For in marriage the act of generation between the husband and the wife is no sin (for God hath ordained it, & it pleaseth him) but fornication & adultery be sin which God hath forbid, and they highly displease him. To married folks ⟨p. lxv⟩he hath said: Grow, increase and fill the earth, but to horemō gers & harlots he hath not said so, but hath condemned them. Children begotten in marriage please God, but the generation of bastards displeaseth him, & lacketh his blessing, wherefore it is much for the profit of the common wealth, that wedlock should be kept purely and chastely, out of the which springeth the fruit of virtuous and honest children, which may prove honest men, and be mete to bear office in their cities and countries. But where adultery reigneth, where youth doth both hear and see unchasteness, there the infection of uncleanness spreadeth abroad, and doth poison the multitude, and God at the length doth punish such since with hunger, famine, battle, pestilence, ⟨image 89⟩& such like, until he hath utterly destroyed the whole realm or city. Furthermore mark this also diligently, that the Lord sayeth. Grow, increase, replenish the earth & dig it. Many abstain from marriage, because they be to careful how they shall live, if they were married. Therefore our Lord God doth here plainly show, that he will minister plentifully to married folks, all things necessary to the maintenance of their life, if they put their trust in him, and apply their labours diligently. For he sayeth, dig, plough or till the earth, as who should say, I have made for your sake all things that grow upon the earth, I have given to you all kinds of heastes, fishes, fowls, that liveth in the world, only labour you that you may purchase ⟨p. lxvi⟩and possess those my riches truly and honestly. Now good children consider this, that it is not in your own liberty, whether you will be married or not. And thus I speak for this purpose, that you should be the more diligent to learn in time, some craft, way, or science, whereby you might keep your house and get your living honestly, both for yourselves, your wife & your children, for god willeth all those to use marriage, that can not live continently. And Christ speaketh in the gospel of saint Matthew of .iii. sorts of people that live without marriage.1
For in mariage the acte of generatyon betwene the husbande and ye wife is no synne (for God hath ordayned it, & it pleaseth him) but fornication & adulterye be sin which God hath forbid, and thei highly displease him. To maried folkes ⟨p. lxv⟩he hathe sayed: Growe, increase and fill the earth, but to horemō gers & harlots he hath not sayed so, but hath cōdēned thē. Childrē begotten in mariage please God, but ye generatiō of bastardes dyspleaseth him, & lacketh his blessyng, wherfore it is muche for the profit of ye commen wealth, that wedlocke shoulde be kept purely and chastely, out of the whiche springeth the fruite of vertuous and honest children, which may proue honest men, and be mete to beare office in their cities and countreys. But where adulterye raigneth, wher yought doth both heare and see vnchastnes, there the infection of vncleanes spreadeth abrode, and doth poyson the multitude, and God at the length doth punyshe suche synnes with hunger, famyne, battayle, pestylence, ⟨image 89⟩& suche lyke, vntill he hathe vtterly destroyed ye whole realme or citie. Furthermore marke thys also diligently, yt the Lorde saieth. Growe, increace, replenyshe the earth & digge it. Manye absteyne from mariage, because they be to careful how they shal liue, yf they wer maried. Therfore oure Lorde God doth here plainly shewe, that he wyll minister plentyfullye to maried folkes, all thynges necessarie to the maintenaunce of their lyfe, yf they put their trust in him, and apply their labours diligently. For he saieth, dygge, plowe or tyll the earth, as who shoulde say, I haue made for youre sake all thynges that growe vpon the earthe, I haue gyuen to you all kyndes of heastes, fishes, foules, that lyueth in the worlde, onely laboure you that you maye purchase ⟨p. lxvi⟩and possesse those my ryches truely and honestly. Nowe good childrē consider this, that it is not in youre awne lybertie, whether you wyll be maried or not. And thus I speake for thys purpose, that you should be the more dilygent to learne in tyme, some craft, way, or science, wherby you might kepe your house and get youre lyuing honestli, both for yourselfes, your wife & your childrē, for god wylleth all those to vse mariage, that can not lyue continētly. And Christ speaketh in the ghospell of saincte Mathewe of .iii. sortes of people that lyue withoute maryage.1
- 1Math. xix.
