Marriage with a Defense of the 32nd Article of the Church of England, Title page – Dedication
A TREATISE OF MARRIAGE, WITH A Defence of the 32th Article of Religion of the Church of England; VIZ.
Biſhops, Prieſts and Deacons are not commanded by God's Law, either to Vow the ſtate of ſingle life, or to abſtain from Marriage; therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other men, to marry at their own diſcretion, as they ſhall judge the ſame to ſerve better to godlineſs.
Heb. 13.6.
Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: But Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge.
1 Tim. 3.2.
A Biſhop then muſt be blameleſs, the husband of one wife.
—foreign.
Theophylact. on Tit. 1.6.
London, Printed by J. D. and are to be ſold by R. Chiſwel, at the Roſe and Crown in S. Paul's Church-yard. 1673.
To the Worſhipful Robert Raworth Eſq.
SIR,
THe Argument of this ſmall Treatiſe is ſo great, that I preſume I need not Apologize for it: 'Tis Marriage, the Ordinance and Inſtitution of God himſelf; that which the Church of Rome holds a Sacrament, and the Church of England, with other Reformed Churches, a Myſtery. 'Tis that which our Bleſſed Lord and Saviour, Emmanuel, honoured, by being born, though of a Virgin, yet of one that was married to a Husband; by his preſence at, and by working his firſt Miracle, of turning water into Wine, at the Celebration of a Marriage at Cana in Galilee. 'Tis that which the Holy, Ghoſt in the Scriptures honours, by comparing therein the joys of Heaven to a Marriage-Feaſt; and by making the Boſom of Abraham, a married perſon, and the Father of the Faithful, the Receptacle of all Saints in Heaven, whether they were married or ſingle on earth. 'Tis a ſubject, of which that great Scholar Eraſmus hath written, namely, both de Laudibus, and de Inſtitutione Matrimonii; as has alſo Ludovicus Vives de Conjugii Origine & utilitate. 'Tis that which the zealous Martyr Dr. Taylor bleſſed God for, and in commendation of which that Saint of the Lord, (which one calls that Angel of God) Mr. Bradford, who when he was in Priſon, and there being ſome hopes of his deliverance and freedom, being asked what he would do in caſe he ſhould be releaſed. Anſwered, he would marry; being, I queſtion not, of that holy Biſhop Paphnutius his mind, who at the Council of Nice declar'd, That the ſociety of man and wife was a holy chaſtity. 'Tis the ſhame of this Generation, that ſo many men and women live in common, as if they underſtood that noted ſaying, All things are common amongst Friends, of a Community of Women and of Wives alſo, as of other goods. My wiſh therefore is, and it ſhall be my prayer, that the uncleanneſs and filthineſs of this age, may not be puniſhed with a Deluge of Popery; I mean, by God's giving us over to Spiritual Adultery, or the Idolatry of the Church of Rome. And now having mentioned that Church, give me leave to ſay, that ſhe is juſtly branded with the name of, The Mother of Fornications, and thoſe too Corporal as well as Spiritual. What other Church in the world allows of publick Stews and Brothel-houſes? where, but amongſt her Sons, was it pleaded in their excuſe, that they are as neceſſary as a Pump in a ſhip, and a Sink in a houſe, to keep all clean, And although they would make us believe, that their Church is pure and clean, yea, both Militant and Triumphant in their holy Societies of Monks and Nuns, that theſe are like the Nazarites, whiter than the ſnow: Yet if we may give credit to their own Authors, ſuch as Polydore Virgil, Book 7. cap. 5. de Inventoribus rerum, ſpeaking of their Orders of Monks, he ſaith, That it were behoveful that thoſe dregs of men were cut off and burnt, and that with their filth they ſhould no longer defile God's ſervice. And N. de Clemangis, a Doctor of Paris, who in his Book de Corrupto ſtatu Eccleſiae, c. 21. ſaith of the Nuns; Shame forbiddeth me to ſpeak of them, leſt I ſhould mention a company of Virgins dedicated to God, but ſtewed, deceitful, impudent Whores, with their Fornications and Inceſtuous works: For what, I pray, are Nunneries now adays, but the execrable Brothel-houſes of Venus, the Harbours of wanton young Women, where they ſatisfie their luſt? that now the vailing of a Nun, is all one, as if you proſtituted her openly to be a whore. So he. I ſay, if we may believe theſe and other their own Authors; our Church, who hath none of theſe Convents for ſingle perſons, and who allows of the married life of the Clergy, is more holy and honorable than Rome. And I doubt not, but our Miniſters, though married, multitudes of them will preſent themſelves, and their modeſt, chaſte and pious Conſorts, with innumerable others of their Congregations, as chaſte Virgins to Chriſt. And whereas the Papiſts tell us, there are three ſpecial Crowns in Heaven, one for them that overcome the World, another for them that overcome the Fleſh, and a third for them that overcome the Devil: If ſo, I dare promiſe many of our Doctors, though married, to each of them three Crowns in Heaven, far beyond the Popes Triple Crown on Earth; namely, to our Learned and Laborious Doctors, who by their Writings overcome the Devil; to our married Doctors, who by their chaſte Wedlock overcome the Fleſh; to our couragious Doctors, who are ready, if God call them, to Martyrdom; to aſcend to Heaven, like Elijah, in a fiery Chariot, and ſo overcome the world: I ſay, to theſe I dare promiſe three Crowns in Heaven, beſides a fourth to them and their Religious, Modeſt and Chaſte Conſorts, viz. The Crown of Righteouſneſs, which is laid up in Heaven for all them that love the appearance of Jeſus Chriſt.
Sir, Although neither the ſubject I treat on in the following Diſcourſe, viz. Marriage, nor the Church of England her Doctrine in the 32 Article of Religion, which I defend, allowing perſons in holy Orders to marry, need any Apology; yet I humbly beg your pardon for any weakneſs or miſcarriage you may find in my manner of treating of theſe things. And I humbly preſent this ſmall Piece to you, coming into the World from, as it were, under your roof; and beg your excuſe at leaſt, if not your Approbation and Patronage of it. If any of our Romiſh Adverſaries ſhould quarrel the Doctrine of our Church on this occaſion, you have ſuch Learned Friends and Acquaintance, and thoſe who have opportunities, advantages, and courage ſufficient to defend their chaſte Mother, the Church of England, and their own chaſte Wives, againſt the greateſt Goliah amongſt the Romiſh Philiſtines.
Sir, I humbly thank you for your favours to me, and your care of the welfare of our Society; and ſhall, according as my duty binds me, pray for you, and for your good, your pious & charitable Conſort, that God would crown you with all the bleſſings of this and the other World.
Sir, I have one thing more to intreat of you both, which I am confident neither of you, being ſuch good friends to our Church and Clergy, will deny, that is, to joyn with me in my prayers for the Tribe of Levi, Let thy Urim and thy Thummim be with thy holy One, let the ſound of Aarons bells be ever heard, and the ſmell of his Pomegranates always perfume the Church of God, and let there be found at laſt, of the Tribe of Levi amongst us, as of other Tribes, twelve thouſand ſealed ones. And that there may never want a ſupply of able and good men for the work of the Miniſtry, Let the Rod of Aaron, I mean the Univerſities, ever flouriſh, and yearly bud, bloſſom and bring forth ripe Almonds.
Your very much obliged, and very humble Servant, T.H. July 1. 1673.