E PI S'f/:. X. I 34-3 A 1fhallfunher yedlli,rhat rhey may conditionally agree, to refraine (rom each other ' fo long rill they be perplext'd with remprations on either pan : I !hall goeas farre as the reach ofmy warrant,3! leaft;perhapsbeyond it : fince the Apon!echargeth,Meet again, ldl you be tempted; not, mce_t when you ~re tempted : But ro fay abfolur~ly, and for ever renounce (by confent) the convcrfanonof each other, what teu-~ptanon fo ever a!fault you,is direl'tlv,not beyond,but agaiilft PAMI< divinitie,no le!fe t~en my a!fertion is againft yours. The ground ofall thcfe errors,in this head of Marnmony, is an unworthy conceit bffome unchri!lian filthioe!fe in the mariage-bed : Every man will nor utter, buuoo many hold that conclufion of Hierom<: ltis godd for a man not rdtouch a woman, therefore to touch h<r, is evill; whom I doubt not, but S. A•Jli11 meant to oppofc,while hewrites?BD11umi11quamfo•t n•pti«_; & tontr. omnts DebonocC~~rjug. B tA/•m11iAt potmf•"•r•tilntdtfindt: Manage (I fay) 1s a good thmg, and may by ~6p.t6. found proo e be defended agaioft allllanders: well may man fay, that it is good, which God fJith is honourable; and both good and honourable mutl that needs be, which was inftirutcd by rhe honourable author of goodneffi:, in the ftare ofmans perfi:d goodneffe: Let us rake h<ed ofcafting !hame upon the ordinanceofour Maker. Bur rh<re was no c•rnall knowledge in Par•dife. Bur againe, in Paradifc God faid, Increafe and multiply: ther< !hould have beene, ifthere were not. Thofe that ·were naked without lhame, thould have beene conjoyned without lhame, becaufe withour finne. Meats and drinks, and atls ofmariage (faith AMjlin) forthefe he corn- lJt bo1t1Jcmt;ug. paresboth in lawfulneffe, and neceffiry) are, as they are ufcd, either lawfull, venial!, ''~P-9C>c. 16. or damnable. Meats are for the prefcrvation ofman: mariage atls for the prefervac tionof mankind :neither ofthem without fome carnal! delight: which yet, ifby the bridleoftemperance it be held to the proper and natural! ufe, cannot be rearmed luft. There is no ordinanceof God which either is of more excellent ufe, orharh fuffered more abufe in all times: the fault is in men, not in mariage : let them retlific rhemfdves, their bed 01311 be ble!fed. Here need no reparation from each other; bm rather a frparation ofbrutilhne!feand clofe corruption from the foulc;which whofoever bath learned to remove, !hall find the crowne ofmatrimonial! chaftity, no Jc!fe glorious then that offingle continence. ToM. VVILLIAM KNIGHT. D E PI X. Jneouragfn$ himll ptrfJI in lht ho/7 cARiNg oftht Mi»ij/trJ; r>hi<h opon m· wtof hJJ mfojfmtlltt<, •nd '"111•f•ff"1ion, ht fitt~ttti incliNing to forfok' •ndehangt. I Am not more glad toheare ftom you,then forry to hea;e ofyour difcontentment: whereof,as the caufeis from your felte,fo muft the remedy. W c Schollers arc the . aptefi ofall othe~ to make our felves miferablc:you might be your ow~beft counkllor, were you but mdlffcrenr t? your fdfe. If[ could bur cure your prejudice, your thou!\hrs would heale you: and 10dced the fame hand that wounded you, were fitte!l forth!S fcrvJCe. I need not t~ll you, that your calling is honourable; ifyou did not thmk fo,you had not compla1~ed. It is your unworthineffc that troubles you. Let me E boldly tell you, I knowyou 10 t~1s cafe _better then your Ielf<' : you •re never the more ~nfufficlent,bccaule you thmke fo; 1fwe_w11lbe ngotous, P•uls quefiion (<i< r.._ >(; ~ w1l appofe us.all;but accord1ng to the grac10usmdulgenceofhim that calls thiogs wh1charc not as 1fthcy were, weare-thatwe are yea that we ought. and muftbe thankful! forourany thing. There arenone more' fear~full then the ab!~. none more bold then the unworthy. How many have you feene and"heard, ofweaker graces, (your own hear.t Otall be the.judg~)wh1ch havefateWlthout palene!fe,or trembling, mthat ~oly chaue, and fpoken as 1fthewords had bcene their owne;latisfying them- - ~lves,1fnot the hearers.! And doe you ~whofe gifts many have envied) ftand qua- ,k,_ng oponthe loweft fia!!e! hat~ God g1ven ¥ou.that unufuall vari<ty of tongues, fi1leofArts, a fi1le worth ~'!'ulal!on, and (wh1ch 1s worth all) a faithful! and holiefi ,heart; andd~e you now Omnke backe, and fay, Sendhim by whom thou lhouldeft fend~
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