spiritual marriage marginalized the importance of reason and elevated the emotions in
relationship to faith.^162
But the Puritans were careful not to elevate their earthly marriage above the
spiritual marriage and cautioned their readers not to enjoy sexual love more than their
love for Jesus.^163 Rutherford adamantly declares, “I will not have Two Husbands”.^164
Godbeer maintains the Puritans understood the importance of keeping the two
marriages in their proper relationship. He acknowledges that within the Puritan
emphasis of spiritual marriage there was a potential to under-value human
marriage.^165 Rous is more forceful asserting that the primary marriage for the
Christian is in heaven, “[t]here is a law in heaven, that the heavenly Bride may at one
time have but one Husband.”^166 Further, an almost universal warning in most works
on spiritual marriage was the potential for spiritual adultery or unfaithfulness to Jesus.
Sibbes states the issue squarely, “Christ will allow of no bigamy or double
marriage.”^167 Burgess counsels, “[i]f we desire not all things in reference to him, we
are guilty of spirituall Idolatry.”^168 This theme runs through out Hooker’s writing as
he warns his readers, “the end of our creation and redemption was, that we might
162
Longfellow, Women and Religious Writing, 186. cf. Dewey Wallace, Puritans andPr (^163) Williams, “Puritan Enjoyment of God,” 168, 176; Hardman Moore, “Sexing the edestination, 170-73 and Kapic, Communion with God, 153-56.
Soul,” 186; Porterfield, 164 Feminine Spirituality in America, 31.
165 Rutherford, Christ and the Doves, 26.^
Godbeer, “Love Raptures,” 52, 63-65 and Sexual Revolution in Early America, 52,
- 166
167 Rous, Mysticall Marriage, 18.^
168 Sibbes, Bowels Opened, 187. cf. King, Marriage of the Lambe, 105, 108.^
idolatry. Burgess, Marriage of the LambeCXLV Expository Sermons, 105, cf. p. 108., 34. King also connects spiritual adulte ry to