Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 137
On Fryday the last of Ianuarie, 1556. The Cxxxvij. Sermon, which is the second vponupon the foure and twentith Chapter.
1.2.3.4 When a man taketh a wife, &c.
5 When a man taketh a newe wife, he shall not goe to warre, neither shall hee be charged with any busines, but shalbe free at home one yeere, and reioyce with his wife which he hath taken.
6 No man shall take the neather nor the vpper milstone for a pledge: for this gage is his liuing.
I HaueHave declared already at large, how men ought to liue in agreement with their wiues, and how the bonde of mariage is such as cannot bee broken. It remayneth nowe, that we come to the exception which our Lord Iesus Christ maketh; to wit,Matt. 19.9. that for the cause of adulterie, it shall bee lawfull for a man to put away his wife. The reason is, for that the man on his parte breaketh not the faith which he plighted, but the wife hauing played the harlot doth asmuch as in her is, vndoe the marriage altogether, and so defileth it▪ as there remayneth no longer any holynesse in it. For on what other condition is the husband ioyned vntounto the wife, but that they should liue chastly one with another? But the partie which committeth adulterie, breaketh this condition, and therefore the bond of mariage is then vntyed. So then if a man knowing his wife to be a whore, and hauing likewise prooued her such a one, for sake her: he violateth not the institution of God, neither transgresseth he this law▪ They shall be two in one flesh:Matt. 19.5 but he is quitte, and set freee, because the wife hath swarued aside from the order of God and of nature. Let vsus therefore note well, that when our Lorde Iesus Christ aloweth the diuorcement which is made for the cause of adultery, it is not to graunt a man leaue to chaunge any thing in the institution of God. For it must euer holde true, That man may in no wise sunder those whom God hath ioyned together. But because the woman hath broken the condition of mariage, the husband is freed from it. The thing then which wee hauehave to beare in mind is that the exception which we heere hauehave rehearsed, serueth not in any way to lessen the force of the law of God. That coniunction which God hath ordayned must alwaies remaine firme and steadfast. But she that playeth the harlot, is no longer a wife, she is no longer to be taken & deemed for such a one. Now if a man demaund on the other side, whether ye woman for her part hath like libertie, we heare what Saint Paul saith, yt like as ye husband is not maister of his owne body,1. Cor. 7.4. no more also is the wife of hirs. Ye see what an equalitie of like right ye holy ghost setteth downe: yt like as ye woman when she is maried, is not mystris of her owne body, so on the contrary side a man after yt he hath plighted his faith to his wife is bound in such wise, yt if he abandon himself otherwise vntounto lust, his fault is alike with ye adulterie which ye wife committeth. So then if wee will hold our selues vntounto yt which God hath commā ded, we see yt the rule is most euident and cleare, namely, yt the man must not only content himselfe wt the wife which he hath taken, yt is to say, he must not only keepe hir for a companion, but also beare with hir: bicause yt marriage importeth a true and perfect vnion of two persons, and that as hartie as any may be. Which vnion is not possible to be maintained, except ye husband doe beare with his wife & with those frailties which are in hir: & the wife also for hir part endeuor to please hir husband, & to bee obedient vntounto him. This we see (I say) on the one side: & againe wee see that if the wife be so loose in life, as to giuegive ouer her selfe to fornication, shee breaketh wedlock, wherby she doth as it were warre with God, peruerting all honesty, which ought to be holy & inuiolable. Now if when the woman offendeth so on hir part, the husband likewise step a side in his dewty, and ouershoote himselfe so farre as to breake the faith which he hath plighted vntounto his wife; he is condemned of God. For why? The bond (as I told you) which passeth betwixt them, is mutuall and of like force touching them both.
And in this case there is no doubt, but that a man may marry a gaine, if he in this sorte put away his wife because of adulterie: and men shew an ouer grosse abuse when they weigh not the words of our Lord Iesus Christ:Matt. 19.9. That if a man forsake his wife, except it be for adulterie, & mary an other, he is an adulterer, & that he causeth her whom he hath forsaken to commit adulterie also. Now when Christ excepteth ye cause of adulterie, it is to set the man in yt case at free choice & libertie to mary agayne. For what a thing were it to bar a man from a newe match; if he hauehave obserued his promise faithfully, & liued in the feare of God, and not beene vnfaithfull towardes his wife? If he be constrained to put her away, must he be punished for the offence of an other? What reason were in that? Should he not hauehave open wrong doone him? Especially considering that our Lord Iesus Christ in that text addeth,Matt. 19.11. 1. Cor. 7.…. That all hauehave not the gift of continencie, and that such as hauehave not receiued it, hauehave the remedie of marriage, and that they ought to vse it. When our Lorde Iesus Christ pronounceth this, thinke we that his meaning was that the poore wretched man, who hath liued blamelesse with an harlot, should bee left in dispayre? Nay; if hee see filthynesse in his house, he must, whether he will yea or no, cast foorth such vncleannesse, except he will infect himselfe therewith and be accounted a partie in such wickednesse. Now if a man discharge his dewtie in this behalfe, thinke we that God barreth him of all right, and that he leaueth him in such trouble and anguish, as he may not know where to become, but must remaine vnprouided of all remedie? It was therefore an ouer grosse folly in men not to knowe that our Lord Iesus Christ leaueth a man in free libertie to marrie agayne, when his make hath violated the faith of marriage. As much is to be sayde in the behalfe of the woman, seeing the right in this case is equall and mutuall, as I hauehave shewed afore. And so yee see what we hauehave at this day to obserue: namely, that eueryevery man ought to consider, that the vocation which hee hath of God, is such a yoke as he may not seeke to shake off. For it is the cheefe and principall seruice which wee can render vntounto God all our whole lifetime, to hauehave an eye vntounto that which he requireth of vsus: and when hee hath set vsus in some estate and calling; to doe that which belongeth vntounto our dewtie: and that eueryevery one yeelde himselfe obedient in all humblenesse, to say: hath God called me vntounto this ende? I must frame my selfe thereunto without any reply or gainsaying. Therefore when we bee of a milde and gentle disposition, submitting our selues vntounto ye will of our God; therein (say I) consisteth the principall seruice which he liketh and desireth. And without this al our vertues are nought else in his sight but doung and filthynesse. Nowe seeing it is so, let vsus consider, as touching mariage, what the calling of God is, and what maner of Law, or what yoke he layeth on the neck of man: to wit, that he liue quietly with his wife, bearing with those infirmities which are in her, & be a companion to liue and to die with hir: and that the wife lykewise submit herselfe with all humblenes vntounto her husband, so as they nourish and maintaine peace one with the other. Thus ye see how God may bee honoured and howe his grace also and his blessing may dwell and abide in a familie. And if a woman bee so wicked as to prostitute hir selfe, the husband according vntounto the will of God, may not onelyonly put hir away, but is in perfect and full libertie to leaue hir, and to marrie himselfe vntounto another. As for the woman, there is in deede another respect touching hir than for the man. For the wife shall not bee so dishonored by the adulterie of hir husband, nor bee put to so great shame, as the husband shall bee by the wyues. But yet if the husbande bee an whooremonger, and wasteth his goods and substaunce vppon harlottes, so as his wife is shutte out of doores, or bee kept in with all manner of crueltie like a wretched slaue; if this mischiefe holde on still: then to leaue a wretched woman in such bondage, were against all reason and right: especially considering that which was yesterday alleaged out of the Prophet Malachie,… 16. That it were better that a man shoulde put away his wife, than to hauehave more than one. And what shall bee sayde then in this case, when a man shall keepe an ordinarie stewes, and that no man is able to correct this vice of his: is not the wife then set at greater libertie? This is the thing which wee hauehave to beare in minde vponupon this place.
Nowe sith our Lordes will is that marriage shoulde bee so indissoluble and inuiolable, yea, and that through the vertue of this sentence which our Lorde hath pronounced with his owne mouth,… That there shall bee two in one flesh: let vsus note that it is much greater reason that the spirituall vnion which wee hauehave with our Lorde Iesu Christ, ought to bee diligently kept and mayntained: For his will is to contract marriage with vsus, and dayly he doeth so, or at leastwise ratifyeth it by the preaching of the Gospell. And on what condition is it? It is (as Saint Paule sayeth) to the ende wee shoulde bee as chast women, not turning our mindes aside vntounto false doctrines. For he compareth all errours and all corruptions of the pure simplicitie of fayth, to fornications. As if a wife hearken vntounto a bawde, beholde shee is alreadye wonne, and begynneth foorthwith to breake the fayth of Marriage. Euen so is it with vsus, if wee abide not in the obedience of our Lorde Iesus Christ, holding our selues wholly vntounto his doctrine, wee are like vntounto aduowtrous women. And therefore sith that GOD hath ioyned vsus vntounto his only sonne, and that our whole felicitie and glory consisteth therein, let vsus learne not to decline from it in any manner of wise.
Nowe it is sayde, That the man which shall hauehave so put away his Wife, shall not, (if she marrie otherwise) euer take hir agayne, bycause shee is alreadie defiled. Heereby GOD meant for to shewe that albeit hee did not punish such diuorcements as were made without any good ground; yet he leaueth not to condemne them: for there was heerein a remedie, that a man being grieued with his wife, myght in continuaunce of time beyng better aduised take hir againe: and if the wife were married againe, because hee had set her foorth vntounto fornication, and because that (asmuch as in him lay) hee had broken all order of nature, he might not take her againe. Now in that God ordayned such punishement, although hee permitted diuorcementes, I meane as in respect of humaine policie: it shewed sufficiently that hee allowed not of them. And so the Iewes excused themselues but in vaine, as if they had put away their wiues by the authoritie of the Lawe. For this text sufficiently declareth, that this manner of putting of them away was wicked, and that it coulde bring nothing else but all manner of euill and mischiefe; yea and farther, that it was not possible for the man to amend the fault which hee had committed, after that the wife had taken a new husband. When the Lawe declareth thus much, is it not a condemning of the Iewes? How can this serue them for a shrowding sheere to say: The law permitted vsus this thing, our Lorde woulde not punishe such a sinne by any earthly iudgement? Yea but for all this, hath hee declared that he alloweth of it? Hath hee sayd that such a fact is lawfull? Nay but all the contrarie. For the thinges which of themselues are good hauehave alway a good end and issue, but when there followeth any wretched mishap in any thing, especially such a one as can be by no meanes recouered, it is a signe that the thing displeaseth God So then let vsus diligently note that God meant in this place to discouer the reason of his counsaile, why hee punished not diuorcementes. In effect hee meant to giuegive the Iewes to vnderstand that it was for the hardnesse of their heart (as our Lorde Iesus Christ thereof speaketh)Matt. 19.8. and that they must needes be conuicted to acknowlege that the cause why God established no perfectnesse of ciuil gouernment among thē was, for that they were not capable of it. But they considered little of this. Nay they bare thē selues in hand rather that all thinges were lawfull for them, seeing they were not punished by earthly iudgement, and they thought that by this meanes they were also preuiledged from the iudgement of God.
Hereby wee bee warned of that which was more fullie handled yesterday, to wit, not to runne at rouers, but to make a perfect tryall of those thinges which wee take in hand, by hauing our eye alwayes on the Lawe wherein our Lorde hath comprised the effect and abridgement of his wil, & that is also the true touchstone whereby we ought to try all our words, yea and all our thoughts. Seeing it is so, let vsus returne thither, & although wee bee not punished by men, yet let vsus not cease to mislyke of our …lues for our vices, knowing that they must elsewhere be accounted for, albeit GOD hath spared vsus in this lyfe. And yet there are now and then some by punishmentes layde on vsus in that respect, insomuch that although God call vsus not solemnlie vntounto the barre, ne frame an inditement precisely against vsus: yet neuerthelesse he vseth some kinde of chastisement, to admonish vsus of our faultes, as wee see that this hauing of many wiues was not punished, & yet our Lord ceased not to shewe that it was a detestable thing in his sight, as whereby the order of marriage was broken and violated. Let vsus therefore consider of all the corrections which GOD sendeth, to the intent we may preuent his anger, and not abuse his patience although he for a long time beareth with vsus.
Briefly, let vsus take heede that we attempt not any thing against ye rule which is giuen vntounto vsus: let vsus alwayes return back vntounto this point;Matt. 19.8. It was not so in the beginning: For if we aledge custome, it shall not serue to exempt vsus from condemnation: if we say: it hath bin in vse this long time, we hauehave an infinite number of examples for it: all this shal litle auaile vsus. For why? This one only word shall cut off all such excuses, where it is sayde, that, what GOD hath once established; it must be alwayes obserued, although men bee changeable, although they be rebellious, and so through their venterousnesse, and their rashnes, make a confusion of all thinges, and enterprise whatsoeuer their lust fancieth, and thereupon carrie themselues headlong into all wickednesse, yea and one folow an other; all this shall be nothing before God, but a more grieuous condemnation to aggrauate, and to encrease the haynousnesse of their wickednesse. And why so? For it ought to suffice vsus yt god hath declared vntounto vsus his will which cannot varie, and from the which also it is not lawfull for vsus to swarue. Now moreouer let vsus note well yt which God addeth: Least they shoulde make the Lande to sinne which hee had giuen the Iewes to inherite. Moses hath heretofore vsed the selfe same manner of speaking: but seeing it is in this place rehearsed, we ought to call to minde yt which hath bin already aboue declared: that is to wit, that if a vice raigne, and men still let it slip: they make the whole land to sinne, yt it is to prouoke ye anger of God & to nourish it, & that all are made guiltie thereof. God sayth not, that he which shall so take his wife againe shall sinne before God and not abide vnpunished; & that the woman lykewise committeth abhomination: but he saith, The Land shal sin. And how ye land? It may chaunce that there shall not be past a three or foure diuorcementes, and yet yt there may be a million of people in ye land: and why shal ye fault be so farre & so largely extē ded? It seemeth yt none besides him which maketh the diuorce, ought to be accused. But God knoweth well how hee ought to iudge. And it is not for vsus to teach him his lesson. Let vsus therfore holde vsus vntounto this decree of his which hee hath here pronoūced: & let vsus know yt the whole land is defiled, when sinnes raigne therein, without any bridle, and the cause is manifest. For there Iustice cannot be without blame, where is no bridle of restraint. Where men hauehave not this consideration to say: Behold God is offended, this is a detestable thing, but are altogether carelesse of it; there iustice is idle. And so forasmuch as ye magistrates execute not their office faithfully, ye see how the sinne becommeth publique, and so the whole people is as it were cōsenting vntounto it. And moreouer, when wickednesse is so permitted, eueryevery man is of opinion yt all things are lawful: for of custome men alwayes make a lawe. And a mans eye may bee witnesse, how on the one side men put away all shame, & on ye other side stād in no feare. And doubtlesse ye feare we hauehave of punishment, & the shame which we hauehave of doing euill, are two bridles to restraine vsus. When these two thinges are layd aside, so yt men set brasen faces on ye matter, & take leaue to do what they list; there is no remedie but that all mischiefe must proceede thereof when sinnes hauehave so full scope. And that is the cause why S. Paul vpbraideth the whole Church of Corinth, with the incest which was committed,1. Cor. 5.…. although one man alone had taken to wife his mother in lawe. Yee boast your selues (saith he,) but what a shame is it yt you nourish such villanie & filthinesse among you? So thē let vsus wisely consider, yt as often as the scripture speaketh in this wise, it is to admonish vsus both publikely & particularlie of our dutie: y• first of al such as hauehave publike charge, dissemble not ye wickednesse which is cōmitted, but seeke to correct it; yt the Pastours which hauehave ye charge of teaching, doe open their mouthes wide wt all libertie, and that when they see yt mischief encreaseth and i… augmented, they cry out at it, condemne it, & reproue, & represse it asmuch as lyeth in them; that so much ye more seuere punishment be vsed in ye Church: yt the magistrates who hauehave ye sword in their hād take heed, yt they employ thēselues to doe for their part what God hath cōmaunded them; & besides, yt eueryevery man priuately & particularly enforce himselfe by exhortations & admonitions to purge his house from al filthines, & to eschue & auoyde all wicked companie: yt we may at the leastwise shew yt the wickednesse displeaseth vsus, & that we will not at any hand bee partakers thereof,Ephes. 5.11. folowing yt which S. Paul saith, That by not cōsenting vntounto ye workes of darkenesse, we must reproue thē. Behold (I say) what ye thing is whereof we are admonished, when God declareth yt the land is guiltie of sinne, if an offence remain vnpunished. And if we be not able to remedie the mischiefe thereof, let vsus bewaile our selues, knowing that if God wold deale rigorously wt vsus, we were worthy to be plunged forthwith into ye deepest dungeon of hel. As for example, if blasphemies & fornications, & other vnruly behauiours, lewd & wicked practises, wrongful dealinges, deceites & cruelties raigne in any place, & there be no end of them; let vsus know yt when God giueth Satā such libertie, as to cōtinue such an outragious disorder in all things, it is a signe yt he is angrie wt vsus, & that we want his kingdome. Knowing this let vsus be sorrie, & walk in ye greater heedefulnesse, praying him to vse merciemercy towardes vsus, and with fatherly gentlenesse to correct that wickednesse of ours whereby wee deserued to be rased and rooted out of the land of the liuing, euen out of hand, if God woulde deale with vsus according vntounto our offences. Yee see in effect what wee hauehave to beare in minde concerning this place.
And now Moses addeth two Lawes; whereof the one tendeth to the fauoring of such as are new marryed: and the other serueth to barre them which lend monie, from being ouer cruel, and from beeing so greedy in taking of pawnes and gages, as to destroy their neighbors, and to take from them ye meanes wherby they might liue. Ye see in effect what the two poyntes bee, which are contained here. Now as touching the first, there is no doubt, but Moses had an eye therein vntounto the common profit of all. For at the first sight a man might finde it strange what the cause should be why he dispensed thus with newe marryed folkes, that they shoulde keepe themselues at home, that they shoulde not bee compelled to goe vntounto warre, that they should hauehave none of those charges layde vppon them which might turne them from their familie: For to what end and purpose was this, but that God in commaunding such an order by his seruant Moses, had an eye vntounto that which might folow by the contrarie? For when a man taketh a wife it is good and requisite that he forme & fashion her, that is to say, that he teach and accustome her so to liue as they may agree both together al the time of their life. Now if a man take a woman to wife, and at the end of three dayes leaue her while the wife knoweth not yet the maners and conditions of her husband, and while the husbād likewise is vnacquainted with the disposition of his wife it may be a cause that they shall not agree together all their lyfe long. And again we know what yong housholders are, vntil they be by longer time inured to know by vse and experiēce, how to set their houshold in order. Now if a man bee led away the first day, and forsake his wife; the yong woman not knowing what belongeth to the ordering of an house, and remaining alone may fall into many inconueniences. And though there were none other than this which we hauehave alleged; yet were it enough and too much, namely that the husband returning after some time shall bee as one vtterly vnacquainted with his wife, and the wife in lyke sorte shall be as strange to him, which thing might be an occasion that they shoulde neuer agree one with another. God then had respect vntounto this: And therefore let vsus not imagine that this Lawe was made for pleasures sake, to say that a man should sporte himselfe with his wife which hee hath taken. I graunt that Moses vseth this word: but that is because he would therein comprise al the profite which commeth by this meanes of the husbandes ioyning and vniting of himselfe vntounto his wife, wherby there groweth a conformitie of manners betweene them, so as the one is well knowen to the other, and they are brought to this point that they can beare each with other: but yet neuerthelesse God hath in this place an eye vntounto the common profit and welfare of all.
Now it is very true that this law respecteth in such sort the policie and rule of gouernment among the Israelites, that we are not bound therunto: but yet for all that (as I hauehave declared afore) wee must gather some doctrine from that which God had ordayned for the people of olde time. We must euer hauehave an eye vntounto the ende which God ameth at, and from thence gather ye substance of the law which appertaineth vntounto vsus, and is belonging as common vntounto vsus together with the Iewes. Now in effect it is heere declared vntounto vsus, that men ought to auoyde all occasions which serue to estranging of thē frō their wiues, & to the disordring of their house. We are already of our selues ouer frail & weake, & though no farther occasion be offered, wee see how many swarue aside from their dueties, & are so ticklishe yt they cannot holde themselues quiet & still in their vocation. But now if there bee some other temptation & yt men wander wilfullie & trust to their own cōstancie, & presume vponupon maruelous things in thēselues, & in the meane time keepe not thēselues vnderunder ye bridle of God: what other thing may fal out in ye end, but extreme cōfusiō? Let vsus therfore learne not to tempt God through ouer great boldnesse and presumption: but let eueryevery one take heede he hold himselfe within his boundes, to ye end he may be the more inabled to discharge himself of his duetie. For euen whē we would vse all the meanes wee can possiblie to doe that well which God hath ordayned, yet our fleshe hath alwayes such whot boylings, that we are oftentimes as headstrong horses which are broken loose. We hauehave neede therfore to be held backe by diuers & sundry meanes. And therfore let vsus looke vntounto our selues as our Lord warneth vsus. And againe on the other side we hauehave also to beare in minde that which Saint Paul declareth in the seuenth of the first to ye Corinthians, to wit, yt they which are married are intangled in many cares, the which according vntounto rigour might be imputed for sinne, except God did vse such gentlenesse towardes vsus, yea, and that such fatherlie gentlenesse, as to wink at our faults: & this ought to be wel considered. For whē a man entreth into mariage, if he think vponupon ye multitude of troubles & incōmodities which it hath, it will breede such a feare in him, yt hee will wish to withdrawe himself farre from it. And besides yt, the diuil hath indeuored as much as is possible, to diffame mariage, to the intent men shoulde so become as brute beastes, in defiling thēselues with fornication; yea & that vnderunder colour of auoiding yt bondage which in respect of marriage seemeth to be ouerhard & grieuous:Matt. 19.10. as ye disciples also sayd: If it be so, it were good for a man not to touch a woman. Yea saith our Lord Iesus Christ, if so be hee were at his owne choyce. But now, least when we consider of ye incommodities & troubles which are in marriage, we should be wholy discouraged: let vsus returne vntounto yt which is declared vntounto vsus in this place. For it was a good thing yt the people of God, being set vponupon, & assaulted, should go forth to warre to employ thēselues in ye defence of the whole countrie & bodie of their people, and also furnish out such other charges an offices as serued to maintaine ye Church of God. Now when God giueth vntounto thē which were new married, such a dispensatiō, as to beare with them in these thinges, hee sheweth in generall, that although they which are maried cannot escape free, but that they must needes bee giuen ouer to many cares and carkings, and be snarled in many & sundrie incommodities, yet notwithstanding he beareth with them, and that of especial fauour, and that this he doth in the fauour of marriage. Therefore let the faithful comfort themselues, seeing that GOD hath pytie on them, and that although marriage bringeth with it such a nūber of troubles, wherby men seeme as it were to be held bound in this world, yet notwtstanding God for all this, doth not cast them off. And why? Because he hath ordayned mariage, and knowing ye troubles it hath, he voutsafeth to vse a remedie by forbearing and pardoning many faults which are in it.
But herewithall let vsus also note, that this may not serue to rock vsus asleepe, let not married folkes, vnderunder colour that God dealeth so gently and pitifully with them, behaue themselues so loosely as if all thinges were permitted them: but let them hauehave the wit to say: Go to: Had wee neuer so small a care which might withhold vsus from comming vntounto God; yet should wee be to blame. But we see many ouer froward, we see in others much impatiencie, and many other thinges: againe we see much vanitie committed; insomuch that some man louing his wife too wel, will exceede measure therein, & lykewise in his children, so vnrulie alwayes are our passions. If there be in vsus but one smal vice, wee are already culpable before God: and if there be an infinite number, behold wee are then plunged as it were into a bottomlesse pit. And shall we then vnderunder ye couert & cloke of mariage, setle our selues in our dregs, & flatter our selues in our wicked doings? What reasō were in yt? Nay rather let men quicken vp themselues, and know yt the goodnesse of God serueth not to lead & allure them vntounto wickednes: but contrariwise to make them to feele their faultes, & hauing felt them to returne vntounto God, and to pray him yt he wil more & more cut off ye superfluities which are in our affections. Ye see thē what we hauehave to beare in minde concerning this place, namely yt the faithful hauehave wherwith to comfort thēselues, seeing ye God beareth with thē as long as they liue in this world, and yt albeit they cannot bee as angels to walke in all heauenly perfectnesse: they are not for all yt reiected of God. For in the fauour of marriage which he hath ordayned, he vseth patience and gentlenesse in bearing wt them. But on ye contrary side also, seeing the infections wherwt they are on all sides enclosed, they must not onelyonly condemne thēselues, but sigh continually, & endeuor to correct thēselues, & to approch more nearer & nearer vntounto God, & to vnfold themselues out of ye temptations, which are a let & hinderance vntounto them. Ye see then what ye doctrine is which wee hauehave to gather from this lawe. Now it is certaine yt God meant in this place to shew as in a looking glasse, ye marriage, although it be in it selfe honorable, bringeth many incommodities with it, insomuch yt a man is made more vnapt to apply himselfe freely vntounto yt which he ought,Hebr. 13.4. than he would be if he were not maried. Not yt this proceedeth frō ye nature of mariage: for if our father Adam had remained in ye integritie & perfectnes wherein he was first created, doubtlesse marriage, lyke as God gaue it for an ayde, had bin a perfect & angelical life. But because we are corrupted, & because we hauehave so many vices in vsus as is pitie to behold, we turne yt which was good, into euill: & that which God had ordayned for our glorie, wee turne oftentimes to our reproch and shame. That is ye roote then, from whence all ye incommodities which are in marriage proceede. Aud therefore to ye intent wee accuse not God, who is the author thereof, and lay all ye fault vppon him; let vsus know that whatsoeuer a man may complayne of in marriage, is as it were accidentall, yt is to say, proceedeth from elsewhere, than from marriage it selfe, to wit, from ye corruption of sinne. Neuerthelesse we may see (as I hauehave already told you) and we may in this place behold as if ye thing were paynted forth before our eyes, yt if a man enter into marriage he entāgleth him selfe in many thinges, which shall stay him from doing of his duetie. And yt is the cause why Saint Paul also sayd, That if a man and woman could liue without it (considering how short a time wee hauehave,1. Cor. … at such time as our Lorde oppresseth his Church with so many afflictions, that we see nothing but miseries in the world) it were good to runne with all ye hast we might here below, & not bee stayed or hindered by any meanes whatsoeuer from finishing our course. So then when wee enter into marriage, let vsus know yt we are straight way so snarled, yt wee cannot make such quicke speede as we should, to discharge our duetie: and let this cause vsus to cal on God so much the more, and to desire him to be mercifull vntounto vsus, and not to impute vntounto vsus any of all those offences which we dayly commit.
Moreouer let vsus enter also into this generall confession, that seeing we are so sinful as to marre eueryevery thing that is good, we ought to detest the sinne which dwelleth in vsus, or rather which rayneth in vsus, vntill our Lord hauehave transformed vsus. For if we bee left in our first nature, what shall we be? Not only we shal be cleane cōtrary vntounto ye wil of God and his righteousnes; but also whatsoeuer is in it selfe good, holy, and honorable, and which God had ordayned for our welfare, wee can not but turne and conuert it vntounto our harme and hinderaunce. Whereof wee hauehave a notable example in this place.
But we are yet farther admonished, yt although through the corruptiō of sinne, we alter yt which God had ordayned for our welfare, and turne it to euil, yet we may not for all ye forsake and take our leaue of the good ordinances and decrees of God. And not to seeke any farther, let vsus take marriage for an example in this case. We see (as I hauehave already told you) how many troubles and incommodities it hath, and that not a lonely in respect of the body, so that when a man is marryed hee hath many hinderances which turne him now to one thing, and then to an other, so as he is faine to carke and care how to nourishe his children, and to watch for his profite when he should sleepe: but also mariage bringeth with it more than this. For a man shall not be so free and at such libertie to employ himselfe in the seruice of God: and yet all this must not stay him from this calling. For they truely which stand in neede of marriage, must submit themselues vntounto this order of God, and vse no excuse as many doe, and as we see lykewise what is happened among the Papistes, how the diuell hath sharpened the venemous tongues of those hypocrites the Friars, and Monkes, and such lyke, who hauehave forbidden marriage vnderunder colour that there are these and these faultes in it. But all those things which are confused and disordered, let not but that marriage remaineth alwayes good and profitable for them which vse it well, although it drawe after it diuerse inconueniences, howbeeit not of it, selfe, but by reason of the sins of men, bycause we cannot nowe vse vntounto our welfare this order which God hath ordained, in such sort as is requisite, except wee reuerence mariage. And we see that the cause of these horrible confusiōs which are happened in the world is this, that men hauehave dispised mariage, and that the diuell hath wrought so farre as to make mē trample that holy institution vnderunder foote, insomuch that when euen the filthiest varlets of all hauehave presumed on their abilitie of abstayning from it, and of liuing here as …hast a lyfe as the Angels of heauen: wee see suche vnrulinesse in conuersation as ought to make eueryevery hayre of our head stand on end. For if we would beholde nowadayes what the popish chastitie of the Priestes and Monkes, and of all the rest of this pestilent vermine is, wee shall finde it a bottomlesse pit and an infernal gulfe of al beastlynesse. But let vsus on our side consider how to walke in the feare of God, and to keepe our selues vnderunder his bridle. For the doing whereof (as I hauehave tolde you) let vsus hauehave our recourse vntounto our calling and say: Whither vntounto doth God call me? Thither must I follow him without making of any reply. There followeth in ye second place the other lawe which forbiddeth a man to take the vpper or the neather milstone for a gage. When mention is made here of two milstones and then of the vppermost, it is all one as if our Lord sayd, that a man shall not take both the milstones which serue to grinde, no nor one of them. For why? A man were as good take all, as one part. For there must be two Milstones to grinde: I will leaue the lower, but he can doe nothing without a fellow. So then if I bereaue a man of the profit of his tooles, what greater harme may I worke him? For he can no longer gaine his liuing. Now in deede expresly God speaketh in this place of Milstones: but vnderunder one kinde he hath comprised the whole. As it is a common thing in the Lawe so to doe, and we hauehave alreadie declared that this rule must be kept for a kaye to open vntounto vsus the sense and meaning of many places. And in verie deede the reason which Moses addeth, giueth a good and easie declaration of this place. For he saith, Thou takest his life to pledges: that is to say, thou cuttest a poore mans throate, when thou takest frō him those necessarie tooles with which he getteth his liuing. Let vsus therefore note in this place, that although it be here spoken of Milstones, yet we are generally warned yt if whē we lend monie we take a pawne for it, we must not bereaue a man of those meanes by the which he getteth his liuing. As ye see how the Farrour or locksmith hath an anuel, a hammer; a pare of pinsers, and other tooles: Now if a man take any of these thinges from him because he hath lent him mony; yee see how the poore man shall dy for hunger, and it had bin better that he had lent him nothing (for yt he had had some meanes to get his liuing by, & albeit he had pined away, yet he had gotten some small morsell of bread to eate though it could hauehave slaked but half his hunger) than so to bereaue him of ye meanes which he hath to liue by. Now although a man take not away all his instrumentes from him; but leaue him his Anduell, & in the meane while keepeth frō him, his hammer and his pinsers, and such lyke thinges, it is all one. And if he excuse himselfe and say: I hauehave but a part of them. No, but the other part will stand him in small stead, except he had the rest. If a man doe the lyke vntounto any handicraftes man and man of occupation, wee know that all their reuenewes consist in getting their liuing by ye labor of their handes, they hauehave neither landes, nor quarter rents comming in. Now seeing that God hath put their liuing in their hand, that is to say, in their labor, if a man bereaue thē of those necessarie meanes by ye which they get their liuing, it is al one as if he had cut their throate; I say that their liuing, consisteth in their labor, not yt man by his trauaile can win any thing but through ye blessing of God: For wee must returne backe alwayes vntounto this poynt: That God giueth rest & quietnesse vntounto them whom he loueth. Whiles others take great payne, goe late to bed, and rise early,Psal. 127.2. eate browne bread, and drinke the water of tribulation, & yet profit nothing, but in stead of thriuing, go backward; ye childrē of God prosper in all their dealings. It is then the only free-bestowed blessing of God which nourisheth mē, as we hauehave seene heretofore how Moses saith: Thou shalt not thinke in thine heart,Deut. 6.17. that it is the trauel or labor of thine owne handes, which hath nourished and sustayned thee: but know thou that it is thy god which worketh with thee, & that except he looked vntounto thee, thou shouldest be vnprouided of all thinges. Wee must (I say) resolue our selues throughly as touching this point. But withal, wee see how God hath an eye vntounto the trauaile of men, in that when hee speaketh of their liuing, hee hath a respect vntounto the order which he hath established: to wit, that when a man employeth himself vntounto the trauell of his hands, he hath made this promise: I wil bles ye labour of thy hands, if thou do yt which belongeth vntounto thy dutie. Therfore albeit yt we receiue our food and nourishment frō the hand of God, yet hath he ordayned yt we should trauaile for it. Now is a mans trauail takē frō him? No, for then his life falleth to ye ground: & therefore it is an ouerwicked crueltie to constraine poore men to deliuer in pawne their tooles wherewith they should serue their turne in their craft and occupation. So in effect our Lordes will is, that no man should exercise any crueltie vnderunder color of lending: whereby to set his feete vppon poore folkes throates, but yt we should rather aide and succour them, knowing yt their borrowing is for neede & necessitie. Now if one bereaue a man of his lyfe vnderunder color of lending him a peece of mony, it were better that he should leaue him in that necessitie in which he found him, than so to take from him those meanes by the which he maintaineth his life. We see thē that God would not that lones shoulde be lynes to snare poore men withall which are in necessitie; to which purpose men hauehave at all times vsed them, and nowadayes doe more than euer heretofore. For men hauehave no other deuises thā how to deceiue, to circumuent, to beguile, and to suck the bloud of poore men. They draw them dry not onelyonly of their substance but of their bloud too, when they espy them to be in need and penurie. This (say I) is the fashion of men nowadayes. But for all that, let vsus consider what the will of God is in this behalfe, to wit, that we must not onelyonly vse no crueltie towardes our neighbors vnderunder color of any lending vntounto them: but also seeke to relieue the present neede of all those which are in necessitie, to the intent that they may alwayes goe foreward and maintaine themselues in their estate.
Now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them better, yea in such wise as we may return vntounto him, seeking nothing els but to abide alwayes vnderunder his obedience, and to cleaue vntounto his word without swaruing from it in any wise: and that wee may so walke eueryevery man in his vocation, as wee may testify thereby that wee hauehave God for our maister and father, and that we are of his familie, liuing according to the order which he hath commaunded vsus: and that wee may liue in such wise one with another, as may be to the maintayning of louelove and honestie among vsus, and that such vprightnesse may raigne in vsus, as wee hauehave not an eye vntounto that which men permit vsus, but looke euer at this marke, how we may serue one anothers turne in vpright brotherhoode, to the end we may bee confirmed alwayes more and more that God is our father, and that we may call vponupon him, as such a one. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onelyonly vntounto vsus, but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.