Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 122
On Munday the xxx. of December. 1555. The Cxxij. Sermon which is the third vponupon the one and twentith Chapter.
15 If a man hauehave two wiues, the one beloued and the other hated, and they hauehave brought him foorth children, as well the hated as the beloued, and the first childe is the childe of the hated:
16 And the time is come that hee will diuide his goods among his children to inherite: he may not giuegive the title of eldership to the sonne of the beloued, in derogation of the hated womans sonne which is the first borne.
17 But he shall acknowledge the hated womans sonne for his eldest, in giuing him double portion of all things that he hath. For he is the beginning of his strength, to whome the right of the firstbegotten belongeth.
HEre wee may see howe harde it is to keepe men in good order, by reason of the naughtinesse and rebellion that is in them. For the lustes of our flesh are like madde beastes that cannot bee tamed. And therefore the lawes which Moses setteth downe heere, serue as it were to fetter men when they will not bee ruled quietly. If any thing bee to bee counted holy and inuiolable among men, it is marryage. For it hath a testimonie that God would hauehave it stablished in his name, euen to liue and dye therein. And yet men sticke not to breake so great a bonde. And so wee see that the brute beastes are easier to rule than men bee, for all the reason and vnderstanding that God hath giuen vntounto them: for they set all their wittes vponupon euill.
It is not for vsus to finde faulte with the Iewes in this behalfe, as though they were a hardehearted people, and wee were not the like: but wee ought rather to beholde our selues in their persons, and to consider that wee bee no better than they. The text speaketh heere of a woman that was taken prisoner, howe that when a man had marryed her, hee ought thence foorth to keepe the same rule with her which our Lorde hath set downe for all others: namely, that hee forsake both father and mother, and cleaue to his wife. God sayeth that if he be wearie of her, he shal let her goe franke and free, and not sel her as a slaue. Surely God meant not to giuegive a marryed man leaue to put away his wife: for that is against the order of nature, and against the first institution or ordinance of mariage,G…. 2. which ought to continue to the worlds end. But it is all one as if God tolde vsus, that men cannot behaue themselues euenly & vprightly, & that they presume vpō many things which are not permitted to thē And therfore like as men put shackles vponupon euill conditioned horses; euen so to the intent yt men also should not ouershoot thēselues too far, God setteth them a barre to stop at: not that he correcteth their vyces altogether, but that hee maketh some restraint of them. If wee hauehave an eye to the perfection which God requyreth, whosoeuer hath once marryed a wife,…. …9.6. must keepe his faith and troth towardes her to the vttermost, that is to say, euen vntounto the death. And although there bee faultes to bee founde in her, yet must hee beare with her as with the weaker vessel. Likewise the wife must behaue herself so quietly towardes her husbande, that to the vttermost of her power shee must frame herselfe to his disposition.1. Pet. 3.5.6. The thing then which marryage requireth, is that the two parties liue togither with one consent in the obedience of God, and that neyther of them drawe aside by themselues, but that if there bee any faultes in the one or in the other,Eph. 5.…1.22 they beare with them & passe them ouer as I sayde afore. If a man put away his wife whome hee tooke as a prisoner among his enemies, although hee doe not hold her still in bondage, yet is the marriage broken thereby. Yea verily: and yet is not that putting away made lawfull by God, as who shoulde say hee had set men free at their owne choyce. Neither must men soothe themselues or thinke themselues acquit, because they bee not blamed by earthly iustice: but Gods intent was onelyonly to shew, that although a man be so leawd as to breake his faith, yet must hee not presume so farre as to play the tyrant too, and to sel his wife as though shee were his bondslaue still for euer. For he hath dishonored her.
Wee see then (as I hauehave touched afore) howe mannes wickednesse is so great, that it cannot bee reformed, and that it is much if hee can bee brought to some measure. And therefore wee must put a difference betweene humane policie and the lawe of God which serueth to rule our life, to the intent wee may walke as before him. Humane policie keepeth a certaine meane. It is no such perfectnesse as can acquit vsus before God, though wee hauehave not transgressed the lawes thereof. But our Lorde draweth vsus yet further in shewing vsus the way to liue wel, Hee resteth not vppon the thing that is possible in mannes sight; but sheweth vsus what is due to himselfe, and wherein wee bee bounde vntounto him. Why bee not mennes lawes perfect in all poyntes? Because that in them respect is had what is possible to bee obtained. Lawes are not made in respect that it is good that men should do so: but to the ende that men might liue togither one with another. But when our Lorde giueth vsus his doctrine, shewing vsus the way to liue well and holily: hee respecteth not our abilitie [to perfourme it.] For can wee louelove him with all our heartes, with all our strength, with all our soule, and with all our reason? Alas, it is much if wee did take paines about it, and enter into the way, and indeuour to set foreward. Although wee were still farre from the marke, yet had wee profited very much. But yet doth not this barre God from demaunding his right. You must louelove mee (sayeth hee) with all your heart. If a man reply, that it lyeth not in vsus to doe it; it is nothing to the purpose. Wee must tender thereunto whatsoeuer come of it. He will hauehave vsus to bee cleere from all euil affections, & from all wicked lustes of our flesh: and is that possible? No. And yet are wee bounde vntounto it, and the lawe requireth it. And for the cause did I say (according to my treating of the same matter heretofore) that it standeth vsus in hande to discerne well the spirituall law whereby God gouerneth our soules, from all that euer is set downe in the lawes of this worlde for the ciuile ordering of this present life. And hereof wee hauehave examples in this present place. For (as I hauehave declared before) what meaneth mariage, but that a man shoulde holde himselfe to the companie of his wife euen vntounto the death, quietly maintaining her and bearing with her?
But God seemeth here to giuegive a man leaue to put away his wife. It is no giuing of leaue, as I sayde afore. For the bonde standeth still in force,Mal. 2.15. that hee which putteth away his wife is accursed, because hee hath broken the order which God hath set, and sanctified. But yet as in respect of worldly gouernement, such a man was not punished among the Iewes. As for nowadayes, that libertie is not permitted. For it is good reason that Christians shoulde vse a more perfect kinde of gouernement than the Iewes had, considering that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath shewed himselfe in the worlde, and vttered the will of God his father vntounto vsus more fully. Therefore wee must not take such libertie nowadayes, as the Iewes did in old time.
Nowe let vsus come to the seconde lawe that is set downe here. It is sayde, If a man hauehave two wiues. What? Is this agreeable to the order of marryage? Nay, it is cleane contrarie to it. A man cannot breake wedlocke more, than by taking two wyues.Gen. 3.24. It is sayde that they shalbee two in one flesh. It is not sayde there, that they shalbee three or foure.Mal. 2.15. But our Lorde created onelyonly one woman, to the intent shee should bee the mannes companion. And before he created her,1. Cor 7.2. hee sayth not, it were good for a man to hauehave many helpes. Let vsus make him one helper (quoth hee) to bee with him. Now seeing that God thinketh one helper to be ynough for a man; surely whosoeuer goeth beyonde that rule, turneth all thinges vpside downe, & it is al one as if hee would disanul the ordinance of God. Yea verily. For who is the author of maryage? Hath not God spoken the thing that ought to stande inuiolable, namely yt they shalbe two in one flesh, and that a man shall hauehave but one helper? Now if notwithstanding this, a man will needes take two wiues, is it not an open defying of God? Yes verily. And therefore our Lorde sayeth by his Prophet,Mal. 2.15. & Matt. 19.8. that it were more tolerable for a man to put away his wife by giuing her the leaue that was permitted vnderunder ye lawe, than to hauehave two wiues at once. And there he sendeth such vnruly persons backe againe to the creation. Behold (sayeth hee,) God created but one man. And the very same thing doth our Lorde Iesus Christ meane in saying that at the beginning it was not so. For God created but one man: namely male and female created he them. Nowe the Prophet Malachie in alleaging this, sayeth further that God had sufficient aboundance of spirite in himselfe. And therefore what shoulde hauehave letted him to hauehave created two wiues for Adam, if he had thought it good? But God thought one to bee ynough. Therefore it is to bee concluded, that he which coueteth to hauehave two wyues, marreth all, and regardeth not the keeping of wedlocke in such sorte as God hath ordeyned it. Then is it whordome and not wedlocke for a man to desire a seconde wife after that fashion. Yet notwithstanding, this vyce hath beene of olde tyme, & thereby a man may see & iudge what certeintie there is in grounding our selues vponupon custome. Tush say wee, it hath beene so in all ages, it hath euer beene wont to bee so. Yea, but that will not serue to discharge vsus before God. For this Polygamie as they terme it, that is to say, this hauing of many wyues at once, shoulde hauehave a very goodly couer for it, if it might rest vppon custome and antiquitie. But what? Gods institution or ordinance went afore custome, and ought to continue vntounto the last ende. Wee see then that it was too disordered and vnruly dealing, when men tooke such scope and libertie to hauehave many wiues at once. And yet the thing fell out euen in the Patriarkes themselues. Whereby it appeareth that men doe but deceiue themselues when they ground themselues vppon men, though they bee the holyest that euer were. Yee see that Abraham who is the father of the faithfull, had mo wiues than one. Yea, but hee fayled not to bee condemned for it. In all the residue of his life hee was a mirrour of Angelicall perfection: but in this case he ouershot himselfe. Therefore let vsus holde our selues to Gods pure worde, and not pretende that any thing is lawfull for vsus, except it be ruled after the same. Thus much concerning the hauing of many wyues at once, which is spoken of heere. In so much that if any man hauehave two wyues, hee doeth contrary to the order which God hath set. By reason whereof the men that doe so passe their boundes are neuerthemore acquit, though they bee not punished for it by the lawes of men: but they must alwayes come backe to this poynt, that God hauing an eye what might bee obtayned of mennes infirmities, ordeyned it as a lawe of policie. And this is no impedimēt at al to the perfection that is conteyned in Gods worde, whereto it behoueth vsus to aspire. And if wee swarue neuer so litle from it, wee bee guiltie before him by and by. And well may wee alleage this or that; As for example, men require nothing at our hands; yet must wee come to account for it before the heauenly Iudge.
It is sayde heere expressely, If a man hate the one and louelove the other. Whereby it is shewed vntounto vsus, that the hauing of many wyues at once, proceedeth of a corrupt affection, in that a man beareth not such louelove to his wife as he ought to do. For if a man loued his wife chastely, as hee is commaunded; his heart will neuer bee withdrawen from her to desire a newe marriage. Then must a man needes bee corrupted and infected in his heart, and conceiue a mislyking of his wife, so as hee is loth to yeeld his duetie vntounto her, before hee can long for a seconde mariage. It is sayde;Ep. 5.28.29 Yee husbands, louelove your wiues: for no man hath euer hated his owne flesh. The same matter is alleaged concerning all men by the Prophet Esay,Esa. 58.7. because wee hauehave one resemblance of nature common to vsus all. It is sayde there, thou shalt not despise thine owne flesh, and it is meant euen of the furthest straungers in the worlde. But betweene man and wife, there is another respect: for (to speake properly) they bee both but one man. And so doeth the Scripture terme them, saying: They shalbee two in one flesh; that is to saye, in one person. Nowe if any man hate his owne body, must i… not needes bee that he is worse than mad? Hereupon Saint Paul concludeth, that if a man louelove not his owne wife, hee is as a monster. True it is that wyues will oftentimes giuegive their husbandes cause to hate them, and that there bee some of them such feendes as were able to vexe euen the Angels of heauen, and to put them out of patience. That is true. But yet must a man fight against such temptations, and ouercome them howsoeuer hee fare, by the power of Gods spirite. When he is once matched with a wife, hee must not thinke it to bee by haphazarde, but that it was by Gods will. And therefore hee must brydle himselfe, in so much that although it bee right harde and grieuous to do, yet must hee take paynes to reforme the vyces of his wife that is so euill disposed, and yet in the meane while beare with her and vse her as gently as is possible for him. To that poynt must a man come. Hereunto Saint Paul addeth the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ, besides the inward vnderstanding which we hauehave of nature.Eph. 5.25. Marke (sayeth hee) howe Iesus Christ loueth his Church. For hee hath giuen him selfe to death, to make vsus cleane from all spottes, euen vsus that are fowle and full of vncleannesse. If our Lorde Iesus hauehave not spared his owne bloud for the washing of vsus; what ought a mortall man to doe for his wife? But wee knowe that wedlocke is as a liuely picture of the sacred vnion which our Lorde Iesus vouchsafeth to hauehave with vsus. Therefore when so euer the husbande is displeased or greeued at his wife, though hee bee neuer so angry with her, let him hauehave an eye to this example. Beholde, the sonne of God offereth me his owne bloud to wash me withal, shewing mee thereby that I must brydle my selfe in this behalfe, and performe my duetie throughly towardes my wife, howesoeuer the worlde goe. So then let vsus marke, that a man will neuer couet a seconde wife, except hee hauehave first falsified his faith and troth towardes her whome he putteth away. For if he loued her truely, soundely, and rightly, hee woulde leuer dy than let his minde runne vponupon any seconde mariage. Let vsus marke well (I say) that heere our Lorde ment to bring vsus backe to the wels head of the mischiefe, to the intent that eueryevery of vsus should examine his owne vices, and specially the vices that are hid from men vnderunder this wicked roote that is within vsus. He that forsaketh his wife to marrie another, shall perhaps bee condemned by the common iudgement of men: but to iudge thereof as is meete, we must goe to the welspring thereof, and then shall wee finde that the greatest euill is euer inwarde. Now then, if the hauing of many wiues at once be a wicked thing, and that God finde fault with it, insomuch as he had leuer that a man should put his wife away, than yt mariage should be broken and the order thereof ouerthrowen: let vsus assure our selues there is yet a greater mischiefe, namely secret hatred, when a man loueth not his wife, but is inflamed with a wicked desire to hauehave an other beside her. And so ye see that the greatest wickednesse that can be, is this vnfaithfulnes wherethrough mariage is corrupted, and men hauehave no more care to followe the order of GOD and nature, and to frame themselues thereafter.
Furthermore, as touching the worde Hate, let vsus note that it is taken heere for ouer colde lo…ing. For inasmuch as the Lawe punished not a man for putting of his wife away, if he had hated her in deede, he would surely hauehave thrust her out of his house and companie. Therefore in keeping her still, he shewed plainely that hee hated her not as we meane by hating in our common speech, and yet doeth God account it for hatred and not without cause, which is a text well worthy to be noted. For if a man hate not his wife deadly, so as hee woulde kill her with beating, or wish her in her graue: he will beare the world in hande that although he louelove her not, yet he doth not vtterly hate her. But heere ye see how God speaketh farre otherwise. For he sayeth and auoweth, that if a mans heart be not whole and sounde towardes his wife, it is to be taken for hatred. Therefore let vsus imbrace this saying, That a husbande must louelove his wife as himselfe,Eph. 5.28. euen as his owne person. If hee doe not so, yet shall this sentence of God alwayes take place. And this lesson ought to serue, not onelyonly for the mutuall louelove betweene man and wife, but also generally for the louelove towards our neighbours. When a man hath an offence committed against him, if he seeke no reuendge, if he practise no wicked wayes, if he intende not to murder him by sword or by poysoning, if he goe about no wicked conspiracie against him: he will say, As for mee, If I would him any euill, let it light vponupon my selfe, I wish him nothing but his benefite and welfare. That is true: but yet in the meane while there is a secret rancour lurking within. And wee must not thinke that God acquitteth vsus when we hauehave such heartburning in vsus, bearing in minde the offence that hath beene committed against vsus, so as we be loth to pleasure the partie, and could rather finde in our heartes that euill mought befall him. On the other side, some man is so far reconciled, as hee can not finde in his heart to commit any wicked dede by trecherie or vnfaithfulnesse, nor by any maner of violence: and yet he thinkes with himselfe, such a one is mine enemie, he hath gone about to vndoe me, yet will I forgiue him so farre, that I will doe nothing against him. But yet if some mischaunce might befall him, he would be glad of it and say, O, it is well bestowed, for what had he purposed against me? When we keepe such backe shops, it is a token that our heart is not rid quite & cleane. The hatred appeareth not openly, but yet it abideth lurking still within. And he yt hateth his neighbour in his heart (sayeth Saint Iohn) that is to say in secret, is a murtherer before God. So then let vsus marke, that louelove consisteth not onelyonly in wishing none euill to our neighbours, but also in seeking their welfare as much as we can, and in reioycing at the welfare of our enemies. And specially, if a man intende to discharge his duety towardes his wife, he must not louelove her slenderly, but he must accept her as his wife, that is to say, as the partie whom God hath linked to him, and therefore he must beare with her and maintaine peace and concorde with her as much as he can possibly. That is the thing that Moses meant is saying, If a man hate his wife. For else a man might say, as for mee if I hadde hated her, I woulde hauehave beene diuorced from her, and not hauehave kept her still. For what a thing had it beene for me to hauehave kept her still in my house? Yea, but wherefore hast thou taken an other wife to her, but because thou diddest mislike of the first? All the pretences which thou canst alleadge are to no purpose; vaine are such excuses. For God who is ye Iudge of mens hearts, telleth thee that if thou beare her not a right and pure louelove, thou hatest her.
Now Moses addeth, When he hateth the one and loueth the other, if he hauehave children by them both, he may not make the childe of the beloued, his heire by giuing him the prerogatiue of dubble portion aboue the rest of his children. But the birthright must remaine to him to whome it belongeth by nature, though the mother of him was not so well liked of her husbande as the other. That is the thing in effect, which Moses commaundeth in this text. And as touching the birthright of the firstborne: it was verie auntient euen before the Lawe, yea euen before the going of the people into Egypt, there was a regard had of the birthright. For although Iacob was in Egypt when hee dyed: yet spake hee as of a thing growen already into custome and helde for a common rule, that is to witte, that there shoulde alwayes bee a kinde of preheminence in eldership, so as ye eldest brother should beare chiefe sway in the house ouer his brethrē. And we see it in very deede in the blessing yt Isaac gaue vntounto Iacob, taking him neuerthelesse to hauehave beene Esaw. For he maketh him his eldest sonne, with prerogatiue of Lordshippe and souereigntie ouer all his brethren, that is to say, ouer all his kinred. Yee see then howe it is an auntient prerogatiue, insomuch as a man may say, it came as it were by inspiration, & that it was not of mens inuenting, but of Gods owne appointing, though we hauehave no recorde thereof, ne can proue the thing otherwise than by single coniecture. Yet notwithstanding, this serueth not to excuse the ambition of such as will needes giuegive al that they hauehave to their eldest sonne, to the intent to maintaine their houses in greate estate, which we see is the marke that men hauehave shot at. Whereof comes it that in many countryes, the elder brother hath all, and the younger brothers as good as nothing, and that men doe giuegive them a morsell of breade as though their fathers had layde the wallet vppon their neckes to bid them shift for themselues? Whereof comes this, but of a pride, that they will needes hauehave their houses to continue in their name, and not be diminished? Yea, but our Lorde telleth vsus that we must passe through this worlde as wayfarers. And wee knowe how the prophet skorneth those that will needes plant their names vponupon earth after that fashion.Psal. 49.12. In the nine and fortith Psalme he declareth that they must needes be very dulwitted sith they see that they must goe to the graue like sheepe, and that their life is as fickle as can bee, and yet notwithstanding will needes (as it were in dispite of God) hauehave an euerlasting monumēt here belowe, where all thinges are transitorie. But yet doeth this madnesse continue alwayes, as he sheweth anon after. Wee see with our eies how God mocketh such beastlinesse of men, and yet their aftercommers continue still hard hearted and wilfull, following the madnesse of their fathers. And when there be Lawes that giuegive al the substaunce after that fashion to the eldest brother, and leaue the rest of the children vnprouided: let vsus assure our selues that those Lawes are vnrightfull and wicked. And why? For (as I hauehave sayde afore) we must goe to the roote; and when we will iudge of thinges aright, wee must hauehave an eye to the originall from whence the same proceedeth. For although God put men neuer so much in minde of their frailtie, yet is there such an ouerweening in them, that they will needes be abiding still in this worlde, and leaue an euerlasting remembrāce behind them. Againe we see that this kinde of dealing is contrarie to all naturall affection. For ought not a father to louelove all his children? Yea, but this is my firstborne. And what are the rest? Wilt thou leaue them to the wide worlde? Wilt thou hauehave no regard of them? He that careth not for those which are of his owne housholde, is worse than an Infidell (sayeth Saint Paul) and hath forsaken the faith.1. Tim. 5.8. Euen the very heathen had this grauen alwayes in their hearts, that howsoeuer they themselues fared, they had especiall care of their children. Although a mannes children be not worthie to be beloued, yet ought nature to ouerrule in that case whatsoeuer come thereof. Nay, although you yourselues be euill (sayth our Lord Iesus Christ) yet do ye not faile to procure good to your children.Matt. 7.11. Therefore as for thē that hauehave vtterly done away all naturall affection, they shewe themselues to bee woorse than the heathen, and more corrupted than they. So then, we must alwayes holde vsus to this rule, that a father is bound to prouide for all his children, and that the eldest must not be as a gulfe. Againe, the birthright which was allowed of before the Lawe, and also put in vre afore the Law, allowed but dubble portion to the eldest. And that was reasonable, because the eldest is commonly put to the greatest charges: and when his brothers are left fatherlesse, hee must be faine to be their guyde, and to be as a head and a father to them all. Moreouer, he is as it were the strength of his father aboue all the rest. And it is the reason that is set downe here, which reason we see that Iacob also vseth,Gen. 49.…. saying he is the beginning of my strength. God bestoweth a kinde of dignitie vponupon men, when he maketh them fathers: for hee imparteth his owne name vntounto them. All kinred proceedeth from him, and to speake properly, there is no father but he, I meane as well of the body as of the soule. And yet notwithstanding, the same title is attributed to men, euen because God vouchsafeth to yeelde them that honour. Nowe when God honoreth a man so much, as to make him a firstbegottē, and to giuegive him preheminence aboue his brothers: if he abuse it, he casteth away the grace that God bestoweth vponupon him.
Neuerthelesse, we see it is not so perpetuall a rule, but that an elder brother may be dispossessed of his roome,Gen. 49.4. as we see befell to Ruben, who was Iacobs eldest sonne. And the Testament that Iacob made was not after the common maner of men, as though the matter had beene to hauehave bin ordered after his owne liking: but God spake by his mouth, so as there scaped him not any one worde, which was not a prophesie. And therefore he sayth, Thou Ruben my firstbegottē which wast ye flower & beginning of my strength, thou oughtest to hauehave bin innobled in my house, but nowe thou hast beene sorrowe and heauines to me: Thou must then vanish away and be bereft of the honour that belonged to thee by nature. Thus was Ruben dispossessed and after a sort banished from his birthright. For he hadde committed too too wicked a deede, & too deadly a crime. And although God forgaue him, so as he dyed not for it: yet was he noted with endlesse infamie, both he & all his ofspring, because of the incest which hee had committed. The right then of the eldership is not a thing so peremptorily assured, but that a child may be dispossessed of it for his misbehauiour, or for some other lawefull cause. But that a man shoulde bee suffered to peruert the order of nature for one wiues sake whō hee loueth better than an other, that were no reason. Nowe then let vsus marke in fewe wordes, that God ment to make a brydle to restraine men withall, least they might be won by their wiues allurementes to conuey away the right of their children from one to another: God (I say) ment to prouide a remedy for it aforehande.
And first of all let vsus marke, that the affections which we bring naturally with vsus from our mothers wombe, are vtterly corrupted in vsus by, I wote not what a kinde of lustes. And if it be so in them, what is it in the rest? As I sayde afore, ye see howe the louelove of a father is common to all men by nature. It is not a vertue peculiar to the faithfull, as it were for that they be willing to obey God, and hauehave an eye to his commaundements: but although a man were neuer taught it, ne euer wist what the seruice of GOD ment; yet shall he well vnderstande that it is but ambition and pride, to defraude the rest of this children of the portion of his goods, for the aduancing of his eldest sonne. True it is that he is the beginning of his strength: but what for that? should a man be so bewitched with the liking of a woman, that he should vtterly forget what nature it selfe teacheth vsus, and which ought to be printed in all men euen from their mothers wombes? Therefore we hauehave heere a good and profitable lesson, to put vsus in mind that we must fight against our lustes, as though they were enemies inflamed against vsus with all rage, and that we must inforce ourselues in this case, for we shal neuer bring it to passe with ease. And the hardnesse therof must not discorage vsus, but although we see it to be a verie difficult and troublesome thing to be able to ouermaister our lustes; Yet let vsus goe forewarde with it still. In deede wee must not presume vponupon our owne strength; but we must acknowledge our owne weakenes & flee vntounto God, who in the ende will giuegive vsus a happie victorie.
Furthermore, to knit vp this matter, let vsus mind the thing that I hauehave touched afore: which is, that although we be not punished before men for our faultes and misdeedes, yet must not that serue to lull vsus a sleepe. For why? God keepeth still his iudgement in store: and before him wee shall not be quit. Nowadayes if a man can say that the Lawe can finde no fault in him, he thinketh himselfe to be an Angell. Yea, but if a man do cocker himselfe vnderunder that pretence, should God also cease to doe his office therefore? Then let vsus learne to order our liues after such a sorte, as our eye may not be alonely vponupon men. For the ciuil Lawes (as I hauehave told you already) serue but to deale with vsus according to our power and abilitie: but the righteousnesse which God commaundeth vsus in his spirituall Lawe is a perfection whereunto we are tyed and bounde. And although we be not able to performe it: yet must wee holde on still towardes it, by setting our mindes therupon, & by streyning all our powers to the vttermost. And when we finde any thing amisse: we must bee sorie for it, and condemne ourselues. For although men require nothing at our handes; yet shal we be euer guiltie before God. Thus ye see what we hauehave to remember, to the intent we be not so blinded as to beare ourselues in hande, that because wee be scaped the handes of men, therefore we be also acquit and discharged before God. Let that serue for one point.
And thereupon let vsus learne further, that wee must not imagine as a number of fantastical persons do, that all the thinges are allowed of God, which were not punished in the commonweale of the Iewes: For our Lorde executed a dubble office among that people. Hee gaue them an earthly order of gouernement, after the maner of the Lawes which we hauehave: and also he deliuered them a rule whereafter hee will hauehave vsus to behaue ourselues as his children. For if we intende to hauehave a sure recorde of Gods will, wee must resort to the tenne cōmandementes, wherin is comprehended the sūme of all holines and righteousnesse. He that frameth his life according to the tenne commaundementes, may wel say that he hath the perfect righteousnesse. But forasmuch as we come farre short of it, and can by no meanes come neere it so long as wee bee clothed with our flesh: let vsus acknowledge ourselues to be wretched sinners, and resort for refuge to the mercy of our God, fighting manfully in the meane season against our owne vices, and indeuouring continually to cutte off all impediments, vntil we feele ourselues to hauehave profited: and there must be none ende of this battell, vntill our Lorde hauehave throughly reclaimed vsus to him, which will not be before he hauehave taken vsus out of this world. Thus much for the first point.
Secondly let vsus note, that whereas God discouereth the frailtie of such as forget themselues, as of husbandes that louelove not their wiues: the same ought to serue vsus for a brydle, to make vsus to bethinke ourselues the better. For if a man put away his wife, the bonde which God hadde made is broken. And to whō is the wrong done? Not to a mortal creature, but to God the author of mariage, who is offended thereat. And wherof commeth it but of this, that the husbande is not rightly minded towardes his wife, to thinke with himselfe, God hath giuen her to me to be as a part of mine owne flesh, and therefore it becōmeth me to maintaine her as mine owne person. When men hauehave not this consideration with them, they be blinded with beastly lust to put away their wiues. Forasmuch therfore as we see that Gods order is in so dooing confounded and ouerthrowen: let vsus bee ashamed to suffer ourselues to be tossed to & fro after yt fashion by our leaud affections, specially when we fal to the considering of yt which is sayd here, namely that if a man hauehave two wiues. Mal. 2.15.As how? God hath created but one wife for one man: hee hath sayde it with his owne mouth, that it was ynough for a man to hauehave one helper. He had spirite sufficient ynough to hauehave created a hundred women if he had listed: but hee gaue vsus to vnderstande that a man ought to holde himselfe contented with one wife, and that it is the order which hee made at the beginning. Nowe then it ought to make vsus to quake, when wee see men fall to pushing with their hornes after that fashion against God, breaking the bonde which ought to be holy and inuiolable. Againe, when wee see that a man hath so vnhallowed wedlocke by his tossing to and fro: it is a meane to make vsus bethinke ourselues. If a man hauehave a wife, be shee once dead, it is lawefull for him to marrie again: but yet the worlde sees that the second wife will be gathering for her owne children, yea euen with filching & stealing from her husband. And that is a token of Gods curse, & of the wretched nesse that is in vsus by reason of sinne. But if a man hauehave two wiues at once in one house, what a braule will there be? He shall finde himselfe to be as it were drawen in peeces, doe the best hee can. Wee see what befell to our father Iacob. Now then, seeing we knowe all these thinges, let vsus learn to submit ourselues to God, trusting that his blessing shalbe vppon vsus, if wee liue soberly, mildly, and chastly, as he commandeth. If a husbande liue in peace & concorde with his wife, & louelove her as God commandeth him to doe: God will surely blesse him and all his issue after him. We may well hope (say I) that God will make vsus to prosper after that manner, if we liue so in awe vnderunder his brydle. But contrariwise let vsus looke to be cursed of him and to hauehave all maner of cō fusion come vponupon vsus, if wee will not obey Gods ordinance, as we see that men are hardly subdued, but that their wicked lustes and affections do carry them away continually. Neuerthelesse let vsus be afraid, and let vsus learne to beholde ourselues in the examples that are shewed vsus heere. The way (say I) to preserue mariage vnuiolated, to mainteine louelove and concorde betweene man and wife, is to beare in mind that God hath knit them together in one, and that he hath therewithall promised to be the gouernour of mariages, and to powre out his blessing vponupon thē; and if we also do put our trust in him, & hauehave an eye to him; it is certaine that he wil rule vsus, and subdue all our wicked affections. Let vsus be diligent in doing our duetie, eueryevery man in his calling, & then shall we not only liue in peace and concord during this present life, but also our temporall mariage shall leade vsus further both men and women, that is to wit to the holy vnion betweene the sonne of GOD and vsus, not onelyonly which he hath stablished already by his bloudshed, but also which shall then come to perfection, when wee be vnited to him in the kingdome of heauen.
Nowe let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good God and father, praying him to rid vsus dayly more and more of our flesh and of all the corruptions thereof, and to make vsus so to feele our sinnes, as wee may at leastwise bee sory that we hauehave offended him, and desire to be ridde of them continually more and more, proceeding still forewarde in the doctrine of repentance, vntill we be fully brought home vntounto him, and that he will vouchsafe so to beare with vsus, as in the meane while we may by his holy spirit, be drawen vntounto him, euen vntill we be come altogether home vntounto him. That it may please him to graunt this grace, not only vntounto vsus, but also to all people and Nations of the earth, &c.