But here let every Christen man consider, what an unmannerly & froward custom this is, and how unmeet a thing it is that such uncleanness should be practised among Christen people, which ought to be holy. Marriage should be an inhib•ion & manifest condemnation of all inordinate lust, of all excess, of all wanton & unshame fast living. And yet is the same chaste estate begun with such vain wantonness & lightness, with superfluity and riot, to the great hurt of the bodies, souls, and goods of the young folks. Or is there any man so greatly destitute of understanding, that he perceiveth not this? Why doth no man then reform it? Or will we with violence provoke and defy all mighty GOD? Now go to, though the mire fall upon your heads, we can not do with all. Thou wilt say: What? hath God then forbidden honest folks to make merry together or 1to dance honestly in all good manner: I answer. ⟨p. l⟩Wh•t so ever God doth not inhibit and 2condemn to be sin, may not be called sin by any man. As for mirth with honest, it is a grace and gift of God, and hereof cometh it, that they of old did say: Honest mirth should none forbid. Wherefore thought a Christen man use convenient mirth with nurture, temperance and thankfulness, he sinneth not. For God hath not inhibited man to be merry with ho nest, and in due season. This is manifest. Jeremiah. xxxi. And Solomon saith, Ecclesiastes. lii. There is a time to weep, & a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance: a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embr• cynge. In convenient time therefore and place, may faithful Christen men have ordinately all manner of mirth in instruments with hone sty, at marriages or other joyful times, when God giveth peace, prosperity and fair weather. The abuse, the riot and excess (against the which only we her• speak) marreth all, and bringeth inconvenience in these and all other things. And so after great untemperate, and unmeasurable mirth, ther• followeth commonly exceeding great and perpetual sorrow. Wherefore let all faithful Christen men take here a monition at their weddings to put away all untemperaunce, and with nurture and honour ⟨image 70⟩to begin that honourable state, so shall God increase his grace in them, and grant them to live in long & honest mirth: Or else if they fall into trouble, he shall not leave them without comfort.
But here let euery Christē man cōsidre, what an vnmanerly & frowarde custome this is, and how vnmete a thyng it is that suche vnclennes shoulde be practysed amonge Christen peopel, whiche ought to be holy. Maryage shuld be an inhib•ion & manifest condemnacion of all inor dinate luft, of all excesse, of all wātō & vnshame fast lyuynge. And yet is the same chaist estate begonne wyth suche vayne wantonnes & lyghtnesse, wyth superfluite and royote, to the great hurte of the bodyes, soules, and goodes of the yonge folkes. Or is there ony manneso greatly destitute of vnderstondyng, that he perceauethe not this? Why doth no man then refourme it? Or wyl we wyth vyolence prouoke and defy al myghty GOD? Nowe go to, though the myre fall vpon your heades, we can not do with all. Thou wylte saye: What? hathe God then forbydden honest folkes to make mery togyther or 1to daunce honestly in all good manner: I aunswere. ⟨p. l⟩Wh•t so euer God doth not inhibite and 2condemne to be synne, maye not be called synne by ony man. As for myrth wyth honeste, it is a grace and gyfte of God, and hereof commeth it, that they of olde dyd saye: Honest myrthe shulde none forbydde. Wherfore thought a Christen mā vse conuenient myrth wyth nourtour, temperaunce and thankefulnes, he synneth not. For God hath not inhibited mā to be mery wyth ho neste, and in due season. This is manifest. Hieremy. xxxi. And Salomon saythe, Ecclesiastes. lii. There is a tyme to wepe, & a tyme to laugh, a tyme to mourne, and a tyme to daūce: a tyme to embrace, and a tyme to refrayne from embr• cynge. In conuenient tyme therfore and place, maye faythfull Christen men haue ordinately all maner of myrth in instrumentes wyth hone stye, at mariages or other ioyfull tymes, whan God gyueth peace, prosperite and fayre wether. The abuse, the royot and excesse (agaynste the whiche onely we her• speake) marrethe all, and bryngethe inconuenience in theyse and all other thynges. And so after great vntemperate, and vnmeasurable myrth, ther• foloweth commonly exceadyng great and perpetuall sorowe. Wherfore lette all faythfull Christen men take here a monicion at theyr weddynges to put awaye all vntēperaunce, and wyth nurtour and honoure ⟨image 70⟩to begyn that honourable state, so shall God increace his grace in them, and graūt thē to lyue in long & honest myrthe: Or els if they fall into trouble, he shall not leaue them wtout conforte.
- 1Convenient and honest mirth.Conuenient and honeste myrth.
- 2A goodly to enlusion.
