lytle gyue therof after thy power For a good treasure shalt thou lay vp in store for thy selfe agaynst y â— day of trouble yea that small substaÌ„ce wherof a poore man giueth almose pleseth the Lord much better then when welthye men gyue theyr lytle of theyr great rytches Example in s. Luke RemeÌ„ber the comon Prouerbe That thou sparest from gyuyng for Gods sake shall the dyuell cary another waye So saythe Salomon Some man gyueth out his goodes and is the rytcher but the nyggarde hauyng ynough wyll departe from no thynge And yet is he euer in pouerte He that is lyberall in gyuynge shall euer haue plenty God increaseth loue and fauoureth ma ryed folke bycause they shewe mercy charite to the nedy And yf God maketh the ritch man poore he doth well For he seeth that if he shuld haue ritches he would be to proud and forget God and himselfe to with pouerte therfore and adfliccioÌ„ wyll he nourtour his chyldren so to teach them his wayes lest in abundaunce and wealth they runne after theyr owne wayes and lustes For tribulacion and aduersite are the fyer and salte that purge preserue vs from stynkynge not destroye vs but they teache vs to put our trust in God and not in oure selues nor in no creatures they draw vs from transitory thinges to fasten vs sure to God and because we shoulde not be condemned wyth the worlde he plucketh vs wyth his Crosse from the worlde Into the which troublouse state of the crosse whan maryed cowples be cast of GOD then haue they the moost present coÌ„solacions out of sâ—…riptures to conforte them and to cause them to reioyce in theyr affliccion as are the holy Psalmes of Dauid we haue also the godly ensamples of the deare beloued faythefull seruauntes of God as were Iob Abraham Iacob c. Item the wordes of Christ. Who so wyll serue me let him dayely take his crosse vpon hym and folow me And in Ihon and Paule is full of conforte in hys epistles specially Hebreus x. Whan ony of the maryed personnes be tempted or troubled wyth syckenes or any other fortune then shulde the to ther conforte hym or her wythe these confortable ensamples Psalmes and sentences of gods spirite of all consolacion one suffryng wyth the tother for so shall the affliccion and Crosse be the easylyer borne and loue mutuall the more encreased Trewe loue sheweth her selfe moost clearely in trouble and syckenes And yf the one grudge at the tothers syckenes he doth agaynst Gods wyll And if he reioycethe at her or she at hys affliccion it is a token of lytle loue excepte hys reioyce be in the Lorde so to conforme hym to the similitude of hys sonne Christ that he myght be lyke hym in glory Paul coÌ„maundeth you to do to your seruauÌ„ tes that y t is iust and equall louyngly frendly vsynge them remembrynge that ye your selues haue a master in heauen learne of Iob also the same for your seruauntes are of Goddes creacion as wel as ye derely beloued and hys chosen children also yea and your brothren and systers in Christ. Let them therfore for theyr laboures haue theyr conuenient food and wages be not bytter harde nor iniuriouse vnto them in no wyse A great offence it is before God to kepe the labourynge seruauntes wages froÌ„ hym Iames sayth vnto such rytch meÌ„ Beholde the hyer of y â— labourers that haue reaped downe youre feldes which hyer ye haue kept backe by fraude cryeth and the complaynt of the labourers is entred in to the eares of the Lorde of Sabbaoth Ye haue had good dayes vpon erth and lyued at your pleasure and delyghted your hartes but it is only agaynst the daye of your slaughter So Iames sayth that the defraudynge of mens wages wyll be at last a slaughter Many men vse theyr seruauntes as slaues and beastes and therfore is theyr ertorted seruyce vnprofitable vnfaythfull to suche cruell masters more faythfull is the seruice done of loue than for feare compulsion Agayne the seruauntes must laye a parte all euel condicions prydevnfaythfulnes brawlyng and murmurynge pyckyng and tales tellynge remembryng Paules exhortacion sayeng ye ser uauntes be obedient to your masters with feare and tremblynge in singlenes of youre herte as vnto Christ not with eye seruice as meÌ„ plesers but euen as the seruaunt of Christ that ye may do the wyll of GOD from your hartes wythâ—… good wyll Thyncke that ye serue the Lorde and not men ¶ The. xviii Chapter How chyldren shuld be well and godly brought vp GReate ioye quietnes it bryngethe to the pareÌ„tes to se theyr childreÌ„ godly vertue ously brought vp And agayne besydes y e sorow y t euell brought vp chyldreÌ„ bring to theyr parentes yet shall they render a strayght rekenyng to God for theyr euell bryngynge vp of them The women shulde noryshe theyr owne chyldren wyth theyr owne brestes or els yf they maye not for weaknes yet oughte they to seke honeste and godlye nourses of sober lyuynge that wyth theyr mylke they myght drinkin also vertewe And the pareÌ„tes especiallye the mother must endeuour to speake fyrst to the chyld perfectly playne and â—…ncte wordes for as they be fyrst enformed to speake so they wyll contynew Caius and Tyberius the sonnes of Cornelia Grachy were ornate and eloquent in theyr speche for theyr mother was eloquent of tongue And euen from theyr infancy forth let the parentes teach theyr â—…hyldren no fables nor lyes nor no vayne nor lyght communicacioÌ„ but that onely which is godly honest graue and frutefull let it be planted in theyr new hertes They must teach them fyrst certayne godly sentences though they yet can not vnderstande them yet let them commende them to memory and practyse them in speche tyll they maye here after the better perceaue them as are these folowyng As certaynely as thou seyst the heauens and the earth so certaynly muste thou knowe that ther is one iÌ„uysyble god one alone for all suffycient hauing hys beyng of himselfe all creatures ther being of him Heauen and earthe and all that was made is of goddes owne creacyon God is the mooste hyghe goodnes Wythout God theris nothing good God nedeth no creature to be ioynedde wyth hym in hys dedes and cownselles to forgeue dampne saue or healpe It is he alone that vpholdeth all the worâ—… preserueth it and gyueth euery thyng the lyfe beynge whyche it hath He is louyng graciouse and mercyful to them that so beleue and trust vpon him God is trewe and iuste and holye in all hys workes God loueth vertue and hateth synne 〈◊〉 vyce It is good that God commaundeth and euell that he forbyddeth God punysheth synne euell A man must loue God aboue all thynges He may not murmur agaynst god but be wyllynge and thankfull in all aduersite to beare it He must call onely vpon God and complayne to hym onely in
maryage withe the fyrste fruytes of his miracles whan he wyth his mother his Disciples were at a weddynge in the Citie of Cana Galyle Was not Ppilippe the Euangeliste a maryed man and had foure doughters excellently learned in holy Scriptures Were not many other holy men both Byshoppes and prestes maryed longe after the Apostles tyme as we reade in the antentyke Hystories Dothe not S. Paule call the forbyddynge of marryage the doctrine of dyuelles Of these thynges it is manifest of how great estimacion holy wedlocke hath euer bene syns y e fyrst begynnynge of the worlde amonge all degrees of parsonnes Who wyll not nowe commende honorable wedlocke as a thynge of great excellency Who wyll not thyncke it a state of li uyng worthy hygh prayse and commēdacion Who wyll not iudge that it ought to be embraced with metyng armes as they say seynge that by it so many noble treasures chaunse vnto vs vertue is mayntayned vice is exchewed houses are replenished cities are inhabited the grounde is tylled scienses are practised kyngdoms florysh amite is preserued the publique weale is defended naturall succession remaynethe good artes are taught honest order is kepte Christē dome is enlarged Goddes word promoted and the glory of GOD hyghely auaunced and sette forthe But alas and wo is me for it the glorye of this christen matrimony is now greatly obscu red yea almoost vtterlye extincte and quenched thorow the abhominable whoredome stynking adultery wicked fornicacion and alkynd of vn cleannes which is vsed nowe a dayes amonge vs yea and that frely and wythout ony punish ment There is no truethe there is no mercye there is no knowledge of God on the earthe as the Prophet sayth Cursyng lyeng man slaugh ter theafte and whorehuntyng haue ouerflowed the worlde Men now a dayēs hunte y e Stewes and harlottes houses as Hieremye sayethe They are become lyke wylde stoned horses that ronne after meares for euery one neyeth at his neyghbours wyfe And woulde God this were the worste Matrimony is despised whoredome is had in price True wyues faythfull yokefellowes are neglected and set at nought but whores and harlottes are embrased kyssed kulled and much set by Honeste wyues syt at home and allmoost perish for hōger but harlottes are sumptuously fed wyth al kynde of deyntyes Matrimony is called an halter but whoredome is recounted a pleasure Wedlocke is now taken for a kynde of lyuynge replete wyth all misery care sorow po uerte wretchednes and beggerye but to lyue in whoredome and such other detestable vncleannes is recounted to lyue lyke a cleane and right by man lyke a lusty brute lyke a ioly ruffelare lyke a fellowe that wyll not gyue his head for y ◠wasshynge yea lyke such an one as it woulde do a man good saye they to be in his company he is suche a mynyon and pleasaunt fellow full of his mery conceates and wanton toyes To tary at home but one daye wyth theyr wyues is more than twyfe an hell but to be dallyenge amonge whores whole dayes nyghtes and monethes and there to spende all that they haue is a pleasure for a Pope and recounted no payne at all O good God howe longe wylte thou suffer this intollerable abhominacion How longe shall the head rulars wyucke at this great wickednes Shall Engelonde neuer be pourhed of this fylthy vnclennes and vncleane fylthynes Shall there neuer be a remedy found in Englōd for the extyrpacion of this dyuelysh to muche beastlyke vice seynge we haue had so many occasions gyuen vs in tymes past yet styll haue dayly Shallwe euer laughe at this great abhominacion whiche is waxed so hyghe that it can growe vp no furthe Shall this cōmaūdement of god neuer haue place amonge vs Englishmē There shall be no whore amonge the doughters of Israel nor no whoremonger amonge the sonnes of Israel Are not we also y e people of God Are not we Israelites and suche as be conuerted from oure olde conuersacion vnto true godlynes Hath not God also redemed vs from all iniquite and purified vs a peculiare people to hymselfe that we should be earnest followers of good workes Oughte not so muche clennes of ◅yfe appeare in vs as it dyd ī tymes past amōg the olde Iewes Hathe God delyuered vs from the power of our enemies that we shoulde lyue dissolutely and not rather that we shulde walke before hym all the dayes of our lyfe in holynesse and ryghteousnes Is not this commaundemēt also gyuen to vs Thou shalte cōmit no whoredome Is it not sayd vnto vs For to auoyd fornicacion let euery mā haue a wyfe of his owne and euery woman an husbande of her owne Why than do we tomble and bury oure selues in this fylthy and stynckyng puddle of vnclennes not rather embrase holy wedlocke whiche is honorable amonge all men Why haue we a pleasure to forsake our owne wyues to ronne a whorehuntynge after harlottes Why do we consume waste and spende awaye so vnthriftely all that euer we haue amonge noughty packes and leaue our poore wyues and chyldren at home socoureles and vnprouyded for Why do we make of the members of Christ the mēbers of an whore Certes oure finall destruccion is nearer at hande than we are ware of ▪ For thys pronite and bent redines vnto this fylthy synne of the flesh is an euideut token that the great terrible daye of iudgement is at hande For among all other Christ rehearseth this token be fore his commynge and saythe As it came to passe in the dayes of Nohe so shall i◅ be lykewyse in the dayes of the sonne of manne They dyd eate dryncke marrye were marryed euen vn to the very daye that Nohe entered into the Arke and the floude came destroyed them all Agayne as it chaūced in the dayes of Loth they dyd eate dryncke bye sell plante and bylde but the very same daye that Loth wente out of Sodome it rayned fyre and brymstone from heauē and destroyedde them all Accordynge to those thynges shall the daye be whan the sonne of mā commethe To marrye or to be marryed is no synne so that it be done accordyng to Goddes worde but to marry as they dyd in the tyme of Nohe that is to saye for pleasures sake only and to be fylthy in wycked conuersacion as the Sodomites were in the tyme of Lothe this is synne thys is wickednes this is hygh abhominacion this stin keth before the face of God and deseruethe euerlastynge dampnaciō What other thynge dothe the moost parte of men now dayes As I maye speake nothyng of the fylthy Sodomites which alas for pitie are now to common in the worlde vniuersally ho◅e many n◅we a dayes contracte matrimony aryght and after the word of God Who regardeth not more the pleasure of y e flesh than the hauynge of frute Who hath not a respecte rather to the worldely
no nor yet to bydde them God spede Certes it is a thynge much to be wondered at that whoredome shoulde growe vp into suche heyght among them that professe the fruytes of the spirite But what maruell is it seynge that whoredome nowe a dayes is become but a lusty courageous pastyme of youth reputed almoost for nosynne at all We read that yf a man amonge the Egiptians had bene taken in adultry he should openly in the preseÌ„ce of all the people haue bene scourged naked wyth whyppes vnto the nomber of a thousande strypes The woman that was taken wythe hym had her nose cut of wherby she was knoweÌ„ euer after to be an whore and therfore abhorred of al men Among the Arabians they that were takeÌ„ in adultry had theyr heades stryken from theyr bodies Among the Athenians adulterers were ponyshed by death wythout mercy In lyke maner is it at this day among y e Tartariâ—…s yet are they Infidels If a womaÌ„ among y e Germai nes in tymes past had bene conuicte of adultry she had all the hear of her head cut of beyng stry ped starke naked her husband put her out of his dores before his neighbours and in y e syght of al the people he scourged her w t whyppes about the cytye or towne and euer after she was so despised that no man would wouchesafe to marry w t her Amonge the Turkes euen at this day they that be taken in adultry bothe manne and womanne are stonned streyghtewayes to deathe wythoute ony mercye Was it not so lykewyse among the Israelites by the commaundemente of God Thus se we how whoredome and adultry in tymes paste haue bene ponysshed and yet is in certayne nacions Woulde GOD it were not laughed at euen amonge them that moost of all ought to mayntayne the purite and clennes of matrimony But the redresse of all these moost greuous enormities partayne vnto y e ciuile magistrates whose office and duty it is to prouide that all whoredome adultry be banyshed oute of the boundes of Christendome that holy wed locke maye once agayne be had in price restored vnto her olde beauty pristine glory Howe this thyng may moost conueniently be brought to passe the hygher powers for theyr wysdome and discrecioÌ„ wherwyth they be endewed from aboue shall easely consyder I beseche God prosper theyr moost godly trauayles in these suche lyke enterprises that vertue maye encrease and vice decaye In the meane season it shallbe very expedient that all men seake to lead an honest pure cleane and godly lyfe and not suffer them selues by no meanes to be spotted wyth the fylthy synne of abhominable whoredome Let theÌ„ that be marryed seake none other straung company but let the husbonde be coÌ„tented with his owne wyfe and the wyfe wythe her owne husbonde Let them that be vnmarryed and canne not lyue w tout y e coÌ„pany of a womaÌ„ get theÌ„ wiues of theyr owne and so lyue godly togither For it is better to mary than to burne And to auoyd fornicacion sayth the Apostle lette euery man haue a wyfe of his owne and euery womaÌ„ an husbonde of her owne As for suche as entende not to entangle them selues wyth maryage but determyn to lead a sole and contineÌ„t lyfe let them seake all meanes possible to mayn tayne the same as by readynge the holy Scriptures by godly meditacions by contynual pray ers and suche other vertuous exercyses vnlesse whil they abstayne fâ—…oÌ„ y e art of matrimony Sa tan our olde aduersary drawethe them vnto all kynde of wickednes and suche vicious vncleannâ—…s as maye not here wythe honeste be named Let all preachers also in theyr Sermons exhorte y e herers vnto purite of lyfe Let all fathers and mothers masters and mastresses with all otheâ—… gouernours se that none vncleannes be vsed among them that are vnder them To conclude let vs all seake and deuyse all meanes possible y â— holy wedlocke maye once agayne be had in such honour that all whoredome fornicacion adultry incest and all other vnclennes maye vtterly be abhorred detested hated worsse than any ve nemous serpent And to encourage all manner of persons in this behalfe I haue sette forth this Treatyse ensewynge of Christen matrimonye which teacheth so largely all thynges that pertayne vnto that kynde of lyfe that who so euer readeth it and practiseth the same I doubte not but as he shal be occasioned to forsake all vnclen nes and to embrace holy matrimony so shal he be moued to gyue God thankes for the settynge forth of this lytle worke in our maternall tong I beseche GOD that it maye brynge forthe no lesse frute than I haue entended by the settynge forthe of it For well shall it be wythe Christes Chyrche if they maye once se holy wedlocke had agayne in honoure and whoredome banysshed oute of the boundis of Christendome This lytle Treatyse moost gentle master Gryse for the honest and ryght harty freÌ„dshyp that hathe euer ben betwene you and me syns y e fyrst tyme of our acquayntauÌ„ce for the quiet and godly conuersacion that I haue euer perceaued betwene you and the vertuous Gentle woman your wyfe and for the godly institucioÌ„ and honest bryngyng vp of your chyldren I dedicate to you as a manifest testimony of myne vnfayned loue and ryghte harty aâ—…ite towarde you and all yours desyrynge you frendely to ac cepte this my lytle gyfte as the present of hym whiche though he be absent in body and far froÌ„ his natiue contre yet is he present wyth you in spirite and wysheth to you and to so many as tender the glorye of God and the promocion of his holy word all good happy fortunate prosperous thynges in Iesus Christ our Lorde and omnisufficient Sauiour for all them that repeÌ„t beleue vnfaynedly and walke accordyng to his worde in whome I bydde you all well to fare Grace be wyth all them that loue the Lorde Iesus Christ vnfaynedly AmeÌ„ ¶ The Author to the Christen Readers AMonge other greuous synnes shameles blasphemies which in this last euell perelous tyme haue sore encreased halas therfore preuayled vn to a great noÌ„ber Thys is not y e lest I meane aduoutry with shameles whoredome all manner of vnclennes in vayne wor des and vnchaste workes All this nowe coÌ„meth bycause y t suche vyces beare no more theyr owne right names therfore doth no man esteme theÌ„ as they are in them selues and in the syghte of God The bloudye murtherer I nede not here to speke of a rougher name is called a good bold man of his handes The vserer is named a good honest man To be droncken is to be mery To â—…ommit whoredome is called as muche as â—…o ex ercyse the worke of man and to do as yong folkes that can not lyfte them selues vp vnto heauen Many there be y â—
it be churlyshe vngodly nyce vayneglorious fayned ful of wor des vnstedfast vnhonest vnreasonable and ioyned wyth lyghtenesse And of these fruytes than shalt thou know the tree and roote of the harte And thoughe ypocrisy vse much disceate in talkyng yet canne no ypocrite go alwaye so craftely but he shall sometyme stomble and bewray hym selfe But for the more suertye it is good for the ◅ot only to marke his communicacion but also other gestures maners howe the mā nowe behauethe hymselfe howe he hathe done hytherto what name and fame he hath had and yet hath what opinion otherwyse and honest men haue of hym howe he behaueth hymselfe in stondyng and goyng in all the partes of his body what rayment he vseth whether it be vayne whorysh wanton lyghte or mannerly and accordynge to his estate reputacion and power that is to saye honest rayment For rayment doth ofte giue cer tayne and sure testimony of pryde lyghtenesse wantonnesse inconstancy vnshamefastnesse boastyng and of fylthynesse or vnclennesse and other vices or vertues that are in mā So maye much be spyedalso by the company and pastyme that he vseth For a man is for the moost parte condicioned euen lyke vnto them that he kepeth company wythe all We se that among beastes wylde and tame lyke wyll to lyke The education also gyuethe great testimonye namely by whome how euery one is brought vp whether it were among vertuous parsons or euell whether the partie hathe continued in the nurtoure of the vertuous shewed hymselfe obedient or whether he hath broke out of his disciplyne and followed hys owne wylfulnesse For it is but a smale matter for the to haue dwelte among vertuous men but rather herein lyeth the wayght howe farre howe much thou hast folowed thē bene obedient vnto them Iudas was amonge the Apostles brought vp of the Lord Christ but for all that was he neuer the better For he lefte not his wicked pran◅es nether was he obediēt Thorowe the occasion of all these thynges other lyke appartaynyng to the same oughte euery one to discerne the parsonne whome he hathe chosen to take to marriage and to se that she be endewed with the sayd rytches of y ◠mynd and that to his purpose she be ryghte peaceable honest mete and conuenient for hym to lyue w t all in wedlocke as it besemethe and as GOD hath iustituted For lyke as in the mynde there are suche vertues as we haue spoken of so are there in it also noysome wycked vices and destraccions as vngodlynes despysyng of Goddes worde mysbelefe ydolatry Ma◅etrye ignoraunce churlyshnes lyeng falsehood ypocrisy vnryghteousnesse backebytyng mistemperaūce dronkennesse couetousnesse vnchastite vnshamefastnesse mysnurtoure rashnesse furyouse wantonnesse pryde presumpcion vayneglorye ◅hydyng brawlyng and vnhandsomnesse Who so nowe chosethe hym a mate that is tangled w t suche noysome vices seakethe not a spouse for a ryght peaceable and good honest lyfe but a◅ hell a paynfulnes a destrucciō of all expedient◅ vertuous lyuyng Specially there is lytle good to be looked for where as is vngodlynesse and despysyng of Goddes worde For lyke as the feare of God draweth y e who le garland of ◅ertues wyth it so bryngethe vngodlynesse all vice and abhominacion ◅ea and shutteth vp the waye to amendement For who so wyll not heare Gods worde refuseth all good enfourmacion and therfore is there no amendment to be hoped for in hym And where as is no shamefastnes there dare the shamelesse personne do euery thyng that lykethe hym Where lyeng b◅astyng and lyghtnesse is there can no certaynete be had there stondethe all in doubte what so euer is spoken and done Where pryde is there is also rashnes wylfulnes presumpciō contempt disdayne murmuryng and obstinate rebelliō And where as suche be there is nothing but brawlynge chydynge and neuer one g◅od houre Wherfore he that wyll not lacke y e ryght poyntes of marryage and of a cōmodious lyfe let hym haue respe◅te ◅o the ryches of the mynd and chose hym suche a parsonne as is endewed of God wyth such rytches and not with a noysome or frowarde mynde After the rytches of the mynde do the ritches of the bodye followe ne◅te as is a bewtyfull or well fauoured body health a conuenient age c. A bewtiful body is such one as is of right fourme and shape mete and of strength to beare chil dren and to kepe an house euen such a personne as thou canste fynde in thyne herte to loue and to be content wythe all c. Of the bewty of the body where there is els no good qualite besyde sayth Salomon Prouer. xxxi As for fauoure it is deceatfull and transitory and bewtye is a vayne thynge but a woman that feareth god is to be commended And Prouerb xi A fayre woman without discrete maners is lyke a ryng of golde in a swynes snowte Therfore are they all starke fooles that in chosyng them wyues looke only to theyr bewty and regard not the rytches of the mynde Afterwarde doth the same bewty turne them to disquietnes to payne and trouble Health also must be considred in the eleccion lest thou with all that thou hast perysh and lest thy whole house be poysoned and hurte Neuertheles I speake here of sore contagious syckenesses not of such dayly infirmitees and small diseases that all menne are subdued vnto But I spake of madnesse frenesy the fallyng syckenes lamenes leprosy Frenche pockes or suche lyke whiche euery manne should greatly abhorre Notwythstondyng where maryed folkes which now are togyther be visited wyth suche diseases then must suffre the one wyth the other as they that are in one body As for the due and conueni ent age ▪ we spake of it in the syxt Chapter To haue the goodes of temporall substaunce is to be borne of noble parentes or to come of a worshypful stocke to haue rytches great offices gaynes or occupienges and such lyke The hiest nobilite and moost worthy commēdacion is to be noble in vertues in good workes manners and condicions Who so dothe come also of noble parentes is the more to be reputed But to be a gentle borne and to vse hymselfe v◅gently is euen as muche as to shame hymselfe and his There haue ben found many whiche came of a lowe byrth but they garnysshed theyr kynredde so wyth vertues and noble actes that they and theyr stocke attayned to great prosperite Ther are many this daye that come of famous houses noble parentes but they leane to muche to theyr byrthe yea they are wylfull mynded and thynke that because of theyr nobilite they may do what they lyst and that theyr doinges becom methe them well and yet are they so noble that is they so excell in all vyce and abhominacion that they brynge them selues to dishonour and to cōtempt and hatred of all men Let euery man therfore looke