The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 2 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Of unlawfull Marriages, and their issues.
NOw to redres all such evils as have before been mentioned, and to avoid all inconveniences in this case, God of his bountifull mercy hath ordained Marriage as a remedy to be applied to all such as have not the gift of continency, least they should fall into fornication: which notwithstanding many shamelesse creatures that blush not at their owne filthinesse, but rather rejoyce therein, make no account of. Such are they that making Marriage one of the Sacraments of the Church, do neverthelesse despise as a vile and prophane thing; albeit that the Apostle saith, That Marriage is honourable among all men, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge. But they have it not in that estimation, seeing by authority they are deprived of the use thereof, and not of Adultery. That which is honest and laudable is forbidden, and that which is sinfull and unlawfull, allowed of. This (saith Sleiden) is the custom of the Germane Bishops, for money to suffer their Lib. 4.Priests to keep harlots, not exacting any other punishment, saving their purses, to privilege their knaveries. But these reines of liberty were let more loose in certain Villages of the Cantons of Switzers, where it was Lib. 3.not onelyonly winked at, but also commanded, That every new Priest should have his private whore for his owne tooth; that he might not intermeddle with other mens. Neither was it without reason that Iohn le Maire said, how under the shew and colour of chastity, Priests whoredomes did overflow, being men abandoned to all dissolute and riotous living. Now then it were far better to marry than to burne; yet in such sort to marry, that all giddinesse and inconsideration set aside, every one should matcht himselfe according to his degree and age, with great respect and good advisement had unto them both, to the end to avoid those mischiefes and enormities which oftentimes happen, when either by an over-hardy, foolish, and rash presumption, a man would nestle himselfe in an higher nest than his estate and calling requireth, or by a sensuall and fleshly lust passing the bounds of reason, goeth about to constrain and interrupt the law of nature. The chiefest thing that is required in Marriage, is the consent of parties, as well of themselves that are to be joyned together, as of each of their parents; the contrary whereof is constraint, where either party is forced: as it hapned to those two hundred maids which the Benjamites took by force and violence to be their wives.Judg. 21.
This was a reproach to Romulus the first King of Rome, when he ravished the Sabine virgins that came to see their sports, which was cause of great war betwixt them. Moreover besides the mutuall joint of love which ought to be betwixt man and wife, it is necessary that they that marry do marry in the Lord, to serve him in greater purity, and with lesse disturbance; which cannot be if a Christian marry an Infidell, for the great difficulties and hinderances that usually spring from such a root. Therefore it was straitly forbidden the people of God to contract Marriages with Idolaters; yea, and the holy Patriarchs before any such law was given, had Exod. 34. 16. Deut. 7. 3.carefully great regard (in the Marriages of their children) to this thing, as the example of Abraham doth sufficiently declare. Therefore they that have any manner of government and authority over unmarried folkes, whether they be fathers, morthers, kinsmen, or Tutors, ought to have especiall care and regard thereof. Yea, Christian Princes and Lords, or Rulers of Common-wealths, should not in this respect be so supine and negligent in the performance of their Offices, as once to permit and suffer this amongst them, which is so directly contrary to the Word of God; but rather by especiall charge forbid it, to the end that both their Lawes might be conformable, and in every respect agreeable to the holy Ordinance of God; and that the way might be stopped to those mischiefes which were likely to arise from such evil concluded Marriages. For what reason is it that a young maid baptised and brought up in the Church of Christ, should be given in marriage to a worshipper of Images and Idols; and sent to such a Countrey where the worship of God is not so much as once thought upon? Is not this to plucke a soul out of the House of God, and thrust it into the house of the devill? out of Heaven, into Hell? than which, what greater apostasie or falling from God can there be? whereof all they are guilty, that either make up such Marriages; or give their good will or consent to them, or do not hinder the cause and proceedings of them, if any manner of way they can. Now that this confusion and mixture of Religion in Marriages is unpleasant and noysom to God, it manifestly appeareth Gen. 6. where it is said, that because the sonnes of God (to wit, those whom God had separated for himselfe from the beginning of the world to be his peculiar ones,) were so evill advised, as to be allured with the beauties of the daughters of men, (to wit, of those which were not chosen of God to be his people; and to marry with them, corrupting themselves by this contagious acquaintance of prophane people, with whom they should have had nothing to do) that therefore God was incensed against them, and resolved simply to revenge the wickednesse of each party without respect. Beside, the monstrous fruits of those prophane Marriages, do sufficiently declare their odiousnesse in Gods sight: for from them arose gyants of strength and stature, exceeding the proportion of men, who by their hugenesse did much wrong and violence in the world, and gained fearfull and terrible names to themselves: but God (provoked by their oppressions) drowned their tyrannies in the Floud, and made an end of the world for their sakes.
In the time of the Judges in Israel, the Israelites were chastised by the hand of God for this same fault; for they tooke to wives the daughters of the uncircumcised, and gave them their daughters also. In like sort framed Judges 3.they themselves by this meanes to their corrupt manners and superstitions, and to the service of their Idolatrous gods: but the Lord of heaven raigned downe anger upon their heads, and made them subject to a stranger, the King of Mesopotamia, whom they served the space of eight yeares.
Looke what hapned to King Solomon for giving his heart to strange women 1 Kings 11.that were not of the houshold of Gods people: he that before was replenished with such admirable wisdome, that he was the wonder of the world, was in his olde age deprived thereof, and besotted with a kinde of dulnesse of understanding, and led aside from the true knowledge of God to serve Idols, and to build them Altars and Chappels for their worship; and all this to please forsooth his wives humours, whose acquaintance was the chiefe cause of his misery and Apostasie.