In like manner also Joel gave not a prefixed day unto 1the Israelites, but admonished and exhorted them ⟨image 151⟩only to return unto the Lord, and to leave off all other things, and to forget all carnal pleasures and delights, for to run unto his mercy through true repentance in fastings & prayers, to the end he may withdraw his beatings and scourgings, the which he had already stretched foo•th ever them, But he compelled no man. Such exhortations and admonitions are very honest and requisite in the Church, chiefly in the times of calamities & miseries, when God threateneth us with his furor & Judgement, But it is more then necessary to follow the moderation the which Saint Paul, in such case hath used, chiefly 2in this time now, for that the world is so much corrupted and depraved, and so much subject unto her carnal affections. The Apostle knowing mans infirmity, durst not forbid marriage to any man, of what quality soever he were off: not only for a day: but admonished and commaū dead, by Gods authority, unto all those who have not the gift of continency and chastity, for to refrain themselves 3without being polluted & defiled, neither in their bodies or souls, through the burning concupiscence and work of the flesh, to marry for to avoid fornication & whoredom, and for to keep their bodies, hearts, and consciences 4in all purity and holiness. And he would not only suffer, that the husband and the wife should separate themselves, the one from the other, except it be but for a small & little time, yea for to watch unto fasting and prayer. And upon such condition, that the separation be not over long, but that by and by they return together again, least that Satan, by that means do find occasion to tempt them, through their incontinency, and to •istame their concupiscence: And that through the fragility of the flesh, the one or the other of the parties do not fall into some fault & inconvenience. And the cause wherefore that holy Apostle hath written after that sort of those matters, that is because (as he saith) he would not put the halter about any 5mans neck: giving us thereby to understand, that those which forbid or hinder the holy marriage, do put the ⟨p. 145⟩rope about the neck of those unto whom they have forbidden, and do put them in peril of damnation.
In like manner also Ioel gaue not a prefixte day vnto 1the Israelites, but aomonyshed and athorted them ⟨image 151⟩only to returne vnto the Lord, and to leaue off all other things, and to forget all carnall pleasures and delites, for to runne vnto his mercy thorow true repentaunce infastinges & prayers, to the ende he may withdraw his beatings and scorgings, the which hee had alreadie stretched foo•th euer them, But he compelled no man. Such erhortations and admonitions are very honest and requisite in the Churche, chiefely in the times of calamities & miseries, when God threateneth vs with his furour & Iudgement, But it is more then necessarie to follow the moderation ye which Sainct Paul, in such case hath vsed, chiefly 2in this time now, for that the worlde is so much corrupted and depraued, and somuch subiect vnto hir carnal affections. The Apostle knowing mans infirmitie, dursse not forbid mariage to any man, of what qualitie soeuer he were off: not only for a day: but admonished and commaū ded, by Gods authoritie, vnto all those who haue not the gift of continency and chastity, for to reframe themselues 3without beeing polluted & defiled, neither in their bodyes or soules, thorow the burning concupiscence and worke of the fleshe, to mary for to auoyde fornication & whosedome, and for to keepe their bodies, hearts, and consciences 4in all puritie and holines. And he woulde not onely suffer, that the husbande and the wife shoulde seperate themselues, the one from the other, ercept it be but for a small & little time, yea for to watche vnto fasting and prayer. And vppon such condition, that the seperation be not ouer long, but that by and by they returne together againe, least that Sathan, by that meanes do finde occasion to tempte them, thorow theyr incontinency, and to •istame their concupiscence: And that thorow the fragilite of the fleshe, the one or the other of the parties do not fall into some faulte & inconuenience. And the cause wherefore that holy Apostle hath written after that sort of those matters, that is bicause (as he saith) he would not put the haulter about any 5mans neeke: giuing vs thereby to vnderstand, that those whiche forbyd or hinder the holy mariage, doe put the
- 1The place of loel. 2. c. 12. Exortation unto repentance.The place of loel. 2. c. 12. Exortation vn to ••pentance.
- 2The counsel & moderat•• of S. Paul. 1. Cor. 7 b 11
- 3The gift of •ō tinen••cThe gift of •ō tinen••c
- 4Separation of the husband and the wife for a time.Seperation of the husbande and the wife for a time.
- 5To put the halter about ones n•cke.
