the preaching of the Gospell Act. 16.14 The kéeper of the prison also where Paul was in bonds beléeued and was baptized with all his houshold at Paules preaching so that both he and all his houshold were saued Act. 16.31 The like did Iustus and Chrispus Act. 18.7.8 that worshipped god all their household to the good example of all godly and christian masters dames Euery particuler master and christian housholder ought often w t Dauid to say and repeate the 101. Psalme For therein is conteined briefly the dutie of all godly masters both towards God their seruaÌ„ts so shall they walke in their house with a perfect heart Psal. 101. A wise master will instruct his seruants family with disretion the gouernance of a prudent man or woman is well ordered As the master is so are his seruants looke what maner of man the good man of the familie is such are all they that dwell with him and like mistres like maid Eccle. 10.1 An vnwise ruler or master destroieth his houshold and seruants but where a wise maÌ„ hath gouernaÌ„ce there y e family prosper Ec. 10.3 Let him that gouerneth or ruleth do it with diligence and wait on his office and calling doing his dutie in the feare of God saith Saint Paule Rom. 12.8 Thou shalt not rule ouer thy seruant or maid cruelly but shalt fearâ— thy God and remember that thou waâ—t a seruant thy selfe Leuit. 25. 43. Deut. 15.15 If thou smite thy seruant or thy maid with a rod and he or she die vnder thy hand presently thou shalt surely bée punished for it but if thy seruant so beaten continue a day or two and then die thou shalt not bée punished by the ciuill magistrate but before God thou art a murtherer for he is thy monie Also if a man smite out his seruants tooth or perish his eye he shall let his seruant goe out frée for his blemish and hurt so God reuengeth crueltie of masters or dames in most little things Exodus 21. 27. If an oxe goare a mans seruant or maid the owner of the oxe shall giue vnto the master thirtie shekels of siluer and the oxe shal be stoned Exod. 21.32 If iniquitie be in thine hand put it farre away and let no wickednes dwell in thy tabernacle that is renouÌ„ce thine owne euill works and sée they offend not God ouer whom thou hast charge then shalt thou lift vp thy face without spot and shalt bée stable and not feare any miserie Iob. 11.14.15 Giue thy hired seruant some rest and ease for they that labour truly are worthie of refreshing Iob. 7.2 Hée that troubleth his owne house shall inherite the winde and like a foole shal become seruant to the wise That is the couetous man that spareth his riches to the hindrance of his family shal be depriued thereof miserably and become poore and néedie yea a slaue to the godly which are the true possessours of the gifts of God Pro. 11.29 For there is a time to spare and a time to spend Eccle. 3.6 doe all things therefore in due order A wise and huswifely woman buildeth her house by taking paine to profit hir familie and doing that which concerneth hir dutie in hir house diligently but the foolish dame destroyeth it with hir ownâ— idle hands Prou. 14.1 As a bird that wandreth from hir nest so is a woman that gaddeth from hir owne house is oft flitting froÌ„ place to place nothing carefull of hir familie Pro. 8.27 Accuse not a seruant vnto his master least hée curse thée speake euill of thée and so hurt thy selfe and offend by accusing him without a cause prou 30.10 Take no héede to euery word that is spoken neither care for theÌ„ nor credite them least thou heare thy seruant curssing therfore thine owne heart knoweth that thou thy selfe also hast oftentimes cursed and spoken euill by other men Ecclesiastes 7.22 Bée not as a Lion in thine owne house neither beat thy seruant for thy fancie destroying thy houshold folkes nor oppresse them that are vnder thée Eccl. 4.30 Whereas thy seruant worketh truly intreate him not euill nor the hyreling that bestoweth himselfe wholy for thée and is faithfull vnto thée Eccl. 7.20 Let thy soule loue a faithfull and discréete seruant and defraud him not of his libertie neither leaue him a poore man as Laban woulde haue done Iacob Eccle. 7.21 Blame nor condemne not thy seruant before thou haue inquired and tried out the fault vnderstand the matter or complaint first and when thou hast made inquisition then reforme thy houshold righteously if Potipher had kept this rule Ioseph had not bin so rashly cast in prison at the wrongfull complaint of his lecherous mistres Eccl. 11.7 Reproue thy seruant least he doe euill and if he haue done it reproue him also that hee doe it no more Tell thy seruant of his fault least he bée ignorant and say I haue not done it so a slander be raised vpon thee and giue no credite to euery worde Giue thy seruant warning I say before thou threaten him and being without anger giâ—e place to the lawe of the most high Eccl. 19.13 c. Take héed of theÌ„ that bée of thine owne houshold for a mans enemies are they of his owne housholde Eccle. 32,22 Mat. 7.6 The yooke and the whip bow downe the hard necke so came thine euill seruant with the whip and correction Set him to worke for that belongeth vnto him if hée bée not obedient put on more heauie letters and binde his féete to a clogge but bée not too excessiue nor punish him not too muche in any wise nor without discretion doe nothing Eccle. 33.23 c. Bee not ashamed ta beate an euill seruant to the blood for so were slaues vsed in olde time Eccl. 42.5 Some masters there bée saith Christ that binde heauie burdens gréeuous to bée borne and lay them on their seruants shoulders but they themselues will not moue them with on finger Matthewe 23. 4. Hée that ruleth let him do it with diligence discretion waite on his office Rom. 12.8 Yée Masters and dames doe yée the same thinges vnto your seruants that are good and right in the sight of God and men putting away threatning and knowe that euen your master also is in heauen neither is there respect of person with him whether hée be bond or frée seruant or master For the cruell master that doth wrong shall receiue for the wrong that hée hath doone Ephe 6.9 Collos. 4. 1. 3.25 A master must bée one that can rule his owne houshold honestly hauing children and seruants vnder obedience with all honestie no fighter no striker nor giuen to wickednesse For if any cannot rule his owne house howe shall hée bée a profitable member in the church of God If there bée any that prouideth not for his owne house and familie and namelie for them that bée of his owne housholde he denieth the faith and is worse then an
of her father whom a litle before hee most wickedly had put to death Yet afterwarde such was his priuie malice to his wiues stocke that this Herode procured the sayde Aristobulus to bee cruelly drowned by Herods seruāts Of whose death when Marimi vnderstoode certaynely shee greatly bewayled his death and coulde in no wise be comforted and from that day forwardes could neuer abide Kiparim her mother in law nor her sister in lawe Salumyth that came of base and seruill blood For Marimy cast in their teeth to their faces that they were not of the seede of Israel but prophane vnholy and of base byrth Notwithstanding Herode loued Marimi as his life wherefore hee woulde neuer displease her as long as shee liued nor say so much to her as why sayest thou so to my mother and sister whiche his hot loue was afterwarde turned to hate for when Herode went after Octauian the Emperor and his maister against whom he had conspired and rebelled with presentes to be reconciled vnto him as hee set forwardes hee called Ioseph his brother in lawe and commaunded him that if Octauian the Emperour put him to death as hee doubted then he shoulde poyson Marimi his wife for sayde Herode it is not seemely for kinges that any meane and base man shoulde marrie with a kinges widowe and sleepe with her vpon a kinges bedde So when Herode was gone on his iourney in the meane while Ioseph her brother in lawe disclosed vnto Marimi all that the king her husbande had commaunded him and how that if it so fortuned him to be put to death by Augustus the Emperour that he shoulde poyson her Wherevpon Marimi conceiued a greater hatred towardes the king her husbande insomuch that when the king was returned in safetie sound and with honour also from Octauian Augustus the Emperour and that all his men and whole housholde reioyced greatly Marimi onely shewed no good countenance of gladnesse no not when the king him selfe tolde howe greatly he was magnified and honoured of Octauian but alwayes shee was sadde Salumith the kings sister perceiuing that Marimi so vexed the king shee tolde him howe Ioseph her husbande had lien with Marimi while he was with Augustus But Herode say what shee could gaue no credite to her wordes knowing that shee enuied Marimi and spake of malice vntill at lengh he asked the cause of Marimi why shee reioyced not as other did when he returned in safetie from Augustus but was euer sadde whiche shewed her to haue some rancor and malice in her heart towardes him Shee aunswered thou hast saide heretofore that thou louedst mee aboue all thine other wiues and concubines yet thou diddest will Ioseph thy sisters husbande to poyson mee When Herode heard this hee was exceedingly abashed that Ioseph had disclosed his secrete and beganne to mistrust with him selfe that which Salumith had before told him that hee had slept with his wife in deede and vpon that had detected that secrete therefore he departed out of his place in a great anger and rage Whereby Salumith perceiued that he detested Marimi and therefore shee accused her further suborning false accusers and forgers of lies to witnesse that Marimi woulde haue poysoned the king whereof shee had diuers presumptions also by her countenaunce Shee added more ouer if thou saith shee to the king let her scape thus shee will speedily destroy thee and bereaue thee of thy kingdome The Lawe giueth this counsell if any man goe about to murder thee preuent him and slay him first with this and such like wordes shee so moued the king that he commaunded to bring Marimi foorth and to be beheaded in the high streete of the citie And as shee was brought foorth vnto the markette place of the Citie all the women of the Citie followed her Alexandra her mother also cursed and rayled at her saying come out thou that hast abhorred thy husband and conspired against thy Lord which she did not of malice but of pollicie to pacifie the kinges wrath against her daughter whom she knewe to be innocent of that fact wrongfully accused as in y e story of Alexandra appeareth But Marimi thus going to execution held her peace looked neither to the right hande nor to the left nor yet feared death any thing knowing that shee was innocent in deede and thought and therefore God woulde render her a good rewarde in the worlde to come Wherefore shee bared her necke without feare and they cut off her head shedding the innocent blood But God made no delay in punishing the same for there fell a sore plague and pestilence in the house of Herode so that his chiefest seruaunts his Noble women and concubines died sore thereof Yea throughout all Iudea raigned the pestilence vehemently which affliction all Israel knewe well inough chaunced vnto them for the blood of Marimi They cryed therefore vnto the Lorde saying wilt thou for the offence of one man deale so cruelly with the whole congregation And the Lorde tooke pitie therefore vppon the Lande and withdrewe the plague from the people at their earnest petitions The king repented him also that hee had so rashly shedde the innocent blood of so deere a wife without cause and loue of her so grew in his heart that he was sicke and at deathes dore for griefe of minde This Marimi had by Herode two sonnes the one called Alexander the other Aristobulus Read more in Alexandra her storie Ioseph fol. 35.40.42.43.44.45 46.56 Miriam was a certayne notable riche woman at Ierusalem of a Noble house her dwelling was beyonde Iordane who when shee perceyued the warres to growe more and more in the tyme of Uaspasian the Emperour and the siege at Ierusalem to be very great sore shee came vp with her neighbours to Ierusalem bringing with her not onely her men seruauntes and women seruauntes and all her whole familie but also her goodes and riches which were very great When the hungar was grieuous at Ierusalem and the sedicious went from house to house to seeke meate they came also to this womans house and tooke away from her by force all that euer shee had left her nothing remayning By this meanes shee was oppressed with verye great hungar so that shee wished her selfe out of the worlde but her time was yet come to die Wherefore that shee might slake her hungar and sustaine her life shee beganne to scrape in the chaffe and dust for beastes dounge but coulde finde none Shee had one sonne and when shee sawe the famine waxe greater and greater vpon her shee layde aside all womanhood and mercie and tooke vpon her an horrible cruelty For when she heard her boy weepe and aske for meate which shee had not to giue him shee sayde vnto him What shall I doe my sonne For the wrath of God hath inuironed the whole citie in euery corner thereof famine raigneth without the citie the sworde killeth vp all within we stand in feare of
with hardened heartes they say why shoulde wee not be like to our fathers in crueltie For our father Abraham when as he had but one only sonne he went to sacrifice him to the Lord whom in deed I doe not reprehend for this fact for why I knowe not the misterie thereof albeit I marueile howe he had no pitie on his sonne I haue heard also of a certayne king of theirs called Gefta who the same day hee went forwardes to the warres made a vowe to God that he would offer a sacrifice if hee shoulde haue good successe in his warres And when hee returned from the warres hee offered to God his onely daughter and so perfourmed his vowe that he had vowed vnto God And hereby I knowe they are men of a stubborne spirite for what so euer it giueth them in their heades to doe that they thinke must needes bee done and they are a noughtie people and most heynous sinners Wherefore except thou wilt deliuer them vnto mee I will giue ouer the warres For I will not be slayne with them without all iudgement When Titus had thus sayde hee battered the wall of Hierusalem with an yron Ramme and cast it downe Then came foorth many of the Nobles of the Saduces vnto him and made peace with him Pheroras wife hauing had a vyall of poyson whiche Antipater bought as hee went to Rome and sent vnto her husbande to keepe for him till his returne In the meane while her husbande Pheroras dyed And when Antipater came home agayne from Rome Pheroras wife and hee fell at variaunce insomuch that shee obiected vnto hym that hee was the cause that her husbande Pheroras was banished the kinges presence the sorrowe whereof was his death On the other side Antipater went about to accuse her sowing discorde betweene her and the king to sturre him agaynst her Hee suborned also a certaine Eunuche or gelded person to goe vnto Herode the king and enfourme him howe that at what time as hee tooke displeasure with Pheroras his brother and banished him his presence Pheroras procured a strong poyson and gaue it to his wife commaunding her to destroy the king therewith The king hearing this was wroth with the Eunuch and sayde I searched for that venome long agoe when it was noysed that my housholde seruauntes woulde haue giuen it mee to drinke but I coulde not finde the thing to bee true Yea I haue been too rashe in such matters For I put my wife Marimi to death without a cause and Alexandra my mother in Lawe with my two children When Antipater hearde that the king credited not the Eunuche hee made suite to the king to sende him to Octauian the seconde tyme for hee was afrayde for the viall that was in Pheroras wiues house Hee had written also with his hande howe that hee sent it intending therewith to poyson the kings sonnes children but hee that prepareth a pitte for other oft times falleth into it him selfe and desiring the king to sende him hee let him goe After this the king commaunded to make searche if the Eunuches woordes were true or no He sent first for Pheroras housholde seruauntes examined them whether euer they coulde perceyue that Pheroras was in minde to hurt him They all sware no. Then the king commaunded to scourge them very sore but they confessed nothing although some dyed vnder their handes in the examination Some he ordered with diuers kindes of tormentes of some hee caused to plucke out all their teethe And as hee had scourged a certaine woman seruaunte whiche had beene verye trustie to Pheroras at length when shee coulde no longer stande for strokes shee cryed out and sayde The holy and blessed God reuenge vs of Rostios the kinges wife which is the cause of this The king hearing these wordes badde let her alone shee will disclose all Then spake shee Antipater made feastes euery foote for thy brother Pheroras and him selfe And as they eat and dranke they deuised howe to poyson thee especially when as Antipater was going to Octauian For they sayde except wee destroy him hee will destroy vs as hee hath done all the children of this house Moreouer hee loueth the children of his sonnes that were put to death whiche growe apace and it is possible hee may alter his minde and make one of them king Antipater also saide to thy brother The king makes as though hee hee were much my friende but I trust him not Hee gaue me sayth hee an hundred pounde weight of golde but all that satisfieth not mee When the king heard this hee told howe he had giuen Antipater this golde secretly The woman sayde moreouer There is yet a vyall of strong poyson in my mistresse house that thy sonne sent out of Egypt With that the king sent straightwayes to Pheroras wife that shee shoulde bring him the vyall of poyson her owne selfe but when shee espied the kinges Eunuches come to fetch her whether shee woulde or no shee gate her vp to the toppe of the house and cast her self down headlong to kill her self because she would not see the king nor abide his torments Yet shee died not thereof Wherevpon the kinges messengers brought her in a horselitter and set her before the king Then shee confessed vnto him howe Antipater his sonne had conspired with Pheroras his brother to kil him with a strōg poyson that hee had bought in Egypt and sent it to Pheroras her husbande to keepe when hee went to Octauian And howe that Pheroras being at the point of death repented him thereof charging that wee shoulde neuer giue that venome to Antipater but powre it out vpon the grounde that the king might not bee poysoned therewith and I did as he badde me cast it out all saue a litle that I kept in the glasse bottome For I euer feared that which is nowe come to passe Then at the kinges commaundement the viall was brought forth before him and there was a litle of the venome left wherefore they gaue better credite to her woordes so the king was content and bad his phisitions heale her and shee recouered Ioseph 55.56.57 Pheroras maide seruaunt that disclosed the treason of Antipater to poyson his father king Herode of her read next before in Pheroras wiues storie and howe shee was handled before shee woulde confesse it c. Ioseph 56.57 Rostios was one of the wiues of Herode king of the Iewes and the mother of Antipater that woulde haue poysoned his father as yee may reade at large before in Pheroras wiues storie Ioseph 56 Salumith was the daughter of one Antipater and Kyparim his wife and sister to Pheroras and Herode which Salumith came but of base blood of her malice and spitefull dealing towardes Marimi reade more at large in the storie of Marimi Ioseph 25.42.43.44 45. Schimeons mother and wife were killed both by the sayde Schimeon the mother first least shee shoulde entreate him for the children and bee sory for their sakes Then his wife came running of her owne accorde and helde her necke downe to the sworde least shee shoulde be constrayned to see her children die and last of all hee slue him selfe as yee may reade more at large in Ioseph fol. 72. There was another woman that was the wife of a cruell Cutte-throate amonge the Iewes called Schimeon who liuing like an outlawe and his wife dwelling in Ierusalem at the last she fled out of the Citie with her men and women seruauntes towardes her husband for feare least she should be slayne for her husbandes cruelties sake if shee should haue tarried at Ierusalem but as she passed by where Iehochanan lay in ambushment for to take her husband her he tooke brought againe to Ierusalem not a little proude of such a pray thinking nowe we shall haue Schimeon at our pleasure seeing we haue his wife our prisoner hee loueth her so entirely that hee will doe for her sake whatsoeuer we will haue him This came to Schimeons eare who had taken at that time many of Iehochanans men and cutte of their right hands sending them so with shame to Ierusalem to their maister Hee sent moreouer Embassadours to Iehochanan willing him to send him his wife in suche sorte that shee might come to him with all that was hers or if he refused to doe it he should be the extreemelier handled for he would take the towne ere it were long and to Iehochanans shame cut of the hands and legges of all them that did inhabite it Iehochanā hearing this was sore afrayde and all they that were with him and therefore they sent him his wife whereupon Schimeon kept him still without the Towne and playde the tyrant without as fast as Iehochanan did within rauishing the Israelites wiues before their faces shedding innocent blood vnmercifully Iosephus 134. Iosephus reporteth that at the siege of Titus and Uespasian against Ierusalem the men souldiers were so scant and destroyed that the women were faine to defend the walles where it chaunced that a greate stone shotte by the Romaines hit a woman with childe with such a violence that it passed through her bodie and carried the child with it by the space of halfe a myle FINIS Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for the assignes of William Seres 1582.
Eccles. 33 18. Be not ashamed to set a good locke where an euill wife is and to locke vp things where manie hands are Eccles. 42 6. Kéepe the doores of thy mouth from hir that lieth in thy bosome Mich. 7 5. That is be not hastie to reueale secrets vnto thy wife least others plowing with thy heifer as the Philistines did with Dalila Samsons wife vnto whom at hir dissembling teares and impudent importunacie he disclosed his riddle reape the fruits of thy wished haruest and so turne thée to wrath and displeasure as it did him Read Iudg. 14. The husband hath power by Gods lawe to approoue or disapprooue breake or disalow of euerie oth bond promise contract or vow that his wife shall make during couerture yea though it be a vow betwéene God and hir of mortification by abstinence to humble hir soule or of anie other bodilie exercises much more anie promise bond or contract made betwéene hir and others and that bicause she is in subiection vnto hir husband and can performe nothing without his consent Neuerthelesse if the husband hearing of his wiues vows and bonds hold his peace and saie nothing against it nor warne not his wife the selfe same daie that he hath first notice of hir vowes so made then his silence shall establish all hir vowes and bonds which she hath made and confirme them to be good both against himselfe and his wife But if at any time after the husband speake against it and breake that vow by shewing himselfe altogither vnwilling and vnpleased therewith then shall it be void and of none effect and he shall beare hir iniquitie and the sinne and offence for the breach thereof shall be imputed to the husband and not to the wife Numb 30. Of anger and frowardnesse GOdlie and zealous anger in the husband towards the wife is lawfull and ought not to be counted frowardnesse in him especiallie when it is to prefer the glorie and worship of God For that is to be angrie and sinne not so was Iacob angrie with Rahel and reprooued hir follie as you may read Gen. 30. in the storie of Rahel So also was Dauid with Michol as you may sée in hir storie 2. Sam. 6. and diuers others But godlinesse doth require that the husband ought not for euerie light occasion or by anie vngodlie meanes to trouble disquiet or vexe his wife nor to take anie mo wiues beside hir For that was a thing hatefull and detestable euen among the heathen as you may read in Labans couenant with Iacob concerning the good vsing and intreating of his two daughters Gen. 31. And Ednas exhortation to Tobie 10 12. For he that troubleth his owne flesh or dealeth frowardlie with his wife is to be reputed a cruell man saith Salomon Prou. 17 11. He that vpbraideth his wife or déere friend especiallie in the presence of other breaketh friendship and the bond of amitie Eccles. 22 verse 20. That man is said to abound in sinne whose angrie mind towards his wife is hot as fire that cannot be quenched till it be consumed as you may read afterward Eccles. 23 16. Loue thy wife as thy selfe For if ye bite and deuoure one another take héed least ye be consumed one of another Gal. 5 14. Beare ye one anothers burden and that with the spirit of méekenesse considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted Gal. 6 1. Husbands loue your wiues be not bitter vnto them Col. 3 19. Ye husbands dwell with your wiues as men of knowledge by neither kéeping them too straight nor giuing them too much libertie but giuing honour vnto them as vnto the weaker vessels in taking care and prouiding for their necessities and in liuing quietlie one with an other euen as they that are heires togither of the grace of life that your praiers be not interrupted For you can not praie well as yée ought when ye are at strife and dissention one with the other 1. Pet. 3 verse 7. Use thy selfe to liue ioifullie and quietlie with thy wife which God hath giuen thée vnder the sunne and whom thou louest all the daies of thy life which is but vanitie For this is thy portion in this life of all thy labour Eccles. 9 8. Thrée things reioice me saith God and by them am I beautified before God and men that is to saie the vnitie of brethren the loue of neighbours and a man and his wife that agrée well togither Eccl. 25. Such husbands as were frowardlie and vnreuerentlie handeled and intreated by their wiues were these Abraham of Sara Iacob of Rebecca Moses of Zipporah Samson of Dalila Tobie of Anna Achab of Iezabel Nabal of Abigael c. As you may read in their seuerall stories Gen. 16 30 18. Iudg. 14 c. Of gelousie THis is the lawe of gelousie when a wife turneth from hir husband and is defiled by another man or when a man is mooued with a gelous mind and is gelous ouer his wife then shall he bring his wife before the Lord vnto the priest and the priest shall doo to hir according to the lawe of gelousie and the man shall be frée from sinne but his wife shall beare hir iniquitie which prooueth that by Gods lawe the man might accuse his wife of incontinencie and not be reprooued therfore although it be not true Read more in wiues dutie Numb 5 11 c. Deut. 22. Gelousie is the rage of a man therefore he will not spare in the daie of vengeance Prou. 33 34. Be not gelous ouer the wife of thy bosome that she shew not some shrewd point and least thou teach hir an euill lesson against thy selfe Eccles. 9 1. Aske no counsell of thy wife touching hir of whom she is gelous Eccles. 37 11. Of loue and hate ALthough children be a great cause of mutuall loue betwéene the husband and the wife bicause they are the gift of God and fruits of mariage yet the husband ought not to despise his wife though she be barren but alwaies to loue cherish and comfort hir with swéet words and doo hir all the good he can after the example of these godlie men Abraham Isaac Iacob Elcana Dauid Iob c. Who most intirelie loued their wiues whether they were barren or fruitfull and when they perceiued them to be at anie time troubled or disquieted deale by gentle spéeches with them and godlie intreatie louinglie comfort and reléeue them patientlie enduring all troubles praieng vnto God hartilie for them to quiet them and to make them fruitfull as you may read in the seuerall stories of Sara Rebecca c. Gen. 24,6 33,2 1. Sam. 1,8 We read of Palthiel that he so intirelie loued Milcha that he went after hir wéeping like a child for griefe that she was caried awaie to hir husband Dauid 2. Sam. 3 16. A man loueth his owne father which hath nourished him and his owne countrie and is ioined with his wife and for the woman he ieopardeth his life and neither remembreth
diuorcement iudiciall and voluntarie separation and for what cause a woman may or ought to be diuorced and for what◠not by Gods worde WHen a man taketh a wife and marrieth hir if so be shée finde no fauour in his eyes because he hath espied some filthinesse in hir then let him write hir a bill of diuorcement and put it in hir hand and sēd hir out of his house whereby God approoueth not that light diuorcement but permitteth it to auoyde further incōuenience mischiefe as appeareth afterward in Math. 5. And when shée is departed out of his house and gone hir way and marrie with an other mā and if the latter husband hate her also write hir a letter of diuorcement and put it in hir hand and send hir away out of his house or if the latter man dye which tooke her to wife then hir first husband may not take hir againe to be his wife after y ◠she is defiled and séeing that by dimitting hir he iudged hir to bée vncleane and polluted For that is abhomination in the sight of y e Lord and thou shalt not cause the land to sinne which God hath geuen thée to inherite Deut. 24.1 c. They say according as it is written Deut. 24.4 before If a mā put away his wife shée goe frō him and become another mās wife shall he returne againe vnto hir shall not that lande be polluted if h◠take such one to wife againe but thou hast playd the harlot with manie louers yet turne againe to me saith the Lord c. Iere. 3.1 It hath béene saide Deut. 24. before whosoeuer shall put away his wife let him geue her a testimoniall of diuorcement but I saie vnto you whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it bee for fornication causeth her to committe adulterie in that hee giueth her leaue to marrie another by the testimoniall And whosoeuer shall marrie hir that is diuorced committeth adulterie Math. 5.31 The Pharasies came and asked Christ if it were lawfull for a man to put away his wife and tempted him and hee aunsweared and saide to them what did Moses Deut. 24. commaunde you And they saide Moses suffered to write a bill of diuorcement and to put hir away then Iesus replied and saide For the hardnesse of your hearte he wrote this precept vnto you but at the beginning of the creation it was not so For in the beginning GOD made them male and female saying for this cause shal man leaue his father and mother cleaue to his wife and they twayne shal be one fleshe so that they are no more twayne but one fleshe Therefore what GOD hath coupled together let not man separate Marke 10. 2 c Againe in the house his Disciples asked him of this matter of diuorce and he saide vnto them whosoeuer shall put away his wife and marriage another committeth adulterie against hir for the secōd is not his wife but his harlot And if a woman put away her husbande and bée married to another shée committeth adulterie against him Mark 10.12 For the second is not her husband The woman is in subiection to the man and bond vnto him by the law vnto him so long as he liueth So that if while the man liueth she take an other man shée shal be called an adulteresse Rom. 7.2.3 Unto the married I commaunde not I but the Lorde let not the wife depart from hir husband But and if shée depart for hatred dissention anger or anie such light occasion let hir remaine vnmarried or bée reconciled vnto hir husband and let not the husband put away his wife But to the remnaunt I speake and not the Lorde if anie brother haue a wife that beléeueth not if shée be content to dwell with him let him not forsake hir and the woman which hath an husband that beleeueth not if he be content to dwell with hir let hir not forsake him For the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the beléeuing wife and the vnbeléeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but nowe are they holy But if the vnbeleeuing depart let him depart a brother or a sister is not in subiection in such things done without cause for God hath called vs in peace For what knowest thou O wife whither thou shalt saue thine husbande Or what knowest thou O man whither thou shalt saue thy wife c. But as God hath distributed to all and called euery one so let him walke for so ordaine I in all churches 1. Cor. 7.10 A woman ought to bée the wife but of one husbande at once and therefore being iustly diuorced from hir first husbande shée ought not to marrie againe for that were to the slander of the Church as appeareth in widowes 1. Tim. 5.9 Thou saith God speaking to priestes shalt not take to wife an whore or one polluted or haue an euill name or are defamed neyther shalt thou marrie a woman diuorced from hir husbande because thou art holy vnto God c. Leuit. 21.7.14 Ezech. 44.22 Euery vowe of hir that is diuorced shall stande in effect with hir because shee is not vnder the authoritie of man Numb 30.10 Sée more in the dutie of husbandes Of Widowes and seconde Marriage SHée that is left alone and to be counted in the number of true widowes in déede trusteth in God and continueth in supplication and prayers night day 1. Timo. 5.5 For so did Anna the prophetesse as ye◠may reade Luke 2.36 and Iudith the wydowe of Manasses Iudith 16. Furthermore if any widowe haue children or nephewes or kinsfolkes that are able to relieue and comfort hir shee ought not to put the Churche to any charge but to seeke comfort at hir childrens or kinsfolkes handes who as nature bindeth them ought to nourishe their mother and to recompence their kindred For that is an honest thing acceptable before God for the children kinsfolke to shew godlinesse and liberalitie towards their owne house and familie 1. Tim. 5.4 Also a widowe sayth Saint Paul ought not to be taken into the number of true widowes in déede vnder threescore yeeres olde and that hath béen the wife but of one husbande and well reported of for good workes and vnlesse shee haue nourished her children and lodged strangers washed the Saintes féete ministred vnto them that are in aduersitie and except shee haue bin continually giuen to euerie good worke For such things are commanded vnto widows that they may bée blamelesse and worthy the name But the younger widowes which begin to waxe wanton against Christ and will marrie to liue in pleasure and delites or which being ydle learne to go about from house to house to prattle like busiebodies and speake things which are not comely Such wanton and ydle widowes I say saith S. Paul are dead being aliue because they are altogether vnprofitable Yea they haue all readie damnation because they haue broken their first faith that is they shall bée punished with
him or hurt the person of Mordecay in this his conceiued malice displeasure taken against Mordecay hee mischieuously deuised to practise the destruction not only of Mordicay but euen of the queene al her people countrimen the Iewes y t were in the laÌ„d of Persia for his sake to y e end indeed he offred y t king a bag of 10. thousand talleÌ„ts which amounteth to a thousaÌ„d thousaÌ„d pounds or more treble the reuenue of the crown of this realm which being of the king yet refused he wtout it obteined secretly of the king through false lying tales diuellish perswasioÌ„s his letters to al the rulâ—rs of euery prouince y t they should roote out destroy al the Iewes both old and young meÌ„ womeÌ„ in one day only as vpon the xiii day of march next following which letters HamaÌ„ in al postâ—aste seÌ„ding down accordingly to euery prouince the rumour therof being spread far neere y â— deuised mischiefe not a little vexed Mordecay al y â— Iews his couÌ„treimeÌ„ in y e laÌ„d then Mordicay in sackcloth fastings great pâ—rplexety first made his prayers vnto almightie God for the safegarde of his people and mouing his people to doe the same often and feruently And then because he would aduertise Ester of this cruel decree and proclamation he came to the kings gate but because he was so cloathed in sackcloath he myght not be suffered to enter into the Courte Yet Esters Maydes Eunuches hearing his piteous outcryes lamentation of goodwill they bare vnto her wente and tolde her how her Cosin mourned in sackcloath with which newes she good woman being grieued at the heart was very heauy and sad and sent Mordecay her cosin better rayment to cloath himselfe withal and willed the messenger to take away his sackcloath from him but he receyued it not neyther would he cast off his attyre Then Ester called Hathach her Eunuch whome the King had appoynted to serue and attend vppon her and commanded him to goe out vnto Mordecay and know the matter cause of his mourning why he weÌ„t so clad in sackcloth who coÌ„ming to Mordecay vnderstanding the whole matter brought with him a copy of the letters procured by Haman against her and her people and delyuered it to queene Ester with this request from her cousin Mordecay y t she would presently vpon the receite therof al other things layde aparte goe to the King and make petition and supplycation before him for her peoples safetye and lyues or else they were al lyke to perishe So Ester hauing nowe knowledge of this deuillish decree at the first durst not satisfie the request of her cosin Mordecay but sent the same messenger Hathach backe againe vnto Mordecay to signifie vnto him that forasmuch as there was a lawe that no man or woman myght presume to goe vnto the King in his priuye chamber vncalled vnder payne of death but onelye he or she vnto whome the King helde out his scepter or golden rodde that therfore shee nowe hauing beene absent the space of thirtie dayes durste not presume to goe vnto the King vncalled for her lyfe but was afrayd of that daunger But when Mordecay receiued this answer from her he being nothing pleased therwith but somwhat moued with her too womanly tymerousnes and feare sent her this word againe by the same messenger saying Remember O queene the daies of thy low estate how thou wâ—s nourished vnder my hand think not with thy self O queene that thou shalt escape though thou bee in the Kinges house nowâ— so hye in his fauour more then all the rest of the Iewes and knowe that if thou hold thy peace at this tyme and dare not speake vnto the king for the life of thy kinsman and people that yet comforte and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of an other place for God will deliuer his though all other worldely meanes fayle them in their most neede but thou O Queene and thy fathers house shall perish Now then sith this Haman which is next vnto the king hath giuen sentence of death agaynst vs call thou therefore vppon the Lorde and goe in vnto the king and speake for vs vnto him and deliuer vs from death for who knoweth whether thou art called of God to come to this glorye and kingdome for to deliuer Gods Churche out of these present daungers Which letter or message when Ester receiued shee therewith being touched to farther remorse sent Mordecay woorde agayne that hee goe and assemble the Iewes to fast and pray publikely for her three dayes and three nightes that God woulde prosper her enterprise as shee and her maides woulde doe and then shee promised him that shee woulde put her life in daunger and goe vnto the king vncalled though it were contrary to the lawe and if I perishe quoth she I perishe yet will I referre the successe to God seeing it is for the glorye of his name and the deliueraunce of his Church So Mordecay departed and did according to all that Hester had commaunded him And Q. Hester also being nowe in great daunger of death resorted vnto the Lord and laying aside all her glorious apparel shee put on the garments of sighing and mourning and in stead of precious oyntments shee scattered ashes and dounge vpon her head Yea all the places of her ioy filled shee with teares and the haires that shee pluckt off And thus hauing greatly humbled her bodye with fasting shee made her lamentable petitions by praier vnto God for her peoples deliuerance as appeareth in the first Lampe page 46. And on the thirde day after that the Iewes had begunne to fast and pray when Ester also had ended her prayers shee layde awaye her mourning garmentes and put on her glorious and royalâ— apparell agayne and decked her selfe goodly after that shee had called vppon God which is the beholder and fauourer of all thinges and tooke two handemaides with her Upon the one shee leaned her selfe as one that was tender and faynt with fasting so long and the other followed her and bare vp the trayne of her vesture And so with a beautifull rose coloured face cheerefull looke and amiable countenaunce but yet with â—n heauie and troubled soule sorowful heart pensiue minde and weake body shee casting off all feare and putting her onely confidence and trust in God boldly went in thorow all the doores of the kings palace till shee came into his priuie chamber and there stoode before the king who sitting in his royall throne shining in all his princely robes of maiestie as one very terrible to beholde at the first lift vp his face and looked fiercely vpoÌ„ Ester the Q. which so daunted her womaÌ„ly courage that it made her presently for feare to fall downe and being very pale and faynt shee leande her selfe vpon the head of her mayde that went with her Neuerthelesse God turned the kinges minde that he became gentle and meeke
be found nor they beyng therein knowen So when Absoloms seruaunces that pursued them came to make search in her house for them to aske her where they were the wife made aunsweare and sayde they be gone ouer the brooke or water of Iordan but they geuing no credite to her wordes made further search for the men and when they saw they coulde not finde them they went their way Who were no sooner gone but the wife went by and by and told Ionathan and his brother thereof Wherevpon they immediatly came foorth of the well and went vnto Dauid And thus God sent these 2. good men succour and reliefe by the meanes of this good wife to Dauids preseruation in his kingdome and his sonne Absoloms vtter destruction as yee may reade at large in the Byble 2. Sam. 17. 18. 19. c. Woman with blooddy issue There was a certaine woman amonge the Iewes whiche was long diseased with a blooddy issue or fluxe of blood euen the space of twelue yeeres and had suffered many medicines and things of many Phisitions insomuch that she spent all her substance that she had vpon Phisitions and it auayled her nothing for she could not be healed of any but became still much woorse and woorse This woman therefore as one vtterly despayring of any humayne helpe when shee hearde that Iesus was come into those partes where she dwelt which was as I take it in Decapolis by y e citie of Gadaris she sayd within her selfe I will surely goe vnto Christ for if I may but touch his cloathes onely I shal be whole So her faith that she had in Christ and not any superstitious opinion that she had to attribute any vertue to his garment mouing and emboldening her she came and crowded in among the great presse and throng of people that were about Iesus and approching as neere Iesus as shee coulde shee assured of the vertue and power of Christ to heale her came behinde him and touched but the hemme of his garment and straight wayes the issue or course of her blood stanched and was dried vp and she felt presently in her bodie that she was healed of the plague with that Iesus immediately knowing in him self that vertue went out of him turned him about and sayd who is it that hath touched my cloathes not I quoth onâ— not I quoth another and when euery man denied that they touched him Peter and his disciples saide vnto him Maister thou seest the multitude thrust and throng thee and tread on thee and doest thou aske vs who hath touched thee yea quoth Iesus some one hath touched me for I perceiue y e vertue is gone out of me and then looked round about to see her that had done it Nowe when the woman sawe that shee was not hid knowing what was done in her she feared came trembling and fel downe before Iesus and told him the whole truth before al the people and for what cause she had touched him and howe she was healed immediatly Then Iesus perceyuing the greate faith of the woman that brought her vnto him sayd mercifully vnto her Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace and bee whole of thy plague And the woman was made whole at that same very houre to the glory of God and her comfort c. Math. 9.20 Mark 5.25 c. Luke 8.41 Diseased woman There was another woman which had a spirite of infirmitie whoÌ„ Sathan had striken with a disease 18. yeeres was bowed together as she whose sâ—owes were shronke together when she heard that Iesus was teaching in the Synagogue on y e Sabboth day she went vnto the temple and stoode before him whom when Iesus saw he hauing pitie vpon her called y e crooked creature vnto him and said woman thou art loosed from thy disease so layd his hands vpon her immediatly she was made straight againe glorified God as all ought y t receiue anye benefite of his mercy Howbeit the ruler of y e Synagogue taking occasion hereby to reproue Christ for healing her on the Sabboth day whiche might haue beene done on y e weeke dayes Iesus perceiuing his hipocrisie answered said vnto him thou hypocrite doth not ech of you on y e Sabboth day lose his oxe or his Asse froÌ„ y e stal leade him to water ought not this daughter of Abraham whom Sathan hath bound so these 18. yeeres be losed from this boÌ„d on y e Saboth day with which his words al his aduersaries being coÌ„founded for shame weÌ„t away but al the people reioyced at y e excellent things good deeds y t were done by him to whoÌ„ therfore be al glory praise for euer Luk. 13.11.12 c. C Cananitesse There was a certaine woman of Canaan a Greeke and a Syrophenisian by nation who had a little daughter that was very sicke and possessed with an vncleane spirit when she heard that Iesus was come into the coasts of Tyrus and Sydon where she dwelt she came to Iesus and fell at his feet crying and saying Haue mercy on me O Lord thou sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a Diuell but he answered her not a worde wherfore she cryed the more earnestly vpoÌ„ him w t which her importunity his disciples being offended they besought Iesus to seÌ„d her away because quoth they she neuer stinteth crying stil after vs. I am not sent quoth Iesus but vnto y e lost sheepe of the house of Israel so the woman continued her crying came worshorshipped him saying Lord helpe me and I beseech thee cast out the diuel out of my daughter And then Christ spake vnto her and sayde let the children among the Iewes to whom the promises were first made first be fed for it is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto whelpes that is to straungers from the house of God for so he spake after the common opinion of the Iewes who tooke straungers for no better then dogges Truth Lord quoth she yet indeed the whelpes eate of the croomes that fall from the children their maâ—sters table Then Iesus perceiuing her faith and humilitie in asking but the poore croomes and not the childrens bread graunted her petition for her faiths sake and not the request of his disciples and sayd vnto her O woman great is thy faith for this saying goe thy way be it to thee as thou desirest the Diuel is gone out of thy â—aughter And her daughter was made whole at that same houre So that when shee was come home to her house she found the Diuel departed and her daughter lying on the bed safe whole to the glory of God her great comfort Mat. 15.22 c. Mar. 7.25 c. Cayphas mayde Cayphas the high priest of y e Iewes had 2. maydens who when y e one saw Peter the Apostle y t followed Christ to see his araignment before her maister
it more greeuously that their mother had so often mocked him so he caused her youÌ„gest sonne to be most cruelly handled put to death then any of his brethreÌ„ And last of all after her sonnes were this all slayne and martyred She also their mother suffered death martyrdome paciently constantly holily dyed in the same opinion and religion for mainteining of the law of God 2. Mach. 7. Ioseph fol. 202. Machabites There were also before these two other women of the Machabites who because they had circumcised their sonnes according to Gods law contrary to the commandement of this cruell tyrant Antiochus were brought forth with the babes haÌ„ging at their breasts and after they had ledde them rounde about the Citie for example to others they were cruelly â—ast downe headlong ouer the walles with their children sucking at their breasts so both mothers and babes perished and were most butcherly slayne martyred for the lawes of their God 1. Mach. â— 63â—2 Mach. 6.10 N Widowe of Nahim In the Citie of Nahim a Towne of Galilie in the tribe of Isachar hard by Tyberias there was a certayne widowe who hauing but one onely sonne left her to comfort her after the death of her husband it pleased God that it fell sicke and dyed And as she was following the corse out of the gates of the Citie to the buriall so it was that Iesus by Gods prouidence came and met her and when the Lorde saw her mourne and take her sonnes death so heauily as she had great cause he had compassion on her and sayde vnto her Woman weepe not and commaunding them that bare the corse to stand stil hee went and touched y e coffin sayde vnto her dead sonne Young man I say vnto thee arise with y t onely word of Christ her dead sonne sate vpright in y â— coffin and began to speake Then Iesus delâ—uered him to his mother to her great comfort and his euerlasting glory Luke 7.11.12.13 P Pathroitesse In Pathros a Citie of Egypt there were certaine superstitious and Idolatrous women of the Iewes who when they heard the Prophete Ieremy from the mouth of the Lord preach vnto them there reproue theÌ„ for their Idolatry with many threatnings of Gods plagues to light vpon them vnlesse they did turne and repent in time These wicked women standing by set light by the threatninges of the Lorde vttered by his Prophet and most impudently answered Ieremias saying The worde that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde we will not heare it of thee But we will doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offeringes vnto her as we haue done both we and our fathers our kings and our Princes in the citie of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem for then had we plenty of victuals and were wel and felt no euill But since we left of to burn incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her we haue had scarcenes of all things and haue been consumed by the sworde by famine And when we burne incense to the Querne of heauen and powred out drinke offerings vnto her did we make hâ—r cakes to make her glad and powre out drinke offeringes vnto her without our husbandes consent as if they shoulde say no wee did it by their sufferance where we may learne howe great daunger it is for the husbands to permitte their wiues to doe anye thing whereof they bee not assured by Gods woorde for if they doe their wiues thereby will take occasion to iustifie their doinges as these supersticious women here did for which folly wickednesse in the wife the husband shal assuredly giue an account before God who wil not onelie punish the women but their husbands also which haue suffered this superstition and errour in their wiues without reprehension Then the Prophet Ieremy perceiuing these Idolatrous women to esteeme religion by their bellie and so greatly to dishonour God by attributing his woorkes to their Idolles and seeyng their extreeme madnesse and impudencie that they were fallen into by declyning froÌ„ GOD to followe their owne fancies euen to iustifie their idolatry and wickednesse in woorshipping the sunne moone and starres against GOD and his Prophetes The Prophete I say spake againe vnto the women and their husbandes gaue them this aunsweare and sayde Heare the woorde of the Lorde yee women thus saieth the Lorde Forasmuch as yee and your wiues haue committed double euill in making wicked vowes in performing the same spoken with your mouthes and fulfilled them with your handes saying We will performe the vowes that we haue vowed to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her Therfore beholde I haue sworne saith the Lord by my great name that my name shall bee no more called vppon by the mouth of any man or woman in Iudah in the land of Egypt as to say the Lorde liueth yea beholde I will watche ouer them for euill and not for good and all the men women children of Iuda y t are in Egypt shal be consumed by y e sword famine til they be vtterly destroyed c. Iere. 44. Also Ier. saieth y t in Babylon there were certaine superstitious Idolatrous women and the menstruous women and they that lay in childbed came and brought giftes to the Idols of siluer gold and wood touched the sacrifices offered to Idolles whiche giftes so offered the Priests gaue vnto their wiues to cloath them and their children and to lay vp to vse at their pleasure but vnto the poore and sicke they gaue nothing Baruc. 6.27.28.29.32 Pharaos daughter Pharaos daughter after that her father the king of Egypt had moste cruelly caused the Hebrewe women to cast their men children into the water to be drowned vpon a tyme went downe to washe her selfe in the same Riuer whereinto their children were throwen and as she walked by the Riuer side she espied an Arke or Cradell of wickar lying among the bulrushes and sent one of her maydes that were there with her to fetch it and draw it out of the water and wheÌ„ they brought it vnto her shee opened it and when shee sawe therein a fayre young babe and a man childe and heard it crie and make pitious mone for the mother and sustenance shee had compassion on it and saide surely this is one of the Hebrues children Then the childs sister Miriam standing a farre off to watche what woulde become of the childe seeing it so taken vp by women ran vnto them and not reuealing vnto them whose childe it was saide to Pharaos daughter shal I goe and call vnto thee a nurse of the Hebrewe women to nurse the childe yea quoth Pharaos daughter goe So the mayde went and called Iochebed hers and the childes mother to whom Pharaos daughter sayde Take this childe away