Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 121
On Wednesday the xxv. of December. 1555. The Cxxi. Sermon which is the second vponupon the one and twentith Chapter.
10 When thou goest to battell against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God hath giuen them into thy hand, and thou hast led them into captiuitie:
11 Then if thou see a woman among the prisoners that is faire to looke vponupon, and thou fall in louelove with her, and canst finde in thy heart to take her to thy wife:
12 Thou shalt cary her home to thine house, and there shee shall shaue her head and pare her nayles:
13 And thou shalt strippe her out of the apparell wherein shee was taken prisoner, and keepe her close in thine house, and let her bewayle her father and her mother by the space of a monethmonth. And after this thou shalt goe in vntounto her, and so be maried vntounto her, and shee shalbe thy wife.
14 And if it fall out that shee like thee not, thou shalt let her goe where she listeth: but thou maist not sell her for money, nor make marchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.
HAd the Iewes held thēselues within the rule which God gaue them, they should rather hauehave taken them wiues of their owne tribes, that they might not in any wise hauehave intermingled thēselues with the idolaters. But forasmuch as mens lusts can hardly be bridled. God graunteth heere a toleration, that when a man which hath taken a heathen woman prisoner by the law of armes, and is minded to take her to his wife: ere he so doe, hee shall cause her to mourne for her father and her mother, as though they were dead, to the intent shee may forget both her countrie & kinred whereof she came, as though she were made new againe, and graffed into the body of the people of Israell.
Therefore let vsus marke that in this text GOD meant to restreyne the lustes of such as had no hold of themselues in the time of war, but would needes take straunge women, that had serued idols afore. Now the meane was (as I hauehave sayd afore) that the women should bee as it were chaunged, so as they might no more remember their former lyfe. And that is the cause why hee sayth that they should shaue their heades, and par… their nayles. Some translate it, and make their nayles, (for so is it word for word,) that is to say, let them growe that they might become greate, to disfigure them. And they thinke that by that meanes God meant to bring their husbandes in mislyking of them. But it is cleane contrarie. For lyke as in French, they say commonly to make heare, and to make a beard, [when they meane the powling or rounding of the hayre, and the shauing, clipping, or trimming of the beard:] so doe the Hebrewes vse the selfesame phrase of speach. And Gods appointing of this ceremonie to be vsed, was to take away all vncleanes: as who should say▪ that if it were possible for them to scrape off their very skins, they should doe it, to the intēt they might no more be the same that they were before, but rather vtterly renounce their own by rthright, & become Iewes to serue ye god which gaue his law by ye hād of Moses. To the same end also tended the sorrow which they were to make in mourning for their fathers and mothers. Thus we see now to what end this Lawe was giuen.
Now remaineth to gather the instruction that is conteined therein. For we see what libertie mē take. When they hauehave any worldly prosperitie, then their lustes increase and boyle more and more, so as they cannot easily be quieted. When men hauehave taken a Citie, or made any conquest, they cannot stay thēselues frō taking too much scope. If the Iewes had taryed quietly at home in their owne houses, and eueryevery man followed Gods ordinance in taking a wife of his owne kinred; (not the brother the Sister, for that was forbidden by the Lawe: but I mean of the lyne of Abraham, which was the lynage that God had chosen out of the whole worlde): they had bin preserued from defiling themselues with the Infidels. For it was a kind of defilement whē a Iewe maried a Heathenwoman, which had bin nusseled in superstition all her life long. They should not then hauehave ranged abroade. But had they once any warre, and yt God gaue them the victorie ouer any people, then their licentiousnes brast out beyond his bounds. Wherby we see howe it is not alwayes for our profite, that our Lord should giuegive vsus too much aduantage. For if we growe too strong: our headines becommeth vntollerable. If wee think ourselues able to make our part good: by and by we set vp our bristles & our combes, as the common saying is: and it is seene by experience. Therfore if God deale not with vsus after our owne lyking, let vsus assure our selues that his humbling of vsus is for our benefit, to the end we should alwayes continue in some sobrietie and mildenesse. Yea and euen when he increaseth vsus, we must learne to hūble ourselues willingly. For whēsoeuer we aduaunce our selues our pride shal euer be punished & beaten down. And if we be stifnecked, God must needes strike vponupon vsus with main blowes. Such as submit thē selues of their own good will, and passe not their boundes, are comforted of God. But as for those which wil needs win him by stoutnes; they must needs feele his hand the sorer and heauier vponupon their heades.
The thing then which we hauehave to note in the first place, is ye men abuse Gods blessinges & gratious giftes. Insomuch yt if he send them worldly prosperitie, they take occasion to glory too much therein, hardening their hearts and following their lustes so licētiously, as though (to their seeming) all thinges were lawful for them. We see it too much: so that if men hauehave obteined a victorie, they beare thēselues in hand yt they may vse all maner of pillage & rauishing, so as nothing is spared. When we hauehave any superioritie aboue others; at what point be we? We could finde in our hearts to make thē our vnderlinges, & to set our feete vponupon their throtes. Sith we see it is so, let vsus vnderstād yt our Lord hath good cause to hold vsus at a low stay, to the end he may ye better weald vsus, and make vsus to beare his yoke quietly. And therefore let such as hauehave any worldly prosperitie, looke wel to thēselues, yt they be not puffed vp with too much pride, knowing for a certeintie yt our nature is disposed thereunto, and that it swayeth too much that way. Wherfore let eueryevery man suspect himself in the time of prosperitie, and be wel aduised to hold himselfe within the boundes of modestie.
And now we hauehave to treate of mariage: & to shew why our Lord did so straitly will and commaund ye Iewes, yt they should not marry with ye heathen & infidels.Deut. 17.17. & 2. Cor. 6.14. S. Paul not wtout cause lykeneth our matches in marriage to yokes. For like as when a cupple of Oxen are yoked together, if ye one goe, ye other must needes follow; & if the one draw awry, ye other cānot but sway aside too: euen so fareth it in ye familiaritie betweene man & man. True it is yt we may be cōuersant among ye heathen, wtout matching with thē: for else (as saith S. Paul) we should be faine to get vsus out of ye world,1. Cor. 5.10. if we would come in cōpanie of none but good men & Gods childrē. But there are meanes to trafique man with man, & yet yt must be done but in maner of wayfaring. He yt buieth of a mā, would not inquire of his good behauiour, except he feared yt he should be deceiued by him: Only he buieth his ware & goes his way, & yet for all yt he is not in any couenant wt him with whome he bargained. But if he once enter into familiar cō uersation, and fall to eating and drinking with him; and there groweth such acquaintance betwixt them, that they liue commonly together: then becommeth it a yoke saith S. Paul. Now we knowe that mariage is the holyest kind of companie in all the world: insomuch that a man shal leaue both father and mother to keepe companie with his wife.Gen. 2.21. & Matt. 19.5. Therefore it is vnpossible for a man to contract mariage, without coupling himselfe with his wife, so as eache bee made priuie to others minde, will, and purpose in all things. For we see what hath happened; how the parties that hauehave giuen themselues ouer in that wise, hauehave in the end bin vtterly mard, & God did as it were cut thē off from his people, so as they became as rottē members,Numb. 25.1 & 31.15. and all through the counsell of Balaam. For whē he sawe that God opened not his mouth to curse the Israelites, but rather that when as hee had conspired to vtter curses, hee was inforced to speake the cleane contrarie: for his last shift hee gaue counsell, that they shoulde let the Iewes enter communication with the heathen women, that they might deceiue the Iewes hearts, & corrupt them with Idolatrie, whereby they should prouoke Gods vengeance against them, & that should turn to their confusion. Nay if there were no mo but Salomon,1. Kings. 11. his example were enough to make their hayre stand vp vponupon their heades, which did well consider whereinto he fell. Surely he was an excellent man: It was Gods wil to set him forth as a lookingglasse, or as a peereles pearle, & he was indued wt so excellent wisedome, that all men wondered at him, yea & he was euen a Prophet of God. Yet for all this, the heathen women deceiued his hart, insomuch that hee suffered idolatrie to hauehave full scope, & to reigne in the countrie which GOD had reserued & dedicated to himselfe, so that he builded Temples vntounto idols. When we see that such a man (who was an Angel of heauen) did fall downe to hell, & that God gaue him ouer to a wicked minde; by meanes whereof he became so beastly that he ouerthrew ye seruice & religion of God: how shal they doe which are far off from profiting so much as he? So then we see it is not without cause that God so streitely forbade the Iewes to take wyues of forraine nations, & specially of the countrie of Chanaan. But generally his meaning was, that they should not match themselues with idolaters. For why? It is a making of an entrie & an opening of a gap to Satan that he may put all to hauock, & bring all things to disorder & confusion. God therefore ment to preuent that. True it is yt at this day now that ye Gospell hath bin preached ouer all the world, there is neither Gentile nor Iew any more: wee hauehave no more any such distinction as was vnderunder the Lawe.Gal. 3.28. For the separation wall (saith S. Paul) is brokē downe, so as we must now link together in brotherly concord,Eph. 2.14. forasmuch as God will be called vponupon of all nations, & that all men should call him father: and therefore we must knit our selues together. Yea, but there are which separat themselues through vnbeleefe, & wil not be of ye bodie of the Church, but refuse ye God which is declared to vsus by Iesus Christ, & will not be partakers of the adoption which hee offereth to all men both great & small. VntoUnto such we must not cleaue, at leastwise if we intend not to alienate our selues from God & from the way of saluation. Whosoeuer thē matcheth himself wittingly & wilfully with the vnbeleeuers: dooth as much as in him lyeth to banish himself from the kingdome of God. And for that cause doth S. Paul vse this exhortation, that wee should not beare the yoke with vnbeleeuers, telling vsus that the thinges which were spoken in olde time to the Iewes, belong also vntounto vsus, so as it behooueth vsus to flee far from all superstition, & frō all such as intangle vsus therein. And why? For we not only beare the materiall vessels of the Lordes Temple, but also are his very Temples wherein hee dwelleth by his holy spirit:1. Cor. 6.19 20. and therefore wee must offer both our bodies and soules in sacrifice to him, that we may be wholy dedicated vntounto him. For seeing he hath chosen vsus to be his childrē, ought we not to be clensed frō al corruption both of bodie & mind, as hath bin declared?
Seeing it is so then, let vsus learne that when a man is to marrie, he must (as neere as hee can) choose him such a wife as may further him in the seruing of God purely. For why? We be fraile enough of our selues, without being corrupted of other folkes. And if a man be in a good way, and be neuer so wel minded and desirous to doe well: he shal soone be marred by euil companie. And the world sees it. If a man doe but fall to drinking with a leawd fellow or a naughtipacke: he is in daunger to turne backe and to become eueryevery day worse than other; so that yee woulde wonder to see him become a very diuel. Now if a little tippling doe this; what will insue when a man shall be faine to keepe companie with his wife as long as they liue? Truely it is a manifest tempting of God, when a man throwes himselfe headlong downe after that fashiō, and stoppeth his eyes at the taking of a wife, hauing no regard of his choyce yt he might be helped by her, so as they might behaue themselues holily & according to Gods will with one common consent. That (I tell you) is a poynt which it behooueth vsus to marke wel. And what is the cause that nowadayes so many mariages come to ill end, but that men hauehave not an eye to God, but mens mindes are set vppon their lustes and pleasure, or else they seeke for wealth? God then is not accounted of, & therefore he is faine to reuenge such contempt, and so doth hee as experience sheweth. So much the more ought wee to marke well how it is sayd in this text, that if a man will marrie a straunge woman, (that is to say an Infidel) which hath not bin brought vp in the feare of God, nor bin instructed in his word,) he must looke that shee be cleane chaunged, before hee euer come at her. For a wife is as a deadly poyson, vnlesse she hauehave first forsaken her former conuersation, and professed to liue thenceforth to Godward, and to sticke purely to his word, & hauehave put her old bringing vp quite out of her minde, yea & euen cast her slough as they say.
And furthermore, whereas it is sayd here, that the woman must shaue her head, pare her nayles, put away her [old] apparell, and mourne as though she had forgone her father and mother: in deed those ceremonies serued for the Iewes, and wee be not to vse those figures nowadayes. But yet must wee hauehave an eye whereunto the same tended: namely that the women (as I hauehave sayd afore) should be as it were chaunged, ye they might bee brought into ye body of Gods Church. This is a ground therfore, yt when a man intēdeth to take a wife, he must looke yt she be reformed aforehād & that she know God & his word, so as she ioyne herself thereto, & be ready to giuegive ouer al idolatrie. Vntil a woman be at yt point, it is not lawful for a Christian man to take her to his wife. And if he take her before, and graunt him the grace to reclaime her afterwarde; yet must hee vnderstand that he hath done amisse. And looke what is saide of men, concerneth women likewise. For as women hauehave their inticementes to allure the hearts of men: so men may easily tēpt women to turne them from the right way of saluation, and to ouerthrowe them as the world seeth. And therefore when a woman doeth of her owne will go take a husbande that is a despiser of God, a wicked and looseliuer, allawlesse person, a drunkarde or a swearer: it is all one as if shee forsooke God, and banished her selfe out of his Church, and shee deserueth to hauehave all manner of cursednesse to light vppon her head.
And where as this tolde vsus concerning wedlocke; let vsus vnderstande it likewise of al other things that may thrust vsus out of our way: and let vsus learne to bee conuersant with such companions, that wee may euer bee edified still to the better. For wee hauehave neede of such folke as may amende vsus, because that eueryevery of vsus is frayle of himselfe. And therefore let vsus seeke to match our selues with such as hauehave the feare of God, and leade a holy & honest life: & let vsus shunne such as go about to intangle vsus in their abhominations. When wee see a malicious and frowarde person, a despyser of God, or a lustie Gallant that passeth not to bee an offence to all men: let vsus esteeme him as a plague, and let vsus vtterly eschue him. For why? whosoeuer comes nye him, shall surely be infected by him out of hande. And that is apparant. So then, let vsus beare well in mynde, that here our Lorde intended to shewe, that wee must haunt such companie as is fit to teache vsus to doe well, and that on the contrarie parte, wee must shunne all occasions of euill, because of the infirmitie that is in vsus, and wee neede not much to turne vsus away from weldooing.
Also it is to bee noted, that seeing God hath ordayned so many ceremonies for the women which were to renounce their owne kinred: therein hee meant to doe vsus to wit, that wee must forget our owne nature, if wee will serue him purely and as hee commaundeth vsus. Therfore when wee hauehave had any wicked trayning, and hauehave beene nusled in any euill custome; it is not ynough for vsus to bee tolde that such a thing is euill. For although wee see it is so, and hauehave it throughly prooued vntounto vsus: yet do we not ceasse to bee steyned with it still. It is so deepely rooted in vsus, as it cannot bee plucked vp at the first dash. And this ought to bee throughly knowen vntounto vsus, that when a man hath beene naughtily brought vp from his childhood, and hath dwelled in a house of disorder till hee come to twentie yeares of age: although hee take paynes all the time of his life after, to forget the corruptions which hee had seene, and wherewith hee had beene imbrewed before: yet can hee neuer bring it to passe, but that hee shall alwayes retayne still some spot or blemish. And hereby wee see howe gracious God is to such as are so well brought vp, that they hauehave seene none other but good and honest examples, whereby they hauehave learned to serue God and to honour him. It is an inestimable priuilege, when God graunteth vsus to hauehave such bringing vp: and vnhappie bee they which abuse it. And this ought to bee so much the greater prouocation to fathers and mothers to nurture well their children, and to take paynes in the good bringing of them vp, because there is such corruption in men, that when they hauehave once beene imbrewed and infected with vices, they can hardly refrayne them with great payne. This then is that which in effect wee hauehave to remember vppon this text, to the ende that all men shoulde be vigilant in bringing vp their children in true religion and vertue.
Again, on the other side let children on their parte be well ware that they disappoint not the grace of God, but rather that they make it auaylable, that by their good bringing vp, they may fare the better all their life after. Also fathers and mothers must take good heede, that they suffer not their children to runne at rouers: for wee see howe it is ynough to marre them out of hand, and to bring the poore soule to vtter vndooing. Specially when wee our selues hauehave beene euil brought vp, that is to say euill taught; let vsus doe the best wee can to weede out the infections that are in vsus. And let vsus not thinke it an easie thing to do, so as wee shoulde neede no more but to shake our eares at it, as a number doe, who when they hauehave played the naughtie packes, thinke themselues to bee the best reformed men in the worlde, so long as they rush not out into all extremities, when yet notwithstanding they faile not to retaine still some parte of their former corruptions, and all the worlde may see still the markes of their euill bringing vp in them. For why? They consider not howe harde it is for a man to refourme himselfe, which hath beene naughtily brought vp. And aboue all things, let this bee obserued in religion. For as for those that hauehave beene brought vp in poperie, I meane which hauehave beene nusled in it, that is to say, made beastes, (for one of the holyest poyntes of doctrine that is taught and esteemed of among the Papistes, is that men should be without wit and without reason, and not discerne any thing themselues, but rather suffer themselues to bee led by the noses like brute beasts;) when, I say they hauehave beene nusled in such ignorance, although they come afterwarde to the purenesse of the Gospell, yet notwithstanding they keepe still some dregges, vnlesse they take marueylous great payne to ridde away all their former corruption, as eueryevery of vsus fyndeth by experience in himselfe.
True it is that many sillie soules perceiue it not in themselues. For when it is tolde them that the Masse is an abhomination, that diuerse things in it are of Satans deuysing, & that they must holde themselues to Gods worde: very well say they, all is one to mee, I will forbeare the Masse, and shrift, and all the thinges that I hauehave seene in times past, I giuegive them ouer. And why? Because they bee no longer in vse. Therefore they bee nowe layde asleepe. But if an altar were set vp againe, a man coulde not so soone turne his hande, but they woulde by & by bee gadding to Masse, as fast as they flocke nowe to Sermons. And their comming to sermons is not to bee edified; but rather the word of God serues to condemne them, and to make them vnexcusable. And as for such, they wote not what it is to fight against popish superstitions. But such as are well wakened and touched to the quicke with the feare of God, when they examine themselues, will thinke thus: Go to, I hauehave yet still this smatch of my wicked bringing vp in my chyldehood remayning in mee. A man which is duely touched with the feare of God, and desirous to profite in Gods worde, shall finde at tenne or twentie yeares ende that there remayneth still some roote thereof behynde, and must bee fayne to fight against it. EueryEvery man sees this in his owne case. For looke howe much one man hath bin deeper plunged than another in those curled meetinges or assemblies, so much the more nourishment of them doeth hee retayne still euer after. In so much that euen those which hauehave profited best in Gods schoole, if they hauehave once beene drowned in these Munkeries, or in the hellish dungeons of Poperie, do feele in themselues I wote not what dregges thereof remayning in them euer after. And our Lorde holdeth them downe, and by meanes thereof giueth them as it were a Whetstone to sharpen them to the incounter, that they may the better knowe their owne vyces, and bee the fitter to teache others. But howsoeuer the case stande, wee may well assure our selues that wee shall not by and by hauehave rooted out the corruptions which wee hauehave receyued by our euill bringing vp in our chyldhood. And that is it which our Lorde meant by the figure which hee setteth downe heere, namely, that the women must shaue off their hayre, pare their nayles, put away their accustomed apparell, and bee quite and cleane chaunged, if they will dwell among the people of God: so as they must after a sorte bee made newe againe, and hauehave vtterly renounced their owne kinred. Wee see nowe howe such as hauehave beene trayned vp in euill, and plunged in superstition, must fight all their life long against their vices, that they may reclayme themselues fully vntounto God.
But wee must goe yet one steppe further, and put the thing in vre which is sayde in the fiue-and fortith Psalme, agreeing vntounto that which is sayde heere: Hearken my daughter, forget thine owne people, and thy kinred, and thy fathers house. There it is spoken concerning Salomons wife: but vnderunder that figure it is shewed vntounto vsus howe Gods Church is marryed spiritually to our Lorde Iesus Christ: namely vppon condition that shee forget her father and her kinred, and all her former trade of life, and all the customes of her countrey. And I tolde you that this text concerneth the thinges that are contayned heere. For why? Shee was a woman of a straunge countrye, and had beene an ydolater all the tyme of her life: and therefore it was sayde vntounto her that shee must forget all the tyme past, and put her bringing vp out of her remembrance, to the end shee might dedicate her selfe to GOD, and then the king woulde louelove her beautie. As if it were sayde, that king Salomon ought not to take any pleasure in his wife, nor hauehave any delight or liking in her, vntill shee had protested herselfe to bee desirous to bee wholly vnited to Gods people, and had separated herselfe from all the abhominations of Egypt. And I hauehave tolde you, that herein wee hauehave a general rule for all men, of what kinred or countrey so euer wee bee. For why? It is the sonne of God that is our true Salomon, who contracteth holye wedlocke with his Church, and will hauehave vsus to bee as a wife vntounto him. And to the same ende serueth the preaching of the Gospell, as sayeth Saint Paul in the eleuenth Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians. I must marrye you (sayeth hee) as chaste virgines vntounto Iesus Christ. And therefore let vsus marke, that whensoeuer the Gospell is preached vntounto vsus, it is all one as if Christ wooed vsus to marrye with him, after the same manner that men sue vntounto women when they woulde match with them in wedlocke. And so our Lorde thinkes it not ynough to take vsus as his souldiers and seruants: but hee will also hauehave vsus to bee incorporated into him, and to bee as neere vntounto him as the wife is to her husbande. But vppon what condition? So long as wee continue in our own nature, we cannot be ioyned vntounto him, neither can he take any pleasure in vsus: and therfore we must forget our owne stocke, & our kinsfolkes; that is to say, we must become new creatures. For what hauehave wee so long as we hold of our father Adā, or any thing at all that is of man? what hauehave we (say I) but vtter frowardnesse? Wherefore let vsus marke well, that this figure must serue vsus for an instruction at this day: namely, that whereas vnderunder the lawe, our Lorde willed heathen women to pare their nayles, to shaue off the hayre of their heads, & to put away their former apparell & attyre; it is all one as if hee shewed vsus in a liuely picture, that we cannot bee of the body of his Church, nor of the housholde of faith, nor admitted into his fauour, except we bee stripped out of our accustomed apparel, that is to say, except wee forsake our olde maners & trade of life, and bee so chaunged, as wee may shewe openly that our desire is not to bee wedded any more to our selues, but to be gouerned by him, & to forsake all that we hauehave of our own nature, & al yt euer we hauehave learned by euill custom. Now we see how beneficial this lessō is for vsus, & that God spake it not for ye Iewes only, but yt he ment to giuegive vsus also a profitable instruction if we can skill to put it wel in vre.
Now whereas it is sayde, that the woman shall bewayle her father and her mother: it is not meant that women shoulde be sorie to come to liue after Gods worde: but here our Lorde hath done vsus to vnderstande that the naturall affections cannot bee mortified at the first chop, without some striuing against them, as we see too much by experience: insomuch that euen after a man hath beene trayned vp in Gods worde, although hee bee desirous to behaue him selfe as becommeth him; yet shall hee finde great gaynstryuings and contrarieties in himselfe, so as hee must be faine to inforce himself. And it is not for one day, but for all our life long, that our lustes and fleshly affections striue against Gods spirite which dwelleth in vsus and stirreth vsus vp and prouoketh vsus vntounto good. Wherefore let vsus marke that whereas our Lorde speaketh heere of sorrowing, it is all one as if hee had sayde, that although a woman mourne for her kinred and be greeued with her sinfull and corrupt affections: yet notwithstanding, her lamenting must be after such a sort, that in the ende shee thrust them vnderunder foote and forget them. And hereby wee hauehave to note, that our seruing of God, must not bee alonely when thinges fall out after our lyking and after our heartes desire, so as we bee nothing pinched in the dooing thereof; but also euen when wee bee vexed and stoong with our wicked lustes; In so much that although it bee harde for vsus to frame our selues to the obeying of Gods commaundementes, and wee feele it as a bitter medicine: yet must wee not therefore bee out of heart. For it is much better for vsus to weepe in sorrowing for our sinnes and offences, and to forsake them; than to bee merry and to laugh, and in the meane whyle to hauehave this threat sounding in our ears, that our laughter shalbee turned into weeping and gnashing of teeth.…. ….12.
And therefore let vsus marke well, that heerein our Lorde ment to put vsus stil in minde, that whatsoeuer infirmities bee in vsus, yet must they not make our heartes to quayle, but wee must still so inforce our selues to amendement, as wee may alwayes goe on forwarde, howsoeuer wee fare. And if Satan cast stoppes in our wayes, to make vsus retyre or turne head; wee must thrust them backe, and strayne our selues to ouercome them. Although then that we be driuen to mourne as though wee bewayled our kinsfolkes and friends; yet must wee still holde out in renouncing worldly things, that we may giuegive ouer our selues vntounto our GOD, and that Christ may hauehave the possession of vsus quietly, and wee faithfully keepe the promise of the sacred & spirituall mariage which he contracteth with vsus by the Gospel.
And it is sayde, that this must bee done by the space of a monethmonth, during which time the man shall keepe her in his house without touching her, yea, or without comming at her. Hereby wee see, that (as was sayde at the beginning) God in this place did somwhat beare and dispence with the Iewes, because they were too greatly giuen to their owne lykings: howbeit that was but with a moderation. And thereby wee bee taught (as I hauehave touched alreadie at the beginning) to eschewe the occasions that might deceiue vsus by their intycementes. For wee can no sooner open our eyes, but Satan hath some meane or other to dasle them in such sorte, that hee will drawe them to him by and by. And hee hath his snares so layde aforehande, that wee shalbee caught ere wee bee aware. What will become of vsus then, when wee seeke occasions afarre off? Wee had neede to betake our selues to God both earely and late, as the holy Ghost… him selfe doeth vsus to vnderstande where he… sayeth [in our behalfe:] Lorde,Psal. 119.31. Psal. 141.3. turne away mine eyes from all temptations. As much is sayde of our eares and of all our other senses. For all of them are but as messengers of lecherie and leawdnesse, vnlesse our Lorde put to his hande, and rule vsus by his holy spirite. Therefore let vsus learne to shunne the temptations that might serue to intyce vsus to further naughtinesse; and let vsus so eschewe them, as GOD may quietly hauehave the fruition of vsus. And when soeuer any temptation happeneth vntounto vsus, let vsus seeke to cut it off out of hande, and not to feede it: neyther let vsus bee too hastie to followe our owne lykings, which is the last poynt that we hauehave to marke here.
To conclude, whereas it is sayde, that the woman whome a man intendeth to marrie, must bee kep… close by him at home in his house, a whole monethmonth before hee come neere her: therein our Lorde hath shewed vsus a remedie that is more than requisite and needefull for all such as hauehave so whotte and headie lustes. Wee see that when any lust is once entered into a mannes heart, it setteth him on fire at the first brunt, and carryeth him away after such a sorte, as hee can take no rest. In respect whereof our Lorde giueth men heere a brydle, telling them that he which will take a wife after that manner, shall not goe in vntounto her, vntil hee hauehave first giuen her a monethes respite to mourne and to forsake her owne natiue people.
True it is (as I hauehave saide afore) that this ceremonie continueth not nowe any longer as in respect of the vse thereof, but yet it must serue vsus still for our learning: That is to witte, that for as much as the diuell driueth vsus after our lustes, and that as soone as any toye takes vsus in the head, by and by wee runne gadding after it, so as wee breake all bondes and brydles; wee must consider thus with our selues: But yet must thou brydle thy selfe in this case spite of thy teeth; and if thou beest a woode beast, thou must bee subdued by strong hande to the obeying of thy GOD. After that manner ought eueryevery man to fight against him selfe, and wee shoulde put this lesson in practise daily. For when so euer wee bee tempted to euill, if wee indeuour not to reprooue our selues, wee bee ouercome immediately, and the diuel hauing once caught holde, will not let vsus goe againe, for hee hath seised vppon the pray that is his owne alreadie.
But if wee through Gods grace, and by the power of his holy Spirite, doe striue to beat backe temptations, and take pleasure in mynding the things that God commaundeth vsus; and whereas Satan seeketh to surprise vsus, and indeuoureth to make vsus turne our backes to al good doctrine and admonitions, wee on the other side conclude with our selues, saying, Nowe must I gather my wittes to mee and bethinke mee of that which I hauehave learned, and whereunto God calleth mee: If we (I saye) take such aduisement to subdue our lustes: Satan shalbee ouercome, and our Lorde wilbee so gracious vntounto vsus as to turne the euill into good, and to inable vsus to vse his benefites in such wise, as they shall not bee marred by our taking of any inordinate libertie. The thing then which wee hauehave to remember yet further vppon this text, is that although Moses speake here of none but women; yet wee must applye the doctrine to all other temptations which befall vsus, that wee bee not wonne by them at the first brunt, but that wee behaue our selues so stayedly, as God may in the ende reigne ouer vsus, and wee not attempt any thing which is not permitted vsus by his worde.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus so to feele them, that beeing sory for them wee may bee so cast downe and grieued in our selues, as wee may bee readie to renounce all that euer is of the worlde and of our owne nature, and to giuegive ouer and consecrate our selues more and more to him that hath called vsus to this state, that wee bee a holy people to him, according to his adopting of vsus by Iesus Christ, the members of whose body hee woulde hauehave vsus to bee. And so let vsus all say, Almightie God, heauenly father, &c.