Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

For the jealousy and wrath of the man will not be entreated: neither accepteth he the person of any mediator, nor receiveth any gifts how great soever they be. In these words of Solomon many things are to be noted. First as it cannot otherwise be, but that fire must burn the garment wherein it is carried: so no man can commit adultery without damage and danger of further punishment. Secondarily comparison is made betwixt a thief and an adulterer: not that theft is thereby defended, but because thieves, although they be infamous, do seem yet to sin a great deal less than adulterers do. For a thief may make satisfaction by restoring the worth of the thing, that he stole, to him, from whole he stole it away: but for adultery no amends can be made. And what is he that would not rather wish to have thieves ransack his chest, and take away his substance, than to have his wife his darling defiled with adultery. Moreover Solomon calleth the adulterer mad and without understanding. ⟨p. 233⟩Adultery is judged to be a sin worthy of death & endless infamy. For the Lord in the law doth not say only, Thou shalt not commit adultery, But in an other place also goeth on & addeth: And he that committeth adultery with an other mans wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbours wife, let both the adulterer and the adulteress be slain. Levit. 20. And this punishment of adultery by death was not abrogated or changed by the very Gentiles. For the Roman law called Lex Julia is very well known, how it commanded adulterers to be put to death. Which law was of force in the time of S. Hierome, as we may gather by the History which he wrote of an adulteress, at the chopping off of whose head seven strokes were given. Neither is it marvel undoubtedly that adultery was among them of old, and is yet at this day according to the laws to be punished by death. For upon that one many sins do depend. First of all the adulterer is a perjured man. For he hath broken and violated the faith which he gave openly before God and the face of the congregation by calling to witness the most holy and reverend Trinity, when the minister of Christ did solemnise the marriage and couple him to his wife, by giving hand in hand. Secondarily the adulterer hath committed theft and robbery.

For the iealosie and wrath of the man will not be intreated: neither accepteth he the person of any mediatour, nor receiueth any giftes howe great soeuer they bee. In these words of Solomon many thinges are to bée noted. First as it cannot otherwyse bée, but that fire must burne the garment wherein it is carried: so no man can cōmit adulterie without damage and daunger of further punishmente. Secondarilie comparison is made betwirte a théefe and an adulterer: not that theft is thereby defended, but because théeues, although they be infamous, doe seeme yet to sinne a greate deale lesse than adulterers doe. For a théefe may make satisfaction by restoring the worth of the thing, that hée stoale, to him, from whole hée stoale it away: but for adulterie no amendes can bee made. And what is hée that would not rather wish to haue théeues ransacke his chest, and take away his substaunce, than to haue his wife his dearling defiled with adulterie. Moreouer Solomon calleth the adulterer madde and without vnderstanding.