THat there is a good in hu­mane society (if men can hit vpon it) Salomon in this place is plaine, whē he saith, Two are better then one; con­cerning which speach, some offence at a blush may arise, as if it did befit neither the grauitie of the Preacher, nor the reuerence of the Scripture, nor the Wisdome of Sa­lomon. For what shall we call it? doth Sa­lomon heere set out an Arithmomachia, a combat of nombers? doth he after a fantas­ticall manner compare nomber with nom­ber? or Poetlike for triall of his wit, doth he oppose Vnitie against Duplicitie, one a­gainst two, and two against one, to make one and two to fight together? or as he wrote of Trees, Birds, Beastes, and Fishes, so did [Page] he writ of nombers too? Or was there an errour in them that gathered his writinges together to foyst in this saying of Salomon the Philosopher, amongst the sayings of Salomon Ecclesiastes the Preacher, and so to mingle his Philosophye with his Diui­nitie? Surelie no, there is no such matter, but it is euen the saying of that sober spi­rit, which sayd Gen. 2. It is not good for man to be alone, let vs make him an helpe meete for him; equiualent and of like force and sence with this, Two are better then one, as if he should say, while a man is one and alone, it is not well with him, but when a helpe is made, it is better for him; Therefore haue we in this Scripture three things to consi­der.

First, that societie is good.

Secondly, that it is bester then Vnitie.

Thirdly, a care that since God hath orday ned it vnto good, that we vse the meanes to di­rect it vnto good.

For the first, that society is good, is inferred by the very wordes, for he that saith it is better then vnitie, implyes it is good, for in reason vvhatsoeuer is good in comparison must [Page] needes be good of it selfe, and so is society a good thing, ordayned for the helpe, the health, the comfort, and good of man, therfore sayth Dauid Psalm. 133. Beholde how good a thing it is for Brethren to dwell to­gether in vnitie, not expressing the measure, but admiring it, as if he could not say how good it were: it is like a pleasant oyntment affecting the sence with delight, it is like the deaw of Hermon replenishing the fieldes with profit, if yee feele it, it is pro­fitable: if yee tast it, it is sweete: if yee be­hold it, it is beautifull: but if yee haue it, there is no treasure like it.

Aske the Beasts (sayth Iob Cap. 12.) & they shall tell thee, or the foules and they shal shew thee; so say I, if yee will know how good, and what a good societie is, aske the Beastes and Foules and they will declare to thee. The Grashoppers haue no King, yet goe they foorth in bandes, a wonder to see so sillie a worme by society should become a souldier in the fielde. Beside in obserua­tion we finde, that the most innocent and harmelesse creatures are by nature sociable, therefore Christ exhortes his Disciples to [Page] imitate those creatures, which were so­ciable and louing one to another, such as are sheepe which goe together in flocks, such as are Doues, which flye together in companies, he resembles thē to doues, he calles them sheepe, for those be in deed the harmelesse creatures: but Wolues, and Owles, and Lyons, which liue apart and runne into wilde and desert places, those be they, which meditate on mis­cheefe: Thou leadest thy people like sheepe (sayth the Psalmist) by the handes of Moses and Aaron Psal. 77. But of the wicked sayth Eliphas: thou scatterest them as the Lyons whelpes, Iob. 4. Gods people are like sheepe, the wicked as Lyons; these lead, they scattered: these flocking toge­ther, they diuided a sunder.

How well God liked of societie, is seene by the creation, for why did God make men and Angelles, but to ioyne them to himselfe, and that which God the Father liked, Christ his sonne disliked not, for why came Christ from Heauen, but to seeke that one sheepe which was lost, and [Page] bring it to the folde? Luke the 15. or why did he yeelde himselfe to die, but to gather together into one the children of GOD, which were scattered. Iohn. 11.

The greate difference betweene Christ and the Deuill, is this, that Christ gathereth thinges together: O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, how often would I haue gathered thee together, but the Deuill deuides and scattereth them in sun­der, for he is that Wolfe that catcheth the sheepe and scattereth them, Iohn 10. It was he that carryed that one sheepe into the Wildernes Luke 15. it was he that carryed the possessed into the mountains and in­to the graues; Marke. 5. It was he that ledde Christ into the wildernes, into the mountaines and to the pinacle of the Temple, Math, 4. If the Deuill see foure together, he is ne­uer well till he hath brought thē to three, for when Noah and his three sonnes were together he culled out Cham from among them, Gen. 9. Or if hee see three together, he is neuer well till he hath [Page] brought them to two, for it was he that di­uided the prodigall childe from his Father, and from his elder Brother Luke 15. Or if he see two together, he is neuer wel till hee hath brought them to one, it was he that diuided Lot and Abraham asunder Gen. 13. for in the Deuils Arithmeticke three are better then foure, and two are better then three, and one is better then two, whereas God saith: Two are better then one, therefore it is wel sayd that Addition and Multiplication belong to God, but Substraction & Diuision belong to the Deuill. The Deuill is like a Canon­stone, that makes two walles of one, but Christ is like a Corner stone, that makes one Wall of two,

It was giuen for a signe of Christes go­uernement, that when he came, the Wolfe should dwell with the Lambe, the Leopard with the Kidde, the Cow with the Beare, and the Calfe with the Lyon, Esay 11. that thinges of vnlike nature should ioyn in peace, and couple by his comming: but the Deuill by his comming diuides a sunder things of like nature, it was hee that diuided the starres [Page] from the starres, Apoc. 12. it was he that di­uided the Angelles from the Angelles when they fell from Heauen; it was hee that set Ephraim against Manasses, and Manasses against Ephra­im, the Father against the Sonne, & the Sonne against the Father, it was he that diuided Di­ [...]ah from Iacob, Demas from the Apostles, Paule from Barnabas, and Iudas from Christ, in a word, it is he that by pride diuides a man from God, by couetousnes diuides him from his neighbour, and by anger diuides him from himselfe. In the Canticles, the spi­rituall beautie of Christ and the Church, is compared to troupes of horses, to clusters of Grapes, to bundelles of Myrrhe, to heapes of wheate, to flockes of sheepe, and Canticles 6. what shall yee see in the Shulamite but as the companie of armies? They that be of Christs Church, they goe together in troupes, in clusters, in bundles, in heapes, in flockes, in armies, that is, they be louing and sociable one with another, & whosoeuer is not so, he is hatefull and despised of what state or calling soeuer, yea, though he be a King, yet if he haue not a smiling face, a chear­full [Page] eye, an affable tongue, if he be not fo­ [...]able and familiar in behauiour euerie man will detest him, it had like to haue cost Dauid his Kingdome, that his sonne Absolon was more affable and pliable to the people then hee: that hee stoode at the Gates to welcome them as they came.

In a Minister, nothing more com­mendable then to be affable, to conferre, consorte, and acquaint himselfe familiar­ly with the people.

I like not this same grum clergie, that hang downe their heades, and locke vp their lippes, and looke demurely, as if there was no waye to be counted a Saint, but by looking like a Sotte. Iohn the 3. the Disciples of Iohn Baptist tould him, that the man beyonde Iordan, meaning Iesus, that he baptised, and that all men came to him, putting Iohn in a feare that he had lost all his followers, now what was the reason of that, but because Iohn was a man of the Wildernes, a sowre austere man, that did neither eate nor drinke [Page] with the people, and therefore the peo­ple sayd plainelye, that he had the Deuill, for so it is Matth. 11. Iohn came neither eating nor drinking, and they sayd he had the Deuill, whereas Christ did not carie himselfe strangely among the people, but came to their houses, did eate and drinke with them, helpe them, heale them and talke with them.

Among ciuill men, if any man behaue himselfe vnneighbourlye among neigh­bours, he is hut an Owle, he is like Isma­ell, he cares for no man, and no man cares for him. God hath made vs all members of one body, and it agrees not with Christia­nity that the eie should say, I haue no neede of the hand, or the heade should say, I haue no neede of the feete, 1. Corinth. 12. H [...] that liued in the graues was possest, Math. 8. and had the Deuill, therefore when thou findest a man affecting solitarines, hating the societye of men, and liueinge to himselfe, then mayst thou save, that man is possest, and that the Deuill is in him to leade him to the Graues, a [Page] place where Christ would not be sought, why seeke ye the liuing among the dead, resur­rexit, non est hic, he is risen, he is not heere, Luke 24. But especially, if thou see any man (vnder a pretence of deuotion) diuiding himselfe from the societie of men, as doe the Brownistes and Familistes, with the rest of the seperation, who say they be too ho­ly to mingle themselues with euery profane Assembly, take heede of them, for they bee Hypocrires that say, Stand apart, touch me not, come not neare me, for I am holier then thou, Esay. 65. for were a man neuer so holy, yet that is no reason to diuide himselfe from the society of men, for what sayth S. Bernarde: Si de fatuis virginibus [...]s, congrega­tio tibi necessaria est, si de prudentibus tu con­gregationi, euerie man is either a wise Virgin or a foolish, if thou be of the nomber of the foolish Virgins, then haste thou neede of the wise, but if thou be of the nomber of the wise vir­gins, then haue the foolish neede of thee, there­fore seperate not thy selfe from the commu­nion of Sainets least the communion of Saintes seperate it selfe from thee, for the society & [...]ommunion of Saintes is an Article of the [Page] Creede, and he that comes not to the com­munion of Saints shall neuer come to the re­mission of sinnes.

Now vnto this consideration, that socye­ty is good, it shall not bee amis [...]e to adde the next, that it is better then vnitie, for the holy Ghost is not content with a simple commendation, as to say, two are good, but two are better then one. And certaynly I doe finde in Scripture, that the workes of God doe wonderfully affect this nomber, and when I finde it, I attribute it to his Wise­dome, of whom it is sayd, that he made all things in measure, weight and nomber. Be­gin at the creation, and yee shall see what honour God gaue to this nomber, for whē he had made one single man, he (as it were) corrects himselfe, as if he had not done wel, and sayth It is not good that man should be a­lone, and then he made another to him. In Gen Cap. 1. 3. God made a light. and then as if one light was not sufficient, verse 16. he [...]adet wo great lights the one to rule by day, & the other by night. In the body, the per­ [...]ectiōs of beautie are more eminent in those [Page] whereof there were two, therefore GOD made two eyes, and not one eye, and so in the rest,: and of these partes was Christ chiefely enamoured of his Spouse, as Can­tic. 5. and 7. Thy two breastes are like young Roes, thine eyes are like Doues, thy cheeckes like a bed of spices, thy lippes like Lillies, thy handes like ringes of Golde, thy legges like pillers of Marble.

In the olde Law all ranne vppon twoes, like a doore vppon twoo hindges, the Sacrifices were most of them offered by twoes, yee shall offer two Sparrowes, two Doues, two Goates, two Oxen, two Ram­mes, two Lam [...]es. In the Law two Ta­bles, in the Tabernacle two Altars, in the Temple two Pillers, on the Arke two Che­rubins, In the Church two People, in the Gospell two Sacramentes, in Christ two Natures.

And Christ rekoneth vp his Disciples by twoes, Peter and Andrew, Iames and Iohn, Philip and Bartholomew,. Math. 10. 2. And he sent out his Disciples before him by two and by two, like paires of Oxen to plough [Page] vp the Church before him, Luke 10. 1. as the Beastes came into Noaths Arke by two and by two, Gen. 7 9.

And to end with that wherewith wee began, when God made mankinde, he made him neither vnder nor ouer, but hee made them iust two, for when he was but one, God sayd it was not good, and when he was three, it was starke naught, for it was set as a brande o [...] shame vpon Lamecht heade, that he was the first that marryed two wiues, Gen, 4. and so brought three into one flesh: and where it was sayd, that two shal hee one flesh, it should seeme that an vnmarry­ed man is but halfe a man, for if two must concurre to make one flesh, then where there is but one, there is but halfe a man.

If any man thinke I straine this Scripture out of the right sence, to referre that vnto marriage particularlye, which was spoken of all socyetie generallye, I will euen from thence take my de­fence, from whence I am accused, for [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] if Salomon spake of all societie generallye, then is marriage included, which is one so­ciety among the rest, but that marriage is not onely generally included, but particu­larly intended, I referre you to the next verse going before, where Salomon reko­neth among the miseries of this life, to see one single man, that had neither Brother, nor sonne labouring for the world, and de­frauding his soule of pleasure and then in­ferreth this vpon it: Two are better then one, as if he meant, that he who is marryed had a sonne, for whom he laboured, and there­fore defrauded not his soule of pleasure. Of the single life sayth S. Paule, It is good: It is good for a Man not to touch a Woman 1. Cor. 7. but of marryage he sayth, It is honou­rable. Heb. 13. To be good is the smallest commendation that can be giuen to any thing, for God made nothing but was good and whatsoeuer is not good, is of the De­uill,

But to be honourable is the excellencie and perfection of good, and striues among other goods, like the Sun among the [Page] starres, which when it appeares, they are not knowne to bee. But what if S. Paule sayd, the single life was good? that prooues not that mariage is not good, nay wherein is the single life so good, but marriage is as good? It is good for a Man not to touch a wo­man: how meanes he that? doth he meane it is good generally for mankinde? No: for Christ sayth, all men cannot take that gift, Math. 19. but it is good particularlye for this man, or for that man, for thee or for mee, but marriage is good generallye for mankinde, and who preferres not a com­mon good, before a priuate, and the single life but a priuate good? for when he sayth, It is good for a man not to touch a Wo­man, he meaneth, it is good for that man that he can abstaine from marriage, that is yet more plainely, that it is good for him selfe, because he feedes none but himselfe, he clothes none but himselfe. But heerein doth marriage excell, because it doth good to other, first to her, whom hee takes into his protection, which if all men should ab­horte to doe, then might women goe with [Page] Iephthes Daughter, to bewaile the dayes of their Virginitie. Secondly, it doth good to the Church, in begetting an holy seede to the kingdome of Christ. Thirdly it doth good to all the world, in replenishing it with people, and Lots Daughters chose ra­ther to lie with their Father, then to leaue the world vnpeopled, therefore Two are better then one. But wherein doth the single such good to himselfe? yee will say in easing himeselfe of care, because he hath none to labour for but himselfe, but looke verse 8. and Salo­mon rekoneth that among the miseries of this life to see a man labouring and trauel­ling for the world, and knowes not for whom, and in deede it is an ease and com­fort amidst our labours, that when we are gone, we haue to whome to leaue them, which no man hath that is alone, therefore two are better then one. Or will yee say the single life is freer from temptation, for that when the sword comes, when affliction or when persecution comes, thou haste none to withdraw thee from GOD, thou haste no wife to tempt thee with teares, thou [Page] haste no children to pearce thy soule with pitty, thou haste no hinderance to holde thy heart in thrall. I answere againe, that as the temptation is lesse, so the glorie shall bee lesse, for he that forsooke more, he loued more, and what is more admirable in the Church of God, then to see a man for Christes sake & for religions sake, forsake wife and children? For there is nothing that calles so importunately vpon the heart of man, as the cry of nature in the teares of wife and children, and it is a thing at which the Barbarous Tyrantes are many times ama­zed, to thinke what religion should be, whē they see that for loue of it, men forsake wife and children, it makes them thinke that there is somewhat in the peace of GOD, which passeth al vnderstanding; Or which of yee all is there, who if yee saw two Mar­tyrs at a stake, whereof the one was single, the other had wife and children, would not conceaue more reuerently of him that was maryed, because he ouercame the greater temptatiō, in leauing wife & childrē, which the single martyr could not, because he had thē not to leaue? therfore in him that is ma­the [Page] patience is more admirable: the victo­tie more honorable, the reward more glo­rious, the wages better, therefore two are better then one, for Salomon heere sayth, thei shall haue better Wages for their labour: Well, yee will graunt all this, that the vic­torie is more glorious in them that are ma­ryed, whē they doe ouercome these temp­tations, but that they seldom ouercome thē, because of the clogge. Surely this were somewhat if it were true, but amongst o­ther slanders against this honourable ordi­nance of God, I must needes avouch this to be one, for let your single Saintes come in, and spread foorth the Ensigne of their honour, what euer was done by men not marryed, but the matryed haue done as much as they, yea I say, as much, as often as honourable? If yee speake of patience, whom haue yee to come into the ballance with Iob, & he maryed, ifyee speake of o­bedience, whom haue yee like Dauid, a man after Gods owne heart, and he maried, if of Faith, whom like Abraham, if of Wisdom [...], whom like Salomon, if of courage, whom [Page] like Sampson, and all marryed, and it is no small commendation of marryage, to see all the patternes of perfection in men that were marryed. If yee speake of per­fit sortitude in contempt of the world, mar­riage hath been no hinderance, but the ma­ried haue hazarded as much as any: Wher euer saw yee such a sacrifice as that of A­braham, who sacrificed his owne sonne for Gods sake? or when euer heard yee such a worke as that of Iudah & Beniamin, who thrust away their owne wiues for Gods sake? or who euer left more then Peter, who left all he had for Christes sake? and they all marryed. The Prophet Ezechiell, Cap. 14. rekoneth vp the three worthies of the world, Noah, Daniell & Iob, though these three men Daniel, Noah & Iob were among them, yet should they saue but thē ­selues, there were but three worthies in the world, and two of them, Noah and Iob were marryed, and marryage had the odde one. Nay what honourable thing atcheiued in Scripture, but the marryed had a hand in it? or what honour in Scripture ascribed to any, but the marryed had a share in it. The [Page] translation vp to heauen in Enoch, who was maried, the building of the Arke, & preser­uing of the world in Noah and his three sonnes, all maryed, the building of the Tem­ple in Salomon, who was marryed. If yee speake of vision and reuelation then against Daniell in the old Testament, and Iohn in the new, I oppose Iacob among the Patri­atkes, Samuel among the Iudges, Ezechiel among the Prophetes, and Peter among the Apostles, who had as many reuelatiōs, and saw as many visions as any. Or if yee speake of Paule the Apostle of the Gentils, of whom it is like he was not marryed, a­gainst him I oppose Moses the leader of the Iewes, who in deede was marryed, & what was there in the one, which was not in the other? Paule was a great Scholler, a Pharisee, & brought vp atthe feete of Ga­maliel, Acts. 22. so was Moses a man well seene in all the learning of the Egyptians, Act. 7. to shew that marryage is no ene­mye to learning. Paule was a man feruent in prayer, for by his very prayer he healed the sicke, Acts. 28. so was Moses a man ve­hement in prayer, for he praied fortie daies [Page] and fortie nights, Deut. 9. to shew that ma­ryage is no enemie to a mans deuotion. Paule fought with Beastes at Ephesus and ouercame [...]em, 1. Cor. 15. so did Moses with fierie Serpents, with Sehon King of the Amorites, and Og that Beast of Basan, Nomb. 21. to shew that marryage is no E­nemye to honour and victorie. Paule wish: himselfe eternally seperate from God for the Iewes sake, Rom. 9. 3. so did Moses, If thou wilt not pardon them, then blot my name out of thy booke, Exod. 32. 32. to shew that marryage is no enemie to a Pastoral care in a spirituall function. Paule was rapt vp into the third Heauen, 2. Cor, 12. but God came downe from Heauen to talke with Moses in the Mount, Exod. 24. and mee thinke his honor was the greater, for Paule went vp to God, but God came downe to Moses, to shew that marryage is no enemie to vision and reuelation.

Or if yee will obiect out of Matth. 22. that the state of single men is like to the Angelles, because Christ saith of the deade, phat they neither marrie, nor are giuen in ma­ [...]age, but are as the Angelles in Heauen, [Page] and therein conclude that the single life is so much to be preferred, aboue marryage, as the Angelles aboue carnall men, then looke how much you preferre the Ang [...]lles, who are not marryed, aboue mortall men, who are maryed, so much wil I preferre Christ, who was maryed, aboue the Angelles, who were not marryed, for Christ was and is marryed, the booke of the Canticles, is the booke of his loue. Math. 22. 2. God is the King, whose sonne was sayd to bee marryed and Christ is the sonne of that king which was marryed, and Apoc. 19, 7. Christ is that Lambe, whose marryage was sayd to bee come, and we are that spouse, which was sayd to make her selfe ready, therefore if an Argument from resemblance may doe any thing, then since the single state is but like to the An­gelles, and marriage like to Christ, I con­clude that this is better then that, and two better then one.

If yee aske me wherin mariage exceedes, I answere for company, for comfort, for helpe, First for company, for before Eua [...]as made, there were a greate many crea­tures in the world, and yet Adam was still [Page] sayd to be alone, because the other crea tures were no fit companions for him, and companie is a thing that in nature pleaseth, as we see that foules of a fether flocke toge­ther, euen for companies sake, though they receiue no other benefit one by another, & the same is in the nature of man, which de­lighteth in a companion, but to haue him or see him, though he reape no other good by him. But marryage is good not onelye for companie, but also for comforte too, therefore fayth Salomon, if two sleepe to­gether, there shal bee heate, but to one how should there be heate, by heate vnderstan­ding comfort, which is like a warming in a cold day, and certainely there is no comfort like the comfort of a good wife, onely the holy Ghost excepted, which saint Paule calles the God of all comfort and consola­tion, because of that vnspeakeable peace, which it worketh in a mans conscience, but set that a syde, and there is no peace or com­fort like this: Whither it be in the infirmi­ties of the body, no hand so welcome to ap­ply the medicine as the wiues, or whether it be in the maladyes and perturbations of [Page] the minde, no tōgue so gracious to asswage the griefe as the wiues, for that by a secret power they haue in nature giuen them, they doe I know not how slily and smoothlye encroach & steale vpon a mans affections, and surprise his whole heart before hee bee aware. The presence of the wife, is like the Angell in the midst of the fiery Fornace, that allayes the surie of affliction when it comes: The hande of the wife is like the hand of Moses in Rephidim that driues a­way distresse, when she but holdes it vp; The tongue of the wife is like the Harpe of Dauid in the eare of Saul, that expelles the spirit of anguish frō the heart of man, therefore two are better then one, better for companie, better for comforte, yea & bet­ter for helpe too: For when one is ouer­come, yet two shall stande, and doe we not liue in a world of contention, wherein we haue neede of continuall helpe? is not the world a pitched field vnto vs? are not our enemies encamped round about vs, before and behinde vs, with out and with in vs? & the Deuill the ringleader of them all, is hee [...]ot dayly at our doores? and haue wee not [Page] then neede of a Helper? seckes he not con­tinually by power and by pollicy, by pre­sumption and despaire, by terrors & temp­tations to ouerthrow vs? doth he not assay vs in all subtiltie, seekes hee not all auan­ [...]ages against vs, and is it not like then hee will sett vpon vs, when wee bee alone, as by all probability he set vppon Eua, when she was alone, and vpon Christ, when hee was alone, in the wildernes, in the moun­taine, on the pinacle of the Temple, where no man could come at him, and haue wee not then neede of a Helper? The Deuill is like that Egyptian, Exod. 2. that singled out one Israelite and smote him when hee was alone, but when Moses came to assist him, that Egyptian was slayne: So is the Diuell in a single combat valiant, yea many times victorious, but when a second comes to as­sist, he takes him to his flight. What sayth S. Bernarde, Malum quod nemo vidit, nemo ar­guit, & vbi non timetur reprehensor, securus ac­cedit tentator, the sin which no man seeth, no mā reprehēdeth, & where there is no feare of a reprehēder, the diuel coms boldly to as sault, & who is so fit to reprehēd thee as thy [Page] Naye who wil reprehend thee but thy wife, yea though thou sinne with greedi­nes? thy superiours care not, thy inferiours dare not, thy friendes remember not, thine enemies vouchsafe not, and straungers will not, but thy wife hath a priuiledge to re­prooue thee, besyde she is alway at thine el­bow, and when she fiudes thee eyther saying what is not seemely, or dooing what is not comely, shee pulleth thee by the sleeue, and sayth, Husband remember thy selfe, therefore prouide thee a Helper, and the Deuill will be afraide of thee, because of her, and when he findes thee marryed to her, he wil take it as a discharge to be gone.

But be sure then that she be a Helper, be sure she be good, for if she be naught, then can I not say that two are better then one, but that one is better then two, and that it were good for such a man to be alone. And certainely that men complaine of marriage as a cause of euill, it is because themselues bee euill, for what a blasphemie is this, that men shal make this honourable ordinance of GOD, as a cause of their sinne, that Adam should say to God, the woman which thou gauest [Page] me, that whereas God had giuen him the woman as a gift worth all the world, hee returnes it to God in greate reproch? And we are all the sonnes of Adam, for it after marryage there come a storme, that thinges run not right, why then the woman, which thou gauest me, and had I beene single, my woe had not beene so singular, and the wo­man is the cause of al woe: No, thy selfe ar [...] the cause, eyther because thou didst not chose her well, or else because thou doest not vse her well, but obserue these two poyntes, and marryage is good, otherwise euen this ordinance of God shall turne to thy euill, as to the Egyptians the pure wa­ters were turned into blood. And where it is sayd, two are better then one, I would haue yee therein to consider, that all societie was ordayned for good, and therefore you that bee husbandes remember that, and you that bee wiues remember that, that maryage was [...]rdayned for good, and when I say it was or­dained for good, I would not haue yee to mistake mee, as if I meant for goodes, for that was a pleasant point for them that pray vp­pon sillie women. A certaine rich man be­ing [Page] asked what his religion was, made an­swere good enough, meaning that if hee had golde hee had his God, & that all his religi­on was in his riches, and there bee a great [...]any such husbands in the world, who if [...]ee aske them what they cheefly desire in a [...]ife, they will answere good ynough. Such husbands are like Idolaters, for as Iob saith of them, that they say to a wedge of golde, thou art my God, so say these to a wedge of golde, [...]hou art my wife, for in trueth they are maryed to golde, & not to a wife. I would haue such men to remember, that when E­ua was brought to Adam, she brought no­thing but herselfe, for all the world was gi­uen to Adam before she was made, and if al was his before, what had she to bring that came after? In olde time Iacob serued seuē yeares for Rachell, and bought his wife by his seruice, but now men must bee hyred to take wiues, as if to take a wife, were to take vp a crosse, and hence it oft times comes to passe, that marryage is not good, be­cause the end of it is for goodes, and not for loue, and where there is no loue, there can bee no ioy, there can bee no peace, but [Page] as the yelling of a Lyon and a Beare, so it is in such vnkindely, vngodly matches, they loath and detest one another, and then is one better then two, and it were good to bee alone.

Beside if thou desire thy marryage should bee for thy good, take heede of thine eye, for as thy heart in couetousnes may corrupt thee, so may thine eye in Beautye blinde thee. Hee that had seuen hunderd Concubines, and three hunderd Wiues, which makes vp a thousand women, hee sayth, Eccl [...]s. 7. that among a thousand Wo­men hee found not one good.

One beeing asked why amongst all crea­tures so few women were good, made an­swere, because so many of them seemed so good, all is not golde that glisters, if she whome thon louest be faire with out, haue a care that she be so with in, and thinke that she may bee like Nabuchadnezars Image, if her heade bee of golde, sure her feete or soms parte is of claye, for an euill woman is like a painted cloath, which if thou beholdest on the one side, thou shalt see Kings royal­ly painted in theire Roabes, but if on [Page] the other, it is all patches and ragges, and what a match then haste thou made, when thou haste got a picture to thine eye, and a horrour to thy heart, golden fetters, a pain­ted serpent, a silken snare? It was the chiefe corrupting of the children of God, and the first cause of their Apostacye, that they chose their wiues by the eie, for so it is Gen. 6. When the sonnes of God saw the Daughters of men that they were fayre, they choose them wiues of all that they liked, and by chusing such wiues, they lost the fauour of God, for God brought the flood vpon them for it, therefore rather then to come into such a yoke, it were better to be out of the yoke, and one were better then two. But if thou be once yoakt, then must thou beare what thou canst not for beare, and suffer patient­ly against what thou haste no remedie, if thy wife be good, then mayst thou giue God thankes, and say what the wise Salomon could not say, that thou haste found one good woman, but if thy wife be bad, yet must thou giue God thankes too, and say thou haste found a triall for thy patience, for an euill wife makes her husband a figure of the [Page] militant Church. One boasting in glorie of his felicitye that he had a good wife, an­swere was made againe, that hee could not therefore come to Heauen, meaning that a good wife was like Heauen, and since there is but one heauen, he that hath it heere shall hardly haue it heereafter, therfore by a con­sequent of oppositiō, if a good wife be like Heauen, then an ill wife is like hell, there­fore thinke she is thy patience, and that God in her hath chalkt thee out the way to Heauen, for he that findes Hell heere, hath a promise of heauen heerafter. And to you wiues likewise let this remembrance be directed, that marriage was ordayned for good, and apply your selues that it may bee so, for I know no great care or studie that belonges vnto you, for so sayd Salomon of the good wife, that she wil doe her husband good and not euill all the dayes of her life Prov. 31. good in his body by cherishing it, good in his minde by yeelding councell and com­fort to it, and good in his substance by pre­seruing and mainteyning it. If her husband bee in affliction, she must not doe as Iobes [...]ife did, to come in for the Deuills attor­ney, [Page] (& make him murmurre against God, but shee must pacifie him with wordes of grace, and vse those pleasing partes, which God hath giuē her for his appeasement. Or if her husband be about a good worke, shee must not discourage him, as Micholl did to Dauid. Or if he be about an ill worke, she must not encourage him, as Iezebel did to Achab, for then I cannot say that Two are better then one, but that one is better then two, & it were good for such a man to be alone. Nor she must not be a railing wife like Zip­porah, if her husbād displease her, to breake out into cruell and bloody speaches; Thou art in deed a bloody husband to mee. Nor she must not be a heade-strong wife like Vasthi, her husband sends for her to come, and she sendes him worde plainely, she wil not come, as if she was not made out of his ribbes, but he out of hers, for then one is better then two, & it were good to be alone. Nor she must not be a sumptuous wife, by excesse of diet or pompe in apparel to con­sume her husbād. Salomō sayth of the good wife, that she is profitable, she spinneth wo [...] with her handes, & laieth her hands to the [...] [Page] and so doe our women now a daies to th [...] wheele, for they make all run on wheeles, they turne spinning into spēding, & looke how much one is worse, or lesse then two, so much they make a rich husbād worse or lesse then one, thei make him none, for thei vndoe him. It is true of the proude wife, that Salomō saith of the profitable (though in an other sence) that she is like a Merchāts shippe, for so is a proude woman vaine, foolish, fantastical, & carried with euerie winde, euery fācie it must be hers, eueri new sangle it must be hers, & if she haue it not, thē is she like Rachel for her childrē, giue it her or els she dies, & if she haue it, she loaths it, while she lookes vpō it. The Poets pre­tily scoft at the vanity of womē in a fable of Mercury & the Moone, for whē Mercury had takē measure of the moone to make her a coat, he could neuer make it fit, but it was alwaies either too large, or too scāt, because she was alwaies either increasing or decre­sing: & so it is with you, your fācie wil not holde, while the coate is in fashioning: and well yee may bee sayde to bee like a Merchants ship, for before yee can be full fraught and furnisht, yee must haue one [Page] thing from Egypt, another thing from Spaine, and another from Italie, you must haue your bracelets frō one [...]ountrie, your girdle from another, and your perfumes from another, and all the world must bee trauelled too, to rigge out one woman, & when she is once furnisht, then she cuts her Ankor, all a flaunt vnder sayle, and abroad she goes like a Gyant to runne her race: Of such an vnprofitable wife I must needs say, one is better then two. I know of all poyntes it pleaseth not to write against the pride of women, and if I tempred my penne to please, I would write none of this, but I must needes write, because I see that many; who otherwise are good and vertuous, are ouertaken heere. Nay, which of yee all is there, (if yee will shriue your selueswho is not longer in tricking vp your selues, then at your prayers, and what a shame is that a­mong Christian womē? Salomon was 20. yeares in building the Temple and his own house, but hee was but 7. yeares in buil­ding the Temple, and 13. about his owne house, and what a foule oddes was that? thirteene for him self, & but seuē for God, [Page] but it is not so well with you, for if you di­ [...]de the time of your attyring and your [...] is into twentie partes, I thinke your [...]ing hath nineteen, with such trimming [...] setting, and smoothing and correcting, [...]yee meant immediately to haue your pictures taken, with such waiting, at­tendance, and solemnitie, as if there were some solemne sacrifice to be performed, & [...]yee doe, for yee make Idoles of your selues, and set vp your Image in a glasse: Wel, will ye haue a glasse to looke in, then [...]oke vpon Sarah, Abigall and Rebecca, & [...]n them yee shall see what is amisse in your [...]elues, for what should I write of many o­ther women moe? of Rachell, of Leah, of Ruth and Deborah, of Annah and Penni­ [...]ah, in them yee shall see how to behaue your selues toward God. In Rebecca yee shal see how to behaue your selues toward your children, in Sarah how toward your [...]usbands, if they be good, in Abigall, how, [...] they bee bad, for loue, wisdome and o­ [...]edience is the perfect beauty of a woman, [...]nd all other beautie is blackenes, if ye be [...]ot saife with in, which if yee bee, then [Page] shall the King haue pleasure in your beau­tie, and it shall appeare that yee came out of Paradice, and that yee be wiues of Gods making, and as in this life yee were ioyned with an earthly companion, so in the ne [...], yee shall bee ioyned with Christ the Hus­band of the Church. Therefore loue your husbandes heere, and if they reward it not, it shall bee rewarded in Heauen, bee obe­dient to them heere. and yee shall bee made equall with them in Heauen: bee humble and lowly heere, and yee shall bee exalted in Heauen, be clothed with modesty here, and yee shall bee clothed with honour in Heauen, bee patient heere, and yee shall be crowned with glorie in Heauen, and as heere for your bettring you did tutne one into two, so there for your further bettring you shall turne two into one, and haue vnitie and so­cietie with Christ for euer.