The Sixth Commandment: You Shall Not Commit Adultery

Also in this commandment is a work commanded containing many good works, and putting away many vices, and it is called cleanness or chastity, of which many things have been written, showed and known well to many. But it is not so well observed and kept as are other works not commanded. So ready we are all to do that that is not commanded, and to leave [reconstructed: what] is commanded. We see that the world is full of filthy works of uncleanness, unashamed words, bawdy tales and songs. And besides these, the provoking is daily increased with too much meat and drink, idleness, and gorgeous apparel. And yet we go forth still, as though we were Christian men, because we go to the church, whip up our prayers, fast and keep holy days, whereby we think all perfect. But and if there were no more works commanded but chastity, we had all business enough to do. For this vice is so perilous and outrageous, that it rages in all our members — in the heart by thoughts, in the eyes by sight, in the ears by hearing, in the mouth by words, in the hands, feet, and all the body, by work itself. And to tame all these we must labor and punish ourselves, so the commandments of God teach us. How much, how truly, how sincerely such good works are exercised God knows. Indeed it is impossible for us to think any good thing of our own power — I will not say to begin or finish it. For Saint Augustine says that among all Christian men's battles, the battle of chastity is the greatest, because it is daily without ceasing or leaving off, and because that chastity seldom overcomes. All saints have complained upon this, and all holy men have bewailed it, as Saint Paul to the Romans in chapter 7. For I know that there dwells not in me, that is in my flesh, any goodness.

That the work of chastity may have the higher hand, it drives us to many other good works — as to fastings and temperance, against gluttony and drunkenness, to watching and early rising, against sloth and unmeasurable sleep, to labor and weariness against idleness. For always to eat, drink, sleep, sit still, and be idled, are the armor, defense, and nourishing of uncleanness, by which chastity is overcome immediately. And upon the other side the holy apostle Paul calls fasting, watching, labor, the armor of God, by which uncleanness is tamed and brought in order. But yet so as is said before, that such exercises go no further, than to oppress uncleanness, and not to destroy nature. Besides all these, the most strong weapon is prayer and the word of God — that when the evil lust and desire pricks a man, then let him flee to prayer, calling upon the grace and help of God. Let his mind be occupied upon it, looking in the passion of Christ. So says he, in Psalm 137. O city of Babel, worthy to be destroyed — blessed be he that shall take your young babes, and throw them against the stones — that is to say, when the heart is infected with evil thoughts, being yet tender, and in the beginning, runs to our Lord Christ, which is the stone, by which they are bruised, broken, and destroyed. Lo here every man laden in himself, shall find good business enough to do good works in himself. But now it is so that no man uses prayer, fasting, watching, and labor, for this purpose, but for a clean contrary intent, although they were ordained and made only to fulfill the work of this commandment, and to purge it every day more and more. Besides this, there have been some men which have showed how uncleanness might be avoided, as by leaving of soft beds, pleasant chambers, gorgeous raiment, as well in men, as in women, too familiar communication and countenance, and whatever other thing is profitable to keep chastity — in all the which things no man can put a certain rule or measure. But every man must mark himself, what things, how many, and how long they are profitable for him to keep chastity, and must choose them himself. But and if he know not by himself, let him submit himself a while to the instruction and learning of another, which may bring him up and instruct him in it, until he be able to rule himself. For truly the abbeys and monasteries were once founded for this cause, that children and young men might be taught goodness and chastity in them.

A good and strong faith profits more sensibly in this work, than it should in any other. In so much, that Isaiah calls faith the girdle of the reins — that is to say, the keeping of chastity. For spiritual chastity pleases him that lives in it so well that he promises and thinks himself sure of the grace and favor of God. Therefore by this he may the more strongly resist bodily uncleanness, for the spirit of God shows him for certain, how he ought in such faith to eschew evil thoughts and whatever is contrary to chastity. For as this trust of the grace of God lives working all works, without any intermission, even so it forsakes no wholesome admonition in things that are pleasing to God, or displeasing. As Saint John says in his epistle: I have not written to you, as though you were ignorant of the truth, but as to them that know it. For you have ointment of the Holy Spirit, and you know all things — that is the spirit of God teaches you all things. Neither must we despair, though we are not delivered immediately from temptation. Indeed we ought not to determine that we should have any rest of it so long as we live, neither to take it any other ways, but as a provoking and warning, to pray, to fast, to watch, to labor, and other exercises, to tame the flesh, and specially to have and do such things to use our faith toward God. For that chastity is not great that has quiet rest, but that which comes in battle and fights with uncleanness without ceasing, expelling all poisons that the flesh and the evil spirit cast to us. So says Saint Peter: Dearly beloved I beseech you as unacquainted and strangers, to abstain yourselves from fleshly desires, which strive against the soul. And Saint Paul to the Romans in chapter 6: Let not sin reign in your mortal body that you obey its lusts. In this sentence and such others, is showed that no man is free from evil lusts, but that we are compelled daily to fight with them. And although this conflict brings pain and trouble to our flesh, yet it is a pleasant work to God, in which ought only to be our pleasure and comfort. For they that think that they shall withstand such temptation in quietness, they kindle and inflame it more and more, so that although it rests a little while, yet it comes again stronger, finding nature more weak than it was before.