¶The seconde booke of Tertulli­an vnto his wyf, trans­lated into Englyshe, wherī is cōteined most godly coūsel how those that be vnmaryed, may chose vnto them selfes godly companyons, and so to liue quyetly in this world and blessedlye in the worlde to come.

¶Let wedlocke be had in price in all poyntes, and let the Chāber be vndefiled, for whore kepers and aduoute­ters god wyl iudge.

Heb. 13.

✚To the chri­stian Reader, Iohn Hoper wysheth grace & knowledge in the Lorde.

THe more of impor­taunce & weyghte the mater is, a mā takethe in hande: with the more cir­cumspectyon and aduised counsel he shoulde begyn the same: lest the thyng lyghtly & vnaduisedly begon, myght eyther constrayne the autour with shame to leaue, and forsake vtterlye hys facte, eyther with anxite and tro­ble of mynde to perseuer and con­tynewe in the same. Therfore it was wyselye counceled by wyse men when they sayed: before thou begynne any thyng aske counsell, and then put the thyng councelled [Page] vpō in fact. With this maketh al­so that elegant & wyse prouerbe, Dimidium facti qui bene cepit, habet.

That is to say, he hat halfe ēded his purpose, yt begīneth wel. But in the lyfe of manne what is more waightie, graue, excellent, or wā ­teth more circumspection, good counsel, ernest praier vnto god thē Matrimonye? What and thou shouldest begyn it vnwyslye, and vngodly: how many inconueniēce and troubles should there folow? I leaue ye nombre of testymonies, and examples, and commende the vnto experyence. We see daylye moste petifull and lamentable ali­enations, and separacions not on­lye of the mynde but lykewyse of the bodye, by meanes as well of frowardnes and morosyte of con­dicions as of filthy adulterye, and vnlawful diuorcementes. To suc­cour and helpe so great euelles in [Page] the begynnyng of matrymonye required counsel, and not suche as perswadeth & cōpelleth the moost part of persons to marye for fond, flesshely, or auaricious affection: but holye, iuste, prudent and well aproued counsell that teacheth at the begynnyng to beholde wysely the condicions of hym or her that is wyshed for in Mariage: and so in tyme wyth wysedome take, or leaue, him or her accordīgly, with tyme aduised vpon: And then ap­poynte hym selfe (yf anye thynge shulde happen after the Mariage contrarie to hys expectacyon and hope that he or she had of others helthe, maners, or condicions, that breaketh not afterward matrimonie) with patience, and tolleraunce to beare them, vntill, death separat the one from the other, or God re­dresse and amende the faultes and maners to be redressed and a­mended. [Page] But before man or womā marie, this is requisite to be done that euery one and of euerye sexe and kinde examine him selfe whe­ther he can with a good conscience lyue sole and vnmaryed or not. Yf he can, it is the mynde of the holy ghost and of sayncte Paule that he so remayne in purite, & cleanes of life in body and soule to ye glory of God .i. Cor. vii and the commo­dyties of this trewe and vnfained chastite be infinite and wōderful, but not geuē to all men. And great hede muste be taken here, lest vn­der the pretext, and name of chaste and sole lyfe lye hyd most damna­ble hordome and adulteri. In case thou be gyltie and fyndest in thy selfe the daunger of adustion, and burnynge of concupysence it is the cōmaundement of God thou mary i. Cor. vii. Wyth this commaunde­ment no man can dyspence, nor no [Page] vowe or what esti [...]acie, [...], or estimaciō so euer it be: for obe­dience vnto the commaundement is better then al the vowes, or sa­crifice of the lawe.

And when thou hast thus adui­sedly apoynted thy selfe to mary­age see thou first chose thy make or companiō, before thou lone, lest thou happen to be deceaued with blinde loue which sodenly entred, and sodenly perisheth agayne.

Measure not thy chose, from ry­ches, bewtie, age, parentaige, or from suche like: but from vertwe, godlynesse, wit, discreacion, & tractablenesse of condicions. The first condycyons be not to be refused in case they be well placed in a man or woman that hath them with ye feare of God, where that lacketh: they be better refused, then taken. And because we may be deceaued vnder the shewe of vertue and happen [Page] vpon a woman of frowarde cōdicions and troublous, whē we thynke our selues best bestowed: and also the woman many tymes hoping to haue matcht with an honest man, where as she afterward findeth her selfe vtterly deceaued: farther bothe manne and woman manye tymes are charged and in daunger to loue the rich, the faire, and so prefer them before ye good and vertuous. The fyrst election & begynning of Matrymony ought to be frome prayer, in the whiche suche as woulde marie shuld aske of God, a godly companyon from whom onely it is gyuen Prouer. After diligente prayer shoulde be like inquisition of what fayth the partye is that is desyred in Ma­trymonye: for as dyuersytye of religyon betwene one man and hys wyfe is daungerous, so is it forbydden by God Deut. vii. Ios. [Page] xxiii. Therfore Abrahā the father of the faythfulles bounde his ser­uaunte by an othe that he shoulde not take any of the doughters of Canaan for hys sonne Isaac. And Isaac commaundeth Iacob hys sonne to beware of ye same Gene. xxviii. The contempte and violacion of thys cōmaundemēt brought the children of Israel into greate daunger Iudic. iii. And Salomō the kynge into Idolatrye .iii. Reg. xi. Therfore saynct Paule saythe i. Cor. vii. That it is lawful to ma­rye whom we wyll, so it be in the Lord, as it neuer can be where as the persone to be Maryed abhorrithe (as saynt Ambrose sayth) the autoure of Matrimonye. It is not ynoughe for the man or ye wo­man, that wyl mary, to chose such a one as beareth ye name of Christ, but he or she must diligently serch what the practyse and obedyence [Page] of hys cōuersation is to the name of Christianite. And when suche a one is founde, then chose and loue honestlye, seke wyth the counsel of thy wise frendes, and neglecte not the suffragies, nor consente of the parentes and frendes of the per­sone thou sekest: and commende then, all the successe to God, and desyre hys wyll to be done. Thys is the onely way to begynne Ma­trimony if it shal euer prosper wel But out alas howe farre be men nowe adayes from thys maner of waye towardes mariage. This is now accompted folyshnes and su­persticion. And in ye place of these vertues is entred many vnlawful and vngodlye meanes, some bye & and sell theyr children: yea from ye cradell and maketh mariages be­twene those, that hath not the vse of reason to iudge what maryage is. Another sort seketh howe with [Page] flattery, collusion, defraude, & gile: yea by the meanes of bandes and vnhonest persones alure the sonne and daughter to a contracte wyth oute the knowledge, aduyse, and consent of the parentes, and thyn­keth it good ynough so they agre wythin them selues. Another sort wher as they se, the mairage they couet to be aboue theyr reach they solicitate theyr frendes letters and boroweth, many an honest cō ­mēdacion in their maysters or frē des letters whiche they neuer pay after, to the person that honest cō ­mendacions pertayneth. I do not condemne nor disalowe ye reporte and lawde of an honest mā or wo­man, nor thynke it not against the worde to make mencion trewly of the persones vertue and faculties that is wished for in matrymony, as Abrahams seruaunte dyd, so it be done trewly & without fraude. [Page] But in case the commendacions & good will of the suter can not preuayle, I would not that the com­maundemente of anye frende that s [...]weth for an other, shoulde forse or compell the free parson agaynst his or her will. Nether where as this meanes can auayle, with tor­toure or compulsion of perswatiō to constrayne or induse the vnar­med, and euel fēced minde, of him, or her that of it selfe for vertue coulde no way admitte suche a cō ­iunction and matrimonie. If it be wel begon the lorde wil prosper it in grace and goodnes. If the con­trarye, he wil sure at lengthe pu­nishe it, as it is to be seene how the whole worlde for violating of ma­trimonie was drouned, Sodome burnte. Amonge other faultes and crymes that brought the children of Israel into Captiuite the leste was not the breakynge of Mari­age: [Page] But it is not ynoungne to be­gynne Matrimony iustlye, it must so contynewe, and ende, if it be of God. This shall be donne, incase boothe, feare the Lorde, and eche knowe his duetie to the other. And to thende it may the better and so­ner be put in experience, it shal not be a lost laboure al together for the christiane reader to see the godlye writynges of this olde and graue writer Tertulliane that here liued for. 1340. sithens. This seconde booke to his wife, before foure ye­res past, I translated at the desyre of a godlye frende of myne, beyng bothe then, in a straunge countrie. And when I had done in the tran­slation, I commended vnto hym the iudgment therof: so that with his labours and myne he sende it into London to a godlye, and ver­tuous widowe his mother by the lawe, who thankefullye toke it for [Page] the tyme of her lyfe. And sithens her departure the godly man hath geuen the same godlye councell to others that be vnmaried. And now wishyng good to al, through this realme that he cannot speake withal, thought it good to commit the same (for a farther vse therof) to the prynte.

Prayinge god, that it maye do as­muche good to all vnmaried, & maried persones, as bothe he, and I most hartely praye for, in the Lorde. A­men.

¶ A leter direc­ted, vnto a certayne godlye and vertuous wyddowe of London, wrytten by the husband of a daughter of hers.

RYghte wourshyp­ful, and intierly be­loued mother, with moste erneste, and hartie desire, I be­sech oure heuenlye father, almightie God, for to en­crease the knowledge of his deare sonne, our sauiour Iesus Chryste, in you. And thorowe hys holy spy­ryt the trewe comforter, for to as­syst and comfort you, in thys your present heuynesse, for the departīg of my good father your husband, and to councell you what is beste [Page] for you to do, in the estate that ye be now in. &c. For, as for my com­forte, or counsell specyallye, which ye desyred to haue, is ouer slender, for to do you anye greate good, in so waightye a matter.

Neuer thelesse good mother, oute of the loue that I do beare vnto your soule healthe specyally, and consyderynge howe muche I am bounde vnto you. Firste for gi­uynge of youre consente, that I myght mary your doughter, my beloued wyfe. Then for the greate kyndenesse (to your greate coste, & charge) that ye haue shewed vs two, in the keping, and ouerseinge of oure sonne, in our absence, and for manyfolde other benefytes, and pleasure donne vnto vs, by oure good father your husbande, and you, at diuers, times besydes: I haue caused a good frende of myne here, mayster Iohn Hoper, [Page] for to traunslate and wryte out in to Englyshe, a lytle treatyse compiled in lattin by that very chrysten and godly doctor, Ter­tulian (a Martyr also of Iesus Christe, as some do wryte) now aboute .xiii. hundred and lxxxx. yeares agonne. And so muche the soner, haue I sente you the saide treatyse, rather then annye other thynge, gathered after myne owne mynde, oute of the holy scriptures: because that no man should dryue you, from the folowing of the same, as from a new found doctryne, deuysed but yesterday, out of some fonde fellowes brayne. For yt is one, of the cauylacyons, where with the dyuell goeth aboute, for to let the goynge forwarde, of the verytie manye tymes: euen for to mou emen to beleue, that the olde truth, is the new learning, [Page] yea newe fangled heresy, and I wote neare what.

The occasyon why I haue nowe sente you, this aforesaide treatyse, called the seconde boke of Tertulian, vnto hys wyfe: And not rather translated hys fyrste boke, in whiche he instruc­teth hys wyfe, howe she shoulde behaue herselfe, and order her lyuing after hys death: Is that in his sayde firste boke or trea­tyse, he exhorteth her, for to con­tynewe, styll a widdowe in any wise: yea and that requireth he, of her so earnestely, & so straigh­tely, that he (but in yt no doubte he erryed greatly) semeth plainly to affirme, and to go aboute, to make her beleue, that yf she ma­ryed againe with any man, she shoulde commyt synne. But here in thys other treatyse, he semeth after my mynde, rather by declarynge [Page] vnto her, what maner of husbande, yt she shoulde chose to her (to say none other,Husbandes, chri­sten vir­gens or widdowes might ī no wise take, wt ­oute the great of­fēce and cōtempte of all­mightie god: tea­che and ī struct her what maner of &c. but a very Christen and godly person) if that after she were once free, frō the yoke of matrymony, she had not the gyfte of god, to folowe S. Paules counsell, whiche is: to abyde styl vnmaried, and not to seke another husbande, yf she wer once losyde from one, and not in daunger of fornicacion, thorow the burning incontinen­cye of the corruptyble fleshe.

But now I doubte not, but that if some mā, should heare this saide treatise reade vnto you: he woulde saye by and by: what madde fole sente this boke vnto you, as a thynge that ye shoulde folow? &c. This exhortacion ser­ued, for the christen wemen of Tertulyans tyme, when they in­habyted the whole world ouer, [Page] here aud there, amongest the in­fideles and heathen, and for suche as do dwell amongest the Turckes and Iewes, nowe in our dayes: And not for any Uir­gins or widdowes, in oure kin­ges grace hys realme, where as be none other to take, but onely christen, if a woman wyl mary, any man at all. That is truth in dede, yf all men were trew chri­sten, that beare the holy name of Chryste. But oure sauioure hym selfe saythe Math .vii. Entre in at the strayte gate for wyde is the gate, and brode is the waye that leadeth to distruccyon, and many therbe which go in there­at. But strayght is the gate, and narrow is the waye whych lea­deth vnto lyfe: and fewe therebe that fynde it. Itē: not euery one that saith vnto me, Lord, Lord, shall entre into the kyngdome of [Page] heauē: but he that doth the wil of my father, whiche is in hea­uen. And saynt Paule, speaking of the false chrysten, I meane such, as be but chrysten in name only. Unto Titus .i. Saith: they professe that they knowe God (wyth theyr mouthe, & by theyr outwarde vse, of the sacramen­tes and ceremonies, the Apostle meaneth no doubte) but wyth theyr dedes they denye him: In as muche as they bee abomina­ble lyuers, and not obediēt vnto goddes worde, but reprobate persones, as touching any good woorkes. It is good to thincke then, that the man of God, Ter­tuliā, toke such for no better, thē the heathen: Specyally seyuge that hys mayster, and Lord Ie­sus Christ, sayth further, that at the laste daye, he wyll saye vnto such, christen disciples of hys: de [Page] parte from me, an ye that worke Iniquitie: I knowe you not. &c. Mat .vii. And who I pray you, shoulde better knowe, who bee the trewe chrysten, and chrystes disciples in dede, then our saui­our Iesus himselfe? which saith Ioh .viii. If ye shal abyde in my worde, then shall ye be my disci­ples in dede. Item. Ioh .xv. He that abideth in me, and I ī him, bryngeth fourthe muche frute. &c. Then they that bryng forth, no frutes of rightuousnes at al: but lie still lyke swyne, wallow­ing in theyr voluptuousnes, or els lyke cruell dogges, do barke at, and persecute the trewe doc­tryne of Chryste, whyche they knowe not, bee none of chrystes discyples, and therfore, no trew christē: but heathē, & worse then infidels, in the syght of almigh­tie god. Yea, and so bee all suche [Page] to, as do contynuallye sryll from day to day, walke or lye, in their foruicacion, adulterie, dronke n­nesse, glotonye, extorcion, intol­lerable vserie, inordinat coue­tousnesse, blynde superstici­on, and wiked Idolatrye, wyth suche lyke vyces, as S. Paule sayth .i. Cor. vi. and Ephe .v. For why shulde they els, be cast oute of the company, or communion, of al christen men. In token that they haue no parte ī the gospel, nor of the kingdome of Christe, except they amende? Saynet Paule, when he went so earnest­ly aboute, to dryue the christen people amongest the Corynthi­aus, from the vsyng of the Ido­latrie, & other vices of the gen­tyles there: what ment he when he sayde .i. Cor. x. I woulde not haue you ygnoraunte brethren that our fathers wer al of them [Page] vnder the cloude, & as passed thorow the sea, & al of thē wer bap­tisid into Moses, in the cloud, & in the sea, & al did eate one, & the same spiritual meate, and al did drynke one spirituall drinke. &c. What shuld the Apostle meane, by all these wordes I say? but that suche of those fathers, as were afterwardes noughty fell from God, vnto lust, and synne, and tempted and prouoked god, vnto wrathe and vengeaunce in the wyldernesse, were neuer the better in the sighte of him, for yt they had before sene and felt, so many of his greate miracles, or wonderfull dedes, nor for that they had ben partakers, of so many, of his holy signes and sa­cramentes. Now that this was S. Paules meanynge, aperyth playnly, by that he sayth by and by after the afore aleaged wor­des: [Page] out in manye of them, God had no pleasure. And that same the Apostle proueth, by that the Lorde did after ward, punishe & plage thē so greuously & oftē, in the wildernesse. For they were ouerthrowē in the wildernesse, saythe S. Paule .i. Cor. x. And then he goeth fourthe there, to his purpose and sayth: but these are examples vnto vs: that we should not luste after euel thin­ges, as they lusted: nor be wor­shippers of Images, as some of thē (he meaneth the forefathers of the Iewes, that prouoked God in the wyldernesse) were: And so fourth, as ye may reade there, at your leasure. And at the the laste, Sainct Paule conclu­deth thus: al these thinges hap­pened vnto them, for figures (or examples, as he mighte saye) & were wrytten for our warning, [Page] vpon whome the endes of the worlde are come vpon. Euen as thoughe he would saye. It shall nothyng auayle you, O ye chri­sten amongest the Corinthians, that ye once receaued the spirite of God, at your baptysme, that ye come ofte to praye togyther, and synge psalmes in the com­men assēbles, nor that ye do oftē receaue the sacrament of Chri­stes bodye and bloude &c. As o­ther good christen do: Excepte that ye do followe youre profes­sion in dede, continew in the spi­ryt and feare of the lorde, auoy­dynge all deadly synne, and the wicked wourshypping of Ima­ges, that is vsed, amongest your neighbours and familiers the gentyles there, at Corrinth. &c. And by thys good mother is it easy, to applye this aforesayde saying of sainet Paule: vnto our [Page] corrupte ryme (of whyche no doubte, the holy goste shewed before hande .ii. Timo. iii.) And to esteme those persons, no trew chrystians, whiche do perseuer wythoute all repentaunce and amendement, in all maner of vice, and abominacions, of ye world. For Saynt Iames saythe that the pure and vndefiled religion, before god, and the father, is, to vysit the fatherlesse and wyd­dowes, in theyr afflyccion (by these two good workes of mer­cy, he vnderstandeth the walkīg, in all other good dedes, ye may bee sure) and to kepe hym selfe, vnspotted of the world. That is: to beware, that he defile not hys soule, nor body nother, with the couetousnes, extorsiō, adultery, fornicacion, Idolatrye, or suche lyke abomynacions, whyche the worlde commonlye vsyth or cō ­mytteth.

[Page] But to returne somwhat a­gayne, vnto my purpose: please it you to vnderstande good mo­ther, that whereas ye shall here­after fynde, certaine annotaciōs in the mergent, of this treatyse, the same I made my selfe, with out master Hopers knowledge: (but ye faithful, may sone iudge, whyther they be trewe or no) if they wyl confer the same, wyth the righte touche stone, the holy scryptures. This I wright for none other intent, but that, if the same annotacions do not lyke you, ye should not put ye blame in mayster Hoper, who knoweth not yet of them. And as for the notes that I haue made here & there concernynge the Sacra­ment, I amsure that ye woulde nor be offended wyth them, yf ye had rede the same doctors [Page] mynde, in other places of hys woorkes: Because yt by ye same, he dothe manyfestlye declare, that he was of the ryghte opy­nyon in the sayde Sacramente. For in hys fyrste boke agaynste the herityke Marcion, who dyd saye that all the thinges of thys world wer vncleaue (but other more dampnable heresies then that dyd he stiffely defend) he sayth these wordes folowīg:Tertuli­aus mīde of ye holy sacramēt of Chri­stes body & bludde Chryst dyd not reproue breade, by whyche he dyd represent his bodye. And in hys fourthe boke where he confuteth the sayde a­bominable herityke, for saying yt our sauioure Iesus, had but a phātastical body: he is yet more playne, and sayth thus: Chrsyte toke breade, distributed ye same vnto hys discyples, and made it his bodye, sayinge: this is my bodye. That is to say, a figure [Page] of my bodye. But that had ben no figure thereof, except that he had had a verye bodye. For a vaine thing, which is but a phā ­tasy, can receaue no figure. Or els yf he dyd therefore make breade hys bodye, because that he lacked a trewe bodye: Then should he haue deliuered bread, for vs. And that had made for the vanytye of Marcyon, that breade had bē crucyfied. Hether to are Tertulians wordes: by the whych ye may playnely per­ceaue, that he beleued not (as ye Papystes do) that the breade of the Sacrament, was the verye body of Chryste Really, no, but figuratiuely, or ī a mistery. And for the better vnderstanding of the whole treatyse folowynge (because that mayster Iohn Ho­per did it not) I haue translated the prologe into the same, here [Page] my selfe symplye, and as wel as I can. But now I make an end, to trouble you good mother, wt thys my rude wrytyng: because ye shoulde the soner reade here now, wholy Tertu­lians owne mynde, of the foresayd mat­ter. &c. The grace of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste, be euer more wyth you. A­MEN.

The Prologe and Argumente, of this booke, made in Latin by maister beatus Rhenamus, a learned man of Schleckstadt, nygh vn­to Strasburge in Germany. Anno Domi. 1521. and prynted in Eng­lysh. An. 1550.

CErtayne chri­sten wemen (and speciallye suche, as were ryche or wealthy) when theyr husbandes were deade, thorowe ambition and vayne glorye, dyd marye wyth the gentyls afterwardes, because they were ashamed of chrysten men, as personnes of a lowe degre, and of smale sub­stannce. [Page] For in those dayes, the heathē had at ye wealth, & highe power in their handes. They did raigne, bare rule, and had all the dominion alone. The poore chrysten lyued then wyth oute all maner of office, or authory­tye, in the commune wealth: ly­ued, yea rather laye hyd, & wer al onelye knowen, by theyr mo­destyousnesse, and sobre liuinge. Therfore when Tertulyan saw this vnsemelye example, of the wyddowes, whyche so dyd ma­ry againe, he in this latter boke, going aboute for to warne hys owne wife of that incōuenience, intreateth of those wemen, that toke vnto theyr husbandes, gentiles: declarynge also playnely, yt in so doyng, they dyd wicked­lye, & al agaīst S. Paules sen­tence, with yt which they defen­ded [Page] theyr dede. By and by after he doth rehe rse, the impedymen­tes and inconueniency, that came of such wedlocke, seīg that they mighte not frelye attende, vnto the obseruacions of the christen faythe. In the whyche place he receyteth the chiefe studies and offices, of our religyon, whiche wer vsed in those daies. That is to say, of standing, of fasting, of processyon (whyche represented the people of the Iewes, that went fourthe of Ierusalem, for to mete Chryste: And also the A­postles, goynge oute, vnto the Mounte, when chryste ascended into heauen) Of the vysyting of the bretherne (that was of the christen, when they were syche, and diseased) of the watchinge in the nyght at Easter: whyche Sainct Ierome thoughte ther­fore to be celebrat and done, be­cause [Page] it is the tradition of the Iewes, that Chryste shal come at mydnyghte, like as it was, in the tyme of the Egiptians be­fore. Wherfore I thynke (sayth he) yt the Apostles tradicion did then stil remayne, that on Easter euen, the people mighte not goo awaye, tyll halfe the nyght wer paste, but shoulde tarye waigh­tyng for the comming of Christ, that then, when that tyme was passed, they myghte al of them, with the more securitie, & wyth out feare, kepe that feaste holy. Tertulian makyth also mentiō, of the lordes feaste, or supper, of the vysyting of men in prison, of the kyssing of bretherne, that is chrysten men, of the washyng of feete, of the impartynge or dea­lynge of meate and drynke, and lodginge, of the sygne or token of the crosse, of ye prayers made [Page] In the nyghte: of the sacrament, of the lordes bodye and bloude (whiche was then taken, before they dyd eate anye meate) and of the holy synginge, of the chri­sten people then. Laste of all, he extolleth, that matrymonye, by the whyche a chrysten manne, is coupled vnto a christen woman, because that then, one may kepe theyr chrystianity, when as (that I maye vse Tertulyans owne wordes) the sycke is freely visy­ted, the neby susteyned, when al­messe is done without torment, or feare: the comunion vsed and frequented, wythout all scrupu­losyte and doubte (that is to say, when the husband himself, beynge also present at the same, is not afrayde of his wyfe) day­ly dylygence without any impe­dyment, no markynge of one, wyth the sygne of the crosse, by [Page] stealthe. (For a chrysten woman then, durst not, that her husband myghte see, crosse her selfe: but did it secreatly) no tremblyng or fearfull gretyng (for the wyfe in saluting of a chrysten man, dyd cause her vnbeleuing husbande, for to suspecte her of adulterye) nor yet no domme praysynge of god. For in the presence of an heathen man, hys wyfe durste not openly, or alowde gyue thā ­kes vnto chryste. Whych thinge he hym selfe dothe so expound, when he sayth, afterwardes. psalmes and holye him­nes, are songe betwen them two, and the one striueth with the other, who can sing best vnto their God.

FINIS.

The seconde boke, of the blessed martir Tertulyan vnto his wyfe.

OF late, my deare beloued wyfe & companion in the lord, as wel as I coulde, I aduer­tysed you, what lyfe beste besemed: & was moste decente for a godlye woman, that was losed by any occasion, from Matrimonie. Nowe ha­uynge regarde vnto the infirmi­tes of man, beyng moued ther­unto by the example of certayne persons, the which by reason of diuorsement or deathe of their housbande, had occasion geuen them to lyue chaste, they not wt ­standynge, haue not onlye, for­saken [Page] [...] of so great a perfection, but also in maryinge againe, for gote the disciplyne, and commaunde­ment of the lawe, which geueth the wydowes lybertie to marie agayne, vnto whome they wyl, onely that it be done, in ye lorde. Therfore I am in greate per­plexitie and troubled, leste that I whiche of late exhorted you, to perceauer and continewe in the state of wydowheed, as a womā contented with one hus­bande. Nowe makynge menci­on of mariage, shulde gyue you occasion to fall from the hygher perfeccion: But in case ye wyll consyder your healthe, ye wyll liue in that state of lyfe, yt shalbe moste commodiouse, thoughe ye do it with payne and force. If the thinge be harde and dyf­ficile, the more it requireth the [Page] [...] of God. I woulde not haue wrytten, vnto you of this matter, but that I fynde myne owne consciēce, and iudgmēt, careful of your health. Incase the chastitie of the body, that preserueth ye state of wyd­dowhed, be so greate a gyfte, yt it maye not be suffred or kepte, it maye be had excused,Wed owes can­not mari agayne, except it be to suche as be of the houshold of fayth. thinges that be harde and vneasye to be borne, sone opteineth pardonne. The more fauourable the lawe of god is to permit matrimonie to suche as cannot abstayne, the more it condemneth hym, that maye abstayne, and wyll not.

This approueth ye apostle, whē he speaketh of wyddowes: I woulde saythe he they shoulde contynue, in the same estate. I would they should folow myne example. And when he licenceth them to marye in the lord, when [Page] he sayeth onely in the Lorde, he doth not geue councel, so to do, but earnestlye commaundeth them. Therfore as concernynge mariage agayne, yf we folowe not the commaundement, we fal in daunger of damnacion. For he that passeth not of holsome councel, wil lykewyse neglecte, the commaundement, the one is a councel, and put to the choyse of man, but to offende in the o­ther, is contempte, and iniuries to ye lawe. Therfore seyng, that a certayne woman, forsoke to mary with one, of the housholde of faithe, and ioyned herselfe, to a gentyl as I haue sene the lyke done, before by other. I woun­der they could not aproue their so doynge, to be lawful by the scripture, to excuse their wan­tonnes, and pryde, and the trās­gression of suche holy coūselles. [Page] Doe they thicke they can excuse their faulte,1. Cor. vii by the place of Paule: If any broder, haue an vnbeleuynge wife, and she is cō ­tented to dwel with him, let him not put her awaye. Lyke­wyse yf a woman, haue a vnbe­leuynge husbande, and he is cō ­tented to dwel with her, let her not put him awaye, for the vn­beleuīg housbaude, is sāctified, by the beleuynge wyfe, and the vnbeleuing wife is sanctified by the beleuinge housbande, or else were youre children vncleane. Paraduenture suche as be vn­maried wyll vnderstande this sentence of Paule sympely and playnely. They that so interpre­tate it do thincke it lawfull, for one of the faythe, to mary an in­fydele. But god forbyde that a man wyllynglye shoulde thus deceaue him selfe. For truely it is plaine that the scripture spea­keth [Page] of them, that were maried before any of them were called to the faithe, as ye wordes plain­lye declare: Yf any beleuynge broder haue an vnbeleuīg wife: he dothe not saye: Yf any bro­ther be to be maried to an vnbe­leuynge wyfe, he meaneth that the husbande of an vnbeleuyng woman, nowe beyng in matry­monie, and conuerted, maye and oughte to conty [...]e, with hys wyfe, that is to saye, for because the housbande, that is conuer­ted to the fayth, shal not thincke it lawful to departe any maner of wayes from her, as from a womā of a straunge faithe, in so moche that his reason is thus: God hathe called vs in peace, and it maye be, that the vnbele­uynge woman maye be conuer­ted of the faithefull housbande by the conuersacion of matry­monye. This lytle sentence [Page] and proposition declarythe it so to be vnderstande.By cal­linge. S. Paule meneth here no doubt, ye state or condiciō of liuīg, whiche God by his proui­dence hath or­dened euery man & woman to walke in, after his wor­de or commaunde­ment. &c For euery mā saythe Paule, as he is called, of the lorde, in the same let hym, a­byde, I suppose, suche as be called be vnbeleued & not faith­ful. For yf he had meant of such, as were in the faythe of Christe before matrimonye, he would absolutelye haue permitted, one of the housholde of faith to haue maryed with the heathen, and yf he had permytted yt, he woulde neuer haue added so diuerse and contrarye a sentēce to his owne permissiō. Saing: the housband beyng deade, the wyfe is at ly­bertie, to marye to whō she wil, onely in the lorde. There is no­thing here to be entreated vpon agayne: For, asmuche as was expedyēt to be spoken of, Christ hath declared it, leste anye man should mysse take this sentence [Page] she may mary to whom she wil, he added, onely in the lorde, that is to say in the name of the lord, whiche is no doubte to a man of the housholde of faith. Christ oure holye sauioure therfore, whiche woulde haue widowes to lyue chastely in theyr wydo­whed, who dothe exhorte vs to his example, hathe prescribed none other lycence to marye a­gayne, sauing onely to suche as be of the congregacion of faith, to this rule & precepte, he hathe Bounde al yt wyll mary a­gayne: onelye sayth he in ye lord he hathe. &c. added the great waight of his awe: by the whiche wayes and meanes, thou mayste declare this sayinge, and it is of greate waighte. For now he chargeth, then he speketh faire, nowe he geueth commaundemente, then he exhorteth, nowe he prayeth, another tyme he threatneth.

This sentence is often tymes [Page] repeted and approued, brefe & shorte, not withstandynge verie plentuouse and copiouse. This is the condicion of the scripture: Continually obserue it my god­ly wife: In these mariages, that the apostle forbyddeth men to entre and ioyne thē selfes, who can perceaue how many perils, and ieoperdies of faith there be. The firste is to beweare, leste the fleshe of a christen woman, be defyled by the comyxtion of gē ­tilite. Some man would moue this question: Then what dy­uersite, is there betwene hym yt is called by the lorde in matry­monye beynge a gentyl, and him that is one of the housholde of faythe before his mariage, that bothe they shoulde not a lyke a boyde, the defylynge of their steshe. The one beyng an infy­dele, is constrayned to leaue his [Page] matrimonye with the christen, the other is souffered to conty­nue in matrimonie. Yf then we be defiled, by mariyng, one that is not of the housholde of fayth, maye not the one be sepera­ted, as well as the other is not suffered, to be ioyned? I aun­swer, yf ye spirite of God, would so gyue chastite, better it were before all other thinges, a man not to couple him selfe in matri­monie, then afterwarde vtterly to breake, & dyssolue matrimo­nie: For the lorde forbyddeth any deuorce to be made, excepte it be for fornication. As for cha­stite the lorde alwayes commen­deth, the one by the law is com­maunded to hym with his wife, the other, hath no lycence to ma­rye. Therfore accordynge to the scripture, they that in matry­monye be called of god, shall so [Page] continue, and yet not therby de­filed, yea ye other partie, is ra­ther therby sanctified: with out doubte suche as be of the hou­sholde of faythe, before they ma­rie, yf they couple thē selues wt suche, as be not of their religiō, they cannot sanctifye that ma­trimony. For that appertaineth onely to the grace of god, to sāc­tefye that it fyndeth, then yf it cannot be sanctifyed, it is vn­cleane, and that that is vncleane hathe no parte with that that is holye, but rather with the same fylthynes to deflye and distroye it. These be thre thinges: fayth­ful persons to marie with them, that be not of the housholde of fayth, they be to be condempned of fornication, and to be exco­municated from the company & felowshyp, of the christiane cō ­gregacion, by the auctoryte of [Page] the Apostels saying. [...] [...] a person cate not, and yet shall we bryng the tables of this ma­trimonye, before the iudgment seate of the lorde? And shall we saye that this matrimonie, is to be alowed, which god cōdemp­neth? is it not adultery that is forbydden? is not the mariage with one that is not of the hou­sholde of faythe, vncleane? He doth lesse violate ye tēple of god, & doth lesse iniuries to ye mēbre of Christ, that accompeneth him selfe wt an harlot: For I knowe, we be not at our owne lybertie, but redemed, and that with the raūsom of Christes bludde. Do­inge therfore iniuries to oure fleshe, we do hurte him. Then what meaneth he that sayeth, it is synne in dede, to mary with a straunger, but it is but a lytel pretye synne. Where as yf I [Page] shoulde set asyde the iniuries of the fleshe, that appertayneth to the Lorde, euery transgression that is voluntarye, is greate in the syghte of the lord. The more power was geuen to ouercome, the more is the defaulte wor­thy to be condemned of contu­mary, and pryde. Let vs reherse the other perilles and daungers of the faithe, whiche the apostle sawe before, whiche are not o­nely troubelous to ye bodye, but also to the spirite,The incō ueuiency that commeth, of an vn­faithfull or vnmet mariage who doothe doute, but that faythe is daylye put out of remembraūce, by ke­pynge of familiarite with infy­deles. Euel cōmunicacion, cor­rupteth good maners, howe muche more cōtinual felowship, and daily familiaryte. Euerye faythfull woman oughte to be the seruaunte of god: And howe can she serue two maysters, her lorde God, and her housbande, [Page] deynge none of the housholde of faythe. She that wil please her housebande beynge a gentyle, muste fashion her selfe, after the maner of the gentilles, renderīg vnto him vnchristian reuerence and seruice, in beautie, tricke ap­parel, worldlye nysenes, desho­nest intisemēts: yea ī such estate, ye very secreates of matrimonie be vnhonest, and the vse or bene­uolence of the sayde persones, is not practised, as it is amon­gest godlye persones, reuerent­lye, soberlye, and modestlye, as ye necessites of nature requireth and as persons alwayes presēt before the syghte of God. But let the woman marcke or loke, howe the husbande doothe hys deutye to god: Truely she her selfe cannot lyue in a vertuouse trade of lyuynge, that marieth with him that is not of the hou­shoulde [Page] of fayth, beynge the ser­uaunte of the dyuell his lorde, to let the godlye mynde and studye of the faithfull. So that yf the Christian congregacion, shoulde assemble together, her husbande woulde appoynte to bathe. If she shoulde go oute of her dore to do any busynes for the chry­sten, she shoulde that daye haue moste busynes of her hande: yf she woulde faste, the same daye, woulde her housbande prepare a feste. For what vnfaithfull woulde suffer his wyfe, for the loue of ye poore, to visite streate by streate the cotayges of her poore neyghbours? what vn­faithfull woulde suffre his wyfe to ryse from him to go vnto the conuent vsed in the nyghte? And what infidele without ialousye woulde suffre his wyfe to vse the lordes feaste (whiche he spe­keth [Page] euel of) without suspycion? who woulde suffere his wyfe to creape in [...]o ye preson,To wat­che all night i [...] yt solēn feaste [...] Easter? what infidell wold [...] fre his wife. [...] to the mar­tyres of Christ and there to kysse their featters, and now and then, to receaue a brother, with the kysse of peace, and to prepare, & brynge them water for their fete. To be carefull and solycytouse what they shall eate. And yf any brother come from a straunge country, what harboure shall he fynde, in the house of an vnfaith­full man? Yf she woulde geue anye thynge, to the poore, ye gar­ner and store house is locked vp. But there be some yt suffereth, & beareth with oure religion, and doth not crye oute vpō vs. That is not withstandynge a faute, yt ye gentiles, knowe our secretes, and that we be at their cōmaun­demēt, and yt the almesse that we geue, is of their goodes. Nowe [Page] the gētil that suffereth his wife so to do, is not ignoraunte, that his wyfe doeth it. Other els yf she kepeth it close, because she knoweth he can not away there withall, it is to be feared leste he shoulde knowe it. Nowe foras­muche as the scripture commaū ­deth, bothe: that we shoulde worke in the lorde, without the obedience of the infidel, and like­wyse without oure owne ieo­perdie and peryl: there is no dif­ference, in whiche of these two thou offēdest, either in that thou hast suomitted thy selfe vnder his powere, yf he be contented to suffre thy doynges: or els in that thou hast brought thy selfe, in suche trouble. Caste not saithe Christ your precious stones be­fore swyne, leste they treade vpō thē, with their feete, & so tourne backe, and ouercome you. Your [Page] preciouse stones, are youre bad­gis of your daylye exercyse, in godlye lyuinge. The more you go aboute, to kepe your religion close, the more you cause, it to be lytle paste of, and cause the curi­ouse gentile to be the more ware of it. ¶ anne ye hyde your godlye goynge to reste, when ye synge and marcke, both your bedde, & youre bodye, with the sygne of the crosse? and when thou doste but spyt at some vncleane thing, that he dothe, or whē ye shal ryse in the nyghte to praye? Youre husbāde will thinke rather these thīges, to be sorcery and witche crafte: Your husbande may not knowe, what thing that is, that ye eate secreatly in the morning, fastynge, and yf he know it to be breade, he wyl not beleue it to be as it is, To be it is: this the scrame [...] of chri­stes bo [...] & blou [...] & he that knoweth not that mysterie: can he be satisfied [Page] or quyer with him selfe, with­oute the suspection of breade Of brede that is of cōmune bread: as though, be wolde say thus will he not thinke, yt it is but bare breade, & not an holy sa­crament &c. or poyson?

There be some that bearethe with their wyfes in dede, but they do it of crafte, to deceaue them, and to begile them, whose secreates they hyde, vntyl suche tyme as they maye detect and dysclose it, to their wyfes daun­ger and peril, whose substaunce, and dowerie shall recompence well ynoughe, their husbandes silēce, & preserue, the reproche of their defamacion, or els at their pleasure, they might accuse thē, to ye higher powers. The which experyence some haue felte in dede, by losing of their goodes, that they had, or be deniynge of their faith: The hande mayde of God, dwelleth, where false god­des be wurshypped, is trobled & vexed, wt supersticious reuerēce [Page] of ydolles, at such solempne fea­stes, as be appoynted in the be­gynnynge of the yere, and of the monethe, to the honoure of prin­ces, or kynges, with the flames and odowre of franckinsence: And departeth out of her house, decked with laure leaues, and cādellis, as it were out of a new brodel house, or commen place of horedome, she kepeth companye with her housbande in such fel­lowshyppes, and manye tymes, in commen tauernes: And many tymes she shall mynister to the wycked, which before, was wōt to mynister vnto saynctes, and yet not hereby so gracyous to knowe the daunger of her dam­nacion: She shall wayte vpon them, of whome she should haue ben iudge, at whose hande she muste take breade, and of whose cuppe she muste drynke: what [Page] godlye songe maye her husbande synge to her, or she to her hus­bande? Tushe, let hym heare a tale, of a good supper, of the ta­uerne, and of the dyuel, or of hel. What communicatiō is there of god? What inuocatiō of Christ? there is no nourishment of faith, but rather mencion, howe to de­stroye the scripture. Where is the consolacion of the spryte? Where is the holy praisynge of god? All thynges be turned of a nother sorte, all thynges odiouse, con­trarye and all thynges damned and reproued, layde in bayte to brynge personnes, from theyr soules healthe. These thynges thoughe they happē to suche to, as were called to the faythe, in the state of heathen, or gentyle matrimony, yet they are excused, as personnes called to the fayth, in the state of gentyle matrimo­nye, [Page] and therfore be they com­maunded, to contynue, and the one is sanctyfyed by the other, & lykewyse there is hope of wyn­nynge the other partie. If then suche a matrimonye, be alowed of god: Why hathe it no better successe? Why is it not defended from affliction, from oppression, trouble,By defi­ling, par­aduen­ture he meaueth here, the daunger that ma­ried peo­ple, more then vn­maried, be in: to fall from godly ex­ercyses, through the cares of thys worlde, from which ye christen shoulde kepe thē selues vn defiled Iam .i, and defilynge of them selfes, hauynge some proteccyon by the grace of God. For a man that happeneth to marye a wo­man, whiche hathe after their mariage, receaued the heauenly vertewe, so that it semeth, that god hathe vouchsaued to cal her to suche a state, of suche a man: I saye, the gentyles are aferde to speke so sone yuel of, as of o­ther, in so muche, that she is lesse loked vpon, and hathe her medi­tacions in the misteries of God, and at lengthe seythe some way [Page] to wynne her husbande. She knoweth or perceaueth that her housbande waxeth better, and begynneth to feare God, so that suche men be the soner wonne, whiche by the grace of God do happen vpon suche a make. For a conclusion, it is an other matter, to fall in to thynges forbydden (which displease god) willingly, and of purpose, sythe that euen as they offēde god, so bring they them selues, into moche incon­uenyence. This is once as mani­fest as the sunne, ye none but wo­wers, dothe fayne, as thoughe they fauered the christian fayth. Yea, and god shall fynde oute those wemē wel ynoughe, which do not abhorre suche wowers, and all because they myghte be in the more estimacion, so that they take them to their housbā ­des, aud thereby seclude thē sel­ues, [Page] from the christian faythe. Here haue I rehersed wherfore suche matrimonye can take no good successe: Because it began of yuel, and is condempned, of the lorde. But yet let vs se fur­ther, whether this matrymonye be lawful, that declareth vs be­relye to be despisers of goddes word. Hathe not all prudente, & wyse lordes or maisters, alway­es forbydden theyr seruauntes, to mary with straungers, leste they should fal in to wantonnes, omyt theyr dewties, and geue awaye theyr masters goodes, to straungers. More ouer there was a lawe amongest the genti­les, that yf any fre mā, had kept an other mannes seruaunt, after that he was admonyshed, he shoulde therby haue loste his li­bertie, and become a seruaunte. And shall worldelye ordinances [Page] be preferred before the heuenlye decrees, and lawes of god? so that the gentyles shoulde lose their lybertie, for marying with a straunger, and oure wemen shoulde go, and ioyne thē selfes, with seruaūtes of the diuel, and shal neuer the lesse be accompted of the housholde of faythe? But nowe some wyl denye, that euer god taught thē any suche way­es by his apostle: what haue I more to saye, to open and vtter the madnes of this cause, but e­uen that oure faythe is weake and ready to fall into the concu­pyscence of worldly lustes or de­syres, of whiche thinge we haue experience and fynde it speciallie trewe in rytche and wealthye personnes: For the rytcher and greater fame that the wyd­dowe is of, so muche the sonet she desyreth a large house or [Page] place, to say her By bur­dens, he vnder stā deth the ryches & thynke, which hī dereth ye cammels of this world, to go tho­rowe the straighte dore vnto lyfe. burdēs in: fil­des of pleasure, where as her ambicious pryde maye solace or delyte it selfe. The congregacy­ons of the faythfull do stynke in the eyes of suche a woman, it is harde to fynde a riche man in the churche of god, and also suche a one as As liuith chast: af­ter they haue ben once lo­sed from matrimony I thinke he meuethe &c. lyueth chaste. What then shall wyddowes desyre, mariage of the dyuel? shall they bestowe their gooddes, to be caried in a chartet (or on a good­lye chayre or sladde) or to bye straunge mules to carrye theyr bagage with al? A christen man, ye beynge tytche, would not pa­raduenture, maintaine these thī ­ges. I beseche the to calle to thy remembraunce, the women, that amongest the heathen, suche as be of noble progenye and rytche withal, do marye them selues to [...]erye slaues, and vyle persons, [Page] of smalle or no estimacion: either bycause, they wyl satysfye their carnal pleasure, or else because they maye lyue, at their owne li­bertie: Also many of them wyll marye with their owne seruaū ­tes, and suche as be set at liber­tye, yea with suche as be paste leste of, amongest al men, so that they maye haue suche a one, as wyll not breake them, of theyr wyll. Shoulde then a christen woman beyng rytche, despice to marie a christian brother that is not as rytche as she? Naye, she shal be the rytcher for maryinge of this poore mā, For yf ye Kīgdome of heauē belonge vnto the pore, and not to ye ritch: the ritch woman shal finde in poore mā &c. a rytcher ioy­nter, then the ritch man is able to make her. Well, yf they be of one condicion and lyke rytche, concernynge worldlie substaun­ce, paraduenture there is dyf­ference betwene them in ye kyng­dome of God. Shoulde a chri­stian [Page] woman doute, inquire and delyberate, whether that man be poore, to whome god hathe geuen, the talent of his gospel? Nowe can I sufficientlie praise, and magnifye the felicite of that matrimonye, whiche the church doth ioyne to gether, confirmed by offringe, ye Aungelles declare it to be sealed, and so sygned, God the father dothe alowe it: And here in the worlde the chil­dren cannot lawfullye, and of ryghte, marye without the con­sente, and good wylles of their parentes. O lorde howe godlye is the matrimonye of thy fayth­full, that be of one hope, of one desire,Aposcro­phe A cō uersiō of hys tale to god, praysing ye state of godli maa trimony. & of one learnynge, of one teligyon: both of them brothers and systers, bothe of them ser­uauntes of god, both of thē one, in fleshe and spirite, no dyuersite nor dyfference. They praye to­gether: [Page] They be many tymes myndeful of god, they fast bothe together, the one leadynge the other the waie: the one exhorteth the other. In the temple of god they be together, the maryage that they haue takē, thei obserue in wealthe and woe, the one hy­deth nothynge from the other, the one kepeth nothynge close frome the other, the one esche­with not the others companye, the one is not vnkynde to the o­ther, the sycke is frelye visyted, aud the poore sustayned. Their almes, is wyliyngly done, their sacrifyces withoute scrupulosy­te: Theyr dayly affayres is done withoute lette, they nede not to crosse them selues by stealthe, nor to be halfe afrayde whē they do salute a christian person, nor yet secretlye to prayse god: psal­mes and holy himnes, or oftē ti­mes [Page] longe betwene them two, the one contendeth with ye other, who maye beste synge to theyr god. Christe seyng and hearing these thynges reioysethe, vnto thē he sēdeth his peace. Wether such two be, there is he, & where as he is, the deuyll cannot be These be ye thīges that we may gather oute of the sayinges of ye apostle, where he geueth leaue to marie againe. Put thy selfe in remembraunce of these thinges yf nede be, and folowe not the example of other. It is not lawfull other­wyse, for ye faithful to marye. Thou­ghe it were law­ful yet is it not expedy­ente.

FINIS.

¶Imprynted at London, by Richarde Iugge, dwel­lynge in Paules churche yarde at the sygne of the By­ble. M. D. I.

Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum Solum.

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