Ephesians — Chapter 5

Who would haue thought such mysteries & Sacraments to be in Marriage, that the ioyning of man & wife together should represent so great a mysterie, if the Apostle himself, & after him this holy Father and others, had not noted it? The grace giuen by this Sacrament. or who can maruel that the holy Church taketh this to be a Sacrament, and to giue grace of sanctification to the parties married, that they may liue together in mutual fidelitie, bring vp their children in faith and feare of God, and possesse their vessel (as the *Apostle speaketh) in sanctification and honour, and not in passion of lust and ignominie, as the Heathen doe which know not God, and as our brutish new Maisters seeme to doe that commend marriage aboue al things so farre as it feedeth their concupiscences, but for grace, Sacrament, mysterie, or sanctification thereby, they care no more then the Heathen or brute beasts doe? *1 Thes. 4, The Protestants fleshly estimation of marriage. And thus we gather that Matrimonie is a Sacrament, and not of the Greek word *Mysterie only, as Caluin falsely saith, nor of the Latin word **Sacrament, both which we know haue of their nature a more general signification, and that in the Scriptures also: but whereas these names are here giuen to Matrimonie by the Apostle, & are not giuen in the Scriptures to Baptisme and the Eucharist, let them tel vs why they also apply these words from their general signification to signifie specially & peculiarly those two Sacraments neuer so named expresly in Scripture, and doe not likewise follow the Catholike Church in calling matrimonie by the same name, which is here so called of the Apostle, specielly whereas the signification in it, is as great as in any other of the Sacraments, and rather greater. *μυςήϱιον **Sacramentum.

Pf. 4,5. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 §. Onefaith. Astebeilion isthe bane of ciuil Commonvwvealths and kingdoms, and peace and concord, the preteruation of the fame: (ois Schifine, dinifion, and diuerfitie of faiths or fe- lowv¢ his in the feruice ot God, the calamitic of the Church: and peace, vnitie, vniformirie,the {pe- cial bleth +g o: God therein. and in the Church aboue al Commonwveaiths, becaule it isin al poin- tesa Mona chie tending cuery vvay to vaitie. bucome God, but one Chriit, buc one Church, bue Chrift: t of vvhom the vvhole body being compaéte and knit togecher by al iunéture of fubminiftration, according to the operation in the meafure of euery member, maketh rhe increafe of the body vnco the edifying of it felfin charitie. t This therfore I fay and teftitie in our Lord: that novv you vvalke notas alfo the * Gentiles vvalkein the vanitie of their fenfe, +t hauing their vnderftanding obf{cured vvith darkenes, alienated trom the lite of God by the ignorance thar is in chem, becaufe of the blindenes of their hart, t vvho defpairing , * haue giuen vp them felues to impudicitie, vnto the operation of al vncleannes, vnro auatice. ¢ But you haue not{o learned Chnift: + ifyet you haue heard him,and haue been caught in him,(as the truth isin les vs.)2 t * Lay you avvay,according to the old conuerfation the old man, vvhich is corrupted according to thedefires of errour, t And ** be :: the Apottie renevved in the {pirit of your minde: t and put on thenevv Nat to appt man vvhich according to God is created in iuftice, and holi- néd Chrifts iu- neffe of thetruth. t Forthe vvhich caufe laying avvay lying, [<e by faith * : . . only,butto be fpeake ye truth euery one vvith his neighbour, becaufe vve renevved in our felues tru- are members one ofan other. ly,X to put on t * Beangrie and finne not. let not the fonne goe dovvne vsthe ew ma . . formed & cre- vpon vouranger. + Giuenorplacerothe Deuil. t He that ated in iutice ftole,lechim novv nor fteale: bue rather let him labour in 2nd holines or . . . . . truth. By the vvorking vvith his handes that vvhich is good, that he may which, free haue vvhence ro gine vnto him that fuffereth neceflitie. t Al wed is. naughtie {peache let it not proceede out of your mouth: but invs,to worke if there be any good ro the edifying of the faith, thatit may Wb God, or giue grace to the hearers. t And contriftate not the holy Spi- to him in our rit of God:in vvhich youare figned vnto the day of rqdemp~ {3HAcstioa- tion. t Let al bitrernes,and anger, and indignation, and cla- mour, and blafphemie be taken avvay from you vvith al ma- lice. t And be gentle one to an other, merciful, pardoning one an other, as allo God in Chrift hath pardoned you.

Abfurdities that folow, if the Church may erre. MATRIMONES a Sacrament. The grace gt- ucn by this Sa- crament. The proreftits tefhiy eftima- tion of mari- age. g24 THE EPISTLE OF $& PAVE Cra.vVi. the fleth, with feare and trembling,in che fimplicitie of vour hart,asto Chrift: t not feruing to the eie,as it vvere pleafing 6 men, butas the feruanrs of Chrift, doing the vvil of God fro the hart, ¢ vvitha good vvil feruing,as to our Lord and not 7 tomen. t Knovving that euery one vvhat good foeuer he 8 < God tes. {bal doe,that fhal he ‘recciue of our Lord , vvhether he be ueth no good bond,or free. +t And you mailters, docthe fame things to 9 worked” them,* remitting threaterings : knovving that both their Lord and yours, isin heauen : and* acception of perfons is noc vvith him, rhe Epitte tt Hence forth brethren,be ftrengthened in our Lord, & 10 ypon the 21 in the. might of his powver. t Putyou onthe ‘armour of 11 Peon God, that you may ftand againft the deceites of the Deuil. t For our vvreftling isnot againft fefh and bloud : but 12 againft Princes and Poteftats, againft the * reGtors of the vvorld of this darkenes, againft the {pirituals of vvickednes inthe celeftials, t Therfore takethe armour of God, that 43 you may refift in the euil day, and ftand inal things perfedt. t Scand therfore hauing your loines girded in truth,and 14 rif mi could ** cloched with the breaft-place of iuftice, ¢ & hauing your 15 int or haw feete (hod tothe preparation of the Gofpel of peace: t in 16 juice 38 him al things taking the {hield of faith, vvhetevvith you may ‘could he be extingui(h al che firie dares of the moft vvicked one. t and 17 clothed wvith rake vnro you the * helmet of faluation: andthe fvvord of : the {pirit( vvhich is the vvord of God) 4 + in al praier 18 and {upplication praying ac al time in fpiric. : and in the fame vvatching in al inftance and fupplication for al the fainéts: t andfor me, that fpeache may be giuen mein 19 the opening of my mouth vvith cofidence,to make knowen the myfterie of the Gofpel, + for the vvhich Lam a legate 20 in this chaine, fo that in ic 1 may be bold accordingas L ought ,to {peake. t And thacyou alfo may knovv the things about me, 21 vvhat I doe: Tychicus my deereft brother and faithful mini- tS. Auguftine (Ler in our Lord,vvil make you vnderftad al things: f vvhom 22 notethin fun- . drie places I haue fentto you for this fame purpofe,that you may know vps this Aaah the things about vs,and he may comfort your hartes. t Peace 23 without cha. co the brethren and ** charitie vvith faich from God the Fa- ritie Cerueth * ther,and our LordI es vs Chrift. t Grace with al that loue 24 ‘nor ta falua- 2 es . téou.liso.se.7. our Lord] esvs Chriftio incorruption. Amen. THE b avites Dew. 10, . 17. © Tana. wAlay Eph, 2,2 Ef. 59,

vuorking by elaririe, ¢ (1 Cor. 7,19) the objeruatio of the comaun- demets of God. Vvbereby vve may learne that vnder the name of faith is conteined the vvhole refor- mation of our feules and our nevv creationin good wvorkes. and alfo that Chriftian iuftice is a very qualitie, condiuon and ftate of vertue and grace refident in vs, and not a phantaltical appre. hention of Chrittes iutice only imputed to vs. Laftly, that the faith vvhich iuftifieth,ioyaed vvith the other vertues, is properly the formal caufe,and not the ethcient or inftrumental cauic of iufti- ncation. thatisto fay, thele vertues put tovether, being the effe of Gods gracz, be aur nevy crea- ture and our iuitice in Chrift. THE b The Epifile for S.Francis, Octob. 4. 'Chrift (faich S. Auguftine) chofe a kince of death , to hang cn the Crofie and to fixe or faften the fame crofie In the fore- heads of the faithful, thac the Chrittian may fay, God furbid that I fhould glorie fauing in the crofie of our Lord ITresve CHRIST. Expof. in Euang, Jo. tract. 43, Duety to our {piritual tea- chers. Inalmeswhom to preferre. Tuftice an in. herent cuali- ticinvs. Faith with the other vertues is the forma] caufe of 1nfti~ fication. I @mTHE ARGVMENT OF THE EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO THE EPHESIANS. FS. Paulesfirft comming to Epbi}ue ; and fort. abode RAT NC AI there; eve reade Ait, 18. And immediathy: Al.19. of bus ; 3 Sate NG] returning thither according. so bis promife, ywbat time ke Ht (Gravee \ Node there three monctis, {peaking to the levves in n - Sey the Synagogue. AZ. 19. y. 8. and aftervvard apart WN Y/22 < from them ( becaufe they vvere obftinate ) tvvo yeres in 4 aq, certaine fiboole,fo that al that dvvalt in AGa,heard the - vvord of sour Lord,levvesand Gentiles, 4-19. ¥.

23. Sauiour of his body.) No saluation out of the Cat. Church. None hath saluation or benefit by Christ, that is not of his body the Church: and what Church that is, S. Augustin expresseth in these words: The Catholike Church only is the body of Christ, wherof he is Head. Out of this body the Holy Ghost quickneth no man. And a litle after: He that wil haue the Spirit, let him beware he remaine not out of the CHVRCH. Let him beware he enter not into it feinedly. August. ep. 50. ad Bonifacium Comitem in fine.

24. Subiect to Christ.) The Church neuer erreth. The CHVRCH is alwaies to Christ, that is, not only vnder him, but euer obedient to his words and commandement. Which is an euident and inuincible demonstration that she neuer rebelleth against Christ, neuer falleth from him by errour, Idolatrie, or false worship, as the Heretikes now, and the Donatists of old did teach.

25. Loued the Church.) Christ's loue toward his Church. The Church triumphant without spot and wrinkle. Loe Christes singular loue of the CHVRCH, for which only & the members therof he effectually suffered his Passion, and for whose continual cleansing & purifying in this life, he instituted holy Baptisme and other Sacraments: that at length in the next life it may become without al spot, wrinkle, or blemish. For in this world by reason of the manifold infirmities of diuers her members, she can not be wholy without sinne, but must say alwaies, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, Forgiue vs our debts. Aug. li 2. Retract. c. 18.

Ro.9, 4 diye wees RO.$, Covmme Ail Cua. IIL TO THE EPHESIANS. 17

29. As Christ the Church.) The manifold dignitie of the Church. It is an vnspeakable dignitie of the CHVRCH, which the Apostle expresseth often els-where, but specially in this whole passage, to be that creature only for which Christ effectually suffered, to be washed & embrued with water & bloud issuing out of his holy side, to be nourished with his owne body (for so doth S. Ireneus expound li. 5. in principio) to be his members, *to be so ioyned vnto him as the body and members of the same flesh, bone and substance, to the head; to be loued and cherished of him as wife of husband, yea to be his wife and most deare Spouse, taken and formed (as S. Augustin often saith) out of his owne side vpon the Crosse, as Eue our first father Adam's spouse was made of his ribbe. In Psal. 126. & in Psal. 127. & tract. 9 in Ioan. & tract. 120. *Aug. li. 1. de Sym. ad Catech. c. 9. The Church is the principal creature. In respect of which great dignitie and excellencie, the same holy Father affirmeth the CHVRCH to be the principal creature, and therfore named in the Creed next after the Holy Ghost. And he proueth against the Macedonians, the Holy Ghost to be God, because he is named before the Church in the confession of our faith. The Church can not erre. Of which incomparable excellencie of the Church, so beloued of Christ, and so inseparatly ioyned in marriage with him, if the Heretikes of our time had any sense or consideration, they would neither thinke their contemptible companie or congregation to be the glorious Spouse of our Lord, nor teach that the Church may erre, that is to say, may be diuorced from her Spouse for Idolatrie, Superstition, Heresie, or other abominations: Wherupon one of these absurdities would ensue, that either Christ may sometimes be without a Church & Spouse in earth (as he was al the while there were no Caluinists, if their Church be the spouse of Christ) or els if the Catholike Church only is and hath been his wife, and the same haue such errours as the Heretikes falsely pretend, that his wife so deare and so praised here, is notwithstanding a very whoore. Absurdities, that follow, if the Church may erre. Which horrible absurdities proue and conuince to any man of common sense, both that the Catholike Church alwaies is, and that it teacheth truth alwaies, and to honour God truely and sincerely alwaies; whatsoeuer the adulterous Generation of Heretikes thinke or blaspheme.

Auguitine sradt. 15 in Jo.) vuho vas a former figure of him that via to come ,yeu rather Ged in him.gaueus a great token of a Sacrament. For both he deferued fleeping to take a Uvife and of hu ribbehu vuifevves madevnto him: becaufe of Chrift fleeping on the Croffe the Chursh vvas to be made out of hes fide. Inan other place he maketh Matrimonie.a Sacramér of Chnift and his Church : in chat,that as the maried ma mut for{ake father &{mother and cleaue voto his vvite, fo Chrift as it vere left his father exinaniting bim (elf by his incarnari6, & lett the Synagogue his mo- cher, &¢ ioyned him (elf to the Church.Zi.12 ¢, 8, cont.Fauffum In divers other places he maketh it alfo a Sacrament, {pecially in thacic is an infeparable bond betvvixttvvo, and thatcan never be diffolued but by death:fignifying Chrifts perpetual and indiffoluble coniun@ion yvith the Church his one onely {poufe.ds Gen, ad lit. i. 9 ¢. 7.Comt Pelag. de pec. oreg. li. 2 6. 34. De fid.et op.c. 7. De bone contug. c. 7. er[r8. And io an other place, The good of Mariage ( faith he ) among the people of God w in rhe holines of a Sacrament.De bono céiugali ¢. 2.4. Vvho vvould haue thought fuch miyiteries and Sacraméts to be in Masiage, that the ioyning of man & vvife together fhould repredent fo greaca myfterie , ifthe Apoitle him felf,& ater him this holy facber and ochers,had not noted it ? or vvho can maruel that the holy Church taketh this to be a Sacrament, and to yiue grace of fanGification to the parties maried , that they may liue ro- gether in mutual fidelitie, bring vp their children in fai:h aud feare of God, and poifeife their veifel (as the Apoille {peaketh) in tan@ification and honour, and notin pailion of lult and igno- minie, asthe Heathen do which knovv noc God, and as our brutilb nevy Mailers feeme to do thac commend mariage aboueal things (0 farreas it feedech their concupifcences, but tor grace, Sacrament, mytterie, or fanctification thereby, they care no more then the Heathen or brute beaftesdo? And thus vwve gather that matrimonie isa Sacrament, and not of the Greeke vvord Hygajtay Myflerie onely , as Caluin falfely faith, nor ofthe Latin vvord Sacrament, both vvhich vve knovy Sacramen- haue of their nature a more general fignification, and thatia the Scripures alfo : buc vvhereas thefe names are here giuen to Matrimonic by the Apoitle, & are nor giuen in the Scriptures to Baptitme and the Eucharilt, lecthem tel vs vvhy they alfo apply thefe vvordes from their general fignitica- tion to lignife {pecially and peculiarly thote tyvo Sacraméts neuer 10 named expreily in Scripcure, and do notlikevvife folovy the Catholike Church in calling matrim onie by the {ame name,vvhich ishere focailed of the Apoftle, Ipecially vvheseas the fignification in ic,is as great as in any other of tne Sacraments, and rather greater, 1Thef. 4. ium. Cuarp. VI. Likevvife children and parents heexborteth, j item fermants and maiffers. 19 Then,thas al take courage inthe might of Ged, but jo, that vuithal they arme them felue (conftdering vubat mightie enemies skey haue)vvith al peeces of (piriswal armeur li praying alvvates feruently and for him alfo, HILDREN, obey your parents in our Lord. forthisisiuft. + Honour chy father and thy mother ( vwhich is the firft commaundementin the promis,) + tbat it may be vvel vvith thee, and thow bay maieft be long-lsued vpaw the earsh. + And youw fa- a# thets,prouoke not your children to anger: but bring them vp in the difcipline’ and correption of our €ol.3, 22 Lord. Tit, 259 + * Seruants, be obedient to your lordes according to wee i 7 Vuu ij the Col. 3,20 Fxo. 20,