A Care Cloth, Treatise · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Containing the ſecond doctrine.
Doct. 2 BVt Igoe forward, to note what the Apoſtle principally teacheth, and that is plaine enough in expreſſe words. Marriage is a lawfull ordinance for all ſorts: no vnmarried man ſhall ſinne by marrying; no maide ſhall ſin in taking a husband. Any batchelour may make himſelfe a husband; any virgin may make her ſelfe a wife: and for the act it ſelfe, no ſinne ſhall be imputed vntounto them, though for the manner of doing, and ſuch common circumſtances, as cloath all actions, they may behaue themſelues ſinfully. Offend not in the manner and circumſtances, and in the thing it ſelf thou ſhalt not offend, if thou contract matrimony, whoſoeuer thou be. Paul is alwaies of the ſame minde, and therefore ſaith agreeably in another place;Heb. 13.4. Marriage is (not alone lawfull, but which is more) honourable among all men. It is not alone ſuch a thing as may be done without ſinne, but without any the leaſt diſparagement; nay, of the two, being well performed, it rather winneth more reſpect then otherwiſe.1. Tim. 4.1, 2. For this cauſe Paul doth elſewhere condemne the forbidding of marriage, as a doctrine of Deuils. Neuer any heretikes did forbid marriage vniuerſally to all men; he muſt needs therefore point at them, who forbid it to ſome ſort of men. And if the condemning of marriage be from the Deuill, the allowing of it is from God, and ſo hauehave all ſorts of men vniuerſally a full allowance from God to take the benefit of this eſtate.
Reaſ. 1 Reaſon is manifeſt in this point: Firſt, is it not an ordinance of God, inſtituted for ſuch purpoſes, as doe generally concerne all men? The Author of Nature hath appointed this vnion betwixt one man, and one woman (as for the comfort of themſelues, and increaſe of mankind, ſo) for the preuenting of inordinate deſires, and vnlawfull mixtures. And ſeeing there is no ſort of men which can be aſſured (otherwiſe then by this helpe) to be freed from thoſe deſires, more then their neighbours; it muſt needs follow, that God would hauehave it common to all ſorts, and equally lawfull for all. Adam in his beſt eſtate (when he ſtood as a common father to all mankind) did marrie, and by Gods owne appointment did marrie; and therefore it muſt needs be lawfull for any of this poſterity to marrie.
Furthermore, this is a moſt neceſſarie ordinance, of exceeding great vſe in the world: It is the ſeminarie of mankind, and the nurcerie of the Church. Take it away, and the world muſt needs either come to an end within one age, or elſe bee repleniſhed with baſtards. From this fountaine flow all the cleare ſtreames of legitimate children, of whom alone, all good and worthie hopes may be intertained: from this roote, ſpring forth all the ſtraite and fruitfull branches, of an honeſt and vnblemiſhed poſteritie. Debarre marriage, and you bring the being of the World to a full point, yea, to a finall concluſion. Debarre marriage, and you ſhall hauehave no families kept, no names maintained amongſt men, but either this great habitation, the world, muſt fall, for want of lawfull heyres, to beaſts and birds alone to poſſeſſe it, or elſe, which is worſe, be intruded vponupon by baſe and miſ-begotten men. Wee muſt hauehave to World, or but a beaſtly and confuſed world, if marriage were not; therefore it muſt needs be lawfull. And let it be taken away from any ſort of men, and that ſort of men will grow, by little and little, full of filthineſſe and vncleanneſſe, and all viciouſneſſe; by being forced to forbeare beyond ſtrength, they are driuen to yeeld to corruption beyond meaſure; and in affecting an inattaineable puritie, they fall into a moſt extreme impuritie. Salomon ſaith, that to eate too much honey, is not good: for why, it will breed the bittereſt choller; and to affect too much cleaneneſſe, will breed the fouleſt vncleanneſſe: for when men cannot marrie, be they are forcibly hindred, nor cannot containe, becauſe they are forcibly tempted, they muſt needs burne at leaſt, if not flame forth into all execrable villanies. This therefore muſt be held for certaine. No man or woman, in any kind or condition of life, may bee blamed as ſinners, becauſe they hauehave ceaſed to liue ſingly.