The gold[n] book of christen matrimony most necessary [and] profitable for all the[m], that…The golde[n] boke of christen matrimonye moost necessary [and] profitable for all the[m], that…

Thou wilt say: Forasmuch now as I have ¹an infidel to my mate. I perceive that there can ⟨p. ix⟩be no marriage between him and me, therefore will I depart from him. To this doth Paul ²answer the. i. Cor. vii. if a brother (that is to say a Christen man) have an unbelieving wife & she be content to dwell with him, let him not depart from her. And if an woman have an unbelieving husband, & he consent to dwell with her, let her not depart from him. For the unbe leaving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Else were your children unclean, but now are they holy. But and if the believing depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not in subjection to such. But in peace hath God call led us. &c. We must therefore put a difference between it that is done already, and it that is yet to do. A wedlock is it (no doubt) that after the common custom and law is openly and justly celebrated, of every man esteemed for wedlock. But if in the same there be any error or blemish, that error should not be defended or brought into other marriages. Neither ought men therefore immediately to conclude & say: Mine unseemly marriage is therefore no marriage at all.

Thou wylt say: For asmuch now as I haue ¹an infidell to my mate. I perceaue that ther can ⟨p. ix⟩be no mariage betwene hym and me, therfore wyll I departe from hym. To this doth Paul ²aunswere the. i. Cor. vii. yf a brother (that is to saye a Christē man) haue an vnbeleuyng wyfe & she be content to dwell wyth hym, let hym not departe from her. And yf an womā haue an vn beleuyng husbonde, & he consent to dwell wythe her, let her not departe from hym. For the vnbe leuyng husbonde is sanctifyed by the wyfe, and the vnbeleuynge wyfe is sanctifyed by the husband. Els were your chyldren vnclene, but now are they holy. But and yf the beleuyng departe, lette hym departe. A brother or a sister is not in subieccion to suche. But in peace hath God cal led vs. &c. We must therfore put a difference betwene it that is done already, and it that is yet to do. A wedlocke is it (no doubte) that after the common custome and law is openly and iustely celebrated, of euery man estemed for wedlock. But yf in the same there be any erroure or blemysh, that errour should not be defended or bro ught into other mariages. Neyther oughte men therfore immediately to conclude & saye: Myne vnsemely mariage is therfore no mariage at al.