The eleuenth Chapter. Of Whoredome, fornication, adulterie, and other noisome things, which are contrarie to the seuenth commandement.
NOw I thinke it good to speake somwhat of whordome or fornication. 1 For as there were manie in old time, so now there are not a few, which affirme, that it is no sinne. But I will prooue by the scriptures, and by most certeine reasons, that it is a gréeuous sinne. They which extenuate this wicked crime, doo ground vpon diuers arguments. 2 First, in the Acts of the apostls, the 15. chapter, when in those first times there arose a dissention among the Iewes and the Graecians, it was by common assent decréed, that the Ethniks should absteine from bloud, from strangled, from things offered vnto idols, and from fornication. Héere (saie they) whoredome is reckoned among those things, which in their owne nature are not sinnes: wherefore it appéereth, that of it selfe it is not sinne. For these things were then for a time decréed by the apostles, that Christians might liue peaceablie together. For No creature of God is euill: as Paule vnto Timothie saith. 3 Furthermore, they saie, God would not command that, which of it selfe is sinne: but he bad Oseas the prophet, to take vnto him an harlot, 4 and to beget children of fornication; so that of it owne nature it séemeth not to be euill. Moreouer, euerie sinne is against charitie: either against that charitie, which we owe vnto God; or else that, which we owe vnto our neighbour. But in whoredome or fornication, there séemeth to be nothing committed against God; for his honour and religion is not hurt: neither also against our neighbour, for there is no violence vsed against his wife; neither is there anie wrongfull oppression committed.
5 Moreouer, Augustine in his booke De bono coniugali, writeth, that as meate is vnto the bodie, so is the bed for procreation. But if a man eate and drinke a litle more than he ought, he is not accused of sinne: so likewise, if a man doo straie a litle in the companie of women, he is not to be iudged guiltie of sinne. Lastlie, those things, which God hath forbidden as sinnes, are so plaine and manifest, that euen by the light of nature, euerie one may vnderstand them to be sinnes: but fornication, in mans iudgement, is not so accounted; and manie thinke that it is no sinne. Mitio in the Comedie in Terence saith; Beléeue me it is no wicked act for a yoong man to commit fornication. And there wanted not some in the church of Corinth, which were of that opinion. So as by these reasons, the filthinesse of whoredome is so extenuated, that either it is not counted for sinne; or else thought that it should be reckoned among the least sinnes.
2 We must not haue a respect vnto the reasons of men, but vnto the word of God; not what men thinke or iudge, but what the holie Ghost speaketh in the holie scriptures. In the prophets, and in Salomon there is detesting of fornication in euerie place: 6 but in the lawe they saie there is nothing decréed against it. Séeing they will reson by the lawe, I also will bring testimonies out of it; whereby it may easilie be vnderstood, that fornication is forbidden. In Leuiticus, in the booke of Numbers, and in Deuteronomie, the Iewes are forbidden to linke themselues vnto strange women. Againe, 7 in Deuteronomie the 25. chapter, it is commanded, that there should be no harlot nor common woman in Israell. Let these places be compared togither. It was not lawfull to haue anie harlots, neither strange women, nor yet women of Israell: Therefore they were all forbidden. But some will saie, How then had Samson fellowship with an harlot? Some of the Hebrues answer, 8 that she was not an harlot, with whom Samson had fellowship; but one that kept a vitling house. But forsomuch as that is but a weake answer, me thinketh that an other answer must be made. The publike weale of the Hebrues was at that time corrupted: for they liued then vnder the Philistines. Neither is it anie maruell, if they had then receiued some of their vices and corrupt maners. Wherefore, some harlots they had; howbeit, not by reason of their owne laws, but through the vse and conuersation of the Philistines.