The second question is answered of Paul, when he saith, Be not 1unequally yoked with Infidels. As we should not be yoked with Infidels, ⟨p. 48⟩so we should not be yoked with Papists, and so we should not be yoked with Atheists, for that also is to be unequally yoked, unless we be Atheists too. As the Jews might not marry with the 2Canaanites, so we may not marry with them which are like Canaanites, but as the sons of Jacob said unto Emor which would marry their Sister, We may not give our 3Sister to a man uncircumcised, but if you will be Circumcised like us, then we will marry with you. So Parents should say to suitors, I may not give my Daughter to a man unsanctified, but if you will be sanctified, then I will give my Daughter unto you. Though Heresy, and irreligion, be not a cause of divorce, as Paul teacheth, yet it is a cause of restraint, for we may not marry all, with whom we ⟨p. 49⟩may live being married. If adultery may separate marriage, shall not idolatry hinder marriage, which is worse than it? Christ saith, Let 4no man separate, whom God hath joined; so I may say, Let no man join, whom God doeth separate: For if our Father must be pleased with our Marriage, much more should we please that Father which ordained Marriage. Shall I say, Be my Wife, to whom I may not say Be my Companion? Or, Come to my bed, to whom I may not say, Come to my table? How should my marriage speed well, when I marry one to whom I 5may not say God speed, because she is none of Gods friends? Doth not he marry with the Devil, which marrieth with the tempter? For Tempter is his name, and 6to tempt is his nature. When a ⟨p. 50⟩man may choose, he should choose the best; but this man chooseth the worst. He prayeth, Not to be led 7into temptation, and leadeth himself into temptation. Surely he doth not fear sin, which doth not shun occasions; and he is worthy to be snared, which maketh a trap for himself. When Solomon, the mirror of wisdom, the wonder of the world; 8the figure of our Lord, by idolatrous Concubines is turned to an idolater, let no man say, I shall not be seduced, but say, How shall I stand, where such a Cedar fell? The Wife must be meet, as God said, Gen. 2. 18. But how is she meet, if thou be a Christian, and she a Papist? We must marry in the Lord, as Paul saith: but how 9do we marry in the Lord, when we marry the Lords enemies?
The second question is answered of Paule, when he saith, Be not 1vnequally yoked with Infidells. As we should not be yoked with Infidells, ⟨p. 48⟩so we should not be yoked with Papists, and so we should not be yoked with Atheists, for that also is to be vnequally yoked, vnlesse we be Atheists too. As the Iewes might not marrie with the 2Chananites, so we may not marrie with them which are like Chananites, but as the sonnes of Iacob said vnto Emor which would marrie their Sister, Wee may not giue our 3Sister to a man vncircumcised, but if you will be Circumcised like vs, then we will marrie with you. So Parents should say to suiters, I may not giue my Daughter to a man vnsanctified, but if you will be sanctified, then I will giue my Daughter vnto you. Though Heresie, and irreligion, be not a cause of diuorse, as Paule teacheth, yet it is a cause of restraint, for we may not marrie all, with whome we ⟨p. 49⟩may liue being married. If adulterie may separate marriage, shal not idolatry hinder marriage, which is worse than it? Christ saith, Let 4no man separate, whome God hath ioyned; so I may say, Let no man ioyne, whome God doeth separate: For if our Father must be pleased with our Marriage, much more should we please that Father which ordained Marriage. Shall I say, Be my Wife, to whome I may not saye Be my Companion? Or, Come to my bed, to whome I may not say, Come to my table? How should my marriage speede well, when I marrie one to whome I 5may not say God speede, because she is none of Gods friendes? Doth not hee marrie with the Deuill, which marrieth with the tempter? For Tempter is his name, and 6to tempt is his nature. When a ⟨p. 50⟩man may chuse, he should chuse the best; but this man chuseth the worst. He prayeth, Not to be led 7into temptation, and leadeth himselfe into temptation. Surely he doth not feare sinne, which doth not shunne occasions; and he is worthy to be snared, which maketh a trappe for himselfe. When Salomon, the myrrour of wisedome, the wonder of the world;
- 1Marriage with Papists. &c.Mariage with Papists. &c.
- 2Gen. 24. 3. Exo. 34. 16. Gen. 28. 1. Mal. 2. 11. Ezra. 9. 12
- 3Gen. 34. 14. The Similitude holds in their saying, and not in their meaning, for they speak truly, but they meant falsely.Gen. 34. 14. The Similitude holds in their saying, and not in their meaning, for they speake truly, but they meant falsely.
- 4Mat. 19. 6. Mar. 10. 9.
- 52. John. 10.2. Iohn. 10.
- 6Math. 4. 3.
- 7Luk. 11. 4.
- 81. King. 11. 1. &c.
- 91. Cor. 7. 39.
