A09377:283
Christian economyChristian oeconomie
Christian economy: or, A short survey of the right manner of erecting and ordering a family according to the scriptures. First written in Latin by the author M. W. Perkins, and now set forth in the vulgar tongue, for more common use and benefit, by Tho. Pickering Bachelor of Divinity.Christian oeconomie: or, A short survey of the right manner of erecting and ordering a familie according to the scriptures. First written in Latine by the author M. W. Perkins, and now set forth in the vulgar tongue, for more common vse and benefit, by Tho. Pickering Bachelar of Diuinitie.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston, 1609
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. There is a double calling; The general, standing in the worship of God; The particular, as the calling of marriage, or of single life. When these two callings cannot stand together, the latter must give place to the former, Luk. 14. 26. If any man come to me, & hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters; yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Answ. There is a double calling; The generall, standing in the worship of God; The particular, as the calling of mariage, or of single life. When these two callings cannot stand together, the latter must giue place to the former, Luk. 14. 26. If any man come to me, & hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters; yea and his owne life also, he cannot be my disciple.
III. Case. When the husband is perpetually absent from the wife, what is to be done?
Answ. If he be absent either because he is in captivity, or upon malice, or fear, or any such like cause; the wife must rest in expectation of his return, till she hath notice of his death, either by sufficient testimony, or by apparent likelihoods. Now in the want of testimonies, and conjectures in this behalf, if the party forsaken cannot certainly determine, that the absence was made upon an evil mind; some have thought that it behoveth her to expect his coming again for the space of four years; others of five; some of seven, some of ⟨p. 110⟩ten years; after which time, she is free, and may marry another man. And if the party do haply return again after some long space of time, who was probably thought to have been dead, the latter marriage undertaken upon necessary ignorance of such an event, may be dissolved; and it shall not be imputed to either party, considering it fell out not by their fault, but only by accident.