3. Consider it as it is against a tie or bond, called the Covenant of God, Prov. 2.17. and this may be three ways considered, 1. When both persons are married, as David and Bathsheba were, this is most abominable, and that which we call double adultery. 2. When the man is married, and the woman solute or free. 3. When the woman is married and the man free, these two last are both gross, yet the latter is accounted grosser, as having these Aggravations, of disturbing the peace of our neighbours family, the corrupting his seed and offspring, and the alienating of his inheritance added unto it, therefore not only the first, but even the third hath been ordinarily punished by death amongst men; and certainly the guilt of the second, is little inferior, if not equal, to either of them: for 1. It hath the same Wickedness of Adultery, with the other two, as being contrary to the Covenant of God. 2. It is in like manner peccant against the remedy of uncleanness and disorder, for which the Lord did appoint marriage. 3. It doth no less disturb the quiet and prosperity of Families, provoking jealousy in the Wife, the more impotent, because the weaker ⟨p. 355⟩Vessel, alienating affections, and often hindering a lawful Propagation, but continually marring the education of the children lawfully begotten, and the Parents care of their provision: Neither are these things to be restricted to the man, as if he were only therein criminal; the free Woman the Adulteress, by her manifest accession, doth evidently involve her self in the same guilt; if a free man lye with his Neighbours wife, the aggravations, flowing from her married estate, are all charged upon the man, and by the Law of God […] therefore condemned as the Adulterer; doth not then the parity of reason, in the Case of a married man with a free Woman, equally transfer on her the Guilt of his Consequences? Neither is it any excuse for the Woman, that the man is ordinarily the tempter; because not only hath nature put the Woman's greater weakness, under the security of a far greater measure of modesty, but the Lords righteous Law is also binding upon both without distinction: so that I think, we may well understand all the three sorts of Adultery, to be forbidden by the same laws, and under the same pains; and therefore conclude with Job 31.9, 11.
3. Consider it as it is against a tye or bond, called the Covenant of God, Prov. 2.17. and this may be three vvays considered, 1. When both persons are married, as David and Bathsheba were, this is most abominable, and that which we call double adultery. 2. When the man is married, and the woman solute or free. 3. When the woman is married and the man free, these two last are both gross, yet the latter is accounted grosser, as having these Aggravations, of disturbing the peace of our neighbours family, the corrupting his seed and offspring, and the alienating of his inheritance added unto it, therefore not only the first, but even the third hath been ordinarily punished by death amongst men; and certainly the guilt of the second, is little inferiour, if not equal, to either of them: for 1. It hath the same Wickedness of Adultery, with the other two, as being contrary to the Covenant of God. 2. It is in like manner peccant against the remedy of uncleanness and disorder, for which the Lord did appoint marriage. 3. It doth no less disturb the quiet and prosperity of Families, provoking jealousie in the Wife, the more impotent, because the weaker ⟨p. 355⟩Vessel, alienating affections, and often hindering a lawful Propagation, but continually marring the education of the children lawfully begotten, and the Parents care of their provision: Neither are these things to be restricted to the man, as if he were only therein criminal; the free Woman the Adulteress, by her manifest accession, doth evidently involve her self in the same guilt; if a free man lye with his Neighbours wife, the aggravations, flowing from her married estate, are all charged upon the man, and by the Law of God 〈…〉 therefore condemned as the Adulterer; doth not then the parity of reason, in the Case of a married man with a free Woman, equally transfer on her the Guilt of his Consequences? Neither is it any excuse for the Woman, that the man is ordinarily the temptor; because not only hath nature put the Womans greater weakness, under the security of a far greater measure of modesty, but the Lords righteous Law is also binding upon both without distinction: so that I think, we may well understand all the three sorts of Adultery, to be forbidden by the same laws, and under the same pains; and therefore conclude with Job 31.9, 11.
