THE Children of this World like to fiſhes that are in Salo, ſine ſale, in the ſalt water without any ſalt taſt in thē in the midſt of the holieſt and heavenlieſt actions and places cannot put of the ſhooes of their carnall affections, Exod. 3.5. but haue too frequently their thoughts and tongues exerciſed about their worldly & wicked affaires, and even then and there out of the evill treaſures of their hearts, bring forth that which is evill Luk. 6.45. Ezekiells auditors even whileſt they were ſitting before him to heare his words and ſhewing much loue with their mouthes, haue their hearts going after covetouſneſſe Ezek. 33.31. And whileſt our ſaviour was dividing to his hearers the bread of life, one of the company raſhly and rudely interrupteth him, about ſpeaking to his brother to divide the inheritance with him. Luk. 12.13. ſo hardly can they which are accuſtomed to evill doe any good Ier. 13.23. even in the beſt times and places: but on the other ſide, the children of light ſhine ſtill as lights in the world Phil. 2.15. haue ſurſum corda in civill as well as in ſacred buſineſſes, & out of the good treaſures of their hearts bring forth good things Luk. 6.45. whether they are eating or drinking or whatſoever they are doing, Gods glory is their aime and end 1. Cor. 10.31. in all theſe things eructat cor, their heart is ſtil enditing of ſome good matter Pſal. 45.1. a divine ſentence is ready in their lips Prov. 16.10. and their mouth vpon every occaſion is ſpeaking of wiſdome, and their tongue talking of iudgement Pſal. 37.30. Let them but paſſe by the mowers in the field they open their mouth in an holy prayer that may miniſter grace to the hearers, and ſay, the bleſsing of the Lord be vpon you, we bleſſe you in the name of the Lord Pſal: 129.8. let them but come to the reapers and their lips are full of grace, they ſay with that good man Boaz, the Lord be with you Ruth. 2.4. In the ſame ſpirit, in the ſame ſteps doe the Elders, and all the people of Bethlehem walke here. Being called vpon to be witneſſes about ſome civill paſſages of buying of lands by Boaz, and purchaſing of Ruth to be his wife, to raiſe vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritance verſ. 9.10: they are not onely ready to doe this good office of bearing witneſſe, all the people that were in the gates, and the Elders ſaid we are witneſſes, but alſo bleſſe them in the name of the Lord, power out a moſt ſolemne and effectuall fervent prayer to the Lord the father of lights from whom cometh downe every good and perfect gift to proſper the intended matrimony of this preſent couple with bleſſings befitting their married eſtate, the Lord make the woman &c. Now our Saviour when he would feed the people with the bread that periſheth brake it into peeces Mark. 8.6. that every one might haue his portion conveniently, I will then be a follower of him, and as becometh a faithfull and wiſe ſteward in Gods houſe, divide theſe words aright, that every one may the better haue his portion of ſpirituall food out of them. In this faithfull and charitable prayer then (I call it ſo becauſe Neceſsitas cogit orare proſe: charitas fraternitatis hortatur pro alio Chryſ. Neceſsity compelleth a man to pray for himſelfe, but charity exhorteth him to pray for others. We may obſerue the parts and points: 1. The petitioners that find in their heart to pray this prayer as David ſpeaketh, 2. Sam. 7.27. all the people that were in the gate and the Elders. 2. To whom they make their prayers euen to him of whom all things come 1 Chr. 29.14. the Lord, the Lord make, 3. For whom, for the parties here purpoſing matrimony, the woman ſeverally, and the man ſeverally. 4. For what are the petitions for them. 1. For the woman the Lord make the woman that cometh into thine houſe like to Rahell and Leah which two did build the houſe of Iſraell. 2. For the man and doe thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem, or that thou maiſt doe worthily &c. The firſt occurring circumſtance that ſtandeth in the doore of the text like Abraham in the doore of his tent, is of the perſons petitioning and praying, all the people that were in the gate, and the Elders, they will not only be witneſſes of the contract, but petitioners alſo for the contracted, they will not onely teſtify the covenant made betweene the parties, but alſo ſanctify it with their prayers. I may ſay then to all that are preſent or any way pertinent to this worthy and weighty worke of contracting and marrying in the Lord, as our Saviour to the lawyer about a worke of mercy Luk. 10.37. vade & fac ſimiliter, goe and doe likewiſe, pray for the peace and proſperity of the parties to be married, not with formall but with hearty acclamations, not with a ſuperficiall God giue you ioy, but with a ſolemne and ſubſtantiall benediction of the parties, and invocation of the moſt high God poſſeſſor of heaven and earth, to bleſſe them out of Zion, that they may ſee the good of Ieruſalem all the daies of their life and that they may ſee their childrens children and peace vpon Iſraell Pſal. 128.5.6. The God of heaven in his bleſſing of Adam and Eue; the firſt married perſons, in whoſe loynes we then were all of vs, (and God bleſſed them Gen. 1.28.) hath ſhewed vs what is good and what he requireth of vs, even to be followers of him herein as deare children Eph. 5.1. And in this good and old way did the generations of old walke. Abrahams eldeſt ſervant and ruler of his houſe, being ſent by him to his country and to his kindred, to take a wife vnto Iſaacke, when he cometh to the place, beginneth firſt with prayer to the Lord of his Master Abraham, to ſend him good ſpeed that day, and to ſhew kindneſse vnto his Master Abraham Gen. 24.12. And when the Lord God of his Maſter Abraham had led him to the houſe of his Maſters brethren, and had proſpered his iourney and hee had obtained Rebeccah to be wife vnto his Maſters ſonne, her brother, mother, and friends ſolemnely bleſſe her at his departure, and ſay, Thou art our ſiſter be the mother of thouſands of Millions, and let thy ſeed poſſeſſe the gates of thoſe that hate them Gen. 24.60. And when Iſaacke being ſtricken in yeares ſent Iacob to Padan-Aram amongſt his kindred to find out a wife, he prayeth ſeriouſly for his proſperous ſucceſſe, God almighty bleſse thee and make thee fruitfull, and multiply thee, that thou maiſt bee a multitude of people, and giue the bleſsing of Abraham to thee, and to thy ſeed with thee Gen. 28.3.4. And that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 marriage Pſalme endited at Solomons taking to wife of Pharaohs daughter being an eminent type of the ſpirituall. marriage betweene Chriſt and his Church, doth omnia fauſta precari, pray for all happineſſe to the married parties, is full of ſupplications for them, benedictions of them, and propheticall predictions of happineſſe vnto them Pſal. 45. And if all things muſt be done in the name of the Lord, Col: 3.17. much more muſt this great thing bee begunne in the name of the Lord, if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 euery creature or ordinance of God muſt be ſanctified with prayer 1 Tim. 4.5. much more muſt this ſolemne ordinance of his be bleſſed and ſanctified with prayer. It is a good rule giuen by Marke the Eremite 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , prayer muſt be the Vſher of all our actions. But how are theſe laſt and worſt daies whereinto we are falne, degenerated from this holy courſe? Happily we may heare a formall and ſuperficiall acclamation of God giue you joy, drap out of ſome few mens mouths at ſuch times & meetings. But moſt mens vnſanctified mouthes at ſuch times, like puddle waters, that being ſtirred ſend forth noyſome ſent, breath our nothing but ſuch corrupt communications as may rather miniſter griefe then grace to the hearers, & which might better befit the vnchaſt bedde of fornication in the ſtewes, then the vndefiled be dde of honourable matrimony in the houſe, and from the abundance of their polluted hearts, they belch forth ſuch vncleane and vnſavoury words as may make their eares to tingle that heare them: They cannot ſpeake the language of Canaan at ſuch times, any holy and heavenly prayers, but the language of Aſhdod ribals and ſcurrilous ieſts, filthy and fooliſh talking which are not convenient, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh Eph. 5.3. And as David ſaid of the ſlanderous tongue Pſal. 52.4. thou loueſt all devouring words ô thou deceitfull tongue: ſo may I of theirs, thou loueſt all defiling words, ô thou vaine and vncleane tongue; The marriage meetings with them are never well ſeaſoned or celebrated vnleſſe they be filled with filthy diſcourſes, and obſceane ſongs, and of a Bride houſe a Brothell houſe as the Idolatrous Iewes turned Bethell, Gods houſe, into a Bethauen, an houſe of vanity, Hoſ. 4.15. They coū tenance not Gods ordinance with their holy apprecations, but rather confound the married parties with their horrible prophanations, and fill their faces with ſhame, as though with Zimri and Coſbi, they were taken in an vncleane act, Numb: 25. and the language of the whoriſh woman, come let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning, let vs ſolace our ſelues with loues, Prou: 7.15. is nothing ſo impure, as many of their vnchaſt ſongs and diſcourſes ſuch a world of iniquity is in mens tongues to defile this ſacred buſineſſe with.

Now if it become all the people to pray at ſuch times, much more are prayers comely in the mouthes of the Prieſts of the people, if it be good for the Elders that are in the gate to pray for the married perſons, much more is it good for the Elders of the Church to pray for them, and bleſſe them as they are commanded to pray over the ſicke Iam. 5. And this we preſſe and praiſe not as making the Eccleſiaſticall benediction of the Prieſt the very eſſentiall forme of matrimony, as moſt of the Popiſh writers doe, (for then all matrimonies in the world without this benediction ſhould haue beene no better then fornications, vtterly void for want of an eſſentiall forme) but as requiring it for a ſolemne and publike teſtification of the matrimoniall conſent, and a benediction of the parties publiſhing their conſent, and entering into the covenant of God. For howſoever in foro interiori, in the court of the conſcience, it bee a true marriage where there is a free and full conſent of the parties before lawfull witneſſes, and cannot abſolutely be made void for want of a benediction giuen in the Church, yet in foro exteriori, in the externall court, by evident deduction out of holy writ, and by the lawes of the Church and moſt Commonwealths, it is no lawfull nor laudable marriage, which is not confirmed & bleſſed in the face of the Church. Paenes nos occultae conjunctiones, id eſt, non prius apud Eccleſiam profeſſae, juxta maechiam & fornicationem periclitari judicantur. ſaith Tertullian lib. de pudicitia cap. 4. With vs ſecret marriages, that are not ſolemnized first in the Church, are eſteemed fit to bee queſtioned as adulteries and fornications: And though Tertullian be very ancient, yet this benediction in the face of the Church is ancienter, came into it from the beginning, euen in the firſt hundred yeare after our Saviour: Platina in the life of Soter Biſhop of Rome, who liued in the yeare of Chriſt 174. referreth it to him and ſaith he ordained it, Ne legitima haberetur vxor niſi cui ſacerdos ex inſtituto benedixiſſet, that none ſhould be accounted a lawfull wife, but whom the Miniſter had bleſſed according to the ordinance; But yet this rite of benediction is more ancient. For Euariſtus who was Biſhop of Rome in the yeare of Chriſt 97, in an Epiſtle to the Biſhops of Africa found in the firſt Tome of the Counſells, and in the Decrees cap. 30. q. 5. ſpeaketh thus of it, Aliter legitimum vt à Patribus accepinius, & à ſanctis Apoſtolis &c. Marriage is not otherwiſe lawfull, as we haue receaued it of the Fathers, and as we finde it delivered by the Apoſtles, vnleſse in its proper time it be Eccleſiaſtically bleſſed by the Prieſt with prayers and oblations as the manner is, wedlockes ſo made are lawfull, if they be otherwiſe vndertaken, there is no doubt but they are adulteries, or dwellings together, or whoredomes, or fornications rather then marriages that are lawfull. And Tertullian againe in his ſecond booke to his wife the 9 chapter ſaith, Vnde ſufficiam ad enarrandam faelicitatem ejus matrimonij, &c. How can I ſufficiently ſet out the happineſse of that marriage which the Church maketh, the communion confirmeth, the Angels declare to be ſealed, and the father counteth ratified. And S. Ambroſe for his time in his 70 Epiſtle ſaith, Conjugium velamine ſacerdotis & benedictione ſanctificari oportet. Marriage muſt be ſanctified with the Prieſts putting on a vaile and benediction: Syneſius comming to bee Biſhop of Cyrene, and profeſſing that he would ſtill hold his wife with his Biſhoprick, mentioneth this cuſtome, Mihi & Deus ipſe & leges, ipſa que Theophili ſacra manus vxorem dedit: God himſelfe, and the lawes, & the holy hand of Theophilus hath giuen me a wife: Therefore I declare to you all, and would haue it witneſſed, that I will not forſake her. Nicephorus lib. 4. hiſt. Eccleſ. cap. 55. And the fourth Councell of Carthage in the 13 Canon ſaith, When the Bridegroome and the Bride are to bee bleſsed of the Prieſt, let them bee preſented by their parents, or thoſe that haue the charge of the wedding. Both the lawes, Eccleſiaſticall, and Imperiall are full of Canons and Conſtitutions, that none ſhould wed privately, but benedictione à ſacerdote acceptâ publicè, Cap. null. cap. & qu. ijſdem. Receauing the Prieſts benediction publikely, niſi ſacerdotum precibus matrimonium corroboratum fuerit, vnleſſe the matrimony be confirmed by the Prieſts prayer, which is the conſtitution of the Emperours Leo and Alexius Comnenus. The hereticall Anabaptiſts then & ſchiſmaticall Browniſts profeſſing themſelues to bee wiſe, become fooles in condemning this ancient, needfull, and laudable rite of publike bleſſing in the face of the Church, the new married perſons in the name of the Lord, as though there were no more required in contracting for a wife then in bargaining for a horſe, onely to ſhake hands and come together.

But we haue eaten ſo much of the hony of this firſt point (the perſons petitioning here) as is ſufficient for vs, Prov. 25.16. I come therefore to the next branch, to whom they petition and pray, the Lord make] And indeed on whom ſhould they call for the marriage bleſſing but on him who is the father of mercies, and God of all comfort, 2. Cor. 1.3. From whom commeth downe every good and perfect gift, Iam. 1.17. But on him, of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things: Rom: 11.36. In whoſe hand is power and might, and in whoſe hand it is to make great and to giue ſtrength vnto all, and of whom all things come, 1. Chr. 29.11.12. Whoſe bleſsing alone maketh rich, Prov. 10.22. and of whom whoſoever are bleſſed they ſhall be bleſſed, Gen: 27.33. whō ſhould they haue in heauen but the Lord to call vpon, Pſal. 73.25. And who can ſhew vs any good vnleſse he lift vp the light of his countenance vpon vs, Pſal. 4.6. King Darius Paraſites made both a flattering and a bloud-ſucking law, (like the Image that Pliny ſpeaketh of, that had both a frowning and a ſmiling lookes) That no man ſhould aske any petition of any God or man for thirty daies, but of him, and this could not bee changed according to the law of the Medes and Perſians which altereth not. Dan. 6.7. But it is an immutable and inviolable law eſtabliſhed in the high Court of heauen, not for thirty daies but from the beginning, till time ſhall be no more, that none of the houſhold of faith ſhould aske any petition either for the bleſſings of heauen aboue, or the earth beneath, or for any ſpirituall bleſſings in Chriſt Ieſus, of any of the ſonnes of men in earth, or the ſonnes of God in heauen (I meane the company of the bleſſed Angells, or the ſpirits of iuſt men made perfect) but only of the LORD our Father and Redeemer whoſe name is everlasting, Iſa. 63 16. Call vpon me in the day of trouble, Pſal. 50.15. & if vpon him; whom ſhould they haue in heauen but him. And it is ſurely ſealed vnto vs with the bond of a double oath, verily, verily, I ſay vnto you, Whatſoeuer yee ſhall aske the Father in my name, not the Father and me in the holy Angells and bleſſed Saints name, he will giue it you, Ioh. 16.23. Here I might reape that which the holy Ghoſt hath ſowed, that this Father of lights, & fountaine of all bleſſings is to be ſought and ſued to in all our neceſſities, but I will only hoc agere, proſecute opus diei in die ſuo, the worke of the day in its right time and keepe my ſelfe within the ſpheare of Marriage not turning either to the right or left hand. In their asking of God a bleſſing on theſe married parties here, they plainely profeſſe marriage to bee of his ordinance and inſtitution. For God as at the beginning, Gen. 1. ſo now bleſſeth only the worke of his owne hand; that which he hath ordained and inſtituted and not any of the workes of darkneſſe, or of Satan the prince of darkneſſe. It ſhould imply a very contradiction, that God ſhould condemne marriage as a worke of the fleſh, in which ſtate men cannot pleaſe him, and yet bleſſe Adam and Eue at the firſt (God bleſſed them and ſaid, increaſe and multiply, Gen. 1.28.) and theſe here, & other married perſons in future times in the Church. Out of his holy mouth cannot proceed bleſſing & curſing of the ſame ſtate of life. Marriage then is his ordinance, and the worke of his hands, and ordained by him non communiter ſed ſingulari modo, not after the common faſhion of his other workes, but after a ſingular manner. For hee did not onely ordaine it in that holy place of Paradiſe, and in that time when Adam ſtood vpright, as hee was created after the image of God in holineſse and righteouſneſſe, but in the inſtitution of it, firſt as it were conſulted about the making of woman, and ordaining of it, It is not good that the man ſhould bee alone, I will make him a helpe meet for him, Gen. 2.18. As before he had deliberated about the making of man, (let vs make man in our Image, after our likeneſse Gen. 1.20.) and did not make him with a words ſpeaking, as hee did the other creatures, therein ſhewing not the infirmity of the workeman, but the excellency and dignity of the worke, according to that of Saint Baſil homil: 10. hexameron, de nullo operum, This word let vs make, is written of none of the workes which God had formerly made, but all things are made by Gods bare word and commandement Learne therefore ô man, how much thou only art esteemed, for God did not thinke it fit to ioyne thy generation to the common commandement of the creatures, as a matter of vulgar price. After this God put his conſultation and decree in execution, in forming the woman with his owne hands, and when hee had formed her, in bringing her to the man, in ioyning them together, in bleſſing them, and publiſhing the law of matrimony, therefore ſhall a man leaue his father and mother and cleaue to his wife and they ſhall be one fleſh Gen. 2.24. in all which tanquam in expreſsis tabulis wee may ſee the finger and ordinance of God. Therefore Theophilact in Epitome divinorum dogmatum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſaith, God hath not only faſhioned the woman, but he alſo ioyned her to the man, according to the law now in practiſe. He brought her to the man, and hee himſelfe was the betrother and giuer of her in wedlocke as alſo he brought a certaine gift to the wedding, his bleſsing. And the man as ſoone as ſhe was brought to him acknowledgeth her ſpiritu prophetico, by the ſpirit of prophecy, to be of Gods forming and ordinance, Adam ſaid, this is now bone of my bone, and fleſh of my fleſh, ſhe ſhall be called woman becauſe ſhe was taken out of man Gen. 2.23. yea after the fall, he had ſo much light ſtill to acknowledge her to be Gods gift, he calleth her the woman that thou gaueſt me Gen. 3.12. And leaſt then it might be thought, that mans ſinne had made void Gods ordinance, God both ſtill kept on foot this his ordinance, even when he denounced to the ſerpent, that the ſeede of the woman ſhould breake his head, and to the woman, in ſorrow ſhalt thou bring forth Children, thy deſire ſhall be to thy husband and he ſhall rule over thee Gen. 3.15.16. (wherevpon Adam calleth his wiues name Eue becauſe ſhe was the mother of all liuing verſ. 20.) & alſo after the flood fully renewed his Charter to Noah and his ſonnes, bleſsing them and ſaying be fruit full, multiply & repleniſh the face of the earth Gen, 9.1. Qui bene eruditi ſunt in fide Catholica, noverunt quod Deus fecerit nuptias, They that are well inſtructed in the Catholike faith, know that God hath ordained marriage Auguſt: tract. 9. in Ioh. Connubium non eſt ex colluvione peccati, ſed ex inſtitutione Dei, Marriage cometh not from the corruption of ſinne, but from the ordinance of God. Fulgen: de ſtatu viduarum ep. 2.

And when this ordinance was much defiled by raſh divorces, marrying of many wiues, & wandring luſts, our Sauiour vpon the Phariſees tempting him about divorces, revoketh and referreth all to the firſt inſtitution, haue ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and ſaid for this cauſe ſhall a man leaue Father and Mother and ſhall cleaue to his wife, and acknowledge that ſtill to be Gods ordinance, and the married parties to be ioyned together by God Mat. 19.4.5.6. And to giue a reall demonſtration hereof after he was baptized in Iordan and inveſted into the office of the Mediator, he vouchſafeth not only his preſence at a wedding, but alſo honoureth it with the firſt miracle that ever hee wrought Ioh. 2. Quomodo non crunt venerabiles nuptiae &c. Epiphan. lib. 2. haer. 67, how ſhall not marriage be honourable and obtaine the kingdome of heaven, when our ſaviour was called to a marriage that he might bleſſe it? For if he had refuſed to goe to a wedding, then he had beene a diſsolver of marriage, but now he cometh to a wedding that he might ſtoppe their mouthes that ſpake againſt the truth. Ipſe rogatus ad nuptias &c. (Aug: in quaeſt. vet. & nov. teſt. quaeſt, 127) Chriſt being intreated diſdained not to goe to a wedding, and not only adorned it with his preſence, but alſo beſtowed that which was wanting to mirth; for it is written, that wine maketh glad the heart of man. And that he might ſhew that he did this according to the will of God his father, hee anſwered the Iewes about divorces, ſaying, that which God hath ioyned together, let no man put aſunder. Marriage then is Gods ordinance, the marriage covenant is Gods covenant Prov. 2.17. it is hee that prepareth & appointeth the wife for the husband, and the husband for the wìfe, Abraham ſaith to his ſervant, the God of Heaven ſhall ſend his Angell before thee, & thou ſhalt take a wife to my ſonne Gen. 24.7. and the ſervant prayeth that the Damſell that giueth him & his Cammels water may be the woman whom God had appointed for Iſaacke ver. 14. And the Angell telleth Tobias of Sarah that ſhould be his wife, ſhee was appointed vnto thee from the beginning Tobit. 6.17. And it is God that knitteth their hearts one to another in loue, It was of the Lord that Sampſon loued and deſired the woman of Timnah Iud. 14.4. Hence then may the tongue of the learned ſpeake a word in ſeaſon, for the ſtopping of thoſe foule mouths that ſhoote out their arrowes even bitter words, either againſt the ſtate of matrimony to diſgrace it as miſerable, or againſt the ordinance it ſelfe to condemne it as ſinfull and abominable. For the firſt we haue a generation in the world, who ſeeme wiſe in their owne eyes, if they can boldly calumniate, and ſmite with the tongue this ſtate and kinde of life as moſt wretched: The old heathens invectiues, fill their mouthes with vaine reaſonings and janglings againſt it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; ſay they with Menander Marriage is the vttermoſt of miſery and with Epicharmus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. there are but two good dayes with a woman, when a man marrieth her and when a man burieth her, and with another Satyriſt, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. every woman is bitterneſſe & ſhe hath but two good times, one in the bed another in the graue, with Ovid Faemina nulla bona est &c. No woman is good, but if a good wife hath happened to any one, I know not how an ill thing is become good, and with Plautus in paen. act. 1. Negotij qui ſibi volet vim comparare, navim & mulierem, haec duo comparato &c. Hee that will get him ſtore of buſineſſe, let him get 〈◊〉 theſe two things, a ſhip and a wife, for no two 〈…〉 more buſineſſe: and with Menander in 〈…〉 13. deipnoſ. cap. 13. In pelagus 〈…〉 , &c. thou throweſt thy ſelfe into 〈…〉 buſineſſe, not the Lybucke or Aegean ſea, where 〈…〉 ſcarce three ſhips are caſt away, but, 〈◊〉 • xorem ſervatur prorſus nemo, no man that marrieth a wife eſcapeth. So whileſt they could not or would not diſtinguiſh betweene the abuſes and faults of the married perſons, and the lawfulneſſe, happineſſe, and commodity of the ſtate it ſelfe, Satan hath beene a lying ſpirit in their impure mouthes, & like mills that cannot grinde but with foule water, they haue poured out floods of exclamations againſt the ſtate it ſelfe.

But as though this were too little, there hath riſen in the Church it ſelfe, a worſe generation of thoſe heretickes that ſpeaking perverſe things, nay lies in hypocriſie, and hauing their conſciences ſeared with an hot iron 1. Tim. 4. haue called good evill, light darkneſſe heere, this ordinance of God, the inſtitution of Sathan, & haue condemned marriage as altogether vnlawfull in any, which the Holy Ghoſt hath commended to be honourable in all Heb. 13.5. I will not ſpend the time in mentioning, nor tire your eares with hearing the names of that rabble of hereticks, that in the primitue Church belched out theſe blaſphemies, that marriage and procreation was of the divell, and that the married perſons were excluded from all hope of heauen or happineſſe to come. Let their memory periſh with their hereſy; and let Gods word be true and every man a lyar. And Antichriſt of Rome (of whom Daniell prophecied that he ſhould not regard the deſire of women, Dan. 11.37. that is, hee ſhould ſimulare caſtitatem vt plurimos decipiat, counterfeit chaſtity that he might deceiue very many, as Hierome vpon that place interpreteth it) with his falſe prophets, that they might commend the ſingle life of their votaries, and compell their Clergy to it, haue ſet their mouthes againſt heauen in vilifying the ordinance it ſelfe. Pope innocent in his third Epiſtle, can find out theſe texts againſt marriage of the Clergy, be ye holy becauſe I am holy, The ſtate of marriage then by this reaſoning is vnholy, and, to the vncleane and vnbeleeuers nothing is cleane, and they that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God, all married perſons then are in the fleſh and vnpleaſing to God. And is it not a wonder that Cardinall Bellarmine himſelfe in this cleare light of learning and the Goſpell, would defend that which the Pope ſpake in the darke time of ignorance, Non male dici poſsit de coniugatis, qui ſunt in carne non poſsunt placere Deo. It may not amiſſe be ſaid of married perſons, they that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God, de ſacram: matr: cap. 5. And c. Nupt. 32. qu. 1. the ſame Pope like an excellent Arithmetician and Divine too reaſoneth thus, The Scripture ſaid of the firſt, 3.4.5. and 6. day when God had finiſhed the worke of every day, & God ſaw that it was good, but it is not ſaid ſo of the ſecond day, ſignifying that the number of two is not good which doth divide from vnion, and figureth the marriage covenant, wherevpon all the creatures that enter the Arke of Noah by two are vncleane: ſee we not what a deepe myſtery he hath found in the number of two againſt marriage, and he reaſoneth there, that if lay men muſt abſtaine from their wiues for a time, that they may giue themſelues to prayer, much more ought Prieſts who muſt pray and ſacrifice daily, abſtaine from ſuch company, which Bellarmine ſecondeth, and ſuppoſeth againe lib. de Cler. c. 18. actus coniugalis hominum reddit totum carnalem et ineptum ad divina, the matrimoniall act maketh a man wholly carnall, and vnfit for divine things, and cap. 19. Matrimonium vehementer, &c. Matrimony vehemently hindreth earneſtneſſe in praying, powerfulneſſe in preaching, and care of the poore. And laſtly to fill vp the meaſure of their iniquity, they ſay, that a Prieſt ſinneth more grievouſly in marrying a wife, then in committing fornication, and keeping a concubine, Coſter Enchirid. and that a Digamus which hath had two wiues ſucceſſiuely, is reiected frō prieſthood, but not a fornicator, becauſe Digamy, is more forbidden then adultery or keeping a concubine Bellar: de cler. cap. I ſay therefore with Michaell the Archangell imperet illis Deui, the Lord rebuke them Iude the 9 verſe, for caſting dung in the face of his ordinance.

But to paſſe on further into the waters of the ſanctuary, we ſhall finde that theſe people and Elders of Bethlehem doe all things well heere, for that they take every good occaſion of prayer, it is well, we ſhould pray without ceaſing 1 Theſ: 5.17. that they call vpon the Lord heere, ſeeking to the fountaine and not digging to them, ciſternes, that can hold no water, it is good and comely, whom ſhould they call vpon but the Lord who is worthy to be praiſed & prayed vnto Pſal: 18.3. that they pray for Boaz and Ruth, the perſons intending to enter into the covenant of God, it is their charity that ſeeketh not her owne alone but the Good of others 1 Cor. 12. as all the members of the myſticall body of the Church haue the ſame care one for another 1 Cor. 12.25. and pray one for another Iam. 5.16. Now the perſons for whom they pray and the bleſſings for which they pray, that they may be bleſſed with, are ſo involved and linked one with another, that they cannot be diſioyned in the handling, theſe bleſſings are ſeverall. 1 For tho woman the Lord make the woman that is come into thine houſe like Rachell and like▪ Leah, which two did build the houſe of Iſraell, wherein wee haue 1. The woman deſcribed by a ſpeciall effect, the woman that is come into thine houſe. 2. The bleſſing it ſelfe both expreſſed, that ſhe may be like Rachell and like Leah, and alſo explained wherein it ſhould conſiſt, which two did build the houſe of Iſraell. The woman here is firſt of all deſcribed vnto vs by a ſpeciall effect and called the woman which is come into thine houſe] The wiues place then is to bee in the houſe with the husband: Iſaak bringeth Rebeckah into the ſame tent with him, when ſhe becommeth his wife, Gen. 24.67. David fetcht Bathſheba into his houſe, when he took her to wife, 2. Sam. 11.27. Nay ſhe is not only to be receaued into the houſe, but alſo into the heart and boſome, ſhe is the wife of the boſome, Deut. 13.6. Set me as a ſeale vpon thyne heart, ſaith the Church to Chriſt, Cant 8.6. And the husband muſt loue the wife, as Chriſt loued the Church, Epheſians 5.25. The ſoule of Ionathan (whoſe loue to Dauid was wonderfull paſsing the loue of women, 2. Sam. 1.26.) was knit with the ſoule of David, and David loued him as his owne ſoule, 1. Sam. 18.1. if this payre of friends had 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , one ſoule in two bodies, how much more is it and ought it to be ſo in the married payre, and if it bee good and pleaſant for bretheren to dwell together, Pſal. 133.1. how much more is it good and pleaſant for them that are no more twaine but one fleſh to dwell together, ſeeing they make but one body, it is monſtrous that vnum corpus ſit in duobus locis, that one body ſhould bee in two places. The wife that was made of the rib of man, and made to bee an helper before him, muſt be collaterall & converſant with him, haue individuam vitae conſuetudinem, an inſeparable ſociety of all hir life with him, which is the very definition of marriage, and agreeable to that Apoſtolique Canon, Let not the wife depart from the husband, 1. Cor. 7.10. with her the husband muſt reioyce, and be raviſhed alwaies with her loue, Prov. 5.18.19. and if they muſt loue together, they muſt liue together, Vbi amor ibi oculus, where the loue goeth there the eye deſireth to be looking ſtill, ſhe is his companion, Mal. 2.17. and ſo muſt cohabite together with him and not breake company, according to that likewiſe yee husbands dwell with them, 1. Pet. 3.7. The harlots feet abide not in the houſe, but ſhe is without and in the ſtreets, Prov. 7.11.12. but the vertuous woman looketh well to the waies of her houſhold, Prov. 31.27. and chaſt women muſt be keepers at home, Tit. 2.5. It is a duty impoſed on married women to guide the houſe, 1. Tim. 5.14. and ſo to bide in the houſe. That which Saint Hieronie ſaid of the Monke out of his Cell, Monachus in oppido piſcis in arido: A Monke in the ſtreet is like a fiſh on the dry land, is true of them, a woman gadding from houſe to houſe, from place to place, is like a fiſh out of the water, his proper element. Plutarch in quaeſt. Rom. qu. 29. relateth that the Romans had a cuſtome not to ſuffer the Bride to goe ouer the threſhold, but to carry her over, & the Boetians, to burne the Axeltree of the Cart before the doore on the marriage day, both which rites were memorandums to them that they muſt be houſekeepers. The Tortoiſe & the Snayle that carry their ſhells vpon their backes, are the Emblems and Hieroglyphicks of a good wife, that muſt carry her houſe vpon her backe. Non ſunt inventa aeque dulcia nomina, &c. (Bernard. ſerm. 7. in Cant.) there are not found names alike ſweet to expreſſe mutually the ſweet affections of the word & the ſoule, as the Bridgroome and the Bride, for they haue all things common, nothing proper, nothing divided from themſelues, there is one inheritance to them both, one houſe, one table, one bed, yea one fleſh.

Heare this then all yee married, both low and high, rich and poore, take heed, O thou woman, that thou be not a follower of Vaſhti king Aſſuerus wife, who refuſed to come into her husbands company at his commandement, Eſt. 1.11.12. nor of the harlot, who forſaketh the guid of hir youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God, Prov. 2.17. And take heed likewiſe, O thou man; that thou forſake not the wife of thy youth, who is thy companion and the wife of thy covenant, Mal. 2.14. Coniunction eſt â Deo divortium & ſeparatio à Diabolo. The ioyning together of man and wife is of God, their ſundring & ſeparating is of the Divell.

Now this clauſe, The woman that commeth into thine houſe] is like the littke cloud that Eliahs ſervant ſaw no bigger then an hand, which yeelded a great raine, 1. King. 18.44. many doctrines might drop from hence as the raine, Deut. 32.2. but I will pitch vpon one neceſſary thing, if it bee the mans houſe (into thy houſe) if he be the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Maſter of the houſe, then ſhe ought to line peaceably with him in his own houſe, it is noted a thing monſtrous and vnnaturall that a mans enimies ſhould bee they of his owne houſe, Mic. 7.6. and much more that a mans capital enimie ſhould be the wife of his own houſe and boſome, if God made men to bee of one minde in an houſe, as our vulgar tranſlation hath it, Pſal. 68.6. much more is it of his ordinance that man and wife ſhould be of one minde in an houſe. Lot would haue nothing done to the Angells (ſtrangers as hee thought) that were come vnder the ſhadowe of his roofe for protection, and much more ſhould the maſter of the houſe be ſafe vnder the ſhadowe of his roofe from the poiſoned darts of his wiues tongue. David aggravateth the ſinne of Rechab and Baanah in murthering Iſhboſheth, in that they did it in his own houſe, wicked men haue ſlaine a righteous perſon in his owne houſe, 2. Sam. 4.11. and it addeth to the impiety when the wife of the houſe becommeth a brawling woman in the houſe of ſociety, as the Hebrew phraſe is, Prov. 21.9 If the man ſhould not be like a Lion to his people, and ſervants in his houſe, Ecclus, 4.30. much leſſe ſhould the wife be like a Lioneſſe to the man in his owne houſe, which is his Caſtle, as wee ſay in our natiue proverbe: The Scripture phraſe ſaith of David, that he ſate in his owne houſe, and the Lord gaue him reſt from his enimies round about, 2. Sam. 7.1. and of Nebuchadnezzar, that he was at reſt in his houſe, Dan. 4.4. The houſe then is the place of reſt, & not to be diſquieted by her that ſhould reſt in the boſome. Every houſe divided againſt it ſelf ſhall not ſtand, Mat. 12.25. eſpecially if the wife bee againſt the husband and the husband againſt the wife, the fall of it wil be as great as the fall of that houſe on which the raine deſcended and the windes blew and beat, Mat. 7.27. And if the man muſt liue ioyfully with his wife all the daies of his life, Eccl. 9.9. ſhe muſt not liue contentiouſly with him, Falices ter & amplius, quos irruptatenet copula, nec vllis divulſus querimoniis, ſuprema citius ſolvit amor die.

It is memorable that Pliny (in a letter to Gemnius, lib. 7.) reporteth of Macenius that he liued with his wife 39 yeares without brawling: And Publ: Rubenius or Rubevis Celer would haue it written on his graue, Cum Caia Ennia vxore, vixit annos 43 menſes octo ſine querela. He liued with Caia Ennia his wife 43 yeares 8 months without any quarrell. And Silvius Paternus on his wiues tombe in the territory of Niſmes, Cum qua vixit annos 33 ſine vlla animi laeſura: with whom he liued 33 yeares without any hurt or breach. I thinke few ſuch inſcriptions can be found, written on tombes in our diſmall and contentious daies. The old heathen when they ſacrificed on the marriage day, threwe away the gaul from the reſt of the ſacrifice, to ſignifie that in wedlocke ſtrife and anger ſhould ever be abſent. Plato de praecept, conjugal. otherwiſe it is not coniugium ſed coniurgium, as one ſaid when he had married a contentious wife, not wedding but chiding or warring, not marrying but jarring. And it was wittily ſpoken by him that ſaid, Non placet miht domus, in qua Gallina cantat, Gallus tacet. I like not the houſe wherein the Hen croweth and the Cocke is ſilent. Abraham Beneſra the Rabbin obſerueth that in the Hebrew names 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is found the name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Iehouah, who is the former of the woman & author of marriage, and that this name temaineth in marriage as long as they loue and liue peaceably (for then the peace of God is with thē) but if they forget piety towards God, and peace one towards another, then Gods name is gone, and there is nothing but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the fire of contention here, and the fire of confuſion hereafter. Quibus conjugium infaelix contigit (Ariſtot in Rhetor.) They that are vnhappily wedded, are depriued of the better halfe of their happineſſe. And there is a French proverbe, Non eſse faeliciter natum, qui non ſit faeliciter maritatus: That he is not happily borne that is not happily wedded. Pineda on Iob obſerueth out of Cyprian, Auſtin, Chryſoſtome, Proſper, & Gaudentius, that the Divell would not deſtroy Iobes wife being a fooliſh, that is, a wicked woman, as he did his children, but left her to vex him the more, Vt novum calamitatis genus inde viro exiſteret, that by her a new kinde of calamity might bee heaped on her husband. The contentions of a wife are a continuall dropping, Prov. 19.13. and 27.15. and it is better to dwell in the corner of the houſe toppe, then with a brawling woman in a wide houſe, Prov. 19.9. and 25.24. both which Solomon repeateth twice for fayling, nay It is better to dwell in the wil dernes then with her, Prov. 21.19. S. Auſtin thought hee could not compare an ill conſcience to any thing better then to a bad wife (and he vſeth the compariſon ſo often that it ſeemeth hee liked it, for wee finde it in Pſal. 33. & 35. & 45.) to a bad wife, both which ſuffer him not to reſt, are with him in cubiculo & cubili, both in his chamber and in his bed, nec fugere nec fugare licet, as Lipſius ſaith, a man can neither fly from them, nor make them fly from him. And Ieſus the ſonne of Sirach, who not only gathered the graue ſentences of wiſe men, but vttered ſome of his owne full of vnderſtanding and wiſdome (in praefat. libri) complaineth moſt pathetically of a contentious wife, I had rather dwell with a Lion and a Dragon, then to keepe houſe with a wicked woman, Ecclus, 25.16. All wickedneſſe is but little to the wickedneſſe of a woman, let the portion of a ſinner fall vpon her, verſ. 19. As the climbing of a ſandy way is to the feet of the aged, ſo is a wife full of words to a quiet man, verſ. 20. a wicked woman abateth the courage, maketh an heavy countenance, and a wounded heart, ver. 23. I ſay then with S. Paul, vnto the married I command, yet not I but the Lord, let not the wife depart from the husband, 1. Cor. 7.10. for ſhe is come into his houſe to be an helper meet for him, let there be no ſtrife betweene them in the houſe, for they are more then bretheren, one fleſh, and one ſoule in two bodies; If they loue peace & would faine ſee good daies, let them liue in peace, and refraine their tongues from ſpeaking of evill one to another. Let there be in her tongue, kindneſſe, meekneſſe, and comfort, Ecclus, 26.23. that ſhee may reioyce her husband, and that he may fulfill the yeares of his life in peace, Ecclus 26.2. And then the God of peace ſhall be with them, and the peace of God which paſſeth all vnderſtanding, ſhall keepe their hearts and mindes through Chriſt Ieſus. Phil. 4.7.

But it is high time that I ſhould goe on forward to the loynes in theſe waters of the ſanctuary, come to the matter it ſelfe prayed for on the behalfe of the woman here, which is both expreſſed, like Rachel and like Leah, & alſo explained wherein it ſhould conſiſt, which two did build the houſe of Iſrael, for nulla ſimilitudo currit quatuor pedibus, no ſimilitude agreeth in all reſpects, but is limited in ſome particulars wherein the proportion lieth. They builded Iſrael then, in that by themſelues, & their two handmaids, giuen to their husbands, they raiſed it from Iacob alone to twelue populous and mighty Tribes, as an houſe from a low foundation is raiſed vp in goodly and▪ lofty ſuperſtructions and buildings of walls, windowes, turrets, and the like. For ſo the holy Ghoſt in the originall tongue is delighted to ſet out the generation of mankind, and procreation of children, by the name and compariſon of building, The ribbe which the Lord God had taken from the man, builded (made) he a woman, Gen. 2.22. with ſpeciall care, art and fit proportion. And ſo where Nathan in 1. Chron. 17.10. ſaith to David, the Lord will build thee an houſe, in 2. Sam. 7.11. where the ſame ſtory is againe mentioned, he ſaith, the Lord will make thee an houſe. So Sarah being barren her ſelfe, and praying Abraham to goe in vnto her maide ſaith, it may be I may be builded by her, that is, obtaine children by her Gen. 16.2. And he that refuſed to marry his brothers wife to raiſe vp vnto his brother a name in Iſraell, is called a man that will not build vp his brothers houſe Deut. 25.9. And ſo God ſaith of that faithfull Prieſt that hee would ſtirre vp vnto himſelfe in Elias place, that he would build vnto him a ſure houſe 1 Sam. 2.35. that is, bleſſe him with a plentifull poſterity ſucceſſiuely without failing. They builded the houſe of Iſraell then, in that by their fruitfulneſſe, they were a notable Seminary of Plants growing vp in the Church and common wealth of Iſraell. And it is all one, as if they had prayed for Ruth in Iſaacks words praying for Iacob, God almighty bleſſe thee, make thee fruitfull, and multiply thee, that thou maiſt be a multitude of people, and giue thee and thy ſeede the bleſsing of Abraham Gen. 28.3.4. They pray then that ſhe may bee bleſſed with fruitfulneſſe, the originall and primary bleſſing of marriage at the beginning, God bleſſed them and ſaid increaſe and multiply, Gen. 1.28. The maine end and ſcope then that perſons entring into this covenant of God, the mariage band muſt aime at, is that they may build Iſrael, that out of their loynes may iſſue ſeed to be profitable mēbers of the church & cōmō wealth. for hinc coebi plantātur & etrra fundatur, out of marriage is heauen filled, & the earth eſtabliſhed. Sarah being barren her ſelfe, deſired iſſue though it were by her maide, that ſo ſhe might in ſome ſort obtaine the end of wedlocke, the marriage bleſſing Gen. 16.2. And faire Rachell being fruit leſſe, thinketh her ſelfe but a dead ſtocke, Giue me Children or elſe I die, will needes haue children though it be but by a deputy Gen. 30.2.3. Rebeckas friends at her ſending away to Iſaacks wife, diſmiſſe her with this ſolemne bleſſing reſpecting the true end of her marriage be thou mother of thouſands of millions Gen. 24.60. And when their bleſſing prevailed not effectually, but after marriage ſhe was barren, Iſaacke intreated the Lord for her, that ſhe might conceaue Gen. 25.21. Hannah Elkanahs wife hauing her wombe ſhut vp by the Lord, with bitterneſſe of ſoule and weeping ſore prayeth vnto the Lord to giue vnto her a man-child for increaſe of the Church and that ſhe may giue him vnto the Lord 1 Sam. 1.11. Tobias in his prayer on the marriage night with his wife ſaith, thou knoweſt Lord that I take not this ſiſter for luſt but vprightly or as the vulgar hath it ſola poſteritatis dilectione, for loue of poſterity onely Tobit, 8.7. & St Paul requiring that the yonger women ſhould marry, beare children 1. Tim. 5.4. maketh the end of marriage to be procreation and bearing of children. It is one of the many bleſſings wherewith Solomon is bleſſed at his marriage, In ſtead of thy Fathers, ſhall be thy children Pſal. 45.16. And it is a grand bleſſing that God powreth out vpon the married man fearing the Lord, that his wife ſhould be as the fruitfull vine, by the ſides of his houſe, his children as the oliue branches round about his table that he ſhould ſee his childrens children Pſul: 128.3.6. God made woman at the firſt, and he, made but one, though he had the reſidue or excellency of ſpirit, and made her the wife of the covenant with one man, that he might ſeeke out a godly ſeede Mal. 2.15. a ſeede that ſhould be members of his Church principally and ſecondarily of the common wealth. Chriſtiani tantum procreandorum, &c. Chriſtians marry wiues only for procreation of Children, whereas others take them for their pleaſures ſake, Inſtin Martyr in Apolog. pro Chriſt. ad Antomn. nuper: And Clemens Alexandrinus lib, 2. paedag. cap. 10. ſaith, Qui matrimonio iuncti ſunt ijs ſcopus eſt, &c. The ſcope and purpoſe of them that are ioyned together in matrimony is the procreation of children, and their end that they may be good children, and a little after there, the married man plants and ſowes for God, for God ſaid increaſe and multiply, whom we muſt obey, and againe in his lib. 2. Stromat: he notably expreſſeth this end of marriage 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Men must marry altogether, both for their country ſake, and for ſucceſsion of children, and the perfection of the world as much as in them lieth. Matrimonium ex hoc appellatum eſt, &c. (ſaith Auguſt. lib. 19. con: fauſt. cap. 26. Matrimony was hence named, becauſe a woman ought to marry for nothing elſe but that ſhe may become a mother, and againe lib. 2. de adulter: coning. ad Pollent: cap. 12. he ſaith propagatio filiorum &c. The propagating of Children is the first naturall and lawfull cauſe of marriage: And Ambroſe cited in the cannon law c. pudor 32. qu. 2. ſaith Pudor eſt faeminis nuptiarum praemia non habere, &c. It is a ſhame to women when they haue not the reward of marriage, who marry only for this end, and the Civill law L. Librorum ſaith, Parentes liberorum procreandorum animo & voto vxores ducunt, Fathers marry wiues with a purpoſe & deſire of procreating children. And Lombard the Mr of the ſentences as fully to this end as the beſt, ſaith lib. 4. Sentent. diſtinct. 30. l. d. Finalis cauſa matrimonij contrahendi, &c. the principall finall cauſe of contracting matrimony is increaſe of children, for for this God ordained marriage amongſt our firſt parents, to whom he ſaid increaſe and multiply.

I ſay then here with the Pſalmiſt Pſal. 50.22. Conſider this ye that forget God, and your duty to God herein: How many are there amongſt vs that in their marrying doe not ſo much as dreame of marrying to build vp Iſraell, to beget a Godly ſeed to the Lord, to be plants growing vp in his church and commonwealth? Nay doe they not rather ſay and wiſh in their hearts, that the wombe of their companion may be ſhut vp, that they may liue at eaſe, and be free from providing for their family and poſterity? doe they not in their ſence cry out, bleſsed are the wombes which never bare, & the paps which never gaue ſucke? Luk: 23.29. Some there are that onely reſpect a faire face and a glorious outſide (noe matter how foule and leaden ſhe bee within) like the ſonne of God in the old world who ſaw the daughters of men that they were faire & tooke them wiues of all which they choſe Gen: 6.2. Theſe remember not what a vaniſhing ſhadow they catch after; For favour is deceitfull and beauty is vaine, but a woman that feareth the Lord ſhe ſhall be praiſed Prou. 31.30. Florem decoris ſinguli carpunt dies Sen: Every day croppeth ſomewhat from the flower of beauty, and againe in Hippol: Anceps forma bonum mortalibus, &c. beauty is an vncertaine benefit that mortall perſons haue, a ſhort gift for a little time. And Greg. Naz. ſaith excellently in his 3. orat: pulchritudo corporis, temporis & morbi ludibrium: beauty of body is the mocke of time and ſickneſſe. And another Poet to the full, vitrea gemmula, fluxa que bullula, candida forma eſt, nix, roſa, ventus fumus & aura nihil, Bern. Banhuſius Epigram: lib. 4. A faire forme is nothing but a iemme of glaſſe, a fading bubble, ſnow, aroſe a dew, a winde, ſmoake, aire, nothing. But all this will ſound beſt to vs out of the mouth of a golden trumpet of the Church, St Chryſoſtome in orat: de pulchrit. & de faemina, vides venuſtam mulierem, fulgidum habentem oculum, when thou ſeeſt a faire woman, that hath a twinkling eye, & a ſmiling face, a looke pleaſant, attractiue and amiable, ſuch as putteth thy heart into an heat and ſetteth on firethy deſire; thinke that that which ſo raviſheth thee, is nought elſe but earth, and that the fire which burneth thee is but dung, and then will thy fury bee aſſwaged. Raiſe vp the skinne of her face, and thou ſhalt ſee all the vileneſſe of that goodly ſhew. Stay not vpon the outward maske, but pierce with the eye of thought into that which is within, and what elſe ſhalt thou ſee there but bones ſinewes and veines? But this is not enough, Remember that beauty changeth, groweth old, and withereth, that the quickneſſe of the eye waxeth dead, that the cheekes grow hollow, that all that faire flower paſseth away. See what is that maketh thee (as it were) a beaſt. It is aſhes, duſt and filth, that burneth thee. For what is the ſubſtance of this beauty that thou ſeeſt but ſnot, ſpittle, corrupt blood, and the iuice of rotten nouriſhment? What cometh there out of the eares, out of the eyes, out of the noſe, out of the mouth? And if theſe evacuations and ordinary defluxions of excrements ſhould ceaſe, & that the breſt, the liver, and braine ſhould leaue to purge themſelues that way, all this goodly ſhew declineth & decayeth, the skinne withereth, and the eyes ſinke into the head.

Some againe only reſpect mony and mucke, marry wiues as Iudas betrayed his maſter with Quantum dabitis Mat. 26. and as the Shechemites receiued circumciſion, onely to get a booty and enrich themſelues, ſhall not their cattell and their ſubſtance and every beaſt of theirs be ours? Gen. 34.23. quaerenda pecunia primum, mony is the marke that they principally ſhoote at, be ſhe vertuous or vitious, wiſe of fooliſh, faire or foule, young or old, equall or vnequall for them, they little regard, ſo ſhe come as Balacks meſſengers did to Balaam, with the reward of divination in her hands Numb. 22. Theſe are not of the minde of him who being asked why he would not marry a richwife anſwered vxori nubere nolo meae: I will not be married to my wife. Inſolens malum eſt vxor dives ſaith Plaut. in Aul. A rich wife is an inſolent miſchiefe, and another ſaith Argentum accepti, dete imperium vendidi. I tooke mony and ſold my rule for her dowry. And in this kinde the tranſgreſſion is doubled, when this firſt and faireſt end of marriage, procreation, is fruſtrated and evacuated by luſt and lucre meeting together, either when an old ſilicernium, being like Bazzillai the Gileadite 2. Sam. 19. muſt yet marry with a young woman, or an old doting dame, muſt haue luſt when ſhe is old (which ſeemed vnnaturall to Sarah Gen. 18.) and be married to a young man in the flower of his youth, let the young parties in this caſe bethink themſelues how farre ſhort they come of the ſonnes of Onan Gen. 23.8. and the old, whether it were not better for them to ſay with Naomi Ruthes mother in law I am too old to haue an hus band (or a wife) for the analogy is all one Ruth. 1.12. & ſhe ſpake it when ſhe was paſt procreation. Cum ſene nupta, ſaith Plautus in Mi. glor. She that is married with an old man, is neither married, nor alaſſe a widdow. The Greeke tongue, by a fine elegancy of ſpeech calleth ſuch wedlocks 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 marriages and no marriages, and Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 2. Paedag. c. 10 to this purpoſe, non coire ad procreationem, &c. Not to come together for procreation, is to wrong nature. Therefore nature to children doth not yet grant any wiues, to old perſons is denieth marriage. Plutarch in his Solon reporteth a memorable ſaying of that Tyrant Dionyſius, when his mother being old and paſt procreation, had deſired him to beſtow her vpon a husband, which was, that he had often by tyranny overthrowne the lawes of the Cittie, but that he could not violate the law of nature by placing her in marriage. Luther in his commentary on Gen. cap. 25. ſpeaking of ſuch vnequall matches ſaith Qui docuit vetulas & dominas &c. to them who marry old women and their miſtreſſes for wealth or glory, God giue the cup of paſsion as Bernard ſpeaketh, becauſe they ſymply, ſeeke wealth and glory not procreation of children, and yet they are not to be reiected for their reverence and glory of marriage. St Auguſtine lib. 9. degen. ad. lit. cap. 3. diſputeth the quaeſtion how this is to be vnderſtood that the woman was made to bee an helper for man and reſolueth probabiliter at leaſt that it was propter ſilios procreandos for procreation of children as it was ſaid to them at the beginning, increaſe and multiply, or if it were not ſo, to what end was ſhe made an helper, if to till the earth with him, there was yet noe buſineſse, that the man ſhould need helpe, and if he did, another male, who would haue beene a better helpe, ſhould haue beene made. And ſo I may ſay of comfort, if he were weary of ſolitarineſſe. For how much more conveniently would two friends dwell together for converſing and conferring, then a man and a woman?

I haue feaſted or rather ſatiated you with full diſhes vpon all the particulars hitherto, I will now but gather vp the fragments on that which remaineth, which is the matter that they pray for on the behalfe of Boaz the man entring into the covenant of matrimony, and doe thou worthily, or (as ſome read it) and that thou maiſt doe worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem, or as it is in the Hebrew, proclaime thy name: in Bethlehem. In which they pray for two things for him: 1. for a noble and notable action to be performed by him, that he may doe worthily vertuouſly and couragiouſly in his place and calling: 2. for an event to follow therevpon, that honour and renowne may follow his good deeds, as the ſhadow doth the body, and be famous or proclaime thy name in Bethlehem. Now Ephratah and Bethlehem diverſified in name are all one in thing, one citty ſo called conjunctim, ioyntly together as Mic. 5.2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thouſands of Iudah, yet out of thee ſhall he come forth vnto mee, that is to be ruler in Iſrael, or diuiſim apart as here doe worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem; for the firſt thing which they pray for him, the action that hee ſhould performe, the Hebrewe phraſe will beare both theſe readings, either, get riches in Ephratah, or doe worthily, vertuouſly, couragiouſly in Ephratah; For ſo in the ſame ſenſe the very ſame phraſe is found of neceſſity, Deut. 8.17. where Moſes ſtraightly forbiddeth that after Gods bringing them into that plentifull land deſcribed theſe verſe. 7.8.9. and that abundance of wealth mentioned verſ. 12.13. they ſhould ſay my power, &c. & ſo all the 17, & 18, verſ. So againe Iob vſeth this phraſe in this ſenſe, chap. 31.25. If I reioyced becauſe my wealth was great, for that it muſt be read ſo, not becauſe my vertue or courage was great, the words following ſhew, and becauſe mine hand hath found or gotten much. And ſo in this phraſe in the ſecond chapter here, v. 1. Boaz himſelfe is called a mighty man of wealth. Againe ſome times this phraſe in the Hebrew tongue muſt bee read doe worthily, vertuouſly, and couragiouſly. So it is better read of Solomons virtuous woman, after all hir good and glorious deeds many daughters haue done vertuouſly, then many daughters haue gotten riches but thou ſurmounteſt them all, Prov. 31.21. though the phraſe in hebrew will beare both ſenſes. So 1. King, 1.52. Where this very phraſe is, it muſt be read, if he will ſhew himſelfe a worthy mā there ſhall not an haire of him fall to the ground, not if he will ſhew himſelfe a rich man. And here againe cap. 3. v. 11. Boaz telleth Ruth in this phraſe, all the city of my people doth knowe that thou art a virtuous woman, not a rich woman, for ſhe was a poore gleaner of corne. Now to come to the Text, I read here rather doe wortihly, vertuouſly, and couragiouſly in Ephratah, then, get wealth in Ephratah: for firſt Boaz had wealth enough already, hee was a mighty man of wealth, cap. 2.1. they need not pray for wealth for him. Secondly the honour & good name which they pray for to him in the laſt clauſe is rather a conſequence and reward of doing worthily and couragiouſly, then of getting wealth & riches. Their prayer then is that he may be ſtrong and couragious to doe according to Gods law, as Ioſhua is commanded, Ioſ. 1.6.7.9. That hee may bee ſtrong and of a good courage to fulfill the statutes and iudgements of the Lord without dread, or diſmaying, as Solomon is exhorted by David his Father, 1. Chr. 22.13. and that he might walke worthy of the Lord vnto all pleaſing Col. 1.10. Eph: 4.1. and that then for a fruit and a good name may attend vpon him and be famous, or proclaime thy name in Bethlehem, much might be ſaid vpon all theſe points and parts, but I muſt conclude and contract: Amongſt the Romans there was none other way to the temple of honour, but through the temple of virtue, & amongſt vs Chriſtians, virtue muſt bee the high way to honour, godlineſſe to obtaine a good name; by faith, which is the ground of wedding, & which worketh by lone, Gal. 5.6. The Elders obtained a good report, Heb: 11.2. and by continuance in well doing glory is to be ſought for, Ro. 2.7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. good deeds giue occaſion of good words, and it was wittily anſwered by Ageſilaus to one that asked him how he might get glory, Si dices optima, facies autem pulcherrima, by ſpeaking good words & doing good deeds. Gloria virtutis comes eſt, vt corporis vmbra, is memorem famam, qui bene fecit habet, ſaith the Poet, Glory attends vertue as the ſhaddowe followeth the body, hee that doth well hath a laſting fame. I knowe that Regium eſt cum benefeceris, male audire, Kings (and all Chriſtians too) muſt looke to be reported ill of, when they haue done well in this world, to paſſe through honour and diſhonour; evill report and good report, 2. Cor. 6.8. to haue all manner of ill ſpeeches ſpoken againſt them falſely for Chriſt and their profeſsion ſake, Luc. 6.22. yea to haue their names caſt out as evill for the ſonne of mans ſake. Luc. 6.22. But as the Hebrewes tooke ioyfully the ſpoiling of their goods knowing that they had a better and an induring ſubstance in heauen, Heb. 10.34. So muſt we be comforted againſt the traducing of our names by miſcreants here on earth, knowing that our names are written in heaven, Luc. 10.20. and that if we overcome Chriſt Ieſus will write vpon vs the name of his God, and the name of the citty of his God, the new Ieruſalem and his owne name, Rev. 3.12.