A View of Mans Estate, Scripture passages – Illustration
Certain places of Scripture, touching vngodly matching in Mariage.
1 THe godly, marying with women of a wicked kinred and Religion for worldly conſiderations, are reprehended. Gen. chap. 6. verſe. 1. and .2.
2 Matching with vnbeléeuers maketh the beléeuing partyes vnreadie to follow Gods calling, and wrappeth them in great daunger of Gods vengeance when it is poured on the wicked: as appeareth Gen. chap. 19. verſe. 14. &. 15.
3 Abraham tooke an othe of his ſeruant, to take no wife for Iſaac from amongſt the Idolatrous Cananites. Gen chap. 14. verſe .3. and .4.
4 Iſaac charged his ſonne Iacob, not to marrie a Cananite. Gen. 28. ver. 1 &. 2.
5 Eſau treſpaſſed in marying wyth vnbeléeuing women. Gen. chap. 27. verſe. 46. Alſo Gen. 28. verſe. 6. and .9.
6 Not onelyonly maryages with Infidels, but alſo all other compactes with them are forbidden: neyther may they dwell in our lande, or any ydolatrous thing be brought into our houſes. Exod. chap. 34. verſe. 12.15. and. 16. Alſo Exod. 23. verſe. 32. and .33. Alſo Deut. chap. 7. verſe. 2.3.4.25. and. 26. The reaſon of this lawe and commaundement is of continuall force, and ſerueth generally for all the children of God, which is: That the beléeuers bée not ſnared by the allurements of Infidels, and drawne to Idolatrie.
7 By the falſe Prophet Balaams counſell the idolatrous women of Moab ioyned themſelues to the Iſraelites, and ſo ledde them to Idolatrie, as appeareth Numbers chap. 31. verſe. 16. Thoſe women therefore by Moyſes commaundement were put to the ſword: in the ſame chap. verſe. 17.
8 The matche of Duke Zimrie an Iſraelite, with Princeſſe Cozbie a Moabite, with Phincas commendation for ſteaing them both. Numbers chap. 25.
9 The children of Iſraell did wickedly in marrying with the Canaanites, Iudges. chap. 3. verſe. 6.
10 Sampſon reproued by his parentes (who conſidered the generall lawe of God to the contrarie) for ſéeking a wife amongſt the Philiſtines. Iud. 14. verſe. 3. The inconuenience that inſued of hir betraying his ſecrecie of his riddle to the Philiſtines, in the ſame chap. verſe 17. The yll ſucceſſe of that mariage, in the ſame chap. verſe. 20.
11 Salomon, the wiſeſt man that euer was, fell away from God to idolatrie by meanes of his outlandiſhe idolatrous wyues, as appeareth firſt of the Kings, chapter. 11.
12 Iehoram king of Iuda, ſonne of godly Iehoſaphat, was a wicked King: the reaſon alſo added: For the daughter of wicked and idolatrous King Achab was his wife. 2. Reg. 8. verſe. 18.
13 Ahaziah king of Iuda, ſonne of Iehoram, a wicked King: the reaſon alſo added: For he was the ſonne in lawe of the houſe of Achab. His mother alſo was Athaliah the daughter of Omrie King of Iſraell, who was Achabs father. 2. Reg. 8. verſe. 26.
14 Achab king of Iſraell maryed Ieſabel the king of the Zidonians daughter, in the firſt of the Kings. Chap. 16. verſe. 31. He ſolde himſelfe to ſinne. 1. Reg. 20.
15 Eſdras reproued the Iſraelites for marying with infidels, as appeareth, Chapter. 9. verſe. 1. and 2. Princes and great perſonages eſpecially there blamed for this fault.
16 Thoſe vngodly mariages were diſſolued by Eſdras. cap. 10. verſ. 10.9. &. 44.
17 The ceremonies alſo commaunded, in that ſpeciall permiſſion to the Iſraelites of marying an vnbeléeuing woman taken in battell, declare and argue, that it is not lawfull for any of the faythfull to match with an vnbeléeuer, before the vnbeléeuer hauehave renounced whatſoeuer may be a hinderance to godlineſſe & true religion. Read Deut. chap. 21. verſ. 12. &. 13.
18 If the huſbande die, the woman is no otherwiſe at libertie to marrie but in the Lorde. 1. Cor. 7. verſe. 39.
19 We are forbidden to be vnequallye yoked with infidels. 2. Cor. 6. verſe. 14.
20 Paule ſhewing that he might lawfully charge the congregation, to whiche he preached, with a wyfe, reſtrayneth this his libertie both of marying and alſo burthening thoſe whome he taught, with this condition: That the wyfe be a ſiſter, that is, a beléeuing woman. 1. Cor. 9. verſe. 5.
21 In wyues it is required that they feare their huſbandes, that they ſubmit themſelues vntounto them as is comely in the Lorde. Epheſ. 5. verſe. 33. and Coloſ. 3. verſe. 18. But no hope of this duetifull feare & ſubmiſſion in an vnbeléeuing woman. For it is commonly ſéene that the vnbeléeuing wife ouerruleth the beléeuing huſbande, and cauſeth him eyther to make a plaine ſhipwracke of fayth, or ſo cooleth his godly zeale, that he may hardly be diſcerned from an infidell.
22 Parents are commaunded to bring vp their children in inſtruction and information of the Lord. Epheſ. 6. verſe. 4. and. 1. Tim. 3. verſe. 12. But when the huſbande and wife be of contrarie religion, this worke of education can in no wiſe be well ordered.
23 Peter commaundeth wyues to bée ſuch maner of women as hauehave hearts vncorrupted. Epiſtle. 3. verſe. 4. By whoſe pure conuerſation the vnbeléeuers maye be wonne. In the ſame Chapter. verſe. 1. and. 2. They muſte be faythfull in all things. 1. Tim. 3. verſe. 11.
24 As vnitie and like affection in all proſperitie and aduerſitie is requyred in all Chriſtians: So eſpecially it is requiſite in the godly huſband and godly wyfe, who ought to dwell togither as fellowe heyres of the grace of life, that theyr prayers he not interrupted. 1. Pet. 3. verſe. 7. and. 8. But when a beléeuer is matched with an vnbeléeuer, no hope of this communion and like affection in prayer to God.
FINIS.
OMNIA TEMPVS HABENT.
End of the text · Andrew Kingsmill, A View of Mans Estate (1574)