bird that defileth his owne nest and if a Wife vse her Husband so how maye the Husband vse the Wife Because this is the qualitie of that sex to ouerthwart and vpbraide and sue the preheminence of their Husbands therefore the Philosophers coulde not tell how to define a Wife but called her The contrarie to a Husband as though nothing were so crosse and contrarie to a man as a Wife This is not Scripture but no slaunder to many As Dauid exalteth the loue of women aboue all other loues so Salomon mounteth the enuie of women aboue all other enuies stubborne sullen taunting gainsaying outfacing with such a bitter humour that one would thinke they were molten out of the salt pillar into which Loths Wife was transformed We say not all are alike but this sect hath manie Disciples Dooth the ribbe that is in a mans side fret him or gall him no more should she which is made of the ribbe Though a woman bee wise and painfull and haue many good parts yet if she bee a shrewe her troublesome iarring in the end will make her honest behauiour vnpleasant as her ouer pinching at last causeth her good huswiferie to be euill spoken off Therefore although she be a Wife yet sometime she must obserue the seruants lesson Not answering againe hold her peace to keep the peace Therfore they which keepe silence are well sayd to holde their peace because silence oftentimes doth keep the peace when wordes would breake it To her silence and patience she must adde The acceptable obedience which makes a Woman rule while she is ruled This is the Wiues tribute to her Husband for she is not called his head but hee is called her head Great cause hath man to make much of his wife for great and many are her dueties to him And therefore Paule saith Wiues submit your selues vnto your Husbands as to the Lord. Shewing that she should regarde his will as the Lordes will but withall as the Lord commandeth only that which is good right so she should obey her Husband in good and right orels she dooth not obey him as the Lord but as the tempter The first subiection of Woman began at sinne for when GOD cursed her for seducing her Husband when the Serpent had seduced her he sayd He shall haue authoritie ouer thee And therefore as the man named all other creatures in signe that they should bee subiect to him as a seruant which commeth when his Master calleth him by his name so he did name the woman also in token that she should be subiect to him likewise And therefore Asuerus made a lawe that euery man shoulde beare rule in his owne house and not the Woman Because she sinned first therefore she is humbled most and euer since the daughters of Sara are bound to call their husbands Lords as Sara called her husband that is to take them for their Lords for heads gouernours If ye disdaine to followe Abrahams Spouse the Apostle biddeth you followe Christs Spouse for he saith Let a wife bee subiect to her husband as the Church is to Christ. A greater loue than this saith Christ no man can haue So a better example than this no Woman can haue That the Wife may yeeld this reuerence to her Husband Paule would haue her attire to bee modest and orderly for garish apparell hath taught manie gossips to disdaine their husbands This is the folly of some men to lay all their pride vpon their wiues they care not how they slouen themselues so their wiues iet like Peacocks But Peter doth commend Sara for her attire and not Abraham shewing that women should braue it no more than men and God made Eues coate of the same cloath that he made Adams They couered themselues with leaues and God derided them but now they couer themselues with pride like Sathan which is fallen down before them like lightning ruffe vpon ruffe lace vpon lace cut vpō cut foure and twentie orders vntil the woman be not precious as her apparell that if any man would picture vanitie he must take a patterne of women or els he cannot drawe her likenes As Herodias was worse for her fine dauncing so a woman may haue too many ornaments frisled lockes naked breasts painting perfume and especially a rowling eye are the forerunners of adulterie and hee which hath such a wife hath a fine plague Once women were married without dowries because they were well nurtured but now if they waighed not more in gold than in goodnes many should sit like nuns without husbāds Thus we haue shadowed the mans dueties to his wife and the womans to her husband After their dueties one to another they must learne their dueties to their familie One compareth the master of the house to the Seraphin which came and kindled the Prophets zeale so he should goe from wife to seruants and from seruants to children and kindle them in the zeale of GOD longing to teach his knowledge as a Nurse to emptie her breasts Another saith that a master in his family hath al the offices of christ for hee must rule and teach and pray rule like a King teach like a Prophet pray like a Priest To shewe how a godly man should behaue himselfe in his household when the holy Ghost speaketh of the conuersion of any housekeeper lightly he saith that the man beleeued with al his houshold As Peter being conuerted must conuert his brethren so the master being conuerted must conuert his seruants For therefore God sayd that he would not hide his counsell from Abraham because hee would teach his familie and surelie all duetie which is not done of conscience is but eye seruice and faileth at most neede as Ziba betraied his master when he should haue defended him Therefore before One simus was conuerted Paul said he was an vnprofitable seruant but when hee was conuerted hee calleth him more than a seruant because such a seruant is better than many seruants Therefore though Laban was wicked himselfe yet he reioyced that Iacob his seruant was godly because GOD blessed him better for him Ioshua saith I and my houshold will serue the Lord. Shewing that masters should receiue none into their houses but whom they can gouerne as Ioshu◠did Therefore it is noted of Cornelius that all his houshold serued God like himselfe This is reported also of Ioseph and Marie for an example that they went vp euerie yere with all their familie to worship at Ierusalem that their childrē and their seruants might learne to know God as well as they These examples bee written for householders as other are for Magistrates and Ministers and Souldiers that no calling might seeke further than the Scripture for instruction Wherefore as you are masters now and they your seruants so instruct them and traine them as
not to be bound more thaÌ„ other A peculiar gift may not be made a general rule because none can vse it but they which haue it And therfore in 1. Cor. 7. 17. he saith As God hath distributed to euery man so let him walk That is if he haue not the gift of continencie he is bound to marrie and therefore Paule commaundeth in the seuenth verse whether he be Minister or other If they cannot abstaine let them marrie as though they tempted God if they married not The Law was generall It is not good for man to be alone exempting one order of men no more than an other And again Christ speaking of Chastity saith All men cannot receiue this thing Therefore vnlesse we knowe that this order of men can receiue this thing Christ forbids to binde them more than other and therefore as the Priests were maried that taught the Lawe so Christ chose Apostles which were maried to preach the Gospell Therefore the doctrine of Papists is the doctrine of Deuils for Paule calleth the forbidding of mariage the doctrine of Deuils a fit title for all their bookes Lastly if Mariage be a remedie against sinne then Mariage it selfe is no sinne for if Mariage it selfe were a sinne we might not marrie for any cause because we must not do the least euill that the greatest good may come of it and if Mariage be not a sinne then the dueties of Mariage are no sinne that is the secreate of Mariage is not euill and therefore Paule saith not only Mariage is honourable but the bed is honorable that is euen the action of Mariage is as lawfull as Mariage Besides Paul saith Let the Husband giue vnto the Wife due beneuolence heere is a commandement to yeeld this duety that which is commanded is lawfull and not to doe it is a breach of the commandement Therefore Mariage was instituted before any sinne was to shew that there is no sinne in it if it be not abused but because this is rare therefore after women were deliuered God appointed them to be purified shewing that some staine or other doth creep into this action which had neede to be repented and therefore when they prayed Paule would not haue them come together least their prayers should be hindered The third cause is to auoid the inconuenience of solitarinesse signified in these words It is not good for man to be alone as though he had said this life would be miserable and irkesome and vnpleasant to man if the Lord had not giuen him a wife to company his troubles If it be not good for man to be alone then it is good for man to haue a fellow therefore as God created a paire of all other kindes so he created a paire of this kinde We say that one is none because he cannot be fewer than one he can not be lesser than one he can not be weaker than one and therfore the Wise man saith Woe to him which is alone that is he which is alone shall haue woe Thoughts and cares and feares will come to him because hee hath none to coÌ„fort him as theeues steale in when the house is emptie like a Turtle which hath lost his mate like one legge when the other is cut off like one wing when the other is clipt so had the man bin if the woman had not bin ioyned to him therefore for mutuall societie God coupled two together that the infinite troubles which lye vppon vs in this world might be eased with the comfort and helpe one of an other and that the poore in the world might haue some comfort as well as the rich for the poore man saith Salomon is forsaken of his owne brethren yet God hath prouided one comforter for him like Ionathans armour-bearer that shall neuer forsake him that is another selfe which is the only commoditie as I may tearme it wherein the poore doe match the rich without which some persons should haue no helper no comforter no friend at all But as it is not good to be alone so Salomon sheweth That it is better to be alone than to dwell with a froward Wise which is like a quotidian ague to keepe his patience in vre Such furies do haunt some men like Saules spirit as though the Deuill had put a sword into their handes to kill themselues therefore choose whome thou mayest enioy or liue alone still and thou shalt not repent thy bargaine That thou mayest take and kepe without repentance now we will speake of the choice which some call the way to good wiues dwelling for these flowers grow not on euery ground therefore they say that in wiuing and striuing a man should take counsell of all the world As Moses considered what spies he sent into Chanaan so thou must regarde whome thou sendest to spie out a Wife for thee Discretion is a warie spie but fancie is a rash spie and liketh whome she will mislike againe In Zacharie Sinne is called a woman which sheweth that women haue many faults therefore he which chooseth of them had neede haue iudgement and make an Anatomie of their bodies and minds by squire and rule before he say This shall be mine For the wisest man sayth I haue found one man of a thousand but a woman among them all haue I not sound as though there were a dearth of good women ouer the worlde For helpe hereof in 1. Cor. 7. 39. wee are taught to marrie in the Lord then we must choose in the Lord too therefore we must begin our Mariage where Salomon began his wisedome Giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding heart so giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstaÌ„ding wife If Abrahams seruant praied the Lord to prosper his businesse when hee went about to choose a wife for another how shouldst thou pray when thou goest about a wife for thy selfe that thou maiest say after My lot is fallen in a pleasant ground To direct thee to a right choice herein the holie Ghost giues thee two rules Godlines and Fitnes Godlines because our Spouse must bee like Christs spouse that is graced with gifts imbrodered with vertues as if wee did marrie Holinesse her selfe For the mariage of man and woman is resembled of the Apostle to the Mariage of Christ and the Church Now the Church is called Holie because she is holie In the 6. Cantie she is called Vndefiled because she is vndefiled In the 45. Psalme she is called faire within because her beautie is inwarde so our Spouse should bee holie vndefiled and faire within As GOD respecteth the heart so we must respect the heart because that must loue and not the face Couetousnes hath euer been a suter to the richest and pride to the highest and lightnesse to the faâ—rest and for reuenge hereof his ioye hath euer ended with his wiues youth which tooke her beautie
before he be bid to loue his neighbour so they must loue God before they can loue one another To shew the loue which should bee betweene man and wife Marriage is called Coniugium which signifieth a knitting or ioining together shewing that vnlesse there be a ioyning of harts and knitting of affectiōs together it is not Mariage indeed but in shew name and they shall dwell in a house like two poysons in a stomack one shall euer be sicke of the other Therefore first that they may loue and keepe loue one with another it is necessarie that they both loue God and as their loue increaseth toward him so it shall increase each to other But the man must take heed that his loue toward his Wife be not greater than his loue toward God as Adams and Sampsons were for all vnlawfull loue will turne to hatred as the loue of Amnon did toward Thamar and because Christ hath forbidden it therefore hee will crosse it This made Vriah so fearefull least the pleasure of his wife should drawe his heart from God that he would not goe to his owne house so long as he had cause to mourne pray although he had a wife which feared God like himselfe and that you may see it is no cheape dalliance for the husband to make the wife or the wife to make the husbande lesse zealous than they were In Deut. 13. the wife which did draw her husband from God is condemned to dye Therefore good wiues when their husbands purpose any good should incourage them like Iacobs wiues which bad him doo according to the word of God and if they see them minded to any euill they should stay them like the wife of Pilate which counselled her husbande not to condemne Christ for seeing holinesse is called the Wedding garment who shall weare this Wedding garment if they weare it not which are wedded When one holie hath found another then GOD seemeth to make the marriage and his Angells come to the feast To passe ouer sleights which seldom prosper vnlesse they haue some warrant The best pollicie in Marriage is to begin well for as bourds well ioyned at first sit close euer after but if they square at first they warp more and more So they which are well ioyned are well married but they which offend their loue before it be setled fade euery day like a Marigould which closeth her flower as the Sunne goeth downe till they hate one another more then they loued at first To begin this concord well it is necessarie to learne one anothers nature and one anothers affections and one anothers infirmities because ye must be helpers and ye cannot help vnlesse ye know the disease Al the iarres almost which do trouble this band do rise of this that one dooth not hit the measure of the others heart to applie themselues to either nature whereby it commeth to passe that neyther can refraine when either is offended but one sharpneth another when they had need to bee calmed Therefore they must learne of Paule to fashion themselues one to the other if they would win one another and if any iarre do arise in no wise diuide beds for it for thē the Sunne goeth downe vppon their wrath and the meanes of reconcilement is taken away Giue passions no time for if some mans anger stand but a night it turneth to malice which is incurable The Apostle saith that there will be offences in the Church so sure there will be many offences in Marriage but as he saith these are but trials who haue faith so these are trials who are good husbands and who are good wiues His anger must bee such a moode as if hee did chide with himselfe and their strife as it were a sauce made of purpose to sharpen their loue when it waxeth vnpleasant like Ionathans arrowes which were not shot to hurt but to giue warning Knowing once a couple which were both chollericke yet neuer fell out I asked the man how they did order the matter that their infirmitie did not make them discorde He answered me when her fit is vppon her I yeeld to her as Abraham did to Sara and when my fit is vppon me she yeelds to me and so we neuer striue together but a sunder Me thought it was a good example to commend vnto all married folkes for euerie one hath his frensie and loueth them that can beare his infirmitie Whom will a woman suffer if she will not suffer her husband and whose defects will a man beare if hee will not beare hers which beareth his Thus much of their dueties in generall now to their seuerall offices The man may spell his duety out of his name for he is called the Head to shew that as the eye and the toong and the eare are in the head to direct the whole bodie so the man should be stored with wisedome and vnderstanding and knowledge and discretion to direct his whole familie for it is not right that the worse should rule the better but that the better should rule the worse as the best rules all The husband saith that his wife must obay him because he is her better therefore if he let her be better than himselfe he seemes to free her from her obedience and binde himselfe to obey her His first duty is called Harting that is hartie affection As they are handfasted so they must be hartfasted for the eye and the toong and the hand will be her enemies if the hart be not her friend As Christ draweth all the Commandements to Loue so I may draw all their duties to loue which is the hearts gift to the Bride First hee must choose his loue and then he must loue hys choice this is the oyle which maketh all things casie In Salomons Song which is nothing else but a description of Christ the Bridegroome and the Church hys Spouse one calleth the other Loue to shewe that though both doe not honour alike yet both should loue alike which the man may do without subiection The man is to his wife in the place of Christ to his Church therefore the Apostle requireth such an affection of him toward his Spouse as Christ beareth toward his Spouse for he sayeth Husbands loue your Wiues as Christ loued the congregation that is with a holie loue with a hartie loue and with a constant loue as the Church wold be loued of Christ. Will not a man loue his glorie Why Paule calleth the woman the glorie of the man for her reuerence makes him to be reuerenced and her praise makes him to be praised Therefore he which loueth not his Wife loueth his shame because she is his glorie In Ephes. 5. 28. Paule saith He which loueth his Wife loueth himselfe for thereby he inioyeth peace and comfort and helpe to himselfe in all his affaires therefore in the same verse Paule counselleth husbands to loue
their wiues as their bodies And after in the 33. verse as though it were too little to loue them as their bodies he sayth Let euerie one loue his Wife as himselfe that is body and soule too For if God commaunded men to loue their neighbours as themselues much more are they bound to loue their wiues as themselues which are their next neighbours As Elkanah did not loue his wife lesse for her barrennes but sayd Am not I better vnto thee than tenne sonnes as though he fauoured her more for that which she thought her selfe despised So a good husband will not take occasion to loue his wife lesse for her infirmities but comfort her more for them as this man did that she may beare with his infirmities too When Christ sayth that a man should leaue Father and Mother to cleaue to his Wife hee signifieth how Christ left his Father for his Spouse and that man doth not loue his wife so much as he should vntill he affect her more than euer he did his father or mother Therfore when GOD bad Abraham forsake all his kindred yet he bad him not forsake his Wife As though the other somtime might be forsaken for God but the wife must bee kept for GOD like a charge which bindeth for tearme of life His next duetie to loue is a fruit of his loue that is to let all things be cōmon betweene them which were priuate before The man wife are partners like two owers in a boate therefore hee must diuide offices and affaires goods with her causing her to bee feared and reuerenced and obeied of her children seruants like himselfe for she is as an vnder officer in his Common weale and therefore she must be assisted borne out like his deputie as the Prince standeth with his Magistrates for his owne quiet because they are the legges which beare him vp To shew this communitie betweene husband and wife he is to maintaine her as he dooth himselfe because Christ saith They are no more two but one Therefore when hee maintaineth her hee must thinke it but one charge because he maintaineth no moe but himself for they two are one He may not say as Husbands are wōt to say that which is thine is mine and that which is mine is my owne but that which is mine is thine and my selfe too For as it is sayd He which hath giuen vs his Sonne can he denie vs any thing So she may say he which hath giuen me himselfe can he denie me any thing The bodie is better than the goodes therefore if the bodie be mine the goods are mine too Lastly hee must tender her as much as all her friends because he hath taken her from her friends and couenanted to tender her for them all To shew how he should tender her Peter saith Honour the woman as the weaker vessell As we doo not handle glasses like pots because they are weaker vessels but touch thē nicely and softly for feare of cracks so a man must intreate his wife with gentlenes and softnes not expecting that wisedome nor that faith nor that patience nor that strength in the weaker vessell which should be in the stronger but thinke when he takes a wife he takes a Vineyard not grapes but a vineyard to beare him grapes therfore he must sow it and dresse it and water it and fence it and thinke it a good vineyard if at last it bring forth grapes So hee must not looke to finde a wife without a fault but thinke that she is committed to him to reclaime her from her faults for all are defectiues and if he finde the Prouerbe true that in space commeth grace hee must reioyce as much at his wife when she mendeth as the Husbandman reioyceth when his Vineyard beginneth to fructifie This is farre from ciuill warres betweene man and wife in all his offices is found no office to fight The very name of a wife is like the Angell which stayed Abrahams hand whē the stroke was cōming If Dauid because he could not expresse the good and comfort of Vnitie was faine to say Oh how good and ioyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Then weigh and iudge how harsh and bitter a thing it is for man and wife to liue together in emnitie For the first yeare after Marriage God would not haue the husband goe to warre with his enemies but no yeare would he haue him warre with his wife and therfore God gaue him that yeare to stay at home and settle his loue that hee might not warre nor iarre after for the God of peace dwelleth not in the house of warre As a kingdome cannot stand if it bee diuided so a house cannot stand if it bee diuided for strife is like fire which leaues nothing but dust smoake and ashes behind it We reade in the Scripture of Masters that stroke their seruants but neuer of any that stroke his Wife but rebuked her Lot was drunke when hee lay with his daughters in stead of a wife and is he sober which striketh his wife in stead of his seruants The lawe sheweth how a bond man should bee corrected but the wife is like a Iudge which is ioyned in Commission with her Husband to correct other Wilt thou strike one in his owne house no more shouldest thou strike thy wife in her house She is come to thee as to a Sanctuarie to defend her from hurt and canst thou hurt her thy selfe Therfore Abraham was called Saras Vayle because he should shield her for a Vaile is made to saue Abraham said to Lot Are we not brethren that is may brethren iarre but they may say are we not one can one chide without another can one fight without another He is a bad Ost which welcommeth his guest with stripes Doth a King trample his Crowne Salomon calleth the wife the Crowne of the husband therefore he which woundeth her woundeth his honour She is a free Citizen in thy house and hath taken the peace of thee the first day of her Marriage to hold thy hands till she release thee againe Adam saith of his Spouse This is flesh of my flesh But no man sayth Paule Euer hated his owne flesh So then if a man aske whether he may strike his wife God sayth nay thou mayest not hate thy wife for no man hateth his owne flesh shewing that he should not come neere blowes but thinke his wrath too much for Paule saith Be not bitter to your Wiues noting that anger in a husband is a vice Euery man is ashamed to lay hands on a woman because she cannot match him therfore he is a shamelesse man which laieth hands on his wife If a man be seene raging with himselfe he is carried to Bedlam so these mad men which beate thēselues should be sent to Bedlam til their madnes be gone Salomon
if you would shewe what masters they should be hereafter After the care of their soules they must care for their bodies for if the labourer is worthie of his hire which laboureth but a day what is the seruant worth which laboureth euerie day Therefore Paule is so earnest with Philemon to make much of Onesimus his seruant that he desireth Philemon to receiue him as he would himself Therefore because cruell greedie Masters should not vse them too hardly God remembred them in his creation and made euerie weeke one day of rest wherein they should be as free as their Masters so God pitieth the poore labourer from heauen and euerie Saboath lookes downe vpon him from heauen as if he should say one day thy labours shall haue an ende and thou shalt rest for euer as thou restest this day By this wee see as Dauid did limit Ioab that hee should not kill Absalom so God hath bound masters that they should not oppresse their seruants Shall God respect thine more than thou Art thou made fresher to thy labour by a little rest and is not thy seruant made stronger by rest to labour for thee How many beasts and sheepe did Laban lose onely for hardly intreating of a good seruant Therfore that is the way to lose but not to thriue He which counteth his seruant his slaue is in an error for there is difference betweene beleeuing seruants and Infidel seruants the Infidels were made slaues to the Iewes because GOD hated them and would humble them but their brethren did serue thē like helpers which should be trained by them It is not a base nor a vile thing to be called a seruant for our Lord is called a seruant which teacheth Christians to vse their seruants well for Christs sake seeing they are seruants too and haue one master Christ. As Dauid speaketh of man saying Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angells so I may say of seruants that God hath made them a little lower thā children not children but the next to children as one would say inferiour children or sonnes in lawe and therefore the householder is called Paterfamilias which signifieth a father of his familie because he shoulde haue a fatherly care ouer his seruants as if they were his children and not vse thē onely for their labour like beasts Beside the name of a seruant doth not signifie suffering but dooing therefore masters must not exercise their hands vppon them but set their hands to worke and yet as God laieth no more vppon his seruants than he makes them able to beare so men should lay no more vppon their seruants than they are able to beare For a good man saith Salomon is mercifull to his beast and therefore he will be more mercifull to his brother That man is not worthie to bee serued which cannot affoord that his seruants should serue God as well as himselfe Giue vnto God that which is Gods and then thou maiest take that which is thine He which careth not for his familie saith Paule is worse than an Infidel because Infidels care for their familie But as Agur praieth Giue me not too much nor too little but feede me with foode conuenient So their care should not be too much nor too little but conuenient or els they are worse than Infidells too because Couetousnes is called Idolatrie which is worse than Infidelitie for it is lesse rebellion not to honour the King than to set vp another King against him as the Idolaters doo against the King of heauen Next vnto seruants instruction and labours must bee considered their corrections As Paule saith Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath So I may say Masters prouoke not your seruants to wrath that is vse such reproofes such corrections that you do not prouoke them but mooue them that you doo not exasperate them but win them for reuiling words and vnreasonable fiercenes doth more hurt than good And therefore the law of God did charge the Master that hee should not inflict aboue fourtie stripes vppon his seruant least hee should seeme despised in his eyes For while a childe or scholler or seruant dooth thinke that hee is reprooued for loue or beaten with reason it makes him think of his fault and be ashamed but when he seeth that he is rebuked with curses and beaten with staues as though hee were hated like a dogge his heart is hardened against the man which correcteth him and the fault for which he is corrected after he becommeth desperate like a horse which turneth vppon the striker and therefore thinke that GOD euen then chides you whēsoeuer you chide in such rage For though there be a fault yet some things must bee winkt at some things forgiuen and some things punished with a looke for he which takes the forfeit of euery offence shall neuer rest but vexe himselfe more than his seruant Further I haue heard Experience say that in these punishments it is most meete and acceptable to the offender that the man should correct his men and the woman her maides for a mans nature skorneth to bee beaten of a woman and a maides nature is corrupted with the stripes of a man Therefore wee reade that Abraham would not meddle with his maide but committed her to his wife and saide Doo with her as it pleaseth thee As if he should say it belongeth not to me but to thee Lastly we put the duetie toward children because they come last to their hands In Latin children are called Pignora that is pledges as if I should say a pledge of the husbands loue to the wife and a pledge of the wiues loue toward the husband for there is nothing which doth so knit loue between the man and the wife as the fruite of the wombe Therefore when Leah began to conceaue she sayd now my husband will loue me as though the husband did loue for children If a woman haue many defects as Leah had yet this is the mends which she makes her husband to bring him childrē which is the right Wedding Ring that sealeth and maketh vp as it were the Marriage When their father and mother fall out they pert vp betweene them like little mediators and with many pretie sportes make truce when other dare not speake to thē Therefore now let vs consider what these little ones may challenge of their parents which stād thē in sted of Lawiers The first duetie is the mothers that is to nurse her childe at her owne breasts as Sara did Isaak therefore Esaiah ioyneth the nurces name and the mothers name both in one and calleth them nurcing mothers shewing that mothers should bee the nurces So whē God chose a nurce for Moses he led the handmaid of Pharaohs daughter to his mother as though GOD would haue none to nurse him but his mother After when the Sonne of God was borne his
father thought none fit to bee his nurse but the Virgin his mother The fountaines of the earth are made to giue water the breasts of women are made to giue suck Euery beast and euery foule is bred of the same that did beare it onely women loue to be mothers but not nurces Therefore if their children prooue vnnaturall they may say thou followest thy mother for she was vnnaturall first in locking vp her breasts from thee and committing thee foorth like a Cuckowe to bee hatched in the Sparowes nest Hereof it comes that wee say he suckt euill from the dugge that is as the Nurse is affected in her bodie or in her minde commonly the childe draweth the like infirmitie from her as the egges of a Henne are altered vnder a Hawke yet they which haue no milke can giue no milke but whose breasts haue this perpetuall drought Forsooth it is like the Gowte no beggers may haue it but Citizens or Gentlewomen In the 9. of Hosee drie breasts are named for a curse what lamentable hap haue Gentlewomen to light vpon this curse more than other Sure if their breasts bee drie as they say they should fast pray together that this curse might bee remooued from them The next duetie is Catechize child in his youth and he will remember it when he is olde This is the right blessing which fathers and mothers giue to their children when they cause GOD to blesse them too The wrong mother cared not though the child were diuided but the right mother wold not haue it diuided so wicked parents care not though their children be destroyed but godly parents would not haue them destroyed but saued that when they haue dwelt together in earth they may dwell together in heauen As the Midwife frameth the bodie when it is yong and tender so the parēts must frame the mind while it is greene and flexible for youth is the seede time of vertue They which are called fathers are called by the name of God to warne thē that they are in stead of GOD to their children which teacheth all his sonnes What example haue children but their parents And sure the prouidence of God doth ease their charge more than they are aware for a childe will learne better of his father than of any other And therfore we reade of no Schoolemasters in the Scripture but the parents for when Christ saith to the Iewes If ye be the sonnes of Abraham ye will doo the workes of your father Abraham He sheweth that sonnes vse to walke in their fathers steps whether they be good or bad It is a merueilous delight to father mother when people say that their children are like them but if they be like them in goodnes it is as great a delight to other as to the parents or els wee say that they are so like that they are worse for it Well doth Dauid call children arrowes for if they bee well bred they shoote at their parents enemies if they be euill bred they shoote at their parents Therfore many fathers want a staffe to stay them in their age because they prepared none before like olde Eli which was corrected himselfe for not correcting his sonnes Are not children called the fruit of their parēts Therfore as a good tree is knowne by bringing foorth good fruite so parents should shewe their goodnes in the good education of their children which are their fruite For this cause the Iewes were wont to name their children so when they were borne that euer after if they did but thinke vppon their names they would put them in minde of that religion which they should professe for they did signifie somthing that they should learne An admonition to such as call their children at al aduentures sometimes by the names of doggs euen as they prooue after In the 1. King 2. 2. wee haue Dauid instructing his sonnes In Gen. 39. Iaacob correcting his sonnes and in Iob. 1. Iob praying for his sonnes These three put together Instructing Correcting and Praying make good children and happie parents Once Christ tooke a child and set him in the middest of his Disciples and sayd He which will receiue the kingdome of heauen must receiue it as a little child Shewing that our children should bee so innocent so humble and voide of euill that they may bee taken for examples of the children of God Therefore in Psal. 127. 4. children are called the heritage of the Lord to shewe that they should bee trained as though they were not mens children but Gods that they may haue Gods heritage after Thus if you doo your seruants shall bee Gods seruants and your children shall bee Gods children and your house shall be Gods house like a little Church when others are like a den of theeues Now I speake to one which is a mother so soone as she is maried therefore peraduenture you looke that I should shewe the duetie of stepmothers Their name dooth shewe them their duetie too for a stepmother dooth signifie a stedmother that is one mother dyeth another commeth in her stead therfore that your loue may settle to those little ones as it ought you must remember that you are their stedmother that is in sted of their mother therfore to loue them and tender them and cherish them as their mother did Further these children are Orphanes and therefore you must not onely regarde them as children but as Orphane children Now God requireth a greater care ouer Widdowes and Orphanes than ouer any other women or children Lastly you must remember that saying As you measure vnto other so it shall be measured to you againe That is as you intreate these children so an other may come after and intreate your children for he which hath taken away the first mother and sent you can take away the second mother and send a third which shall not bee like a stedmother to yours vnlesse you be like a stedmother to these If these dueties bee performed in Marriage then I need not speak of Diuorcement which is the rod of Marriage and diuideth them which were one flesh as if the bodie and soule were parted a sunder But because all performe not their Wedlocke vowes therfore hee which appoynted Marriage hath appoynted Diuorcement as it were taking our priuiledge frō vs when we abuse it As God hath ordained remedies for euery disease so he hath ordained a remedie for the disease of Marriage The disease of Marriage is Adulterie and the medicine hereof is Diuorcement Moses licenced thē to depart for hardnes of heart but Christ licenseth them to depart for no cause but Adulterie If they might bee separated for discorde some would make a commoditie of strife but now they are not best to bee contentious for this lawe will hold their noses together till wearines make them leaue strugling like two spaniels which are coupled in a
it doth imply an vnlawfulnes to hurt our selues Pro 5. 19. The Womans dueties Phil. 4. 3. Iob. 2. 9. Rom. 12. 15. 2. Kin. 2. 6. Gal. 6. 2. 1. Kin. 21. 5 Gen. 12. 1. Gen. 2. 18. 1. Cor. 1. 27 1. Pet. 3. 1. Gen. 25. 2. 2. Kin. 5. 3. 2. Kin. 9. 10 Hest. 7. 3. Deut. 32. 21. Pro. 5. 18. 1. Sam. 16. 23. Gen. 27. 9. 1. Sam. 25. 3 Gen. 38. 14. Gen. 34. 1. Why wiues are called Huswiues Tit. 2. 5. Pro. 7. 12. 2. King 9. 30. Gen. 18. 9. 2. Kin. 9. 30 1. King 2. 36. 37. Husbands should not keepe their Wiues so straight but Wiues should not think their house their prison but as their Paradise where they would be Gen. 3. 2. A wife may not vtter her HusbaÌ„ds saults A Wife the contrary to a Husband 2. Sam. 1. 26. Pro. 21. 19. Gen. 19. 26. Gen. 2. 20. Tit. 2. 9. Ephe. 5. 23. Ephe. 5. 22. How farre the Wife should obey Gen. 3. 16. Gen. 2. 20. vers 23. Hest. 1. 20. 22. Num. 30. 7. Iud. 19. 26. Gen 18. 12. 1. Pet. 3. 6. Ephe. 5. 24. Ioh. 15. 13. The cause why many despise their husbands 1. Tim 2. 9. 1. Pet. 3. 5. Gen. 3. 21. Gen. 3. 7. Luk. 10. 18. Math. 14. 6. Their dueties to their seruants Esai 6. 6. Reu. 5. 10. Act. 16. 13. 18. 8. Luc 22. 32. Gen. 18. 17. 2. Sam. 16. 3. Phile. 11. Gen. 29. 27. Iosh 24. 15. Act. 10. 2. Luc. 2. 41. Luc. 107. Phile. 17. Gen. 2. 2. g. Sam. 18. 5. Gen. 31. 9. Esai 42. 1. Math. 12. 18. Psal. 8. 6. 1. Cor. 12. 13. Pro. 12. 10. 1. Tim. 5. 8. Pro. 30. 8. Ephe. 5. 5. Ephe. 6. 4 Deut. 25. 2. The master must correct his meÌ„ and the mistris her maides Gen. 16. 6. Their dueties toward their children Gen. 28. 31. Mothers should nurse their children Gen. 21. 7. Exo. 2. 8. Math. 2. 14 Pro. 22. 〈◊〉 1. King 3. 26. Luk. 11. 2. Except of Kings sons Iohn 8. 30. Psal. 127. 4. 1. Sa. 2. 29. Psal. 132. 11. Math. 12. 33. 1. Sam. 1. 20 2. Sam 12. 24. Luc. 18. 17. Col. 4. 15. Phil. 1. 2. The name of Stepmothers expounded and their duetie Ier. 22. 2. Deut. 14. 17. 24. 17. 26. 12. Mat 7. 2. Diuorcement the phisicke of Marriage Math. 18. 9. Math. 19. 8 Mat. 5. 32. Mat. 19. 9. 1 Cor. 7. 10. Leu. 20. 10. Mar. 2. 27. Louît 20. 10. Conclusique A sentence for the maried to think vpon 1. Cor. 7. 32. Gen. 41. 4. Vers. 34. 1. Sam. 1. 23. 2. Chro. 21. 6. Iob. 9. 28. Gen. 24. 48. 2. Chro. 35. 6. 1. Sam. 18. 8 Math. 2. 9. Mat. 9. 20. 2. Chro. 35. 6. The diuision The Author Iohn 1. 27. None but Christ may ordeyne SacrameÌ„ts Iohn 1. 29. Reuel 7. 14. Iohn 1. 29. Gen. 17. 10. Who was therefore called Iohn the Baptist. Math. 3. 1. Reuel 1 5. Reu. 22. 14. The time Vers. 23. Iob. 3. 3. Why this Sacrament was instituted at night Why it was deferred till his last night Why we receiue not the Lords Supper at night Vers. 23. 24 1. Thess. 5. 18. Note Mala. 1. 2. Esai 1 3. Gen. 19. 20. Luk. 11. 3. Note Mat. 26. 30. Gen. 27. Luk 22. 32. 1. Sam 17. 51. Ioh. 18. 14. 1. King 18. 28. Math. 4. 4. Psal. 91. 11. Math. 26. 26. Ioh. 107 9. Ioh. 15 1. Gen. 3. 3. Arguments against Popish Transubstantiation 1 Math. 22. 34. Mar. 14. 25 2 1. Cor. 10. 4. Vers. 3. 4. Vers. 4. 3 Gen. 2. 9. Gen. 17. 11. Exo. 12. 3. Exo. 23. 11. Heb. 9. 13. Exo. 30. Exo. 25. 24. Exo. 17. 16. Mat. 3. 16. Ioh. 6. 49. Ioh. 1. 33. 1. Cor. 11. 19. Exo. 12. Matth. 16. Ioh. 1. 29. 5 6 Exo. 27. 13 Iohn 6. 54. 14 Math. 28. 6 15 Ioh. 6. 68. Ioh. 6. 60. Ioh. 6. 35. Aug. vpon the 3. Psal. Ter. against Marcion the 4. book 4. booke 4. chap. of Ferra. In his first Dialog Vpon the 15. of Mat. Irenae 4. book chap. 34. against Valentinus Ad ob Theod Anathematis 11. 1. book of Epist. In that Gospell whosoeuer speaketh a word c. Hom. 60. to the people of Antioch To Caesarus the Monk Against Eutyches the Here. Vpon the Canon lect 40. 1. booke of the Sacrament pag. 46. Against the captiuitie of Babylon made by M. Luther Luk. 19. 22. The Papists allegations for the reall presence Exo. 4. 8. 21. Exo. 6. 2. Thess 2. â— Obiect Answ. Mar. 1. 40. Obiect Answ. Obiect Answ Luk. 8. 9. Math. 26. 17. Exo. 12. 27. Gen. 17. 13. Gen. 12. 3. Tit. 3. 5. 1. Cor. 6. 11. Luc. 22. 20. Iohn 3. 36. Math. 26. 26. Luk. 8. 9. Iohn 4. 33. Luk 24. 39. Iohn 16. 5. Ioh. 6. 35. Math. 26. 26. Neyther Christs mortall body nor his immortall body can be in the same Dan. 4. 15. Mar. 14. 24 Christ spake not to the bred and wine but to his Disciples More in the Lords Supper thaÌ„ bread and wine 1. Cor. 10. 16. A similitude Rom. 8. 32. Dâ—â— 3. 25. A similitude Another similitude Augustine Luk. 11. 27. Luk. 8. 21. Ioh. 16. 7. Pro. 31. 29. Ioh. 20. 27. Why christ calleth the bread his bodie Vers. 24. If Christs body were in the Sacrament it were not a SacrameÌ„t but a sacrifice Math. 24. 23. 2. King 2. 17. Ioh. 20. 17. Iudg. 7. 22. A Monster of his age Eight absurdities which follow Transubstantiation 1 Act. 1. 9. 11 Rom. 8. 34. Act. 3. 21. 2 3 4 5 Hebr. 9. 28. 10. 12. 6 7 8 Act. 5. 29. Conclusion Deut. 13. 6. 9. Mat. 26. 28 Mar. 14. 25 Ioh. 13 34. Heb. 9. 18. Mat. 26. 28 Luk 22. 20. Heb. 8. 13. For types and figures 1. Sam. 28. 14. Leuit. 17. 11. Heb. 9. 22. Deut. 4. 2. Reuel 22. 18. The popish receyuing vnder one kinde confuted Mat. 26. 27 1. Sam. 15. 9. Mat. 27. 35 Colos. 2. 21. How the Popish Priests do iniure the people 1 2 3 4 5 Act. 5. 2. 1 Sam. 2. 13 Mar. 7. 13. Iud. 19. 30. Gen. 2. 17. Gen. 3. 4. Esai 1. 12. Vers. 24. Math. 26. 28. Gen. 1. 2. Cor. 4. 15 Math. 13. 14. Psal. 109. 16. Mat. 23. 37 Act. 3. 6. Mar. 15. 46 Mat. 13. 55 Luk. 2. 16. Math. 17. 27. Luk. 9. 57. Luk. 23. 34. A similitude of mans state * * His words are not so but the effect of his words 2 King 20 5. Luk 7. 15. Math. â—â— 2â—â— The mercifull Article Gen. 42. 25. Vers. 26. Three arguments against Transubstantiation in one verse Deut. 17. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wha 〈…〉 is to receyue vnwoâ—thâ—lâ— Ioh. 10. 27. Luk. 1. 41. How receyuers may be guiltie of Christes death Mar 14. 44. Mar. 15. 15 Mar. 15. 25 Vers. 30. 2. Cor. 2. 16 How we should be prepared before we come to the Lords table 1. Sam. 9. 13 2. King 10. 15. Iames. 2. 2. Exo. 12. 3. 6. 2.