Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common…Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common…

Again,¹ the Lord punisheth the fornicator, by making him a wretched slave, not only unto his own unclean lusts, but also to filthy harlots. For whereas the Lord hath appointed reason as the chief viceroy in the little world of man, whereby all his parts and members are to be ruled and governed, as it were obedient subjects; the fornicator joining with his basest parts, even his unclean lusts, rebelleth against his lawful Sovereign, and thrusting reason out of his throne, subjecteth himself to be governed by his unruly passions and filthy affections. In which usurped tyranny will only standeth for a law, and tumultuous lusts rule and manage all things according to their own appetite. Whereof it cometh to pass that there is nothing so abominable which is not thought tolerable, nothing so shameful which will cause blushing, nothing so dishonest and outrageous which they are not ready to act for the pleasing and satisfying of their lusts. For howsoever things were unto them free and arbitrary, before they had yielded themselves as slaves to their vile affections, yet when they are once enthronized in their hearts, they tyrannically impose upon them an unresistable necessity of obedience. To which purpose Augustine saith fitly, that, Ex voluntate peruersa facta est libido, & dum seruitur libidini facta est consuetudo, ²& dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas: Peruerse will turneth unto unbridled lust, and while lust is obeyed there groweth custom, and custom being not resisted becometh necessity.

Againe,¹ the Lord punisheth the fornicatour, by making him a wretched slaue, not only vnto his owne vncleane lusts, but also to filthie harlots. For whereas the Lord hath appointed reason as the chiefe viceroy in the little world of man, whereby all his parts and members are to be ruled and gouerned, as it were obedient subiects; the fornicatour ioyning with his basest parts, euen his vncleane lusts, rebelleth against his lawfull Soueraigne, and thrusting reason out of his throne, subiecteth himselfe to be gouerned by his vnruly passions and filthie affections. In which vsurped tyrannie will only standeth for a law, and tumultuous lusts rule and mannage all things according to their owne appetite. Whereof it commeth to passe that there is nothing so abominable which is not thought tolerable, nothing so shamefull which will cause blushing, nothing so dishonest and outragious which they are not readie to act for the pleasing and satisfying of their lusts. For howsoeuer things were vnto them free and arbitrarie, before they had yeelded themselues as slaues to their vile affections, yet when they are once inthronized in their hearts, they tyrannically impose vpon them an vnresistable necessitie of obedience. To which purpose Augustine saith fitly, that, Ex voluntate peruersa facta est libido, & dum seruitur libidini facta est consuetudo,