John Chrysostom (347-407)
Why sow where the ground makes it its care to destroy the fruit? where there
are many efforts at abortion? where there is murder before the birth? for even
the harlot thou dost not let continue a mere harlot, but makest her a murderer
also. You see how drunkenness leads to whoredom, whoredom to adultery, adultery
to murder; or rather something even worse than murder. For I have no name to
give it, since it does not take off the thing born, but prevents its being born.
Why then dost thou abuse the gift of God, and fight with His laws, and follow
after what is a curse as if a blessing, and make the chamber of procreation a
chamber for murder, and arm the woman that was given for childbearing unto
slaughter? For with a view to drawing more money by being agreeable and an
object of longing to her lovers, even this she is not backward to do, so heaping
upon thy head a great pile of fire. For even if the daring deed be hers, yet the
causing of it is thine. Hence too come idolatries, since many, with a view to
become acceptable, devise incantations, and libations, and love potions, and
countless other plans. Yet still after such great unseemliness, after
slaughters, after idolatries, the thing [fornication] seems to belong to things
indifferent, aye, and to many that have wives, too.
-Homily 24 on Romans
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