much, that every one both live chastely himself and help his neighbor
do the same, so that God by this commandment wishes to hedge round
about and protect [as with a rampart] every spouse that no one trespass
against them.

But since this commandment is aimed directly at the state of matrimony
and gives occasion to speak of the same, you must well understand and
mark, first, how gloriously God honors and extols this estate, inasmuch
as by His commandment He both sanctions and guards it. He has
sanctioned it above in the Fourth Commandment: Honor thy father and thy
mother; but here He has (as we said ) hedged it about and protected it.
Therefore He also wishes us to honor it, and to maintain and conduct it
as a divine and blessed estate; because, in the first place, He has
instituted it before all others, and therefore created man and woman
separately (as is evident), not for lewdness, but that they should
[legitimately] live together, be fruitful, beget children, and nourish
and train them to the honor of God.

Therefore God has also most richly blessed this estate above all
others, and, in addition, has bestowed on it and wrapped up in it
everything in the world, to the end that this estate might be well and
richly provided for. Married life is therefore no jest or presumption;
but it is an excellent thing and a matter of divine seriousness. For it
is of the highest importance to Him that persons be raised who may
serve the world and promote the knowledge of God, godly living, and all
virtues, to fight against wickedness and the devil.

Therefore I have always taught that this estate should not be despised
nor held in disrepute, as is done by the blind world and our false
ecclesiastics, but that it be regarded according to God's Word, by