And I ask M. More why he that hath 1the second wife or hath had two wives may not be a Priest, or why if a Priests first wife die, he may not marry the second. He will answer because the Priest must represent the mysteries or secrete properties and union of Christ the only husband of his only wife the church or congregation that believeth in him only. That is, as I have 2in other places said, the scripture describeth us in matrimony the mysteries and secrete benefits which God the father hath hid in Christ for all them that be chosen and ordained to believe and put their trust in him to be saved. As when a man taketh a wife, he giveth her himself, his honour, his riches, and all that he hath, and maketh her of equal degree unto himself: if he be king, and she before a beggars daughter, yet she is not the less Queen, and in honour above all other. If he be Emperor she is Empress, and honoured of men as the Emperor, and partaker of all. Even so if a man repent and come, and believe in Christ to be saved from the damnation of the sin, of which he repenteth, Christ is his own good immediately: Christs death, pain, prayer, passion, fasting, and all his merits are for that mans sins a full satisfaction, and a sacrifice of might and power to absolve him […] pena et a culp. […]. Christs inheritance, his love and favour that he hath with God his father are that mans by and by: and the man by that marriage is pure as Christ, and clean without sin, and honourable, glorious, well-beloved and in favour through yt grace of that marriage. And because that the Priest must represent us this signification, is the cause why a Priest may not have the second wife say they, which popish reason hath deceived many wise, as who can be but deceived in some thing, if he receive all his doctrine by the authority of his elders, except he have an occasion as we have to run to Moses and the Prophets, & there hear & see with our own eyes, and believe no longer by the reason of our forefathers, when we see them so shamefully beguiled themselves, and to beguile us in a thousand things which the Turks see.
And I aske M. More why he yt hath 1the second wife or hath had two wiues may not be a Priest, or why if a Priestes first wife die, he may not mary the second. He will aunswere because the Priest must represent the misteries or secrete properties and vnion of Christ the onely husbande of his onely wyfe the church or congregation that beleueth in him onely. That is, as I haue 2in other places sayd, the scripture describeth vs in matrimonye the mysteries and secrete benefites which God the father hath hid in Christ for all thē that be chosen and ordeyned to beleue and put their trust in him to be saued. As when a man taketh a wife, he geueth her himselfe, his honour, hys riches, and all that he hath, and maketh her of equall degree vnto himselfe: if he be king, and she before a beggers daughter, yet she is not ye lesse Quene, and in honour aboue al other. If he be Emperour she is Empresse, and honoured of men as the Emperour, and partaker of all. Euen so if a man repēt and come, and beleue in Christ to be saued from the dampnation of the sinne, of which he repenteth, Christ is hys owue good immediately: Christes death, paine, prayer, passion, fastyng, and all his merites are for that mans sinnes a full satisfaction, and a sacrifice of might and power to absolue hym 〈…〉 pena et a culp. 〈…〉. Christes enheritaunce, his loue and fauour that he hath wyth God his father are that mans by and by: and the man by that mariage is pure as Christ, and cleane wythout sinne, and honourable, glorious, weibeloued and in fauour thorow yt grace of that mariage. And because that the Priest must represent vs this signification, is the cause why a Priest may not haue the second wyfe say they, which popishe reason hath deceaued many wise, as who can be but deceaued in some thing, if he receaue all his doctrine by the auctoritie of his elders, except he haue an occasion as we haue to runne to Moses and the Prophetes, & there heare & see with our owne eyes, and beleue no longer by the reason of oure forefathers, when we see them so shamefully beguild themselues, and to beguile vs in a thousand things which the Turkes see.
- 1Apparent godliness why the Priest may not have y• second wife.Apparant godlynesse why the Priest may not haue y• secōd wife.
- 2Christs benefits toward us are figured by matrimony.Christes benefites toward vs are figured by matrimony.
