¶Marryage instytuted of God.

IN paradyse our eter¦nall and mercyfull father instytuted maryage,* inme∣dyatlye after mannys first creacyon, and left yt with hym as an honest, comelye, wholsom, ho¦lye, and nedefull remedye agaynst all be¦astlye abusyons of the fleshe that shuld after happē, and graunted therunto hys eternall blessynge. Increase (sayth he) multyplye, and fyll the earthe, Gene. 1. And thys repeted he thryse after that▪ Gene. 8. ct. 9. to the intent yt myght be groundedlye marked, and wele knowne of men to be hys most ernest ordynaun¦ce.* Thys was the first ordre of Relygyō that euer was made, and of must holy∣nesse, yf we dewlye respect the maker therof with the other cyrcumstaunces be¦sydes, preferrynge hys wysdome to mā∣nys Page  8 wysdome. And for that yt shuld not be reckened a thynge vnaduysedlye done of hym, he loked thervpon agayne amon¦ge all hys other workes, and coude behol¦de no imperfeccyon therin, but percey∣ued that yt was of excedynge goodnesse. Yet hath there sens rysen a sort, whiche haue agaynst Gods heauenlye wysdo∣me,* set their fleshlye folyshnesse, whiche are non other to be reckeued than the verye sede and of sprynge of the serpēt. Thoughe these haue knowne that there is a God, yet haue they not gloryfyed hym in faythe and mekenesse, but haue become most vayue in their ymagynacy∣ons. Where as he hath declared marrya¦ge excedynglye good,* they haue condemp¦ned it as a thynge execrable and wicked. And where as he hath spoken yt by hys owne mouthe, that yt is not good for mā to be alone, they haue improued that doc¦tryne and taught the cōtrarye, as a thyn¦ge more perfyght and Godlye.