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Principles of Christian Religion
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Genre
Doctrinal Treatise
Date
1569
Full Title
The Principles of Christian Religion, necessary to be knowen of all the faythfull: set forth to the great profite in trayning vp of all youth, by Tho. Becon. John. xiij. If ye know these thinges, blessed are ye if ye doe them.
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STC 1753
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Sample 1
The original format is octavo.
The original contains new paragraphas are introduced by indentation,symbols,pilcrows,contains elements such as change of font,contains comments and references,
The duteie of Subiectes vnto
the high powers.
THe dutie of Subiectes vnto
the hie powers is, honourably
to speake of them, hartily
to loue and reuerence them, humbly
to obey them for conscience sake
in all thynges that fight not with
Gods worde, feruently to pray for
them, and willingly to pay such
charges vnto them, as they reasonably
require, eyther for the mainteinance
of their princelike estate,
or els for the sauegarde of the common
wealth.
Probations out of the holy Scriptures.
Thou shalt not raile vppon the
K.ij.
1
Gods (that is to say, the temporall
Magistrates, which execute that
office of God) neyther blaspheme
the ruler of thy people.
Wishe the king no euill in thy
thought, and speake no hurt of the
rich in thy priuie cha~ber: for a byrde
of the ayre shall betray thy voyce,
and with her feathers shall she bewray
thy wordes.
Let euery soule submit him selfe
vnto the hier powers. For there is
no power but of God. The powers
that be, are ordayned of God. Who
soeuer therfore resisteth the power,
resisteth the ordinaunce of God.
But they that resiste, shall receaue
to them selues damnation. For rulers
are not fearefull to them that
doe good, but to them that do euill.
Wilt thou be without feare of the
power? Do well then: and so shalt
thou be praysed of the same. For he
is ye minister of God for thy wealth.
2
But if thou do that which is euill,
then feare: for hee beareth not the
sworde for nought: for he is the minister
of God to take vengeance on
hym that doth euill. Wherefore, ye
must needes obey, not only for feare
of punishment, but also for conscience
sake. And for this cause pay ye
tribute. For they are Gods ministers,
seruing for the same purpose.
Geue to euery ma~ therfore hys dutie:
tribute, to who~ tribute belongeth:
custome, to whom custome is
due: feare, to who~ feare belongeth:
honour, to who~ honour pertaineth.
I exhort therfore, that aboue all
thinges, prayers, supplications, intercessions,
and geuing of thankes,
be had for all men, for kinges, and
for all that are in authoritie, that
we may liue a quiet and peaceable
life, with all godlines and honestie.
For that is good and acceptable in
the sight of God our Sauiour.
K.iij.
3
Warne the subiectes that they
submit the~ selues to rule & power,
that they obey ye officers, that they
be ready vnto euery good worke,
that they speake euill of no ma~, that
they bee no fighters, but gentle,
shewing meekenes vnto all men.
Submit your selues vnto all maner
ordinance of man, for ye Lordes
sake, whether it be vnto the king,
as vnto the chiefe head, either vnto
rulers, as vnto them that are sent
of him, for ye punishment of euill doers,
but for the prayse of the~ that do
well. &c.
Feare God: Honour the king.
Feare ye Lord with all thy soule,
& honour hys ministers. Loue thy
maker with all thy strength, & forsake
not his ministers. Honor God
with all thy soule, & reuerence hys
priestes. Geue the~ their porcion of
the first fruites and encrease of the
earth, like as it is co~maunded thee.
The priestes that rule well, are
worthy of double honour, most specially
they which labour in ye word
and teaching. For ye scripture saith:
10
Thou shalt not mosell the mouth
of the Oxe that treadeth out the
corne. And the labourer is worthy
of hys reward.
We besech you brethren, that ye
know them which labour among
you, & haue the ouersight of you in
the Lord, and geue you exhortatio~,
that ye haue them in hie reputation
through loue, for theyr workes
sake, and be at peace with them.
Obey them that haue ouersight
of you, and submit your selues
vnto them: for they watch for your
soules, euen as they that must geue
accomptes, that they may doe it
with ioy, and not with griefe.
In the priestes lippes should bee
sure knowledge, that me~ may seke
the law at hys mouth: for he is the
messenger of the Lord of Hostes.
Ye despised me not, neyther did
ye abhorre me: but ye receaued me
as an Angell of God, yea, euen as
11
Christ Iesus.
For I beare you recorde,
that if it had bene possible, ye
would haue plucked out your own
eyes, and haue geuen the~ vnto me.
He that receaueth you, receaueth
me: and he that receaueth me, receaueth
hym that sent me.
He that heareth you, heareth me:
he that despiseth you, despiseth me:
and he that despiseth me, despiseth
hym that sent me.
Let a man this wise esteeme vs,
euen as ye Ministers of Christ, and
stewardes of the misteries of God.
Bryng euery tith into my barne,
yt there may be meate in my house.
The workman is worthy of hys
meate.
If the Gentiles be made partakers
of their spirituall things, their
dutie is to minister vnto them in
bodily thinges.
Who goeth a warfare at any
time at his own cost? who pla~teth a
12
vineyard, & eateth not of the fruite
therof? or who feedeth a flocke, and
eateth not of ye milke of the flocke?
For it is written in the law of Moyses:
Thou shalt not mosell ye mouth
of the Oxe yt treadeth out the corne.
Doth God take thought for oxen?
Saith he it not all together for our
sakes? For our sakes no doubt thys
is written: that he which eareth,
should eare in hope: and he which
threasheth in hope, should be partaker
of hys hope. If we sow vnto
you spirituall thinges, is it a great
thing if we reape your bodily thinges?
Do ye not know how yt they
which minister about holy things,
liue of the Sacrifice? They which
waite of the temple, are partakers
of the temple?
Euen so also did the
Lorde ordaine, yt they which preach
the Gospel, should liue of ye Gospel.
Let hym that is taught in the
worde, minister vnto him that teacheth
13
him in all good thinges. Be
not deceaued: God is not mocked.
This is now bone of my bones,
and flesh of my fleshe. She shall be
called woman, because she was taken
out of man. For this cause shall
a ma~ leaue his father and mother,
and shall be ioyned with hys wife:
14
and they shall become one fleshe.
Be glad with the wife of thy
youth.
Let her brestes alway satisfie
thee, and holde thee euer co~tent
with her loue. My sonne, why wilt
thou haue pleasure in an harlotte,
and embrace the bosome of an other
woman.
Be husbandes, loue your wiues,
euen as Christ also loued the congregation,
& gaue him self for it, to
sanctifie it, & clensed it in the fountaine
of water through ye worde, to
make it vnto him self a glorious co~gregatio~,
without spot or wrinkle,
or any thing: but yt it should be holy
and without blame. So ought me~
to loue their wiues, as their owne
bodyes. He that loueth his wife, loueth
him selfe: For no ma~ euer yet
hated his own flesh, but nourisheth
and cherisheth it, euen as the Lord
doth the congregation. &c.
Ye husbandes, loue your wiues,
L.j.
15
and be not bitter to them.
Ye me~, dwell with your wiues
according to knowledge, geuing
honour vnto the wife, as vnto the
weaker vessel, & as vnto them that
are heyres also of the grace of life.
Ye women, submit your selues
vnto your own husbandes, as vnto
the Lord. For ye husband is ye wiues
head, euen as Christ is the head
16
of the congregation, & the same is
he yt ministreth saluation to the body.
Therefore as the congregation
is in subiection to Christ, euen so let
the wiues be in subiection to their
husbandes in all thinges.
Ye wiues, submit your selues vnto
your owne husbandes, as it is
comely in the Lord.
I will that women aray them
selues in comely apparell, with
shamefastnes & discrete behauour,
not with broydered heare, eyther
golde, or pearles, or costly aray, but
as it becommeth women yt professe
godlines through good works. Let
the woma~ learne in silence with all
subiectio~. But I suffer not a woma~
to teach, neither to vsurpe authoritie
ouer ye man, but to be in silence.
Ye wiues, be in subiectio~ to your
husbandes, yt euen they which obey
not ye worde, may without ye worde
bee wonne by ye conuersation of the
L.ij.
17
wiues, while they beholde your
chast conuersation coupled with
feare. Whose apparell shall not bee
outward with broydered heare, &
hanging on of golde, eyther in putting
on of gorgious apparell but
let the hid man, which is in ye hart,
be without all corruption, so that
the spirite be at rest & quiet: which
spirite before God is a thing much
set by. For after this maner in the
olde time did ye holy women, which
trusted in God, tier the~ selues, and
were obedient to their husbandes,
euen as Sara obeyed Abraha~, and
called hym Lord: whose daughters
ye are, so long as ye do well.
The dutie of Bishops and Ministers
of Gods worde.
THe dutie of Bishops & Ministers
of Gods word is, first to
feede Christes flocke with ye sweete
bread of Christes Gospell, without
mingling of the Phariseis leauen.
4
Secondly, to lead a life agreable
to their doctrine, yt they may teach
both with word & worke. Thirdly,
to relieue ye poore & nedie with such
goods as they receaue of ye Church,
either by maintaining hospitalitie,
or els by some other godly meanes.
Probations out of the holy Scriptures.
Feare ye Lord with all thy soule,
& honour hys ministers. Loue thy
maker with all thy strength, & forsake
not his ministers. Honor God
with all thy soule, & reuerence hys
priestes. Geue the~ their porcion of
the first fruites and encrease of the
earth, like as it is co~maunded thee.
The priestes that rule well, are
worthy of double honour, most specially
they which labour in ye word
and teaching. For ye scripture saith:
10
Thou shalt not mosell the mouth
of the Oxe that treadeth out the
corne. And the labourer is worthy
of hys reward.
We besech you brethren, that ye
know them which labour among
you, & haue the ouersight of you in
the Lord, and geue you exhortatio~,
that ye haue them in hie reputation
through loue, for theyr workes
sake, and be at peace with them.
Obey them that haue ouersight
of you, and submit your selues
vnto them: for they watch for your
soules, euen as they that must geue
accomptes, that they may doe it
with ioy, and not with griefe.
In the priestes lippes should bee
sure knowledge, that me~ may seke
the law at hys mouth: for he is the
messenger of the Lord of Hostes.
Ye despised me not, neyther did
ye abhorre me: but ye receaued me
as an Angell of God, yea, euen as
11
Christ Iesus.
For I beare you recorde,
that if it had bene possible, ye
would haue plucked out your own
eyes, and haue geuen the~ vnto me.
He that receaueth you, receaueth
me: and he that receaueth me, receaueth
hym that sent me.
He that heareth you, heareth me:
he that despiseth you, despiseth me:
and he that despiseth me, despiseth
hym that sent me.
Let a man this wise esteeme vs,
euen as ye Ministers of Christ, and
stewardes of the misteries of God.
Bryng euery tith into my barne,
yt there may be meate in my house.
The workman is worthy of hys
meate.
If the Gentiles be made partakers
of their spirituall things, their
dutie is to minister vnto them in
bodily thinges.
Who goeth a warfare at any
time at his own cost? who pla~teth a
12
vineyard, & eateth not of the fruite
therof? or who feedeth a flocke, and
eateth not of ye milke of the flocke?
For it is written in the law of Moyses:
Thou shalt not mosell ye mouth
of the Oxe yt treadeth out the corne.
Doth God take thought for oxen?
Saith he it not all together for our
sakes? For our sakes no doubt thys
is written: that he which eareth,
should eare in hope: and he which
threasheth in hope, should be partaker
of hys hope. If we sow vnto
you spirituall thinges, is it a great
thing if we reape your bodily thinges?
Do ye not know how yt they
which minister about holy things,
liue of the Sacrifice? They which
waite of the temple, are partakers
of the temple?
Euen so also did the
Lorde ordaine, yt they which preach
the Gospel, should liue of ye Gospel.
Let hym that is taught in the
worde, minister vnto him that teacheth
13
him in all good thinges. Be
not deceaued: God is not mocked.
This is now bone of my bones,
and flesh of my fleshe. She shall be
called woman, because she was taken
out of man. For this cause shall
a ma~ leaue his father and mother,
and shall be ioyned with hys wife:
14
and they shall become one fleshe.
Be glad with the wife of thy
youth.
Let her brestes alway satisfie
thee, and holde thee euer co~tent
with her loue. My sonne, why wilt
thou haue pleasure in an harlotte,
and embrace the bosome of an other
woman.
Be husbandes, loue your wiues,
euen as Christ also loued the congregation,
& gaue him self for it, to
sanctifie it, & clensed it in the fountaine
of water through ye worde, to
make it vnto him self a glorious co~gregatio~,
without spot or wrinkle,
or any thing: but yt it should be holy
and without blame. So ought me~
to loue their wiues, as their owne
bodyes. He that loueth his wife, loueth
him selfe: For no ma~ euer yet
hated his own flesh, but nourisheth
and cherisheth it, euen as the Lord
doth the congregation. &c.
Ye husbandes, loue your wiues,
L.j.
15
and be not bitter to them.
Ye me~, dwell with your wiues
according to knowledge, geuing
honour vnto the wife, as vnto the
weaker vessel, & as vnto them that
are heyres also of the grace of life.
Ye women, submit your selues
vnto your own husbandes, as vnto
the Lord. For ye husband is ye wiues
head, euen as Christ is the head
16
of the congregation, & the same is
he yt ministreth saluation to the body.
Therefore as the congregation
is in subiection to Christ, euen so let
the wiues be in subiection to their
husbandes in all thinges.
Ye wiues, submit your selues vnto
your owne husbandes, as it is
comely in the Lord.
I will that women aray them
selues in comely apparell, with
shamefastnes & discrete behauour,
not with broydered heare, eyther
golde, or pearles, or costly aray, but
as it becommeth women yt professe
godlines through good works. Let
the woma~ learne in silence with all
subiectio~. But I suffer not a woma~
to teach, neither to vsurpe authoritie
ouer ye man, but to be in silence.
Ye wiues, be in subiectio~ to your
husbandes, yt euen they which obey
not ye worde, may without ye worde
bee wonne by ye conuersation of the
L.ij.
17
wiues, while they beholde your
chast conuersation coupled with
feare. Whose apparell shall not bee
outward with broydered heare, &
hanging on of golde, eyther in putting
on of gorgious apparell but
let the hid man, which is in ye hart,
be without all corruption, so that
the spirite be at rest & quiet: which
spirite before God is a thing much
set by. For after this maner in the
olde time did ye holy women, which
trusted in God, tier the~ selues, and
were obedient to their husbandes,
euen as Sara obeyed Abraha~, and
called hym Lord: whose daughters
ye are, so long as ye do well.
Of Doctrine.
Goe vp vnto ye hie hill, thou that
bringest good tidinges: lift vp thy
voyce with power, O thou preacher:
lift it vp, and be not afraide.
Cry now as loud as yu canst: leaue
not of: lift vp thy voice like a trumpet,
& shew my people their offe~ces,
and ye house of Iacob their sinnes.
I haue set watchmen vpon thy
walles (O Ierusalem) which shall
neuer cease day nor night to preach
the Lorde.
Behold, I put my wordes in thy
mouth: & behold, this day do I set
thee ouer ye people and kingdomes,
K.iiij.
5
that thou mayest roote out, breake
of, destroy, & make waste, and that
thou mayest build vp and plant.
Thou sonne of ma~, I haue made
thee a watchman vnto the house of
Israell: therfore take good heede to
the wordes of my mouth, and geue
them warning at my commaundement.
If I say vnto thee co~cerning
the vngodly man, that (without
doubt) he must die, and thou geuest
him not warning, nor speakest vnto
hym yt he may turne from hys euill
way, & so to liue, then shall the
same vngodly man die in hys own
vnrighteousnes: but his bloud will
I require of thy hand. Neuertheles,
if thou geue warning vnto the
wicked, and he yet forsake not hys
vngodlines, then shall he die in hys
own wickednes: but thou hast discharged
thy soule.
If thou louest me, fede my shepe.
Woe vnto me, if I preach not
6
the Gospell.
We preach not our selues, but
Iesus Christ our Lord.
We are not as the most part are,
which chop and chaunge with the
word of God: but out of purenes,
and by the power of God, in ye sight
of God, so speake we in Christ.
Though we our selues, or an angell
from heauen, preach any other
Gospell vnto you, then that which
we haue preached vnto you, let him
be accursed.
A Bishop must be
apt to teach.
Geue attendance to reading, to
exhortation, to doctrine.
Preach thou ye word: be feruent
in season, & out of season: improue,
rebuke, exhort with all long suffering
and doctrine.
Of life and conuersation.
God sayd to the vngodly: Why
doost thou preach my lawes, & takest
my testament in thy mouth:
7
Seing thou hatest to be reformed,
& hast cast my words behind thee?
When as yu sawest a theefe, thou
co~sentedst vnto him: and hast bene
partaker with the adulterers.
Who soeuer doth and teacheth,
the same shall be called great in the
kingdome of heauen.
Be vnto them that beleue, an ensample,
in worde, in co~uersation, in
loue, in spirite, in fayth, in purenes.
Keepe thy selfe pure.
Studie to shew thy selfe laudable
vnto God, a workma~ that needeth
not to be ashamed, distributing
the word of truth iustly.
In all thinges shew thy selfe an
ensample of good workes in ye doctrine,
with honestie, grauitie, and
with the wholesome worde, which
can not be rebuked, that he which
withstandeth, may be ashamed, hauing
no euill thing to say of you.
Feede ye Christes flocke, as much
8
as lieth in you, taking ye ouersight
of them, not as co~pelled therto, but
willingly: not for ye desire of filthy
luker, but of a good minde: not as
though ye were Lordes ouer ye parishes,
but that ye be an ensample to
the flocke. And when ye chief shepeheard
shall appeare, ye shal receaue
an incorruptible crowne of glory.
Of Hospitalitie.
Distribute vnto y=e necessitie of the
Sainctes. Be ready to harbour.
A Bishop must be a maintayner
of hospitalitie.
Forget not hospitalitie: for therby
haue diuers me~ lodged Angels
vnwares.
The dutie of Parishioners vnto
the Ministers of Gods worde.
THe dutie of Parishioners vnto
the Ministers of Gods worde
is, outwardly to honour and reuerence
them, to receaue them
9
as the Angels & Ambassadors of
God, to regard the~ as the ministers
and stewardes of Gods misteries,
& liberally to geue vnto the~ what
soeuer is necessary for the mainteinaunce
of their degree and estate,
that they may quietly geue theyr
mindes to ye studie of godly letters,
to prayer, to the preaching of Gods
worde, and to the ministration of
the Sacramentes.
Probations out of the holy Scriptures.
Feare ye Lord with all thy soule,
& honour hys ministers. Loue thy
maker with all thy strength, & forsake
not his ministers. Honor God
with all thy soule, & reuerence hys
priestes. Geue the~ their porcion of
the first fruites and encrease of the
earth, like as it is co~maunded thee.
The priestes that rule well, are
worthy of double honour, most specially
they which labour in ye word
and teaching. For ye scripture saith:
10
Thou shalt not mosell the mouth
of the Oxe that treadeth out the
corne. And the labourer is worthy
of hys reward.
We besech you brethren, that ye
know them which labour among
you, & haue the ouersight of you in
the Lord, and geue you exhortatio~,
that ye haue them in hie reputation
through loue, for theyr workes
sake, and be at peace with them.
Obey them that haue ouersight
of you, and submit your selues
vnto them: for they watch for your
soules, euen as they that must geue
accomptes, that they may doe it
with ioy, and not with griefe.
In the priestes lippes should bee
sure knowledge, that me~ may seke
the law at hys mouth: for he is the
messenger of the Lord of Hostes.
Ye despised me not, neyther did
ye abhorre me: but ye receaued me
as an Angell of God, yea, euen as
11
Christ Iesus.
For I beare you recorde,
that if it had bene possible, ye
would haue plucked out your own
eyes, and haue geuen the~ vnto me.
He that receaueth you, receaueth
me: and he that receaueth me, receaueth
hym that sent me.
He that heareth you, heareth me:
he that despiseth you, despiseth me:
and he that despiseth me, despiseth
hym that sent me.
Let a man this wise esteeme vs,
euen as ye Ministers of Christ, and
stewardes of the misteries of God.
Bryng euery tith into my barne,
yt there may be meate in my house.
The workman is worthy of hys
meate.
If the Gentiles be made partakers
of their spirituall things, their
dutie is to minister vnto them in
bodily thinges.
Who goeth a warfare at any
time at his own cost? who pla~teth a
12
vineyard, & eateth not of the fruite
therof? or who feedeth a flocke, and
eateth not of ye milke of the flocke?
For it is written in the law of Moyses:
Thou shalt not mosell ye mouth
of the Oxe yt treadeth out the corne.
Doth God take thought for oxen?
Saith he it not all together for our
sakes? For our sakes no doubt thys
is written: that he which eareth,
should eare in hope: and he which
threasheth in hope, should be partaker
of hys hope. If we sow vnto
you spirituall thinges, is it a great
thing if we reape your bodily thinges?
Do ye not know how yt they
which minister about holy things,
liue of the Sacrifice? They which
waite of the temple, are partakers
of the temple?
Euen so also did the
Lorde ordaine, yt they which preach
the Gospel, should liue of ye Gospel.
Let hym that is taught in the
worde, minister vnto him that teacheth
13
him in all good thinges. Be
not deceaued: God is not mocked.
This is now bone of my bones,
and flesh of my fleshe. She shall be
called woman, because she was taken
out of man. For this cause shall
a ma~ leaue his father and mother,
and shall be ioyned with hys wife:
14
and they shall become one fleshe.
Be glad with the wife of thy
youth.
Let her brestes alway satisfie
thee, and holde thee euer co~tent
with her loue. My sonne, why wilt
thou haue pleasure in an harlotte,
and embrace the bosome of an other
woman.
Be husbandes, loue your wiues,
euen as Christ also loued the congregation,
& gaue him self for it, to
sanctifie it, & clensed it in the fountaine
of water through ye worde, to
make it vnto him self a glorious co~gregatio~,
without spot or wrinkle,
or any thing: but yt it should be holy
and without blame. So ought me~
to loue their wiues, as their owne
bodyes. He that loueth his wife, loueth
him selfe: For no ma~ euer yet
hated his own flesh, but nourisheth
and cherisheth it, euen as the Lord
doth the congregation. &c.
Ye husbandes, loue your wiues,
L.j.
15
and be not bitter to them.
Ye me~, dwell with your wiues
according to knowledge, geuing
honour vnto the wife, as vnto the
weaker vessel, & as vnto them that
are heyres also of the grace of life.
Ye women, submit your selues
vnto your own husbandes, as vnto
the Lord. For ye husband is ye wiues
head, euen as Christ is the head
16
of the congregation, & the same is
he yt ministreth saluation to the body.
Therefore as the congregation
is in subiection to Christ, euen so let
the wiues be in subiection to their
husbandes in all thinges.
Ye wiues, submit your selues vnto
your owne husbandes, as it is
comely in the Lord.
I will that women aray them
selues in comely apparell, with
shamefastnes & discrete behauour,
not with broydered heare, eyther
golde, or pearles, or costly aray, but
as it becommeth women yt professe
godlines through good works. Let
the woma~ learne in silence with all
subiectio~. But I suffer not a woma~
to teach, neither to vsurpe authoritie
ouer ye man, but to be in silence.
Ye wiues, be in subiectio~ to your
husbandes, yt euen they which obey
not ye worde, may without ye worde
bee wonne by ye conuersation of the
L.ij.
17
wiues, while they beholde your
chast conuersation coupled with
feare. Whose apparell shall not bee
outward with broydered heare, &
hanging on of golde, eyther in putting
on of gorgious apparell but
let the hid man, which is in ye hart,
be without all corruption, so that
the spirite be at rest & quiet: which
spirite before God is a thing much
set by. For after this maner in the
olde time did ye holy women, which
trusted in God, tier the~ selues, and
were obedient to their husbandes,
euen as Sara obeyed Abraha~, and
called hym Lord: whose daughters
ye are, so long as ye do well.
The duetie of husbandes
vnto their wiues.
THe dutie of a faithfull husband
vnto hys wife is, to forsake all
other for her sake, to cleaue onely to
his wife, to loue her as Christ loued
the congregation, to cherish her as
he would cherishe hys owne body,
to prouide for her, to teach her the
lawe of God, to dwell with her according
to knowledge, and to geue
honour vnto her, although ye weaker
vessell, as to one that is fellowe
heyre with him of the grace of life.
Probations out of the holy Scriptures.
This is now bone of my bones,
and flesh of my fleshe. She shall be
called woman, because she was taken
out of man. For this cause shall
a ma~ leaue his father and mother,
and shall be ioyned with hys wife:
14
and they shall become one fleshe.
Be glad with the wife of thy
youth.
Let her brestes alway satisfie
thee, and holde thee euer co~tent
with her loue. My sonne, why wilt
thou haue pleasure in an harlotte,
and embrace the bosome of an other
woman.
Be husbandes, loue your wiues,
euen as Christ also loued the congregation,
& gaue him self for it, to
sanctifie it, & clensed it in the fountaine
of water through ye worde, to
make it vnto him self a glorious co~gregatio~,
without spot or wrinkle,
or any thing: but yt it should be holy
and without blame. So ought me~
to loue their wiues, as their owne
bodyes. He that loueth his wife, loueth
him selfe: For no ma~ euer yet
hated his own flesh, but nourisheth
and cherisheth it, euen as the Lord
doth the congregation. &c.
Ye husbandes, loue your wiues,
L.j.
15
and be not bitter to them.
Ye me~, dwell with your wiues
according to knowledge, geuing
honour vnto the wife, as vnto the
weaker vessel, & as vnto them that
are heyres also of the grace of life.
Ye women, submit your selues
vnto your own husbandes, as vnto
the Lord. For ye husband is ye wiues
head, euen as Christ is the head
16
of the congregation, & the same is
he yt ministreth saluation to the body.
Therefore as the congregation
is in subiection to Christ, euen so let
the wiues be in subiection to their
husbandes in all thinges.
Ye wiues, submit your selues vnto
your owne husbandes, as it is
comely in the Lord.
I will that women aray them
selues in comely apparell, with
shamefastnes & discrete behauour,
not with broydered heare, eyther
golde, or pearles, or costly aray, but
as it becommeth women yt professe
godlines through good works. Let
the woma~ learne in silence with all
subiectio~. But I suffer not a woma~
to teach, neither to vsurpe authoritie
ouer ye man, but to be in silence.
Ye wiues, be in subiectio~ to your
husbandes, yt euen they which obey
not ye worde, may without ye worde
bee wonne by ye conuersation of the
L.ij.
17
wiues, while they beholde your
chast conuersation coupled with
feare. Whose apparell shall not bee
outward with broydered heare, &
hanging on of golde, eyther in putting
on of gorgious apparell but
let the hid man, which is in ye hart,
be without all corruption, so that
the spirite be at rest & quiet: which
spirite before God is a thing much
set by. For after this maner in the
olde time did ye holy women, which
trusted in God, tier the~ selues, and
were obedient to their husbandes,
euen as Sara obeyed Abraha~, and
called hym Lord: whose daughters
ye are, so long as ye do well.
The dutie of wiues vnto their
husbandes.
THe dutie of an honest faythfull
woman vnto her husband is,
to knowledge her husband to bee
her head, to bee subiecte vnto hym,
to reuerence hym, to obey hym, quietly
to learne of hym, to lead a
blameles life, to vse much silence,
peaceably & circumspectly to looke
vnto her housholde, and to tier her
self with such apparell as becometh
a sober Christian woman.
Probations out of the holy Scriptures.
Ye women, submit your selues
vnto your own husbandes, as vnto
the Lord. For ye husband is ye wiues
head, euen as Christ is the head
16
of the congregation, & the same is
he yt ministreth saluation to the body.
Therefore as the congregation
is in subiection to Christ, euen so let
the wiues be in subiection to their
husbandes in all thinges.
Ye wiues, submit your selues vnto
your owne husbandes, as it is
comely in the Lord.
I will that women aray them
selues in comely apparell, with
shamefastnes & discrete behauour,
not with broydered heare, eyther
golde, or pearles, or costly aray, but
as it becommeth women yt professe
godlines through good works. Let
the woma~ learne in silence with all
subiectio~. But I suffer not a woma~
to teach, neither to vsurpe authoritie
ouer ye man, but to be in silence.
Ye wiues, be in subiectio~ to your
husbandes, yt euen they which obey
not ye worde, may without ye worde
bee wonne by ye conuersation of the
L.ij.
17
wiues, while they beholde your
chast conuersation coupled with
feare. Whose apparell shall not bee
outward with broydered heare, &
hanging on of golde, eyther in putting
on of gorgious apparell but
let the hid man, which is in ye hart,
be without all corruption, so that
the spirite be at rest & quiet: which
spirite before God is a thing much
set by. For after this maner in the
olde time did ye holy women, which
trusted in God, tier the~ selues, and
were obedient to their husbandes,
euen as Sara obeyed Abraha~, and
called hym Lord: whose daughters
ye are, so long as ye do well.