A briefe and piththie summe of the Christian faith made in forme of a confession, vvith a confutation of all such superstitious errours, as are contrary therevnto. Made by Theodore de Beza. Translated out of Frenche by R.F.

Of mariage.

For mariage it hath bene sayde before in what reuerence we haue it according as it is Printed in our seruice Bookes, plainly to be séene. But these men be for the most parte, as great contempners of maryage, as they are great louers of all kinde of lechery and whoredome (as hea∣uen and earth can wytnes) puttyng ma∣ryage when they lysfe, in the place and number of the Sacramentes, by a verie apishe and ignoraunt manner. As it hath bene declared to them, I thynke a thou∣sande tymes. Yet notwithstanding wyll

they permit the spyritualtye as they call them, to vse this sacrament? No truely, least that Christendome shoulde bee lost. So much seemeth this sacramēt to them to bee polluted and fylthye. And in déede I confesse that whoredome of all kyndes appertayneth and agreeth better wyth them: I leaue out the meanes by the whiche they pollute the holy state of ma∣trimonie, as muche as in them is, theyr foolyshe benedictions, theyr false opinion touchinge the seconde marriages, the bondage and seruitude layed vppon the conscience touching affynitie, both spiri∣tuall and temporall. I pray them of one thing, if they woulde not be angry with that I shall say, that they would accord & shew me their opinion that mariage is a sacrament, with one sentence regystred in theyr decrées, (whome it maketh auc∣thor one of their Popes named Sircius) to wéete, whether that whiche Saynte Paule sayde, those which be in the fleshe can not please God, bée vnderstande of mariage or not.