On Tewsday the ij. of Iuly. 1555. The xxxviij. Sermon, which is the ninth vpon the fifth Chapter.
18 Thou shalt not bee an Aduouterer.
SAint Paul speaking of the life of Christians, and hauing ex∣horted them to the feare of [ 20] God, addeth yt they must walk vprightly and soberly. Now it is not to be doubted, but that the same is to be referred to the second table of the law. Wil we then obserue the things that our Lord hath commaunded vs in the second table? It is not ynough for vs to hurt no mā either in his person or in his goods: but besides this rightfulnesse, it is required that we should liue stayedly and honestly, as is decla∣red [ 30] in another place. And in the former text of the Epistle to Titus which I haue touched,* 1.1 hee saith that we were redeemed by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, to the intent we should liue in the feare of God in this world, and also in sober∣nesse and vprightnesse.* 1.2 In another place to Ti∣mothie he saieth, that if there bee good gouern∣ment, so as the Magistrates doe their duetie, we shall liue vprightly and honestly in godlinesse. And as touching the feare of God, it is the same [ 40] spirituall seruice that we haue spoken of before, which cōsisteth of our pure worshipping of him, by indeuouring to trust in him, by calling vppon him, and by yeelding him his deserued reue∣rence: and in respect of our neighbors, [it con∣sisteth] of knowing howe wee ought to behaue our selues one towardes another. These are the two pointes that he setteth downe heare. The first, which is vprightnesse, is that wee offer no man any violence, extortion or deceite as in re∣spect [ 50] of his goods: and the other, which hee setteth downe by the name of honestie, sobrie∣tie, or stayednesse, is that there be no loosenesse, wantonnesse, leawdenesse, or vnrulinesse in our lyfe. Wee haue seene that in expounding the commaundement where GOD forbadde to kill, I told you how he meant that we should abstaine from all outrage and iniurie: and not onely that: but also that wee shoulde indeuour to liue quietly with our neighbours, and not [ 60] suffer any man to be troubled. And is it so? When wee come to treating of goods, it shall bee de∣clared that wee must not play the theeues, nor beare false witnesse against our neighbours: which things pertaine to Iustice or vprightnesse. Nowe if wee will yeelde euerie man his right: we shal doe no hurt nor wrong to any bodie: and as touching goods also, wee shall not attempt to rob any of their substance.
But here God interlaceth a lawe that forbid∣deth to commit adulterie: & that is comprehen∣ded vnder the terme of sobrietie or stay ednesse. For although we steale awaye no mans goods, nor be murtherers and barreters: yet if wee bee vnchast, wanton, or of beastly conuersation: we must not thinke that God is contented with vs. Vprightnes & Sobernes are things inseparable: for God hath ioyned them togither in his lawe, and we see that he confirmeth it by his Apostle, who largely expoundeth the thing yt is here tou∣ched in fewe words. And therfore if we wil haue the true meaning of this text: wee must vnder∣stand that God commaundeth vs here to leade an honest and chast life, so as there be no disho∣nestie nor loosenesse in vs. That is the effect of this commandement. True it is that here we be expresly forbidden to commit Adulterie, that is to say, to breake the faith of mariage by intising o∣ther mens wiues to naughtinesse. But let vs also weigh ye thing that I haue touched here: name∣ly how that vnder one particular, God compre∣hendeth the whole, and setteth vs downe the thing that ought to mislike vs euen of nature, to the end we should abhorre all maner of whore∣dome the more. I told you yesterday, that when men are tempted to doe euill, they beguile them selues, weening that the fault is but small, and so from the lesser they proceede to the greater. Contrariwise, to hold vs in awe, God setteth be∣fore vs the sins that are heynousest, to ye end we should be striken with feare aforehand, and not bee ledde so easily to commit any fault. As if he should say, beware ye fall not: for it will make ye to breake your necke: beare not your selfe in hand that you shall but slide, for the fall will bee deadly: and therefore take heede of it. Thus ye see in effect why God proceeded in such order in his law: & why he speaketh not now generally of all whoredome, but of Adulterie, which is the breaking of Mariage. Nowe wee knowe that if any thing ought to bee taken for holye in the whole life of man: it is the fayth which the hus∣bande plyghteth to his wife, and the wife to her hu••bande. In deede all the couenants and promises yt we make, ought to be kept faithfully.* 1.3