marriage benevolence; and that God would impute it to him for continence notwithstanding. Hence is that of Chrysostom", that the wife is both the servant and the mistress of her husband: a servant, to yield her body; a mistress, to have power of his. Who also, in the same place, determines it forbidden fraud, for the husband or wife to contain alone, according to that of the Paraphrast, "Let either both contain, or neither." Jerome, contrarily, defines thus: "But if one of the two," saith he, "considering the reward of chastity, will contain, he ought not to assent to the other which contains not, &c. because lust ought rather to come to continency, than continency decline to lust:" concluding, that a brother or a sister is not subject in such a case; and that God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness. A strange gloss to fall from the pen of a Father! which yet I durst not say, if it were more boldness for me to dissent from him, than for him to dissent from all others. He, that censures St. Paul to argue grossly to his Galatians, may as well tax him with an unfit direction to his Corinthians. It shall be no presumption, to say, that, in this point, all his writings betray more zeal than truth; whether the conscience of his former slip caused him to abhor that sex; or his admiration of virginity transported him to a contempt of marriage. Antiquity will afford you many examples of holy men voluntarily sequestered from their wives. Precepts must be our guides, and not patterns. You may tell me of Sozomen's Ammon, that famous monk; who, having persuaded his bride the first day to continuance of virginity, lived with her eighteen years in a several bed; and, in a several habitation, upon the mountain Nitria, twenty-two years: you may tell me of Jerome's Malchus, Austin's Ecdicia, and ten thousand others: I care not for their number, and suspect their example. Do but reconcile their practice with St. Paul's rule, I shall both magnify and imitate them. I profess before God and men, nothing should hinder me but this law of the Apostle: whereto consider, I beseech you, what can be more opposite than this opinion, than this course of life.

The Apostle says, Refrain not, but with consent, for a time: your words, and their practice saith, "Refrain, with consent, for ever." He saith, meet together again: you say, "never more." He saith, meet, lest you be tempted: you say, "meet not, though you be tempted." I willingly grant, with Athanasius, that, for some set time; especially, as Anselm interprets it, for some holy time; we may, and, in this latter case, we must forbear all matrimonial acts and thoughts: not for that they are sinful, but unseasonable. As marriage must be always used chastely and moderately; so, sometimes, it must be for

Hom. in 1 Cor. vii.

gotten. How many are drunk with their own vines, and surfeit of their own fruits! either immodesty or immoderation in man or wife, is adulterous. If yet I shall further yield, that they may conditionally agree, to refrain from each other, so long till they be perplexed with temptations on either part, I shall go as far as the reach of my warrant, at least; perhaps, beyond it: since the Apostle chargeth, Meet again, lest you be tempted; not, "meet, when you are tempted." But, to say absolutely and for ever renounce, by consent, the conversation of each other, what temptation so ever assault you, is directly, not beyond, but against Paul's divinity, no less than my assertion is against yours.

The ground of all these errors, in this head of matrimony, is an unworthy conceit of some unchristian filthiness in the marriage-bed. Every man will not utter, but too many hold that conclusion of Jerome: "It is good for a man not to touch a woman; therefore, to touch her, is evil:" whom, I doubt not but St. Austin meant to oppose, while he writes", Bonum, inquam, sunt nuptiæ; et contra omnes calumnias possunt, sanâ ratione, defendi: "Marriage, I say, is a good thing; and may, by sound proof, be defended against all slanders." Well may man say, that it is good, which God saith is honourable; and both good and honourable must that needs be, which was instituted by the honourable Author of Goodness, in the state of man's perfect goodness. Let us take heed of casting shame upon the ordinance of our Maker. "But there was no carnal knowledge in Paradise:" but, again, in paradise God said, Increase and multiply: there should have been, if there were not. Those, that were naked without shame, should have been conjoined without shame; because, without sin. "Meats and drinks, and acts of marriage," saith Austin, for these he compares both in lawfulness and necessity, "are, as they are used; either lawful, venial, or damnable." Meats are for the preservation of man; marriage acts, for the preservation of mankind neither of them, without some carnal delight; which yet, if by the bridle of temperance it be held to the proper and natural use, cannot be termed lust. There is no ordinance of God, which either is of more excellent use, or hath suffered more abuse in all times: the fault is in men, not in marriage: let them rectify themselves, their bed shall be blessed. Here needs no separation from each other, but rather a separation of brutishness and close corruption from the soul; which whosoever hath learned to remove, shall find the crown of matrimonial chastity, no less glorious than that of single continence.

b De bono Conjug. cap. xvi.

De bono Conjug. cap. ix. &c. xvi.

EPISTLE X.

TO MR. WILLIAM KNIGHT.

Encouraging him to persist in the Holy Calling of the Ministry; which, upon conceit of his Insufficiency, and want of Affection, he seemed inclining to forsake and change.

I AM not more glad to hear from you, than sorry to hear of your discontentment: whereof, as the cause is from yourself, so must the remedy. We scholars are the aptest of all others to make ourselves miserable: you might be your own best counsellor, were you but indifferent to yourself. If I could but cure your prejudice, your thoughts would heal you: and, indeed, the same hand, that wounded you, were fittest for this service.

I need not tell you, that your calling is honourable: if you did not think so, you had not complained. It is your unworthiness that troubles you. Let me boldly tell you, I know you, in this case, better than yourself: you are never the more unsufficient, because you think so. If we will be rigorous, Paul's question, Tis ikavós, will appose us all: but, according to the gracious indulgence of him that calls things which are not as if they were, we are that we are; yea, that we ought; and must be thankful for our any thing. There are none more fearful, than the able; none more bold, than the unworthy. How many have you seen and heard, of weaker graces, (your own heart shall be the judge) which have sat, without paleness or trembling, in that holy chair; and spoken, as if the words had been their own; satisfying themselves, if not the hearers ! And do you, whose gifts many have envied, stand quaking upon the lowest stair? Hath God given you that unusual variety of tongues; style of arts, a style worth emulation; and, which is worth all, a faithful and honest heart; and do you now shrink back, and say, Send him, by whom thou shouldest send? Give God but what you have: he expects no more: this is enough, to honour him, and crown you. Take heed, while you complain of want, lest pride shroud itself under the skirts of modesty. How many are thankful for less! You have more than the most; yet this contents you not: it is nothing, unless you may equal the best, if not exceed: yea, I fear how this may satisfy you, unless you may think yourself such as you would be. What is this, but to grudge at the Bestower of Graces? I tell you, without flattery, God hath great gains by fewer talents set your heart to employ these, and your advantage shall be more than your masters'. Neither do now repent

you of the unadvisedness of your entrance: God called you to it, upon an eternal deliberation; and meant to make use of your suddenness, as a means to fetch you into this work, whom more leisure would have found refractory. Full little, did the one Saul think of a kingdom, when he went to seek his father's strays, in the land of Shalishah; or the other Saul of an apostleship, when he went with his commission to Damascus : God thought of both; and effected what they meant not. Thus hath he done to you: acknowledge his hand, and follow it. He found and gave both faculty and opportunity to enter: find you but a will to proceed; I dare promise you abundance of comfort. How many of the Ancients, after a forcible ordination, became not profitable only, but famous in the Church!

But, as if you sought shifts to discourage yourself, when you see you cannot maintain this hold of insufficiency, you fly to Alienation of Affection: in the truth whereof, none can control you, but your own heart; in the justice of it, we both may and must. This plea is not for Christians: we must affect what we ought, in spite of ourselves: wherefore serves religion, if not to make us lords of our own affections? If we must be ruled by our slaves, what good should we do? Can you more dislike your station, than we all naturally distaste goodness? Shall we neglect the pursuit of virtue, because it pleases not; or rather displease and neglect ourselves, till it may please us? Let me not ask, whether your affections be estranged, but wherefore? Divinity is a mistress worthy your service: all other arts are but drudges to her alone: fools may contemn her, who cannot judge of true intellectual beauty; but, if they had our eyes, they could not but be ravished with admiration you have learned, I hope, to contemn their contempt, and to pity injurious ignorance: she hath chosen you as a worthy client, yea a favourite; and hath honoured you with her commands, and her acceptations: who, but you, would plead strangeness of affection? How many thousands sue to her; and cannot be looked upon! You are happy in her favours, and yet complain; yea so far, as that you have not stuck to think of a change.

No word could have fallen from you more unwelcome. This is Satan's policy, to make us out of love with our callings, that our labours may be unprofitable, and our standing tedious. He knows, that all changes are fruitless; and that while we affect to be other, we must needs be weary of what we are: that there is no success in any endeavour, without pleasure that there can be no pleasure, where the mind longs after alterations. If you espy not this craft of the common enemy, you are not acquainted with yourself. Under what form soever it come, repel it; and abhor the first motion of it, as you love your peace, as you hope for your reward. It is the misery of most

men, that they cannot see when they are happy; and, while they see but the outside of others' conditions, prefer that, which their experience teaches them afterwards to condemn, not without loss and tears; far be this unstableness from you, which have been so long taught of God. All vocations have their inconveniencies; which, if they cannot be avoided must be digested. The more difficulties, the greater glory. Stand fast therefore; and resolve, that this calling is the best, both in itself, and for you; and know, that it cannot stand with your Christian courage, to run away from these incident evils, but to encounter them. Your hand is at the plough: if you meet with some tough clods, that will not easily yield to the share, lay on more strength rather seek not remedy in your feet, by flight; but, in your hands, by a constant endeavour. Away with this weak timorousness, and wrongful humility. Be cheerful and courageous; in this great work of God; the end shall be glorious, yourself happy, and many in you.