Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 10 · Section 6
VVhether marriages be lawfull betweene perſons of diuers religions.
In 1. Kings at the beginning.34 There be which defend this kind of marriages, and affirme, that they be lawfull. For although God, in the 23. of Exodus, verſe. 32.in the ſeuenth of Deuteronomie, verſe. 3.and in manie other places forbad the contracting of them, that (ſaie they) muſt be vnderſtood onelie concerning the ſeuen nations, which were inhabitants of the land of Chanaan. Neither thinke they, that God did forbid, but that the Hebrues might marrie with other nations. They adde alſo, that as touching the Chanaanits, that lawe might ſomtime be diſpenſed with: for Rahab the Chanaanite, bicauſe ſhe was godlie and fauoured the Iſraelits, Matt. 1, 5.became the wife of Salmon, who not onelie was an Hebrue, but a prince of the tribe of Iuda. I omit Iuda, Gen. 38, 2.that went in to a wife of the Chanaanits, bicauſe he was otherwiſe vncleane: ſo then it is not lawfull to ground an argument vponupon his example. More probable is that, which is written in the 21. chapter of Deuteronomie; verſe. 11.where GOD gaue leaue vntounto the Iſraelits (if themſelues would) to marrie the ſtrange women, which were captiues among them. But firſt he would, that the head of hir that ſhould be married, ſhould be ſhauen, hir nailes not pared, hir garment changed, and that ſhe ſhould moorne for hir parents by the ſpace of thirtie daies. Herby they gather, that ſuch marriages were not by all meanes forbidden.
Yea and Boaz married Ruth a Moabite: and Dauid tooke Maacha the daughter of Thalma the king of Geſſur. Ruth. 4, 13. 2. Sam. 3, 3.Salomon alſo had the daughter of Pharao. Neither for this cauſe was he reprooued of anie: naie rather, he ſéemeth to be commended, bicauſe he loued Iehouah. 1. King. 3, 1. and 3.I paſſe ouer Samſon, of whoſe matrimonie with a ſtranger it is euidentlie written in the booke of Iudges. Iudg. 14, 1.Moreouer, there is a place brought out of Paule, in the firſt to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 7, 12.wherein is decréed; that It is lawfull for the beléeuer to abide with a wife that is an vnbeléeuer. Hereby they gather, that the diuerſitie of religion maketh not, but that marriages may be firme. Yea and Auguſtine De adulterinis cōiugijs ad Pollentium, in the 23. chapter: and alſo De fide & operibus, the 19. chapter, affirmeth, that there is no euident place extant in the new teſtament, that ſuch kind of marriages ſhould not be contracted. Neuertheleſſe, Ierom in his firſt booke againſt Iouinian, ſharpelie inueiheth againſt this kind of matrimonie; and dooth openlie witneſſe and complaine, that ſuch marriages in his time were not eſchewed. Alſo the ſame Auguſtine, in the place now alledged De fide & operibus, is ſorie, that men did not thinke it to be ſin, to contract marriage with them that be of a ſundrie religion. But there is a doubt put as touching Salomon; bicauſe he ſéemeth not to be altogither cléere of ſinne, by reaſon of theſe marriages: ſith in the 23. chapter of Deuteronomie, verſe. 3, & 8.there is mention made, that ſome nations were altogither to be excluded from the conuerſation of the Iſraelites. For the Ammonites, and the Moabits were perpetuallie to be excluded from the church of the Iewes: but the Idumeans and Aegyptians onelie vntounto the third generation. And yet did Salomon immediatelie, in the firſt generation, admit an Aegyptian woman into the church of the Hebrues.
Looke In 1. King. 11, 1. and Gen. 24 at the end.35 Now on the contrarie part, let vsus bring foorth the reaſons, which condemne and forbid this kind of matrimonie. And it is prooued not to be lawfull, vnles that partie, which was of the condemned religion, ſhall depart from the ſame. For, when as God ſo oftentimes forbad theſe kind of matrimonies, he added the cauſe: verſe. 4.leſt the vnbeléeuing partie ſhuld allure the faithfull partie vntounto idolatrie. Bicauſe, if the vnbeléeuing partie abide in his or hir religion, the other partie dooth put foorth it ſelfe into great hazard: which the heauenlie father would hauehave vtterlie to be turned awaie from his children. Wherefore, if the beléeuer thinke that he ſhall abide ſtedfaſt in this kind of wedlocke, he vndoubtedlie ſéemeth to tempt God. Further, we learne by the example of Salomon (who at length made idols and churches for his outlandiſh wiues) what ſucceſſe ſuch matrimonies had. 1. King. 11, 4And Ioſaphat on this behalfe ſinned gréeuouſlie. 2. Chr. 18, 1. and 21, 6.Achab alſo, though he were an euill prince, yet became he much woorſe by reaſon of Iezabel. 1 King. 16, verſe. 31.Moreouer, what happened vntounto the Iſraelites, when they ſhamefully kept companie with the daughters of Moab; in the booke of Numbers it is manifeſt. Num. 25, 1.Iacob and Rebecca tooke it in verie ill part, that Eſau married ſtrange wiues. Gen. 27, 46.And Eſdras, Eſdr. 10, 10.after his returne out of Babylon, when he perceiued that the Iſraelites had coupled themſelues with the Moabites, and with forreiners of a diuerſe religion, he vndid thoſe matrimonies: the which if they had béene ſtable by the lawe of God, it had not béene lawfull to hauehave ſeuered thoſe perſons.
Againe, Paule in the ſecond epiſtle to the Corinthians, the ſixt chapter, verſe. 14.when he writeth (Doo not ye beare the yoke with the vnbeleeuers) it may ſéeme, that he forbad this: and it is thought that he alluded it vntounto the lawe of Moſes, Deut. 22, 1…which forbad that they ſhould not till the ground with an oxe and an aſſe togither. For when a yoke is put vponupon beaſts, which be of diuers natures or forms, the worke goeth not well forward. Herewithall the apoſtle added; For what fellowſhip hath vnrighteouſneſſe with righteouſneſſe, or what partaking hath light with darknes? Some man will ſaie, that this place ſéemeth not to be extended vntounto matrimonie; ſéeing Paule dooth there reprooue the Corinthians, bicauſe they perſuaded themſelues, that it was lawfull to kéepe companie with the Ethniks in outward things without committing of ſinne. Therefore Paule would, that ſo much as is poſſible, they ſhould ſeuer themſelues from them: and he brought foorth a ſentence, which is vniuerſall, and not particular touching matrimonies. But if the ſentence were generall, and that he pronounced the ſame of other affaires; how much rather ſhall it be of force in the contracting of marriages togither with them? Eraſmus.Eraſmus alſo in his annotations ſaith, that the ſame apoſtle dooeth not onelie forbid outward dealings togither, but marriage alſo. And vndoubtedlie reaſon perſuadeth the ſame: bicauſe the propertie of marriage is to be a participation of heauenlie and humane things. For if this be attributed vntounto fréendſhip, much more it ſhall be proper vntounto matrimonie, ſéeing the ſame is a fréendſhip moſt néerelie knit.
36 Cyprian.Cyprian, who is brought foorth by Auguſtine in the places now cited, in his epiſtle De lapſis, dooth lament, that the church in thoſe daies was troubled with that deteſtable vice; euen in like maner as it was about the time of Auguſtine, and Ierom; They proſtitute (ſaith he) the members of God vntounto the Gentils. Ierom.And Ierom, in his firſt booke againſt Iouinian writeth, that the Chriſtian parents doo proſtitute their members vntounto the idols. And he further ſaith, that Chriſtian women, which are ſo married, become the ribs of the diuell. Ambroſe.Yea and Ambroſe in his 70. epiſtle to Vigilius, writeth verie largelie of this mater; where, beſides the decrées of the old lawe, he bringeth two other arguments. Firſt, that man and wife ought to receiue bleſſing vnderunder the veile of the prieſt. A rite of ſolemnizing matrimonieBut and if they ſhalbe of ſundrie religions, how ſhall they be couered in the church of Chriſt vnderunder one veile? By thoſe words we vnderſtand, that it was then the maner to hauehave matrimonies ſolemnized in temples; and that the huſband and wife were couered both with one veile by the miniſter: to the intent that they, which ſtood by, might ſée they were ioined then togither. Which cuſtome is verie much againſt ſecret matrimonie.
Poſſidonius, vponupon the life of Auguſtine, writeth, that he did verie well like the counſell of Ambroſe, who iudged; that If man and wife did conſent togither in matrimonie, the miniſter of the church ſhould be ſent for, by whom the couenants of marriage ſhould be eſtabliſhed, and the matrimonie ſhould be confirmed. And what the veile was, wherewith the new married folke ſhould be couered, I hauehave nothing elſe to affirme, but that (as I thinke) it was an outward ſigne receiued from the Iewes, who alſo at this daie reteine the ſame. Ruth. 3, 9. What Ruth ment in deſiring to be couered with Boaz cloke.And perhaps Ruth had a reſpect therevnto, when ſhe deſired of Boaz that he would couer hir with his cloke; to wit, that he would acknowledge hir for his lawfull wife. An other argument of Ambroſe was, that man and wife ought otherwhile to praie togither. And peraduenture he meaneth thoſe kind of praiers, which publikelie are vttered ſometime in churches. But if man and wife doo not cleaue both vntounto one God, how can they both praie togither? Naie rather, it will eaſilie happen, that when the one of them hath determined to praie, the other will be minded to feaſt & make chéere. The ſame father, in his booke of the Patriarch Abraham, the ninth chapter, warneth the faithfull, that they ſhould diligentlie beware, leaſt they beſtowe their daughters vponupon Iewes and infidels; or to take wiues among them. And his words are alledged in the decrées, 28. cauſe, queſtion 1. in the chapter Non oportet.
And in the ſame queſtion, Paraph Exijs, Ambroſe is cited, who ſaieth; It is no marriage, which is doone without the decrée of GOD, and therefore muſt be amended, Gratian interpreteth thoſe words, and ſaith, that It is not decréed, that there is no matrimonie at all among the infidels; but that the marriage betwéene them is not lawfull, ſéeing it is contracted contrarie to the commandement of God: that is, betwéen ſuch perſons, as God would not hauehave to be coupled togither; namelie, them which be of kindred one to another, within certeine degrées prohibited in the lawe; or elſe, when the one partie ſhall be an infidell. Further Ambroſe commendeth the old Patriarchs, which ſought out wiues of their owne ſtocke. Tertullian alſo, in his booke De corona militis, ſaith; We marrie not vntounto Ethniks, leaſt they ſhould compell their wiues to idolatrie, whereat they beginne their marriages. And while he indeuoureth to prooue, that God hath forbidden thoſe marriages, he bringeth the place of Paule in the firſt to the Corinthians, wherein he ſaith; 1. Cor. 7, 39.If ſhe will marrie, let hir marrie in the Lord. Which ſaieng neuertheleſſe of his, ſome doo vnderſtand to be ſpoken generallie: as if the apoſtle had ſaid; Let hir marrie religiouſlie, obſeruing godlineſſe, in the feare of the Lord: as though by theſe few words he forbad not this kind of matrimonie. And it might be, that Auguſtine was of the ſame mind. But I thinke, that the ſpéech of the apoſtle, being pronounced generallie, is ſo to be vnderſtood, as thereby marriages alſo with infidels be forbidden. For how can it be, that a faithfull perſon ſhould be coupled religiouſlie, and in the feare of the Lord, with the enimies of Chriſt? And certeinlie Tertullian, Ierom, and Ambroſe, vnderſtood that place after this ſort.
Moreouer, Tertullian himſelfe wrote vntounto his wife, that ſuch marriages cannot be allowed by anie of the holie ſcriptures. And he added, that therein were manie dangers, and alſo wounds of faith: dangers, leſt the faithfull ſhuld fall into idolatrie; & wounds of faith, bicauſe, in ſo much as otherwiſe we be weake, we hauehave the more néed to be ſupported. But the other partie, being an infidell, will not helpe: and the faithfull partie ſhall be compelled manie times to heare that will diſpleaſe him. Morouer, he ſpeaketh more boldlie and fréelie, ſaieng; that ſuch marriages make men guiltie of adulterie, and that we muſt not communicate with them in brotherlie fellowſhip. Wherefore it eaſilie appeareth, that they, which ſo had contracted matrimonie in thoſe daies, were excommunicated. And whie they were guiltie of adulterie, he declareth on this wiſe: God by his lawe forbad ſuch matrimonies; Therefore an infidell, which is giuen in matrimonie, is not fit for that marriage. Then, ſéeing they be no marriages, there ſhall be whooredome committed. A ſtrange perſon is brought in, by whom the temple of God is defiled. Moreouer, this ſinne is therefore made the more gréeuous, bicauſe it is not hard for chriſtians to find out other matches.
Moreouer, he addeth, that if it be true, that Menander & the apoſtle declared; 1. Co. 15, 33.that Naughtie talke corrupteth good maners: how much more will ſo vnméet matches make them naught? Vndoubtedlie, he that is a ſtranger from Chriſt, will ſpeake no good of him. Beſides this, the woorſt of all is, to hauehave the ſeruant of the diuell ſo néere at hand. Verelie, the ſeruants of princes, which would be counted faithfull, can by no meanes abide to hauehave fellowſhip with their enimies, or with their enimies ſeruants. And it cannot be denied, but that they, which ioined themſelues to ſuch wiues, paſſed not to be among the enimies of Chriſt. Further, it is to be conſidered, that in thoſe daies, the aſſemblies of the godlie were had in the night ſeaſon. And therefore, how could that huſband, which was an infidell, ſuffer his wife to be abſent in the night? Againe, it is euident enough, that GOD is the maker of godlie marriages: but ſuch [as thoſe other be] are procured of naughtineſſe, that is, by the diuell. Beſides, Tertullian bringeth an example taken from things ciuill. For the lawe was verie ancient; that If anie woman kept vnlawfull companie with a bond-man, and being warned did not amend, ſhe ſhould at the length be made the handmaid of the maiſter of that bond-man, which ſhée ſhamefullie loued. The Roman lawes.Neither did the Romane lawes ſuffer, that ſeruants ſhuld marrie without the conſent of their lords. What account then ſhall we make of Chriſt, which is the true Lord of vsus all?
Moreouer, if we come vntounto ſtrange women, we ſhall at length fall into the hands of their maiſter, which is the diuell. Indéed the reaſons, which this writer maketh, be verie ſtrong: the which neuertheleſſe perſuaded not the women of that time, eſpeciallie the richer ſort, bicauſe they were not willing to ioine themſelues in matrimonie to poore chriſtian men; but contrariwiſe, they ſought after large houſes, which might receiue their ſubſtance. Afterward he added a notable ſentence, and ſaith; that Faithfull men muſt deſire marriages of the church, that there may be one deſire, one faith, hope, and diſcipline betwéene man and wife. The which when Chriſt ſéeth, he will reioiſe, and will ſend his peace among them. And contrariewiſe, without this, they ſhall neuer liue peaceablie. At the laſt, he concludeth with his owne iudgement, affirming, that ſuch marriages are not lawfull. And he addeth; that Although they were lawfull, yet that they be not expedient. Certeinlie in other matters and proprieties, that ſentence is verie greatlie regarded; Take thou thine equall. How much rather in matrimonie ought there to be a conſent, as touching religion?
The decrees of Councels touching marriage.37 There might be other of the fathers alſo brought; but paſſing ouer them, I affirme, that the Councels hauehave iudged the verie ſame thing. The Councell Agathenſe.For the Councell Agathenſe, not onelie forbiddeth marriages with infidels, but alſo inditeth them with heretiks. The Councell of Vrbin.Alſo the Councell of Vrbin, as it is brought in the 28. cauſe, queſtion the firſt, in the chapter Si Iudaicae, &c. hath ordeined the verie ſame. Laodicea.In like maner hath the Councell of Laodicea, Canon the 10. and 21. But I maruell that many of the Canoniſts dare write, that the Pope can diſpenſe with this lawe: bicauſe it is (as they terme it) poſitiue, that is, euill. Certeinlie they be deceiued: Whether the Pope can diſpenſe with this lawe.for (as it is prooued) this is a diuine inſtitution, neither is it lawfull for men to diſpenſe with it, bicauſe God himſelfe commanded it. Yet muſt we adde, that with Ethniks matrimonies are lawfull, ſo that they be conuerted vntounto Chriſt, and to the worſhip of the true God. So I thinke, Num. 12, 1.that Moſes married his Aethiopian wife, Gen. 29.and Iacob the daughter of Laban. But bicauſe there is mention made of matrimonie with heretiks, what ſhall we ſaie is to be doone at this daie, when as Papiſts are ſometime ioined to the profeſſors of the Goſpell, and profeſſors of the Goſpell contract themſelues with Papiſts? Hoſtienſis ſaid, Hoſtienſis.that this ought not to be doone; but yet, that if ſuch be ioined togither in matrimonie, they be man and wife, and the marriages of force.
Yea and Thomas, Thomas.in the fourth booke of the ſentences, ſéemeth not to miſlike this opinion. But theſe fellowes doo ſoone vtter what they thinke: yet they prooue not that, which they ſpeake. While they thus affirme, they caſt themſelues into a verie great abſurditie. For if that partie, which is an heretike, prouoke to hereſie the faithfull and ſincere partie: if the faithfull will not aſſent, nor yet dwell with the other partie; or if he will dwell togither, he dooth it not without perpetuall contumelie to Chriſt, what ſhall be doone? They anſwer; A diuorſe deuiſed by the Papiſts.If the matter come to that point, let them be ſeparated; howbeit, from the bed, but not from the bond of matrimonie. And ſo they imagine a kind of diuorſement, vtterlie vnknowne vntounto the holie ſcriptures. Wherefore I leane to the contrarie part, and am led by theſe reaſons. In the hiſtorie of Kings, 1. Kin. 22, 2. 2. Par. 18, 3.and in the latter booke of Paralipomenon, the 18. chapter, Iehoſaphat (otherwiſe a moſt commendable prince) is accuſed by the word of God; bicauſe he entered into affinitie with Achab, an idolatrous king. For he coupled Athalia the daughter of Achab vntounto his ſonne [Ioram:] wherevpon he was afterward ſharpelie reprooued by Iehu the ſonne of Ananie, as it appéereth there in the 19. chapter.verſe. 2.
38 Let vsus conſider moreouer, how great miſchéefe followed thereof. 2. King. 8, 16Ioram the ſonne of a The example of Ioſaphat.good father (namelie of Ioſaphat) caſting aſide the worſhipping of the true God, did imitate the kings of Iſrael: Athalia his wife vrging him therevnto. Now let vsus compare togither the Iſraelits and the Iewes, betwéene whom there is the ſame conſideration to be had, that is betwéene the heretiks and the Chriſtians. For the Iſraelits did profeſſe the lawe of Moſes, they had circumciſion: neither were they by all meanes ſtrange from the faith of the Iewes, and yet notwithſtanding was the amitie, which the kings of Iuda had with them, reprooued; 2. Kin. 20, 36and by the will of God their ſhips were broken, while they ioined togither in fréendſhip. What ſhall we then ſaie concerning heretiks? In the third to Titus it is written; Titus. 3, 10.Shun thou an heretike, after the firſt and ſecond admonition. Dooſt thou giuegive eare vntounto the apoſtle, if thou marrie ſuch a one? Such were the Iſraelits in times paſt, being compared with the Iewes; ſuch are the Papiſts and Anabaptiſts; if thou compare them with the profeſſors of the Goſpell. Adde héerevnto, that in Iohn the fourth chapter, verſe. 9.it is written, that the Samaritans had no conuerſation with the Iewes.
Theſe reaſons doo verie much mooue me: howbeit, I would that the matter ſhould be ſo mitigated, as we might not be more carefull than reaſon would, about the eaſier ſort of controuerſies and diſagréements. But let vsus chéefelie examine, whether the parties, which are to be ioined in matrimonie, doo agrée togither in the chéefeſt points of religion; namelie, Whether they beléeue in one verie God, as touching the eſſence, and thrée perſons togither in one ſubſtance; Whether they beléeue, that for our ſinnes we hauehave néed of Chriſt to be an onlie mediatour; in whom be two perfect natures, diuine and humane, the properties of them being preſerued; Whether they beléeue that we be iuſtified by faith without works; That there ſhalbe as well a reſurrection, as a generall iudgement: and other things of like ſort? Which I adde héerin, bicauſe it were an infinite thing to deſcend vntounto more particularities. But admit, that when the marriage is made; the huſband and the wife doo agrée in religion; what muſt afterward be doone, if the one of them ſhall fall into hereſie? The Papiſts anſwer: They muſt be ſeparated from the bed, as we ſaid before, but not from the bond of matrimonie.
Two popes of contrarie opinion.But Coeleſtinus iudged, that thoſe matrimonies ſhould vtterlie be vndoone, and a licence of new marriage granted them. Innocentius, which followed after, aboliſhed this decrée: ſaieng; It may be, that they, coueting to be at libertie from the marriage which they miſlike, would accuſe their wiues as heretikes, or would faine themſelues to be heretikes: as appéereth in the Extrauagants De diuortijs, in the chapter Quando te, &c. But I acknowledge no diuorſe, but that which is frée, wherein libertie to marrie againe may be at the leaſt wiſe granted to the partie offended. Neither doo the holie ſcriptures ſhew of anie other kind of diuorſe. Howbeit I would anſwer Innocentius, that the one married partie muſt not be beléeued, that accuſeth the other of hereſie, vnleſſe the mater be prooued by iuſt and lawfull examination. Moreouer, Puniſhments muſt be laid vponupon heretiks.I thinke it beſt, that ſuch puniſhments be laid vponupon heretiks, as none may lightlie be led to profeſſe hereſie. Wherfore we muſt determine, that the ſureſt waie is, to take héed of ſuch marriages at the beginning. And if it happen afterward, that there ariſe anie hereſie of great importance among them, which is tried out by lawfull examination, let there be waies and meanes attempted, wherby the infected partie may repent. Which if it take no place, A free diuorſe betweene an heretike and true profeſſor.and that the infected partie will not dwell with the faithfull: or elſe is not readie to doo this, without committing blaſphemies and contumelies againſt Chriſt: they muſt be ſeparated with a frée diuorſe. Now remaineth, that we anſwer to the arguments, which ſéemed to make againſt our opinion.
39 Firſt it was ſaid; that God ment ſuch matrimonies [of vnlike religion] onelie as touching the ſeuen nations of the land of Chanaan. Deut. 7, 3.I anſwer, that the cauſe, An anſwer.which is afterward added, is generall; namelie: leaſt men ſhould turne from the true GOD, and from the right worſhipping of him. But héere we will demand, that if turning vntounto the true God had happened among them; whether it were lawfull for the Hebrues to contract with thoſe nations? I thinke it had not béene lawfull, without ſome ſpeciall diſpenſation of God; bicauſe God had wholie caſt out thoſe nations. And as for that, which was brought touching matrimonie licenced with a captiue woman, Deut. 21, 11I firſt ſaie, that if a man will more narrowlie behold that lawe, he ſhall eaſilie perceiue, that ſuch matrimonie was not allowed by God: the which neuertheleſſe he granted to the Hebrues, by reaſon of their incredible follie. Which I héereby gather, bicauſe he willed, that the head of a ſtrange captiue woman ſhould be ſhauen: that if perhaps ſhe pleaſed an Hebrue, by reaſon of hir beautifull haire, now being ſhauen, he might beginne to miſlike of hir. He alſo ordeined that hir garments ſhuld be changed; bicauſe euen thoſe (as often it commeth to paſſe) might procure that louelove. He alſo commanded that they ſhould let their nailes growe, to make them the more deformed. And he willed, that there ſhould be a moorning for thirtie daies; that if ſhe were loued before for hir mirth and amiableneſſe, now ſhe ſhould leſſe pleaſe for hir moorning and vnhandſomneſſe. With theſe conditions GOD indeuoured to make a medicine for raging louelove. Ouer this, there is added a great burthen, that if ſhe began to be miſliked, he ought not to hauehave hir for a bondſlaue, or elſe ſell hir to another: but he was commanded after a diuorſe was made to let hir go frée. Thoſe conditions being obſerued, at the laſt he condeſcended, that ſhe ſhould be a wife: which muſt be vnderſtood (although it be not expreſſed) that ſhe ſhould be firſt well inſtructed in religion, and ſhould be conuerted vntounto the true GOD.
But touching thoſe examples brought of them, Matth. 1, 5. Ruth. 4, 15. 2. Sam. 3, 3. 1. Kings. 3. 1which in old time married ſuch women; I confeſſe, that ſome ſuch were married, who neuertheleſſe did firſt admit the true and ſound religion. But I iudge, that Salomon had perhaps doone better, if he had refreined from the daughter of the Aegyptian; bicauſe I doo not thinke that Pharao was much better than Achab, with whom the matrimonie being made was reprooued by God. How it is ment that Salomon loued Iehoua.And whereas it is written in the hiſtorie, that Salomon loued Iehoua; that I doo vnderſtand was ment by the louelove, which he had at the firſt, before he was yet corrupted. For afterward, when he was growne to old age, his hart, through ſtrange women, was alienated from God. And as concerning Auguſtine, which ſaid, that in the new teſtament there is no expreſſe commandement extant, whereby ſuch kind of marriages are forbidden; Tertullian and other fathers are put for an anſwer to Auguſtine.I ſet againſt him Tertullian, Ierom, and other fathers, who refer to this place the words of Paule to the Corinthians, the ſecond epiſtle, and ſixt chapter, which I alledged before. And that which he wrote in the former epiſtle (Let him marrie in the Lord) they refer vntounto this place, verſe. 14.and ſhew, that they were ſpoken againſt this kind of matrimonie. And where it is alledged, that manie in old time did not abſteine from the marriages, neither did thinke that they ſinned thereby: that hauehave not we to doo with. For while Paule liued, there were manie, which had recourſe to idolatrie, and thought not that they did ill therein; euen as manie thought that whooredome was not to be reckoned a fault: which neuertheleſſe, the apoſtle dooth earneſtlie reprooue, and ſheweth it to be ſinne.
And that, which to the Corinthians is decréed by the ſame apoſtle, 1. Cor. 7, 12.that The beleeuing husband may dwell with the vnbeleeuing wife, if he will, and be contented therewith: we anſwer, that we in this place doo reaſon of marriages to be made, and not of ſuch as be alreadie made. So as the apoſtle ſaith there; He or ſhe that hath an vnbeléeuing ſpouſe. Whereby it appéereth, that he ſpeaketh of matrimonie that was contracted before. But touching Salomon, whether he brake the lawe, which is in Deuteronomie, Deut. 23, 3. and 8.of the not bringing in of nations into the church of the Iewes, either neuer, or elſe till manie generations were paſt: I ſaie, that that lawe muſt be more diligentlie weighed, and more narrowlie ſcand, what is, To enter into the church. What was to enter into the church of the Iewes.For (as I thinke) we muſt not beléeue, that a man being a proſelyte, and conuerted vntounto the true God, and circumciſed, ſhould wait ſo long after he were iuſtified, to be admitted vntounto offering of ſacrifices and common praiers. Wherefore it is verie likelie, that in the lawe was ment their infranchiſing into the citie, whereby they might be in poſſibilitie to execute offices, and to be in the ſtate of marrieng wiues of the tribes of Iſrael. And ſo, as concerning this, Salomon ſhuld not be accuſed for breaking the lawe, ſéeing the ſame prouideth it for men and not for women. I thinke therefore, that matrimonies of this kind are not to be made, bicauſe they be rather ſnars than marriages.