more of pryce nâ— more glorified apon erth That she demeth no state to be so soverayne as yt And so proceding she thynketh in hyrmide suerly that lyke as in the worlde a virgyne doth excâ—lle a maryed body even so shall yt be in heven Here in have yow both vttered and also overthrowen the dyvelyshe doctrine of the braynles and dotynge doctores or preachers of the devyll whyche do forge syngular coronettes for nonnes and all virginnes in heven callinge them the spouses of Chryste As though other Chrystyan people were not the spouses of Chryste myserable and folysshe youth hearynge thys lewde preachinge runneth who maye fasteste covetyng to fylle and replenisshe heven with vyrgines and the spouses of Christe In the meane season Christian faith ys forgotten and not cared for but suppressed and quenchidde Whiche notwithstandinge all only doth finally obtayne this crowne and maketh the spouses of Christe But knowe thou well this and be thou suer that of soche crowned vyrgines that truste in these doctrines and by reason of soche opinions do shewe and pretende virginite dyspysinge or slenderly regardinge this doctrine of Paule is not so moche as one founde pure or remayninge a virgine and fynally that ys a vyrgyne or elles the spouse of Christe Furthermore he sayeth accordinge after his faythfulle and trusty advysemente that virginite is good for this presente necessite This is the firste coÌ„mendacyon that Paule bringeth of virginite And here mayste thou see what goodnesse Paule did meane of before in the beginniÌ„ge of this chapter wheÌ„ he sayede yt is good for a man not to touche a woman For he wrytteth not here one worde of merite mede or rewarde that we shall have in heven But he spake of transitory goodnes aÌ„d coÌ„modites of this lyfe as here after we shalle see more often This is then a good cause to continue in virginite and to eschue mariage whiche is fulle of troble and miseries That alwaye over the shulders of a Christian body hangeth redy for love of the Evangely persecucyon and he is every houre as men are wonte to saye sette as it were betwixte y e haÌ„mer y e stethy so y t he must put in ieoparde hys goodes his fryndes his lyfe other to be dryven taken awaye or elles to be slayne And this doth Paule here calle presente necessite But now where I beseche yow shall one canne finde so moche as one virgine in all the cloysteres of the Popes kingdome for in soche doth he principallye reygne y t lyveth a virgine for soche a cause For then possessions lyfe and companye be made so sure and safe by so many and so grete pryvyledges and authoritees both of kinges Emperoures and of Popes that never a fore vnto this daye was any people in the worlde more safe or more sure So that every man muste nedes knowledge graunte that these do not lyve virgynes for cause of necessite or of any ieoparde but only for love of sykernesse assurance and savetye and that no necessite shulde ever touche ne assayle them Whiche thinge is cleane coÌ„trarye vnto the cause alledged here of Paule for yf every-where in cloysteres monasteries necessite and persecucioÌ„ shulde be loked for ye shulde se expressely that where as now are redy bylded a thousande and a thousande cloysters shulde vnnethes be one stocke or studde But what shall I nede tarye any longer aboute to declare yow this It is playnly set a fore the eyes of all meÌ„ what necessyte and perylle cloysteres their god the pope with all his officers mynisters clyentes and accessaries do suffer other in body or in goodes They be all in a grosse sume swyne and sowes that are masted pampered and fedde delicately But thou wylte here obiecte agaynste me Maried people ought to be in perylle and necessite for the euangely as well as virgines or vnmaried persones For as the euangely ys vnto all people comone so muste also the crosse and persecucion be For AbrahaÌ„ was in necessite aÌ„d to gether also withâ—him his wife Sara whiche when he had forsaken hys father and hys goodes or substance was caused to be alwaye put in ieoparde of deth I make answere Yet for all that doth not Paule commaunde that any persone foâ— cause of that necessite shulde te bounde to abyde syngle and vnmaried But he sayeth y e yt is good and profitable so to abyde Thys necessite that Paule doth here speake of is a comone thynge But virgyns be in better case to abyde aÌ„d endure yt then are maryed folkes For yf AbrahaÌ„ had ben without hys wife Sara he shulde have had lesse troble labore and care and shulde in coÌ„clusyon have escapyd with more ease the perylles and ieoperdes y t he was in A virgyne is onlâ— one body hath no nede to care for ony other But maried folkes do abyde to gether are ioyned the one vnto the other Here in ys moche troble care thought studye lyke as experience doth abundantly shewe But at this thynge I thynke many wylle be displeased frowne and waxe angry sâ—yng that they so longe tyme have causelesse kepte chastite yet before god shall be no better then all other But in so doyng you shalle see y t they be y â— â—olisshe virgines whiche dyd spylle their oyle by cause y t they dyd lyve coÌ„tinue virgines not of pure Christian minde but for love of mede rewarde excelleÌ„cy honor and glorye And they do not reckeÌ„ that yt is good so to abyde virgines as Paule doth here saye meane y t ys good but they dâ—eame y t they shall obtayne therby some good tâ—inge in the lyfe cominge And thus have they made of their virgiÌ„ite marchaÌ„dise y t they shall there by have lucre winninge before god wylle not be coÌ„teÌ„te with y e traÌ„sitory goodes that do come of chastite eternalle inheritance purchased by fayth Wherfore soche muste here with be neades offended aÌ„d displeased For besyde y t they shal be disapoynted of the preeminence that they loked to have had in heven yt was also very â—revous payn fulle aÌ„d laborous for them to kepe this chastite vaine and damnable Art thou bounde vnto a wyfe seke not to be loosed Art thou loosed from a wyfe seke not a wyfe But aÌ„d yf thou take a wyfe thou haste not sinned like wise yf a virgine marye she hath not synned Neverthelesse soche shall have troble in theyr flesshe but I faver yow ¶ Here haste thou both that it is no synne to mary ne yet to lyve vnmaried The Apo +stle entendeth principally to informe meÌ„nes consciences and afterwarde to shewe what is moste expedient beste for people in this worlde And wherfore to lyve vnmaried ys good he doth here describe with wordes of greate gravite sayng Maried folke muste have troble in the flesshe And this is the crye noyse that all the worlde doth make speake and wryte of touchinge matrimony that no man whiche
which departe hence yf they have leved well be cause they are gone in to a more prosperous liffe Finally he taught aÌ„d exhorted all men to subdue the affections of their bodyes And to applye their soules to the contemplacyon of those thinges whiche truly are immortall all though they be not sene with these bodelye eyes Aristotle writeth in hys politikes that there can nothinge be so swete and delycyous to man But that at somtyme yt doth displease hym only vertue excepte The Epicure graunteth that there can be nothinge delectable and pleasante in this liffe except the mynde and conscience froÌ„ whence all pleasure springe be clere and with out grutche of sinne besydes that there have bene some that have fulfylled a great parte of thys doctrine And cheâ—ly of all Gocrates Siogenes aÌ„d Epictetus how be it sith Christ him silfe hath both taught and also done these thinges more consummatly then eny other ys yt not a mervelous thinge that these thinges are not onlye vnknowen of them which professe the name of Christ. But also to be despised of them yee and to be made a laughinge stocke Yf there be eny thinge that goethe more nere to Christianite let vs then disanulle these thinges aÌ„d folow them But sith there is no nother thinge that can make a true Christen man Why then do we recounte this immortall doctrine more abrogate and out of vse then the bokes of Moyses The first poynte of Christianite is to knowe what Christ hath taught The next is to do there after and to fulfyll it as nygh as god gâ—veth vs grace Nether thynke I that eny man wyll counte hym silfe a faythfull Chrysten because he can despute wyth a craftye and tedious perplexite of wordes of relatyons quiddityes and formalites But in that he knowledgeth and expresseth in dedeâ— those thinges which Christ both taught and accomplisshed Nether speake I thyâ— to discommende their studye labour whiche have exercysed their wittes in these sotle invencyons for I wold offend no man But rather be cause I beleve as the matter is in deade that the very pure and naturall phylosophâ—e of Christ can be gathered out so frutefully of no place as out of the Gostpels and epistles of the apostleâ— in whiche yf a man will studye devoutelye attendinge m ore to prayer theÌ„ arguinge desynnge rather to be made a new maÌ„ then to be armed with scriptures vnto contentioÌ„ he with out doute shall finde that there is nothinge pertayninge vnto mannes felicyte other clles vnto eny operacion exâ—edient vnto thiâ— presente liffe But it is declared discussed and absolutely touched Yf we go aboute to lerne eny thinge werfore shall an other master and instructor more please vs then christ him silf Yf we requyre a rule and forme to lyve after why do we rather embrace an other example then the very first copy and paâ—trone whyche is christe hymsilfe If we desyre an holesome medycyne agaynst the grevous and noysome lustes or appâ—tytes of oure myndes Why seake we not here the most frâ—tefull remedye If we appeâ—e to quycken and refresshe with readinge oure dull and fayntinge mynde I pray the where shall we fynde soch quycke and firye sparkyls If we covete to withdrawe oure mindes froÌ„ the redious cares of this liffe why seake we eny other delectable pastymes why had we lever lerne the wisdom of Christes doctryne out of meÌ„nes bokes then of christ him silfe Whyche in thys scripture doth chefly performe that thinge whiche he promysed vnto â—s when he sayd that he wold conâ—ynew with vs vnto the ende of worlde For in thys hys testament he speaketh bretheth aÌ„d lyveth amoÌ„ge vs in a maner more effectuallye then when hys bodye waâ— presently conversante in this worlde The Iewes nether sawe nâ— hearde so moch As thou mayst dayly both here and se in the scripture of Christe there wanteth nothynge but that thou bringe the heares and eyes of fayth where with he maye be harde and perceaved What a mervelous worlde ys thys We kepe the letters which are written from oure frynde We kysse them and â—ere them aboute with vs. We reade them over twyse or thryse And how many thousandes are there amonge the Christen whyche are extemed of greate litterature And yet have not once in their lyvâ—s Read oveâ—â—he Gospleâ— and Epistles of the Apostleâ— Mahumeteâ— adhereÌ„tes are all well instructe in their awne secte And the Iewes vnto this daye even from their tender age studye diligently their Moses Why do not we soch honour vnto Christe embrasinge his preceptes which bringe eternall liffe They that professe saynt Benedictes institution which is a rule both made of a maÌ„ that was but of small learninge and also wryten vnto the seculare rude aÌ„d vnlearned observe their example lerne it by harte and drinke it in to their hartes Saynt Austyns adherentes are not ignorant in their rule Saynt Franciskes fryers do know observe and avaunce their patrones preceptes yee and carye them aboute with them whether so ever they go Insomoche that they thinke not them selves in savete excepte their boke be with them Why set they more by their rule which was writen of a man then the hole Christente by the holy scripture which Christ did equallye preach vnto all men which we have all professed in baptime And to conclude which is most holy amoâ—ge all other doctrines and none to be compared with it all though thou hepe sex hundreth to gedder and I wold to god y â— as Paule did write that the lawe of Moses had no glorye in comparison to the glorye of the gospell that succeded after it that even so the evangelyes aÌ„d epistles were extemed of the Christen so holy or hadde in soch reverence that the doctrynes oâ— men in respecte of them might scame nothinge holye I am coÌ„teÌ„te that everye maÌ„ avaunce his doctor at his awne pleasure let theÌ„ extolle Albarte Alexander Saynt Thomas Aegidius Richarde and Occam I will diminysshe no manes fame no glorye Nother yet resiste and reprove the olde maner of studye Let them be wittye sotle And in a maner above capacyte or angelic all yet trulye must they nedes knowledge that these are most true vndouted and frutefull Paule and saynte Iohan will that we iudge the spretes of prophetes whether they are of god or not and Saynt Augustyne readinge all other mennes bokes with iudgement requirethe none nother authoryte to his bokys Only in the scripture when he can not attayne a thinge he submitteth him sylf vnto it And oure doctor which is Christ was not alowed by the scoles of devines but of the hevenly father his awne and goodly voyce beringe wytnes and that twyse first at Iodane as he was baptised after in his traÌ„sfiguratioÌ„ on the mounte thabor sayeinge This is my welbeloved sonne in whom I am pleased heare you him O this sure auâ—horyte which as they saye hath no coÌ„tradictioÌ„ what signifieth this heare you him Trulye that he
vnto an other and taketh also a waye a lively bodye wher apon he lyke wyse hath no power More over Paules wordes be here manyfeste and do not nede moche exposicion Nother dare I now here serche y e pryvetyes of maryage to wryte of theÌ„â—ny vnhonest or vnclene thynge A ryght Christian shall here knowe by him sylfe how yt shall become hym to ordre behaue hym sylfe measurably Nother maketh it eny matter how so ever a wicked vngâ—dly body be enflamed rage Some olde men have vsed this Paganes by worde He that burneth overmoche in love is made an adoutrer in his awne wyfe But by cawse it is a paganes sayenge carnall and lecherous parsones careth not moche therfore And I saye verely that it is contrary vn to the truthe for no man doth committe advoutry in his awne wyfe excepte he other refuse to have hyr or elles to vse hir as his wife And I thinke that this matter can not be better discussed aÌ„d entrated of then it is here of Paule whiche affirmeth that mariage is only savegarde and remedy againe lecherye Wherfore that parsone which vseth it to avoyde and do awaye fornication I dare suerly saye that he hath Paule for his advocate and defender Herâ—of may I iustly gather that it standeth not well to gehter nother is it Christes learninge that the maÌ„ and the wife lyke as we see vsed in some places shulde abide separate ne come to gether after the example of Toby vntill the thirde night I do admitte that every man maye vse â—e same maner if so he please with the assent of his wife but to thinke that he is bounde therto So that yf he do folowe it he doth a meritorious dede or elles if he leave it vndone or do contrary wyse that ys to saye if he do vse his wyfe before that thyrde night he shulde therfore synne and do amisse Then I saye this man in very dede thinketh evyll and doth amisse Not bycause he dyd vse hys wyfe contrary to suche a folishe gyse as ys before shewed but for that he hath a wronge enformed conscience And finally soche thoughtes and opinions or yâ—â—ginacyons or scrupulous and voyde of ryght beleve and coming of a conscience evyll encombred or as Paule sayeth in the first pistle to Timothe .uij. Marked with an hote yeron For yf the example of Thoby be of suche greate authorite and power why shall not the example of Iacob the Patriarke be of more whyche did touche and knowe Lya his wife in y e firste nyght This ought therfore to be fre and in mannys lyberty They dote and playe the foles that in these matters do laye snarys and make lawes or bondes The wyfe hath power over the husbande but over hyr awne body she hath none And lyke wyse ys yt of the husbande Here ought men therfore to stinte of their statutes ordinaÌ„ces makiÌ„ge for a better ordinaÌ„ce theÌ„ this can none be brought y e meÌ„ with out eny respecte of soche time shall vse ther wifes lyke as god permitteth accordiÌ„ge as they like and have necessite forthermore they have exempte certen dayes as those whiche we do calle vygilles aÌ„d holy evyns also women conceaved with childe I grawnte well that yt were moche profitable and necessary that in all thinges were none excesse or eny thinge done vnmesurably Yet nevertelesse ought heâ—â— not to be made eny vrgente lawe that shulde binde men of necessyte to refrayne And these wordes of Paule ought to be lefte true which doth afferme that nother partye hath power over their awne bodye other in this or yet in eny other daye how so ever god sendeth it And by this waye hath sainte Paule enteÌ„ded to oppresse put downe fornicatioÌ„ and to cut awaye all occasions of the same O what a multitude of lawes doth this litle sayenge of Paule fordo and anulle when he sayeth that nother party hath power over their awne bodyes Yee I saye to you more over that it can not suffer nor abyde any lawe For how shall eny man by eny lawe forbidde me from that body that is geven me both by the lawe aÌ„d also by power divine The graunte of god is more than the commaundementes or lawes of all men That whiche he hath geven graunted me ought not sainte Peter pulle fro me aÌ„d moche lesse oure holy father which I put it to youre iudgemeÌ„t how rightewesly he reioyseth aÌ„d clepeth him selfe Peters successor aÌ„d vicar and how directly he foloweth his steppes or learninge With drawe not your selves one from an other excepte it be by coÌ„sente for a time for to geve your selves vnto fastinge and prayer and afterwarde come a gayne vnto the same thinge leste Sathan tempte yow for your incontineÌ„cy ¶ That Paule had â—ut lytell truste at all in the Corinthians that they shulde lyve chaste the cause was this he did knowe the devill his snaris and sculkewatche and also the weakenesse or frailte of the flesshe Here you se that maryed folkes are so mightely knitte and coniugate to gether that one ought not to absente or wythdrawe theÌ„ selves froÌ„ the other with out they both consente No not for cause of fastinge nor of prayer So y t he had rather prayer and fastinge to be lette passe and vndone then one of then shulde absente their bodyes from the other Prayer vndowetedly is an hygh and a precyous dede Neverthelesse it muste of dutye geve place vnto this which as it doth seame is so â—â—le a dede And al this doth cause y e lawe of love in whiche they be coupled and ioyned fastinge and prayer owght to be here vnderstande of fastinge and prayer that are taken ordrely and distinctely after dutye requyred in maryage as when the husbande and the wyfe after they have ben conversante the one with the other and have had to do to gether accordinge after the covrse of nature then do ordeyne with agreabille consente to geve them selves iij.iiij.vj or .xiiij. dayes vnto prayer and abstihence Like as also eâ—very parsone maye for himselve take apoÌ„ theÌ„ suche fastinge for to chastyse y â— body Ellys â—hey that ar maryed as well as other chriâ—tian people be bounde by the tenor of the Euangely vnto fastinge to prayer for Christe spake indifferently vnto all people That they shulde praye continually with out cessinge This fastinge is mesurabyll vsage of meates aÌ„d drinkes And prayer is a criyng sigh desyer and morninge That in our englisshe texte we do here rede withdrawe not yowe selves one from an other it sowndeth rather after the Greke and laten examples if it shulde be translate worde for worde defraude you not or deceave you not one an other Neverthelesse our englisshe texte doth right well and expressely shewe the sense and meaninge of this place lyke as it doth excellently well of all other poyntes For a man or a woman that is maryed for avoyding of fornicacyon hath no power over their awne
in god that he shulde norisshe aÌ„d feade them I wille telle yow at one worde faith in â—hese estates and condicions of men hath no place ne space ne tyme ne worke ne vse or exercise For they be drouned in pleÌ„te and abundance of possâ—ssions and worldely goodes Nother ys there eny confideÌ„ce of thinges whiche ar hoped for but a certen holding faste and assurance of thinges presente But if thou shalâ—e mary a wife and be coniugate in matrimony The fyrste tentation wher with thou are incontinente assayled ys how thow shalte nowe maintene thy wife and bringe vp thy childre this assaute of tentation endureth all thy life longe So that mariage of the awne nature is soche a thinge that doth both teache and also driveth the to have respecte and loke vnto the grace of god and in manner enforseth the vnto faith And thus in matrimony we do see that if fayth be wantinge that it is an harde paynfulle and a miserable state fulle of care angwisshe and labore And coÌ„trary wise how moche the lesse faith the noble estates spretualle as they vse to calle them hath the more ioyfulle aÌ„d blessed dayes do they leade or live For they haâ—e royally provided for their belly have no nede to loke vnto the hande of god nor abyde his goodnesse Shewe me therfore whether of these states ought of right to be called spretualle Thinke you noâ— that this in which men have nede of faith and in whiche faith knoweth hir workes hath hir dayly exercise hath cause to truste in god accordinge to the sentence of y t .ciij. psalme where is sayde in this wise The eyes of all do truste in y e lorde aÌ„d thou doest geve them meate in time convenient Thou openeste thy hande aÌ„d fyllest every lyvinge creature with thy blessinge Therfore only matrimony hath these causes occasions exâ—rcises to truste vnto god Nother can oure spretualle estates be knoweÌ„ by eny of theÌ„ for they be so stablisshed founded fensed y t they caÌ„ vtterly fele none of these occasions And thus have they driven out fayth stopped vp all holes or creues y t â—t maye in no wise come in vnto theÌ„ Is it not therfore a wicked presumpcioÌ„ to boste theÌ„ selves to be spretualle to avaunce their states to be in likewise spâ—etualle in whiche noâ— with standing of their â—wne nature caÌ„ verely not â—e y t leste droppe of faith So that the sprete add suche spretuall states hath no more agremente then Christe and Beliall the daye and the night the sprete aÌ„d the flesshe faith and our senses or reason for where faith is not ne place nor â—ccasyon of the same there can the sprete not be but all muste nedes be carnalle worldely and corporalle lyke as by experience is manifestly shâ—wed in oure religious folke Agaynewarde they defame matrimony as a worldely secular and carnalle thinge And they do not marke that it was so ordened of god that it shulde as who wolde saye in maner bringe one halfe by compulsion and violence vnto the sprete and faith So that comonly there muste nedes be a pure sprete where as is a good and pâ—osperous maryage For that whiche is the worke or creature of god is so ordeyned that it muste procede in faith and exercise or inuâ—â—nge the same which is in sâ—ffâ—â—aÌ„ce of troble advâ—rsitees But that which is founde or made by man hath alwaye prosâ—erous fortune and succession by cause yt is wyth out faith For suche appeteth alwaye to be certen in assurance of thinges there vnto belonginge Firste doest thou thus here in see y t matrimony is of soche nature and properte y t it in maner straineth enforseth driveth one vnto the inwarde and moste spretuall worke that is to wit faith for no worke is hygher more inwarde aÌ„d more spretualle then faith It resteth and hangeth apon the pure and bare worde of God and is delivered quyte from all thinge that is not the levinge worde of Christ Iesu. But ther can be no thynge higher or more inner nother in heven ne inerth then the worde of God whiche is verely even God him silfe Contrary wise these spretuall estates of their awne nature be soche that they allure a man vnto welthe and pleasures and cause him to spende him silfe all to gether aboute the getinge of temporalle and exterior thinges y t as partaininge for his body he maye lacke nothinge And thus he refuseth plainly to be spretuall excepte he might have abundance of outwarde thinges and be of them assured lesse he shulde at â—nytime misture and have nede of faith or truste in god So that thou muste plainly confesse that this spretuall estate of the awne kinde and nature doth belonge vnto erthly seculare and worldely thinges and that iâ— ought to be reckened amonges them Yee aÌ„d that therto it is verely an heten thinge if it be conferred wyth matrimony And againe warde that matrimony is verely an hevenly spâ—etuall and godly estate compared vnto this whiche men ar wonte to calle spretualle But I speake precysely that matrimony is soche a thinge of his awne kinde nature for many persones do not vsâ— it right accordingly in faith aÌ„d for bicause of vnbilefe they do turne that whiche is good to be vnto them selves evill Contrary wise it is not â—npossible that a man thorow the benefite and goodnesse of faith maye rightly welle vse an estate that is called spretualle And by their faith to chaunge that whiche is evill to be vnto them good But yet for this better or worse vsage can not matrimony be called eâ—ille nor the spretualle estate be called good for faith maketh all thinges good yee eveÌ„ verydeth all misse happesâ— But vnbelefe or vngodlines causeth all thiÌ„ges to be evyll yee both the lyfe and also god him selfe Of the vsage and mysusage of estates do I now nothinge speake but of naturalle kinde and proparte that are in estatesâ— concludinge and afferminge That matrimony is as golde But the spretuâ—lle estates as dounge by cause that the firste promoteth bringeth one to faith the other vnto vnbelefe or wickednesse furthermore matrimony doth not only governe the herte or inwarde partes of man before god by faith but also the body outwardly by dedes So that it requireth both faith and also workes making pâ—ovisioÌ„ both for y e body for y e soule orderiÌ„ge theÌ„ both well and vertuously matrimony I saye is of soche an inclinacyoÌ„ that of the awne nature iâ— requireth labore and sweate and to be maintened by hande warke and is there vnto properly ledde or inclined by the woâ—de of God written in the .iij. chapteâ— of Genesis in this forme In the sweatâ— of thy vysage shalte thou eate thy brede That they which in it ar coupled muste nedes put them selves in perilles and daungers and abide lokinge whether their labour come wel to passe or no. They muste
that in matrimony also is both aâ—fliction paine troble aÌ„d angwisshe yet not withstaÌ„dinge maye a man geve him vnto all these and sometyme have pleasure and quietenesse But where as lacketh a soveraine grace with out matrimony yt can not be that thou maiste geve thy minde vnto chastite aÌ„d lyve therin merely or in quietenesse Consider also now I beseche the how madde teachers and rulers they be whiche â—oÌ„pelle youth every where in all cloysterâ— vnto chastite teachinge y e chastite the more harde painfulle it is for them the more that it standeth againe there minde y e more excellente and better it is for them All be it y t with other thinges thou maiste thus playe and daly here notwithstandinge thou muste do otherwise with chastite for it can not be wylfulle where as ys not redy pâ—esente a singulare grace Any other thinge may be wilfulle thorow faith These maÌ„ner of men do after the fassyon of the Iewes whiche offeringe there childre vnto Moloch dyd burne them in the fyer So that me seameth that Paule for this cause dyd vse thys worde burnynge that he wolde touche and signifye this abhominacyon For what is it elles to close and shute vp a yonge parsone all hys lyve longe with suche a burninge other in cloysâ—res or yet elles where then to offerâ— or consecrate them vnto the devylle for honor that he shall be constrayned so to kepe miserable and damnable chaâ—tite I am here compelled for cause of suche teachers and rulers to shewe yow of a thinge whyche I hearde ones tolde of an honeste and a sadde man to thentente that suche rude and blynde hedes yf so they wylle maye feale eveÌ„ with their hande how â—nwisyly they governe and rule One of theiâ— faculte whiche was a preacher did at a time declare and telle in an open audience that a man whiche wolde please god muste beginne to chastise himsilfe suerlâ—â— And for an example he brought forth out of the boke called de Vitis patrum one Simeon whiche did stande an whole yere apon an high piller on his one fote continually praying with out interrupcion vntille that wormes did brede in his fote whiche all when they felle downe were chaunged in to precious stones Likewise saide he muste thou also punisshe and chastise thy silfe yf so thou luste to serve god Soche manner of folisshe trifles toies becometh well soche a folisshe preacher Whiche with out doute Satan did then ymagine for to moke and begile Christen people To thentente that he myght for do and destroye the miracles of holy men whiche in y t time were wrought As though they all did saver of soche pevisshe mochage and triflinge Beside forthe this mocker or trifeler toke also for his purpose a yonge childe that wente to grammer scole for so ys yt comonly sene that as men are wonte to saie one foole maketh ten other whiche after a singulare wise studing to serve god kepte in his vrine that he might so paine and punisshe him silf In the fourte daie by cause he had made no water he began to falle sicke And whan he coulde of no body be persuaded to pisse and make water he minded so to die vn tille god by inspiracion did put in the minde of a câ—rten persone that he shulde praise him in his entente or interprise and comforte hâ—m as one that hadde done well and verâ—uoâ—sly For as saieth Solomon so muste men speake with fooles in their matterâ— How beit quod he men saie that thou doest yt for a vaine glory But yf ye doe so then yâ— yt nothinge worthe Whan he had ones hearde this he forsoke gave over his purpose sayeng Seyng they do thus saye and interprete the matter in thys wyse I wille rather do any thinge theÌ„ performe that whiche I have begunne This ys truly a rudâ— grosse foly But yet ought we not to set lyght their by or vtterly despyse yt For in yt hath god shewed as I sayde before what learninge soche preachers and rulers do teache Therfore wyll I entreate of yt in thys place somewhat the more largely Yt fareth veryly thus lyke as the scriptâ—re and all experience do shewe that this lyfe whyche man leadeth here in the erthe ys miserable wretched and wofulle What so ever â—state thou shall â—hoese or take the vnto ye though yt seame never so blâ—ssyd and godly And yet ys ther none so wretched or wofulleâ— but yf a maÌ„ by precepte shulde be compelled to kepe in his vrine or his disgestioÌ„ he wolde doutelesse rather â—hoese to do any other thinge then to take vpon hym to do eny soche impossibilite But bycause no body yâ— coÌ„pelled vnto this I meane to kepe in his vrine or disgestioÌ„ No man verely doth consyder and esteme how profitable and precious a thinge yt is to avoyde them from hym And yet in the meane season they marke and bewayle the misery of their estates whiche not with standinge is ten tymes lesse then the woâ— and misery afore sayde yf so they shulde be compared to gether In lyke condicion standeth yt with this burninge For they that are knitte in maryage be at libertye They maye quenche that whiche burneth them nother take they thought or care for that payne and misery lyke as a woman whiche after that she is delyuered thinketh moche other wise then when she was in travelinge Nother do they afterwarde note or regarde any thinge savinge the troble and sorynesse of their condicion For lyke as a good thinge when yt is presente is not regarded eveÌ„ so an evylle whâ—â— yt is paste is no more remembrede But they whiche yet do abide in soche heate or burninge and do never hope from yt to be ridde delevered what other thinge elles can they do then skorne and counte for fooles them that are wedded And yet neverthelesse they groone and complayne of this whiche doth so vexe them They are thus compelled to kepe that whiche ought not to be kepte that also in vayne and to lose all their harde and paynfulle laboures Whiche thinge of all other ys moste miserable soroufulle How moche soner shulde they suffer and bere all the burdones and vexacioÌ„s of mariage theÌ„ soche burninge And to telle yow shortly Sory mariage is better then sory chastite And an harde or paynfulle mariage is better then harde or paynfulle chastite The reason hereof ys not far to be sought for soche chastite perissheth iâ— of non effecte but soche mariage doth profite helpe is moche frutefulleâ— And this do I speake of y e burniÌ„ge of theÌ„ y t coÌ„tinue chaste of which be very fewe The greate multitude do not suffer this heate ne coÌ„tinue chaste but laboure by all meanes to be delivered froÌ„ it Of whiche thinge I wille now no thinge write But so sone as they y t lyve vnmaried be here of ridde doth their coÌ„scieÌ„ce tormeÌ„te coÌ„deÌ„ne theÌ„ whiche amoÌ„ges all other paines is moste intollerablâ—
sayinge of god is a precepte and coÌ„mavndemente but his is a counsell More over his entente is to saye thus To the remnaunte that is to wit where raigneth no debate and brawlinge betwyxte maryed mates As wheÌ„ two ar coupled in matrimony Of whiche the one is a christian the other havinge no knowlege of christe like as it was comonly sene when fayth was at the firste tyme preached amonges the gentilles that one shulde turne him vnto Christe and an other turne froÌ„ him All be it that in this case a Christen parsone may departe from one that is not Christen Yet neverthelesse the councelle of the apostle is that soche shulde not departe Inasmoche as his maryed mate whyche ys not Christen doth accepte hym and ys contente wyth hym And doth not let him to couÌ„terfette and expresse Christe in maner of lyvinge nother coÌ„strayneth hym to lyve wyckedly or to abiure Christe This doth Paule signifye in this worde yf she consente or be contente to dwelle with him c. That is to saye if an infidele or vnbelever be contente aÌ„d will dwelle with him that haâ—h maryed her and wille suffer hyr to do all that pertayneth vnto a christen body for matrimony is but a corporalle and an outwarde thinge whiche doth nother hurte ne helpe nother doth hinder ne further faith And in whiche the one may be a christian and the other an infidele As well as one that is sworne vnto Christe maye eate driÌ„ke bye selle aÌ„d occupye with a payneme a Iewe or a Turke in all manner exterior thiÌ„ges Like as â—vyn now a dayes one maye be a â—erfecte and devoute Christian and the other a wicked and famed or false Christyan So that matrimony for cause of byleve or vn byleve ought not to be broken fordone But yf an infidele wolde not suffer hys maryed mate to abyde Christian or to lyve a Christian lyfe but wolde persecute and lett her There were it conveniente tyme y â— a christen body shulde vse the sentence of Christe whiche saith in the .x chapter of Mathew He that loveth his wife or childre more theÌ„ me is not worthy of me Here beginneth diâ—orsemeÌ„te Yf so divorsemente be other muste reconcylynge aÌ„d attonemente be made or elles the parsone which refuseth reconcilinge muste abyde vnmaried and sole So y â— yet vnto the parsone which disyreth to have peace atonemente shall not be denied authorite afterwarde to mary an other as ys specifyed before for Christe whiche ys the spouse of the soule muste be greater and bere more rome then the corporalle spouse Yf therfore the one wille not suffer y â— other to abyde lyvâ— to gether with y â— eterâ—alle spouse of the soule Here may a Christen parsone forsake hir firste corporalle spouse and take an other whiche will suffer Christe the eternalle spouse abyde to gether with him So is it likewise coÌ„venieÌ„t necessary to be vsed now in these dayes If y â— husbande will teache and enforse his wife to do thefte adâ—outry or any other vngracyousnes againste god In these is y â— same cause aÌ„d reasone of divorsemeÌ„te that is spoken of before So y â— excepte they be reconciled and come to an â—â—onemente she maye lefully mary an other husbande And in like case might also the man do yf so his wife dyd instance him to â—vill and wolde not elles â—e contente to vse him quietly for hir husbande Of this grounde and principle cometh that advoutry maketh divorse and geveth power vnto y â— other parsone that lyveth truly accordinge to the ordinaunce of wedlocke to be maryed a new to an other for it was coÌ„mauÌ„ded in y â— lawe Deuterono .xiij. That every maÌ„ shulde accuse his wife brother and moste assured frynde that moved him to synne agaynste God afore the iudge that they myght be slayne But in the new testamente where corporalledeth and slaughter bereth no rome it is sufficient to forsake them and departe awaye froÌ„ them Of this is gathered That those be wicked examples In whiche we do fynde that certen maryed womeÌ„ by consente of their husbandes whiche had bene impâ—isoned were defloured aÌ„d viciate to thentente that they I meane the husbandes thoâ—ow soche a vyle dede shulde be delyvered The precepte and worde of god ought to have bene observed and kepte all though the husbande or wife body aÌ„d goodes shulde have perisshed Nother hath eny man authoryte to geve hys wyfe leave to coÌ„myâ—te advoutry ¶ The Apostle procedeth forthe For the vnbelevinge husbande is sanctified by the wyfe And the vnbelevinge wife is sanctified by the husbande Or elles were your chyldre vnclene but now ar they pure ¶ This is spoken after the propertye of the hebrew speche and accordinge after Paules manner of speakinge That vnto the pure are all thinges pure as he saieth Titi. i. And Roma viij All thinge worketh for y e beste to to christen people and to theÌ„ that love God So that this is his senteÌ„ce A christiaÌ„ maryed shall have no nede to make divorsemeÌ„te For there is no thinge to let theÌ„ but that they maye abide with infideles that are associate to them in maryage and also begette aÌ„d bringe vp vnbelevinge childâ—e The reasoÌ„ why is where his maryed fellow doth not compelle him to forsake and renounce christian lyvinge fayth is so mighty a thinge that no hurte can be to it ne to the possessioners therof by lyvinge or company keping with infideles and vnbelevers And it is all one vnto them whether the thinge be holy or vnholy pure or elles vnpure y t they do vse for even very deth whiche is of all thinges moste hydeous and terrible is vnto them thorow faith an holy a precyons thiÌ„ge faith doth vse all thinges well and accordingly whether they be good or elles evill excepte only vnbileve aÌ„d the frutes ther of for they as strayte as a lyne be contrary vnto faith and thruste it out of place Elles what so ever doth not expelle faith aÌ„d put it out of place is by reason of the same fayth harmelesse pure clene holy profitable aÌ„d holsome So that faith may company with them vse them and finally continue with them with out any hurte or ieoperde that maye vnto it thorow them befalle for onles it were thus No parsone might ever lyve christiaÌ„ for he muste nedes abide passe the covrse of his lyfe in y e middes of vnbeleviÌ„ge evill wicked people But wheÌ„ he foloweth not their manners but doth ryghtly vse theÌ„ he may well lyve by them and amoÌ„ges theÌ„ that by his good behavore and diligeÌ„ce they finally maye be striken with remorse compunccioÌ„ of minde become godly christiaÌ„ In this ys all the worlde vnto a true christian nothinge but holynesse purenesse profite and goodnesse Contrary wyse All the whole worlde ys vnto an vnbelever or an in fydele vnholynesse vnclennesse hurte destructioÌ„ yee eveÌ„ god hiÌ„ silfe with all