Objt/1. 'Anfw. Vire/J.I• Vire/1. 2. 'J)ire/1, 3· . ' Vire/1. 4· Tbe Cure of Fomicatio11. late Gods Law, fuddcnly difi~ad:cd in his ~ln;. fo rhat wirh.out r<p::ntance and confdlion, being ragin mad and talking with the Dcv1l)and abhommatmg Gods Pncfis, he departed our of ehis life nod bg ~o the ~or~cnrs of H~l_J. And Ofred _( ~in~ of the Dciri ~nd ~[rnicii) the fpiric of Jux~ry ca:r~e~ 111 formcauon and ~ehlm~ the fac_rcd vugms m the M~m.fi:nes, ull fuch time as by a vilt: and h•fe kind of death, he loll h1s glonous Kmgdom, together wah h1s youthful and luxurious life. \Vhcn:fo moll dear fon, take heed of the ditch into whi'h thou hall Cecn otht rs (all before thee ___ rej Vid. tlu/1. Bib. Pat. 'to. 2· pag. 55· 56. And how great fuffcrings w.as laid on Priefis, Monks and Nuns that had commitrcd fornication L fevcral years imprifonmenr and fcourging, fee ib. pag. 84. in an ediCt of Carlom.m by the advice ~f y Council of Bifhops. • • And Epift. 85. p. 87. Bonijic. writeth to LuUo that he was fain to fulfer a Pxiell to officiate Baptiz Pray, &c. that had long ago committed fornication, becaufe there was none buc he alone 'co be haJ in all the country; and he t~o~ght it better t? venture that one rnanslOul than let all rhe pcop1e pcrilh, ~nd dcfireth LttUo 1 counfcl m It. By all whtch we may fee how heynous a Iin fornication was then Judged. ObjeCt. But ([ay the filthy ones), did not David commit the fin of Adulmy? Did not God pcrm!t themmany Wivu amont, the Jew! l Howmany had Solomon l Therefore tbi1 is no fucb great fiu 4f you pretmd: Thus every tilthincfs a little while will plead for it fdf. , AH[w. David did ~n : An~ is .the fin ever the .lefs for that ? It's ~afier forbear i.t, fhan undergo the tears and forrows whtch Davzd d1d endure for h1s fin! Befides the bJtternefs of hts foul for it his fon Abfalom rebelleth and driveth him out of his Kingdom, and his own wives are openly dehl;d: And yet God Jeaveth it as a perpetual blot upon his name. Solomon! fin was fo great rhar it almot1 rui~ ned him and his Kingdom: Though experiencecaufed him to fay more againfi it, than is fa id in the Old-Tefiament by any other, yet it is a controverfie among Divines whcrher he was Qver recovered and f~vcd.: 4.nd ten tribes of the twelve .we.re the~eforc rak.en from hi.s t.ine, and given ro ]troboam. And IS thts any encouragement to you to nmtate h1m? Chnfi tclleth you m the cafe of divorcement that God permitted (not aUowed., but forbo:e) fome fuch !ins in the Jews becaufe of the Hardmfi of thezr heartJ, Mar. to. 5· but from the begmnmg 1t was not [o; but o;te m.m and 6ilt wom:zn were conjoyned in the primitive infiiturion. And the fpccial reafon why plurality was connived ac arnonrr the Jews, was for the fuller peopling of the Nation; they being the only covenanrcd people of Godu and being few among encompailing enemies, and being feparated from the people of the earth, rhei; firength and fafety and glory lay much on their increafcd number, and therefore fome inordinacie was connived at for their multiplication, but never abfolutely aUowed and approvedof. And yet forni,ati 9 n is punifhed feverc!y ; and Adulterywith Death. ' I I. The Direliions againft fornication. ~· 18. Dircd. I· If )fJU would avoid uncleannefs,avoid the thiHgs th:zt di)pc{tyott to it, as Gluttony, or fullnefs of dyer, and pampering the fltjh ; Idlmefr, and other things mC"11tioned under the next Title of fobduing luft. The abating of the filthy Dejires is the fureH way to prevent the filthy act: which maybe done, ifyouarebut willing . 9· 19· DireCt. 2· Avoid tlu prt{ent Temptation! : Go"not wheu the foare lieth wirhout neceiJicy: Abhor the Devils bellows that blow up the fire of luff; fuch as enriting apparel, filthy talk, and fights, of which more alfo under the next Title. 9· :.~:o. Direct. 3• CarefuUy avoidaY opportunity of finning. Come not near tbe door of her h/)ufe, faith Solomon Prov. 5· 8. Avoid the company of the perfon thou art in danger of: Come not where fhe is: This thou canll do if thou art willing: No!'e will force the< : If thou wilt go [e'k,. for a thir[, · no wonder if thou be rob'd. If thou wilt go !eek fire to put m the thatch, no wonder if thy houfe be burnt. The Devil will fufliciently play the Tempter; Thou needell not help him: thats his part; leave it,to hiplfclf: It's thy part to watch again!\ him: And he will find thee work; If thou watch as 11arrowly and conHantly as thou canll, it's well if thou efcape. As thou lovell thy foul, avoid all opportuuitieJ of finning: M1ke it impo!Jible to thy•felf: Much of thy fafety lieth in this poim. Never be in flcrct co"!pany wit? her tbou arc in ~~nger of; but either ~ot at _all, o.r only in thdight of others: EfpeCJally comrzve mt fuch opportrmztzrs; as to be together ..n the ntght, tn the dark_., or on the Lords-day when others arc at Church (one of the Devils feafons for fuch works) or any ·fuch op– portunity leifure and fccrdie : For opportunity it felf is a firong temptation: As it is the way to make a Thief, to fet money in his way, or fo to trufi him as that he can eafily deceive or rob you and never be difcovercd ; fo it is the way to make your fclf unclean to get fuch an opportttnity offinni;~g, that you may eafily do it without any probability of impediment or di{Covery from men. Thci chiefpoint in all the art or watch is, to f<.!tp far enougb off. If you touch the pitch you will be defiled. Wbofo– tvcr toucbcth bcr jl!aU 1101 he innocem, Prov. 6. 29· Can amgn tak.! fire in hi1 bofom, and bif clnatbJ Hot be burnt l Cau one go zepou bot coals and bi4 fert not be burnt ; fo he that goetb in to hit neighbour! wife~ verf. 27, 28. Bring not the fire and the gunpowder to near. If thou caull not keep at a difiance, nor forbear the prefcnce of the bait, thou art not l~ke to forbear the fin. 9· 2 I· DireCt. 4· l{cverence thy own Confcicnce: Mark what it fpcakt:th now,for it willlhortly fpeak it in a more terrible manner: Hear it voluntarily; fOr it is terrible to hear it whm thou canft not re– fifi : Treat with Confcit:nce in the way while it is reconcileable: for thou knowefi not how terrible a :tormenter it is. I doubt not but it bath given thee fame gripes for thy vety Jr~jl, before it ever came to
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