a lewde desire towards her hath defiled his heart and is in soule vnchast If euerie man trie himselfe according to this rule exactly peraduenture hee shall see a disease in himselfe that needeth remedie Which if he neglect and so perish whom may he blame The medicine is commended with a title of honour that thereby we might be allured to vse it The daunger of not vsing of it if neede require is death For harlots and adulterers the Lord shall iudge 7 Thus much beeing spoken of the causes for which honour is giuen vnto mariage I wil briefly speake of the duties of honour required betweene parties maried Howe honourably a man should vse his wife S. Paul teacheth plainly in many places but especially in his epistle to the Ephesians Men loue your wiues as Christ hath loued his Church In which place he instructeth not onely by precept but also by setting a paterne before our eyes to followe and that is Christ the true spouse to his Church the congregation of the faithfull The husband ought to loue his wife euen as Christ did his Church But Christ suffered death to redeeme his Church Euen so the truely the husband if necessitie so required to saue his wife should ieopard his owne life His life is wel spent in sauing of her and by loosing of her ill spared Christ purged and made his Church beautiful voide of spot or wrincle that it might resemble himself as neere as might be in puritie Euen so the husband shold labour to reforme his wife to instruct frame her to discretion sobrietie al matron-like vertues all godlinesse A wise wife maketh a happy husband and in her goodnes he shal find gladnes The husband is called y e head of his wife as Christ is of the congregation When as the head espieth faults in the members of the bodie it doth not studie how to cut them off make separation but doth muse vpon a remedie labour to procure a medicine to applie vnto the hurt parts to recouer the bodie to couer the fault if he cannot cure it A good husband is a good head his indeuour will be to cure his diseased wife and not to cut her off from him especially to winne her vnto Christ if she wander out of the right waie Her faults will make him sorowfull not furious and to pitie her infirmities without hating of her person Wisedome is required in the head to rule and gouerne well the bodie which is placed vnder it He that braggeth and boasteth that hee is the head and yet wanteth the prudencie which the head should haue is vnwoorthy to be named that which indeede he is not A wise husband must winke at many faults and beare with many of his wiues infirmities He that foolishly champeth vpon those griefes which wisedome would haue be swallowed if hee liue in continuall miserie may say that hee onely liueth happily which liueth wisely no greater wisedome than to deuoure follies Yet the husbands lenitie ought not to be such as to nourish foolishnesse Vertue is alwaies discreete and in all things the mediocritie S. Paul giueth the reason why men should giue this honour to their wiues for he that loueth his wife loueth himselfe they two beeing one flesh No man euer hated his owne flesh Our owne bodies wee loue as Christ hath loued his Church If a mans natural bodie were neuer so mangled so sicke so corrupted so crooked and euill fauoured he would yet loue and feede it and cherishe it so much the more by howe much more it needed comfort Euen so ought a man to nourish comfort and helpe his wife bee shee neuer so deformed or out of fashion whether it bee by nature or by casualtie in bodie or in minde Wee haue Christ for our example When the Church ran a whoring and committed lothsome idolatrie he did not forsake it neither yet doth our gratious Lord forsake his beloued spouse wonderfully spotted with sinne but couereth and forgetteth faults and vseth all meanes possible to reforme and make vs fit for him The like should appeare in the husband to his wife seeing Paul setteth foorth Christ to be a paterne to followe This is that which S. Peter meaneth when he exhorteth men to dwell with their wiues according to knowledge He would haue husbands to rule according to wisedome and not to play the tyrants not to be sowre cruell rash rageful but to gouerne them according to y e order of Gods word in al sobrietie grauitie gentlenesse loue and discretion prouiding for them by honest meanes as for thēselues For if he that prouideth not for his familie bee woorse than an infidell there is none so bad as he that is carelesse for his wife No infidell neglecteth his owne bodie And as S. Paul in the place aboue mentioned so S. Peter in this which was last alleaged sheweth reasons why the husband should giue this honour to the wife 8 Giue honour vnto her velut infirmiori as to the weaker This may seeme rather to bee a cause to contemne than to honour For such is the vse The rich despise the poore the learned the ignorant the strong the weake But this vse is wicked Hath not God chosen the weake of this worlde to ouercome the strong the foolish to confound the wise Are not the ignoraunt as well as the learned Gods Haue the riche one foote more of possessions in heauen than haue the poore Despise not therfore the weaker creatures least thou dishonour the creator of them But seeing that man and wife are members of one bodie they especially ought to beare one with anothers infirmities to couer to dissemble and to forgiue eche of them others weakenesse Yea the viler the members of our bodies seeme to bee the more carefull we are to couer and to honour them for so S. Paul speaketh In like maner the more weake the woman is the more diligent should her husband be to giue her this honour to couer her infirmitie and not to broache it abroade For in dishonouring her he dishonesteth his owne bodie Wee easily forgiue children when they offend by reason of their age The want of discretion is for them excuse sufficient So a man ought to consider the infirmitie of his wife and to beare with her for it The second cause of honouring her is for that God doth giue her honour God maketh her partaker with thee of his spirituall graces and fellow heire of euerlasting life Dishonour thou not therefore her on earth whom God hath honoured with a place in heauen The third cause why the wife should bee well esteemed of is for vnities sake For contempt doth breede contention and contention is an hinderance to deuotion Honour your wiues therefore Ne preces vestrae interrumpantur that your praiers through strife bee not interrupted and broken off Thus much for the duetie of the husband 9 Touching the duties of honour which the wife doeth owe to the husband
we finde in the beginning of the booke of Genesis that because of her transgression for Eue seduced Adam not Adam Eue God gaue her a lawe of subiection to her husband that she might euer after be better directed by him than he had beene at that time by her Sub viri potestate eris ipse dominabitur tui S. Paul also in his Epistle to the Ephesians and Colossians putteth wiues in remembrance of this subiection Wiues be subiect to your owne husbands as to the Lorde because the man is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church And therefore as the Church is in subiection to Christ so ought wiues to be in subiection to their husbands What should wee seeke more reasons this one is sufficient God hath set the husband ouer the wife in authoritie and therefore shee ought willingly dutifully to obey him else she disobeyeth that God who created woman for mans sake and hath appointed man to bee womans gouernour Peter also setteth foorth this obedience and bringeth Sara for an example Wiues bee obedient to your husbands euen as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Sir whose daughters ye are made in well dooing Yea we are taught that wiues should be of so good behauiour and of such modest conuersation that by their chast and milde life and the sweetenesse of their godlie maners they might winne their euil husbands vnto God and of Atheists make Christians S. Paul in his Epistle to Titus also teacheth a wife her duetie that is that she goe apparelled as becommeth holinesse that she be no quareller or false accuser but studie to be sober to loue her husband to loue her children to be discreete chast abiding at home good and obedient to her husband Obey in all things saith S. Paul euen as it becommeth you in the Lord. So that except it bee against Gods word the wife ought in all things to obey her husband It is the wiues dutie as Theophilact well teacheth to regard those things that be within the house not lauishingly to wast or spoile their goods but to spare with discretion by such frugalitie as is conuenient to see things safe and set in good order God hath appointed her to be an helper not an hinderer If shee cannot get yet let her saue As he is to followe his affaires abroade so she is to ease him to care and cost at home Let her bee milde-worded and milde-manered For Melius est habitare in angulo domus quam cum muliere litigiosa It is better to dwel in the corner of an house than with a contentious woman An honest and a modest woman is an honour to her husband but the dissolute wife and vndiscreete is a death She may not bee a gadder abroade a tatler or a busie bodie but sober quiet and demure not an open teacher but readie to learne of her husband at home obedient in all lawfull things taking example of Sara and giuing example to the younger women of well demeaning themselues Thus the man and wife ioyning themselues together in true loue indeuouring to liue in the feare of God dutifully behauing themselues the one towards the other either of them bearing wisely the others infirmities doubtlesse they shall reape ioye and comfort by their mariage they shall finde this their estate which is honourable in all happie and profitable vnto them 10 Nowe that we see the honour which is due vnto mariage in respect of the author causes and duties thereunto belonging it remaineth that wee consider by what meanes that honour is in eche of these defaced The honour of wedlocke in respect of the author is diminished partly by the false perswasions of such as doe not thinke it ordeined of God and partly through their lewde and corrupt affections who not denying this ordinance to be from him enter notwithstanding carelesly into it without such reuerend consideration as is requisite in things which he hath established Satan the sworne enemie of all godlinesse hath euer by all meanes laboured to vndermine deface and ouerthrow the credite of this kinde of life vsing the ministerie of many wicked and forsaken heretikes by whom it hath beene not onely misliked as troublesome but vtterly condemned as vncleane and beastly The Manichees condemned mariage as a thing whereof satan was the first author they denied vtterly that God created male and female they affirmed as many as like the vse of matrimonie to be impes of satan not seruaunts of God Others allowing mariage so it were but once if happily it were iterated disallowed it with which error some of the auncient fathers themselues as it seemeth were ouertaken It is saith one a Lawe of matrimonie not to iterate matrimonie A Lawe But whose Lawe Sure we are that in the booke of the Lawe of God there is no such law Againe there were that approoued wedlock yea though it were iterated but if priests did marie they helde them no better than vncleane persons Finally there are that say mariage is if not honourable yet tolerable and that in priests but so if they enter into priesthoode being once maried not into mariage being once priested Against these howesoeuer in their sole single life they pretende great puritie and perfection as it were of Angels although their glorie most commonly hath beene their shame and the virginitie of most of them hath beene whoredome and adulterie it sufficeth vs that S. Paul doth terme their lessons the doctrine of diuels and that the godlie Patriarchs and Prophets whom I named before liuing in the state of mariage were familiar with God and most deare in his vndefiled sight In so much that by S. Augustine speaking of this matter Abraham is compared with Iohn Baptist for his holinesse and by Chrysostome Moses with Elias 11 This state therefore whatsoeuer heretikes haue taught to the contrarie being in consideration of the first ordeiner thereof honourable we ought in no wise vnaduisedly lightly or wantonly to take in hand a matter of such weight and of so graue importance least we dishonour it by our disordered affections as heretikes by false perswasions haue doone In entring therefore into mariage the first caution is that which S. Paul hath to the Corinthians whom he teacheth howe their widowes should bestowe themselues For although the rule be in particularitie applyed to them yet it serueth not for them alone but for all the condition of all being herein like to theirs Whether it be a widowe therefore that bestoweth her selfe or a virgin which is bestowed in mariage the thing she doth is lawfull Onely in the Lord. 12 They doe not this in the Lorde that marie either whom they shold not or as they shold not Whō they shold not as persons either naturally or spiritually vnfit to ioyne in mariage Of persons vnfit to be yoked in wedlock by reason of y e natural bonds wherwith they are alreadie coupled y
Eche man should be anothers hâ—lper 1. Pet. â— Three things conteined in S. Pauls exhortation Of receiuing the grace of God in vainâ— What that grace iâ— Aug. in Psal 30. Gal. 4. Grace offered by the word and Sacraments Grace offered in vaine by the word to such as wil not heare it Acts 7. Esay 66. To such as heare it but reteine it not Matth. 13. To such as reteine it but not still Matth. 10. Eccle. 2. To such as receiue it and reteine it but vnprofitably Matth. 8. Luke 8. 1. Tim. 6. Luke 6. Grace offered by the Sacraments Howe grace is receiued by the sacrameÌ„ts not in vain 1. Cor. 11. Matt. 22. The time to receiue grace offered is when God calleth by the preaching of the Gospel Esay 49. Gal. 4. Iohn 17. Rom. 3. Gen. 3. Numb 16. 2. Kings 14. Ierem. 18. Matth. 3. Prouerbs 1. Matth 11. 2. Kings 12. Ionas 3. Matt. 3. Acts 3. Rom. 15. The most especial time to receiue grace is when God afflicteth Prou. 1. Gen. 42. 2. Par. 33. Psal. 136. Iob. 33. Ier. 31. The right way of woorthy receiuing grace is by heartie repentance Hos. 6. Hos. 6. Luke 15. Luke 7. By walking without offence Why God blessed plants beasts men with power to increase them selues by propagation Mâ—ns ofspring by mariage Mariage is honourable in respect of the author Gen. 2. Matth. 19. Iohn 2. Mariage is hâ—nourable in respect of the causes for which it was ordained as comfort help and mutuall societie Gen 2. Propagation 1 Tim. 5. Psal. 127. 1. Sam. 1. Luke 1. Remedie against concupiscence 1 Cor. 7. Ambrose Matth. 19. Mariage honourable in respect of mutual duties betweene parties maried The duties of honour required in the husband towards his wife Ephes 5. Ephes. 5. 1. Pet. 3. Reason why the wife shold be honored of her husbande Duties of honour required in the wife Gen. 3. Ephes. 5. 1. Pet. 3. Tit. 2. Col. 2. Prou. 21. Mariage dishonoured by heretikes that holde it not to be of God Mariage dishonoured by them that seeke it not in him whom they acknowledge to be author of it 1 Cor. 7. Mariage betweene parties too neerely linked by nature Leuit. 18. Marke 6. 1. Cor. 5. Mariage without care of religion Gen. 24. Gen. 6. Exod. 34. 1. Reg 11. 1. Esd. 14. The cause of irreligious mariage is the ouergreat respecting of beautie or wealth Iud. 14. 1 Tim. 6. Prou. 18. Mariage without consent of pareâ—â—es or such as are in stead of Parentes Gen. 24. Exod. 20. Exod. 22. Num. 30. Col. 3. Aug. ep 133. Gen. 24. Dishonour done to mariage in respect of the first of those causes for which God appointed it Eccle. 36. The second Luc. 11. Eccle. 30. Gen. 34 The thirde 1. Cor. 7. Mariage in respect of the duties thereunto belonging dishonoured for waÌ„t of discretion in maried folkes Pro. 19. Want of hartie affection Want of religion and the feare of God The weightinesse of a Bishoply charge especiâ—lly ouer a great a wise people 2. Tim. 3. The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 thâ— office of a Bishop in respect of the paines in teaching Liuing Studying The perill both oâ—â—â—schargiâ—g anâ— not 〈…〉 Ezâ—ch â— In these câ—nsidâ—â—ations good meâ— haue rather wished to auoide than laboured to get tâ—e office of a Bishop Cyprian The occasions wherupon Christ forsooke IerusaleÌ„ and went beyond the sea of Galilee Iohn 5. To auoid the handes of the wicked Matth. 14. Matth. â—0 Prou. 28. To take some rest Marke 6. Prou. 28. Prou 31. Prou. 26. Prou. 24. To auoid the feast of Easter 2. Cor. 6. Esay 52. Deut 12. Occasions which moued the multitude to followe Christ. Nouelties Hunger Health Matth. 4. The worde of life Ioh. 8. Ioh. 10. Christ with his Disciples quiet in the mount when the multitude came vnto him Ioh. 16. The miracle which Christ wrought and the circumstaÌ„ces which are to be considered in the people in his disciples and in himselfe The people were the vulgar sort Marke 6. Ioh. 7. 1. Cor. 1. They came cheerefully Iohn 6. Matth. 10. They did obediently as they were commaÌ„ded 2. Reg. 5. The disciples cause the people to sit down Matth. 8. They deuided the bread which Christ appointed to the people They gathered that which was left They douted how the people could be fed wheÌ„ they saw not wherwithall 2. Reg. 4. Luc. 12. Christ diligent in his office Pitifull towardes them which had no Pastour to feede their soules Ose. 4. Towardes them which wanted foode to refreshe their bodies 1. Ioh. 3. He gaue thankes deuided breade and it increased in deuiding 3. Reg. 17. The excellencie of the Iewish nation Esa. 5. Rom. 9. Ierem. 7. A prophecie concerning the ouerthrow of their temple and the performance therof God delighteth not in the outward beautie of any thing The cause of their ruine they knewe not the time of their visitation VisitatoÌ„ in mercie moueth them not Luc. 19. Visitation in iustice These thinges recorded for our benefit Our blessings as great as theirs our vnthankfulnesse greater Therefore without repentaunce our punishment cannot be lesse then theirs The disciples question concerning both the particular destruction of the Iewes and the generall consummatioÌ„ of the whole worlde Mat. 24. The time wheÌ„ the end of the world shall be is for two causes concealed from men to whoÌ„ notwithstanding the signes that go before it are reuealed Fiue thinges to be noted in the comming of Christ to iudgement There shall be a iudgement Act. 17. 2. Thess. 2. 2. Pet. 3. 2. Pet. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Ioh. 5. Act. 10. The properties of him that shal iudge His knowlegde Psal. 33. Epist. Iud. His power Phil. 2. His iustice The certainty and assurance of these things Rom. 14. The time of iudgement 2. Pet. 3. Matth. 24. Act. 1. Signes going before the coÌ„ming of Christ to iudgement Ioel. 2. Apocal. 6. Matth. 24. Beda Esay 13. Esay 24. Ezech. 32. An Allegoricall application of the foresaide signes The darkning of the sunne by false doctrine 2. Thess. 2. The darkning of the sunne by corrupt life and conuersation 2. Sam. 12. Rom. 2. Iac. 2. 2. Tim. 3. The moone â—urned into bloud by crueltie of persecution Cant. 1. The falling of starres from heauen Dan. 12. Rom. 2. Other applications of the foresayde signes What these signes shall worke in the harts of men Aug. ad Hes. The manner of Chrstes comming to iudgement Matth. 25. Psal. 97. Matth. 24. 2. Thess. 1. 2. Pet. 3. Beda Gen. 19. Psalm 1. Apoc. 20. Matth. 25. Apoc. 21. Matth. 25. Our preparation vnto this iudgement by heede taking 2. Pet. 3. By watching Ierome Iob. 14. By praying The state of the Church militant figured by a ship tossed vpon the waters Christ must be followed into this ship This ship must bee knowne from the ship of Antichrist Heb. 9. When wee know the ship where Christ is thither wee must followe him The way to follow him to the ship is