Sermon 9 June 1572

A Godly Sermon, Preached at Detford in Kent.

The Text.

I N the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, three persons & one God, let us pray. O gracious God, and most merciful Father, by whose goodness it cometh to pass, that we have been safely preserved from our young & tender years unto this present hour: & are now called together to serve thee, by sin ging of Psalms, with preaching and prayer: we most humbly beseech thee for thy son christs sake, y ^t thou wilt not suffer our minds to be negligentlye wandering about other matters, to make thee more and more displeased against us: but so to order & govern the same, by the inspiration of thy holy spirit, that we may by these virtuous excercises, learn more & more to mortify & kill the lusts of the flesh, to sorrow and lament our sinful wretchedness & misery, and to repent and amend our lives in such sort, as all may redound to the kingdom of Christ, and to y ^e confusion of Antichrist, to the setting up of his glory, and to the pulling down, & clean overthrowing of all superstition, false doctrine, heresy and popery: thorough the same thy son Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

IT is written in the vii. Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians, in the beginning of the Chapter in these words: Now concerning the things whereof you wrote unto me, &c. For the better understanding of the Apostles mind, we have to consider, that (after the Apostle had preached thegospell to the Corinthians, and planted a Church amongst them, & was gone abroad to publish the glad tidings of salvation to others also, for he was not then (as Preachers at this present should be) tied to one flock: but by the virtue of his commission he must go thorough all the world) false Apostles entered into the Church, who being puffed up with vain glory, and affectate eloquence, sought to bring into contempt, the simplicity which Paul used in preaching the Gospel.

Here in the very entrance we have two things to learn. First, that as God is willing, and would have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of his truth, and therefore useth means to accomplish it, namely the preaching of his gospel, which is y ^t power of god to salvation to all that believe. So our common adversary the Devil, goeth about like a roaring lion, not only seeking in himself to devour us, but also using his instruments to deceive us, & to draw us backward into all error and superstition. Secondly we may here see, what a gap is opened to all inconveniences, when y ^t Minister or Preacher is from among his flock. Paul no sooner gone from Corinthus but by and by false Apostles labor to destroy y ^e which he had planted. He was no sooner departed from the churches of Galatia, but there craftilye crept in false brethren, that corrupted the pure doctrine of Christ, and taught that the ceremonies of the law must be necessarily observed. Moses no sooner gone up into the mountain frō the people of Israel, to receive the law at the Lord's hands, but the people fall by and by to Idolatry and ungodliness. And Paul seemeth to warn the elders of Ephesus concerning this matter also, when he saith: Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, whereof the holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock, O that our Non residents would but consider this: O that they which give them liberty to sin, would weigh this, then men's consciences should not be so clogged with iniquity & ungodliness as they are. Then gods people should be better instructed fed & looked unto, in respect of their spiritual pasture, than either now they are, or hitherto have ben. God in mercy if it be his will and pleasure bring it to pass. But to return, these false Apostles that had thrust in themselves, among the Corinthians after Paul's departure, did not only as before I said, bring into disliking, Paul's plain and simple kind of teaching, but also endeavored to entangle with vain and foolish questions, the minds and consciences of the Corinthians, and albeit the Corinthians did hearken much unto them: yet it appeareth that they did not utterly shake off that authority and credit which they had of Paul, & therefore they demanded Paul's judgment concerning such matters, as the false Apostles and Preachers went about to persuade thē in: & here by the way one thing is taught to you common people, y ^t you receive not as truth everything y ^t everyone speaketh, for all is not gold that glistereth, but try the spirits whether they be of God, yea or no, & again: prove all things, but retain only such things as be good, you have for your instructiō in this behalf y ^e commandment of our Saniour Christ, search y ^e scriptures: & also that notable example of y ^e men of Thessalonica, who received the word with all readiness, & searched the scriptures daily whether these things were so. The questions which the Corinthians proposed, were (as may plainly be proved by the circumstances of this chapter) concerning single life, the duly of marriage. Besides of discord & dissensions in marriage, of marriage between y ^e faithful & unfaithful, of vncircūcising the circūeised of servitude, of virginity, & second marriage. Of all these at this present it is impossible to speak. Therefore we will deal only with y ^e two first, that is concerning single life, and the duties of married folk, of which two points the Apostle doeth largely entreat, in y ^e 9 first verses of this chapter. To deal with any other curious division of the text, I mind not, for that I see it will be the more profitable for you, the more simply I deal herein: I will therefore take the words as they lie, and expound them, briefly withal: delivering unto you, such observations of doctrine and Christian instructions, as God by his spirit shall reveal unto me. In the beginning of my text, are these words. Now concerning the things &c. The Apostle had in some of the Chapters before going, and especially in the latter end of the 6. Chapter, entreated of a certain disease, named fornication: for this sickness he appointeth in this Chapter a double remedy: the one is marriage made in the fear of God: the other is the gift of chastity: or sole life proceeding from God. The Apostle saith that the Corinthians did write unto him about certain matters. By which it may be gathered, that it was a custom in those days, when dark and doubtful causes did arise, by writing to demand the judgment of the disciples & apostles of Christ: who being taken out of this life, afterwards they went for counsel to holy Bishops and learned Fathers, which custom as it was commendable, so being abused, it engendered a certain tyranny. For the Bishop of Rome (whose judgment was sundry times asked) began by that means, to usurp Lordship and rule over the congregations of Christ, as as though nothing ought to be accounted substantial and true without his advise, a very proud and ambitious kind of dealing. But let that pass. It is most sure that the Corinthians did write unto him, and we have the substance and matter of their questions: yet concerning the manner and form thereof, there is much controversy. Lord God what a stir Chrysostom and Jerome do in that behalf keep. It shall be superfluous to rehearse their sayings and reasons, for that they make ado where none needeth, and besides the time may bespent in more necessary and profitable matter. Moreover, to reason of things doubtefull, when we have things certain & sure before our eyes, is mere vanity and smacketh somewhat of foolishness. Only in these words we have for our learning to mark: first, the willingness of the people, and the desire that they had to be instructed in matters of truth and religion, & therefore sent to Paul their questions, requesting to have his answers thereto. Secondly, the great care that Paul had to do good to all manner of men by all means possible, who beside that he had taught them in his presence, doth now notwithstanding, as a token of the continuance of his good will towards them, instruct them also in his absence by writing. If we now apply this to our time & age, and compare our ministers & people, with this people and their preacher, we shall find as great odds and as much difference as is betwixt white & black. For (that I may deal first with the people, they had some knowledge of God:) ours altogether want knowledge of God and godliness: they labored to increase in all knowledge: we remain in all ignorance and darkness: and if any would reach us his hand, to draw us out of the filth and mire of sin, we account him our greatest enemy, There was amongst them, by reason of discipline, severe punishment of sin: and by that means also godliness of life and holiness of conversation: for lack of it among us, the bridle is given to all manner of iniquity, and all kind of vngratiousnes and ungodliness, doth without punishment rule & reign amongst us. Now concerning the minister, he preached unto them: ours read to us, and scarce that, according to knowledge: he profiteth them both by preaching and writing: ours neither of those ways do any good: be able to teach, and that which he requireth of others, was in himself, for he was able to stop the mouths of the adversaries: ours are for the most part, blind guydes, sleepy watchmen, dumb dogs, and as the Prophet Zechariah rightly calleth thē, idle shepherds, nay rather Idols themselves. For they have a mouth and speak not, they have eyes & see not, they have ears and hear not, they have noses and smell not: they have hands & touch not, they have feet and walk not, neither make they a sound with their throat: they that make them are like unto them, and so are all that trust in them. A lamentable case, that they that should guide other, are themselves to be guided, because they be blind: and that they that should lead other, are so lame, that they cannot go on their feet: nay I would to God there were not, that to the lack of knowledge in thenselves, add innumerable heaps of vices: some ruffians, some whoremōgers & drunkards, some blasphemers, & some spotted with this public crime, some with that, whereby they not only purchase unto themselves an evil report and rumor to go of thē, but also cause God's name & his Gospel to be evil spoken of. So that you may see how far our mintsters are off frō being like Paul, whō they ought in this case, & other points also to follow as far forth as by God's spirit they shall be assessed: but as there is no agreement betwixt light and darkness: so there is not in any respect almost any likeness betwixt him and them: again, 'where as Paul if his judgment were asked, concerning matters of faith and religton, was able to give sound and sincere judgment, according as God's truth, which also is required in everyone that taketh upon him the office & name of a mimster, these in such cases are so far off from executing any parte of their function, that you were with the Romans as good go to the geese of the Capitall of Rome, or else with the Israelites ask counsel at your stocks, and have your staff teach you. Marry in deed if you deal with them for keeping a gelding or a hawk, for dressing a garden, orchard or bowling alley, for tabling or carding, or any such other foolishness and vanity, they will & can behave thenselves most cunningly: neither would I have any to gather hereupon, that in a generality I condemn all, For I knowle that in this realm, there are many both godly and learned my meaning is, y ^t the greatest number and common sort are such, as continual experience at this day to the great grief and sorrow of the godly, too too plainly declareth. The Lord put into the heart of Prince and Magistrates, to remove these, and (if it be his will) to see such placed in his vyneyard, as may hasten in his harvest. But to let this pass, and to entreat of those matters, which specially concern the cause for which we are at this present assembled. The Apostle saith, It were good for a man, not to touch a woman. The meaning is not, that marriage by God's institution is evil or wicked: for that were intolerable blasphemy if any should so say: but that marriage, because thorough man's corruptions it bringeth cares & troubles, is not expedient, I judge this word (good) to be taken (not as Jerome against Jovinian taketh it, for y ^t which is contrary and against evil, as he too childishly and peeuishly, by the leave of so great a father doeth take it, and as Tertullian (somewhat before him did take the same also,) but for expedient & profitable, as in other places of the scripture, it is likewise used. And this rule of Paul is to be understood of such, as upon whom the Lord hath bestowed y ^e gift of chastity, not only of body but also of mind. For albeit there are some good interpreters, that apply it generally to those three kind of Eunuchs, or chaste persons, whereof our Savior Christ speaketh, yet am not I of that mind, because that many otherwise chaste in body, have not with standing their minds & understanding defiled w ^t vunatural lusts & concupiscence, which before our God is a great & a grievous sin. So then Paul addresseth himself in this place to speak to such as have pure hearts and clean bodies, which is either hardly or not at all found in any. For who can say, my heart is clean before God, and this may plainly appear unto us by that which followeth. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his wife, and let every woman have her own husband, and again, if they cannot abstain, let them marry, for it is better to marry, then to burn. To make this more plain by a similitude, If one should say after this manner: It is good for a man neither to eat, to drink, nor to sleep: unless he were well understood, he should appear to speak very absurdely, because he seemeth to take away all such necessaries, as whereby God hath appointed man's life to be maintained: yet the party so saying, doth not disprayse meat and drink, and sleep, as things noisome and hurtful, but meaneth y ^t we should live more godly, if being freed frō these provocations, we gave our selves wholly to y ^e consideration of heavenly things. For more then the competent and needful sufficing of our nature, whatsoever is given unto these, is diminished from the spirit. Even so the Apostle doth not condemn marriage in this saying, as evil or wicked, but because many lets and stops are found in fleshly marriages, he saith It were good not to be married, for that doth he understand by touching of a woman, as the best & most learned expositors y ^t I seen take it. It followeth, Neuertholesse, for the avoiding of fornication, &c. In these words the Apostle commandeth such as are unchaste, to run to the remedy y ^t God hath appointed: for although the sentence seem to be universal, yet it ought to be restrained unto them, who feel themselves by a certain needfulnes to be pricked forward. In this behalf no law can be prescribed, neither can we judge one of another, but every man should be a sufficient witness to himself, because in himself he feeleth the infirmities and pricks of the flesh. and albeit there appeareneuer so many stops & lets in marriage, yet this must all understand, to whom God hath not given the gift of chastity (and and so by that means not able to withstand the pricks of the flesh) that this commandment is by the Lord laid upon their shoulders as a burden to bear, which if it be not performed (feeing that God hath appointed this as a remedy against sin) they commit grieuos iniquity, and by that their dealing heap unto themselves wrath against the day of the Lord. Moreover the place of the Apostle must not be so understood, as though this were the only cause, why marriages should be made, but this is his drift, not so much to show for what causes marriage was orderned, as for what persons it was fit and necessary, for if we have respect unto the time of the first institution, it could not be a remedy for y ^t dose ase which yet was not (I mean sin) but it was ordained for the procreatiō of children, the increase of mankind, and the mutual society y ^t the one should have of the other: & after man's fall the second use was added. To stand upon the terms. fornication & adultery, & the differences betwixt them, we shall not need, because it is more curious then necessary, & this we see, y ^t the scripture doth as well use y ^t one as the other term, in many places, for all quchast & vnsober behavior of our selves, either in body or mind. This is enough out of this place to be gathered, y ^t though the world make little account of committing such wickedness, yet it is a great sin before y ^t majesty of god, which evidently appeareth, because he will have those that are his, to shun and fly from the same. If this be not sufficient, cast but your eyes up to the latter end of the former chapiter, and see how heinous a crime the Apostle maketh it: there he warneth them to flee fornication, the reason whereby he would dissuade them from that sin, is taken from the notoriousnes and grievousness of the fact. For saith he, every sin that a man doeth, is without the body: but be that committteth fornication, finnoth against his own body, that is to say, he more pollineth his own body, then he that committeth any other sin. If this will not serve, have an eye unto those punishments which God hath appointed unto those wicked contemners and breakers of his ordinances, His punishments are twofold, either temporal or perpetual. The perpetual punishment of God, is that burning lake of fire and brimstone, which is prepared for the devil & his angels, where shall be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, without (faith John in his revelation) shall be dogs and inchaunters, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh lies: and the Apostle Paul saith, Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor buggerers, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor-railers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God: which places are to be understood of such manner of men, as are the servants of sin, and sold to work wickedness, & die in the same w ^t out hearty and unfeigned repentance. His temporal punishments are also of two sortes: either in those which he layeth upon the committers of such wickedness, of himself: as war, plagues, pestilences, sickness, poverty & such like, which bring his children to a consideration of their faults, and a beholding of his mercy, but have in the wicked and reprobate a contrary effect and operation. and in the 26. of Genesis we may see that Abimelech king of Gerar, made a law concerning this mattter, that whosoever did touch the man or his wife to the breaking of wedlock, should die the death. Verily it may appear to all (unless they be willfully blind) that we in the clear light of y ^e Gospel, are far worse in this matter, then they which were under the law of nature, before the law of God written was given for the government of his people. But if such as God hath appointed his officers and ministers on earth, to execute such notorious offenders and transgressors of his law, who ought to deal in the punishment of this sin, as God himself appointeth, & not as y ^e Popes canons pestilently prescribeth: that is to say, to see whoredom & adultery punished w ^t death, as the Lord himself willeth, & not so slightly passed over & looked unto as at this day it is. In y ^e law we have these words repeated twice for failing, The man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, because he hath committed allulterie with his neighbors wife, the adulterer and adulteress shall die the death. And how diligent executors of this law y ^e magistrates & people of Israel were, it appeareth in that they were so ready to put to death that innocent Susanna: yea in y ^e very law of nature, it hath been after that same manner punished, as appeareth in Genesis, when we read that Judah contemneth his daughter in law Tamar, because she was an adulteres, (although he himself giving sentence against her, knew not that he had committed sin with her) to be burned. But I know this judgment will not be liked of some, but it skilleth not, for I come not to please men, for if I should so do, I could not be the servant of God: this I dare speak, & to all, of what sort & condition so ever they be, in y ^e strength of gods spirit I dare utter it, y ^t the lack of discipline is the occasion of this sin, & is in some sort by wicked & ungodly persons evē as it were defended, affirming it is but a knack of youth, a piece of good fellowship, or if not defended, yet the punishment diminished, and the faults lessened now as in time heretofore it hath been: for the scribes & pharises affirmed that if a man kept his body clean from actual sin, he could not be an adulterer or fornicator: and no marvel though the people were easily induced both to receive and believe this opinion. For besides that it is plausible to flesh and blood, y ^e scribes and pharisees themselves, the authors of it, were in those days men of great countenance and estimation, even as Abbottes and Cardinals in the Papacie, or (that I may speak more familiarly and plainly) like to our Lord Bishops amongst us, yet notwithstanding their credit, Christ setteth himself against them, not only showing howe corruptely they had expounded the law, but also opening the true sense & meaning thereof. So that this is manifest, that though the world account never so little of this wickedness, know you yet the Lord esteemeth both the thought, wishing & the deed doing to be great & grievous sins, and there fore so expressly hath forbidden it, & appointed so grievous punishments for it. Not that I mean that he which sinneth in thought, should by the Magistrate be put to death, as well as he that doth the filthy fact in body: for that were with the Pelagians, Iouianists, and Stoiks, to make sins equal, which opinion of theirs I utterly dislike and detest. For in respect of circumstance, one sin may be greater then another, and so deserve a sharper punishment, but to teach you according to the truth of gods law, that you should not think those sins small, which God's spirit accounteth very great (and indeed, without repentance, make a perpetual separation between the Lord and us) and also to declare, that we ought heartily to wish, and earnestly to pray, that God's law, according to his will, with as much speed as might be, and in as straight a manner as he hath commanded, might be put in execution, to the punishing of the wicked, and the comfort of the godly. Neither am I ignorant howe some both have and will kick against this doctrine, thinking that though it were so severely punished in the old law among the Jews, yet it should not be so among us. To this I could easily yield, if they were able to prove, either God himself the Lawgiuer, to be mutable: which is impossible, or else the law not to appertain to us, which I think they are not able to doetor else if they were able to prescribe a better order of politic government, thē God himself, y ^e author of all wisdom, hath already set out, which were presumptiō and blasphemy intolerable, for by y ^t means flesh & blood should be, if not exalted before y ^t majesty of God, yet made equal unto him. But seeing y ^t they are not able to prove any of these points, it remaineth, that unless they will be judged froward & obstinate, they consent to this truth, & acknowledge y ^t same. But they are so far frō yielding to it, y ^t they spare not to set thenselves against it, For did not Christ say they, say to the woman taken in adultery, God thy way & sin no more, & Paul did not kill with the sword but excommunicate by the word, the incestuous person at Corinth. Therefore fornicatiō, adultery &c. is not so straightly to be punished as you would have it. I will answer briefly, and for brevities sake I will omit many necessary points in these two examples, which otherwise if I might stand long upon, they were worthy of the noting, & first for Christ's example, thus I answer, y ^e execution of the law for punishing adultery with death, did belong to y ^e civil magistrate, now Christ was none, as plainly appeareth by this saying: Man who made me a judge or a deuider over you, spoken to one that would have had him to have commanded his brother to have divided the inheritance with him: and again by that which he spake to Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world. So then because Christ was not a civil Magistrate, he would not take vpō him to put y ^t in execution which he had nothing to do with, withal teaching us to, y ^t we be content w ^t our vocation, & keep our selves within y ^e bounds thereof, & this may serve for answer to y ^t example. Now concerning Paul's dealing, we have thus much to note, that there was thē, so far as can be gathered, no Christian ruler, that might take upon him to execute this law, in his full force, and yet rather then sin should be unpunished, and wickedness winked at, Paul would use the discipline of the Church, & deliver the incestuous person over to Satan for a time. Would to God, that if so be the Magistrate neglect his duty in punishing this sin, in such severe manner as God's law appointeth, yet we might have some Paul's and Elders in every Congregation, that would use y ^e force of the word, and severity of Discipline Ecclesiastical, to the beating down of this, and all other like horrible vices. But all this notwithstanding, it is lamentable to be considered, and no godly man can without tears behold, the fond and ridiculous punishment of this sin used in these days. To be pricked in a sheet, or pinned in a blanquet, and to stand in the Church, or in some Market place, or carted thorough the Town, is the most grievous censure of all: and yet in my judgment, as good left undone, for it is the best way that can be, to make such as have little shame in them, to bes altogether past shame, I will not say altogether past grace. And yet this kind of punishment belongeth to the poorer sort. If riche ones sin, they are punished by the purse, forty shillinges for committing such an act is judged a great punishment. If this be not a maintaining of sin, I know not what is. For what vicious or sensual man is there, that will leefe his devilish pleasure, if he may achieue it for money. Beside that they which are punished after that manner, for want of the execution of gods law, fall often into one and the self same sin. So that sin aboundeth, and iniquity reigneth so much, that we in this age, are comparable herein in a manner, with all the former ages of the world, which surely in my judgment cometh to pass because that manner of punishing sin, which God hath prescribed is neglected, and another which man hath devised, set in y ^e place and stead thereof. You see the abuse hereof. Pray hartilye that God would redress this, and all other abuses remaining yet amongst us.

It followeth, Let every man have his own wife, &c. By general doctrine, is in these words delivered unto us, plainly proving y ^e marriage doth belong to alstates, sorts, and kind of men, as well ministers as common people, contrary to that doctrine of Devils, by papists defended, who forbid marriage to such manner of mē. But as this place doth plainly overthrow that their opinion, so do many other both Examples and testimonies in holy scripture, which for anoyding of tediousness, I willingly omit. Only one as general as this, I think good to rehearse, in the Epistle to the Hebrews we have this saying: Marriage is honorable among all men, and the bed undefiled, as for whoremōgers and adulterers God will judge, you see by these words (beloved) that in the Apostles judgment, marriage is honorable among all men, of what condition soever they be, so that to forbid it in some, is great and grievous iniquity, seeing that God hath enjoined all, y ^t have not the gift of chastitye or sole life, to use marriage, as a notable remedy to put away the act of Formeation, with the lust or concupiscence thereof. And as out of these words a general lesson is given to all to marry, if it be in the Lord. So a man cannot without greef consider the horrible sin, and without horror speak of the detestable iniquity, that those men (Papists I mean) have fallen into, that have shunned this mean, much less by them done. What whoredom, adultery, fornication, yea sodometrie, yea buggery and other filthiness, that ought not to be named in the mouth of Christians) hath ben by them committed, their own Chrouographers & history writers plainly declare, & this fayng whē they are made popish priests is too plain, Si non caste, tamen caute, that is, if thou canst not live chastely, yet take a whore wartly. It shall be best for us all those iniquities being set aside, to embrace God's council, as the only truth, and to shun the other as proceeding from the Devil, the father of all lies and liars. Now though the Apostle doth command everyone to have his own wife for avoiding of Fornication, yet is it not his meaning that marriages should be made in such sort, as GOD himself hath forbidden, that is to say, that young Children may marry, without consent of parents. for in such cases, the advise, counsel, & agreement of fathers, is of necessity required. It is wonderful to see, to what kind of ungodliness and disobedience, the world in this behalf is grown, for marriages are made without consent or counsel of parents, which is a plain breach of God's commandment. Honor thi Father and thi mother, & this wickedness is confirmed and increased in another respect, because young men think themselves in this behalf more at liberty then maidens or Damosels, Indeed if they could prove themselves not to be children, and by the commandment not to be tied to obedience, as the other are, I could easily be persuaded therein. But our wickedness in both these cases, is far greater thē that of the Gentiles. For in Genesis we read, that Shechem after he had rauyshed Dinah Jacob's Daughter (which fact was altogether ungodly) did desire his Father to get him that maid to wife. If Infidels and unbelievers did this, how much more ought Christians that profess godliness to accomplish the same? Surely Schechem had as great privileges as any young man can now lay for himself: for besides that he was a young man, he was a Lord's son, & as it should seem, the only son of his father, and yet would not take marriage in hand (though otherwise he had committed a vilanous act) without his Fathers consent and advise. Now this is further to be considered in this case on the Fathers part. For as y ^e child may not marry without the parents alowing and liking of the same: so cannot the fathers or mothers either enforce their children to make ungodly marriages, or to hinder & let marriages begun in God's fear, As many do at this day, that because one of the parties hath not abundance of wealth, or such like, will not give consent to the marriage of their children. But rather they ought to labor that in the Lord, such contracts and marriages, may as much as in them lieth, be furthered. Moreover in these words, Let every man have his own wife, &c. This is to be considered, that the Apostles mind is not to license any to marry with Infidels, or of corrupt religion, dishonest behavior, or so forth, but that they should have due consideration of the parties to whom they purpose by God's grace to join themselves, and that they should thoroughly know their religion & cōuersatiō because marriage is not a bād for a day a week, a month, or a yere only, but for term of life also. Surely to speak my mind, I cannot without grief consider the great disorder and confusion used in the world at this day in this behalf, for either the beauty is one cause, & so they satisfy their eye & carnal lust, or else money or goods another cause thinking thereby to content their insatiable minds. Now adaies neither religiō nor honesty is in marriages demanded, but rather we ask how fair & beautiful, or let me understand how much money I shall have. Verily for a man to have such considerations in choosing of a wife is not altogether evil, because a man must choose him such a one as w ^t whom alone, he can hold himself content, so long as they shall live together, but to put those things in the first place declareth to such men as we deal w ^t in these cases, that we like beasts rather seek things transitory and vain, I mean beauty, substance, wealth and such like then their daughters and children, and y ^t we more esteem of the one then y ^e other Beside that, when marriages are made in such sort, w ^t out cōsideratiō of religiō & godliness (as if a christiā or professor of the gospel, should marry with an infidel, Turk, Jew, or Papist) we tread under our feet God's commādemēts, & wholly despise y ^e example of godly & faithful men. In the law it is said to y ^e people of Israel, concerning the Gentiles which inhabited the land y ^t they went to posses. Thou shalt make no marriages with them, neither give thy daughter to his son, nor take his daughter unto thy son: a reason is added. For they will cause thy son to turn away from me, & to serve other God's. Then will the wrath of the Lord wax hot against you, & destroy thee suddenly, wherefore Abraham caused the eldest servant of his household to swear, that he should not take a Wife unto his son of the daughters of the Cananits, among whō he dwelt, but that he should go unto his country, & to his kindred, & take a wife unto his son Isaac. The self same care we see to be in Rebecca & Isaac, for their son Jacob, and therefore after that she seemed to fear, least he should take one of the Daughters of Heth to wife, and had uttered the same grief unto her husband, Isaac playnlye commandeth his son, not to take a wife of the Daughters of Canaan. And in the New Testament it is said: Be not unequally yoked w ^t the Infidels. O but say some, I can reclayme her from unbelief & ungodliness, to faith & virtue. Indeed if thou were as strong as Sampson, and as wise as Solomon, it might peradventure sink into my brain, but if the strongest and the wisest were not able to resist, how shall the weakest and the simplest be able to stand. This is reckoned as one of the greatestreasons of Sampsous ruin, for taking a wife of the Daughters of the Philistines. And this is accounted as one of the weightiest causes of Solomon's fall, that he took him many wives of outlandishe women, and strange nations, which turned away his heart from the service of the true God, after their false God's. And this is judged to be one of y ^e sins, for which God brought an universal flood upon the whole earth, and the inhabitants thereof, For that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair, & they took thē wives of all that they liked. Let us therefore beware, and learn now at y ^e length, to deal more warily according to God's holy council in this and other matters then heretofore we have done. Furthermore this is to be noted that in that the Apostle will have every man to have his own wife, and every wife her own husband, that he doth utterly take away polygamy or multitude of wives at one time. A doctrine not vunecessary and unfit to be treated of in this place, because (as I hear say, & I do in part believe it) y ^t there be some in Kent do defend the same. I cannot speak of this and other things so largelye as I would, because I have been hitherto somewhat long. I will say both concerning this and other things also that follow, my mind briefly. Whosoever doth defend this as lawful and necessary, not only striveth against the doctrine of God's spirit, in this place delivered, who saith singularly every man must have his own wife, not wives, but also quite & clean turneth upside down the first institution of marriage, for god in Paradise in y ^e time of mans innocency joining woman unto man as a helper, said: For this cause shall a man forsake father & mother & cleave to his wife, & they two shall be one flesh, not they three, not they four, &c. but they two. This is also to be considered, y ^e the first breach of this ordinance began, not in y ^e household of the faithful, but in the wicked seed & stock of cursed Cain, for it is said in Genesis, that Lamech (who came of Cain's kindred) took ii. wives, y ^e name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah. So that it appeareth that all y ^t either put in practice to have many wives, or defend y ^e same, are of Cain's progeny, y ^t is, a froward, adulterous, & wicked possessiō, neither is there any reason, why they should to this end object the examples of y ^e Patriarchs, and godly mē of the old law be fore y ^e coming of our savior christ, for in thē it was a great sin & infirmity, and had not the Lord in mercy, and in y ^e death of Jesus, who was the lamb, killed frō the beginning of the world, blotted out their sin, they had felt the pain and punishment, which is everlasting death. You see then y ^e polygamy or multitude of wives, cannot stand by God's word. Let man's wit suppose what it cā, this only is the truth, y ^e Lord give us grace to embrace and follow the same. It followeth, Let the husband give unto the wife, &c. Now y ^e Apostle showeth how we ought to live after we be married, & first he layeth out a general doctrine of mutual benevolence, y ^e is of the duty of the husband toward the wife, & the wife toward the husband, whereas some have understood by due benevolence, the debt of marriage, y ^e is the satisfying of lust, it liketh me not, because it is somewhat to narrow. I indeed judge that this moved thē so to expound the same, for that it followeth presently afterwards, the wife hath not power of her own body, &c. But it will stand more agreeable with truth, if we say that to be inferred necessarily, as a particular point out of the former, because the Apostle here dealeth generally. For his meaning is that the husband should do to the wife & the wife toward y ^e husband & one of thē toward y ^t other, all duties pertaining to marriage. To entreat of thē all particularly, I cannot at this present, neither if I could would occasiō serve, y ^e chiefest of thē is that, which Peter speaketh of, y ^t there be betwixt thē such a consent, & unity of minds that their prayers be not interrupted, by which word, it appeareth, y ^t private prayers were then, & should now be used in private houses, which how much it is observed, let all judge. I fear me, y ^t if householders should be called to accounts in this point, they would come very short. For whereas they prayed morning & evening at y ^e least every day, it is a great matter with us, if we pray once a week in our houses, nay I judge some of us neither pray in our houses, nor in churches, but come thither only for fashiō sake, & this appeareth because there followeth so little fruit of our prayers. for if we prayed heartily God would here our prayers willingly & grant our petitions effectually. But we ask many things, and obtain few things, the cause is, for that we ask thē not aright. It followeth, The wife hath not power of her own body, &c. The mening is, that God hath so created man for woman, and woman for man, that they cannot well be one without the other, unless it be such, as upon whom he hath bestowed the gift of chastity: that sentence serveth also well against Poligamie, or plurality of wives. For if the body of the man be so tied to the body of the woman, that the one is subject to the other, it cannot be, that the mā hath authority to take more wives, nor the wife to take more husbands. It followeth, Defraud not one another, except it be &c. In these words Paul showeth a notable remedy against y ^e feigned show of holiness, & love of ourselves For Satan many times pricketh us with a show of weldoyng, to think our selves to be defiled by y ^e company of our wives, & therefore causeth us to leave our vocation, and think of another estate: as we read that many men, and some kings of this realm, have forsaken their calling, left their wives & become religious persons: so many women have forsaken the duties of marriage, & closed up thenselves in vnreligious cloisters. Besides this, man's nature is such, & it is so much addicted to the love of it self, that at Satan's instigation, the man dothnot only neglect his wife, but altogether loath her, and likewise the wife the husband: for these causes doth the Apostle so earnestly & diligently reason of the mutual society and love betwixt man and wife: as if he should say, if married persons purpose to lead a single life, either because they suppose it to be more holy, or else are pricked thereto w ^t sundry kinds of lust, not contenting thenselves with that ordinary mean y ^t God hath appointed, let thē consider, that they are tied one to the other by a mutual band: the man is but only the one half of his body, & so likewise the woman. Wherefore they have not free liberty, to part asunder as they lust, & whē they lust: but rather they ought to weigh this, we cannot be one w ^t outanother, we lack one another's aid, God hath joined us together, to help one another, let us therefore one aid another's need. If they go so far y ^t they separate thenselves, the Apostle requireth, first a mutual consent, which is necessary, because the continency not of one only, but of both of thē is hasarded. Secondly, y ^t it be but for a time, for perperuall chastity is not in their power, but is y ^e gift of God. Thirdly, that they do not therefore abstain from keeping company one with another as though y ^t abstmence were of it self a good & holy work, or a piece of God's service, but y ^t we may give over our selves to better exercises, to wit, fasting and prayer: in which words we have to consider, that the Apostle speaketh not of every sort of fasting, and every kind of prayer. Sobernes & tēperancie are kinds of fasting & prayer, & should not only be daily but also continual. He speaketh therefore of such a fast as is a public and solemn testimony of repentance, by which we turn away gods wrath & vengeance, or by which the faithful prepare thenselves to prayer when they take in hand some earnest matter. The same may be said of prayer, as for example, whē some calamity or misery is nigh, or if some tokē of God's wrath appear, or when some matter of great weight & importance is to be taken in hand, as the ordering of ministers &c. And surely the Apostle doeth worthily join these two together, not as though fasting were a piece of God's service, but because it is a preparation unto prayer. For the body being by fasting subdued, the more willingly (by the assistance of God's spirit) submitteth it self unto the spirit, & being both joined, they pour forth more harti supplications unto y ^e Lord. And therefore our savior Christ joineth them together in like sort, when he saith, This kind of devils is not cast forth but by fasting and prayer, Now thē in these words of y ^e Apostle, we have a plain overthrow, of that popish doctrine of divorce, a thoro & mensa, that is to say, from bed & board. They teach that for sundry causes and ends, a man may be separated from his wife, at the table and the bed, & yet the Apostle showeth, that such separation cannot be made, for any ende but for this, namely that they may give over themselves to fasting and prayer. Their causes are worldly & fleshly, but the Apostles end is spiritual & heavenly. No less vaynely and fondly do they deal in the whole matter of Diuorce: for whereas our savior Christ maketh but one cause, and that is Fornication, they make nine or ten at the least: and whereas by the warrant of God's word, y ^e faultles party may marry, if he have not the gift of continency (for by y ^e law of God, the adulterer and adulteress should both be put to death, as before I shown in the beginning, and the woman is set free, the husband being dead, from the law of the man, and the man from the law of y ^e wife, the wife being dead) by y ^e popish canon law yet in this realm maintained, it cometh to pass, that neither y ^e sin is so grievously punished as of right it should, neither may the faultles person marry, but as well y ^e guiltless as the gultie, yea though they have not y ^e gift of chastity, enjoined to live a single & sole life, nay would to god it were not a shrewd & sinful life. Now it followeth, & again come together, &c though y ^e Apowle will have Christian mē & women for godly exercises sake, to separate thenselves, yet he will not have that separatiō to endure over long, the reason is added, that Satan tempt you not &c. As if the Apostle should say, when ye take upon you to abstain long frō the society one of another, and occasion is proffered to Satan to oppress you, because you take that in hand which you are not able to perform: for such is the imbecility & weakness of the flesh, that y ^e one cannot long be w ^t out the company of the other, and therefore you had need look to yourselves saith y ^e Apostle for y ^e adversary will leave no corner unsought, nor any stone vnrolled, to provoke you to wickedness & incontinency. Here we have to learn that lesson which I touched in the beginning, namely, y ^t God requireth pure & chaste minds, as well as clean bodies. And also we have to note the malice of Satan, who goeth about like a roaring lyon, seeking to devour us: if we consider his force, he is strong as a lyon, if we weigh his subtlety he is called the great & old serpent, & can translate himself into y ^e likeness of an Angel of light: he spared not Christ, but tempted him immediately after baptism, & therefore he will not cease to assail us, we had need therefore to be sober & watchful, and to pray continually w ^t the disciples for the increase of our faith, because faith is y ^e mean, by which we must resist, & though his power be in y ^e scriptures counted great, yet this singular comfort we have in the same scriptures revealed unto us, y ^t he is but a coward, & playeth y ^e part of a tyrant, who when he hath gotten any people under him in slavery and boudage, doth miserably torment thē. But if we resist him (the devil I mean) and set our selves against him he will flee far frō us, for his tyranie is exercised only upon the children of unbelief: as for the faithful, he is not able to touch thē, w ^t out gods sufferance and appointment: he cold not enterinto a few sooine, til Christ gave him leave. He could not touch the body and goods of Job, til God suffered him: his power is not increased, nor the strength and arm of our Lord any whit at all abated. It remaineth then y ^t we set our selves in conflict & skirmish against the diuil, we shrink not, for then we lie opē to be wounded. The Apostle hath in the Ephesians described Panopleian, that is to say, complete harness of a christiā, he appointeth everyone to have their loins girded about w ^t verity, having on the breastplate of righteousness, their feet shod w ^t the preparation of the gospel of peace, y ^t shield of faith, y ^t helmet of salvation, & the sword of the spirit. Mark how y ^e Apostle armeth a christiā soldier in the fore parts, & appointeth him in harnes for his back to defend y ^t w ^t all: by which y ^e spirtt of God teacheth us, w ^t what valiant courage we should be endued, when we come to skirmish w ^t the devil: we may not in any case turn our backs to him, for then we lie opē, & easily receive his wounds, but resist him by faith, as I said before, & he will flee far frō us. The Lord indue us w ^t force and strength of his spirit frō above, to w ^t stand Satan, & all his wicked temptations, & imprint these things in our hearts which we have heard, to the amendment of our sinful lives and conversation, to the glory of his name thorough Jesus Christ, to whom with y ^e holy Ghost, be all honor and glory forever and ever, Amen. Let us pray.