A profitable and necessarye doctrine with certayne homelyes adioyned therunto / set forth by the reuerend father in God, Edmunde Byshop of London ...

¶ Of the Sacrament 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Matrimonye, with the exposition or declaration thereof.

HAuyng hy therto obserued and kepte the ordre promysed in the preface of thys boke, entreatyng of Baptysme, Confirmation, Penaunce, and of the Sacrament of the Aultar, which all in theyr due consideration, are sacra∣mentes of necessytye, hauynge also spoken of y^e sacra ment of orders, whereby a spirituall multiplication of the churche, is induced, thoughe no man herein be inforsed or compelled but of his voluntarye electyon and choyse doth take and receiue it. This place now requyreth that we shal here entreate of the sacramēt of Matrimonye, whiche doth folowe next in order, whereby a carnall multiplication, very expedient in a common welth is induced. And this sacramente of Matrimony doeth differ a great deale both in mat∣ter and fourme, and also in diuerse respectes els frō the other before sayde, and specially it differeth from Baptysme, Confyrmation, Penaunce, and the sacra∣ment of the Aultar, for that this Sacrament of Ma trimonye is not of that necessitie as they are, but is in the free wyll of the manne, and also of the woman whiche frely maye chuse to marye, or not to marye, and neither of them is compelled of precise necessitie to come vnto it, and beynge besydes in that estate, that wythout it they maye be saued.

And verye expedient it shalve, diligently to speake of thys sacrament of Matrymonye, aswell for that

the personnes, vicars, and curates maye, to all suche persons as lawfully maye be coupled in matrimony, declare, bothe the institution of Matrimonye, the holynes and efficacy there of, the mistery of this Sa cramente, and all other thynges thereto appertay∣nyng, as also for that this sacrament of Matrimony (whych in our late schismaticall tyme, hath bene by seditious carnall preachers, or rather praters great∣ly impugned) may hereafter for the worthynes and dignitie thereof be better estemed, accepted, & taken And to make a grounde, it shalbe well to discrybe and tell you what Matrymonye is, who is the auc∣thour thereof, where it was instituted, what was y^e cause of the instytutyon, who may contracte it, how it is contracted, howe it oughte to be vsed, and the gyftes or treasures of it, with other suche lyke, as they shall come in theyr place, and for the fyrste ye shall knowe, that the learned doe defyne. or describe matrimonye, to be a lawefull coniunction of a man and of a woman, hauyng in it an indiuiduall or vn∣seperable bonde or knotte of lyuynge, whereby ey∣ther to other muste do as that vocation requyreth.

And when I doe saye Lawefull I do speake that to exclude such coniūctions as are made betwixt mā and woman contrary or agaynst the oroer of y^e lawe cōprehended in effect in these foure verses folowing.

Error, conditio, uotum, cognatio, crimen. Cultus disparitas, uis, ordo, ligamen, honestas. Si sis affinis, siforte coire ne quibis. Hec sacienda uetant connubia, facta 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

That is to saye. Erroure, seruile condition, a vowe, kynred, a notable crime, diuersitye of

fayth or religion, violence, holy order, bonde to another wyfe or husbande, publike hone∣stye, affinitie, and impotencie, which thyngs doe let or forbid matrimony to be made, and do disanull it, yf it be alreadye made.

And when I doe saye coniunction, I do put in that to declare that in this coniunction betwene the manne and the woman, there must be a voluntarye consent of mynde betwene the sayde man & the sayd woman, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beynge wyllynglye contente to take other, and to ioyne in this state of lyfe. And when I do adde and saye, of a man, and of a woman. I do put in those words, aswel to declare that matri monye can not be betwyxt anye, excepte the one be a man, and the other a woman, as also to exclude plu∣ralitics of husbandes & wyues, and when I do saye, hauinge in it an indiuiduall or inseparable 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or knotte of lyuynge I do putte in those wordes aswell to exclude that coniunction betwene man & woman, which is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by fornicatiō or other wise vnlawefully, and therfore hath not in it an inse parable bonde or knot, as also to declare, that after y^e coniunction made betwene y^e man & the woman, it is not laweful for either of thē, during theyr life to take an other, and where I doe say, whereby either to other muste doe as that vocation requireth. I doo declare therebye the offyce and duetye of the manne to the woman, and of the woman agayne to the manne accordyngelye, as that state of Matry∣mony

e doeth requyre, and albeit as touchynge the bonde, the man and the woman are sometymes vpō reasonable causes, approued by the lawe, separated, yet that separation breaketh not the bonde or knote of Matrymonye.

Nowethat ye knowe what Matrymonye is, ye shall also haue declared vnto yon, who was the authour thereof. For knowledge whereof ye shall vnderstande, that the blessed trinitie, hauynge new∣ly made the world and beautified it with creatures, and laste of all made man, dyd consyder that it was not expedient man to be alone, and therefore as scrip ture doeth declare Genesis. ii. dyd put Adam to slepe & there in the tyme of his slepe, did take one of his rib bes, supplieng fleshe for it, and in conclusiō did make thereof a woman, called Eua, bringing her to Adam that by bothe their consentes (and the holye trinitie aydynge and assysting therein, and beyng the verye aucthor thereof) a bonde or knotte of Matrymonye myght be made betwyxt Adam and Eue, whervpō Adam beholdynge the sayde woman being brought vnto hym, and beyng vndoutedlye inspyred by the holy ghost, dyd saye these wordes folowyng.

Hoc nunc os ex ossibus meus & caro de carne mea. Hec uocabitur uirago, quoniam de uiro sumpta est, quam ob rem relinquet homo patrem suum, & matrē & adherebit uxori sue: & erunt duo in carne una. that is to sai This nowe a bone of my bones, and flesh of my fleshe, she shalbe called Virago, because she is taken of the man: Wherefore man shal leaue or forsake hys father and mother, and shall

adioyne or cleaue to hys wyfe, and they shall be two in one flesh. By whyche wordes it euident¦lye appeareth, that God is the author, inuentour aud maker of Matrimony: which thing to be so, Sainte Mathewe in the. xix. chapter of his ghospel, Saynct Marke in the. x. & S. Paule in the. vi. and. xi. of his fyrst epistle to the Corynthians, and the saide Saint Paule in his fyrst chapter to the Ephesians, do plain¦lye affirme and testifie, and so haue you thys poyncte suffyciently opened and proued vnto you.

And as touchynge the thyrde thynge, it is to wit, where Matrymony was instituted, ye shall soone learne that in the fyrste and seconde chapter of Genesis, where Moyses declarethe that almyghtye God hauynge planted paradyse, a place of great plea¦sure, and therein puttynge man, whome he had for∣med, dyd not onelye ioyne man and woman there to¦gether, as is before sayd, but also dyd blesse the sayde man and woman, sayinge. Crescite, & multiplicamini & reple¦te terram. that is to saye. Doo you encrease, and be you multiplied, and doe you replinyshe the earth, or worlde. Whych wordes were ofsuche ef∣fecte and vertue, beynge spoken of almyghtye God, that alwayes contynuallye from the tyme that they were spoken, they doe and shall to the worldes ende worke, and be auayleable, in the generation of thyn∣ges, as the greate learned man Chrysostome in hys homilye, De proditione Iude. doeth playnely testifie.

Now concernyng the fourth poynte, it is to wyt, Wherfore was matrimonie instituted, ye shal

know that consyderyng the state of matrimonye, as it was in the tyme of innocencye, and before synne was committed by Adam and Eue, soo the cause of institution of matrimonye was double one concer∣ning the persones maryed, and the other concerning the issue that shoulde come of them. And as touching the personnes maryed, the cause in them is that ther should be thereby, the fyrste and cheife copulation of humayne societie, hauyng a true and an amiable con¦iunction in it, of man and woman, the one to rule, & the other to obeye. And as touchyng the issue y^e cause of marryage in that respecte, is both in honeste loue to brynge forth chyldren, and also Godlye and ver∣tuously to bringe vp the same, both which causes we haue expressed and sette forth in scrypture, the fyrste Genesis, ii, where God sayeth. Faciamus ei adiutoriū simile si∣bi. That is to saye. Let vs make an ayde or help vnto him lyke vnto hym selfe. And the second Genesis. i. where God sayeth, Crescite & multiplicamini & re¦plete terram. That is to say. Do you increase, and be you multiplied & replenishe youe the earthe. And consideryng the state of matrymony as it was after the synne or fal of Adam and Eue, then besides the foresayde .ii. causes there was a third, it is to wit to avoyde fornication and that humayne weakenes and infirmitie myght haue therfore, the honest reme∣dye of mariage and lawefull copulation, accordyng wherevnto Saynte Augustyne. De Genesi ad literam. in hys nynth booke and seuenth chapter, sayeth thus. Deni{que} utrius{que} sexus infirmitas propendens in ruinā turpitudinis recte ex¦cipitur honestate nuptiarum, ut quod sanis possit esse officium, sit egrotis

medium. That is to saye. Finally or for conclu∣sion, the infyrmitie or weakenes of both the kyndes (it is to wytte, of manne and woman) prone or readie to fall into the ruine or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of filthines, is well holden vppe or preserued by the honestie of matrimony, that that whi che myght be vnto the innocente or hole per sons an office or duetye, myghte be vnto the sicke or weake persones a remedy or helpe.

And here by the way ye shal note, that yf our fore fathers Adam and Eue had not sinned, thē they and theyr ofsprynge shoulde not haue bene troubled with the prickynge or styrrynge of the fleshe, nor wyth the feruor or rage of carnal lust, but should haue begottē or procreated chyldren without anye suche styrre or rage, and without any synne at all, yea and with me rite also, where after theyr fall, bothe they and theyr posteritie by the deadely lawe of concupiscence, inhe tynge vnto theyr members, (without the which car nall coniunction is not done) had not that liberty, so that nede it was, bothe them and theyr posteritie to haue some good ayde and helpe, to excuse carnal co∣pulation (otherwyse culpable) and to make it lawe∣ful. And herevpon S. Augustine consideryng wel y^e matter doth attribute two offices vnto matrimony before the fal of mā, and the thyrd he doeth attribute vnto it after the fal of mā. But yet besides these cause or endes, for which matrimony was by god in para∣dise instituted, there is another not y^e least but rather

and principall (yf we consider and regarde the pur∣pose of God herein) whyche is, that Matrimonye or maryage shoulde be a fytte sygne or mystical token, of that mooste assured and strong coniunction, that should be betwene Christ (yet, then to come) and the church, which churche euerlastyngly before the crea∣tion of the worlde, aud from the begynnynge, God dydde preordeyne, chose and electe vnto hymselfe: as Paule witnesseth in the fyrste chapters of his Epy∣stles to the Ephesians and to Tyte. For the vnspeak able wysedome of God, forseyng and knowynge be∣fore, that man after his creation throughe the wyly∣nes and deceate of the deuyl, woulde fal, and deserue eternall death, dyd most mercifully in thys hys fore∣syght 〈◊〉〈◊〉, caste, determine, and dispose wyth hym∣selfe, a meane, howe man beyng fallen, might againe be restored and regenerated. And therefore appoin∣tynge vnto Chryste (who shoulde be the father, and parent of thys generation) a maryage mete therevn to, dyd to mans great and marueylous comforte in the myraculous couplynge, and conioynynge of Adā (representyng Chryst, then to come) and Eue, being formed and made of the ribbe of Adames syde, Adā beyng a slepe, dyd (I saye) as in a shadowe, and a fy∣gure, shewe before, and expresse the same knotte and bonde of mariage of Christ and the church. And this (as it were) plyghtyng of trouth, for thys marryage to come, was farther by a promyse made by God to man confyrmed and ratifyed, when he sayde in the thyrd chapyter of Genesis, that the sede of the wo man shoulde with his foote tread downe the

serpentes heade. Whyche promyse from the begyn∣nynge, contynuallye, and from tyme to tyme, God al∣myghty renued to the holy fathers and patriarches, & wylled hys prophetes to open and publyshe it.

And to passe ouer al other testunonyes, how notably and playnely dothe the prophete Oze in his thyrd cha piter speake hereof, sayiug. Et sponsabo te mihi in sempiternum et sponsabo te mihi in iustitia, in iudicio et misericordia, et in miserationibus Et sponsabo te mihi sed. &c. That is to saye. And I wyll marye the vnto my owne selfe for euermore, yea vnto my selfe wyll I marie the in righte wysenes, in iudgement, in mercie and in com passion. And in faythe also wyll I marye the vnto my selfe. &c.

Accordyng whervnto Salomon, in his notable and excellent boke called Cantica Camicorum, dydde synge and prophecie of this maryage, then yet to come, where he declarynge the great desyre and longynge that the bride had, that the daye of solempnyzynge the mary∣age (standyng yet betwene hyr brydegrome and her, in onely handfastyng or plyghtyng of fayth & trouth) myght come sayeth thus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me osculo oris sui. That is to saye. Oh that he woulde kysse me wyth the kysse of hys mouthe. But fynallye whan the daye drewe 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and the brydegrome was come downe into the worlde, howe dyd Ihon baptiste, the mooste holy brideman, reioyce of thys the brydegromes com mynge and that the tyme was full runne oute. And sayde as wytnesseth S. Iohn the Euangeliste in his

Gospell and in the thyrd Chapyter in thys maner. Qui habet sponsam sponsus est, amicus autem sponsi qui stat & audit. eum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gaudit, propter uocem sponsi: Hoc ergo gaudium 〈◊〉〈◊〉 impletum est That is to saye: He that hathe the bryde is the brydegrome. And the frende of the bridgrome who standethe and hearethe hym, reioysethe greatly to heare the voyce of the brydgrome. This my ioye therefore is fulfylled. So that here 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 howe frome the begynnynge of the worlde, the churche hathe bene berrouthed to Chryste. Hys seruauntes the prophtes were sente, whyche should call them, that were bidden to the ma riage. At length came Chryste the brydegrome, more beutyfull then the chyldren of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to whome whyle he dyd ascende or goo vp to the bryde chamber of the crosse, and there fallynge into slepe, the heauenlye fa∣ther out of his sonnes syde, beynge opened wyth the speare of the souldier, dyd 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and as it were shape vnto Chryste his betrouthed bryde, the church, and so beautified her and coupled them two toge∣ther in suche an indissoluble band or knotte, that euer∣lastynge they shall continue and cleaue together, as two in one fleshe. And so is fulfylled and consum∣mate that maryage, so longe before prefigured, soo of∣ten promysed to the patriarches, so playnelye spoken of by the prophetes, and contynuallye in the laweful maryage of man and woman, mystycally represented and remembred, of whyche S. Paule sayeth. Ephes. 5. Sacramentum hoc magnum est: ego autem dico in Chisto et ecclesia.

That is to saye. This (speakynge of Matrymonye)

is a high or greate misterie, I meane it truely in Christe and the Churche. And thus muche haue we spoken to declare, what matrymony is, who is author thereof, where is was fyrste 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and what were the causes of the institution. Nexte there fore accordyng to oure proposed diuision in the begin nynge of thys 〈◊〉〈◊〉, is to speake of the. v. poynte that is, who maye contracte matrymonye. For know ledge whereof ye shall vnderstande, that the lawe or ordynaunce made concernynge persons which are to be allowed vnto, or reiected from matrymonye, is an ordynaunce, or lawe prohibytorye, that is to saye, forbyddynge some, and permyttinge, suffryng, and al lowynge ail the rest not beyng forbidden, so that who soeuer is not forbydden specially, or generally, to con∣tracte matrymony, the same is consequently to be ad mytted and allowed vnto it, and this resolutyon to be true, maye be proued by the rule of contraryes, whyche here also dothe take his place, for yf I do wel knowe who cannot marye (whyche knowledge I haue had all readye gyuen vnto me in the declaration of the impedymentes or lettes to contracte matry∣monye) I shall by and by knowe who may contracte matrymony. Quia contrariorum cadem est disciplina & cognito 〈◊〉〈◊〉 de contraijs cognoscitur et 〈◊〉〈◊〉. In dede certayne per∣sons there are forbydden bothe by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and al∣so be the Canon lawes, to marye togethere, as ap∣peareth emongest many other places in the tytles 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. et de consanguinitate et affinitate. In so muche that be∣twene those persones that are in linea ascendenti ucl descenden ti, Mariage is vtterly forbydden, and betwene those

persones that are in the collaterall lyne, maryage can not be made, yf eyther of the personnes whyche is to be maryed, be of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or allyaunce vnto the other in the forth degre or vnder. And of specyal prohybyty ons concerninge matrymony, ye haue mention made in Scrypture bothe in the, xviii. and. xx. chapyters of Leuytycus, and also in the. xxii. of Deuteronomij, whyche places shall sufficientlye and plainlye open & declare thys matter vnto you. And nowe concer∣nynge the syxe poynte whyche is howe matrimonye is contracted, ye shall vnderstande, that yf matrymo∣nye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 consydered as touchyng the bonde and knotte thereof onely, so matrymony is contracted and made by the onelye lawefull consente of the man and of the woman, that may be coupled, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 together in matrymonye, for the profe whereof, words of the pre∣sent tyme, or sufficient and equyualente signes, are by the order of the lawe necessaryelye requyred to testy∣fye that consent.

And yf matrymony be considered as touchyng the full and hole perfection thereof, then matrymonye maye be sene so contracted, when not onelye such con sente is hadde, but also carnall copulation, there vpon doth folowe. Example after the fyrste consyderatyon maye be taken of our fyrste parentes Adam and Eue, who by our Lorde in paradyse, were before thervpon and in the state of theyr innocencye, ioyned in matry∣mony, by coniunction of myndes, thoughe there then betwene them was no carnall copulation at all, and yet true matrimony, for as the lawe saythe: Nuptias non concubitus sed consensus facit. That is to saye, Consente

doth make matrimonie, and not the carnall copulation or lyinge together. And as for exam ple also the seconde consideration of matrymonye, it may also be taken of our sayd parentes after their fal and when they were for theyr transgressyon expul∣sed oute of paradyse, for beynge man and wyfe, they dyd then carnall knowe eche other, and had thereby generation of Chylder, as appeareth in dyuerse pla∣ces of scrypture, and especially in the. v. and syxte cha∣pyters of Genesys. And touchynge thys dyuersytie of considerations in matrymonye, with the dyuers syg∣nifications thereof, and of many thynges elles apper teynynge vnto the same, who lysteth, maye haue re∣course to the. xxviii cause & second questyon, where he may see the iudgemēt of Saint Chrisostome S. Am brose, S. Augustyne and or manye other in this mat ter, and lykewise he maye haue in the Chapyter Expu∣blico, de conuersione coniugatorum. And as touching the seuēth poynte whych is howe matrimony oughte to be vsed ye shall note herein the councel of S. Paule in the. vii chapyter of his fyrst epystle to the Corinthians, wher speakyng to maried persones, and exhorting them to vse them selues in theyr vocation after a good and per fecte sorte he doth say thus. Hoc ita{que}; dico fratres, tempus breue est, reliquum est 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quihabent uxoris tanquam non 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sint.

That is to saye. Therefore brethern I saye thys vnto you, the tyme is 〈◊〉〈◊〉, there remayneth that they which haue wyues be as thoughe they had 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And the same Saint Paule declarynge howe purelye and clenely maryed folkes

shoulde vse them selues in matrymonye, dothe in the fourthe chapyter of his fyrst epystle to the Thessaloni senses say thus. Hec est enim uoluntas dei sanctificatio uestra vt ab stineatis uos a fornicatione ut sciat unusquis{que} uestrum, uas suum possidere in sanctificatione & honore, non in passione desiderij sicut et gentes quae ignerant deum. That is to saye: This in dede is the wyll of GOD, youre sanctification, that ye do abstaine from fornication, that euerye one of you maye learne or knowe to possesse hys vessel in sanctification, and honour, not in the possion of desyre or luste, as the gentyles also who do not knowe GOD.

And the selfe same Saynt Paule also declarynge father howe maryed folkes should vse them selues y^e one vnto the other, dothe in the fyft chapyter of hys Epystle to the Ephesians saye thus. Mulieris uiris suis sub∣dita sunt sicut domino, quoniam uir caput est mulieris sicut Christus caput est ecclesiae, ipse saluator corporis, sed sicut Fcclesia subiecta est Christo ita et mulieris uiris siuis in omnibus. Viri diligete uxoris uestras sicut & Christus dilexit ecclesiam. That is to saye Lette women be subiecte vnto theyr husbandes as to oure Lorde, for the husband is the heade of the wo man, as Chryste is the head of the Churche, he is the sauiour of the bodye, and as the chur che is subiecte vnto Chryste, so let women be vnto theyr husbandes in all thynges. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 husbandes doo ye loue youre wyues as christ hath loued the Churche.

Moreouer the same S. Paule in the syxt chapyter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the sayde Epystle, teaching maryed folkes to whome God hath sent chyldren, howe they shoulde vse theyr chyldren, doth saye thus. Educate illos in disciplina, & correptio∣ne domini. That is to saye. Bringe vppe your chyl∣dren in the disciplin, and chastisement of oure Lorde. Dyuerse examples we haue of thys, in the ho lye scrypture as of Sara the doughter of Raguel, and of yonge Thoby her husband, of whom mention is made in the. viii chapyter of Thobye, and also of that godly and modest matron Sara, and Abraham her husbande, of whome S, Peter in the thyrd chapyter of hys fyrst Epystle, sayeth thus. Sit enim aliquando & sanctae mulieris, sperantes in deo, ornabant se, subiecta proprijs uiris, sicut Sara obediebat Abrahae, dominum eum uocans. That is to saye.

For so sometimes holy women also trusting in God, did 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them selues, beynge subiecte or obedient to their owne husbandes, and Sa ra dyd obeie Abraham, callyng hym maister, or Lorde.

Lyke examples are of the godlye couples, Isaac, and Rebecca (Gene, xxv) Helcana and Anna (i. Re. i) with sondry other, whyche all dyd vse thē selues soo in the state of matrymonye, that they continuallye lyued in the feare of God in the chaste loue of wed∣locke, in the honest affection or mynde towardes the bryngynge furthe of chyldren, aud dyd also diligently loke vnto the godlye education of the same. And as concernynge the. viii. and laste parte of our foresayde diuision, it is to wtte, of the treasures, gyftes, and

〈◊〉〈◊〉 of maryage, ye shall vnderstande that S. Augustyne in his. ix boke vpon the Geneses, and the. vii. chapyter thereof, teacheth vs, that matrymo∣nye conteyneth in it three gyftes, graces, or benefyts, it is to wytte a sacramente, a fayth, and an of sprynge or yssue.

Concernynge the Sacrament, he sayth that thys is speciallye herein to be obserued, it is to wytte, that betwene the man and the wyfe there be no separaty∣on and that nether the man or the wyfe, beynge eche from other dismised, doo marye or couple them selues with any other, and soo the vertue of this sacra ment doth consyste properlye, and specially in the inse perable, or vnbreakeable bonde of the maryage coue∣naunte, whyche (as we sayde before) is the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or cheife poynte belongynge to maryage. This coue∣naunt, God assysteth, and this knot he knittethe and beynge once knytte, he makethe it stronge, and esta∣blysheth it, yea, and further dothe geue suche grace with it, that they whyche abuse not that grace, maye be hable to kepe the marryage couenaunte vnuyola∣ted, and mutually soo to loue one the other, as Chryst hathe loued, and dothe loue the churche, And by the ayde of the same grace, they shall and wyll frankelye, truelye, and moste louynglye, communycat one to an other, all thynges accordynge to Goddes lawe, and mans lawe, and al maner of chaunces, good or badde prosperitie, or aduersitie, they shall moste contentedly and quyetlye, receaue, beare, and vse together, tyll death them depart. Thys benefyte of thys sacrament doth engendre an assured boldnes, or confydence and

truste of good consience, by the whych both the man and also the wyfe, are made sure that the state of ma∣trymonye (into the whyche they, in the feare of God, and for honeste and vertuous respectes onelye, haue entred and truelye and holylye obserued of theyr par∣tes) is not voyde of the grace of God, but that GOD hathe a care ouer them, yea and that thys theyr state of Matrimony is also merytorious: according where vnto S. Paule to Tymothey. i. Epistle. 2. Cap. sayth. Mulier 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fiet per liberorum generationem, si 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in fide.

That is to saye: The wyfe shalbe saued by the bryngynge forthe of Chyldren, so that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cō∣tynue or perseuer in the fayth. And agayne in y^e laste chapiter to the Hebrues, he sayeth thus. Honorabile connubium in omnibus. & thorus imaculatus. That is to saye: Mariage in all is honorable: and a bedde vndefiled. And saynte Ambrose also in hys seconde booke of the Patryarche Abraham 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the. ix. cha∣piter dothe saye that a notable gyfte of chastitye wyll folowe maryage, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the persons so maryed do thynke verely that thys maryage where in they are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is prouided, procured, and done of God. Thys gifte of thys sacramente to them that diligently wyll ponder and consider the same, will especyallye edyfye theyre consciences to them selues, and wyll also kyn∣dle mutually the fyre of chast loue betwene them. The second benefite or gyfte of matrimonye (Saynt Augustyne sayth) is fayth, not meanynge that faythe and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 confydence whiche we haue in God, but that faythfull true and honest dealynge, whyche is re∣quired

to be betwene man and wyfe, in not hauynge carnall knowledge wyth an e other: the man not with any other, then with his true and laweful wife, and the wife not with any other, then wyth her true and lawefull husbande: whiche synguler gyfte, onely God in thys sacramente imparteth and geueth of hys goodnes to them, whyche (in suche sorte as we haue declared) are maryed, or els what man or woman is there, of many thousandes, that beynge as they are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the snares, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and alluerments of the worlde, the fleshe, and the deuyll, wolde not of∣felide, and breake that bonde of faythe, and fidelitie, at the leaste, in harte and mynde, whyche Chryst hym selfe (Math. v) iudgeth to be no lesse adulterye, then the fylthy and adulterous carnall copulatoin.

Nowe the thyrd gyfte or benefytte whyche saynete Augustyne say the to be in Matrunonye is islue or of∣sprynge, for whych cause cheifely matrimonye is con∣tracted, wherevnto the man and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, com∣mynge in the feare of God, oughte so to respecte and regarde theyr issue and of sprynge, that in chaste and mutuall loue, they may be get and brynge forthe chyl∣dren, and in the saythe, feare, and relygion of God brynge vp, and instructe the same. And in soo doyng, matrymonye not onely is voyde and cleare from all maner of faulte, but also hathe hys certayne merite at Goddes handes. These three gyftes concurrynge in matrymonye, and causynge the accompanyenge of man and woman together in carnall knowledge, to be by thys meanes without sinne, yea, and well vsed to be meritorious to, howe greate a grace then is an∣nexed

to thys sacramente of Matrymony, of whyche hytherto we haue intreated.

And here to conclude this counsell semeth good to be gyuen to those that hereafter shalbe minded and disposed to marye, that they do chuse to them suche a mate, as neyther Godes Iawe, nor mannes lawe doo prohibite them to take, and with whome they maye conceyue good hope that they beynge ioyned in ma∣trymonye, shall leade an holye Godlye, and comelye lyfe, euer to contynue inseperablye, durynge theyr lyues, whiche is lyke they shall dooe, when they not rashelye and indeliberatlye but with good aduyse cō∣sideringe equalitie and vertue more, then eyther car∣nall luste, worldly honoure or pryuate respectes, doo in the feare of God enter into this honest state of ma∣trymonye, entendynge thereby to serue God there countrye and frendes, lyuing also them selues in honestie, iustice, and temperaunce, and finallye bryngynge vp their chyldren, and gouernynge there famylye in vertue and God∣lynes.

FINIS.