St. Pauls Threefold Cord VVherewith are severally combined the mutuall OEconomicall Duties Betwixt Husband Wife Parent Childe Master Servant By DANIEL TOVTEVILLE Pr. to the Charterhouse Si post fata venit gloria non propero LONDON Printed by Anne Griffin for Henry Seile and are to bee sold at his Shop at the Tygers-Head in S. Pauls Church-yard 1635. DEO OPT. MAX. ET Vniversis Anglorum Laribus The Ground of the first Booke Wives submit your selves tâ— your owne Husbands as iâ— is fit in the Lord. Col. 3.18 TOM 1. LIB 1. The duty of the Wife towards her Husband PRivate Families are the Seminaries Nurseries both of Church Common-weale for out of these must spring a seed for the propagation of the one and againe it must be so formed by godly education that it may prove a holy seede for the amplification of the other Now because in every family there is as the Philosopher hath very well observed a threefold combination Pol. i. c. 3 One betwixt the Husband and the Wife a second betwixt the Parent and the Child a third and last betwixt the Master and the Servant that nothing may happen to be disjoynted and out of frame in any following the method of St. Paul Col. 3.18 We will prescribe directions here for all and first begin with the nuptiall Bond as being the first For Adam was a husband before he was a father Secondly because from these the rest receive impression And as in a Watch if the spring be out of frame the wheeles can never goe or if they move not one an other the hammer cannot strike so where there is not a fit correspondency betwixt man and wife the rest of the family cannot but miscarry in their Motions Againe it is a thing worthy to be observed that howsoever in this yoke the husband be the more honourable of the twaine the Apostle yet requireth the duty of the wife and for this we may render a twofold reason 1. Because the tender of subjection comes from us with more difficulty than that of our affections To love is thought a pleasant and delightfull thing but to be subject to an others will is usually counted hatefull and detrected as a burden 2. Because the love of the husband depends for the most part upon the due subjection of the wife For if she vouchsafe him the one he shall be barbarous and brutish if he shall not returne her the other the wife is the person then with whom we must begin The duty whereunto she is exhorted is subjection The persons to whom this duty is to be tendred are their own husbands The motive that should induce them willingly to tender it It is comely The manner or limitation of the render it must be onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord. As touching the first Wives If women will but consider the manner and end of their creation they may be the more easily brought to what is heere required For as concerning the manner The woman was not made of earth as Adam was And why Nunquid deerat lutum figulo ut necesse erat pulsare latus Adami Did the Potter sayth St. Gregory want Clay that he was driven to knocke at Adams side Surely no but he would take woman out of man not out of earth that the priority and dignity of man might thereby bee established And this is the Apostles reason 1 Tim. 1.13 Adam was first formed and then Eve and in 1 Cor. 11.8 The man is not of the Woman but the Woman of the Man Againe in respect of the end She was created for mans sake For though God had made him Lord of the whole earth and given him all the creatures for his use he found not yet amongst them all a helpe meete for himselfe and therefore desired a supply He found helpers amongâ—t them but they were mute without conference brutish without reason all looking downewards But man was in honour Psal 49.20 The horse served him to ride the Asse to carry his burden These were yet no meete helpers Fuit in Adamo appetitus socii et similitudinis There was in Adam a desire of his like he would have had a companion with whom he might have discoursed of the love and prayses of his Maker but such a one found hee not Some of the Beasts drew neere to hm in reason as the Fox but none in this Cicero lib. 1. de Legib. et 1. Tuâ—ouquaest Totum hominis scientia Dei Man alone is capable of Religion So that a fit helpe for comfort conference cohabitation procreation equality he had none Every Bird had his mate Esay 34.16 There was Equus and Equa All had what man wanted God therefore out of man for man made a fit helpe Wives The word is indefinite and exempteth none The yonger women and the elder the rich and poore the noble and base are alike made liable to the performance of this duty T is not onely Ruth that must be serviceable to her Booz but even Vashti though a mighty Empresse must know her Lord. Yea though there were never so great a disproportion betwixt them in state and in condition as say the wife were a Princesse the husband but a pesant she must be yet in conjugall respects as a hand-mayd unto him he must not be as a servant unto her The dutifull respect which the glorious Virgin exhibited to Ioseph is observed in Luke 2.48 by the couching of her words in that shee sayth Thy Father and I not I and my father Ego et Rex meus I and my King is unsupportable in the Politicke and no lesse is I and my husband in the Oeconomickes It was Assuerus his edict and it is likewise Gods decree that all women great and small shall give their husbands honour For the husband is the wives head Eph. 5.24 even as Christ is the head of the Church As the Church therefore is subject unto Christ so every wife must be to her husband 1. The subjection of one Creature to an other in generall is nothing else if we consider it with relation unto God but a divine disposing and subordinating of things lesse perfect to such as are more perfect that by this subjection they may receive what they want and be forever guided and preserved in their course Or if wee take it with respect to the creature which is made subject It is inwardly a chearefull inclination outwardly a ready application of the same to that whereunto the wisedome of God himselfe hath ordained and appoynted it And this subjection is so necessary that without it the world could not long subsist yea nature herselfe would suddenly be dissolved Things sublunary and terrestriall are all subject to the power and influence of celesticall bodies and being in their owne nature defective and ignoble they must from them receive their due perfection It is the earths subjecting of her selfe unto the Sunne which first begets her fruites and
Auricula Aug. if she desire that her words should carry with them any weight credit or authority His hand and seale must be to all her actions A river so long as the course thereof is guided by the bankes runneth pleasantly and with delight but when once it disdaines those bounds and out of a swelling pride will have a larger liberty it hurteth others and defiâ—es it selfe Rosewater in a glasse is cleare and sweet but being let out it gathereth filth and loseth both the colour and the sent Mans experience is womans best eye-sight and she that rejecteth it is like a seeled Dove soares hie for a while but at length comes tumbling downe and lights in a puddle Wives therefore bee subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to your owne husbands In that hee saith to hubands he excludeth fornicators and in that he saith to your owne husbands he barres adulterers Some count no yoke heavy but that which in duty they are bound to beare Si iubeat coniux durum est conscendere navem Tunc sentina grauis tunc summus vertitur aer Quae moechum sequitur stom acho valet T is a hard taske for her by shipp to goe When her good-man commands it should be so The Pumpe smels ill the ayre is overcast But shee that doth to her Adulterer hast Is sound of stomach Like the Lamprie they hasten to the hissing of the Viper they make what speed they can to the call of their Lovers let these impose what taske they will it shall bee readily undergone but if their husbands command it shall be done at leasure Some one occasion or other shall still prorogue the performance All their indeavours are to endeere themselves to these But let such listen to what the Lord saith Though thou cloth thy selfe with scarlet Es 4.30 though thou decke thy selfe with ornaments of gold though thou paint thy face with colours yet shalt thou trimme thy selfe in vaine for in the end thy Lovers shall abhorre thee and seeke thy life And then shalt thou say with that harlot in Hos 2.7 I will goe and returne to my husband for at that time was I better than now This must bee the finall Rendez-vous after all her straglings That which Martiall prophesies of Dento in the Epigramme will truely bee accomplished in her Lib. 5. ep 45 Quid factum est rogo quid repente factum Ad coenam miâ—i Dento quod vocanti Quis credat quater ausus es negare Sed nec respicis fugis sequentem Quem thermis modo quaerere theatris Et conclavibus omnibus solebas Sic est captus es unctiore coena Et maior rapuit canem culina Iam te sed cito cognitum relictum Cum fastidierit propina dives Antiquae venies ad ossa coenae Good Dento tell mee what hath hapned late What hath befalne thy person or thy State That when Ibid thee home to supp with mee My suite wh'ould thinke it should reiected bee Foure severall times and which is yet more strange Thou doest not deigne one word with me to change Nay when I follow thee thou runn'st away And flyest from mee whom but the other day Thy custome was with diligence to seeke At Baths at Playes in every nooke and creeke Surely the reason 's this Some daintier fare Doth hinder thy accustomed repaire A larger Kitchin doth the Curre detaine And makes my invitations all in vaine But loe thy richer Ordinarie shall Quickly finde out thy manners and withall Leave thee and then thou shalt entreat with groanes To gnaw a fresh on thy forsaken Bones To prevent which and all other the like inconveniences Let Wives bee subiect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their owne husbands And thus having spoken of the persons to whom this duty must bee tendered wee will now touch at the Manner how it must be tendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word in the Originall is diversly translated 1. As ye ought Vâ—oportet And so it is a Reason drawne from Gods institution Yee must doe it Vt convenit 2. As is meet What availeth it the body to have all the Members if the head bee gone The Spokes of a Wheele must be all united into one Nave or it will never serve for motion Who would not looke to have the world confounded when he should see the Moone in a higher Orbe than the Sunne GOD hath disposed all things to the best this being therefore his ordinance it is meet that Wives should bee subiect to their owne husbands 3. Vt decet Vt decet as it is comely There are 3. things saith Salomon Pro. 30.29 that order well their going yea foure are comely in thâ—ir going A Lion which is stâ—ong among beasts turneth not at the sight of any a lustie Grey-hound and a Goate and a King against whom there is no riâ—ing up To these I may add for a fift a woman that is subject to her husband For beautie is vanitie and favour is deceitfull but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall bee praysed And thus much concerning the Manner how this Duty must be tendered the limitation followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Lord. In the Lord .i. not absolutely or promiscuously but so farre forth as faithfull and Christian women may lawfully doe it Sic placeat uxor voluntati Coniugis saith S. Greg. Vt non displiceat voluntati Conditoris She must not so please her Mate as to displease her Maker If the husband will have the wife at any time to doe that which is ill S. Peter doth furnish her with an answer Act. 5.29 We ought to obey God rather than Men. And thus having treated of the wives duty towards her husband we will now speake of the Husbands towards the wife in which though I shall not peradventure enlarge my selfe so farre as in the former that shall bee no occasion yet of exception For what it wants in the Bulke shall bee found peradventure in the Ballance The Ground of the second Booke Husbands love your Wives and bee not bitter against them LIB II. The Husbands duty towards the Wife THE Apostle sets it out 1. By way of Affirmation Husbands love 2. By way of Negation Be not bitter As touching the former The word love hath relation there not onely to the inward Affect but likewise to the outward Effect as may be easily collected out of Ephesians 5.25 Where the love of Christ towards his Church is propounded as a patterne for imitation unto Husbands Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other So that the first thing here required in the Husband is an Affect of love The Fathers observe out of Deu. 33.9 That Levi regarded not his Father nor his mother hee knew not his Dutie either upwards or downwards to Children or to parents it was not
advise or to a Chirurgion for recovery And surely as unwilling would hee bee to discover his wives defects did he but consider that shee is his owne flesh and whatsoever dirt hee casteth in her face it doth defile his owne And thus having past the affirmative part of this duty Husbands love your wives we will now come to the negative Bee not bitter unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is metaphoricall and taken from unsavory meates which vexe the palate and oppresse the stomacke the Apostle useth it to shew that a husbands conversation towards his wife should bee full of sweetnesse and farre from all austerity and severenesse St. Ambrose writes of the Viper Hexam l. 5. cap. 7. that as soone as hee spies the Lamprie after whose kinde embraces hee is infinitely fyred approaching towards him he doth immediately disgorge himselfe of all his venome that nothing may impeach the pleasure and delight which each of them expect by their encounter And would have husbands the like affected towards their wives Doth she provoke thee unto love saith hee answere her kinde endeavours and though thy nature be harshe and stubborne let the contemplation yet of that honourable state in which thou art linkt unto her uncurbe thy angry countenance and set a milde aspect upon thy brow Vipera venenum suum fundit tu non poteris duritiam mentis deponere Shall the serpent lay by his poyson and wilt not thou unburden thy selfe of thy perversenesse God made her for a meet helpe Auxiliator in opportunitatibus est Deus The Lord is a refuge in due time The Iewes say there is a helpe à Capite Psal 9.9 Dan. 10.13 and so the Angels helpe us from above an other à Pede so every Beast of the field and every Fish in the sea and every Foule in the ayre are at our command and helpe one to defend us an other to clothe us a third to carry us But this helpe is à Iatere No Angell his place was too high No beast theirs was too low but a helpe from the side of man neyther higher nor lower than himselfe A meete helpe Meete in regard of sex The Heavens send downe their influence and the earth receiveth it The Sunne by his heate cherisheth the Plants and the Moone like a Mother suckleth them with her moysture Man might have helped man in labour and conference but the woman hath a wombe and breasts and is a meete helpe for the conceiving and conserving of children By this helpe he may be furnished with such as shall be able to helpe him both in peace and warre and underprop him in his weaker age like pillars of Brasse against all paines and perils whatsoever Againe shee is a meete helpe in respect of oeconomicall imployments Man goeth abroad about his affaires the woman stayes at home and orders the houshold She overlookes it with a carefull eye and will not eate the bread of idlenesse her children rise up and call her blessed and her husband shall also have occasion to praise her For as a quiet port is to a weather-beaten ship even such is she to him when he returneth being tyred with his toyle Like a kinde Rebeccah shee provides him pleasant meate such as he loveth Gen. 27.9 The odoriferous Mandrakes grow within her garden together with all sweet things and with the Spouse she reserveth them onely for his refreshment Cant 7. ult Whatsoever therefore his naturall condition bee it behooveth him so to temper it that as the Sunne doth by the Moone he may never approach her but with an intent to make her still more lightsome in her countenance De praeceptis conjugal The very heathen according to Plutarchs relation were wont in all their sacrifices unto nuptiall Iuno to take the gall from out the creature and to cast it behind the Altar intimaring that in wedlocke there should bee no bitternesse The sharpenesse of a husband should be like that of wine profitable and pleasing not like that of Aloes loathsome and unsavory to the stomacke 'T was Platoes counsell to Xenocrates a man of a severe and sowre composition but otherwise endowed with many vertues that hee should sacrifice unto the graces And it is my advise to all such husbands as are of the like nature to doe the like Raine when it descends from Heaven like a gentle dew doth sweeten all things that it fals upon but when it commeth with stormy violence it causeth inundatitions which beare downe all that standeth in their way The clouds of discontent which happen betwixt man and wife like those of Aprill should no sooner grow but presently dissolve into fruitfull shewrs which should produce in eythers bosome farre sweeter Roses and more fragrant Violets than ever grew in them before But this can never bee where bitternesse doth rayse the vapour It is a fiery exhalation which finding it selfe on every side environed with a coldnesse of affection breakes forth at length into lightning and thunder to the finall dissolution of the whole house Let husbands therefore love their wives and not bee bitter unto them But for our better proceeding in this point wee will consider First what this bitternesse is Secondly How it must be avoyded Thirdly and lastly the reasons why As concerning the first 1. It is eyther inward or outward Inward bitternesse consisteth in the affections and shewes it selfe when the husband upon every triviall errour and slight offence committed by his wife is presently so exasperated against her that thereupon hee begins eyther absolutely to hate her or at least to love her in a remisse and carelesse manner And being thus affected though hee neyther doe or say unto her any thing that is ill hee takes away yet by his lowring lookes the sweetnesse of the nuptiall life and wounds with griefe and discontent the heart of her that should be unto him as the loving Hind as the pleasant Roe The second is outward and consisteth eyther in bitter words or bitter deeds As touching the former The tongue saith St. Iames is a world of wickednesse The rider commands his horse as he pleaseth with a little bit The Pilot turnes his ship with a small rudder The Lyon and the Tiger may be tamed but the tongue can no man checke T is an unruly evill and full of deadly poyson It fyreth the whole course of nature and is it selfe set on fire of hell Facile volat sayth one et ideo facile violat T is swift of wing and therefore swift to wound Eliphaz cals it a scourge Iob 5.21 Psal 57.4 David a sharpe sword T was with this that satan gave such a blow to Adam even in the state of innocency that both himselfe and his posterity were quite confounded with the wound T was with this that he made in a manner the whole Host of Israel to fall as they marched thorow the wildernesse In a word 't was with this that hee
of the second TOME Fathers provoke not your Children to anger least they be discouraged TOM II. LIB II. The duty of parents to their children THE Apostle still carries the scales in an even hand and as in the first combination belonging to the constitution of a family having principled the wife he came to direct the husband that neyther might bee defâ—ctive in the p rformance of such offices as by vertue of the nuptiall tie were mutually to passe from one to the other So here in the second which is betwixt the parent and the child he doth the like Fathers saith he provoke not your children least they be discouraged In the words we may observe two things First A prohibition Fathers provoke not your Children Secondly the cause of this prohibition least they be discouraged In the former we may consider First the persons to whom the prohibition is directed Fathers Secondly the act prohibited Provocation Thirdly the persons in whose behalfe it is prohibited Children Fathers As touching the first It may be demanded why the Apostle doth here make mention of Fathers onely not retaining the word Parents which hee had used before in exacting the obedience of children considering that fathâ—rs and mothers both are comprehended under it I answer that children are usually deficient in the tender of this duty towards their mothers 'T was necessary therefore in prescribing of the same that mothers should equally be included But very seldome or never is the tendernesse of their affections so farre exasperated against the fruite of their wombe as to looke upon it with an austere and sowre eye 'T was sufficient therefore here that fathers onely should be named as principally lyable to this Interdiction The offence of a mother is to bee more cockering than cruell Moses his wife Exod. 4.25 cal'd him a bloudy husband because he put her childe to paine though in a way which God had commanded And therefore Fathers provoke Fathers The very name implies an Argument For when he saith Fathers provoke not 'T is no other than if hee should have sayd Forbeare the doing of that which so ill beseemes the person and ought to be so farre removed from the practice of a father 'T is a title which sounds not any thing but mildnesse The Poet therefore speaking of one in whom this vertue was exceeding eminent sayth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was as milde and loving as a father And doe we not see that the very creatures are instructed by nature to be kinde and courteous towards their young Plutarch writes of the male Partridg that hee shares with the female in hatching of her egges and is the first when they come out of the shell that brings them meate The Beare and the Woolfe for want of hands wherewith with to stroke their whelps are still licking them with their tongues Yea the Dragons how pernicious so ever unto others looke smilingly upon their owne And shall we that are indued with reason bee froward and perverse to those of our owne loynes Omnes honesti mores in bestiis congregantur in homine Man is an universall Pandect and in him are congregated what ever vertues are in all the creatures Ishmael was a gibing bratte Esau a surly child and Absalom a trayterous sonne Abraham was yet loving to the one Isaac tender over the other and David most affectionate towards the third witnesse the care he had to preserve him while he lived and the lamentation which he made for him being dead In a word then having such a precept together with such pâ—eâ—edents Fathers provoke not your children And thus from the persons to whom this prohibition is directed I come to the act prohibited and that is Provocation The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies to provoke to anger which may happen many waies to children from their fathers by abuse of their paternall power as first by words and secondly by deeds By words three manner of waies First by burdening them with precepts eyther unlawfull or unmeete unlawfull 1 Sam. 20.31 as Saul when he commanded Ionathâ—n his sonne to fetch David his innocent and harmelesse friend unto him that hee might deprive him of his life And likewise when Herodias enjoyn'd her daughter to aske of Herod who had promised with an oath to give her whatsoever shee demanded the head of Iohn the Baptist Math. â—4 8 we reade not yet that this dancing daughter was any way displeased with the bloudy mandate of her mother but had she harboured in her brest so much as a graine of piety 't would have griev'd her very soule to heare such an unjust request Againe unmeet as when the father no necessity urging him thereunto shall binde them to such servile and base imployments as beseeme not an ingenuous nature to undergoe For according to the Philosopher The rule of a father over his children should be like that of a King over his subjects grounded rather upon love than feare He should not out of an insul ing tyranny abuse their labour as the Aegyptians did that of the Israelites by tyring out their strength in workes of drudgery but make that use of it which may tend to the good of eyther Secondly fathers may provoke their children by thundering upon them undeservedly with rayling and reproachfull words For these have usually with them so sharpe a sting as will goe neere to wound the soule of the most setled patience and in this kind also was Saul injurious unto Ionathan when in his anger hee sayd unto him Thou sonne of the wicked and rebellious woman doe not I know that thou hast chosen the sonne of Ishai to thine owne confusion and to the confusion of that shamefull and ignominious wombe which brought thee forth For what should more provoke a sonne than to heare not onely himselfe reviled and disgraced but his mother likewise to bee scandalized with base invectives and made in reputation inferiour to a common Courtisan Thirdly and lastly parents may provoke their children in words by traducing their workes and weakning their desart to others and that eyther before their faces or behind their backes And indeed it hath often hapned that the father hath suspected vertue even in his childe and hath therefore laboured to weaken the reputation of it in the opinion of such as were thought to admire it or sought by bloudy practises utterly to extinguish it Solyman the fourth Emperour of the Turkish Monarchy commanded his sonne Bajazet to bee strangled by Hassan Aga together with his foure youâ—g sons one of which lying in the cradle was there murdered by an Eunuch the childe smiling in the villaines face And that which moved him to this unnaturall cruelty was onely the noblenesse of their sire which in his ambitious apprehension was gazed upon by his subjects with an eye of too much admiration The like jealousie provoked him with no lesse barbarous fury to prosecute the life of Mustapha
resolution at the first fully to ponde and examine every word of his that from them I might derive the greater weight unto mine owne In handling therefore of the two first combinations I followed his concisenesse and here where hee tooke a larger field I was forced to doe the like But why may some demand was hee so briefe in those and did so much enlarge himselfe in this I answer the reason may bee threefold 1. Because the property of Pagan servants was to cozen and defraud their Masters and in their absence like so many traitors as Cato termed them feloniously to curse and speake evill both of their persons and proceedings Witnesse that speech of one in the Comedie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He thought him selfe overjoy'd whâ—n hee could get but any opportunity to raile in secret upon his Master and howsoever they to whom he theÌ„ spake were converted to Christianitie it was but newly yet and any little discontentment offered them by their Masters might have made them with the dâ—g retuâ—ne to their vomit for the prevention whereof hee seekes by strong enforcements to tie them to their dutie A second reason may bee to expresse the riches of Gods mercy who despiseth not the very slave that is despised of all but seeks to make even him a lively stone for the building up of his most glorious Hierusalem and because husbands are willing to enforme their Wives parents carefull to teach their Children whereas Masters utterly neglâ—ct their Servants God to supply the defect doth here afford them a large Volume of instructions The third reason is for the comfort of servants who by this pressing of their duty may well resolve themselves of Gods affection The lover never thinkes his minde sufficiently vented and is therefore still courting the Object of his love And so it is here with God hee doth dilate himselfe in drawing them to shew that he doth much desire them A fourth and last reason may bee the intimation of his owne humanity The Physitian when hee meets with a needy Patient tels him in briefe that Kitchin physick must bee his onely remedy And so the Lawyer when hee lights upon a Thred-bare Client to shake him off the sooner makes him beleeve his cause will not bee worth the triall S. Paul teacheth them charity venting his counsell and advise more freely more fully in the behalfe of those whose inheritance in this world was nothing but the extremitie of misery than hee had done for theÌ„ that were of better qualitie as if the saving of one of those had beene a thing more meritorious than the other And thus having apologized for my tediousnesse in this point I leave the servant and come to the Master The Ground of the second Booke of the third TOME Masters give unto your servants that which is iust and equall knowing that yee also have a Master in Heaven TOM III. LIB II. THis VERSE which is made the first of the fourth Chapter I cannot liken better than to a Tree that by the violence of some earth-quake is removed out of one mans ground into an others For it should bee the period of the former and so not onely the matter of it which is oeconomicall and the fame with that in the eight Verses immediately going before but that likewise of the Verse following which is of a differing straine doth plainly shew it Chrysostome therefore Aquinas Hugo Illyricus Musculus Zanchius c. dispose of it no otherwise and we subscribing to their opinion will assume it as a part and parcell of the precedent thus then it divideth it self into two branches In the former hee shewes how Masters are to carry themselves towards their servants Yee Masters saith he do unto your servants that which is iust and equal In the latter he alleageth a Motive to induce them thereunto Knowing that yee also have a Master in heaven As touching the first In that he doth apply himselfe now to masters wee are taught that every true dispenser of Gods Word should not onely bend his endeavours to the fashioning of servants those of Inferiour ranke but should also instruct exhort and edifie Masters and Magistrates together with all those that have submitted their neckes to the yoke of Christ Againe howsoever it bee usuall with Superiours and that not without just cause to complaine of the faults of their inferiours themselves yet are seldome free from taint and from corruption The Apostle therfore would have neither Masters nor servants to upbraid each other with their imperfectioÌ„s but every one to ameÌ„d his own 2. Concerning the persons in whose behalfe this duty is here prescribed servants They may observe to their endlesse comfort the great sollicitude and care which God hath of their well-fare Hee respecteth both their soules and bodies For touching their soules No Monâ—rch hath a greater interest in the Kingdome of heaven than they if in Singlenesse of Heart they discharge those duties which hee in his diviner wisedome thought good to impose upon them As faire a recompence attends the one as the other and therefore the Apostle delivereth it with a kinde of Emphasis Servants bee obedient to your masters knowing that yee also shall receive Againe as if he were enamoured of the one hee seemes to Court their affections with the profer of his choisest Treasure and so to draw them to his Will whereas the other if yee reade and marke the Scriptures are usually driven thereunto by his most grievouâ— plagues and deadliest punishments Esay must tell the King that Tophet is prepared for him of old and it is deepe and large that the burning of it is fire and much wood and the breath of the Lord like a River of brimstone doth kindle it Eliiah must threaten Ahab that the Dogges shall eate him of his Stock that dyeth in the City and him that dyeth in the fields shall the Foules of the aire devoure He cals to the one in storme and tempest but in a soft still voice to the other Boanerges the Sonnes of Thunder are sent to shake the Cedar but Barionah the sonne of Consolation must hearten up the Shrub The state and condition of a servant in the Apostles time was enough to bruise the very heart God therefore seekes not to breake it but to binde it up Servants saith he be obedient to your masters knowing that yee also shall receive Againe to comfort servaÌ„ts in their distresse a little farther as hee shewes himself there tender over their soules so doth he here over their Bodies And because it is an easie thing for any man to abuse the power and authority which he hath over another and that there is not a more pernicious Creature than a tyrannicall and cruell master he limits even their proceedings with his precepts charging them to use those that are under their government with Iustice and Equity Yee masters doe that which is To come then to the duty it selfe it consisteth of two particulars
money must tie the knot it will quickly breake For non amatur quod propter se non amatur True love is farre from any side-respects And where there is no love there will be no subjection The third and last is a fond and foolish affectation of all sorts of vanities by which this conjugall subjection is not onely hindred but the administration of the family is likewise altogether neglected For such a one will first of all be continually gadding Her feete like the strange womans in Prov. 7. can not abide in the house with Dinah shee must out to see the daughters of the countrey though the losse of her chastity be the recompence of her curiosity It were barbarous uncivility shee thinkes to misse a new play at the Blackefryers or any other spectacles of pleasure and delight Secondly being a gadder she can not but prove a waster Spectatum veniunt veniunt spectentur ut ipsae The end of such is as well to be seene themselves as to have the sight of others And hence it is that some like the Tortois carry their whole house upon their backe Singulis auribus bina aut terna patrimonia dependent saith Seâ— Benes l. 7. c. 9. Yee may see whole Lordships hanging at eyther eare And as Tertullian speakes De habitumul cap. 9. Saltus et insulas tenera cervix fert Though their necke like Ephraeims bee soft and tender so many Acres yet of wood pasture and arable are about it as would pinch the shoulders of Atlas to support them Some againe to appeare more pleasing taxing God as it were of defect in his workemanship spend their revenues in Oyles and Druggs to set an adulterate glosse upon their naturall complection The whole course of their life is but Pompa quaedam histrionica Patriâ— sen lib. 4. tit 5. a kinde of Stage-pompe so pargeted and so disguised on every side that their Maker at the day of judgement will disclaime them to be the worke of his hands But according to Tertul. had women onely so much faith on earth as they doe hope for benefit from heaven they would not affect any outward glory but rather humble themselves in sackecloth and in ashes and goe mourning all the daies of their life as desiring any kinde of way to expiate that great transgression of their grandmother In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children Gen. 3.16 and thy desire shall bee subject to thy husband and he shall rule over thee Et Evam te esse nescis T was Gods decree and is not yet repealed for the guilt which procured it is not as yet removed Thou O woman art the gate by which death entred into the world thou art she that didst first breake the covenant of thy Maker The devill could not have prevailed against man but thorough thy perswasions 'T was thy ambition which defaced this glorious Image of thy Creator In a word 't was thy desert which brought the Lord of life to suffer death upon an ignominious Crosse and canst thou minde the painting of thy Fig-leafe coate Suppose the Needle-worke of Tyre and the Embroydery of Babylon with other such like Ornaments had beene from the beginning would Eve thinke yee have ever desired them at her expulsion out of Paradise Nor ought shee now in thee if shee be willing to revive eyther covet or know the things which while shee lived she neyther had nor knew A wise woman sayth Salomon Prov. 14.1 helpeth to build up the house Shee is a foole then that will pull it downe with her owne hands Consuming her husbands substance eyther in clothes or colours for the embellishing of her earthly Tabernacle Such accessory complements are rather beames in his eyes than any way baites to his affections Moechis foliata parantur Iuv. Sâ—t 6. sayth the Satyrist They are onely lures to bring the Adulterer to fist Chaste thoughts will never stoope to such enticements Poppea the wife of Nero drew upon herselfe a perpetuall brand of ignominy and reproach quod cuti nimium indulserit in that all her care and cost was for the daily reparation of a borrowed beauty And when all is done that may be done in this kind Haec quae mutatis inducitur atque fovetur Tot medicaminibus coctaeque siliginis offas Accipit et madidae facies dicetur an ulcus This which their braine with care so much embroiles In searching out new drugs new salves new Oyles To set upon it an adulterate grace What shall we cal 't an ulcer not a face Shee therefore that desireth truely to pranke and paint her selfe as she ought let her borrow the white that must embellish her cheeks from simplicity the red from chastity Let her pendants be the word and the chaine about her necke the Crosse of Christ Let sanctity bee the silke that clotheth her and this subjection will bee the onely Iewell of her glory For to conclude Tal ter pigmentata Deum habâ—bit an atorem being thus set out the God of Heaven shall court her beauty And thus from the duty we will passe to the persons to whom it is to be tendred Wives bee subiect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To your owne Husbands The word is without any restriction and shewes that every husband is to expect this duty from his wife the poore as well as the rich the foolish as well as the wife the froward as well as the kinde and she let her bee what shee will must freely tender it First by subscribing to his admomonitions Secondly by suffering her selfe in all things to be guided by his advise As touching the first The husband is Gods mouth and in harkning to him she harkneth to God in him as on the other side in contemning him she contemneth God and the ordinance of God in him Though the husband therefore should chance as many times it hapneth to finde fault where there is no cause she must remember yet that the property of an ingenious disposition is Ibi culpam agnoscere ubi culpa non est sometimes for the avoyding of farther tumult to acknowledge a fault where none is and be ready to alter what is done as if it had beene otherwise done than it ought For according to that of St. Peter 1 Ep. 2.20 If when we doe well we suffer wrong and take it patiently this is acceptable to God Now as touching the other The husband is called the Wives guide Pro. 2 17. And therefore nothing must be done but by his direction Sarah would not so much as turne her servant Hagar out of dores without Abrahams consent neyther would Rebeccah send away her sonne Iacob without Isaacs advise Iezabel signed her purposes with Ahabs seale and Esther wrote her letters in Assuâ—rus his name The voyce of a Trumpeter is nothing so sweet so shrill or so strong as when it soundeth from out the Trumpet Mans mouth must bee the Organ by which the woman speakes Maritus Sermo Vxor
it to his owne Goodnesse Alcibiades demanded Socrates how hee could endure to live with his Xantippe For night and day did shee molest him with her brawling and contentious tongue His answere was That by suffering her at home hee became armed against all petulant assaults that could happen unto him when hee came abroad Were it not madnesse then in a man to beate a women for that Weaknesse which if well digested will set the fairer Glosse upon his owne Worth 2. It is against the Civill Law For that permits her if shee can prove that her husband is injurious to her in this kind to sue the benefit of a Divorce and the reason which is assigned for it is this Quia verbera sunt ab ingenuis aliena Because blowes are too burdensome for ingenuous natures Againe every Superiour hath not power to correct the errours of his inferiour by stripes The Prime Consul hath no authority so to chastise his companion though for many respects hee bee beneath him in place and dignitie Say a league of Amitie were made and contracted betwixt two conditionally that the younger shall suffer himselfe in all things to bee guided by the wisedome and discretion of the elder by vertue of this Covenant hee is bound to obey but if afterwards hee refuse it hee may not by stripes be compelled to his duty It is the like in Matrimony For there the husband and the Wife agree upon a kinde and sweete Societie so that the Wife must be subject unto him and willingly be guided by his advice yet as a fellow not as a follower by counsell not compulsion For he must not saith the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worke her to a servile feare which is the bane of Modesty and Love 3. Such barbarous dealing is altogether repugnant to the Law of God For if we consider but the matter whereof hee did compose her wee shall finde that she was not intended as Litter for his imperious feet to trample on for shee was made of a Ribbe out of the side to shew that shee should be collateralis his equall companion On the right hand Psa 45. saith the Kingly Prophet stands the Queene Againe out of the Side that she might bee Vxor gremii The Wife of the bosome as deare and entire unto him as his owne Heart 4. And lastly the very condition of Matrimony utterly disclaimes such base and currish usage For by marrying hee hath taken her from her friends and covenanted to tender her for them all From them shee is committed to her husband as to a Sanctuary for her safe protection and shall hee dare to injure her himselfe Gen 20.26 Abraham is called Saras Vaile to shew that every wise and faithfull Abraham is to defend and keep his loving Sarai And why in the beginning thinke yee was the woman made of a Ribbe under the Arme but to teach the Man that hee should ever be the womans safe-guard For as the Arme is the only member wherewith by bearing and putting by of blowes the other parts of the body are secured so the husband should bee the Shield by which the wife should live as it were under the Lee of all indignity In Pro. 12.4 the woman is said to bee the crowne of her husband he that woundeth her woundeth his owne honour and treadeth under his Feetâ— his owne credite and estimation A Crystall Glasse is not to bee handled roughly as Pots that are made either of Earth or Pewter but charily and warily as being of a finer Mettle and so more brittle than the other Saint Peter therefore adviseth us to give honour unto the Woman 1. Ep. 3.7 not expecting that wisâ—dome that Patience that Faith nor that Forbearance in the weaker Vessell which is not many times in the stronger The very name of Wife is like that Angell which staid the Hand of Abraham when the stroke was falling upon the necke of his beloved Isaac Therefore as Ionathan's Arrowes were shot not to hurt but but to give warning So the words of a Husband to his wife should bee words to direct her and not deject her He should not utter them with the lest intent to grieve and discontent her softer spirit but onely use them as sawce that is made of purpose to sharpen the life and make it more desirable To bee short when the woman is brought from all her friends to bee resident onely with the man If hee bee churlish to her and unkinde from whom shall she hope for comfort or expect reliefe Offences as well in mariageas in other States will grow but to reforme the wife by way of violence I finde no warrant Hee therefore that cannot rule her without beating is worthy to be beaten himselfe for having made so bad a choice The Bride-bush is never to bee besprinkled but with sweet water and may the Bramble be his portion that shall otherwise bedew it Husbands therefore love your wives and be not bitter That wee may not take this word Bitternesse here in too large a sense wee must know that our Apostle in prohibiting it doth not desire that the husband should as it were hood-wink himselfe that hee may not see the Vices and imperfections of his Wife It was a prodigious dulnesse in Antoninus to commend his Faustina for her chastity when the whole World had taken notice of her Luxury the like in Sylla who very stiffly praised Messalla for her purity when in every Taverne throughout Athens the Fidlers sang her prostitutions He did not know his Bed to be dishonoured till his very enemies did cast it into his Teeth The Apostle requireth not this stupiditie in any Every man as he knowes his wife to bee the weaker vessell so he must looke after the Weaknesse of this Vessell Hee must search out the Leaks that they may never either blot himselfe or blemish his posterity Mart. lib. 6. Epigram 39. 2. It is no Bitternesse to deny her the knowledge of thy Secrets Mic. 7.5 Trust not in a friend saith the Prophet neither put thy confidence in a Counsellour Nay Keepe the doores of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy Bosome The Philistine ploweth with no other Heyfer and therefore Sampson conceale thy Riddle 3. It is no Bitternesse to finde fault where there is just cause nor to reprove upon good occasion Qui non vetat peccare cum potest jubet He makes himself an Abettor to her fault that seeks not to abridge her in her folly Onely this his Reprehensions must savour of Mecknesse not of Madnesse they must bee cloathed in Gods words not his owne 4. It is no Bitternesse so farre to crosse her humour as still to persevere in doing those things the forbearance whereof may redound with hurt or prejudice eyther to thy soule or thy substance notwithstanding any importunity of hers to the contrary Fiftly and lastly 't is no bitternesse to deny her that liberty which may prove dangerous to
her disastrous to thy selfe Let not the wife then count that bitter which is sweet Neyther let the husband under these pretences obtrude upon her that for sweet which indeed is bitter But if the wife bâ— subject let the husband love So shall the ballance bee equally poysed and marriage if it be a bondage will prove such a one as is onely knit in love-knots The yoke of it will be drawne with pleasure and delight to Gods glory and their owne comfort The Ground of the first Booke of the second TOME Children obey your parents in all things for this is wel-pleasing unto the Lord. TOM II. LIB I. The duty of children to their parents FRom the first oeconomicall combination which was betwixt the husband and the wife we come now to the second which is betwixt the parent and the childe And here as in the former in exacting those mutuall duties which are to be performed by the one to the other our Apostle begins with the weaker and that as I conjecture eyther for the same reasons alledged there or others not much unlike For first of all children are usually more defective towards their parents than parents can bee toward them Hoc est amor in hoâ—inibus quod humor in arboribus Even corrupted nature teacheth every one to be carefully provident for his own For according to Gerson Naturaliter ascendit suâ—cus à radiâ—e ad ramos non è converso The sappe which is in Trees ascendeth naturally from the roote to the branches and not contrarily Secondly when children shall truely tender their obedience parents can not chuse but afford their love To come then to a particular consideration of the Apostles words wee have in them two things Regulam et rationem Regulae First a Rule Children obey your parents in all things Secondly a reason of this rule For this is well pleasing unto the Lord. In the rule wee may observe 4 things First the persons whom it concernes Children Secondly the duty which is exacted by it Obedience Thirdly To whom they are to tender it Parents Fourthly and lastly How farre In all things Children obey your parents in Children As touching the first In the originall we reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby is signified unto us a mans whole progeny So that sonnes and daughters are not onely to bee understood here but likewise nephew and neeces For even these are comprehended and that according to Law and Scripture under the name of Children As when the Iewes without any distinction are called the Children of Israel It is a rule then which concerneth all The Athenians according to Thucydides idly conceited their originall to bee from out the earth but reason and religion both teach us that man is the off-spring of man Whosoever therefore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the childe of any one he hath by vertue of this title some to whom he owes all honour and obedience And it is neyther length of time nor difference in state that can authorize a dispensation for this duty For as touching the first It is not onely during our non-age and minority but likewise in our best maturity that we must with all due reverence subject our wils to their commands And as concerning the later Though in a civill and politicke respect a publique Magistrate bee more honourable than a private man yet as he is a sonne he is to count himselfe inferiour unto him from whom his being is derived Iacob was in great want when hee departed out of Canaan Ioseph his sonne yet being a Prince in Aegypt and one whom Pharaoh had made his Lord-high-Constable as it were for the government of his whole land caused his Chariot to be made ready and went up with all observance to meet Isaac his father Yee may see the like respect in Salomon 1 Kin. 2.19 His mother did no sooner approach but hee rose from our the seate of Majesty and bowed himselfe unto her Yea our Saviour Christ a greater farre then Salomon neglected not the meanenesse of his Parents but notwithstanding he was King of Kings and Lord of Lords he thought it no disadvantage to his dignity Luke 5.51 to shew himselfe subject unto them In a word then whosoever is a childe stands lyable to this rule and it is neither wealth nor age nor honour or the like which can unloose this tie The word is indefinite and without all exemption or limitation Children obey And so from the persons whom this rule concernes I come to the duty which hereby is required Obey The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and according to the native signification which it carrieth denotes unto us two things First the matter that must be tendred Secondly the manner how it must be rendered For first it implies an humble promptitude in entertaining the commands of others Secondly a chearefull application of our best endeavours to a quicke and full performance of the same The severall parts then whereof this obedience heere required doth consist are these First to doe that which our parents shall injoyne us Secondly to learne that which they shall teach us Thirdly to redresse and amend what ever they reprove as faulty in us As touching the first Obedience hath ever beene magnified both of God and man The off-spring of the righteous is obedience and love The Rechabites shall never want a Panegyricke to testifie their obedience to the world Hier. 35.2 no though the booke of Hieremy the Prophet happen to bee cut againe with a pen-knife and burnt upon a hearth as in the daies of Zidkiiah Ionadab their father had enjoyned them to drink no wine it was a Law which they observ'd with such a religious respect that neyther they nor their wives their sonnes nor their daughters did ever violate or infringe 'T was Christs prophecy of himselfe and it will beseeme us well to practise it The Lord opened my eare and I was not rebellious Esay 50.5 neyther turned I backe It was written of him in the booke that he should doe the will of his father and he did it The Law was in the midst of his bowels and without any protraction or delay he presenteth himselfe Psal 40.8 Loe I come He was obedient to the death yea even to the death of the Crosse and though he were the sonne yet learned he obedience by the things he suffered and according to S. Ber. Ne perderet obedientiam perdidit vitam Though his pangs were sharpe sweet was the peace wherewith they were rewarded Disobedience on the other side could never avoyd the judgements of Almighty God It cast the Angels out of heaven our first parents out of Paradise Le ts wife out of her life and nature too Saul out of his Kingdome Ionas out of the ship the children of Israel out of their native soile and which is more out of the naturall roote that bare them For this is the reason which God himselfe alleageth
of a foolish fancy when her Parents had provided her a match against which lay no exception utterly refused it maketh this his Plee whereby to worke the obstinacy of her Will to a more flexible temper At tu ne pugnes tali cum conjuge Virgo Non aequum est pugnare pater cui tradidit ipse Ipse pater cum matre quibus parere necesse est Virginitas non tota tua est ex parte parentum est Tertia pars patri data pars data tertia matri Tertia sola tua est noli pugnare duobus Qui genero sua jura simul cum dote dederunt Refuse not gentle maide to bee his Bride Whom thy deare Parents did for thee provide By nature thou art bound them to obey Then let not Humour Dutie oversway Nor think thy selfe sole Mistresse of that Gemme In which thou hast no interest but by them The thirds of thy virginitie belong Vnto thy father and without great wrong In other thirds thy mother hath her share Onely the thirds remaining wee declare To be at thy dispose then humbly doe As they would have thee struggle not with two But rest content his loving spouse to be Whom they would make their sonne in law by thee Secondly among the decrees of Euaristus Pope and Martyr who lived about the yeere 110. there is one in which hee plainely pronounceth those marriages to be rather whoredomes and adulteries than marriages which are not concluded by the parents Pope Vrban was of the same opinion Thirdly the Lateran Councill under PP Innoc. third Cano. 51. did peremptorily determine that wedlocke if the person were under yeeres which was otherwise performed The 4th Toletan did the like Ad uxorem lib. 2. cap. 9. Fourthly Tertullian celebrating the praises of Christian Matrimony among other excellencies in it recounts this as a chiefe that they never marry Sine consensu patrum without the consent of parents Non est virginalis pudoris eligere maritum Lib. 1. de Patri Abra. cap. 9. saith St. Ambrose It becomes not the modesty of a Virgin to be the chuser of her own husband Euripides in his Andromacha makes Hermione to answer the importunity of her sutors thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I leave to my father the care of my marriage as a thing not at all belonging to my choyce I could produce a world of other arguments but I thinke this little essay of every severall kind enough to principle ingenious natures to the performance of their duty in this kind And therefore Children obey And so from the rule I come to the reason For this is well pleasing to the Lord. The Apostle alleageth it as a Motive to stirre up children to this duty and sure â—here can not bee a more effectuall inducement to â—eligious minds Hee doth not therefore say this your obsequiousnesse shall redound with great profit advantage to your selves or shall be pleasing to your parents but it shall bee acceptable unto Christ and to please him is everlasting happinesse But how may some object shall it appeare that this observance to our parents is so pleasing and acceptable to God our Father and to Christ our Lord I answer that it appeares two manner of waies First by the temporall reward which is annexed to that Commandement in the Decalogue which concernes the honouring of our parents being the first Commandement with promise and therefore urged by the Apostle to this end Eph. 6. 2. Againe it is evident by the temporall punishment which God himselfe hath appoynted to bee inflicted upon such as wilfully breake and violate this his mandate If a man sayth he have a stubborne and rebellious sonne Deut. 21.18 that will not obey the voyce of his father or the voyce of his mother and when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them he shall be brought unto the Elders of his City and unto the gate of the place and the men of his City shall stone him with stones that he die Yea the very heathen did acknowledge life to bee prolonged unto such as did demeane themselves piously towards their parents were of opinion that the contempt of these was to he expiated with no lesse punishment than that of the Gods Plato de legâ—b lib. 11 pag. 932. Let Children therefore obey their parents in all things for Wel pleasing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not onely pleasing but wel-pleasing and from hence wee may collect these observations First that the faithfull in every good worke ought specially to looke unto the Lord not caring how it be censured by man so it bee pleasing and acceptable unto him Ludam et vilior fiam said David unto Michal I will be yet more vile 2 Sam. 6.22 when she derided him because hee danced before the Arke Secondly that there is a way to please God even by pleasing man and this may serve to hearten up the good in the performance of all family-duties as likewise to reprove the hypocrite who counteth sacrifice more pleasing to the Lord than eyther mercy or obedience For sure he will be served with obedience unto men Thirdly wee may note from hence That even in our childhood we have a meanes to endeare our selves to God For according to Hugo de S. Victore Haec paternitas est nobis Sacramentum et imago divinae paternitatis ut discat cor humanum in eo principio quod videt quid debet illi principio à quo est et non videt God hath appointed a paternity here below to serve us as a Sacrament and faire resemblance of his divine paternity above that we might learne by this Originall of ours which we see what we owe to that Originall from whence we are and see not Fourthly that even children are bound to make conscience of their waies as farre as they have reason to discerne good from ill and must endeavour to doe that which may be pleasing unto God 'T is sayd of Hieroboams diseased child That there was found some good thing in him towards the Lord God of Israel 1 Kin. 14.15 And sure it is a happy thing when young men see visions as well as old men dreame dreames Parents should begin betimes therefore to inure their children to the paths of righteousnesse and traine them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. For the workemanship of grace and obedience in the hearts and lives of children is like the graving of a Kings pallace and as soone may the character of God as that of Caesar be imprinted in those waxen yeares The children of Bethel might have bin taught as easily to have welcomm'd the Prophet with an Hosanna Blessed is he that coÌ„meth in the name of the Lord as in reproch scorne to call him Bald-pate Bald-pate as he past along And thus much concerning the duties of children toward their parents Now follow those of parents toward their children The Ground of the 2d Booke
againe unto the Fold hee hath a Hooke as well as a Whistle And therefore as touching the later Children may likewise bee corrected Prov. 19.15 The Rod saith the Wiseman giveth wisedome but a Childe set at libertie maketh his mother ashamed Chasten thy sonne therefore Pro. 23.13 while there is hope and let not thy soule spare for his murmuring If thou smite him with the Rod he shall not die Thou shalt smite him with the Rod and shalt deliver his Soule from Hell The Caution then must bee this Not to make Food of that which should be ministred onely as Physicke Our Rebukes must bee milde and our corrections moderate Sweet Bals are best to scowre away the Dirt and behold the proceedings of our heavenly Father towards his children may serve all earthly Fathers for a Precedent whereby to fashion their practise towards theirs Hee never is so farre incensed against his as utterly to withdraw from them his fatherly kindnesse and compassion If they forsake my Law Psal 89.31 saith hee and walke not in my judgements If they breake my Statutes and keepe not my Commandements I will visit their transgression with the Rod and their iniquity with strokes I will not yet take from them my loving kindnesse nor falsifie my truth Wee must not guide the reines with too rigorous and stiffe a hand Metus hand dinturni Magister officii saith the Orator Feare is but a bad Tutor and whatsoever lesson he teacheth it is quite forgotten when we come to libertie And thus from the Persons in whose behalfe this Prohibition was awarded we follow our Apostle to the Reason upon which it is grounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Least they should bee discouraged It is drawne from the inconvenience which usually followes this Act of provocation And this by the word in the originall is manifested to bee wondrous great For it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implies three notable Evils The first is a Heavinesse of the minde whereinto children specially if they be godly religious are cast by this unseasonable severity of their Parents and from hence arise in them sundry sicknesses and diseases by which Nature is enfeebled and many times even life it selfe is abridged For as a Moth is to the garment Pro. 25.20 or a Worme to the wood so is Sadnesse to the Heart saith Salomon Parents therefore must have a speciall care to avoide this inconvenience that they may not bee thought to have begotten Children with an intent to become themselves their Executioners The second Evill contained in this word is that stupid dejection of the Spirits by which they become fearfull and unapt for any noble and ingenuous designes For finding by experience that their best observance is neglected and all that ever they can do for the pleasing of their Parents rejected as ill done they set them downe and doe no more but waxe dull and sluggish in their undertakings Now Parents must be very wary that they drive not their children into this state For Children are as it were the Armes and Hands by which their age must bee defended the Feet and Thighes by which their Weaknesse must bee underpropped and might wee not justly count him a madd man who with some Narcoticall medicine should so stupifie those parts as never to have the use of them againe Can we then thinke otherwise of those Parents who with their hardnesse and austerity so dull and stupifie their Children in their youth that they can neither helpe themselves nor them in their maturer yeares 3. And lastly this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carries with it especially in those that are not of a good and generous disposition a desperate kinde of contumacy For when they see no hope of pleasing they likewise cast away all care to please yea many times they assume unto themselves a boldnesse to displease and make it their sport and pastime to provoke their Parents Now this in a Childe is the very height of all impiety Parents therfore must forbeare such sowre usage as may occasion in them this impiety The Rider in breaking of a Colt doth seldome make use of the Spurre but seekes by faire and gentle meanes to ring him to a perfect pace It is the familiar managing of the Hawke that makes her forgo her savagenes A Lion may bee stroâ—ed hee will not bee strucken Kindnesse may prevaile where crabbednesse shall be excluded It is not eyther Lightning or Thunder but onely the sweet and gentle shewes which the heavens send downe upon the earth that make her fertile and willing to produce such food and fodder as is requisite for Man and Beast The Sunne by shining gently upon the Traveller made him of his own accord lay by his Garment whereas to spite as it were the blustring Windes hee girded it to him the more Vnseasonable severitie is a retraction from duty Let not Parents therefore provoke their children least they bee discouraged The vulgar Latine reads it Vt non pusillo animo fiant that they may not bee pusillanimous white-liverd or hen-spirited as wee use to say which many happen to bee having beene too much snipped in their Infancy The Philosopher gives the Reason when hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Feare is to the Blood as cold is to the water it hinders Action and preventeth even Motion Some therefore alleage this for a reason why the Children of Israel were not presently brought into the Land of Promise because having beene bred up in the house of bondage they would not have had the courage to looke upon an Enemy Dicite pusillanimis Say unto them that are fearefull saith the Lord be strong feare not Esa 35.4 behold your God commeth with vengeance even God with a recompence will hee come and save you And thus we have done with the mutuall Duties of Children and Parents one towards the other The Ground of the first Booke of the third TOME Servants in all things obey your Masters according to the flesh not with eye-service as men pleasers but in singlenesse of Heart fearing God And whatsoever yee doe doe it heartily c. TOM III. LIB I. Having past the two first Combinations concurring to the constitution of a Familie the one whereof was betwixt the Husband and the Wife the other betwixt the Parent and the childe wee come now to the third which is betwixt the Master and the Servant whose mutuall duties one towards another being throughly expounded our Oeconomicks will be full and compleate Now here as in the two former the Apostle begins with the weakest Servants And 1. he gives them a Precept 2. Directs them in their practise In the Precept we wil first consider the Persons on whom it is imposed Servants 2. The Duty which thereby is exacted Obedience 3. The extent of this Duty how farre it is to reach and that is to all things 4. And lastly the Persons to whom it is to bee tendred Generally Masters Particularly
Anabaptists therfore erre that thinke the Rule and Government of Christians over Christians repugnant to the freedome of the Gospell The Papist likewise is mistaken Gerson qu. 1. de Potest Ecclesi ca. 9. qu. 2. c. 8. while hee counts Heresie a sufficient ground to take away the Soveraignty of Kings when the Apostle here allowes not Paganisme to prejudice the authority of a private Master over his Family If they bee Servants their duty is required Servants bee Obedient The word in the Original is the same which he used unto children and as there so here it implies 1. An humble promptitude in entertaining the commands of others 2. A carefull application of our best endeavours to a quicke performance of the same Their Obedience must expresse it selfe 1. With Reverence and that internally and externally Internally they must not despise either the Person of their Masters or the place but must count them worthy of all Honour that the name of God and his doctrine bee not evill spoken 1 Tim. 1.6 of Externally their speech and their behaviour must bee such as may not savour either of contempt or contumacy They must feare their Masters This is that which the Lord himselfe requireth in all his Servants If I bee a Master saith hee where is my feare Mal. 1.6 And in Ephes 6.5 Our Apostle exacteth feare and trembling from them towards their Masters The second Character of their Obedience must be Patience They must endure without resistance rebukes and Corrections bee they never so bitter and unjust For if when we do well 1 Pet. 2.20 and suffer wrong wee take it patiently this is well pleasing unto God Agar being roughly dealt withall by Sarai ranne away and would not abide her chastisements but the Lord by an Angell did controll this course advised her to returne home to her Mistresse and to humble her selfe under her hand A Servant may lawfully withdraw himselfe so it be done conveniently and without despising his Masters authority till the fury of his unjust anger be allayed For so David conveighed himselfe from Saul and the Aegyptian that directed David to the Amalekits made him sweare 1 Sam. 30.15 not to deliver him into the hands of his Master from whom hee was fled neither did David sinne in 〈…〉 an oath For in Deut. 23.15 it is set downe as a Law that if a servant were fled from his Masters cruelty especially if hee were a Heathen who little regarded the very lives of their servants hee should not bee presently redelivered but kindly entrâ—ated till mediation might bee made for the reinstating of him in his Masters favour but hee must not shew him selfe at any hand peremptory and rebellious And thus much of the duty the Extent of it followes In all things A Servant like a Bow in the hand of his Master must not be bended or unbended but according to his will and pleasure I am a man in authority saith the Centuâ—ion and I say unto one Goe and he goeth to another Come and hee commeth and to a third Doe this and hee doth it But there are some of that sturdy disposition that if the things enjoyned them doe any way crosse their credit prejudice their profit disturbe their ease or are contrary to their liking they will either not doe them at all or they will doe them with a left hand and as they list themselves Their usuall coÌ„plaint is that the master whom they serve is a churlish Nabal and one that forgetteth all humanitie both in exacting and rewarding the service that is done him But this is not enough to unyoke them from their Obedience For though they receive no comfort from their masters God yet to whom and for whom they doe their service will not leave them unrequited Iacob served a hard Laban 21 yeares In the day hee melted away with heate in the night he was benummed with cold yea the very sleepe departed from his Eyes that nothing might miscarry which was committed to his charge all which Laban regarded not but God in the end requited his care and travaile in a large measure And surely whatsoever a man doth that shall hee receive of the Lord whether he be bond Eph. 6.8 or free And therefore Servants bee obedient in all things In all things .i. in all outward things which are indifferent and lawfull Even Servants must look to that supreme Power whereunto their Masters are but subordinate and bee wary of doing any thing but the command of the one which they know to bee countermanded by the other The Master of our flesh is to bee obeyed so farre as he commands not that which is forbidden by the Master of our Spirit saith Saint Hierome They which please them in this kinde are utterly condemned It is said of Pharaoh That both hee and his servants sinned And indeed many are contented to prostitute their best indeavours to their Masters most adulterate designes Absalons followers were very forward in smiting of Amnon and those of Caiaphas to spit in the face of our blessed Saviour to buffet him with their hands Mat. 26 67 Let a great one make a scoffe of Religion and presently his Attendants to keepe him company will doe the like As there are Flatterers in Princes Courts so also are there in private cottages Many Apprentices and Iourneymen will never bee unfurnished of a Lie or an Oath that they may fill their masters houses as the Prophet speakes by bribery and cruelty whereas indeed they should humour them no farther than stands with the safety of a good Conscience The Servants of wicked Saul were none of the best yet they refused to execute his unjust sentence upon the Priests of the Lord though his commands had beene enough to countenance the deed Let Christian Servants therefore much more abhorre to please any Flesh so farre as to displease the Lord. The Apostle aymes not at a lawlesse and irreligious Obedience he onely forbids such a dimidiated and arbitrary subjection as Servants according to their owne fancy are willing to tender when he saith Servants bee obedient in all things This for the extent The Persons follow to whom this Duty must be tendred and that is generally Masters Particularly Masters according to the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The very Title speakes the Equity of the Precept as well as that of Servants For as the word Servant intimates an Obedience to bee exhibited to to another so the name of Master implies a due Obedience to bee exacted from another Whosoever therefore is a Master must bee obeyed whether hee bee rich or poore kind or crabbed a true beleever or a false The Apostle sets it downe indefinitely without any difference of condition Servants bee obedient to them that are your Masters And we must understand it likewise without distinction of Sexe For the Head of the Family bee it Man or woman must be obeyed 1 Tim. 5.14 No Salik Law for the cutting
deceived by his oâ—ly glossings did yet afford a credulous Eare to his new enchantments and to assure himself of his friendship did faithfully promise to surrender it up into his hands to which effect he wrote severall times to the Lord of Flavy whom himselfe had entrusted with the charge and government thereof that hee should deliver it up unto him But he considering the importance of the place delayed the Duke till hee had wrought the King to a revocation of his Grant by letting him know the dangerous consequences that might have ensued thereupon regarding more the loyalty he ought unto his Soveraigne than the profit which might have accrâ—ed unto himselfe from the Duke had hee beene forward in the Action And indeed as the Historian saith C'est un bon service de desdire le Maistre quand il commande à son dommage It is a speciall piece of service to put off the Master when he commands to his owne detriment 6. And lastly it is seene in avoyding all lying and dissembling whether for his Masters his owne or other mens advantage Now that servants may bee the better incited to this faithfulnesse let them consider 1. The promise which is annexed thereunto The faithfull person shall abound with blessing Pro. 28.20 2. The punishment which attends the contrary God often payes the unjust Person with his owne Coyne hee scourgeth him with his own rod bringing upon such as have bin unfaithfull servants povertie want or other worse calamities that by the means of unfaithfull servants that their sinne may returne upon them with more bitternesse 3. Let them know that the onely way to learne how wee should rightly use our own portion of Goods is by the carefull use of other mens as they shall happen to come into our haÌ„ds For he that wretchedly rioteth and consumeth his masters Goods Luk. 16.12 is for the most part given over by Gods just judgement to bee a waster of his owne Let every servant of man therefore if he desire to bee the true servant of God labour in all his courses to shew a single heart For better is the poore in the uprightnesse of his heart than hee that abuseth his lipps and is a foole Yea let us all take heed that Sathan beguile us not from the simplicitie that is in Christ Iesus And thus much concerning the first thing required to the fashioning of a servants Obedience according to the true modell Singlenesse of heart The second followes and that is the Feare of God The onely thing indeed which will make all our wayes words and workes to savour of simplicity and sincerity As the cause therefore with the effect the Apostle hath placed it with Singlenesse of heart and that right well For he that feareth and regardeth onely man in the performance of any duty will prove wavering unconstant as being guided and directed by an unconstant rule For the Feare of man takes no impression longer than hee is present but the Feare of God stands firme in the brests of the godly because they have him ever before their eyes and hee neither ought nor can at any time bee imagined as absent The very Stoick could affirme that there is a God within Epictetus a good Angel evermore about us that they need no light to looke into the nature of our actions What was that which preserved Ioseph froÌ„ the Siren incaÌ„tations of an adulterous lustful Mistris but the fear of the Lord How can I doe said he this great wickednesse and so sinne against my God Had he been a meere man-pleaser he might and would no doubt have satisfied her lewd demands but because he reverenced his Celestiall Master he could not doe that injury to his terrestriall It is the feare of God which must restraine servants from whoring drinking stealing gaming and other the like prodigious and enormous courses It is the feare of God which must make them diligent and faithfull in their businesse as knowing that though the eye of their Master bee away yet that of their Maker is upon them who will not winke at their errour but will severely punish their offence In a word it is the feare of God which will move them with Abrahams servant daily to powre forth their prayers to heaven in the behalfe of their Master and the rest of the family for the good successe of his owne endeavours Servants then must learne from hence so to labour in their severall places and functions as to feare God even that God 1. Who set them in that Calling 2. Whose eyes are evermore upon them watching and observing with what diligence they discharge their duties in those Callings Againe Masters must also learne if they would have painfull and trusty servants to chuse such as are religious and frame to religion such as they have chosen that knowing what it is to bee subject to their Master in heaven conscience may compell them to bee subject to their earthly Master also Wouldst thou have thy servant to please thee in all things worke him first to please God in all things Wouldst thou finde him faithfull see then hee bee a Ioseph that will not sinne and bee unfaithfull to the Lord. Wouldst thou have him profitable see hee bee an Onesimus and then howsoever in times past he were never so unprofitable he will bee profitable to thee and others Commonly all that if stood upon in the choice os servants is onely skill an abilitie for those services wherein we purpose to imploy them So it is said of Salomon Hee saw Hieroboam was a man fit for the worke But as for Religion no great matter is made of that and yet it is all in all For I avouch the ungodly servant how fit so ever hee may seeme for our turnes to bee unprofitable and that a servant fearing God though comming farre short of the other in wit knowledge and dexterity for the well managing of businesses ought yet to bee preferred before him as farre more profitable For first the evill servant drawes the curse of GOD upon all his indeavours so that many times the wisedome of such a one like that of Achitophel doth vanish into foolishnesse whereas on the contrary by vertue of Gods blessing prospering what ever the righteous man takes in hand Psal 1.3 even his foolishnesse and simplicity in respect of the deepe policies of the wicked man is turned into wisedome and sorteth to a very good and happy effect When Ioseph had the ordering of Putiphars affaires and Iacob of Labans all things were well The little of the just man Pf. 37.16 saith David is more than great riches of the wicked It is spoken there of his wealth but it is true likewise of his wit of the inward gifts of his minde as of the outward Goods of this life A little wit a little skill and a little knowledge in a godly servant shall goe farther and prove more advantagious to
Apostle propounds a Retribution whereof hee would not have them doubt but with a setled assurance expect it from the Lord. Servants saith hee obey your Masters in all things knowing that yee shall receive from c. And shall the base secular workes of poore and miserable servāts then be thus rewarded why this must animate and encourage us not to grow weary of well doing but to goe on in all holy religious courses For surely the great works of piety in Gods service shal bee more highly rewarded Againe shall the workes of servants bee rewarded Here is matter then of comfort for them and matter of reproofe for those who being the children of God are many times yet so overborne by unbeliefe that they distrust the acceptation of their prayers and good indeavours For God will have them know that they shall receive from him a Reward of Inheritance than which nothing is surer a mans owne And thus much of the third point The certainty of receiving that which Christ hath promised I come now to the fourth and last and that is the Reason whereupon this certainty is grounded For yee serve the Lord Christ Wages and Workes are Relatives And therefore Equity requireth that from him a Reward should bee expected to whom our labour is exhibited But how may some say Can it bee deemed a credible and likely thing that they which undergoe base offices for men here upon earth should bee said herein to serve Christ who is now all glorious and hath his residence in the highest heavens where he hath the ful ministerie of Angels and needeth not at all the obsequiousnesse of Man The answer is at hand and hath already beene declared viz. that whatsoever services are done to men at the command of Christ and for the glory of Christ are held as done to Christ himselfe For as S. Hierome rightly upon this place saith Servit DEO qui propter Deum servit homini Hee may bee truely said to serve God that serveth man for Gods sake Yea Christ verifies it himselfe when hee saith Mat. 25.40 et v. ult In as much as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren ye did it to mee And againe In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not unto me This is there spoken only of works of charity as men either doe them or deny them one to the other but it may bee extended to all such Workes of Obedience as are prescribed and enjoyned us by GOD. For when wee doe them unto men wee doe them unto him that commanded them to bee done and when wee deny them unto them hee counts them as denyed unto himselfe and not without just cause For hee who being commanded by God to obey Men shall refuse to submit himselfe to humane authority would if he were able exempt himselfe withall from that which is divine When the Israelites therfore wold no lōger endure the rule of Samuel but would have a King to raigne over them 1 Sam. 7.7 They have not saith God cast thee away but they have cast mee away that I should not raigne over them Now from hence we may learne 1. That there is no servitude or Bondage which is not honourable if men demesne themselves therein honestly and faithfully For they which are such are servants unto Christ and to retaine to him is the very noone-point of all dignity 2. That there is no rule or principality that can vindicate a wicked man from shame and from disgrace For such are servants to the Devill which is the very depth of misery and dishonour And thus much concerning the first inducement by which the Apostle would stirre up servants to Obedience The promise of Reward I come now to the second A threatning of Punishment But hee that doth wrong shal receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons Out of this wee will observe 1. A Commination denounced against all that shall prove defective in their duty 2. An Anticipation of a secret Objection which might seeme to weaken infringe the certainety of this punishment in these words Neither is there respect of persons As touching the first Some take it as denounced against tyrannous and unjust Masters to the comfort of the servant that is so oppressed For it is no other than if hee should have said Though Masters be wicked and cruell doe not yee yet suspend your Obedience but performe that which is your dutie and leave the revenge to God For at his hands they shall receive what ever wrong they doe Now wicked and imperious Masters may many wayes prove injurious to their servants 1. By defrauding them of necessary food and raiment 2. By denying them their due wages 3. By urging them to labours that are above he strength of their Body 4. By wounding their very soules with virulent reproaches 5. By bruising and breaking even their Bones with undeserved strokes All which calamities in a manner hapned to the people of God during their servitude in Aegypt That servants therefore may not through impatience rise up against their Lords or through discouragement neglect the offices which are imposed upon them the Apostle tells them that whosoever he bee that shall thus oppresse thē He shall receive the wrōg that he hath done .i. He shal perceive and feele the vengeance of the highest proportioning his punishment according to his injustice A proofe of this wee have upon the Aegyptians whom God afflicted with farre greater plagues than they were able to afflict his Israelites As likewise upon Saul 2 Sam. 21.9 who was punished in his posteritie for the Gibeonites whom hee had slaine thinking to gratifie thereby the people because they were not of the seed of Abraham Other Interpreters referre it unto servants themselves as if the Apostle should have said If the hope of a Celestiall reward cannot draw you to your duty let the feare yet of a grievous punishment drive you therunto Bee not injurious to your Masters either out of stubbornnesse or sloth For GOD the righteous Iudge will with severity exact the forfeiture of your improbitie and of this we have an example in Gehezi 2 King 5.26 But with Saint Hierome I thinke that both interpretations are to be conjoyned 1. Because the Apostle speakes generally to all 2. Because this Commination is inserted betwixt the duties of servants and Masters that so it might seeme equally to appertaine to both So that this I take to bee the meaning of the Apostle He that doth wrong whether it be the Master in misusing of his servant or the servant in defrauding and despising of his Master either shall receive from God the wrong that hee hath done We must learne from hence then 1. That every sinne shall meete with punishment from God though peradventure it may scape the severity of men and what will it availe us to have avoyded their hands
said yet nescivit uxorem that he did not respect his wife So that the wife is to be preferred before all The Hebrewes alledge for it a fourfold reason 1. Shee is nearer to him than a child to his Father For shee is actually Bone of his Bones and flesh of his flesh whereas the child is properly neither but in possibility 2. Children are but the fruit of the Loynes and the wombe she is the Rib next the Heart 3. The liker any thing is the more it is loved Man loves his Child tanquam aliquid sui his wife tanquam se And indeed Man and Wife are like those two Branches in the hand of the Prophet so closed together into one Barke Ez. 37.17 that they grow to be one tree and beare both but one fruit So therefore ought men to love their Wives saith the Apostle Eph. 5.28 as their owne bodies He that loveth his wife loveth himselfe 4. Adam say the Iewes was a husband before hee was a father and for these Reasons the Wife is more to be loved than the Child But they speake best who say this Bond is supernaturall and like a miracle For it is a hard matter to part from our parents Ruth 1.16 Rebecca yet leaves all to goe with Isaac and Zipporah though a Midianite did the like for Moses There is a threefold Glue by which Man and Wife are joyned and combined together The one is naturall the other civill but the third divine By the first man cleaveth to his wife as a living creature By the second as a man By the third as a Christian man The naturall marriage is for issue onely the civill as that of the Heathen for strength and helpe in houshold affaires but the Glue which conjoyneth Christians is Vertue and the Feare of God Men by nature like Beasts couple to haue children Civill marriages are true but not perfect Veniunt à dote sagittae T is the great Dowry proves the golden dart or if not so facias non uxor amatur Onely the Feature and not the Creature is beloved Tres rugâ—e subeant se cutis arida laxet Fiant obscuri dentes oculique minores Collige sarcinulas dicet Let him but spie one wrinckle in her brow And he all love shall straightway disavow Let her skin writhle let her eye-sight faile Her Teeth wax yellow or her cheekes looke pale Packe huswife hence this honest man shall say Trusse up thy fardle and use no delay All affection is presently unglued but the marriage of Christians is every way compleat For first It is pleasantly good in regard of issue Secondly profitably good in respect of supply But last of all and which is best of all 3. It is honestly good because it aims at a holy seed ReasoÌ„ hath no hand in it farther than it is sanctified by religion and where this Soder is no fire can dissolve it It is an Axiome among the French Que la femme faict ou des faict la maison That the woman usually is either the marrer or maker of the house A man had need therefore to bee very wary that the setling of his affections may never prove a disparagement to his judgement which cannot but happen when hee shall looke upon the Object with other Spectacles than God allowes of Charles VI. of France being desirous when hee was but sixteene yeares of age to entertaine a Consort into his royall Bed advised with his Vncle the D. of Anion who led with politike respects married him to Isabella daughter of the D. of Bavaria that he might bee the better able to make head against the Emperour Wenceslius who notwithstanding outward shewes did looke upon his estate with no friendly eye And it was a match which in the judgmeÌ„t of men promised a great deale of good both to the king and kingdome But marke how the Divine Iustice crosseth the designes of those that relie more upon their owne wisedome than upon his Will This hopefull Lady in a little time expressed such an imperious and tumultuous disposition that she became a burden unto both having exposed them to so many forraigne broyles and home-bred partialities that if her selfe had not dyed in a happy time for the Kingdome it must of necessity have expired as did the King He therefore that would love his wife must be carefull in his choice and not either Arâ—thmetick or Geometry Portion or Proportion or any other the like syde-respects to be Agents in the businesse Hee must looke more to her Manners than her meanes and wish her Faithfull rather than Faire Men marry not in love but when they marry in the Lord. Beauty is a good outside and Vertue is more to bee esteemed when it is so set out than when we see it in an ill-favoured creature like a pearle in a dunghill Rachel was preferred even for this by holy Iacob before the bleare-ey'd Leah Tertullian cals it Foelicitatem corporis The happinesse of the body Divinae plasticae accessionem A flourish set upon Gods owne worke Animae vestem urbanam A comely garment for the Soule But without Grace it cannot be counted gracefull Shee that hath only this ornament is at the best but a painted Sepulchre Sepulchrum quasi Semi-pulchrum faire without but full of rottennesse within Woman was made when Adam was a sleepe to shew that in matter of wiving we should bee consopitis sensibus content to have our senses Charmed and not be led herein by any outward Attractives Pro. 19.14 A good wife commeth from the Lord and therefore all sinister affections being lulled a sleepe he should beg her at the hands of GOD onely But say a man have erred in his choice his Folly must not free him from this duty Every Adam must love his Eve 1. In regard of her efficiâ—nt cause which was the Lord himselfe who made her with a great deale of solemnity for the honour and dignity of man and were it not for her society what would hee bee but a companion for the Hedgehogge and the Owle The glory and the grace which dâ—rived upon him from her is most elegantly expressed by divine Du Bartas in the sixt day of the week where hee saith that without her l'homme ça bas n'est homme qu' à demi Ce n'est qu'un Loup-garou du soleil enemi Qu'un animal sauvage ombrageux solitaire Bigarre frenetique a qui rien ne pent plaire Que le seul desplaisir nè pour soy seulement Privè de coeur d'esprit d'amour de sentiment I will not prejudice our worthy Silvester so much as to translate them my selfe but will give you his 2. Hee must love her in respect of the Matter whereof shee is composed Shee was made of a Bone which is a most inward part of the Body and shewes that the love betwixt man and wife must not be superficiall but entire and inward When the Hebrewes would say I my selfe they expresse it by a