434 Wolf. 



that is for the commen well and his neglibours conforte. 

 Wherfore every man in bis tyrae oug-ht to have bis owne wyfe, 

 and to lyve in wedlocke, excepte God singulerly call hym 

 there frome, accordyrge ' 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^ do wother wyse. As, yf the lorde call a 

 man to an office pertaynynge to the g'lory off hys name, and 

 welthe of bis neghboure (wherin if wedlocke shulde be hin- 

 draunce) he ought then to remayne S3'ngle 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^ live chaste, and purly to fulfyll that [fol. 12''.] 

 he hath taken 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 eiders 

 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 noue effect, because they are as yett 

 vnder thier^ fathers power, vnto whom syngulerly they ought 

 to obey, and to do no thynge (specially yf it be of eny greate 

 wayght) vnknowynge vnto theyr eiders. So. what and theyr 

 fathers and mothers (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 eiders therof, and to helpe the, whose 

 counsell as farrforthe as it is godly, thou shalt obey, and 

 folowe. So. I parceave by thy saynges, that thou in all 

 outwarde thynges wilt have a Christen man to be free, and his 

 conscience not te^* be bounde by eny worldly constitucion or 

 ceremony. and that he frely shulde con- [fol. 13".] 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. W'hiche 



' according. ^ to. ' theyr. * to. 



