434

Wolf.

that  is  for  the  commen  well  and  his  neglibours  conforte.
Wherfore  every  man  in  his  tyme  ought  to  have  his  owne  wyfe,
and  to  lyve  in  wedlocke,  excepte  God  singulerly  call  hym
there  frome,  accordyrge 1  to  the  generali  commaunndment  of
God.  So.  Howe  shalt  thou  knowe  whether  thou  arte  called  to
live  chast,  or  in  wedlocke?  Father.  In  the  mean  whyle  we  are
bounde  to  the  commaundment  of  God  tyll  charite  and  obedience
constrayne  vs  too 2  ,do  wother  wyse.  As,  yf  the  lorde  call  a
man  to  an  o.ffice  pertaynynge  to  the  glory  off  hys  name,  and
weltke  of  his  neghboure  (wherin  if  wedlocke  shulde  be  hindraunce)
  he  ought  then  to  remayne  syngle  as  Paul  did.  He
that  called  hym  will  aboundantly  geve  him  wherwithall  to
acomplysshe  his  vocacion.  And  so  brydle  hys  flesshe,  that  he
shall  be  able  too 2  live  chaste,  and  purly  to  fulfyll  that  [fol.  12 b .]
he  hath  talcen  in  honde.  So.  I  heare  well  then,  that  thou
woldest  that  as  many  as  are  nott  called  to  some  especiall  office
by  God,  shulde  mary.  Fa.  No  doute,  but  that  with  their  elders
consent.  So.  Why,  may  nott  yonge  men  mary  withouten  their
fathers  mynde  and  will?  Fa.  In  no  wyse.  ye  and  they  so  mary,
it  ought  to  stonde  to  none  effect,  because  they  are  as  yett
vnder  thier 3  fathers  powcr.  vnto  whom  syngulerly  they  ought
to  obey,  and  to  do.  no  thynge  (specially  yf  it  be  of  eny  greate
wayght)  vnknowynge  vnto  theyr  elders.  So.  what  and  theyr
fathers  and  motkers  (as  often  happeneth)  be  therin  negligent.
Fa.  Lett  them  be,  yett  becommeth  it  not  the,  after  thyne  owne
brayne  to  do  what  pleaseth  the.  But  then  shuldest  thou  take
counsell  with  thy  frendes,  kynsfolke,  and  wother  honest  men,
vnto  whom  thou  shuldest  open  thyne  herte,  and  desyre  theym
to  commen  wyth  thyne  elders  therof,  and  to  helpe  the,  whose
counsell  as  farrforthe  as  it  is  godly,  thou  shalt  obey,  and
folowe.  So.  I  pareeave  by  thy  saynges,  that  thou  in  all
outwarde  thynges  wilt  have  a  Christen  man  to  be  free,  and  his
conscience  not  te 4  be  bounde  by  eny  worldly  constitucion  or
ceremony.  and  that  he  frely  shulde  con-  [fol.  13 a .]  tynewe  in
the  liberte  obtayned  by  Christ,  Yf  it  be  so,  then  maye  he  do
what  he  will.  Fa.  Nott  so.  He  shulde  rather  have  evermore  a
regarde  vnto  the  strayght  iudgement  of  god  almyghty.  Whiche

1  according.  2  to.

3  theyr.

4  to.