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
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.
of gelousie and for a remembrance calling the sinne to mind and making it knowne and not purging it And the priest shall bring hir and set hir before the Lord. Then the priest shall take the holie water of purification or sprinkeling in an earthen vessell and of the dust that is in the floore of the tabernacle shall he take and put it into the water After the priest shall set the woman before the Lord and vncouer the womans head and put the offering of the memoriall in hir hands which is the gelousie offering and the priest shall haue bitter and cursed water in his hand to declare that she is accursed and turned to destruction if she be found faultie And the priest shall charge hir by an oth and saie vnto the woman If no man haue lien with thée neither thou hast turned to vncleannesse from thine husband be frée from this bitter and cursed water but if thou hast turned from thine husband and so art defiled and some man haue lien with thée besides thine husband then the priest shall charge the woman with an oth of cursing and saie The Lord make thée to be accursed and detestable for the oth among the people and the Lord cause thy thigh to rot and thy bellie to swell and that this cursed water may go into thy bowels to cause thy bellie to swell and thy thigh to rot both bicause thou hast committed so heinous a fact and forsworne thy selfe in dooing the same And the wife shall answer Amen Amen that is be it so as thou wishest After the priest shall write these curses in a booke and shall blot them out with the bitter water and wash those curses which are written into the water in the vessell and shall cause the woman to drinke the bitter and cursed water and the cursed water turned into bitternesse shall enter into hir Then the priest shall take the gelousie offering out of the womans hand and shall shake the offering before the Lord and offer it vpon the altar And the priest shall take an handfull of the offering for a memoriall thereof and burne it vpon the altar where the incense was offered and afterward make the woman drinke this water So when he hath made hir drinke the water if shée be defiled and haue trespassed against hir husband then shall the cursed water turned into bitternesse enter into hir and hir bellie shall swell and hir thigh shall rot and the woman shall be accursed among hir peoople But if the woman be not defiled but be cleane she shall bée frée and shall conceiue and beare This is the lawe of gelousie when a wife turneth from hir husband and is defiled c. And the man shall be frée from sinne but the woman being found giltie shall beare hir iniquitie so that you sée the man might accuse his wife and not be reprooued by Gods lawe Numb 5 verse 12 c. The woman shall not weare that which perteineth to the man neither shall the man put on womans apparell For all that doo so are abhomination vnto the Lord and alter the order of nature to despite God as it were Deut. 22 5. When two men fight or striue togither if the wife of the one come néere for to rid hir husband out of the hands of him that smiteth him and put foorth hir hand and take him that smiteth hir husband by the priuie members then shalt thou cut off hir hand thine eie shall not spare hir Which lawe of God importeth that godlie shamefastnesse is to be preserued For it is an horrible thing to sée women past shame Deut. 25 verse 11. If a woman that hath an husband either by open vow or solemne promise pronounce ought with hir lips wherwith she bindeth hir selfe to mortifie hir selfe by abstinence or other bodilie exercise if hir husband heare it and hold his peace concerning hir the same daie he heareth it then hir vow shall stand and hir bonds wherewith she hath bound hir selfe shall remaine in effect but if hir husband disalow hir the same daie that he heareth it then shall he make hir vow bond promise and that she hath pronounced with hir lips and bound hir selfe of none effect and the Lord will forgiue hir For she is in subiection of hir husband and can performe nothing without his consent during couerture Read more in the chapter Num. 30 7 c. Unto the maried I command not I but the Lord let not the wife depart from hir husband but and if she depart let hir remaine vnmaried or be reconciled vnto hir husband and let not the husband put awaie his wife saue for whooredome But to the remnant I speake and not the Lord If anie brother haue a wife that beléeueth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not forsake hir And the woman which hath an husband that beléeueth not if he be content to dwell with hir let hir not forsake him For the vnbeléeuing husband is sanctified by the beléeuing wife and the vnbeléeuing wife is sanctified by the beléeuing husband else were your children vncleane but now are they holie But if the vnbeléeuing depart let him depart A brother or a sister is not in subiection in such things but God hath called vs in peace For what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt saue thine husband Or what knowest thou O man whether thou shalt saue thy wife c. 1. Cor. 7 10,11 c. The wife which is in subiection to a man is bound by the lawe of matrimonie to cleaue inseparablie vnto hir husband while he liueth but if he be dead she is deliuered from the lawe of the man and at libertie to marie whom she will in the Lord as ye may read more in diuorcement and second mariages Rom. 7 2. 1. Cor. 7 39. Read more of the wiues dutie c. In Uirginitie Mothers and mistresse dutie Praise and dispraise of women Threatnings against women Widowes Diuorcement and Second mariages Liues and stories of women That the wife ought to be sorie for hir husbands trouble and séeke by counsell and all godlie meanes to comfort him and preuent those euils hanging ouer his head we haue example in the two wiues of Lamech as ye may read in their liues Gen. 4 23. In Michal Esaie 19,11 In Abigael Esaie 25. In Ieroboams wife 1. King 14,2 Yea and in respect of hir husband though to a wicked end in wicked Iâ—zabel 1. King 21,5 2. King 9,30 In Cleopatra Dan. 11,17 And in Pilats wife Matth. 27 19. The dutie of mothers and parents towards their children THE mother ought not to baptise hir owne children For though Zipporah circumcised hir owne sonne as forced so to doo to please God and turne awaie his wrath then conceiued against hir husband Moses whom for neglecting so necessarie a sacrament the Lord had smitten with sicknesse almost to death so that he could not doo it and the Lord euen then required it to be
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
haue reconciled himselfe to his father Isaac y t was displeased with him for marrying so many strange women of the Heathen Cananites coÌ„trarie to gods coÌ„mandement but all in vaine for he tooke not away the cause of y â— euill that is he shoulde â—irst haue put away all his vplandish wiues and then haue married this Mahalath or other woman of his owne kinred so might he easily haue bin reconciled to his father by marrying of this woman Gen. 28,9 There was another woman called Mahalath which was y e daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid one of the first of the xviii wiues that the liceÌ„tious man Roboam Salomons sonne king of Iuda tooke to wife together with her mates Abihail Maalah 2. Chr. 11.18 Mahlah or Malhah Maala Maalon sign as before in Mahalath that is a queere of Musitians strength weaknesse remission c. Shee was the eldest of the fiue daughters and coheires of Zelophehad the sonne of Hephar her sisters names were Noah Heglah Milcha and Tirzah who perceiuing that the house name tribe and familie of Manasses their grandfather was like to decay by reason their father died without issue male if they shoulde haue no portion of his lande and possession to inherite among the other tribes These fiue daughters went all together before Moses to the Tabernacle of the congregation and there in the presence of Eleazar the Priest and Iosua the sonne of Nun and before the Princes and all the assembly spake for them selues and saide Our father dyed in the wildernesse and was not among the assembly of those wicked men that were assembled against the Lorde in the company and rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram but dyed in his sinne according as all men die for as much as they are sinners and had no sonnes but vs his fiue daughters Wherefore that the name of our father bee not taken away from among his familie because hee hath no sonne giue vs a possession among the brethren of our father Then Moses perceiuing their request reasonable and yet hard for him to decide for as yet there had not hapned any such matter brought their cause before the Lord to be iudged and to know what hee should determine thereof as he did hard matters And the Lorde commanded Moses saying The daughters of Zilophehad speake right Thou shalt therefore giue them a possession to inherite emong their fathers brethren and shalt turne the inheritance of their father and suffer it to descende vnto them Also thou shalt make this law of discentes from hencefoorth among the children of Israel that if a man die haue no sonne then shal he turne his inheritance to his daughter And if hee haue no daughter yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren and if he haue no brethren ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his fathers brethren and if his father haue no brethren yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his next kinsman of his family and he shall possesse it And this shal be vnto the children of Israel a law of iudgement or an ordinance finall decree or presidence to all posteritie to iudge by in like case of the discents of inheritance lineall or colateral to issue male or female for euer as I haue commanded thee Num. 26.33 27.1 c. Which lawe of the heritage being thus by God made for Malilah her sisters the daughters of Zolophehad whereby they were entituled to inherite the lot or inheritance of their father in the land of Canaan An order also for their marriage and succession of this their inheritance was afterward made by Moses at the request of the sonnes of Ioseph who perceiuing that other tribes to contend nowe who might marry these daughters to haue their inheritance proposed the matter to Moses saying The Lorde commanded thee my Lorde to giue the lande to inherite by lot to the children of Israel and amongest them thou my Lord wast commanded to giue the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother vnto his daughters but now if they be married to any of the sonnes of the other tribes then shall their inhâ—ritance be takeÌ„ away from our tribe of Manasses our father and bee put or fall vnto the inheritance of the tribes whereof their husbands shal be so shall our fathers inheritance be lost and his tribe decay c. Then Moses perceiuing in deede that the tribe of Manasses could not haue continued if the inheritance which was the maintenance thereof should haue beene abalienated by the marriage of these daughters to other tribes said vnto the ten tribes or the children of Israel thus The tribe of the sonnes of Ioseph haue said well and moued a good doubt This therefore is the thing that the Lorde hath yet further commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehads marriage inheritance They shal be widdowes to whom they think best onely to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry so shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remoue from tribe to tribe for euery one of the children of Israel shall ioyne himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers And euery daughter that possesseth any inheritance for lacke of issue male of the tribe of the children of Israel shal be wife vnto one of the familie of the tribe of her father that the children of Israel may inioy euery man the inheritance of their fathers Neither shall the inheritance goe about from tribe to tribe but euery one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall sticke to his owne inheritance And as the Lorde commanded Moses so did Mahlah and her sisters for they were all married vnto their fathers brothers sonnes and became wiues to certaine of the families of the sonnes of Manasses the sonne of Ioseph so that their inheritance remained in the tribe of the familie of their father Num. 36. After when Moses was dead and Iosua being appointed gouerner came into the land of Canaan and there allotted euery tribe his portion of inheritance This Mahlah or Malhah with her other sisters came againe before Eleazar the Priest and before Iosua and the other princes of the ten tribes to put them in minde of Gods commaundemente and lawe made to Moses before concerning them and their portioÌ„s saying The Lorde commanded Moses to giue vs an inheritance among our brethren of our tribe Therefore according to the commaundement of God Iosua gaue them an inheritaÌ„ce in the land of Canaan among the brethren of their father And there fell to them fiue portioÌ„s and other fiue to the males so they did inherit among their brethren as appeareth Iosua 17.3.4.5 c. Mary Maria Maara or MiryaÌ„ signifieth my lightner or lightning them Lightâ—ing lightned the Citie or starre of the Sea the Ladie of the Sea the Sea of bitternesse a bitter Sea a bitter one reised vp The mirh of the Land the mirhe of the Sea the teacher or mistres of the Sea c. Shee was the
circumcised or cutte away the foreskinne of her sonne and cast it at her husbandes feete and very impaciently saide vnto him thou art indeede a blooddy husbande vnto mee So when the Angel of Gods indignation that would haue killed him was departed from Moses and he recouered of his disease zippora again very angerly vpbrayded him with his negligence and said O blooddy husband and this she said because she was driuen to circumcise her child whom her husband ought to haue done long before Whervpon Moses seeing the great impaciencie of his wife zippora fearing least if she should goe on still with him she would be a great let and hinderance to his vocation which was now most daungerous and troublesome to deliuer Gods people from the tyranny of such a mighty tyrant and oppressour as Pharao was therefore he sent zippora his wife with her 2. sonnes backe againe vnto her father Iethro where she remayned til after the deliuerance of the Israelites through the redde Sea And in the yeere of the world 2515 when she heard what God had done for her husband and for his people she with her two sonnes and her father came vnto her husband Moses into the wildernes by the mount of God called Horeb where the Israelites camped and euer after she remayned with Moses her husband Howbeit not without some grief to Moses kinred for afterward at Hazerotes both Miriam his sister and Aaron his brother murmured and spake against Moses because hee had married zippora that was a woman of Ethiopia but Moses beyng a very meeke man bare with their grudginges although he knew them and loued his wife zippora neuer the lesse And God being angry with Miriam punished her with a grieuons leprosie for murmuring against her brother and sister as yee may reade in her story Exod. 2.16.4.24 18. 2. Num. 12.1 Here follow the liues and stories of other women mentioned in Scripture without name which for the readier finding out are set downe according to the Alphabet of the names of their fathers mothers maisters mistresses husbands diseases cities countries or places where they dwelt c. A Abelitesse THere was a certaine wise woman in the citie called Abel neere to Bethmaachah in the tribe of Nepthalim who perceiuing the citie to be besieged about to be ouerthrowen by Ioab Dauids captayne being ignorant of the cause went her selfe vppon the walles of the city there cried out w t a loude voyce vnto Ioabs host saying Heare heare I pray you desire Ioab your captayne to come hither that I may speake with him So Ioab beeing come she said vnto him art thou Ioab yea quoth he heare thē the words of thine handmaiden said she They spake in the old time saying they should aske of Abel so haue they continued as if she would haue sayd Thou knowest Ioab y t the old custome is not to destroy a citie before peace be offered as appeareth by the law of armes battel Deut. 20.11 I therefore in the name of all the citie speake vnto thee and say I am one of them that are peaceable and faithfull in Israel and thou goest about now to destroy a citie and me a mother in Israel Why wilt thou deuour the inheritance of the Lord Then Ioab hearing his fault so wisely told him by a woman gaue place to reason and telling her the whole matter required onely him that was the Author of the treason and sayd O God forbid God forbidde it me that I shoulde deuour or destroy it The matter is not so but a man of mount Ephraim Sheba the sonne of Bichri by name hath lifted vp his hand rebelled against king Dauid deliuer vs him onely and I will depart from the city If that be the matter quoth shee beholde his head shal be throwen thee ouer the wall and with y t she went vnto al the people so with her wisedome perswaded them all to cutte of the head of Sheba the traitour and cast it ouer the wall to Ioab who straight wayes raysed his siege retyred from the city returned therwith to the king vnto Ierusalem And thus by the wisedome pollicy valiantnes of this worthy wise gentlewomā the city and people were happily preserued frō bloodshed death destructinn to Gods glory the Citizens safety hir perpetual prayse to al posterity 2. Sam. 20.16.17 c. Aduoutresse There was a certaine woman taken in aduoutry brought by the Scribes Pharisies into the Tēple before Christ as he was teaching the people to be condēned or acquited by his iudgement when they had set the woman in the myds they beganne thus to accuse her vnto Christ and sayde Maister this woman was taken in adultry in the very act and deed doing Now Moses in the law Leui. 20.1 commādeth vs y t such should be stoned what sayest thou therfore But Iesus knowing their dissembling and hypocritical heartes that they sayd this but to tempt him that they might haue whereof to accuse him eyther for breaking the law if he did deliuer her or of lightnesse and inconstancy if he did condemne her and not for any zeale of godlinesse or honesty y e they had to see vice and adultery punished stouped downe and with his finger wrote on the ground And when he saw they being very importunate vpon him continued still asking his opinion and iudgement thē Iesus lift vp himselfe said vnto them Let him y t is among you without sinne cast the first stone at her and with that he stouped down again and wrote on the groūd with his finger as before with these words being accused with their owne consciences while Iesus stouped downe the scribes pharisees her accusers both eldest and youngest first and last secretly withdrew thēselues one by one and stole away out of the presence of Christ. So Iesus being left alone and the woman stāding in the myds lift him selfe vp againe and perceiuing no man but the woman left he sayd vnto her woman where are those thine accusers Hath no man condemned thee No man Lord quoth she neyther doe I condemne thee said Christ goe thy way and sinne no more Which Iesus spake not to abolish the law against Adulterie but that for his office as now was not to meddle with such matters but onely to bring sinners to repentance and newnesse of life by beleeuing the truth whiche God geue vs grace to doe Amen Iohn 8.3 c. B Bahumitesse There was a certayne mans wife in Bahurim a citie of the tribe of Beniamin who when Ionathan and his brother Ahimaas Dauids friendes beyng narrowly pursued by Absolom that woulde haue apprehended and killed them fled into her house and there had hid themselues primly in a well that she had in her backside she finding them there and vnderstanding the matter went and threwe a couerlet ouer the welles mouth and therevpon spread a great deale of corne y t the well might not
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
brought to extreeme necessitie and pouertie as he did this poore man and woman before he succoured them to the intent that afterward being helped and restored by him againe they might haue the more ample cause to prayse his mercie When Benhadad king of Aram had besieged Samaria so long vntill the famine was wonderfull great and that an Asses head was soulde for fourescore peeces of siluer to eate for want of victualles and the fourth parte of a kab of Doues dung was soulde for fiue peeces of siluer to burne for lacke of wood Beholde as Iehoram the vngodly king of Israel was going vpon the wals of the Citie to looke vnto his affayres there cryed a certaine woman of the Citie vnto him and said Helpe my Lorde O King whose voyce being heard the king began to waxe angrie and in stead of comfortable wordes he being moued gaue her reprochfull speeches thinking in deede she had called vnto him for that which he had not namely for sustenance and victuals whiche as then was very hard for him to giue because they were all spent sayd vnto her Seeing the Lorde doth not succour thee howe shoulde I helpe thee with corne or wine or any other victual for as thou knowest there is no such thinges left among vs. Then the woman answered my Lorde O king I aske of thee neither victualles nor sustenaunce therefore the king sayd vnto her againe Woman then what ayleth thee and what wouldest thou haue O king quoth shee there is a controuersie betweene mee and another woman one of my neighbours about a bargayne or couenant For wee made this contract or couenant betweene vs that wee woulde eate our children one one day and another another day so I in good faith stoode to my promise and killed my sonne and sodde him and we haue eaten him together but this woman nowe when the day came that we shoulde eate her sonne shee hath craftily conueyed him away and hid him from mee eyther to spare his life for compassion and natural affection or for to satisfie her own hunger and to eate him alone without mee and so shee hath broken her couenant and is departed from her promise whereby I am like to perishe for hunger vnlesse thou O king giue sentence and iudge my But y e king abhorring so vnnaturall wicked a contract or bargaine could in no wise ratifie y e same nor alow therof For what is more horrible theÌ„ to receiue into y e belly again y e childreÌ„ once brought vp to bury their bowels euen in their owne bowels thereby making that their graue which was their nourishment Therefore when the king heard these vnnaturall wordes and cruell contract of the women hee feeling the iudgementes of God fallen vpon him and his people for his wicked life rent his clothes and put on sackcloth in signe of sorrow and lamentation For nowe was the curse of God against the contemners and despisers of his lawe perfourmed which he threatned Leuit. 26. where he sayth Yee shall eate the fleshe of your owne sonnes and the fleshe of your daughters shall ye deuoure Nowe I say was fulfilled that heauie indignation and wrath of God against the idolaters and wicked people foreshewed by God in Deut. 28. where it is sayde that the enemie shal besiege thee in al thy cities vntil thine high stroÌ„g walles fal downe c. And thou shalt eate the fruite of thy body euen the fleshe of thy sonnes and thy daughters which the Lorde thy God hath giuen thee during the siege and streightnesse wherein thine enemie shall inclose thee So that the man that is tender and exceeding dayntie among you shal be grieued at his brother and at his wife that lyeth in his bosome and at the remnant of his children which he hath yet left for feare of giuing vnto any of them of the flesh of his childreÌ„ whom he shal eate because he hath nothing left him in y e siege streightnesse wherew t the enimie shall besiege thee in all thy Cities Yea and the tender and daintie woman among you which neuer woulde venture to set the sole of her foote vpon the grounde for her softnesse and tendernesse shall bee grieued at her husbande that lyeth in her bosome and at her sonne and at her daughter and at her after byrth that shal come out from between her feete and at her children which shee shall beare for when all things lacke shee shall eate them secretly during the siege and streightnesse wherewith thine enemies shall besiege thee in thy cities 2. King 6. Samaritesse In y e same citie of Samaria called SicheÌ„ there was a certayn womaÌ„ ytâ—ame about noone to draw water at Iocobs wel where shee met Iesus sitting all alone vppon the welles mouth to rest him whiles his disciples were gone into the Towne to buy victualles And when shee had drawen her water and filled her pitcher Iesus sayde vnto her woman giue mee drinke Howe is it quoth shee that thou being a Iewe askest drinke of mee which am a woman of Samaria For the Iewes meddle not with the Samaritanes yea they esteeme the Samaritanes as wicked and prophane Then Iesus speaking of him selfe whom his father had sent to conuert this woman among other sayde vnto her if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that sayth to thee Giue me drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and hee woulde haue giuen thee water of life which is the loue of God in his sonne powred into our heartes by the holy Ghost vnto euerlasting life Rom. 5.5 1. Iohn 3.5 Sir quoth the woman thou hast nothing to drawe with and the well is deepe from whence then hast thou that water of life Art thou greater then our father Iacob which gaue vs the well and he himselfe dranke thereof and his children and his cattell Yea saide Iesus whosoeuer drinketh of this water shall thirst againe but whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him that is of the Gospel of Grace shall neuer be more a thyrst dryed vp or destitute For the water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Sir quoth shee giue me of that water that I may not thirst neyther come hither to drawe First go sayd Iesus and call thine husbande and come hither I haue none quoth shee Thou hast well sayde sayd Iesus vnto her I haue no husbande for thou hast had fiue husbandes and hee whom thou nowe hast is not thine husbande that saydest thou truely Then the woman being liuely touched with her faultes where before shee mocked and woulde not heare Christ nowe shee could say Sir I see that thou art a Prophete our fathers worshipped in this mountayn and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship Woman said Iesus beleeue me the houre commeth when yee shall neyther in this mountayne nor at Ierusalem worship the father yee worship that which
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
father nor mother nor countrie He laboureth and trauelleth and giueth and bringeth all home to his wife wherefore a man loueth his owne wife more than father or mother 1. Esdras 20 21,25 A man ought to loue his wife for thrée causes especiall first bicause they lead their liues togither in mutuall societie secondlie for that she is the weaker vessell and therefore to be cherished and borne with but chieflie and lastlie bicause that God hath made them as it were fellowe-heires togither of life euerlasting as you may read before in the 1. Pet. 3. Husbands loue your wiues euen as Christ loued the Church or congregation and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word that hée might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot nor wrinkle or anie such thing but that it should be holie and without blame euen so ought men to loue their wiues as their owne bodies He that loueth his wife loueth himselfe For no man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord dooth the Church For we are members of his bodie and of his flesh and of his bones For this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wife and they twaine shall be one flesh For this is a great mysterie but I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church saith S. Paule Therefore euerie one of you husbands doo ye euen so let euerie one loue his wife euen as himselfe Ephes. 5 25. Neuerthelesse by the parable of the great supper where one refused to come therto being called alledging it for a lawful excuse bicause he had maried a wife it doth appéere that we ought not to loue our wiues more than God For there Christ saith If anie man come to me and hate not father and mother wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he can not be my disciple Matth. 14. Againe he saith Whosoeuer shall forsake house and land wife and child for my name sake he shall receiue an hundred fold more and inherit euerlasting life Matth. 19,29 Where we learne to cast off all naturall affection and desires euen to our déerest friends which drawe vs from comming to Christ and to folowe and obey his will before all things When to abstaine or forbeare to accompanie our wiues BE readie on the third daie and come not at your wiues but sanctifie your bodies and giue your selues to praieer and abstinence that you may at this time of the publishing of the lawe and Sacraments be holie and attend onelie vpon the Lord and his seruice said Moses to the people Exo. 19,15 Thou shalt not go vnto a woman to vncouer hir shame as long as she is put a part for hir disease or whilest she hath hir flowers Leuit. 18 19. Sée more Cap. 20,18.12,2 and 15,24 Where we sée that the husband might not for that time that his wife was either in child-bed or put apart for hir vncleannesse by the old lawe resort vnto hir to lie with hir Abimelech the priest would not giue of the halowed shew-bread of the temple vnto Dauid and his seruants at the first asking but said If the yoong men haue kept themselues at least from women and haue not companied with their wiues and when Dauid answered saieng Certeinlie women haue béene separate from vs these two or thrée daies and the vessels or bodies of the yoong men are holie though the waie were prophane and how much more then shall euerie one bée sanctified this daie in his vessell or shall be more carefull to kéepe his vessell holie when he shall haue eaten of this holie food With this answere of Dauid I saie Abimelech being pleased gaue vnto Dauid and his men of the shew-bread to eate as you may read 1. Sam. 21,4,5 There is a time to loue and a time to hate a time to imbrace and a time to be far from imbracing Eccles. 8 5. Let the husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence that is all duties pertaining to mariage The wife hath not the power of hir owne bodie but the husband and likewise also the husband hath not the power of his owne bodie but the wife Defraud not one another therefore by long abstinence except it be with consent for a time that yée may the better giue your selues to fasting and praier and againe come togither that Sathan tempt you not for your incontinencie but I speake this by permission not by commandement saith the Apostle Paule 1. Cor. 7 5. When and wherefore the husband may lawfullie put awaie his wife and where not see in title diuorce MOses as it may séeme sent his wife Zeppora backe againe vnto hir fathers house for hir impatiencie by the waie or in the iournie that they went least she should be a let to his vocation which then was so dangerous read Exo. 18,2 As the Apostles also who though it were lawfull for them to lead about a wife being a sister that is a faithfull Christian woman as the brethren of the Lord yet it may séeme that in time of persecution and planting of the Gospell they forsooke their wiues and left them with their friends as Moses did 1. Chron. 9 5. It was lawfull for the Israelites that had maried strange wiues to put them awaie euerie man his wife bicause it was to auoid Gods plagues that therefore were hanging ouer their heads bicause they contrarie to his commandements had maried strange idolatrous heathen women as you may read in 1. Esdr. 9. Neh. 9. He that putteth awaie a good woman putteth awaie a good thing but he that kéepeth an harlot is a foole and vnwise Prou. 18 22. Depart not from a wise discréet and godlie woman that is fallen vnto thée for thy portion in the feare of the Lord. For hir grace and gift of hir honestie is aboue gold If thou haue a wife after thy mind forsake hir not but commit not thy selfe to the hatefull woman Eccles. 7 19,26 Giue the water no passage nor a wicked woman hir will and if she walke not in thine obedience cut hir off then from thy flesh Giue hir a bill of diuorcement and forsake hir that she doo not alwaie abuse thée For it is better to dwell with a lion and a dragon than to kéepe house with a wicked wife Eccles. 25. So did Ashuerus put awaie Uasti his wife bicause she was disobedient to his commandement as appeareth in the storie of Quéene Hester 1. If thou hate thy wife put hir awaie saith the Lord God of Israel not that he doth alow diuorcement but of the two faults he sheweth which is the lesse as you may read more at large described Mal. 2 16. Ioseph being a wise man and one that feared God when he perceiued his espoused wife the virgin Marie great with child before they came togither he suspected that she had committed fornication