The French academie Fully discoursed and finished in foure bookes. 1. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, &c. 4. Christian philosophie, instructing the true and onely meanes to eternall life. This fourth part neuer before published in English. All written by the first author, Peter de la Primaudaye, Esquire, Lord of Barre, Chauncellour, and Steward of the French Kings house.

6. Of Pleasure, Adultery, and Lecherie.

Touching pleasure and voluptuousnesse, which we also set among the most pernicious vices: it is certaine that all the affections which God hath placed in mans nature, tend vn∣to as many good, proper, and conuenient things, whereof he may obtaine the possession and fruition, and in them pleasure and delight, and that his affections are giuen vnto him, as goades to prick him forward, and to induce him to seeke after God his soueraigne good, in whom onely hee may finde true ioy and entire pleasure. But as those affections haue beene depraued by sinne; so they produce effects contrarie to their originall, and with great difference betweene naturall men, and those that are renewed by the holy Ghost. Now it is not alwaies true, that voluptuousnes or delight is an ease, which the heart taketh, in the enioying of that good which is conuenient and fit for it, nor that euery man may receiue pleasure and ioy in all parts both of the body and of the soule, aswell by the interior as the exterior senses, as euery one is more or lesse addicted to one, or diuers of those parts, and taketh more pleasure in the delights that he may receiue by them. For wee see that the meaner and common sort of people, and those that are the rudest, and the ignorantest, are more mooued, and take greater delight in corporall and exterior things, which concerne the bodily senses; then in spirituall things, which are of a higher qualitie, and more con∣uenient for the Spirit, and wherein they may receiue more delight. But men that are wise and prudent, know well how to embrace the one, and to leaue the others. But the subiect of our proposition leadeth vs here to speak of the most vile and abiect pleasure of all others, which is receiued by the sense of feeling: against the which generally, there are an infinite number of notable sentences, set downe by the Pagans and infidels, whereby with the common consent of all the world, this false pleasure and delight is blamed and con∣demned, as most dangerous, most pernicious, and altogether vnworthy of man.

One saith, That there is no deadlier plague then voluptuosnesse, that it is the spring and * 1.1 originall of treasons, and the ruine of common wealths, there beeing no enterprise so wic∣ked, whereunto man is not pricked forward and prouoked by this vice. Plato calleth it the fishhooke of all euils: for by sweet delights and pleasures, men are taken and carried into all miseries, and put to death, like fishes caught by the fishhooke, when it is couered with a bait, saying further, That it continually procureth hurt to man, and ingendreth griefe, folly, forgetfulnesse of wisdome, and insolency in his minde. Plutarch saith, That pleasure dis∣solueth mans body, and softeneth it by delights, mortifieth his strength, and decayeth his force: from whence proceedeth abundance of diseases, and is the cause that wee see the be∣ginning of weake old age to appeare in yong men. An other Pagan saith, It is a cruel beast, which makes men slaues, and tieth them fast in chaines of Diamants. An other, That pleasure and griefe are twinnes, whereof the first is no sooner borne, but the other present∣ly followeth, and holdeth it as it were by the heele, to supplant it, and to change pleasure into repentance. An other compareth it to a white sepulchre, or toombe, faire without, but full of infection and stinking deadly sauour within. An other, to a strong poyson mixt with hypocras or milke; as in trueth voluptuousnesse poysoneth man in such sort, that it killeth reason and vertue in his soule, and health in his body.

But if all these sentences aforesaid were said by Pagans and Infidels, that onely regarded

naturall man, and this present life, how much more ought this vice to bee detested by the children of God, regenerated by his holy Spirit, and in regard of eternall life? It is the cares of the world (saith Iesus Christ) that hinder them which haue heard the Gospel prea∣ched, to bring foorth fruit. And Saint Paul also meaneth the same, when hee saith, They that * 1.2 are in the flesh, cannot please God: That he which liueth in pleasure, is dead, while hee liueth. Wher∣fore it he commeth the faithfull, not to take care for the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof. Then let vs beware of so dangerous an enemy as pleasure is; let vs flie the occasions that may mooue vs thereunto, and such companions as are addicted to it: For as greene wood laid on the fire, will not burne at the first, yet at the last it burnes and consumes. So it is with him that haunteth and keepeth company with riotous and voluptuous fellowes, hee may for a time resist and forbeare from euil; but in the end he plungeth therein, and sinketh ouer head and eares.

To that ende let vs shunne and auoyd Idlenesse, as the true mother of voluptuousnesse, as a Pagan saith, That doing nothing, wee learne to doe euill: and that as by continuall la∣bour, concupiscence decreaseth; so by idlenesse it increaseth. Standing puddle waters ea∣sily corrupt, and so doe idle men. But specially let vs consider, that nothing is more contra∣ry to amendment of life, in Gods children; nor to the sighes and teares (required of them by the holy Ghost) for the bewayling of their sinnes and corruptions, then carnall plea∣sures. For as it is a thing contrary to nature, to light fire in water: so it is monstrous, that voluptuousnesse and pleasure should breed in a sorrowfull and greeued heart for his sinnes. When the holy Scripture calleth vs to a solemne acknowledging and feeling of our iniqui∣ties, it exalteth vs to fast, to weepe, and to mourne, and saith, Let the bridegrome goe foorth of his chamber, and the bride out of her bedchamber. * 1.3

Therefore let vs submit our selues to the wholesome aduertisements of the holy Ghost, indeuouring our mindes to tame and pull downe our rebellious flesh, and to quench the fire of concupiscences, by fasting, weeping & prayer to the Lord. And so we shall triumph ouer that monster voluptuousnes: for it is true, that when the flesh is extenuated and kept low, it sharpneth the forces of the spirit, conuerteth the vigor of the body into the vertues of the soule, restraineth the carnall marrow thereof, from casting out stinking and villanous exhalations, keepeth the secret prouocation hidden in the intrailes from heating the braines, and preserueth the sences, allienated from their right functions, from lusting after that villanous pleasure which inciteth and prouoketh them thereunto, and which sli∣deth and passeth away as soone as it is borne: that so the spirit onely may take her rest, and sole delight, in the meditation and enioying of the supercelestial good, which is conuenient and fitte for it, and reioyce that it hath vanquished and ouercome her greatest aduersary the flesh. But all that which we haue formerly said, beeing generally spoken of voluptuous∣nes, we must now shew the particular kindes thereof. The holy Scriptures speaking of the monstrous corruption of men, worse then beasts in this respect, setteth downe such abho∣minable kinds therof, that chaste hearts would abhorre to heare them named, and therfore we will leaue to speake of such sinne against nature, for the which the persons guilty, were vtterly to be rooted out of the earth, by the law of God. Neither will we here speake of in∣cestuous coniunction forbidden by the Lord, but only of two kindes of Concupiscence or * 1.4 Lechery, too common among Christians, & yet most pernicious and damnable. The first is adultery, whereby we vnderstand that lechery which is committed between such persons, whereof the one or both of them, are otherwise lincked by marriage, so odious a vice, that * 1.5 among the infidels, it was most exactly lookt into, and grieuously punished. Aristotle saith, If a man or woman committeth adultery with any other then their owne wife, or husband, * 1.6 such a one ought to be placed in the ranke of most vilanous and infamous persons. And among the Locrians, there was a law made by one Zaleucus, that condemned adulterers to haue both their eies put out, which was afterward so well kept and obserued, that the law∣makers owne sonne being found guilty therein, though all the people intreated for him, that he might be spared, Zaleacus would not hearken thereunto, but caused one of his owne eies to be put out, and one of his sonnes, that so the rigour of the law might bee obserued. Augustus Caesar also made a law called Iulia, touching Adultery, which permitted the father in that case to kill his daughter. And the son of Fabius a Senator of Rome, hauing kilde his mother, and him that was taken in Adultery with her, was absolued and aquitted of the fact by the Senate of Rome.

To be short, it is certaine, that in all nations, where honour and ciuility bare neuer so

little sway, his vice of Adultery hath beene grieuously punished, and much hated of all ge∣nerous persons. For if any man had but mooued or solicited a woman to commit adultery he was punished with diuers paines, as the ciuill lawes declare. And yet the dispensation, slackenes, and negligence of Christians in suffering such iniquity, hath begotten such liber∣tie, * 1.7 that now it is a great and a rare commendation giuen and attibuted to married persons, to say that they haue liued faithfully in marriage. And yet God saith, (Thou shalt not commit adultery) and hath enioyned the paines of death vpon that offence: and which is more hath giuen that iudgement against the maide, that is betrothed to a man, and to him that shal ly with her.

For which cause Iuda the Patriarch, being told that Thamar that should marry with his sonne, had committed Adultery, hee commaund her to bee burnt. And these santences are set downe in the holy Scriptures (that Adulterers shall not inherite the kingdome of God) that marriage is honorable among all men, and the bed vndefiled, but whoremongers and * 1.8 adulterers God will iudge. To amend this detestable vice, first let vs note, that as a man committing Adultery sinneth more grieuously then the woman, because hee ought to sur∣passe her in vertue, and to guide her by good examples, so the fault of the woman is most great, and without remedy, for therby proceedeth confusion, and doubtfulnes of children, whereby many times, mens goods are transported and giuen to those towhom they belong not; but because, that both in the one and the other, there is breach of faith, and promise before God (as Salomon saith) they sinne equally and alike before his maiesty, and shall re∣ceiue like and most grieuous punishment at the latter day. Let vs also remember, that the Lord hauing pronounced the sentence of death against Adulterers, is constant and resolute * 1.9 in his iudgements, and that if Magistrates doe not execute them here on earth, God hath diuers meanes to execute iudgement, and to doe iustice, both in this life; and in the life to come. As the Scriptures specially witnes, by the examples of Sedechias and Achab that were Adulterers: of Salomon that committed I dolatry by meanes of that vice: and of Dauid, by the effect of the sentence giuen by the holy Ghost, that the sword should neuer depart * 1.10 from his house.

The other kinde of voluptuousnes, now in question, is fornication; which is committed betweene free persons, whereof neither the one nor the other, are married, It is true, that al∣though the Philosophers wrot many notable precepts against this vice, yet the Pagans ne∣uer * 1.11 made any great account thereof, nor sought much to punish it. But they are neither law makers nor Iudges for vs. But the most holy and euer liuing God; who, forbidding A∣dultery, therewith also prohibiteth carnall copulation betweene vnmarried persons (as it is written) There shal be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a Sodomite of the sonnes of * 1.12 Israel. Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore into the house of the Lord thy God. The history of the children of Iacob, (which vnder pretence of circumcision massacred all the * 1.13 people of Sichem, because they had defiled their sister Dina,) sheweth how much God hath alwaies beene pleased with chastity, and detested fornication, when he suffered so horrible vengeance to be taken vpon Sichem, his father, and al his subiects, because one of them had deflowred a maide.

And that specially which is written in the Scripture, that for Fornication God caused three and twenty thousand Iewes to be slaine in one daie, which is a most certaine testimo∣ny, * 1.14 how he alwaies condemned, and grieuously punished this sinne. Therefore it ought to bee abhorred among vs that are Christians, and so much the more apprehended, in re∣gard of the Lords iudgement to come, wee hauing receiued greater measures of the gra∣ces of God, and a more cleare, more ample, and liuelier instruction of his will, for the pre∣seruation of our bodies and soules in purity and chastitie, then the Iewes had. For so wee ought to practise and put in vre the sentence of Saint Paul, saying, That euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell, in holinesse and honour, and not in the lust of concupisence, * 1.15 euen as the Gentiles that knew not God. For this is the will of God, that wee should abstaine from for∣nication: and for that cause hee exhorteth all the faithfull to mortifie their members, which are on the earth, as fornication, inordinate affections, and euill concupiscence. And in another place, hee requireth, That fornication and all vncleannesse, should not bee once named among vs, as it * 1.16 becommeth Saints. And that wee should not company together, If any that is called a bro∣ther be a fornicator, or infected with other vices forbidden by God, and that wee should not eate with such a one. Wee haue already noted the sentences and iudgements set downe in the holy Scriptures, against dissolute and impudent persons: which iudgement to come

Saint Iohn representeth vnto vs, in a most fearefull manner saying, That the fearefull and vn∣beleeuing, * 1.17 and the Abominable, and Murtherers, and Whooremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Lyers, shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

To conclude, let vs remember, and meditate vpon the liuely and pregnant reasons a∣foresaid, shewed to this purpose; and vpon this also which the Apostle propoundeth vnto vs, to make vs abhorre fornication, saying, Know yee not that your bodies are the members of * 1.18 Christ, shall wee then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an Harlot? God forbid. Doe yee not know, that hee which coupleth himselfe with an Harlot is one body? For two, saith hee, shall bee one flesh, but he that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one Spirit. Flee Fornication, eue∣ry sinne that a man doth, is without the body, but hee that committeth Fornication, sin∣neth against his owne body; Know you not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost, which is in you, whom you haue of God? And yet are not your owne, for you are bought for a price; there∣fore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit, for they are Gods. And to the same ende, let vs thinke one that which an Ancient Father hath written, saying: That when Fornication hath once seased on mans vnderstanding, it hardly suffereth him to thinke vpon any good * 1.19 thing; that the naturall desires are glued, that from the suggestions of the flesh proceedeth thought, from thought affection, from affection delight, from delight consent, form con∣sent action, from action custome, from custome desprire, or doubt of amendment, from desparie excuse, from excuse glorifying in sinne, and from glorifying in sinne, the ineuita∣ble condemnation and iudgement of God. And lastly, that if by the infirmity of our flesh, we feele our selues to be carried away to the first degrees of so damnable corruption, let vs breake, or at the least, in so good time preuent the other degrees which mount higher, that wee may auoide running headlong, and falling into eternall death.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Architas apud Cic. in li. de Senct.
• * 1.2

  Luke 8. 14. Rom. 8. 8. 1. Tim. 5. 6. Rom. 13. 14.
• * 1.3

  Ioel 2. 12. 16.
• * 1.4

  Leuit. 18. 28. Deut. 18.
• * 1.5

  Adultery.
• * 1.6

  Aristotle. Polit. 2.
• * 1.7

  Exodus 20. Deuter. 5. Leuit. 20. 10. Deut. 22. 22. Gen. 38. 24. 1. Cor. 6. 10.
• * 1.8

  Heb. 13. 4. Malachi. 3. 5.
• * 1.9

  Prou. 2. 17.
• * 1.10

  Ierem. 29. 23. 1 Kings 11. 2. Sam 12. 10.
• * 1.11

  Fornication.
• * 1.12

  Deut. 23. 17. 18
• * 1.13

  Gen. 34.
• * 1.14

  1. Cor. 10. Nomb. 25. 9.
• * 1.15

  1 Thes. 4, 3, 4.
• * 1.16

  Col. 3 5. Ephes. 5. 3.
• * 1.17

  Apoc. 21. 8.
• * 1.18

  1 Cor. 6. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
• * 1.19

  Gregor. in moral.