The Institution of Christian Religion

The end of the commandment is, that, because God loveth charity and cleanness, therefore all uncleanness ought to depart far away from us. The sum therefore shall be, that we be defiled with no uncleanness or lustful intemperance of the flesh: Whereunto answereth the affirmative commandment, that we chastely & continently order all the parts of our life. Butte fornication he forbiddeth by name, to which all unchaste lust tendeth, that the filthiness of that which is more gross and sensible, for so much as it also defileth the body, he might bring us to abhor all filthy lust. Sith man was created in this estate, not to live a solitary life, butte to use a helper joined unto him: and sins that by the curse of sin he is driven the more to this necessity, the Lord hath in this behalf provided help for him so much as was sufficient, when he ordained marriage, when he sanctified with his blessing the fellowship begun by his ⟨image 139⟩authority. Whereby followeth, that all other fellowship of man and woman out of marriage, is accursed before him, and that the fellowship of marriage it self, was ordained for remedy of necessity, that we should not run out into unbridled lust. Therefore let us not flatter our selves, sith we hear that man can not be coupled with woman out of marriage, without the curse of God.

The ende of the commaundement is, that, bycause God loueth charitie and cleannesse, therfore all vncleannesse oughte to departe farre awaye from vs. The summe therefore shall be, that we be defyled wyth no vncleannesse or lustfull intemperance of the fleshe: Wherevnto aunswereth the affyrmatiue commaundemente, yt we chastely & continently ordre all the partes of oure lyfe. Butte fornication hee forbiddeth by name, to whyche all vnchaste luste tendeth, that the fylthynesse of that whyche is more grosse and sensible, for somuche as it also defyleth the body, hee myghte brynge vs to abhorre all fylthye luste. Syth manne was created in thys estate, not to liue a solitarie lyfe, butte to vse a helper ioyned vnto hym: and sins that by the curse of synne he is driuen the more to this necessitie, the Lorde hathe in this behalfe prouyded helpe for him so muche as was sufficient, when he ordeined marryage, when he sanctified with his blessing ye feloweship begonne by his ⟨image 139⟩authoritie. Whereby foloweth, that all other feloweship of manne and woman oute of mariage, is accursed before hym, and that the felowship of mariage it selfe, was ordeined for remedie of necessitie, that wee shoulde not runne oute into vnbrydled luste. Therfore lette vs not flatter oure selues, sith we heare that man can not be coupled with womā out of mariage, without the curse of God.