The Homily Of The State Of Matrimony (1859)

It is no secret that I browse the old sermon collections in my spare time, something I have not had much of this summer.

I wish they still preached like this today...

From the two books of homilies appointed to be read in churches (1859) pp.500-501

"The word of Almighty God doth terrify and declare whence the original beginning of matrimony cometh, and why it is ordained. It is instituted of God, to the intent that man and woman should live lawfully in a perpetual friendly fellowship, to bring forth fruit, and to avoid fornication : by which means a good conscience might be preserved on both parties in bridling the corrupt inclinations of the flesh within the limits of honesty ; for God hath straitly forbidden all whoredom and uncleanness, and hath from time to time taken grievous punishments of this inordinate lust, as all stories and ages hath declared. Furthermore, it is also ordained, that the Church of God and his kingdom might by this kind of life be conserved and enlarged, not only in that God giveth children by his blessing, but also in that they be brought up by the parents godly in the knowledge of God's word; that thus the knowledge of God and true religion might be delivered by succession from one to another, that finally many might enjoy that everlasting immortality.
Wherefore, forasmuch as matrimony serveth as well to avoid sin and offence as to increase the kingdom of God, you, as all other which enter that states, must acknowledge this benefit of God with pure and thankful minds, for that he hath so ruled your hearts that ye follow not the example of the wicked world, who set their delight in filthiness of sin, where both of you stand in the fear of God, and abhor all filthiness. For that is surely the singular gift of God, where the common example of the world declareth how the devil hath their hearts bound and entangled in divers snares, so that they in their wifeless state run into open abominations without any grudge of their conscience. Which sort of men that liveth so desperately and filthily, what damnation tarrieth for them St. Paul dcscribcth it to them, saying, Neither whoremongers neither adulterers shall inherit the kingdom of God, This horrible judgment of God ye be escaped thorough his mercy, if so be that ye live inseparately according to God's ordinance.
But yet I would not have yon careless, without watching. For the devil will assay to attempt all things to interrupt and hinder your hearts and godly purpose, if ye will give him any entry. For he will either labour to break this godly knot once I begun betwixt you, or else at the least he will labour to encomber it with divers griefs and displeasures. And this is his principal craft, to work dissension of hearts of the one from the
other; that, whereas now there is pleasant and sweet love betwixt you, he will in the stead thereof bring in most bitter and unpleasant discord. And surely that same adversary of ours doth, as it were from above, assault man's nature and condition.
For this folly is ever from our tender age grown up with us, to  have a desire to rule, to think highly by ourself, so that none thinketh it meet to give place to another. That wicked vice of stubborn will and self love is more meet to break and to dissever the love of heart, than to preserve concord. Wherefore married persons must apply their minds in most earnest wise to concord, and must crave continually of God the help of his Holy Spirit, so to rule their hearts and to knit their minds together, that they be not dissevered by any division of discord.
This necessity of prayer must be oft in the occupying and using of married persons, that ofttime the one should pray for the other, lest hate and debate do arise betwixt them."