the studye and knowledge of mannes lawe to knowe the wyll of man and howe they shulde come to ryches and goodes in the worlde / but to knowe the wyll of god / and his lawe they be nothyng diligent / ye nor desyrous of yt / it is well yf they be nat aduersaries to Goddes worde / but all suche shewe them selues what they be / perauenture wyse men to the worlde but fooles before god / men that loue more this presente lyfe theÌ„ the lyfe to come This place shulde moue al lawyers and iudges to be deligeÌ„t to knowe goddes lawe / least in there iudgementes they do iudge other wayes then goddes lawe wyll / by the whiche al mannes lawe shulde be ruled / yf goddes lawe shulde be the rule of mannes lawe as it is in dede howe shall they rule well mannes lawe that be ignoraunce in Goddes lawe Surely after my mynde there is nothynge more to the hynderaunce of Goddes worde or more to the destructyon of men soules in this realme theÌ„ that the nobilite and lawers and other that haue rule ouer the people both in the spiritualtye in the temporalty be ignoraunte in goddes lawe / in the whiche it becommeth theÌ„ most cheifely to be lerned / that they might ordre all causes and matters accordynge to Goddes lawe / geltylmen and a greate parte of lawyers be ignoraunt in Goddes lawe And therefore seldome they do loue goddes worde / or the true teachers of yt / and the laye people folowe the gentylmen or rulers As touchynge the spyrytualtye vnder the Byshoppes / rulers be lawyers brought vp in the Byshop of Romes law and for the most parte suche men that be ignoraunt in goddes worde be Chauncellours / Comysaries / Officials / which oftymes do hate Goddes worde and the true preachers of it / and fauoureth as muche as they darre the byshop of Romes lawes and his waies It is a very seldome thing to haue a lawyer a Chancellour / a Commyssary / a Preacher of Goddes worde / a setter forth of it / howe by theÌ„ that be ignoraunte it hathe ben hyndered and letted we haue experience enoughe I pray God that all Byshoppes with al there offycers vnder them may be true fauourers of goddes worde / and ernestly set forwardes and moue and exhorte al men to goddes word and to lyue after yt that God may more more be glorified of al men Amen ⧠AND be nat dronken with wyne wherin is excesse but be ful of the spyryte / and talke amonge youre selfes of Psalmes and Himnes and spyrytuall songes / syngynge and makynge melodye vnto the Lorde in youre hartes / gyuynge thankes alwaye / for all thynges / vnto God the father in the name of our Lorde Iesê° Christ submyttynge your selfes one to another in the fear of god âš¹ The Apostle here forbiddeth dronkeÌ„nes as a cause of fornication or adultry / he monysheth to ware of drinkyng wyne whiche prouoketh to adultery or fornication In these wordes he forbyddeth also al excesse and ryot in eatyng and drynkyng or other bankettynge of the whiche coÌ„meth many incoueniences and greate diseases bothe to the body and soule / of vnreasonable drynkynge or riotynge we se daylye greate syckenes to come to the bodye / as the goute / dropsy / palsey / other diseases many of the body Also dronkennes / adultry / fornication / chydynge / fyghtyng maÌ„ slaughter dothe come of greate drynkyn-whiche be destructyon and deathe of the soule The Apostle here nat onely forbyddeth synne and vyce / but also he forbyddeth the occasion and causes of them 2 Dronkennes oughte to be eschewed for many causes that commeth of it / that bryngeth men to deathe oftymes bothe of the body and of the soule it depriueth men of wytte wisdome and reason and maketh them worse then a brute beaste / yee then aswyne that walters ouer and ouer in the myre Drokennes it causeth many deseases in the body / it bringeth with it idelnes chydynge / braulynge / fyghtyng / murder / ye what myscheife doth it nat bryng with it / death both to body soule It is therfore to be aborred of all men 3 He nat onely reproueth vyce but he sheweth vertue to be taken in the place of vyce / as here he reproueth dronkennes / wylleth me not be fulfylled with the holy ghoste and to synge in their hertes spiritual Psalmes and Hymnes / gyuyng thaÌ„kes to god alwayes for his benefytê / these spirituall Psalmes and Hymnes he setteth for the fruytes of dronkennes And in this me thinke the Apostle willeth that lay men and lay women shulde synge spyritual Pslames and Hymnes as preestes and spirituall men / and gyue thankes to god for all his benefites gyuen to theÌ„ and and in this he sheweth playnely that it is lawefull for laye men and laye women to reade the holy scriptures / to haue them by harte / that they may talke of them / speke of them to theyr edyfieng / and synge spyrituall Psalmes and Hymnes gyuynge thankes to the Lorde / howe shulde they synge spirituall Psalmes and Hympnes excepte that they knewe them before / and had redde them or lerned them This place euidently sheweth that it is lawfull for laymen and lay womeÌ„ to rede the scriptures of god / to talke of them to goddes glorye and to theyr edyfienge The Apostle dothe nat heare speake onelye to mynysters in the Churche / but to all men / to whome he forbyddeth dronkennes and hê fruites / and for them the holy gooste and his fruytes to be receyued with spirituall thankes Psalmes and Hymnes gloryfyenge god alwaye 4. He wylleth that euery man shall be obedieÌ„t one to another in his state and degree and that in the feare of God / that none shulde contemne another thynkyng hym selfe better then other / but euery one humyle him vnder other / and thynke hym selfe worse in his owne syght / and in this he reproueth proude hartes and stomakes and moueth euerye one to mekenes and lowlynes in them selfe ¶ Let the women submytte them selfes vnto their husbandes as vnto the Lorde / for the husbande is the wyues heade euen as Christe also is the heade of the congregacion / and he is the sauyoure of his bodye Therfore as the congregacion is in subiection to Christe / lykewyse let the wyues be in subieccion to thei husbandes in all thinges ¶ Before the Apostle hathe vniuersally taught euery man Nowe he commeth to perticular persons as to the wyfe and the husbande he sheweth ther duetye on to the other But before I wyll shewe of their dewties I thynke it expedient som thiÌ„ge so entreate of matrymonye by the whiche the man and the wyfe be ioyned togyther and the one bouÌ„de to the other by the law of god / and that with suche knottes as caÌ„ nat be lowsed with out the breakynge of goddes law and displeasure of god / except it be for suche causes as by the scriptures may lowse the bounde of
wryten approued of learned men worthye pryntynge / it myghte be prynted and set fourth with pryuylege So God shulde be more gloryfyed / his worde better knowen and beleued / greate glory and commendation come to Englande / whiche shulde gyue greate lyght in the true vnderstanding of the scriptures to all the worlde ☞ These and many other causes moued me to wryte thys playne Exposycyon in thys Epystle of Sayncte Paule to the Ephesians Wherfore gentle reader I praye the accepte in good worthe thys my rude dylygence and laboures / whyche was to set fourth openly before euery mannes eyes the mynde of the Apostle Saynte Paule in this Epistle / to shewe what thinge he wolde haue vs to knowe and to do / and what thynge not to do / and howe he seketh alwaye Goddes glorye and the saluacyon of other to teache vs to do suche lyke yf thys Epystle be declared accordynge to the mynde of Sayncte Paule gyue all thankes and prayse to God onely of whome it commethe / and none to the wryter whose mynde is to teache or defende no errour nor heresye / but to teache the truethe of Goddes worde symply and playnely / more regardynge the truethe / then the eloquence of wordes / and by the truethe of the Gospell to profyte euery man yf he can Yf thys Exposycyon do agree wyth the holye Scryptures / as I truste it dothe / take it / yf it do not / refuse it / I wolde not haue my wrytynges or sayenges no farther to be taken then they do agree with the holy Scryptures of God and by them maye be prouyd / and by the holy Scriptures onely to be iudged I am a man and maye erre as well as other hathe done / but I wyll nat be obstynat / yf I shall be gently admonyshed and instructed better by the holy Scriptures of god to whome be all honoure and glorye / worlde without ende Amen ⧠¶ Here endeth the preface of the author THE ARGVMENT OF the Epystle of Sayncte PAVLE to the Ephesyans ✚ IN THYS EPYstel the Apostle Sayncte Paule sheweth the aboundaunt goodnes of God the Father to all men / howe he hathe created and made all men and all thynges necessarye for them / chosen and elected them to etarnall lyfe and glory / and to be heyres of the celestyall kyngedome / onely of hys mere mercy and grace / and nat of the workes merites or deseruynges of any maÌ„ or of any saynt in Heauen / or in earthe / but by Iesus Chryste onely by whome he hathe restored man agayne to lyfe / whiche by the synne of Adam loste the fauour of almightye God lyfe the celesteal kyngedome to the whiche he was created and made / but by Chryste was restored ageyne to the fauoure of God / to lyfe and to heauen all men both Iewes / and Gentyles theyr synnes clerely forgyuen for Christes sake alone / and be made dere beloued and holy in the syght of the father and ryght heyres of the Heauenly inheritauÌ„ce through fayth in chryste Iesus whyche faythe is receyued by the worde of God preched vnto them ⧠Secondely the Apostle teacheth what all men be of them sealues of theyr owne nature / myghtes and powers / surely nothynge els but the chyldren of the Ire / wrath and indygnacyon of god / chyldren of darkenes / of synne / death and of hel And what they are made by Christ agayne / that is that they be made dere beloued to god / chyldren of loue / of lyfe / of iustice and of eternal saluacyon / and that onely by the mercy and grace of god and nat of the merytes of man / but by the merytes of chryst alone ¶ Thyrdly here is shewed howe both the Iewes and the Gentyles be made at one with God the father and amonges them selues by Christ that suffered death to make them at one Also what is there offyce nowe iustified throughe grace by fayth in Christ Iesus / that is to forsake theyr olde lyfe / and to walke in a newe lyfe nat to be idle / but to do good / to do good workê / nat suche as maÌ„ thynketh godd / but suche as god hathe appoynted to be done in holye scripture that men shulde walke in / and to go from one good worke to another / to fle al maner of vice sinne / if nat for the loue of God / yet for feare of the plage of God ¶ Fourthly here is declared the offices deuties of dyuers states of meÌ„ / as of these that be maryed / of Chyldren to theyr parentes of seruauntes to theyr Maysters / of euery ones deutie to another in they re states of leuynge / as you may reade in the v. and .vi. chapiters of this Epystle / wher it is shewed playnly the offyce of the wyfe to the husbande / and of the husbande to the wyfe / let the wyfe loke on her deutye to her husbande / learne yt / knowe and do it Also let the man loke on hys deuty and howe he shulde order hym selfe towardes his wyfe / and howe he shulde intrate her that both of them knowynge theyr deuty accordynge to Goddes lawe / maye more wyllyngely and gladly do that thynge that God requyreth of them / and they to please God better and lyue iÌ„ more peace / vnite / concorde and / quietnes Also the chyldren maye here learne theyr deutye / and wherfore that it becommeth them to be obedyent to theyr parentes / because it is Goddes commaundement and the wyll of God that Chyldren shulde obey theyr parentes And also what is the deutye of seruauntes to they re maysters / and of masters to theyr seruauntes / euery one loke on his deutye / and do it gladly and wyllyngely / for in so doynge they do serue God Fynally here is shewed the armoure of chrysten men to fyght agaynste the deuyl and his temtacyons / Last of all the Apostle desyreth these Ephesians to praye for hym / coÌ„mendynge to them Tychicum by whome he sense thys Epystle to these Ephesyans ¶ The fyrste chapiter of the Epistle to the Ephesians PAVLE an Apostle of IESVS CHRIST by the wyll of God to the sayntes whiche are at Ephesus / to them that beleue on Iesus Chryste Grace be with you and peas from god our father and trom the lorde Iesus Chryste SAynte Paule out of prison wrote this Epistle to these Ephesians / whom he fyrste saluteth with a christiane salutacyon / and after the salutacyoÌ„ he sheweth the causes wherfore he wrote this Epistle Saynte Paule in his Epystles vseth one christiane salutacyon of the whiche we christians may learne howe we shulde one salute and grete another / And what thynges we oughte one to desyre and wyshe to another In this salutacion is wryten the name of him that wryteth the Epystle / the name of them to whom it was wryteÌ„ In the begynnyng saynte Paule setteth his owne name that they myght knowe this Epystle to be wryten of
also in all inwarde thynges as in wyll / in mynde / in harte / in thought and without al murmure / shewe hyr wyllynge and glad obedience to hyr husbaÌ„de / as the wyll coÌ„maundement of god is 4 For the man is the heade of the womaÌ„ Here he sheweth a cause why the woman shulde obeye the man / for the man is the head of the woman / it becoÌ„meth euery one to be obedient to his heade / seyng the man is the heade of the woman / it becommeth the woman to be obedient to the maÌ„ as to hyr heade / the maÌ„ is called the heade of the woman / for as out of the head doth come all necessarye thynges to feade and cherysshe other partes of the bodye wherby they lyue / so it perteyneth to the man to prouyde all necessaryes for the woman that shew maye lyue / the heade hath nat rule ouer the other partes that it shulde vse any tyranny or cruelnes ouer the other ê“tes So the man is the heade ouer the woman / nat that he shulde vse tyranny or cruelnes ouer the woman or vse the woman as they lyste / other wayes then becoÌ„meth or after an vngodly facyon or maner / but that he shulde prouyde all necessaries for the woman / defende hyr / kepe hyr / and saue hyr 5 As the congregacion is in subiectyon to Christe / lykewyse le the wyues be in subiection to their husbandes in all thynges The wyues must be obedient to their husbaÌ„des as the coÌ„gregation is to Christ The congregation onely cleaue to Christ and to none other / onely loueth Christe / heareth Christe and seruyth Christe / and studyeth to please Chrise So muste the wyfe onely cleaue to hyr husbande / be obedyent to hyr husbande / serue hyr husbande please hyr husbande / and kepe hyr selfe to hyr husbande to no mo This place reproueth all those that be disobedient / to their husbandes / do nat serue theyr husbandes wyllyngely and gladly / do nat loue theyr husbandes / but other better then them / or as well as them / that be complayners of their husbandes / nor kepe them onely to theyr husbandes / but wyll haue other besydes theyr husbandes All suche the Apostle here reproueth and willeth they shuld amende ⧠Ye husbandes loue your wyues / euen as Christe loued the congregation / and gaue hym selfe for yt / to sanctyfye it and clensed it in the fontayne of water by the word to make it vnto hym selfe a gloryeous congregation hauyng no spot nor wrynkle nor any suche thynge but that it shulde be holy and without blame ☞ Nowe he sheweth the duetye of the husbande to his wyfe / whose deuty is nat to hapte to contemne or despise his wyfe / but to loue hyr as his owne flesshe and as his selfe to make of hyr / and cheryshe hyr / kepe hyr honestly and se that she want no thynge necessary The Apostle prescribeth a faction or a fourme howe the man shulde loue his wyfe / euen as Christe hath loued his Churche / for the whiche wyllyngely he dyd dye / that he myght pourge / make cleane / and sanctyfie it to hym self / make it a glorious an holy Churche / without all spot or wrykle / and without all faute or blame So ought the man to loue his wyfe euen as him selfe / and so with loue to embrase hyr that he wolde gladly dye / yf necessite so shulde constrayne hym for hyr sake rather then he wolde suffer hyr to peryshe / he wolde put his lyfe in al ieoperdie and peryll And if he shall at any tyume perceyue his wyfe wrynkled / spotted / or with any vices poluted with syckenes diseases or any other wayes troubled with vyce / synne / or syckenes That then he shuld nat set at lytle or contemne his wyfe / seke to be ryd of hyr / and dyuorsed from hyr / but he shulde then seke all wayes and meanes for remedy for hyr / yf she be diseased with syckenesse / se that she lacke nothynge necessarye for hyr / that hs is able eyther by labour or goodes to get for hyr Prouyde remedies that maye be gotten by mannes helpe / conforte hyr in wordes and dedes / and say she shall lacke nothynge that may do hyr good as longe as you haue one peny / or may get by your labour / yf she be aged / wrinkled or nat fayre / she is nat to be dispised for hir age wrinckle or foulnes / but to be made of and cherysshed / because she is your wyfe gyuen to you of God / to be loued eueÌ„ as you do loue your owne bodye / be she yonge or aged / wrynkled for vnwrynkled / fayre or full / good or badde No man despiseth his owne body / be yt neuer So desformed / aged / wrynkled / foule / fat / wayke syckly or any other wayes deseased so man may nat dispyse his wyfe for hyr infirmities or diseases / but study to remedye them yf it be possible yf thy wyfe be euyll / euyl tonged / spotted with synne and noughty lyuynge other wayes then goddes lawe wyll / it is the deutye of the husbande to correcte refourme and amende his wyfe by alwayes and meanes that is possible / nat to conteÌ„ne hir for hir noughtines / to forsake hyr and leue hyr and take another / to vpbrad hyr of hyr noughtines to blase abrode hyr synnes vyces / to hyr and his rebuke and shame / but to couer hyde hyr synnes and fautes as muche as shall lye in hym / to studye howe by what meanes he maye amende hyr and make of on euyll woman a good woman / whiche thynge may be by gentle exhortation / couÌ„sell and dissuasion frome synne yf nat for loue of god / yet for shame rebuke and confusion of the worlde / for feare of punyshemente of God eyther in this worlde or at leaste in the worlde to come / or els in both So it is the offyce of the husbande yf he haue an euyll wyfe / to studye by his wysedome to make hyr good / to correcte hyr fautes to remedye them / and to make hyr holy and vertuous as Christ pourgeth his churche spotted and polluted with synne and made it holy and fautles in his syght 2 Here is shewed howe Christ hath purged his Churche / truely in the fountayne of water by his worde / althoughe God of his mere mercy and goodnes / without al maÌ„nes desertes or merites / onely for Christes sake hath wasshed and pourged man frome synne / yet he vseth a meane by the whiche he clenseth men frome sine which is by baptyme in water by the worde of god / and so in baptyme is our sinnes take awaye / and we frome synnes purged / clensed and regenerated in a new man / to lyue an holy lyfe accordynge to the spirite and wyll of god / it is nat the water that wasshe vs frome out synnes /
Anabaptistes and flee their errours / heresyes / and deceyuable doctrine / that briÌ„geth to death and receyue the true doctrine of Christe that briÌ„geth to lyfe Now I wyl retourne agayne to saynt Paule ☞ So oughte men also to loue thyre wyues euen as theyr owne bodyes he that loueth his wyfe loueth hym selfe For no man yet euer hated his owne flesshe but norissheth and cherisseth it euen as the Lorde dothe also the Congregacion for we are membres of his bodye / of his flesshe and of his bones ⧠⧠♣ The Apostles here sheweth howe the maÌ„ shuld loue his wife eueÌ„ as his owne body / for the man and the wyfe be one body coupled togyther by matrymony a knot nat to be lowsed at maÌ„nes pleasure / who hath euer ben so mad / of so lytle wyth that hath hated hys owne body / were it neuer so deforme or out of facyon / so wayke / so lene / so syckely / so fylthy / and so full of noughtynes / but hath euer cherished norished his owne bodye and hyd the fautes of it / and redy to amende it / so shulde a man be affected towardes his wyfe / as towardes his owne bodye / ye euen as Christe hathe loued his Churche / whiche hath nat put it away when it was a brodel and polluted with fylthynes and synnes / but hath takeÌ„ it to him and hath purged it and made it cleane holy and gay / and hath dissembled many thinges in it / and at the laste healed all hyr sores and diseases and wasshed clere away hyr spottes and sinnes After the example of Christe towardes his churche let the husbande do to the wyfe / and euer haue before his eies what thyng he wolde shulde be done to hê owne body / the same thynge let him do to his wyfe This place reproueth those husbandes that loue nat their wifes / that conteÌ„ne and dispise their wyfes / wheÌ„ they are sycke / nat prouyding for them necessaries / nat comfortynge theÌ„ with all comforte they can / ye this place checketh all them that wyl nat couer and hyde the fautê of their wyues if they be no table crimes and do nat study to refourme and amende they re wyues / and to make them good / vertuouse and holy 2 For we are membres of one body / he sheweth why he called the wyfe the flesshe of the man / it was because the woman was made of the man / of a rybbe takeÌ„ out of the syde of Adam / and the womannes bone was made of a bone of Adam as it is wryten Gene. 2. to the whiche place saynte Paule dothe allude here For this cause that the man shulde nat conteÌ„ne the womaÌ„ as a creature made of a vyler matter then he was of and to certifie the man that he shulde nat contemne his wyfe excepte he shulde contemne hym selfe his owne flesshe this thynge he sheweth that there shulde be more loue bytwene the maÌ„ and the wyfe / no stryfe / no contention / no debate / no contemnynge one another ⧠For this cause shall a man leue father and mother and cleaue vnto his wyfe and they two shall be one flesshe This is a greate secrete I speake of Christe and the Congregacyon Neuerthelesse do ye so that euery one of you loue hê wyfe / euen as hym selfe / but let the wyfe feare hyr husbande ☞ Here the Apostle wylleth that there shulde be more loue bytwene the husbande and the wyfe / then bytwene the chyldren and the parentes he wylleth the soÌ„ne shall preferre the loue to his wyfe aboue the loue to father or mother 2 The Apostle speaketh here onelye of the loue that shulde be bytwene the man the wyfe / of the other deuties of the man to the wyfe it is spoken in other place of scripture / as Peter 1. Pe. 3. sheweth that it is the offyce of the man to dwell with his wyfe / to entreate hyr after knowledge and to liue togither as perpetual felowes of good and euyl / for al theyr lyfe tyme / in peace / concorde / vnite / loue / and dewe obedience accordynge to goddes lawe / prouydynge togyther necessaryes / that they myght lyue holyly and godly and bringe vp their children vertuously in the knowledge of god in loue and feare of god / to order and rule theyr famylye accordynge to goddes wyll gyuynge them example of al goodnes to folowe Peter addeth after knowledge / that is that the man shulde order his wyfe after knowledge wysedome whiche be more in men then in women / for men muste beare the infirmitie of women / and many thiÌ„ges to pardone iÌ„ them and ouer se and wynke at / and dyssemble as they had nat knoweÌ„ or elles there shal be lytle agremente betwene the man and the wyfe / and some tyme to exhorte gentylly / to rebuke sharpely and some time clerely to remyt the matter as he for his wysedome shall se mo he expedient to entreat hyr alway endeuerynge hym to make his wyfe gentle / lowly / obedient / louynge / honest / good / holye / and vertuouse In man it is to supply that lacketh in women / to haue more wytte / wysedome / reason / prudence / counsell / lernyng wayes to prouyde necessaries for theyr lyuynges / and to ordre euery thynge well Also it pertayneth to men sayeth Peter there / to gyue to wemeÌ„ deu honour / that is that the maÌ„ shulde nat contemne or despyce his wyfe / or vse hyr as his hande mayde or seruaunte / but to take hyr as felowe of his perpetual lyfe and as ioynte heyres of God This place of Peter reproueth those men that conteÌ„ne and dyspyse there wyfes / wyll nat vse theyr company at bed or at borde and other conuersacion of lyuynge / but leue theÌ„ forsake them / put them away from them / Also if reproueth all them that vse they re wyfe as theyr hande mayde or seruaunte / that vse muche chydynge or brawlynge or fyghtynge with theyr wyues / or vse do bounch beate read vnder theyr fote their wyues as dogges or swyne / or any other vngodlye wayes do entreate are their wyfes / they be reproued of the Apostle Therfore let all suche frowarde husbandes amende least the plage of god fal on theÌ„ for theyr vngodly entreatinge of their wyues / whoÌ„ they shulde knowe to be felowes with theÌ„ and boughte with the precyous bloude of Chryste / and called to be partakers of the heuenly kyngedome asswell as they that be men Fynally it is the offyce of husbandes to vse the company of theyr wyues to paye deuty as saynt Paule calleth it 1. Corin. 7. sayeng Let the man gyue deuty to his wyfe for the man hathe nat power of his bodye / but the wyfe / lykewyse the wyfe hath nat power of hyr body / but the husbande / Sayncte Paule reproueth all these maryed men / that do nat theyr deutye to theyr wyfes / but wyll take
hoores / harlottes / and drabbes / and kepe besydes theyr wyues / but let all suche aduiterers take hede / for the sworde of the vengeauÌ„ce of god hangeth ouer theyr heades / god wyll smyte peraduenture soner then they suppose or beleue 3 This is a great secrete or mystery as he shulde say this thinge that I haue here spoken of / is a great mistery / and more theÌ„ can be shewed / by wordes / that is that the loue of Christ towardes his Churche can no tonge expresse / ne harte thinke it / it passeth farre al eloquence of tong or thought or maÌ„nes harte / euen so shulde the loue bytwene man wyfe be more then any tong by eloquence were able to expresse 4 The Apostle to make an ende of the deuties bytwene the maÌ„ and the wyfe / he sayeth it is the deutye of the wyfe to be obedient to hyr husbande / to feare him / to haue him in honour and reuerence / esteme him as hyr lorde mayster / as Saray called Abraham hyr husbande lorde 1. Pe 3. And this subiectyon of the wyfe to the husbande muste be with out murmure or grudge / but wyllyngly and with gladnes for it is inflicted to wemen of god / for the transgression of Eue as a payne for sinne Therefore let nat the woman loke at the husbande or at his deuties to hyr or whether he be good or euyll / a Iewe or a Gentyle / a Scot or an Englysheman / a FreÌ„ch man or Ducheman / a fre man / a bondemaÌ„ ryche or pore / a gentylman borne or yomaÌ„ gentle or vngentle / meke or frowarde / but do hyr deuty to hyr husbande that god requireth of hyr handes / let hyr be obedient to him in all lawefull thynges / loue hym / feare him / haue him in honour and reuerence / be he neuer so euyl vnkiÌ„de / noughty and pore / let the wyfe be of honest conuersacion and lyuing / that the husbande may espye in hyr nothynge but that is chaste / womanly / good / iuste / vertuous / holy and godly / no finders of fautes with theyr husbandes maners conditions / but yf they fynde any thing to be reproued with their husbandes / to monyshe them of it secretly bytwene them alone / bearynge with patience the infyrmities of theyr husbandes / nat wanton or lyght in wordes or condicions / no bablers or strayers abrode / but of fewe wordes / kepers of they re houses at home / sobre / sad / constant louers of theyr husbandes studyeng alway to please their husbandes none other / that by this holy and chaste coÌ„uersacion / they myght bring theyr husbandes that were heythen to the fayth of Christe / and by their goodnes refourme and amende the euylnes of euyll husbandes And so gyue no place to the deuyl that moueth them meruaylously that be maryed / to contention stryfe and debate / the one to coÌ„temne / dispise and abhorre the other and can nat beare the maners of the other / ne loue the other / nor do theyr deuties one to another / and so the wyfe desyreth another husbande / and the husbande another wife / for the maÌ„ in his owne wife he seyth nothyng that pleaseth him So that the deuyll blyndeth his eies and setteth before the eies of the man al the spottes and fautes of his wyfe as theyr is no man / ne woman without all fautes and at his wyues vertue / goodnes and good proptetes worthy coÌ„mendation he neuer remeÌ„bres / this thynge worketh the deuyl in the state of mariage oftymes bothe in the man and in the woman / and happy are they that do nat obey to the deuyll nor gyue no place to thê the deuyls worke / which thyng the deuyl worketh to make theÌ„ that be maried to breake goddes coÌ„maundemente and so to offende and displease God Also to this helpeth the nature of maÌ„ whiche is neuer consent with his state or lotte / whiche setteth lytle by the thyng it hath at pleasure and desyreth euer the thynge it hath nat / or is nat lawfull to haue Therfore it oftymes chaunces / that in the eye of the man euery woman is more fayrer / better / more pleasaunt then his owne wyfe And oftymes it chaunceth that the man is so blynded / that he forsaketh his owne lawefull wyfe gyuen hiÌ„ of god / for whom he shulde forsake al other / and despyseth hyr / and loueth an harlot a drabe that is foule and euyll fauoured and huglye / so the noughty nature of man despiseth that it hathe and desyreth that it hath nat / whiche to haue is vnlawfull / and against goddes lawe / so laboureth the deuyll to kyll men in euery state / and no man or woman is sure from the temptation of the deuyll / but gyue no place nor consent to the deuyls temtation theÌ„ his temtacion shal nat noy or hurte you yf the deuyll shal tempte any man or woman as I haue sayde before / let hiÌ„ giue no consent to the deuyll / let the man haue euer before his eies nat the fautes but the vertues of his wyfe / hyr goodnes / what he is bouÌ„de to hyr by the law of god by reason of matrymony / let hym thynke euerye thing in his wyfe worthy to be coÌ„mended Let hym thinke his wyfe aboue all other both better / fayrer / for so she is to him / by the ordinaunce of god Whiche hath bouÌ„de hiÌ„ to his wyfe alone / that for hyr he shuld forsake al other as long as she lyueth / that he shulde loue none aboue hyr / or so wel / put hyr away froÌ„ hiÌ„ for none / or shuld kepe non other besides hir / the same thiÌ„g the wife must thiÌ„ke do The husbaÌ„de may vse vê laufull wyfe with a clere conscience as a lawfull remedye agaynste adulterye and fornycation / to vse other women then hys owne wyfe he can nat with a cleane and a clere conscience / for it is agaynst Goddes lawe and he that dothe so offendeth God / displeaseth God / his conscience is spotted / for he commytâ—eth deadely synne Therfore let the man thynke of his wyfe thus This woman is she whiche God hathe gyuen to me / that I shulde embrase alone / that I shulde loue hyr as longe as we shall lyue togyther / that I shulde thynke hyr to me moste fayrest of all women / better and alone mete for me / gyuen of God to brynge forthe chyldren to contynewe the worlde to Goddes honoure and glorye / for a lawefull remedye agaynste adulterye and all kynde of adultery / to dylate charytie bytwene hyr and me / hyr frendes and my frendes / hyr consanquinitye and mynde And lykewyse the wyfe shulde thynke of hyr husbande / that he is gyuen to hyr of God that she shulde haue an eye nat to hys fautes / but to his vertues / to hyr deutye towardes him / that she shulde
loue hym aboue all other / onely shulde to please hym / to make hyr bodye free to none other / but to hyr husbande alone / to be obedyente to hym with all lowelynes and gentylnes to haue him in feare / honour / and reuereÌ„ce Thus I haue shewed accordyng to the doctryne of S. Paule part of the deuty of the man towardes his wife / of the wife towardes hyr husbande ¶ The syxte Chapyter to the Ephesyans YE CHYLDREN Obey youre elders in the Lorde for that is right honour thy father and the mother that is the fyrste coÌ„maundemente that hathe any promyses that thou mayst prospere and lyue longe vpon earthe And ye fathers prouoke nat youre chyldren vnto wrathe but brynge them vp in nurtour and informacion of the Lorde NOwe the Apostle sheweth of the deutye of chyldren to theyr father and mother / it helpeth muche to obtayne godly vertues / that chyldreÌ„ from their cradel and from their yonge age be vertuously brought vp in nortoure in good / vertues and godlye learnynge / in loue and feare of god / in deu obedience to their parentes in gentil and lowly maners / for as the olde sayenge is The botell wyll kepe the smel or sauour / of that liquore that it first receyued So men for the moste part smell euer of that facyon and maners / and loue waye that they haue bene brought vp in theyr yonge age Therfore it is necessary that chyldren in their yonge age shulde be put to good scole maysters that may and wyll bryng them vp in good holy and vertuous doctryne / and godly maners that chyldren may learne to knowe God theyr creature and maker / of whom al goodnes doth come / to knowe the goodnes and benefites of god towardes them to laude and prayse God / to gyue hym thankes for his benefites to be obedient to father and mother / to gyue to them al honour / nat onely with outwarde gesture as bowynge their knees / puttynge of theyr cappe to their patentes / or askynge theyr blessynges or doynge theyr laufull coÌ„maundementes / and beynge obedient with al glad diligence to do theyr parentes coÌ„maundementes but also that they shulde honour theire parentes with all due honoure in gyuynge and prouydyng for them al necessaries yf they nede / or be pore / or haue nede of the helpe of theyr chyldren / for so this word honour is taken in the scripture nat onely for outwarde reuerence / but also for helpe or sufficience of liuing as Paul sheweth 1. Timo 5. where he sayeth The elders that rule well are worthy double honoure / cheyflye they that laboure in the worde of god 2 In the lord This worde sheweth how chyldren shulde be obediente to theyr elders and to their fathers and mothers / that is to say in the lorde / because the lorde hathe so commaunded / and it is the wyll of the lorde that chyldren shall obey to theyr parentes / or elles in the lorde / that is to say iÌ„ all thynges that pleseth the lorde / that is in al lawful thinges So chyldren obeing theyr parentes gyuyng them deu honour doth serue and please the lorde / and these chyldren that be disobedient to theyr pareÌ„tes do dysplease and offende god 3 For this is iuste / that the chyldren shulde obey they re parentes / helpe and socour their necessite gyuynge deu honoure to them seynge chyldren hathe receyued of theyr parentes theyr beynge / fode and coste of bryngyng vp when they were nat able to helpe them selfe Therfore it is equite that they shuld helpe ther parentes 4 This is the fyrste commaundemente in promyse / to the whiche promyse of rewarde is made of longe lyfe eyther in this lyfe / or in the lyfe to come / or in bothe / as oftymes chaunceth to them that honoure their parentes in this worlde / and the coÌ„trarye is oftymes shewed / that these children that do nat honoure theyr parentes in this worlde but be disobedient to them conteÌ„ne / dispise and wyl nat acknowledge theire father and mother / or kynsfolke / or be so vnkynde vnnaturall chyldren that desyre the â—â—th of their parentes for their profyte / goodes / landes / or riches / it is oftymes sene that these chyldren be of shorte lyfe in this worlde / or dye some euyl death by some myschaunce or euyll fortune called of man / when it is the secrete wyl and workynge of God / whiche wyll nat suffre the contempte of parentes to be vnpunysshed in this world / that al chyldren might learne to be obedient to their parentes / to honoure them / and nat to contemne or dispise them or to wysshe theyr death for any lucre sake / for any honoure or promotion or suche lyke thynge The Apostle promyseth two thynges to these chyldreÌ„ that honoure their parentes / the one is / that all thynges shal be wel to them / and al thynges prosperous The other leÌ„gth of lyfe / contrary to them that dishonoureth there parentes thretteth two thynges / that all thynges shal be euyl to them / and shortnes of lyfe / which thinges yf they chaunce nat alway in this lyfe / yet surely in the lyfe to come they wyl chauÌ„ce / god wyl ê‘fourme his promyse / for god is true in his promyses and wyll perfourme theÌ„ / eyther in this worlde / or in the worlde to come or elles to bothe And although it is red of some chyldren that disobeyed their parentes / that had great ryches or felicite in this worlde and of longe lyfe in whome this threte of god had no place in this worlde / yet with out doubte it had place after this lyfe in them / or elles such disobedient chyldren to theyr parentes was without all felicite of shorte lyfe before god Chyldren that do nat obey their parentes they offend agaiÌ„st the lawe of nature / of equite and iustice againste goddes lawe wryten / whiche all require that children shulde gyue deu honoure to their fathers and mothers 5 And ye fathers prouoke nat your children to wrathe Nowe he coÌ„meth to pareÌ„rentes sheweth what is their deutye towardes their chyldren Fathers and mothers for the mooste parte eyther they are to tender / softe / gentle / or make to muche on them / or elles they are to harde / fel / cruel sharpe / or frowarde with them Fewe or none of theyr pareÌ„tes do knowe how they shulde order or brynge vp their chyldren / but eyther nature moueth them to be to teÌ„der ouer them / and so they make the chyldren to wantonne / selfe wylly / frowarde nat carynge for father or mother / ye disobedient to father and mother and so oftymes it is true that Mantuane sayeth Blanda patrum segnes facit indulgeÌ„tia gnatos To muche pamperynge of rathers maketh slowe and disobedient chyldreÌ„ Therfore it is trewe that Salomon saythe He that spareth the rod he hateth the child And of the contrary part there is some
matrymony / as adultery whiche be a cause of deuource / as sayeth Christ Math. 5. Fyrste it is to be shewed for what causes Matrimony was iÌ„stituted and ordinated of god One cause was that mankynde shulde be multiplied to the honour and glory of god by a lawefull meanes bytwene man and woman / thê mene was by matrimony ordinated of god / as appereth Gene. 1. where it is writen / that after god made man to his symylitude / he created the male and the female blessed them and sayd / growe and be multiplied and fyll the earthe / and this was one of the cheife causes of matrymonye Another cause wsa to auoyde adulterye fornication / and that matrymonye shulde be a lawefull remedye agaynste adultery forbodden in the generall coÌ„maundement Thou shalte nat coÌ„myt aduoutry Exo. 20 This cause saynt Paule sheweth 1. Corin 7. Sayeng let euery maÌ„ haue his wyfe to auoyde fornication / euery woman haue hyr husbande Aduoutery of the harte is as well forboddeÌ„ / as adultery in outwarde dede or acte / to auoyde all maner of adultery both of the harte of outwarde acte / and for a remedy lawfull for the same it is coÌ„maunded that they shall marye take a wyfe / that haue nat the gyfte of chastyte and of continence The thyrde cause of matrimony is the charite might more be enlarged and amonge straungers more dilated and scatered / that these that were straungers shulde be more couple togyther by charite / as the frendes of the wyfe and the husbande by affinite more ioyned togyther in loue and charite / and for that cause it doth appere that certaine degrees of kinred was forbodden to mary togither amongest whom was loue all redy opteyned coÌ„maundemeÌ„t that mariage shulde be out of certayne degrees of kynne / to make more loue and to dylate charite as appereth Leut. 18. and .10 And also this thing appereth in that / that there is more loue coÌ„maunded to be betwene the man the wyfe / then bytwene the chyldren and the father As it is wrytten Gene. 2. and Nume 18. For this saieth god let the maÌ„ forsake his father and mother / cleaue to his wyfe / and they shal be two in one fleshe To these maye be added many other causes of matrymony / that the wyfe shulde be as an helper to the husbande / and the husbande to the wyfe / that they shulde lobour togyther to prouyde necessaries for them / and their housholde / to brynge vp theyr chyldren vertuously in loue and dreade of god / and in other holsome doctrene or craft for these diuerse other causes that maye be gathered of scriptures was Matrymony ordinated of god / and nat of maÌ„ Therefore he that speaketh agaynst Matrymony / or condemneth it as an euyl thyng / he speaketh agaynst goddes ordinaunce / and condemneth that / that God hym selfe ordynated 2 Nowe I wyl speake sumthinge of the duety bytwene the man the wyfe / whose dueties Sayncte Paule here declareth Fyrste the duety of the wyfe towardes hyr husbaÌ„de he sheweth He sayth it is the deutye of the wyfe to be obedient to hyr husbande in all lawfull and honest thynges / and to be redy and diligent at his lawful coÌ„maundement / and in no wyse disobedieÌ„t to him and his lawful coÌ„maundementes / neyther in word nor yet in dede / nor in any behauour / neyther in mynde nor thought disobedient to hyr husbande And here he ryproueth all women that be disobedient to theyr husbandes / and wyll nat obey theÌ„ but wyll haue theyr husbandes obediente to them / eyther for the nobylyte of theyr stocke they come of / or els for theyr riches or for proudnes of harte and mynde that they wyll 〈◊〉 the rule and domynyon ouer theyr husbandes / contrary to goddes ordynaunce â—â—…d here peraduenture some 〈…〉 aske / why shulde the woman 〈…〉 obedient to the man / then the maÌ„ 〈…〉 To this I make aunswere say that the wyfe shulde be obedient to hyr husbande for many causes / nat the husbande to the wyfe The fyrst cheife cause is / for the ordinaunce of god whiche hath ordinated that the wyfe shulde be obedyeÌ„t to hyr husbande in all thynges lawefull Eph. 5. And they that resyst the ordinauÌ„ce of God / they brynge iudgemente to them self Roma 13. Wherfore it is no lytle taut the wyfe to be disobedient to hyr husbaÌ„de vs to desyre the rule / domynioÌ„ / or maistery ouer hyr husbande / althoughe hyr husbaÌ„d wold suffer it / for she that so doth / she doth resyste the ordinaunce of god / and taketh to hyr selfe dampnation Therfore let womeÌ„ beware they be nat disobedieÌ„t to their husbandes / nor desyre to be mayster ouer them / for in so doyenge they bryng iudgement damnation to them self / although that faute is counted but a lytle faute / before men / yet before god it is a great faute and it must nedes be a greate faute / for the whiche iudgement and daÌ„nation doth folowe The seconde cause why that wemen shulde be obeidiente to men / is for the transgressyon of Eue / whiche was punyshed and al hyr posteryte after hyr / that is to saye all wemen / that they shulde be in subiection to men and the wyfe in obedience to the husbande / for Eues thransgression / whiche payne remayneth styll in wemen shall do for euer / in a sygne of Eues transgressyon as a payne for synne The thyrde cause is / for the infyrmite of wemen / whiche for the moste parte be nat so wyse / wyttye / constante / sobre / dyscrete / patient / sad / well reasoned / stronge in body and for other suche lyke infirmities of wemen / whiche be foolyshe / lyght / vnconstant / hasty / angry / bablynge / full or wordes lyght / of conditions / mutable / vnlerned other suche like infirmities which for the most parte be more in wemen then in men Therfore it becommeth the wemen to be obedient to men and be ruled by meÌ„ / as of more wytte wysdome learnynge / iudgement / sadnes sobernes / and other good qualities / whiche for the mooste parte be more in men then iÌ„ wemeÌ„ / for these and other causes it becommeth the wyfe to be obedient to hyr husbande / for a decente order to be had amongest men 3 He sheweth howe the wyfe shulde be obediente to hyr husbande / euen as to the lorde for the wyfes seruynge theyr husbandes in al harty obedience with reuereÌ„ce / do serue the lord god / and do goddes seruyce / goddes coÌ„maundemente / and they please god so doyng / and no seruyce of the wyfe to god caÌ„ please god better / then when she obeyth hyr husbande lowely in harte / wyl mynde / worde and in dede / in all lawfull thinges Therfore let the wyfe be obedyent to hyr husbande nat onely in outward thynges / but
thretned to euyl seruantes / so theyr is a rewarde promysed to good seruantes and a payne to euyll seruauntes / whiche god wyll gyue when he seyth his tyme. ☞ And ye maysters do euen the same vnto them puttynge awaye threatnynges and know that eueÌ„ your mayster also is in heuen neyrher is there any respecte of persoÌ„nes with hym ⧠Here he sheweth the office of maisters to theyr seruauntes / sayeng It is the offyce of the mayster to shewe hiÌ„selffe meke and gentle to his seruantes whome they suffer nat to wante necessaries neyther to wante meate ne clothe / nat to entreate theÌ„ with great hardnes / fearsnes or cruelnes nat to lay great burdiÌ„ges vpon theyr backes / or to put them to iÌ„tollerable labours and paynes / but that the maysters shulde thynke their seruantes to be men made to the symilitude of god / redemed by the preciouse bloude of Christe to be heyres and inheritoures of the kyngdome of heauen as wel as they Fynally let maysters so order them selfes towardes theyr seruantes and be so louyng / so kynde / so gentle / that of theyr seruaÌ„tes they may be more loued then dred / do more for theyr loue then for feare / or for profyte 2 Puttynge awaye threatnynges / the lorde coÌ„maundeth the maysters nat onely to put away betynges / and punysshementes / but also all cruel threatnynges fears and fell wordes whiche maketh the seruaÌ„tes oftymes to runne awaye and forsake his maister contrary to the lawe of God This place reproueth fears / fell and cruel maysters frowarde to theyr seruauntes / that threate great and greuous plages / punysshementes thynkynge they shall do more with rhough rygorouse meanes theÌ„ with louynge wordes and gentle facyons but such frowarde maisters deceyueth theÌ„ selfe / for gentylnes wyll do more with an honest seruant and with hym that feareth god then any rough wordes or rygorous maners / for there be fewe seruauntes that be amended by bunchynge beatyng or other greuouse punyshement yf he nede muche punysshement it is a token he is an euyll seruant and lytyl regardeth his profyce or his Maysters profyte honestye or worshyppe 3 And knowe that your Mayster is in heuen / he sheweth the cause why maysters shulde entreat theyr seruauntes gently remyt to them plages / punyshemenentes and threatnynges / because god the father which is in heaueÌ„ is the Lorde of the seruauntes as well as he is of the maysters and wyll make the seruauntê equal with the maysters in Heauen / for God dothe nat regarde ê‘sonnes of men / whether they be maysters or seruauntes / but loketh at euery mannes office and deuty / and whom he fyndeth hath done theyr offyce deuty well he wyll rewarde them with a greate rewarde and whom he fyndeth negligent in his offyce not done his deutye / he wyl punyshe whether they be maysters or serseruauntes ☞ Fynally my brethren be strong in the Lorde and in the power of his myght / put on the armoure of God / that ye maye stande stedfaste agaynst the crafty assaultes of the deuyll / for we wrestle nat agaynst flesshe and bloude / but agaynst rule agaynst power namely agaynst the rulers of the worlde of the darkenes of thys worlde / agaynste the spyrytes of wyckednes vnder the Heauen ☞ The Apostle here before hathe exhorted men to the vnite of the spirite / to peace to concorde and hath shewed certayne degrees howe they shall lyue in their state to their deuty / as what is the duety of the wyfe to the husbande / and of the husbande to the wyfe / of the chyldren to their parentes / and of the parentes to theyr chyldren of the seruantes to theire maysters / and of maisters to their seruauntes Nowe he sheweth that these that wyl lyue after the rule dyscribed to them of Paule / that soÌ„tyme they shall haue enymies and temptacions of the deuyl whome they muste resyst and ouercome / and here he sheweth what armoure they muste haue to fyght agaynste enemyes / and by what weapons they shal ouer come enemyes Therfore he coÌ„maundeth them to be strong nat in them selfe in their owne myghtes or powers / but in the lorde and in the powers of the lorde by the whiche the enemyes shal be ouercommed yf we be stronge in the Lorde we nede nat to feare enemyes / for the Lorde is stronge ynoughe to ouercome enemyes and all aduersaries / and we by him / for he hath cure of vs and wyll defende vs from enemyes yf we truste in him 2 Put on the armoure of God / that ye may stande stedfaste agaynste the craftye assaultes of the deuyl In these wordes he sheweth with what weapons we shal be armed that we maye stande stedfast and sure agaynste the assaultes and craftes of the deuyll and to ouercome him and his temtations put away / by the whiche he temteth vs / as by carnal pleasure of the fleshe by couetousnes of ryches or of desyres of worldly / honoures by threatnyng or feare of the worlde / or losse of goodes fauour or promotyon by the whiche meanes the deuyll vseth to plucke men from god and froÌ„ his worde This armour by the which we shall resyste the deuyll and his temtation / is nat by the lyght of the holy candle halowed of candlemesse day / by strynklynge of holy water / by the ryngynge of the halowed great bell / by hauyng on their body a crosse made on Palsonday ane Agnê° dei called Etheldrede lace aboute their necke by goyng to religion inuented by man / by takynge this habyte or that habyte of religion in this place or in that place / by shiftyng vp within walles and neuer to come out agayne as the deuyll coulde nat come within suche walles / or by catyng of fyshe alway and neuer flesshe These be nat the armoure that the Apostle byddeth to put on to resyste the Deuyll / but he byddeth put on the armoure of god / that is the worde of god by the whiche the deuyl is resisted ouercommed / and al his craftes teÌ„tacioÌ„s be made vayne By this armour Christe ouer came the deuyll Math. 4. to teache vs with what armour we shulde fyght agaynste the deuyll / and howe to ouercome hym and all his temtatyons kepe vs safe from all hurte / or peryll of the temptations of the deuyll 3 For we wrestle nat againste fleshe and bloude / and so furth as he shulde saye we must nat onely fyght againste the temtations of the flasshe and of the worlde / but also againste more cruel aduersaries then these be as agaynst the deuyl / wycked spirites adn all other powers And here the Apostle lyke a valyant and a prudent captayne of warre exhorteth his sogers to be of good chere and to feare nothynge theyr enemyes althoughe they be fears / cruel / crafty in fyghtyng / haue great polycy / in ingynes experience in fyghtynge / he openeth all their crafte