and be well fitted for the seruice of the diuell Lastly they alleage for the defence of their drunkennesse §. Sect. 8. The 3. excuse that they vse drunkennesse for Physicke that they vse it not for any delight which they take in drinking but as the best remedie prescribed by the learned Physition for the curing of some dangerous diseases to which they are subiect To which I answere that if it be accounted a sottish follie to staunch the bleeding of the finger by wounding of the heart then much more to cure the bodie by destroying of the soule for if drunkennesse be a sinne as all men confesse and if the wages of sinne be death eternall of soule and bodie Rom. 6.23 as the Apostle teacheth vs Rom. 6.23 If finally it make all men who commit it Deut. 27.26 liable to Gods fearefull curse denounced in his law Deut. 27.26 then what madnesse is it wilfully and presumptuously to rush into sinne which is accompanied with eternal destruction of bodie and soule for the recouerie of our bodilie health to hazard the fee-simple of our euerlasting patrimonie for the reparing of our earthlie tabernacles yea the prison of our soules and to venter the losse of eternall happinesse in Gods kingdome for the prolonging of our miserable pilgrimage in this wretched world Besides the Lord hath ordained manie soueraigne meanes and remedies of lawful Physicke vpon the vse whereof we may much more assuredly expect Gods blessing for our recouerie then vpon this euill and sinfull meanes which he hath branded with his curse And therefore when the Physitians receipt is contrarie to the prescript of Gods word let vs reiect it as sent from hell and as one saith Cum turpis est medicma sanari pudeat Let vs rather die of an honest disease then preserue life by a dishonest medicine Others there are §. Sect. 9. The fourth excuse that they are drawne into this sinne by bad companie who not being so impudent as to defend their drunkennesse as lawfull doe yet extenuate and excuse it as light and veniall And first they say that for themselues they haue no liking of this vice but onely are drawne into it somtimes by reason of their companie To which I answere that that is a bad fellowship which brings vs into a league with vice and makes vs to set vertue at vtter defiance that is a wicked knot of friendship which ties vs both to the euil of sinne and the euill of punishment and it will prooue but a sottish dotage in the end if rather then wee will part with wicked companions we will in foolish kindnes accompanie them into hell If therefore our companions delight in sin let not vs delight in them but flee their societie as being the diuels aduocates to solicite vs vnto wickednesse and let vs take heede lest whilest wee labour to maintaine friendship with men we doe not proclaime enmitie against God They are but bad seruants who will keepe companie with their masters enemies and ioyne with them in their leaud courses especially after he hath seriouslie warned them to forsake it but wee professe our selues the seruants of God and hee hath straitly charged vs to leaue the fellowship of wicked worldlings and especially of such as liue in drunkennesse because their fellowship will corrupt vs and allure vs by their example and inticements to the committing of the same sinnes Thus the wise Salomon chargeth vs from God that we should not keepe companie with drunkards and gluttons Prou. 23.20 Pro. 23.20 So the Apostle inioyneth vs that we should not haue any fellowship nor so much as eate with a drunkard 1. Cor. 5.11 1. Cor. 5.11 and that we should haue no fellowship with these vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse or if vnwittingly and vnwillingly we be thrust into any such societie wee must not imitate but reprooue them Eph. 5.11 Eph. 5.11 Secondly they alleage for their excuse §. Sect. 10. The fifth excuse that it is the custome of the countrie that this excessiue drinking is the vsuall custome of the countrie and the common practise of the people where they dwell and therefore they are the rather to be excused if they behaue themselues like other men seeing singularitie would make them odious and bring them to contempt To which I answere that custome not grounded vpon either reason or religion is the worst kinde of barbarous tyrannie that a common fashion dissonant from Gods word is no better then a common sin which bringeth vpon whole nations vniuersall iudgements and therefore we must not ioyne with them in their sinnes if we would be disioyned from them in their punishments That as communitie commendeth that which is good so it aggrauateth that which is euill that Christians must not liue by prophane examples but by Gods holy precepts that we are expresly charged by God not to follow a multitude to doe euill Exod. 23.2 Exod. 23.2 That we must not fashion our selues like vnto the world but labour to finde out Gods will that wee may conforme our liues thereunto Rom. 12.2 Rom. 12.2 That if we will needs liue by example we must propound for our imitation those who are most godlie and religious and not those who are most in number For it is better being with Noah alone in the Arke then to bee in the flourishing assemblies of wicked worldlings to ioyne with righteous Lot then with all Sodome to bee in the small number of Christs little flocke which are to be saued then in the numerous heards of goats which are destinated to destruction Lastly §. Sect. 11.6 Excuse taken from the example of holie men they extenuate their vice of drunkennesse as not deseruing the censure of an hainous sinne seeing the holy Patriarches Noah and Lot fell into it But by the same reason they might as well conclude that murther and adulterie are but small and veniall sinnes because holie Dauid committed them and that it is but a light offence to denie and forsweare Christ our Sauiour because Peter the Apostle was ouertaken with it Yea in truth they may thus excuse idolatrie blasphemie pride couetousnes al other hainous wickednes seeing the
2. The speciall meanes to preserue vs from the sin of drunkennesse let vs set before vs in a generall view the hainousnes thereof and the manifold euils and mischiefes which doe accompanie it of which I haue alreadie spoken as that it is a vice condemned by God and men Christians and Infidels that thereby wee grieuouslie offend God by making our bellies our god by vnfitting and disabling our selues for his seruice by abusing his good creatures which with a plentifull hand hee hath bestowed vpon vs the necessarie vse whereof many better then wee want that thereby we sin in a high degree against our neighbours generally and particularly against the whole Church and common-wealth strangers and familiar acquaintance and most of all against their owne familie that we hereby most grieuously sinne against our selues by making vs vnfit for our callings and for the performance of all good duties by disgracing our profession and bringing our selues into contempt by making our selues the voluntarie slaues of this vice by impouerishing our state and bringing vpon vs want and beggerie by infatuating our vnderstandings and corrupting our wills and affections by deforming disabling weakening and destroying our bodies and bringing our selues to vntimely death by excluding our selues out of the number of Christs members and of those who are regenerate by quenching the gifts of the spirit and strengthening the flesh and the lusts thereof by causing our soules to bee possessed with finall impenitencie which is inseparably accompanied with eternall damnation Let vs also remember that as in it selfe it is most sinfull so also it is a cause of other sinnes and a fruitfull mother of all wickednesse as of the manifold and horrible abuses of the tongue of manie wicked and outragious actions and particularly of those fearefull sinnes of murther and adulterie Let vs also call to minde that as it is the cause of sinne so also of many heauie and grieuous punishments for it maketh a man liable to a fearefull woe and Gods heauie curse it subiecteth his name to infamie and reproch his state to beggerie his bodie to diseases and immature death his soule to senselesse sottishnesse and depriuing the whole man of the ioyes of heauen entreth him into the possession of eternall hellish torments All which being duelie considered may mooue any who hath not onely any dram of religion but euen any naturall reason or but common sense to hate and abhorre leaue and forsake this brutish sinne which being odiously wicked in it selfe is also the cause of so innumerable mischiefes For if those who being diseased with the dropsie will when they are aduised by the wise and faithfull Physition restraine their appetite and refraine from much drinking though by reason of their disease they are continually tormented with an insatiable thirst and that onely to recouer bodilie health and to preserue for a while their temporarie life in the meane time hauing no assurance of attaining vnto their end with all this paines then how much more should those who haue been formerly addicted to this sinne of drunkennesse bridle their appetite and abstaine from excessiue drinking although through their accustomable carousing they haue brought vpon themselues such a necessitie of drinking that it is a torment to forbeare seeing so innumerable euils doe necessarilie accompanie it both in this life and in the life to come which are much more earnestly to bee auoided then many deaths Lastly § Sect. 3. The last means is to auoid the companie of drunkards they who would willingly reclaime themselues from this vice of excessiue drinking must carefully auoide the companie of drunkards And vnto this the wise man perswadeth vs Prou. 23.20 Keepe not companie with drunkards nor with gluttons Prou. 23.20 And the Apostle chargeth vs that if one who is a brother be charged to be a drunkard we should not so much as eate with him 1. Cor. 5.11 1. Cor. 5.11 For if they still haunt this wicked societie after they are recouered of this disease they will easilie through this cōtagious fellowship be againe tainted and fall into a fearefull relapse of their sinne for they will not onely allure them by their example but also draw them with the pretended bond of good fellowship yea vrge and prouoke them with challenges to answere them in their carouses and sometimes with vnkindnes taken and threats of reuenge if they doe refuse and if all this will not mooue them to reenter into their old course they will not sticke after an impudent and impious manner to gibe and scoffe at their new reformation and to lay vpon them the imputation of too austere precisenesse in that they will not follow the practise of their old companions The which motiue although it be of no true force in it selfe yet is there no small strength ministred vnto it by our corruptions for the foiling and ouerthrowing of new conuerts for howsoeuer the wicked are bold in sinne and care not in what companie almost they act their impietie if it bee not within danger of law yet those who haue not receiued a great measure of grace are bashfull and loth to bee seene in any vnaccustomed goodnesse and as if it were some blemish vnto them they are readie to blush if more then ordinarie pietie be laid to their charge or if wicked men doe accuse them of being too religious And thus much I thought good to speake of the sinne of drunkennesse §. Sect. 4. The conclusion of this treatise both to perswade all men to abhorre this vice who are not ouertaken therwith and to disswade those who haue defiled themselues by wallowing in this filthie puddle from persisting in this brutish course The Lord make that which hath been said effectuall to these ends that wee may not only performe the duties of pietie towards him and the duties of righteousnes towards our neighbours but also the duties of temperance and sobrietie toward our selues that so by our Christian liues and conuersation God may bee glorified our brethren edified and we more and more assured of our inheritance amongst Gods Saints in heauen when as we liue as it becommeth his children and seruants here on earth The which grace the God of grace and goodnes vouchsafe vnto vs for his Christs sake to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be al praise and glorie now and for euermore Amen FINIS A TREATISE AGAINST FORNICATION AND ADVLTERIE WHEREIN IS SHEWED THE hainousnes of these sins the grieuousnes of their punishments and the meanes whereby we may be preserued from them CHAP. I. The sins of the people indanger the Common-wealth AS when the great bodie of the Common-wealth is throughlie purged from the noisome dregs of sinne §. Sect. 1. The sins of the people cause the land to vomit out her inhabitants wherewith it is oppressed and surcharged it sucketh plentifully and as it were with a good appetite Gods liberall gifts and blessings like wholesome food the which
not goe single but by couples into hell §. Sect. 2. Fornicaion in some respects more hainous then either thest or murther Whereby it appeareth that howsoeuer this sinne is but lightly esteemed and turned into a iest amongst wicked men yet in this and some other respects it is worse and more pernicious to our neighbour then either theft or murther and oftentimes more vncomfortable to our owne consciences it exceedeth these euen in theft for the thiefe onely strippeth the bodie but the fornicator spoileth the soule of his chiefe ornaments puritie and chastitie the thiefe taketh away momentanie riches which oftentimes doe the owner little good and sometimes much hurt when as they through abuse become the mammon of iniquitie and furtherances in sinne but the fornicator robbeth his neighbour of Gods graces a good conscience cleannes of heart puritie of body and soule and finally of the assurance of his saluation And so also he exceedeth the murtherer euen in the act of murthering for the murtherer inflicteth deepe wounds in the bodie the which sometimes may be cured and healed by earthly meanes but the fornicator grieuouslie woundeth both his owne soule and the soule of his neighbour which no worldly thing can cure but onely the soueraigne balme of Christ Iesus his precious blood the murtherer whē he hath done his worst doth only kil the body in the meane time he who is killed being a faithfull Christian is neuer the worse because this temporarie death is but a passage into life eternall but the fornicator destroyeth the bodie and soule of his neighbour eternally by drawing him into sinne the wages whereof is euerlasting death vnlesse it bee preuented by hartie and vnfained repentance Rom. 6.23 yea and which is more horrible and vnnaturall he with the same blow also murthereth himselfe The murtherer inflicteth onely the euill of punishment the which poyson the Lord so tempereth with his gifts and graces that it becommeth a wholesome medicine to cure his seruants of their spirituall diseases but the fornicator inflicteth the euill of sinne which without repentance is accompanied with eternall condemnation And in this respect also this sinne of whoredome is most vncomfortable §. Sect. 3. The sinne of vvhoredome most vncomfortable and destitute of all peace of conscience for whereas they who commit other sinnes sinning alone may also repent alone and vpon the assurance of their true conuersion may recouer their former peace of conscience being by Gods gratious promises ascertained of his fauour the fornicator euen after himselfe hath repented of his sinne can not but be exceedingly troubled and turmoiled in his mind when as his conscience shall tell him that by his lust and vncleannes he hath brought others through his wicked fellowship into the same sinne and condemnation in which state they still remaine without repentance or at least hee their companion in wickednesse is not assured that they also accompanie him in his true conuersion But as the fornicatour sinneth against his copartner in vncleannes § Sect. 4. The fornicator sinneth against the parents and friends of the partie defiled so also against others as namely against his owne and his companions parents and neere friends first because this filthinesse causeth a tainter in the blood and with the staine thereof bringeth some blemish vpon their name though they be innocent of the fault The which so much incensed Iacobs sonnes for the deflouring of their sister because the shame thereof redounded not only to her selfe but to her father and friends for so it is said that they were grieued and very angrie because this villanie was committed in Israel Gen. 34.7 and because Sichem had lien with Iacobs daughter And this was the cause why the high Priests daughter playing the harlot was by the law of God to be burnt with fire because by her whoredome she had polluted her father as it is Leuit. 21.9 Leuit. 21.9 And secondly in that hereby robbing their children or friends of grace vertue and that chiefe ornament of chastitie they also depriue their hearts of all true ioy and sound comfort which they otherwise might haue had of them when as being priuie to their sinne they cannot looke vpon them without shame and blushing nor acknowledge them for their owne vnto others lest they may seeme to haue some interest in their faults So also they sinne grieuously against their owne children begotten in fornication and that before they are borne § Sect. 5. The fornicator sinneth against his owne children begotten in fornication and afterwards for they ingraine them in the deepe die of their sinne which wil neuer be washed out although it may be couered with their vertues and brand them with the infamous marke of bastardie before they breathe the aire They make the poore infant beare the punishment of their sinne euen whilest it selfe is borne in the mothers bellie and before it hath any name giuen it they intitle it to the infamous surname of a base bastard They also rob it of their owne loue not for any faultines in the childe but for the guilt of their owne sinne in which respect whilest it is in the wombe the mother wisheth that it may bee a false conception and abortiue and the father that it may neuer liue to see the Sunne When it is borne they are readie to thinke that when it crieth it proclaimeth their sinne and when it beginneth to speake they blush for shame when they heare themselues called vpon by the sweete names of father and mother because thereby their sinne is called to remembrance And as they do communicate to their poore children the shame and punishment of their faults so also their sinnes and corruptions themselues for they poison them in the bud and the fountaine of generation being defiled with filthie lust and vncleannes polluteth also the streames which issue from it so that it is no rare thing to see such children resemble their parents in their vnchast manners more then in their face and countenance All which iniuries they recompense by shewing themselues more iniurious for as they hated them in the birth so they neglect them commonly in their growth and make amends for their sinfull generation with giuing vnto them loose and prophane education whereby they grow in their corruptions faster then in the stature of their bodie And yet this is not halfe the mischiefe which they do vnto them for besides all this as much as in them lieth they exclude them out of the couenant of grace and blot them out of the number of Gods people and family the which the Lord will haue procreated and increased with a holie seede Matth. 2.15 whereas they remaine polluted being the children of fornication and vncleane seede of vncleane parents 1. Cor. 7.14 And if at all they bee admitted into the outward couenant and receiue the seales thereof it is not for their parents sake if they continue in their sinne
maligne his person must bee exposed to all dangers in reuenge of her quarrell That I may say nothing of his continuall hopes feares despaire griefe ielousies quarrels truces wherewith he is no otherwise tormented then if hee were daily vpon a torturing rack sauing that himselfe chuseth his tormentor and voluntarily indureth this hellish punishment In which respect this sinne of vncleannes is by one compared to an infernall fire Hierom. O ignis infernalis luxuria cuius materia gula c. whose matter or nourishment is gluttonie and drunkennesse the flame burning lust the sparkles corrupt speeches and filthie communication the smoke infamie and disgrace the ashes vncleane filthinesse and the end hell torments Neither are base and effeminate men onely subiect to this tyrannical slauerie but euen the most strong and valiant §. Sect. 6. That the most vvise and valiant become slaues to their harlots being first conquered vvith their owne lusts the wisest and best qualified are in no better case when they haue giuen themselues ouer to bee ruled with their filthie affections for to say nothing of the thrice valiant Hercules who hauing vanquished many monsters was afterwards made through the violence of his lusts a base slaue to Omphale and changed his club and lions skinne into a spindle and distaffe receiuing his worke by taske among her maides nor of Sardanapalus the great king of Assyria who was so basely inthralled with his lusts that he vsed to weare womens apparrell and to spinne amongst his harlots the Scriptures themselues doe offer vnto vs two notable examples the one of the strongest the other of the wisest amongst meere men who being first made slaues to their owne lusts were afterwards subiected in the basest thraldome vnto their concubines and harlots The strong Sampson who with the iaw bone of an asse slew a 1000. men was so basely deuoted to the harlot Dalilah that when he was bewitched with her allurements he could not conceale from her his chief secret which imported him no lesse then his life though he had often experience of her treacherie falsehood And Salomon so much admired for his wisedome was so besotted vpon his wiues and concubines that they withdrew his heart from God who had inriched him aboue all other with his gratious benefits and inticed him to ioyne with them in their grosse idolatry So that no strength is able to incounter the violence of these fleshly lusts no wisdome can priuiledge men from being deluded and abused with the cunning wiles of these filthie harlots Thirdlie §. Sect. 7. God punisheth the fornicators bodie vvith lothsome diseases God punisheth the fornicator in his bodie with grieuous sicknesses and lothsome diseases for so wisely hath he ordred it by his wisdome and prouidence that they who who will taste the honie of this sinne shall also feele the sting of punishment for it spendeth the vitall spirits consumeth and extinguisheth the naturall heate and moisture which are the onely preseruers of health strength and life whereof followeth the corruption of the blood dissolution of the sinewes rottennes of the marrow aches in the ioynts cruditie in stomacke paine in the head lamenesse in the limnes gouts palsies and innumerable diseases Besides all which naturall and ordinarie sicknesses and infirmities the Lord hath of late punished this sinne with that most lothsome and desperate disease which is so odious euen to carnall men that all nations are ashamed to owne it whereof it is that it is diuerslie called by diuers people as the Neapolitan Indian and French disease which was neuer heard of in the daies of our ancestours till men in an vnusal manner multiplying their filthie lusts the Lord not much aboue an hundred yeeres-since brought vpon them this vnusuall punishment which is now growne almost as common as the sinne The consideration whereof should mooue all-men whose liues are more deere vnto them then their lusts and whose health and strength is more valued then a short and brutish pleasure to leaue this sin and loath these harlots who in this respect may not vnfitly bee compared to sweete but poysonous potions which delight in the taste but kill in the disgestion or vnto bandogs sauing that these hurt by fighting they by fauning these wound with biting they with kissing and wanton dalliance Or like the Iuie which whilest it seemeth louingly to imbrace the tree adioyning sucketh from it the naturall sap and moisture and so causeth it to rot and perish Lastly §. Sect. 8. God punisheth fornicators in their posteritie as the Lord punisheth this sinne in the fornicators themselues in regard of their owne person so also in respect of their posteritie As sometimes he punisheth them with barrennesse whereby their offpring is vtterly cut off and as it were dried in the spring according to the saying of the Prophet Hos 4.10 They shall commit whoredome and not increase Hos 4.10 Sometimes he visiteth the sinnes of these fornicators in their vncleane issue and pulleth them vp as soone as they begin to take roote because such pernicious weedes are not fit to cumber his Church or common-wealth In which respect Iob calleth whoredome a sire which deuoureth to destruction Iob 31.12 and wholly rooteth out a mans increase With which accordeth the saying of the sonne of Syrach namely that the harlots children shall not take roote nor her branches bring footh fruite Eccles 23.25 And if they liue and continue vpon the earth the Lord commonly giueth them ouer to patrizate and follow the father in his sinnes so as vsually the whorish issue may bee no more easily knowne by resembling their parents in their face and countenance then in their leaud liues and vnchaste conuersation CHAP. XI Of the spirituall punishments which God inflicteth vpon fornicators ANd these are the temporall punishments which are inflicted vpon fornicators §. Sect. 1. God subiecteth fornicators to his fierce vvrath besides which the Lord imposeth vpon them many spirituall iudgements as first he subiecteth them to his wrath and heauie displeasure as the Apostle witnesseth Ephes 5.3.6 where he saith Ephes 5.3.6 that for these sinnes of fornication vncleannesse and such enormous crimes commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience and therefore it behooueth vs to mortifie these earthly lusts Col. 3.5.6 as he exhorteth vs Col. 3.5.6 that we may not incurre the heauie displeasure of our dread Lord and Soueraigne for if we feare to prouoke against vs the iust wrath of an earthly prince because in the light of his countenance is life Prou. 16.14.15 and 20.2 and his fauour is as a cloud of the latter rame whereas contrariwise the feare of a king is like the roring of a lion and his wrath is as the messengers of death then how much more should wee auoide those sinnes which prouoke the heauie wrath of the king of kings whose voice is like the dreadfull thunder and whose wrath causeth death eternall of soule and
heauie curse and malediction for howsoeuer the curse of the law belongeth generally to all transgressors yet in some speciall manner it is denounced against this sinne of Adulterie and therefore the Prophet foretelleth that when they of the captiuitie of Iudah should take vp a fearefull curse against any it should bee in this forme that the Lord would make them like vnto Zedechiah and like Ahab two notable adulterers as appeareth Ier. 29.22 Ier. 29.22 So the Lord saith in his law that when the adulteres had drunke the cursed water is shuld be turned into bitternesse and cause her bellie to swell and her thighe to rot and the woman should be accursed among her people as it is Numb 5.27 Numb 5.27 §. Sect. 7. The punishment of adulterie in the life to come But showeuer the Lord to shew the riches of his mercie to all repentant sinners and to make the impenitent much more vnexcusable doth sometimes forbeare to inflict these punishments vpon adulterers in this life yet will hee most surely and most seuerely punish them in the life to come For if fornicators shall be depriued of the ioyes of heauen and haue their portion in hell fire euen in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone as before I haue shewed then surely the adulterers whose sinne is much more vnexcusable and hainous shall be plunged into a farre deeper degree of condemnation and be much more exquisitely tormented in those hellish torments And these are those intollerable and eternall punishments which are in so many places of the holy Scriptures denounced against adulterers some whereof I will annex that who so wil may search and examine them 1. Cor. 6.9.10 Gal. 5.19.21 Ephes 5.5 Apoc. 21.8 and 22.15 CHAP. XVII Of the meanes whereby we may be preserued from whoredome ANd thus haue I spoken of the sinnes of vncleannesse §. Sect. 1. The first means is to reclaime our willes from vncleannesse by considering euils which the doe accompanie it both of fornication which is that filthinesse that is committed betweene single persons and of adulterie which is committed betweene married folkes and haue prooued that they are not only hainous sins but also that they are attented vpon with innumerable mischiefes and punished with fearefull punishments both in this life and the life to come Now in the last place I will set downe some meanes whereby wee may be the better inabled to preserue our bodies in puritie and chastitie and bee either restrained or reclaimed from whoredome and vncleannesse The which meanes are either common preseruatiues from all manner of filthie lusts or more proper remedies against adulterie Concerning the former if we would be preserued from whoredome and all manner of filthinesse it behooueth vs first to reclaime our willes and to worke in our hearts and affections an vtter hatred and detestation of this sin so as we may desire nothing more then to be preserued from it if we be yet innocent or at least may be reclaimed if we haue offended For as it is in vaine to prescribe good medicines to such a patient as being in loue with his diseases will not receiue them so it is in vaine to thinke of meanes to preserue vs from sinne if wee still haue a liking of it or of remedies to cure our spiritual diseases if we be not come to an earnest desire and hearty resolution to part with them To this purpose therefore let vs in the first place often meditate with our selues of that which hath been alreadie spoken both concerning the hainousnes of the sinne and the greatnesse of the punishment As for example that it is in a high degree a notorious breach of Gods commandement the transgression whereof is accompanied with a fearefull curse that is is a badge of such an one as God hateth and a notable fruite of the flesh in which whosoeuer liue shall die eternally That he who committeth it grieuouslie sinneth against God his neighbour and himselfe and that in manie respects as hath been shewed That it is a cause also of many other sinnes the least wherof deserueth eternall death That howsoeuer carnall men make it their idoll and chiefe delight yet in truth it is a fearefull punishment of diuers other grieuous sinnes That it selfe also hath many fearefull punishments attending vpon it for it ruineth a mans estate it exposeth his name to infamie and reproch it maketh him a slaue to his owne filthie lusts and a vassall to an odious strumpet it infatuateth the mind and bridgeth vpon the bodie lothsome diseases and vntimely death it subiecteth a man to Gods fearce wrath and causeth impenitencie and hardnesse of heart it setteth the offender vpon a continuall racke and haunteth him like a hellish furie and in a word it dispossesseth him of the ioyes of heauen and casteth him headlong into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone And if hauing put into the one skole these manifold euils of sinne and punishment we also put into the other the pleasure and profit of this sinne and consider with our selues how that we vndergoe all these mischiefes for the satisfying of our brutish lusts and for the inioying of a vaine short and beastly pleasure it is not possible if wee be not altogether blockish and void of common sense but that we should hate and abhorre this sinne and earnestly labour in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may bee preserued and deliuered from it Now these meanes which may bee vsed for this purpose are manifold §. Sect. 2. The second meanes is to purifie our hearts from filthinesse first wee must labour to purge and purifie our hearts from vncleane lusts as being the verie fountaines of all filthinesse and pollution and to withstand to the vttermost of our power the first motions and inclinations which draw vs vnto this sinne For as Christians ought to bee so farre off from committing these works of darkenes that they should not so much as take their names into their mouthes as the Apostle telleth vs so also they should not giue them the least intertainement into their hearts but as soone as the tentation or motion vnto vncleannes is cast into their mind they are at the first to reiect it as abominable and not to reuolue it in their thoughts nor to fight with these vncleane lusts as it were at handi-blowes but rather by skilfull shunning and auoiding of them For if we suffer them to rest any while in our hearts they will be able to make a strong partie of our owne corruptions and the longer they are retained the more hardly they will be repelled To this purpose Ambrose speaketh Quum alijs vitijs potest exspectari conflictus 1. Cor. 6.18 hanc fugite quia non potest aliter melius vinci Whereas saith he in some other vices wee may abide a conflict wee are to flie from these sins of vncleannesse as being the best meanes to get the victorie ouer them In
FOVRE TREATISES TENDING TO DISSWADE ALL CHRISTIANS from foure no lesse hainous then common sinnes namely the abuses of Swearing Drunkennesse Whoredome and Briberie WHEREIN THE GREATNES AND odiousnesse of these vices is discouered and the meanes and remedies which may either preserue or weane men from them are propounded WHEREVNTO IS ANNEXED a Treatise of Anger By IOHN DOVVNAME Batcheler in Diuinitie and Preacher of Gods word ESAY 58.1 Crie aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for WILLIAM WELBY and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Greyhound 1609. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE IOHN LORD HARRINGTON BARON OF EXTON AND TO THE NOBLE AND VERTVous LADIE his wife I. D. wisheth all increase of grace and true honor in this life and eternall happinesse and blessednesse in the life to come IF euer there were a time Right Honourable wherein Gods Ministers should crie aloude Esa 58.1 and lift vp their voice like a trumpet to tell the people of their transgressions and the house of Iacob of their sinnes then surelie it is now in these our daies and in this our land For howsoeuer the light of the Gospell hath for manie yeeres clearelie shined among vs shewing vnto vs the way of righteousnesse in which we walking may attaine vnto happinesse and the manifold by-paths of error and sinne to the end we may auoid them and though we haue had Gods faithfull Ministers sometimes piping vnto vs the sweete tunes of the Gospell to allure vs vnto holie obedience and sometimes thundring out the dreadfull sound of Gods fearefull iudgements due to sinne to restraine vs from running on in wicked courses yet there is little reformation and amendment but rather we are growne from ill to worse and waxe euerie day more secure and sensuall in our sins And because men haue not imbraced and loued Gods truth nor submitted themselues to bee ruled with this scepter of his kingdome therfore many are giuen vp of God to their own filthie lusts and to a reprobate minde and through the hardnesse of their hearts all the meanes of their conuersion and saluation become not only vneffectuall and vnprofitable but rather cause them to bee more obdurate in their sinnes The resplendent light of the Gospell doth make them more blind so as they goe groping in ignorance euen at noone daies the sound of the word and loud cries of Gods Ministers in their eares calling them to repentance doe make them more deafe to all instruction and admonition the comfortable beames of Gods gracious promises shining vpon their hearts doe not supple and soften them but rather make them more hard and obdurate and as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 2.16 the word of God which in it own nature is the sauor of life vnto life becommeth vnto them the sauour of death to their deeper condemnation And as this is the state of all the who haue sold themselues to worke wickednesse and lie frozen in the dregs of their sinnes so euen the better sort who haue giuen their names vnto Christ haue been so intoxicated with the sweete cups of prosperitie and through long rest peace and plentie haue so rusted in their corruptions that it is to be feared they will not recouer their ancient puritie and brightnesse vntill the file of affliction with an heauie hand hath come often ouer them But neither the crying sinnes of those who are notoriouslie wicked nor yet the grosse corruptions of such as make profession of religion doe cause the state of our land to bee so dangerous and almost desperate as the nice wantonnesse of sinne which maketh it impatient of the least touch for howsoeuer it is in it selfe of the most slauish nature yet is it so backed in these times with the numerous multitude of offenders and so countenanced and befriended by men of best qualitie and greatest power that it is growne to be a matter farre more dangerous to reprooue sin then to commit it especiallie when it is cunninglie acted and plainelie reprehended Gods spirituall Chirurgions may indeede in these times make as manie corrasiues as they will but if they loue their peace and life they must take heed that they doe not apply them for patients wounded with the sores of sinne when they admit them to the cure hold the dagger of reuenge in their hands readie to stab them if they but touch them to the quicke And therefore needs must these impatient patients fester in their corruptions to the verie death of bodie and soule seeing they will by no meanes indure to haue their wounds searched Neuerthelesse all this must not daunt and discourage those whom the Lord hath called to the function of the Ministerie from the performing of their dutie but the more dangerous and desperate their state is who are committed to their charge the more earnest and diligent should they shew themselues in seeking their preseruation For they ought to preferre the spirituall health of those who are by God committed to their cure before their owne temporarie life and being appointed the Lords watchmen the more securely the people sleepe in sinne the louder must they crie till they haue awakened them when they see Gods iudgements approching and readie to seaze vpon them Ezech. 33.7.8 otherwise the people shall die in their sinnes but their blood shall be required at the watchmens hands The consideration of which dutie and the intire loue which I beare to my deare countrie hath made me willing whom the Lord hath vouchsafed this great and excellent calling to beate down as much as in me lieth foure capitall sins of this land prophane Swearing beastly Drūkennes filthie Whordome and corrupting Bribery both because they are so odious and abominable in Gods sight that they make our whole countrie liable to his wrath and to stand indangered to the fearefullest of his iudgements and also because I perceiue that they are not in the wane but in the increase and that like fretting cankers they spread further and further in the body of our State so that if those members which are alreadie infected bee not either cured by Gods Ministers or cut off by his lawfull Magistrates it is to be feared that these sores of sinne will grow desperate and past hope of any cure The which my poore labours I desired should offer themselues vnto the publicke view vnder the safe-guard of you honourable patronage being mooued thereunto both by mine owne loue and your fitnesse my loue towards your Honours being chiefely grounded vpon your loue towards God and to his true religion shewed both in your holy profession and Christian practise hath imboldned me to leaue vnto the world this perpetuall testimonie of your worth and my good-will and maketh me beleeue that these my workes shrowded vnder your names shal find with you kind acceptance not vpon
loue mercy goodnesse nor the innumerable benefits which hee hath multiplied on them can restraine them from this vaine and vnprofitable sinne wherin there is no respect so much as of any worldly good then we may vndoubtedly conclude that were it not for feare of humane lawes they would if their lusts mooued them as easilie and readilie commit adulterie theft or any other capitall sinne which haue the worldly baits of pleasure profit or preferment to allure them for he that will not sticke to offend God gratis and for no benefit will much more doe it when he is hired with pleasure or profit Fiftly §. Sect. 6. 5. Because vaine swearing is an horrible abuse of our tongues because it is an horrible abuse of our tongue when as the Lord hauing giuen this excellent member for the setting forth of his glorie we abuse it to his dishonor by blaspheming our Creator and make that which should bee the trumpet of Gods praise the trumpet of Satan to proclame warre against heauen and an open defiance against God and all goodnesse Whereby we iustly deserue seeing we thus abuse this excellent facultie of speech which the Lord hath priuiledged vs with aboue all the rest of his creatures to the dishonor of the giuer and wheras the heauens declare the glorie of God and the earth sheweth his handie worke and all the rest of the creatures in their seuerall kinds doe with their dumbe eloquence magnifie and praise their Creator we contrariwise disgrace him with hellish blasphemies and impious oathes we deserue I say that the Lord should strike vs with present dumbnes and cast vs out as hee did Nebucadnezer from the societie of men amongst the brute and sauage beasts till with him we haue learned to speake to Gods glorie and to magnifie the mercie of our Creator Sixtly we are to auoid vaine swearing §. Sect. 7. 6. Because it is a cause and forerunner of periurie as being a notable cause and necessarie forerunner of that damnable sinne of periurie nam qui deierat peierat he that often sweareth often forsweareth To which purpose one saith Caue facilitatem turandi cum de facilitate nascatur consuetudo ex consuetudine periurium ex periurio blasphemia beware of inclinablenes to sweare in ordinarie communication for of inclinablenes ariseth custome of custome periurie and of periurie horrible blasphemie And this commeth to passe both because custome of swearing taketh away all reuerent regard of an oath vpon which followeth forgetfulnesse of that which is sworne and so vtter neglect of performance and also because mens tongues being inured thereunto doe as familiarly vse it as a simple affirmation and negation and consequently they doe no oftener affirme an vntruth then they are readie to confirme it with the deepest oathes An example whereof we haue in Saul who being the greatest swearer that wee read of in the Scriptures and making no conscience of an oath made as little account of damnable periurie 1. Sam 19.6.15 as appeareth 1. Sam. 19.6.15 Seuenthly §. Sect. 8. 7. Because vaine swearers haue a fearefull account to make at the day of iudgement let vs flee this prophane vice of common swearing alwaies remembring that swearers haue a fearefull account to make at the day of iudgement For if an account must be giuen of euerie idle word then how much more of euerie vaine and bloodie oath if they shall not escape punishment who haue spoken idly and vainely how fearefull shall their condemnation bee who in their ordinarie talke haue spoken impiously and blasphemouslic Eightly §. Sect. 9. 8. Gods manifold mercies should restraine vs from vaine swearing let vs call to mind the number numberlesse of Gods infinite mercies both in our creation preseruation and redemption and thinke with our selues what a foule shame it is for vs thus to offend against this maiestie which wee haue found so mercifull and gracious especially by this sin which as it is vnto him most odious in that it robbeth him of his glorie which is most deare vnto him so it bringeth no appearance of good vnto vs for whereas other sinnes haue their seuerall baites to allure vs some the baite of profit some of honour some of pleasure this sinne of vaine swearing is destitute of them all for vaine oathes are in vaine and bring no profit but losse euen the losse of Gods fauour of a good conscience the assurance of saluation and of our credit and reputation amongst the faithfull nor any pleasure and delight vnles a man should like the diuell himselfe take a hellish pleasure in acting sin despighting God but contrariwise horror of minde and the torments of an euill conscience nor any credit and esteeme but rather brand the swearer with the blacke marke of a prophane person Seeing then if God had required a great matter at our hands we should haue been readie in regard of his boundlesse and endlesse mercies to haue done it how much more should we for his sake forsake and detest this sinne of vaine swearing which hath in it not so much as any respect of the least worldly benefit He hath bestowed vpon vs whatsoeuer good things we enioy and will we not at his request part with this sinne which is not onely vnprofitable but hurtfull He is so bounteous that he hath not spared to giue vnto vs his onely begotten and dearly beloued sonne in whom hee was delighted and well pleased and that to the death euen the bitter and cursed death of the crosse and shall we be so wickedly vngratefull that we will not at his sute part with a sinne which hath in it no respect of good pleasure profit or credit and contrariwise is hurtfull and pernicious both to our bodies and soules If Gods infinite loue mercie and innumerable benefits should so worke vpon our hearts and consciences that the strongest inducements and most alluring baites should not mooue and intice to commit any sin willingly and against our knowledge then shame confusion and vtter destruction iustly attend those who either through wantonnesse or maliciousnesse fall into this sinne hauing no reason in respect of pleasure profit or credit to perswade them thereunto according to the prayer of the Psalmist Psal 25.3 Psal 25.3 Let them be confounded that transgresse without a cause But if Gods mercies will not mollifie our flintie hearts § Sect. 10. yet let his iudgements denounced against prophane swearers 9. Gods iudgements should restraine vs from this sin of vaine svvearing bruse and batter them in peeces For in this life the Lord hath threatned against wicked swearers a whole volume of his curses Zach. 5.3 Which are said to be registred in a book to shew vnto vs that seeing they are kept vpon record they shal surely be remembred Zach. 5.3 in a large volume of twentie cubits long and ten cubits broad to note the multitude of Gods plagues which shall be inflicted vpon the swearer and in a flying
whoredome findeth fauour and countenance both by their doctrine and practise and themselues some securitie and comfort euen whilest they liue in their wickednes For there no more is required of them in their repentance but that they confesse their filthinesse to a more filthie priest and shew for the present some contrition whilest they are in the habit of penitents and make some slight satisfaction at their ghostly fathers appointment whom selfe-guiltines wil not suffer to be ouer seuere towards others as either to fast from flesh certaine daies or to goe on pilgrimage to the shrine of some Saint or to whip their bodies so much as their deuotion moueth them or if they will take a more compendious course they may buy some indulgence or pardon from their holy father the Pope whereby they may haue plenarie remission of all their sinnes and so hauing payed all their old score of wickednes they may now againe begin a new reckoning and with a quiet conscience goe from the Church to the stewes from their ghostly father to their harlot hauing the same meanes for their discharge when as againe they are run in debt Wherein they in liuelie manner resemble the holie harlot described in the Prouerbs Pro. 7.14 who by her deuotions maketh vnto her selfe a cleere passage vnto her fornications and hauing offred her peace oblations and paid her vowes taketh occasion againe to renew her whoredomes and maketh her deuotion an exordium vnto her inciting oration whereby she perswadeth vnto lust or the adulterous woman who hauing eaten her fill and satisfied her appetite with the pleasures of sinne wipeth her mouth and saith I haue not committed iniquitie Pro. 30.20 And as this is the case of the popish crew §. Sect. 6. Fornication too lightly punished among vs. so we may say for our selues that this sinne of fornication and vncleannes is not so discountenanced and suppressed as it ought for howsoeuer the doctrine of our Church is pure and sound shewing the hainousnes of this sinne 1. Cor. 6.9.10 and proouing out of the word of God that they who liue in it can neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen yet too too many are polluted with this wickednes and our lawes are too milde and remisse in punishing so hainous sins and the execution of these lawes too much neglected personall punishments being turned into purse penalties whereby these sinnes which are accounted veniall amongst the Papists are become venall amongst vs. And therefore seeing the sword of iustice is not vnsheathed by the magistrates as it ought for the suppressing of this sinne nor the offenders who should thereby either bee reformed or cut off scarce beaten with the scabberd it behooneth Gods Ministers with so much the greater care and diligence to draw out the sword of the spirit and therewith to giue these sinnes of vncleannes a mortall wound in the consciences of men that so at least they may be reclaimed from this wickednes by a iust hatred of their sinne who are not restrained for feare of punishment and may bee mooued to preserue their bodies in puritie and chastitie when as they behold the vglines of this vice euen whilest they finde themselues most priuiledged from the danger of humane lawes CHAP. III. Generall reasons to disswade all men from fornication TO which purpose let vs in the next place propound some effectuall reasons §. Sect. 1. The first argument taken from Gods commandement which may mooue all to an vnfained hatred of this sin who haue not vtterly cast off all feare of God and loue of their owne happinesse The first argument may bee taken from Gods expresse commandement whereby he hath straitly prohibited these sinnes of vncleannesse both in the old and new testament Generally they are all forbidden in the seuenth commandement Thou shalt not commit adulterie So Deut. 23.17 Deut. 23.17 1. Cor. 6.18 Heb. 12.16 There shall bee no whores of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be a whorekeeper of the sonnes of Israel 1. Cor. 6.18 Flee fornication c. Heb. 12.16 Let there be no fornicator or prophane person as Esau Yea so farre off would the Lord haue all that professe Christianitie from acting of this sinne that he would not haue it once named amongst them Eph. 5.3 Eph. 5.3 But fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Saints And therefore if we would approoue our selues to be Gods seruants wee must rather yeeld obedience vnto his will then to our owne lusts and preferre his commandement vnto whom we are obliged in the manifold bonds of our creation preseruation and redemption before our sinfull pleasures Secondly §. Sect. 2. The second because it is a signe of such a man as God hateth we are to abhorre and flee from this sinne of vncleannes as being an infallible signe and a plaine badge of such a man as God hateth So it is said Pro. 22.14 The mouth of strange women is as a deepe pit he whom the Lord hateth shall fall therin And contrariwise it is a signe of a good man whom God loueth Pro. 22.14 to bee preserued out of the harlots nets and snares as the wise man also telleth vs Eccles 7.28 Eccl. 7.28 I find more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands he that is good before God shall bee deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her If therefore Courtiers and all loyall subiects doe carefully auoid the doing of those things in their Princes sight which they are assured will prouoke his wrath Pro. 19.12 and 20.2 and make them odious vnto him because the Kings displeasure is as the the roring of a Lion and he that prouoketh him vnto anger sinneth against his owne soule and on the other side vse all meanes which may giue them assurance of his loue because his fauour is as the dew vpon the grasse which preserueth him from the scorching heat of all inraged enemies and causeth him to grow and florish in all worldly happines then how much more should wee carefully auoide the committing of al sinnes which make the Lord wrathfully displeased with vs whose anger and fierce displeasure is present death of bodie and soule in this world and in the world to come How studiouslie should wee imbrace those holie vertues which will assure vs of his loue seeing his fauour is life yea the life of our life our chiefe comfort whilest wee liue on earth and the principall part of our eternall happinesse in the heauens Thirdly §. Sect. 3. Thirdly we must auoide whoredome as being a fruite of the flesh these sinnes of vncleannesse are to be auoided as being the fruites of the flesh and the most sinfull workes and effects of corrupted nature and therefore the Apostle reckoning vp the workes of the flesh rangeth them in the first rancke as being most readie to
neither doth our Soueraigne Lord and supreame Iudge take the execution of iustice into his owne hands but when it is neglected by his inferiour and earthly officers Whereas contrariwise when Magistrates sleepe and wincke at enormous crimes then the Lord especially watcheth and beholdeth them when as their sword of iustice most rusteth in the scabberd then is the Lord most readie to draw out the terrible sword of his fearce vengeance whereby he destroyeth both the wicked people and the negligent Magistrates CHAP. XIII Of the eternall punishments which God inflicteth vpon fornicators ANd these are the temporall punishments which the Lord inflicteth both vpon priuate persons §. Sect. 1. 1 God depriueth them for this sin of the ioyes of heauen and whole common-wealthes for this sinne of whoredome the which although they are many and grieuous yet are they nothing in comparison of those eternall punishments which hee hath prepared for those who are guiltie of this crime in the life to come For first whereas our chiefe happinesse shall then principally consist in the fruition of God because hee is infinite in all goodnesse and perfection and in an vnspeakeable and vnmeasurable degree comprehendeth in himselfe alone al that vertue excellence delight comfort and whatsoeuer good thing may be desired either for the inflaming of our loue or the perfecting of our ioy with which if wee compare all the goodnesse and excellence of the creatures which either haue beene are or shall bee they are altogether incomparably lesse then the least drop in respect of the maine ocean and then the smallest graine of sand in comparison of the whole globe of the earth this sin of whordome doth exclude vs for euer out of his presence in which is fulnes of ioy and casteth vs into an euerlasting banishment out of his heauenly kingdome So the Apostle telleth vs That neither fornicators 1. Cor. 6.9 nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers c. shall inherit the kingdome of God And that dogs inchanters whoremongers Apoc. 22.15 murtherers and such outragious sinners shall bee shut out of the gates of the new Ierusalem If therefore banishment out of our earthly countrie bee accounted such a heauie punishment that euery one carefully auoideth such faults as may deserue it the which in truth in comparison is but a temporarie changing of the place of our exile the whole world being but a place of banishment from our heauenly countrie how much more carefully should we auoide these sinnes of vncleannes which will cause vs to be eternally banished out of our heauenly countrie which containeth in it such ioyes that in respect thereof the most pleasant princely palace on earth is but an irksome prison and most vncomfortable dungeon and the greatest worldly ioyes that can be thought on but like tedious griefes and bitter torments If it be such a grieuous punishment to bee exiled out of our natiue soile into a forraine countrie where perhaps wee shall haue not much lesse ioy and comfort nor much more cause of griefe and sorrow and where we shall spend when it is at the longest a momentarie and when it is at the best a wretched and miserable life and afterwards haue as readie and short a passage into our heauenly countrie where all ioy and happinesse attend vs as if we still remained at our natiue home then how much more grieuous is it to bee banished out of our new Ierusalem where there is all comfort without mixture of discontent and all blessednes without the least griefe or miserie and that not for a momentanie life but for euer and euer And yet this is but the one half of their miserie which they shall then indure §. Sect. 2. Fornicators shall be cast into hell fire For well were it with them if they might become like the beasts which perish and that hauing lead a brutish life they might also die a beastly death feeling neither weale nor woe after their departure but their condition shall be much more miserable for as they shall lose the comfort of Gods presence so they shall finde the horrour of the cursed fellowship with the diuels and damned spirits as they shall be dispossessed and depriued of the ioyes of heauen and of all that blessednesse which is prepared for the Saints who haue kept their vessels in puritie and holinesse so shall they haue their portion in the hellish torments in vtter darknesse prepared for the diuell and his angels For among many other wicked sinners whoremongers shall haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death as the holie Ghost telleth vs Apoc 21.8 Apoc. 21.8 And therefore as one naile driueth out another so should the remembrance of the fire of hell extinguish the flames of lusts kindled in mens hearts and the consideration of these intollerable and euerlasting torments should restraine men from those short vaine and sensuall pleasures which are the causes and forerunners of them August de honest mulier Cap 3. Tom. 9. For as Augustine saith Citò praeterit quod delectat permanet sine fine quod eruciat The pleasure of lust which for the time delighteth doth soone vanish but the paines of hell into which they plunge vs doe continue for euermore CHAP. XIIII The obiection of fornicatours answered who excuse their sinne vnder the pretence of marriage ANd thus haue I shewed the manifold and grieuous punishments which the Lord inflicteth vpon whoremongers and vncleane persons both in this life and the life to come Now in the last place it remaineth that I answer briefly an obiection or excuse which is commonly made by fornicatours of the better sort whereby they thinke themselues acquitted from the guilt of sinne and priuiledged from all danger of punishment namely that they are purposed before they commit this follie to marrie the partie whom they haue defiled and so to make amends for the fault committed To which I answer that howsoeuer this is the best course which they can take after they haue fallen into this sinne if it be ioyned with serious and sound repentance yet it is no argument to incourage any to commit this wickednesse vnder this colour and pretence For howsoeuer they be resolued to marrie the partie yet in the meane while they grieuously sinne against God themselues the partie defiled and the fruite of their owne bodie They sinne against God not only by committing fornication but also by making whoredome their passage and entrance into his holy ordinance of mariage and so hauing offered their first fruits and the prime of their strength vnto Satan and their owne filthie lusts they reserue for God the remainder and as it were their leauings They abuse themselues by imagining that they can by mariage satisfie for their sinne and so securely passe it ouer without repentance whereas in truth there is no other meanes to wash their defiled bodies and soules from the pollution
of their sinne but the precious blood of the immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ They depriue themselues of all assurance and comfort of Gods blessing vpon their mariage into which they make such a wicked entrance for how can they hope for a good proceeding where the beginning is so wicked and vnlawfull how can they expect that God will build that house whose very foundation is laid in sinne that hee will make them a happie couple who were first ioyned in fornication or cause her to become a vertuous wife vnto him who hath alreadie abused her as his strumpet Againe what greater iniurie can hee offer vnto her whom hee pretendeth chiefly to loue seeing hee exposeth her to the danger of perpetuall infamie and reproch For who hath assured him that he shall liue to solemnize the promised mariage especially seeing the Lord might in his iustice presently inflict death of bodie and soule for his sinne and if hee doe not what doth he but die a fornicatour and leaue her to liue a reputed harlot by her owne desert and others estimation But though it should be granted that he had procured from heauen a lease of his life yet what wrong in the meane time doth hee offer her to whom he pretendeth mariage seeing he maketh her his harlot before he maketh her his wife and spoiling her of her honestie and virginitie maketh her fit to enter into the stewes before he admitteth her into the honourable bed of mariage What iniurie is this to blemish her good name which he should most honour For howsoeuer hee hath by mariage cured the wound which hee hath made in her reputation so as it is not mortall to her credit yet there euer remaineth as it were a running issue of rumour and infamie or at least a foule scarre if euer it come to light in others estimation or if it remaine secret in their owne consciences which will euer after make them more iealous the one of the other Finally he sinneth against the fruite of his owne bodie in that he begetteth it of the seede of fornication imbasing it in his conception and marking it with the stampe of his sinne before it enioyeth the light of the Sunne CHAP. XIIII Of the sinne of Adulterie and the hamousnesse thereof ANd thus haue I intreated of the sinne of fornication §. Sect. 1. Of Adulterie and the kinds thereof which is that sinne of vncleannes that is committed betweene single or vnmarried persons and haue shewed the hainousnesse of it and the grieuousnesse of the punishment which doth accompanie it In the next place I am to speake of the sinne of adulterie which is that vncleannesse that is committed by those that are either married or betrothed for the law of God as deepelie condemneth and as seuerely punisheth the latter as the former as appeareth Deut. 22.22.24 Deut. 22.22.24 In which argument I will obserue the same order which I did in the former shewing first what it is and the kinds thereof the hainousnesse of the sinne and the grieuousnesse of the punishment Adulterie is the defiling of anothers bed with the act of vncleannesse as the name it selfe also signifieth For it is called Adulterium quasi ad alterius thorum accessio The which sinne is of two kinds for either it is single or double adulterie Single adulterie is that vncleannesse which is committed either betweene a married man and a single woman or a married woman with a single man Double when as both the parties are married who defile themselues one with another Concerning the hainousnesse of which sinnes I shall not neede to say much §. Sect. 2. That adultery is an hainous sinne for if the sinne of simple fornication and whoredome bee so wicked and damnable as before I haue shewed then must it necessarilie follow that the sinne of adulterie which is a finne of the same kinde Leuit. 18.20.29 Ier. 7.9 10. Ezech. 22.11 but in a much higher degree of wickednesse is a notorious crime and an horrible abomination as the Scriptures also call it which continually calles and cries at the throne of Gods iustice for fearefull vengeance vpon the offenders And therefore leauing that which hath bin said concerning the greatnesse of the sinne of fornication and the grieuousnesse of the punishment to be applied to this sinne of adulterie but with a great ouermeasure in as much as it farre exceedeth in a higher degree of wickednesse I will content my selfe briefly to adde that which seemeth to bee more peculiar to this crime both in respect of the sinne and the punishment due vnto it First then §. Sect. 3. That the adulterer sinneth against God by violating his holy ordinance the adulterer sinneth in a peculiar manner against God in that he doth in the highest degree violate his owne ordinance of marriage which is most ancient as being instituted of God in Paradise most honourable as challenging the Lord for the first author and solemnizer therof and most holie and pure as being instituted and ordained in the state of innocencie and since the fall appointed as the ordinarie meanes to preserue our bodies and soules in puritie and chastitie vnspotted and vndefiled For whereas the Lord hath ordained that by marriage there should be such a neere communion between the parties conioyned that they shuld be no more two but one flesh in regard wherof a man ought to forsake father and mother that he may cleaue to his wife louing and cherishing her as being a part of himselfe and that to these ends that they may bee preserued from whoredome and all manner of vnlawfull lusts procreate an holy seede and be mutuall comforts one to another the fornicator doth vtterly violate this holy ordinance for he disioyneth those whom God hath conioyned and breaketh the bond of holy marriage by ioyning himselfe with an harlot and becomming one flesh with her hee forsaketh his deere spouse for whose sake he should forsake father and mother and adhereth to a filthie strumpet he loatheth his wife and loueth his whore he defileth his bodie and soule created according to Gods image in holinesse and purity with whoredome and vncleannesse he begetteth an vnholy seede and basterdly brood and becommeth vnto his wife of a chiefe comforter a most grieuous tormentor filling her heart with griefe and iealousie and her face with shame when she seeth her selfe reiected and set at naught Secondly the adulterer sinneth against God §. Sect. 4. 2. He offendeth God by breaking his couenant of marriage by breaking the couenant of the Lord which was made at the solemnizing of their mariage For then they do not only make a mutual contract one with another that they wil faithfully obserue marriage fidelitie and loue betweene themselues but also they make a couenant with God in his presence and in the face of his holy assemblie that they will performe this vow and promise betweene them made and therefore when they violate this holie contract
from him to bestow vpon her louers but also in bringing into his familie an adulterous issue who deuoure the fruite of his labours and confusedly diuide his substance and patrimonie amongst his owne children In which respect the adulterie of the wife is more pernicious then of the husband because it is accompanied with more abominable deceit no man being able who hath an harlot to his wife to know his owne children from the children of a stranger whereby hee is compelled to nourish his enemies for feare of destroying his chiefest friends and to giue inheritance to the children of fornication lest otherwise through his ignorance he may perchance disinherit the lawfull fruite of his owne bodie Lastly §. Sect. 6. Adulterers rob their yoke-fellovv of their heart and affection the adulterer or adultresse rob their wife or husband of their most valued right namely their hart affection and the vse of their bodie of which there is by vertue of mariage a communion in respect of one another and a peculiar and incommunicable proprietie in respect of all other persons in the world 1. Cor. 7.4 So the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 7.4 The wife hath not the power of her owne bodie but the husband and likewise the husband hath not the power of his owne bodie but the wife And therefore in adulterie there is also included the grossest and most pernicious kinde of theft seeing married persons liuing in this sinne are not only theeues of goods but man-stealers and theeues of the bodie and person which is of much greater value Thirdly and lastly §. Sect. 7. The adulterer sinneth against his owne familie the adulterer in a peculiar manner sinneth against his owne familie both by vtter neglecting of it all his thoughts endeuours and imployments being wholly taken vp by his harlot so as he hath neither leisure nor pleasure either to spend his time in the honest workes of his calling whereby he may maintaine his charge or with any wise prouidence dispose of that which he alreadie hath whereby he runneth into wilfull beggerie not caring which end goeth forward and maketh all his familie to partake of the fruit of his sinne and feele the like want and miserie And also by bringing Gods iudgements and heauie punishments vpon the whole house for his sinne whereby it is destroyed and brought to nought For this sinne of whoredome is a fire that shall deuoure vnto destruction and which shall roote out all the adulterers increase as Iob speaketh chap. 31.14 Iob 31.14 But as the adulterer sinneth against others §. Sect. 8. That adulterers sinne most grieuouslie against themselues so most grieuously against himselfe in that he not only defileth his bodie and soule with this abominable filthines but also woundeth his conscience with a sinne which as it is in it selfe very hainous so likewise of all other sinnes most vnexcusable seeing the Lord hath not only prouided a remedie against this sin but also hath in mercie granted vnto him the vse and fruition of it namely lawfull mariage For why should hee steale of his neighbour that hath plentie of water in his owne cesterne as the Wise man speaketh Prou. 5.15.19 Why should hee delight himselfe in vnlawfull lusts with a stranger vnto whom God hath giuen a wife in whom hee may reioyce as being neere vnto him euen as a part of himselfe and who may bee vnto him if the fault be not his owne either in his choice or vse as the louing Hinde and pleasant Roe Prou. 5.19 whose breasts may satisfie him at all times and in whose loue he may delight continually Whereby it appeareth that the adulterer is a wilfull theefe who stealeth not vpon necessitie but through curious wantonnesse like a rich miser who hauing plentie of gold at his owne command steales from his neighbour brasse or copper And this is that argument which the holy Ghost vseth to aggrauate the sinne of adulterie farre aboue the sinne of theft Men saith he doe not despise a theefe when he stealeth to satisfie his soule because he is hungrie c. But he that committeth adulterie with a woman he is destitute of vnderstanding he that doth it Prou. 6.30.32 destroyeth his owne soule Prou. 6.30.32 CHAP. XVI Of the punishment of Adulterie ANd thus haue I shewed that adulterie is a grieuous sinne §. Sect. 1. That by the law of God adulterie was pun shed with death The consideration whereof should bee an effectuall argument to restraine all men from falling into it for if euery ordinarie sinne deserueth Gods anger and eternall condemnation then what fierce wrath and deepe condemnation is due vnto them who make no conscience of committing these sinnes which are so capitall and hainous But because many secure worldlings make light account of the heauiest burthen of sinne and care little for prouoking Gods wrath so they may securely enioy their carnall pleasures therefore in the next place I will also shew how fearefully this sinne is punished and that both in this life and the life to come In this life the punishment of adulterie is either ordinarie or extraordinarie The ordinarie punishment which by the law of God is to be inflicted vpon adulterers Leuit. 20.10 is death it selfe as appeareth Leuit. 20.10 The man that committeth adulterie with another mans wife because he hath committed adulterie with his neighbours wife the adulterer and adulteresse shall die the death Deut. 22.22 So Deut. 22.22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to a man then they shall dye euen both twaine to wit the man that lay with the wife and the wife so thou shalt put away euill from Israel The which law was executed with the greatest seueritie among the people of God by his owne expresse appointment for whereas other crimes were not punished with death vnlesse the party were conuicted by the direct testimonie of two witnesses at the least the Lord permitted the iealous husband to make a speciall triall of his wiues chastitie and honestie and gaue vnto him an extraordinary and most admirable meanes for the conuincing her if she were guiltie of her sinne when no witnesses could bee produced namely that shee should drinke of the cursed water which should not hurt her being innocent but rather should make her fruitfull but if shee were guiltie then vpon the drinking thereof her bellie should swell and her thigh rot and so the woman should be accursed among her people Num. 5.14.15.27.28 Numb 5.14.27 So that rather then the Lord would haue this hainous sinne of adulterie goe vnpunished he would himselfe after this wonderfull manner discouer and punish it Now this punishment of adulterie by death §. Sect. 2. That the punishment of adulterie by death is a law of common equitie seemeth to be not a meere iudiciall law which was proper and peculiar to the common-wealth of Israel but a law of common equity which bindeth and holdeth in subiection all
Let not the Sunne goe downe on your wrath And so much for the meaning of the words Now I will intreate of their seuerall parts Sect. 4. Of iust anger And first concerning iust anger what it is and what is required in our anger that it may be iust and holy The definition of iust anger T this anger is an holy and reasonable desire of reuenge stirred vp in vs vpon iust waightie and necessary causes whereby wee being after a lawfull manner angry with our owne and others vices sinnes rather then with the persons doe desire iustly to punish and reuenge the vices and sinnes to the end God may be glorified the parties amended and that the anger of God being pacified may be auerted not onely from the party offending but also the Church and common wealth First then it is required to holy and lawfull anger that the cause thereof be iust now the iust causes of anger are diuers First when wee are moued therevnto with a zeale of Gods glory The first cause of iust anger the glory of God for when we see God dishonoured and his glory defaced it is not onely lawfull to be angry with the offenders but also necessary for we professe our selues to be Gods subiects now we know that no good subiect can with patience endure to heare or see the glory of his Soueraigne impeached wee professe our selues Gods seruants and what good seruant can abide to see his maister disgraced wee professe our selues Gods children and good children are more grieued offended when they perceiue that their parents are any wayes abused or iniured then if the iniuries were offred to themselues if therefore we be loyall subiects faithfull seruants and louing children wee cannot choose but bee incited to a holy anger if we see our glorious Soueraigne our good maister and gratious father by any meanes dishonoured When Moses saw that the children of Israell had contrary to Gods expresse commandement reserued Manna till the next morning Example hee could not containe himselfe from shewing this holy anger when hee saw his Lord and maisters will not obserued Exod. 16.20 Num. 12.3 Exod. 16.20 So that though Moses were the meekest man that was on earth yet could he not with patience endure to see Gods ordinance contemned In like manner when he saw that honour and glory which was due onely to God almightie deriued to a base and brutish Idoll he was prouoked to an holy anger and so wholy possessed with a diuine and heauenly rage that hee not onely breaketh the two Tables written by Gods owne hand but sharpely reuengeth this idolatry with the death of three thousand of the offenders Exod. 32. So that though the people were dearer to him then his owne life yea then the saluation of his owne soule Verse 32. Num. 25.7.8 yet was the glory of God more deare and precious vnto him then eyther of both Phinees also when he saw God dishonoured with that shamelesse sinne of Zimry and Cozby being prouoked with an holy anger he reuenged this dishonour with the death of both the offenders Thus also was Elias zealous for Gods glory 1 Kin. 19.14 because the Children of Israell had forsaken his couenant cast downe his alters and slaine his Prophets And thus was our Sauiour Christ possessed with a feruent zeale of his fathers glory Iohn 2.17 Iohn 2.17 If therefore we would approue our selues to be Gods Children wee must follow their example and for as much as nothing more dishonoureth God then sin nothing should offend and displease vs more then sinne whether it be in our selues or in our neighbour When therefore wee fall into sinne wee are to be offended with our selues 1 Cor. 11.31 that so we may auert the Lords anger from vs for as they which iudge themselues shall not be iudged of the Lord so they who are angry with themselues for sinne shall escape the Lords anger And this our anger must proceed to a holy reuenge Those who haue offended by surfetting and drunkennesse are to punish themselues with fasting and abstinence Those that haue wallowed themselues in voluptuous pleasures are to subdue and mortifie them though they bee as deare and precious vnto them as their right hand and eie Those who haue defrauded their neighbor by purloyning away his goods are with Zacheus to make restitution foure fold Luke 19.8 And as we are bound by the law of charitie to loue our neighbours as our selues so also to bee angry with them as with our selues namely with this holy kinde of anger for sinne Whensoeuer therefore wee see them by their sinnes dishonour God we are to bee displeased therewith and so farre forth as the limits of our callings extend to shew our selues offended according to the example of the Prophet Ieremie who because the people would not heare the word of the Lord was euen filled with diuine wrath Ier. 6.10.11 Ieremie 6.10.11 But how cold mens zeale of Gods glory is in this age frozen in the dregs of sin too lamentable experience sheweth for first who almost is angry with himselfe for his sins in this respect because he hath by them dishonoured God euery one sheweth spleene enough if his sinnes receiue condigne punishment but hauing to do with themselues in respect of the sinne it selfe they are like milde doues without gaule The adulterer is much displeased if for his sinne he be enioyned to maske in a white sheete though therby he haue deserued death but the poyson of his sinne is most sweet to his enuenomed appetite The couetous extortioner is much offended if hee bee iustly depriued of that riches which hee hath vniustly gotten but he is not angry with his sinne into which hee is fallen by vniust comming by them The blasphemer is enraged if he be but reproued for his blasphemy though by the law of God he deserueth to die for it but he is nothing displeased with himselfe for dishonouring the Maiestie of God In a word euery one is angry with the smallest punishment yet not moued with the greatest sin but if we would be angry and sin not we must not be so much displeased for incurring that punishment which we haue iustly deserued as that by our sinnes we haue dishonoured God And the like abuse there is of our anger towards others men are soone stirred vp to choller against their neighbours vpon euery slight occasion and shew of iniury offered to themselues though it be but an vnkinde word or a mistaken speach or but a strange countenance but when God is dishonoured his name blasphemed his religion derided his Sabaths prophaned his whole worship and seruice contemned they can looke vpon the offenders with a smiling countenance and so confirme them in their sinne or if they be angry they will eyther not be seene in it at all or else they will shew it after so cold a manner that it shall hardly be discerned Whereas if
that both body and soule may be saued And these are the things required in iust and holy anger which if we obserue our anger will be not onely lawfull but also necessary both for the setting forth of the glory of God and also for the good of our selues and of our neighbours CHAP. II. Of vniust Anger ANd so much for the first part of my text Sect. 1. wherein iust anger is commaunded now I am to speake of vniust anger forbidden in the words following but sinne not that is by falling into corrupt and vniust anger Vniust anger condemned as a great sinne Which vicious affection is not onely here condemned but also in other places of the Scripture as in the 31. verse of this Chapter Let all bitternesse Colos 3.8 and anger and wrath and euill speaking bee put away from you with all maliciousnesse So Col. 3.8 Put ye away all these things Gal. 5.20.21 wrath anger maliciousnesse c. and in the 5. Chapter of the Galathians verse 20.21 it is reckoned among the workes of the flesh which who so follow shall not inherit the kingdome of God It is forbidden also in the sixt commaundement vnder the name of murther both be cause it is the chiefe meanes and cause which moueth men therevnto as also because it is the murther of the hart and therfore murther in truth in Gods sight who more respecteth the hart then the hands for a man may be innocent before him though his hands haue slaine his neighbour if his hart haue not consented therevnto as appeareth in the old law where Cities of refuge were appointed for such by the Lords owne commandement but if the hart haue consented and desired any way to violate the person of our neighbor which vniust anger alwaies affecteth though our hands are free from the act we are guiltie of murther in the sight of God And this our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs in the exposition of the sixt commandement Mat. 5.22 Mat. 5.22 Whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly is culpable of iudgement By these places it is euident that anger is forbidden condemned as a great sinne and therefore it is to be auoyded of vs as a most dangerous enimie to our soules health The generality of this vice of vniust anger Which that we may performe with so much the more vigilant care Let vs further consider that this vice is generally incident to all by reason of our naturall corruption so that there is none so yong nor any so old none so wise nor any so foolish neither male nor female which do not carry this fire in their bosome therefore vnles they quench daily this fiery dart of Sathan with the water of Gods Spirit and the shield of faith they will be in danger of burning Prou. 6.27 for who can carry fire in his bosome and not be burnt Prou. 6.27 But the dangerousnes of this affection wil more euidently appeare if we consider the violence therof Sect. 2 The violence of this turbulent affection for there is scarce any other affection so strong which it doth not easily subdue Loue is said to be stronger then death Can. 8.6 and yet anger if it be once admitted easily ouercommeth it Can. 8.6 for there was neuer any loue so hartie and entire but anger hath subdued it The Father in his anger forgetteth his loue to his child and the child to his father the husband to his wife the wife to her husband and causeth them in stead of duties of loue to bring forth the fruits of hatred yea it maketh a man to forget the loue of himself as appeareth by those men who to satisfie their anger violently thrust themselues into imminent dangers of death Nay it maketh a man offer raging violence against such a friend as is more deare to him then his own life as it is euident in the example of Alexander who in his anger slew his friend Clitus whō he loued so entirely that he needs would haue reuenged his murther by putting himselfe to a wilfull death As therefore we cannot discerne the heat of the Sunne when we are neare vnto a scorching fire so the heauenly heate of diuine loue is not felt if the furious flame of anger be kindled in our harts Couetousnes also is a most violent and strong vice which nothing almost can vanquish but death and they who are possessed therewith do loue their riches better then their owne liues as we may fee in their example who being depriued of them murther themselues yea they are more deare vnto them then the saluation of their owne soules as may appeare by those who fall into outragious sinnes whereby they plunge their soules headlong into hell that they may get momentarie riches by them also who despise the meanes of their saluation in comparison of a small worldly trifle and yet anger being once admitted doth ouercome couetousnes as it is euident in the example of them who to satisfie their furious anger by the death of their enimie are content to forfeit their goods though they be neuer so couetous besides the double hazard of their liues which they incur both in their priuate quarrell and in satisfying by deserued punishment publike iustice The like also may be said of them who by anger being incited to reuenge are content to spend all their substance by prosecuting wrangling suites in Law of little or no importance to the end they may impouerish him also with whom they are offended and so are content to pull the house vpon their owne heads that they may ouerwhelm another vnder the vvaight of the same ruine Feare also is an affection of no small force and violence for oftentimes it compelleth men to thrust themselues into imminent dangers that they may auoyde dangers and to kill themselues for feare of greater torments and yet anger vanquisheth feare many times causing them who would tremble to see anothers vvound contemne their owne death and so turneth the most cowardly feare into most desperate rage and furious resolution So that other affections lead a man but this drawes him others intice him but this compels him other dazle the sight of reason but this makes it starke blinde other make vs prone vnto euill but this casts vs headlong euen into the gulfe of wickednesse Considering therefore that this turbulent vice of vniust anger is in the eyes of God so hainous Sect. 3. in regard of vs so generall and in respect of it owne nature so strong violent I purpose to intreat of it at large to the end we may learne the better to preuent it or the more easily to subdue it And to this purpose I will first shew what it is and what are the causes and properties thereof secondly the kindes of it and lastly I will prescribe the preseruatiues and medicines whereby we may cure this vice in our selues or in others For the first The definition of
fallen into them For anger casting a mist of perturbation before the sight of reason maketh men vnable to iudge of good or euill right or wrong and whereas reason in it owne nature iudgeth that which is right anger maketh that seeme right which it iudgeth If therefore wee auoide those things most carefully which hurt the eyes or if they bee hurt vse such medicines as are fit to cure them because the eye is the light and guide of the whole bodie with how much more attentiue care ought wee auoide anger that blindeth reason seeing it is the light and guide of the soule which onelie eye of humane direction being put out like Polyphemus wee wander in the desarts of sinne and wickednesse If men abhorre drunkennesse and that worthilie because it maketh them differ from brute beasts onely in shape of the bodie why should they not for the same cause hate this vice of anger which like a burning ague doth so distemper disturbe the mind that while the fit lasteth it vttereth nothing but rauing Secondly §. Sect. 8. 2. Jt inflameth the soule with the heat of surie as anger hurteth the soule by blinding reason so also it doth macerate and vex it by inflaming it with furie for what greater torment can bee imagined then to haue the minde distracted vpon the racke of rage As therefore wee would account him a madde man who with his owne hands should set his house on fire and consume it so alike mad is hee to bee thought who will set his soule on fire with the raging flames of anger wherein it is not onely tormented in this life but also without repentance in the life to come it shall bee tormented euerlastingly because vniust anger is murther in Gods sight as appeareth Matth. 5.12 Matth. 5.22 and murtherers shall not inherite the kingdome of God but haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Reuel 21.8 Reuel 21.8 Seeing therefore anger inflicteth on the soule the wound of sinne and sinne vnlesse it be cured with the soueraigne salue of Christs merit causeth death let vs carefully arme our selues against the violence of this passion and manfully repell this fierie dart with the shield of faith Yea let vs so strongly curbe it in with the raines of reason that no outward iniurie pricke it forward to seeke vniust reuenge For as we would condemne him of follie who when a wrong were offred him by another should in reuenge wound his owne bodie so more foolish is hee to bee esteemed who when another offereth him iniurie doth in seeking cruell and vniust reuenge wound his soule with sin And so much for the euils which anger bringeth to a mans selfe §. Sect. 9. The euils which anger bringeth to our neighbour 1. It ouerthroweth all friendship Now wee are to intreate of the euils which it bringeth to our neighbour First it ouerthroweth that excellent and comfortable vertue to mankind true friendship for there was neuer any friendship so inuiolable which anger if it were admitted hath not violated And hence it is that wise Salomon counselleth vs not to make friendship with an angrie man because he will bee sure to breake it Pro. 22.24 Prou. 22.24 Well therfore may that speech of Inno to Alecto be applied to anger Tu potes vnanimes armare in praelia fratres atque odijs versare domos Virg. Aeneid lib. 7. Thou it is who canst arme most louing brethren one against the other and ouerthrow whole houses and families with contentious discord Secondly §. Sect. 10. 2. It prouoketh men to offer iniurie it prouoketh to offer all indignities and wrongs to a mans neighbour as also to reuenge the smallest iniuries without all proportion For men incensed with anger will wittingly and willingly reuenge those iniuries which haue vnwittingly and vnwillingly been offered for angry words they will giue blowes for blowes wounds and for wounds death And therefore the Wise man saith That anger is cruell and wrath is raging Prou. 27.4 Prou. 27.4 Yea it prouoketh men not onely to reuenge small iniuries but also no iniuries for anger rageth euen against the innocents and that oftentimes because they are innocent and but too vertuous as the furious man imagineth And this is euident in the example of Cains anger against Abel Sauls against Ionathan and Dauid Nebuchadnezzars against the three children Herods against the innocents the Scribes and Pharises against Christ as before I prooued But as anger causeth men to be hurtfull to all others Anger most hurtfull to a mans owne familie so especially to those whom they should most loue cherish and defend that is they who are of a mans owne familie who because they are necessarilie conuersant with them are continnallie subiect and euen exposed to their furie and outrage the wife to their bitter speeches if they doe not worse that is like mad men beate their owne flesh the children to furious and vnreasonable correction the seruants not onelie to reuiling speeches but also to cruell stripes and blowes so that as one saith well we may know an angrie man if wee but looke in the faces of his seruants Plutarch de cohib irac §. Sect. 11. The euils which anger bringeth to common-wealth namely by their scarres and bruises And so much for the priuate euils which accompanie vniust anger Now we are to speake of the publike Vniust anger is the cause of all tumults and vprores seditions and conspiracies massacres and bloodie wars yea the ouerthrow and confusion of all cities and common-wealths It is the cause which inciteth the Magistrate against the subiect and the subiect against the Magistrate the Prince against the people and the people against the Prince kingdome against kingdome and nation against nation and that not onely vpon waightie causes but also vpon trifling occasions For as to make a furious and vnquenchable flame it is not materiall how small the fire is that kindleth it so the matter bee apt to receiue it wherein it is kindled for one coale is enough to burne a whole citie if it fall among flaxe and one sparke if it light in tinder or gunpowder so it mattereth not how small the cause is which inflameth anger for if the minde which receiueth it be subiect to be inflamed it is sufficient to set on fire and consume whole Kingdomes and Common wealths especially if power be correspondent to the violence of the affection Infinite examples might be brought to make this manifest Examples Gen. 34. as of Simeon and Leuie who in their anger put a whole Cittie to the sword though their quarrell were but to one man Of Abimelech Iudg. 9. 1 Sam. 22. Hest 3. who in his fury destroyed all the cittie of Sichem of Saul destroying Nob of Haman who being incensed onely against Mordecay laide a plot for the destruction of the whole nation of the Iewes But I shall
not neede to stand vpon it seeing not onely the booke of God but also auncient histories yea euen our owne Chronicles and daily experience doe make this but too euident You see then the manifold euils which waite vpon this raging disease of the minde vniust anger for it is not onely a deadly impostume breaking out in our selues but also an infectious and contagious plague which destroyeth whole peoples and common wealths With how great care therefore should wee vse all good meanes and wholesome remedies to preuent or cure such a dangerous disease CHAP. VII The remedyes of vniust Anger THe remedies against anger are of two sorts first Sect. 1. those which cure anger in our selues secondly those which cure it in others and they both are of two kindes first such as preuent anger and preserue vs from falling into it secondly such as free vs from it after it hath taken place For anger is a disease of the minde as therefore wise Phisitions thinke it the better safer course to preserue health and preuent sicknesse then to remoue the disease after it hath taken possession of the body We must first seek to preuent anger Sen. epi. 119 so the best course in ministring spirituall Phisick is to preserue the soule from vice rather then to purge it away after it hath infected it for Vitia facilius repelluntur quam expelluntur Vices are more easily kept from entrance then thrust out after they are entred for as the common prouerbe is there are but twelue points in the law and possession is as good as eleauen of them If therefore anger haue gotten possession we shall hardly dispossesse it It is our soules mortall enimie as therefore we first seeke to keepe the enimie from entring the frontires of our country but if hee be entred as soone as we can to expell him so we must first endeauour to repel anger by stopping the passages of our harts that it may haue no entrance but if it haue taken place quickly to expell and remoue it For if we suffer it to fortifie it selfe it will grow so strong and violent that we shall be vnable to dislodge it And as in a siege of a Cittie the Citizens prouide all things necessary for their defence before the assault that the enimie when he approcheth the wals may not take them vnprouided so if we will repell anger when it commeth wee are to fortifie and arme our selues against it before it comes for if it take vs vnprouided it will easily make entrance and more easily ouercome vs. Let vs therfore first of all endeuour to vse all good means by which we may preuent anger for if it haue once gotten hold of vs it will easily plunge vs headlong into violence and fury whereas we may with greater facillity preuent the danger before we fall into it For as experience teacheth vs a man may easily contayne himselfe from running downe the hill while hee is on the toppe but after he is entred into a full race hee cannot stay himselfe before he commeth to the bottome so it is more easie for any to abstaine from running into anger then to containe himselfe when he is in the race from falling into the bottome of fury Let vs then see the meanes how to preuent anger Sect. 2 The meanes to preuent vniust anger the first remedy is by taking away the causes therof for sublatâ causâ tollitur effectum The causes thereof are to be remoued 1 Selfe-loue The cause being taken away the effect ceaseth The first cause of anger is selfe loue if therefore wee would not fall into anger we must labour to bannish selfe loue and to follow the rule of charitie Loue our neighbours as our selues and doe nothing vnto them which wee would not haue them do vnto vs. Before therefore we let the reines loofe vnto our anger let vs set our selues in the place of him with whom we are angry and consider how we would desire to be vsed if we had so offended and in like manner are we to behaue our selues towards him So shall we not aggrauate those iniuries which are offered vs and extenuate those which we offer others so shall we not haue our iudgement ouer-ballanced with an vnequall affection so shall wee not bee incensed for suffering that which wee haue often offered The second cause of anger is pride and hautinesse of spirit if therefore we would not fall into anger Sect. 3. 2 Pride we are to subdue pride and labour for the contrary grace of humilitie For they who would bee meeke with our Sauiour Christ must also learne of him the lesson of true humilitie Math. 11.29 Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly of hart Mat. 11.29 If we would lay aside that arrogant conceit which we haue of our selues and the ouerweening opinion of our owne excellencies if we would consider with Abraham that we are but dust and ashes and with Dauid Gen. 18.17 Psal 22.6 Iob. 17.14 that wee are wormes and no men or if we would in sincerity of hart say with Iob Vnto corruption thou art my father and vnto the worme thou art my mother and my sister If wee would but remember that by our sinnes committed against God and our neighbour we haue deserued not onely contumelies and wrongs but also eternall death of body and soule we would not so easely bee prouoked to anger vpon euery trifting occasion nor thinke it any great disparagement to endure lesser iniuries seeing we haue deserued farre greater The third cause is Couetousnesse Sect. 4. 3 Couetousnes which vice wee must banish out of our hearts if we would not be ouercome with vniust anger so shall wee not gape after great preferments nor expect much and consequently we shall not be disturbed with vnquietnesse nor incensed with anger when vvee come short of our hopes So shall we not intermeddle with euery domesticall trifle but commit some thing to the care of Seruants some thing to Children and most of all to the Wife who is a ioynt gouernour in this little common wealth And if any thing miscarry vnder any of their hands we will not so much looke to the meanes as to the supreame cause the prouidence of God considering that if he build not the house they labour in vaine that build it if he blesse not their labours they cannot prosper Psal 127.1 The fourth cause is luxuriousnesse and curious nicenesse Sect. 5. 4. Luxurious nicenesse if therefore we would subdue anger we must subdue this vice also and labour to attaine vnto decent homelines the Nurse of good hospitality and the preseruer of peace and quietnesse for if with our first parents Adam and Eue we were clothed with skinnes that is with meane attyre wee would not be so easily prouoked to anger if a spotte or wrinckle be found vpon our garments if with them wee did feed vpon roots and hearbs we would not eate with surfetted