to him by whom he is continually thwarted and prouoked Doth not euerie of you make choice of such coÌ„pany as wherewith he may liue at quietnes and peace How can you then expect to haue me to walke with you when as there is no coÌ„cord or agreement betwixt you and me I call one way you turne wilfully another way I command one thing and you do the contrary You prouoke me with your iniquities from day to day Therfore be ye wel assured that your coÌ„pany is not for me neither wil I haue any society or felowship with you 2 The terme of walking as it is referred to God betokeneth his gratious healthfull presence as it is applied to men it signifieth the conuersation and life of maÌ„ To make vse theÌ„ of the words wee may here obserue first the life of man compared to a walke Secondly wee are to note wherein standeth the commoditie conueniencie of this walke and that is to walke together in societie and company Thirdly what is the means to hold vs together which is concord and agreement Of the first we haue example in those exhortatioÌ„s of the apostle e Rom. 13 13. Walke honestly as in the day time f Eph 5. 8. Ibid. ver 15. walke as children of light g 1. Th. 2. 12. walke circumspectly not as vnwise but as wise h walke worthy of him who hath called you into his kingdome and glory But what should I need to bring many exaÌ„ples of that which in the scriptures is so commonly and euerie where to be found let vs rather consider what is to bee gathered thereof for our instruction A walke therefore importeth first a way wherein wee are to walke secondly an end whereto we walke thirdly motion in the way and fourthly proceeding or going forward therein lastly perseuerance and continuaÌ„ce vnto the waies end what our way for our walke is the Prophet Dauid signifieth wheÌ„ he saith i blessed are they that are vndefiled Ps 119. 1. in the way and addeth by way of exposition which walk in the law of the lord The law of the Lord is the way wherin we are to walke Therfore Moses wheÌ„ he had giuen the law of God to the people of Israel biddeth theÌ„ k Deut. 5. 33. to walke in al that way which the lord their God had coÌ„manded theÌ„ And hence are those phrases of l Ex. â—2 8. Deut. 9. 12. turning out of the way when we forsake the coÌ„mandements of God and m Psal 3â— 34. keeping his way when we obserue the same It is a great question in our dayes what way it is wherin we may safely securely walke many are much distracted perplexed hereabout because they see so great contention and coÌ„trouersie which is the right way But all this doubt God him selfe resolueth to them that are willing to take resolution of him the law of the Lord the word of God which hee hath deliuered to vs by his Prophets and Apostles that onely is the sure and certaine way Hee that teacheth according to this law hee teacheth the right way hee that teacheth beside this law seeme he to be of neuer so great authoritie and credit hee teacheth a wrong way In this way God hath reuealed vnto vs all the waies which he will haue vs to goe what to beleeue and how to liue what to doe and what to eschew and not onely of such duties as are common to all but also what concerneth euery man in his special state and calling what is the dutie both of Prince and subiect of the Pastour and of the fiocke of the Husband and the wife the Parents and the children the Master and the seruants the rich the poore the high and the low the word of God according to the phrase of our Sauiour Christ n Mar. 13. 24. appointeth to euery man his worke to euery man that seruice that his master requireth of him o Gregor Moral li. 16. cap. 16. By the Scripture saith Gregory Bishop of Rome God telleth vs all his will p Ibid. li. 18. ca. 14. so that if men will speake truly they must from thence receiue that which they will speake q August de vtil cre dendi ca. 6. the doctrine whereof is so framed saith Saint Austine as that there is no man but may draw from thence that that is sufficient for him if hee come with deuotion and piety to draw as true religion requireth hee should doe r Hieron in Psal 86. because the Princes of the Church saith Saint Hierome meaning the Apostles and Prophets did so write as that not a few onely but all should vnderstand so as that the scripture as Gregory saith is Å¿ Gregor ad Leand. epiâ—â— in lib. Mor. cap. 4. a streame wherein both the Elephant may swimme and also the Lambe may wade yee so as that t Origen cont Cels lib. 4. in one and the same text as Origâ—n obserueth many times are found tempered together both the things which serue for the exercising of the stronger and which minister edification to to the more weake and simple In the Scripture wee shall find that way whereof the Prophet Ieremy speaketh when hee saith u Ier. 6. 16. Stand vpon the waies and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therin and ye shall find rest for your soules Wherby he instructed the people to take view of the waies of their forefathers and thence to make choice not of that way which their latter fathers taught them of which elsewhere they are warned x Ezec. 20. 18. VValke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers neither obserue their manners but of that wherein the Patriarches and first fathers walked who receiued the same from God and by the ordinance of God left the same recorded for a memoriall to their children A foolish terme there is vsed by many ignoraÌ„t persons amongst vs of the old law the old Religion by which they vnderstand the religion of Poperie as if popery were the old religioÌ„ because some ages past haue followed it and bin abused therby Indeed the Scribes and Pharisies for the very same cause called their traditions y Mat. 5. 21 27. c. the old religion but the true old religion is of ancienter continuance euen that way which the Patriarches Prophets the Euangelists Apostles haue traced out and directed vnto vs hauing themselues learned it from God by the reuelation of Iesus Christ by his appointmeÌ„t left the same recorded in scripture to our vse Of this it is that the pastours teachers of the church are instructed to say to Gods people z Esai 30. 21. This is the way walke in the same when thou turnest to the right hand or when thou turnest to the left Christ is the directour of this way of him the father hath said a Mat. 17. 5 Heare him and therefore
regard and care so to cary themselues each to other as that there may be accord peace betwixt them Otherwise if they be yokefellowes agree not but one draw one way and another another way what doe they but gall the necks and breake the hearts one of another what is the husband in this case but a tyrant to his wife what is the wife to the husbaÌ„d but according to the quality of the ribbe whereof shee was made a crooked rib in stead of a help a hurt in stead of a woman a wound and a wo to man The scripture telleth vs that GOD is the l Heb. 13. 20. God of peace m Cor. 14. 33. not the author of confusion but of peace n Psal 68. 6. vulgat that hee maketh them to be of one mind that dwell in a house If the worke of God be peace if he make them of one minde that are in a house what shall we say of them who vnmake that which God hath made and maintaine war in stead of peace what doe they but destroy the worke of god and turne him out of dores that hee may haue no place to dwell with them we read that when God would speake to Elias the Prophet there o 1. King 19. 11. went before the LORD a mightie strong winde which rent the mountaines and brake the rockes but the Lord was not in the wind and after the winde came an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake after the earthquake came fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire came a soft still voice and therin the Lord spake Euen so is it in this case where in a house there are the teÌ„pestuous and stormy winds the earthquakes and raging fires of brawles and contentions of quarrelling and vnquietnes the Lord is not there the Lord is in the soft and still and louely voice betwixt the husband and the wife For the preseruing of this concord and peace betwixt man and wife there are three things specially to bee required religion affection and patience Religion deliuereth the precepts of walking together affection practiseth them patience remooueth those stumbling blockes which befall in the way to the interrupting and weakening both of religion and affection Religion and the feare of God as it is generally the foundation of all humane happinesse and felicity so must it in speciall bee accounted the ground of all that comfort and blisse which man and wife desire to find in the enioying each of other It hath speciall promises made vnto it by God to the man p psa 112. 1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that hath great delight in his commandements to the woman q pro. 31. 30. Fauour is deceitfull and beauty is vanitie a fit of an ague staineth it time decayeth it old age weareth it quite out but the woman that feareth the Lord she shall be blessed r 1. Tim. 4. 8 Godlinesse saith the Apostle is profitable for all things and hath the promises both of this life and of that that is to come They therefore whom it concerneth to walke together both for the things of this life and for the obtaining of the life to come must learne to account Å¿ 1. Tim. 6. 6 godlinesse great gaine and then thinke they thriue best when amidst their worldly thrift they best thriue in religion towards God The feare of God worketh that t 1. Pet. 3. 4 meeke and quiet spirit which Saint Peter commendeth and namely in the wife which as it is a thing with God much set by so it is a thing louely and amiable amongst men and betwixt maried persons yeeldeth that contentment and sweetnesse that holdeth them from repenting of that society which is become so ioyous and comfortable vnto them It is a prety obseruation which u Aben Ezra in prou 2 â—7 apud Pag nin in Lexic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Iewish Rabbine giueth of the Hebrew words before mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ish the man or the husband and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ishah the woman or the wife that there is contained in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iah which is the name of God the letters and vowels whereof being taken out there remaineth nothing to be made of the rest but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esh that is to say fire and fire Whereby hee would giue to vnderstand that if God be not betwixt the husband and the wife if there be not in them the feare of God and conscience of duty towards him nothing can bee expected betwixt them but fire and fire fire of debate and strife fire of vexation and grieuance fire of Gods curse consuming and wasting both them and theirs But if God bee in their hearts if they haue in them the feare of God howsoeuer there may be sometimes vpon occasions offence and anger yet farre is it off from danger of separation and there is paine till the breach be repaired and healed againe 17 Religion prescribeth to husband and wife the bounds within which they are to walke each with other the duties which they are to performe one to another for the preseruing of that peace and agreement which God requireth It setteth foorth x Ephes 5. 23. the husband to be the wiues head not onely to import that he is to be her director and y Pro. 2. 17. guide as the head is of the body but as the head in naturall compassion and loue stoopeth and inclineth it selfe to the debilities and weaknesses of the meanest part of the body and vseth the tongue to aske and the eare to heare and the eye to looke for the easing and helping thereof and though he cannot preuaile for the curing of it yet doth not in mad furie torment his owne flesh nor aggrauateth or exasperateth the maladie but still cherisheth the part and maketh the best of all so and much more ought the husband to yeelde the same affection and honour to his wife to apply the vnderstanding and discretion that God hath endewed him with aboue his wife to the couering and hiding of her imperfections and infirmities alwayes to make the best of them and either medicinally to cure them if it may be or with patience to beare what hee cannot cure considering alwayes his wife to be made not of the basest or vilest parts as if she were to be reputed or intreated like his vassall or slaue euen the very heathen man accounting it z Bodin de repub lib. 1 cap. 3. ex Catone a point of sacriledge for a man to strike his wife but of a part neerest to his heart and therefore that shee hath still right aboue all other to challenge a place there On the other side it teacheth the wife to remember her selfe as not made of the foot to be troden vpon so neither of the head to be as a master
15. Talents thou gauest vs but we lapped them vp and digged them into the ground helping no man therewith either by word or deede Behold thou hast thine owne againe scarcely that but more then that wee haue gained nothing How well this answere shall please our Sauiour Christ it resteth for them to consider whom it shall concerne to vs it seemeth much vnfitting to that duety of life which Christ hath commended to vs. 12 Now in discourse of humane societies that is first and chiefly to be considered to which the present occasion leadeth vs the society betwixt the husband and the wife which as it is the roote and foundation of all the rest most neere strait in bond most louely in pleasāce most commodious in benefit and vse so specially serueth in holy scriptures to describe and set forth that coniunction betwixt God and man to the procurement whereof the words of the Prophet are referred in this place for nothing is there more vsuall in holy scripture then by termes of mariage to note the vnion and bond of amitie which is betwixt God and vs God making himselfe the bridegroome his church and people the spouse and bride and accusing vs as of adultry and fornication when our affectios are withdrawne from him and bestowed otherwhere The reason of the institutiō of that societie betwixt man and wife God himselfe deliuered in the beginning b Gen. 2. 18 It is not good for man to bee alone let vs make him a helper meete for him Therfore doth hee make him a helper because it is not good saith he that the man be himselfe alone it is good for him to haue a helper like vnto himselfe and to be at hand with him It is true indeed that accidentally by sinne the case of mariage is much changed and many cares and encumbrances distractions are incident to maried estate For the auoiding wherof that a man may enioy himselfe wholly to himselfe and so to God the Apostle saith c 1. Cor. 7. 1 It is good for a man not to touch a woman as also of the woman that d Verse 40. she is more blessed if she continue alone namely when by the gift of God they haue power ouer themselues to conteine themselues But if wee respect the state of innocencie before the fall of man or if wee respect the case of incontinencie which since that fall like a mighty deluge hath ouerflowed the whole nature of mankind from whence much greater and worse distraction ariseth then from the troubles of maried estate in both these respects to both which wee doubt not but the sentence of god hath reference the same sentence standeth good It is not good for man to be alone it is best for him to haue a helper like vnto himselfe and neere vnto him and as it were another selfe 13 The maner of the making of this helper is to be obserued which Moses describeth thus that e Gen. 2. 21 GOD sent vpon Adam a heauie sleepe and in his sleepe tooke one of his ribs out of his side and closed it vp againe with flesh and of the same rib created the woman and brought her to the man f August de bono coniug cap. 1. By the side saith Saint Austin he signified the effectualnes of this coniunction for they are ioined side to side who walke together and both together looke to one end whereto they walke Vpon this framing of the woman the man pronounceth This is now flesh of my flesh bone of my bone she shall bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ishah woman because she was taken out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ish the man for this cause shall a man leaue his father and mother and shall cleaue to his wife they two shall be one flesh Whereupō our Sauiour Christ inferreth in the gospell g Mat. 19. 6. Therefore they are no more two but one flesh let not man therfore put asunder that which God hath coupled together By the assertion of which vnseparable vnion our Sauiour giueth vs to vnderstand that the breach and separation betwixt the husband and the wife because they are but one flesh is a thing as vnnaturall as is the renting and sundring of one member of the bodie from another This cannot bee in the bodie without paine and griefe if it be in wedlock without paine yet is it not without wound and the wound is so much the more fearefull and dangerous by how much the lesse it appeareth to bee a wound and no paine is felt thereof Physitians say h Curaeus de sensib lib. 2. cap. 43. ex Galeno Dolor est solutio continui paine is the parting and sūdring of that which hath continuation and is substantially compacted together Here is a continuation of one flesh if in the rupture separatiō there be no pain it is a token that either the one side or the other or both are but dead flesh without sense and therefore expect the cauterie of Gods iudgement to cut them off that no further infection may thence grow 14 To this bond of nature God hath also added a bond of couenant and promise whereby the husband and the wife do vndertake and vowe before God and his Church to walke together and religiously to maintaine that societie to which each with other they commit themselues The breach of which couenant GOD reproueth as a hainous trespasse condemning it one where in the husband i Malac. 2. 14. The Lord is witnes betweene thee and the wife of thy youth against whom thou transgressest who yet is thy companion the wife of thy couenant Another where in the wife k Pro. 2. 17. which forsaketh the guid of her youth and forgetteth the couenant of her God calling it the couenant of God because God is the author witnes of it in his name it is made he shall require the performance of it Nature religion fidelity ciuility equitie all cry it out that the husband and the wife should walke together and yet the cry of all these auaileth not but that lamentable ruptures and diuisions betwixt husband and wife are euery where to bee seene amongst vs specially amōgst men of higher place yea so common in many places as if it were a thing out of fashion for great men and their wiues to liue to walke together What great inconueniences and mischiefs hereof ensue it is apparent the ruine of houses extinguishment of naturall affections both in parents and children dissipation of patrimony and state both perill and practise of adulterie and vncleannesse of life offensiue and odious both to God and men 15 For the preuenting of which mischiefes and of that separation which is the cause of them necessarie it is for them that are to walk together to agree together the conscience of that bond wherewith they are ioined as in one yoke to draw together must moue them to all