The seconde tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testament conteynyng the epistles of S. Paul, and other the Apostles : wherunto is added a paraphrase vpon the reuelacion of S. John.

The texte.

¶ To the remnaunt speake I, not the Lorde: If any brother haue a wyfe that beleueth not, y•• she be content to dwell with hym, let hym not put her away. And the woman which hath to her husbande an infidell, and consent to dwell with her, let her not put him away. For the vnbeleuyng husband is sainctifyed by the wyfe, and the vnbeleuyng wyfe is sanc∣fied by the husbande. Or els were your chyldren vncleane: but now are they holye. But and yf the vnbeleuyng departe, let hym departe. A brother or a syster is not in subieccion to suche. But God hath called vs in peace. For how knowest thou (o woman) whether thou shalt saue thy husbande or no? Other how knowest thou (o man) whether thou shalt saue thy wyfe or no▪ but euen as God hath distributed to euery man.

Nowe touching your question of vnequall mariage, of the Lordes au∣thoritie, nothing haue I to aunswere you, but yet haue I that thing, which in myne opinion I would counsel you to folowe, as a waye more profitable.

Such an odiouse acte is diuorce, that I would not haue matrimony bro∣ken, no not for diuersitie in religion. But if it chaunce, that a christian wo∣man be maried with a husbande, which is not yet christened, and the hus∣bande, albeit he be a straunger in the misteries of Christe, is not yet to her so hatefull, as for her religions sake to refuse her, yf the wyfe wyll fo∣lowe my counsell, she shal not forsake him. Likewise agayne, yf it chaūce, that the husbande beeyng a christian man haue to his wyfe suche one, as is to Christe a straunger, (synce it is vnmete, that any man be compelled to take religion vpon hym) and she vpon displeasure of her husbandes cō∣trarie religiō seke not to be diuorced, by my councell the husband shall not put her awaye. For cause is there none, why the christian man or christian woman should feare, leste by familiar conuersaciō of the one had with the other that is vnchristened, eyther of both myght be defiled. For not with∣standing the ones religion be vncleane, yet is the mariage whereby they, beyng elswise inequall, are coupled together, a good and a lawfull mari∣age. The wyckednes of the wurse infecteth not the godlines of the better, but rather that that is better and more effectuall, is of greater weight in* 1.1 this behalfe. The husband therfore, albeit he be heathen, is yet, touchyng the acte of matrimony, by companye of the christian woman made holy. Likewise the wife, whiche hath not yet professed Christe, is by conuersa∣cion had with her christian husbande, touchyng the lawfull vse of matri∣mony, made good and holy. Yf this were not so, theyr children, as borne incestuously and by vnlawfull meanes, should be coumpted prophane and vncleane. But now that they be pure and cleane, as children borne in law∣full wedlocke, it is well knowen to be true. For when the wyfe, whiche is baptised, hath with her vnchristened husband to doe, she in so doyng obey∣eth her husband, and not the heathen, nor suffereth she the wycked, but bea∣reth with hym, whom she trusteth wyll amende.

And that hope maye a manne conceyue of hym, whiche although as yet professe not Christe, yet in his wyfe abhorreth he not the honouryng of God. Nor is he throughly a heathen, but rather partly a christian māne, whiche quietly lyueth with his wyfe, that professeth Christes name, and canne paciently bee contented to see the signe of the crosse ouer theyr common bedde. No parties with more a doe continewe together, than suche, as through diuersitie in religion are deuided. Vpon this hope therfore ought the woman, whiche fyrste embraced Christe, abyde with her husbande. But yf the diuorce growe of his syde, whiche yet beleueth not, and thesame manne for hate of Christes name refuse his wyfe, synce* 1.2 there is of his chaunge no hope, no cause hathe the wyfe, why to lyue with hym any longer. Loste hathe he the ryght tytle of matrimonie, whiche despiseth God the authour therof. Nor doeth the promyse made in mariage so farfothe bynde her that is christened, that she shall for euer bee compelled to suffre her wycked husbande, brawlyng at and cur∣syng the name of Christe. Let her therfore vse the lybertie of diuorce ge∣uen vnto her by God, and thencefurth serue Christe quietly. Nor are we therfore called by God to the lyfe of the ghospell to lyue in sedicion and chyding, but to lyue in peace and concorde.

Therfore, yf suche betwene whome there is an vnequall mariage, agree not, and the vnfaythfull require to be diuorced, let not the christian wyfe abyde with her husbande against his will: but yf they agree, in hope that the husbande will amende, let the wyfe continewe, and lykewyse let the husbande continewe with his wyfe, in hope that she will be chaunged. For howe knowest thou, that art a wyfe, whether thou shalt by familiar communicacion, by sobre and gentle behauiour, by wy••ely loue, cause thy husbande to amende, that both of you be saued. Or how canst thou know, that art a husbande, whether thou shalt by lyke wayes saue thy wyfe and wynne her to Christe? And yf eyther of bothe so doe, is it not a great gayne? But yf that come not to passe, yet wyll God approue thy good wyll, whiche intendest suche a thing. In the meane season whyles it is vn∣certayne, whether it wyll so be or not, let the matrimonie vpon good hope continewe and holde on, and let not the diuersitie in religion chaunge the state of your lyfe. For neyther doeth baptisme delyuer the wyfe from the ryght of her husbande, yf he vse it lawfully, nor yet the seruaunte out of the dominion of his maister, yf he vse hym, as ryght and reason would.

Notes

• * 1.1

  For the vn∣beleu••ng husband i•• sanctified by the wyfe &c.
• * 1.2

  But and yf the vnbele∣uing depart, let hym de∣parte.