healpe ¶ The fyfth Chapter To a ryght mariage must chyldreÌ„ also haue the consent of theyr parentes MOreouer lyke as God faythe shoulde not be denyed or forsakeÌ„ wythe y e mariage eueÌ„ so they whiche are nexte to god as father mother ought not to be neglected despysed For though God sayd A maÌ„ shall forsake father mother kepe him to his wyfe yet those his wordes in y e same place are coÌ„cerninge mariage y t is made alredy what duty they y e are maried owe y e one to y e other are not touching the contractyng of wedlocke that chyldren may mary without the respecte knowledge or coÌ„sent of theyr pareÌ„tes vnder whose authorite iurisdiccion they be And I wonder what the papisti call bokes learned men dyd meane whan they taught that the consent only of both the parties doth fasteÌ„ the matter coupleth theÌ„ togither in mariage The coÌ„sent of y e pareÌ„tes also say they is good with all but whan they two haue coÌ„sen ted and one hath taken the other y e knot can not be vnknyt neyther maye the parentes seperate theÌ„ from a sunder Wher as lawes both natural diuine specially and ciuile require the pareÌ„tes consent to the chyldrens mariage In so much y t they iudge the promyse to be of no value which is made without the knowledge of the parentes yea that also in those chyldreÌ„ which as yet are not come to theyr yeares are yet vnder the tui cion of theyr elders Forin as much as the chyldreÌ„ are not yet come to perfecte discrecioÌ„ they caÌ„ not coÌ„tracte mariage which requireth vnderstaÌ„ dyng yea they can nether couÌ„sayle nor helpe theÌ„ selues So y â— in this behalfe y â— coÌ„sent of theyr parentes is not only necessary but also good pro fitable for theÌ„ As for preuy coÌ„tractes which are not made according to the lawes they haue euer bene reiected neyther were they acceptable to any man saue vnto suche as were ignoraunt and wycked For why for the moost parte they are made of some fond affeccioÌ„ yea knauery falshod disceate is commoÌ„ly the doer to persuade by wordes to take yong folkes in the snare Many priuy coÌ„tractes are brought to passe w t flattery wyth dronckennes wyth rewardes promises wherby young ignoraunt people are vtterly begyled destroyed To gyue liberte liceÌ„ce vnto suche is euen as muche as to gyue a mad maÌ„ a swerd a knyfe to a yong chyld yea a very slauÌ„ dering is it a dishonouryng of mariage Diso bedieÌ„ce of chyldreÌ„ also toward theyr parentes tutours hath euer bene reprehended among all nacioÌ„s God coÌ„masideth and sayth Thou shalte honour thy father thy mother Nowe doth the obedieÌ„ce or disobedieÌ„ce of y e chyldreÌ„ at no time de clare it selfe more than in contractynge of wedlocke Greater honour canst thou not shew vnto thy parentes than whan thou followest theÌ„ herein neyther greater dishonoure than whan thou herein resistest them Esau displeased hys pareÌ„tes very sore in takyng his wyfe w tout their coÌ„sent Iacob followed theyr mynd was coÌ„meÌ„ded This commaundement also of honouryng our pareÌ„tes dyd our Lord Christright faythful ly coÌ„mit vnto vs. Math. xv In the. vii of Deu. doth God gyue this charge vnto his people say enge You shal not marry your sonnes dough ters to the vnbeleuers By the whyche wordes we maye well vnderstande that the authorite of marryeng yonge folkes lyeth in the parentes not in them selues Wherfore Abraham before the lawe charged his seruaunt Elieser that concernynge the contractynge of mariage betwene Isaac Rebecca he shulde do his message wythe Bathuell and not specially wythe Rebecca her selfe The seruaunt also dyd hys eacande to the parentes and not to the daughter althoughe he founde her alone wythoute by the well syde and had tyme place and occasion sufficient so to do This lawe dyd Sampson obserue IudicuÌ„ xiiii For though he had found spyed a damsell that pleased hym yet he toke her not but fyrst shewed hys parentes brought them wyth hym vnto her toke her wyth the knoweledge and consent of hys father and mother In the seconde boke of Moses the. xxii Chap ter doth God commaund thus If a man begyle a mayd that is not detrouthed and lye with her he shall endote her and take her to hys wyfe If her father refuse to gyue her vnto hym he shall paye mony accordynge to the dowry of virgins Here dothe GOD gyue the father authorite to take hys doughter from the man to whome she is promysed els by the lawe Therfore maye the parentes drawe the chyldren agayne to theyr iu risdiccion For this is a singuler great thynge that the father hathe authorite to take his forced doughter from the man and to wythdrawe her from hym to whome she was promysed by the lawe In the fourth boke of Moses the thyrty Chapter it is wrytten thus If a damsel vow a vowe vnto the Lorde bynde her selfe beynge in her fathers house and vnmaryed yf her father heare her vowe and bond whiche she hathe made vpon her soule and hold his peace therto then all her vow and bond which she hath made vpon her soule shall stand in effecte But and yf her father forbyd her the same day that he hea reth it thaÌ„ none of her vowes nor boÌ„des whiche she hath made vpon her soule shalbe of â—…alue c. Although nowe in these sayde wordes of God there is no marryage but vowes expressed and named yet is it an euident testimonye that no chyld which is not yâ—…t come to hys yeares and is yet vnder the tuicion of his parentes hathe aucthorite to vowe bynde or alter it selfe wythout theyr consent yea yf any suche vowe or alte racion do chaunce that then the parentes haue aâ—…thorite by the lawe of GOD to lette and hynder the same For in as muche as God permytteth to vnbynde it and wyll not that it shal be of any effecte whiche wythout consent of the parentes is promised to hym selfe no doubte he wyll not that it shall stande immutable whiche in disobedience is wylfully done without the pa tentes consent The holy Apostle Paule in the fyrste Chap of y e fyrst Epist. to Timo. amonge many other greuous synnes rekenethe also the stealynge away of men whiche is a shamefull vyce whan mens children seruauntes or suche other folkes as belong vnto them are caried awaye or entysed froÌ„ them Whan a wicked sotel shamelesse woman entyceth an ygnoraunte yonge maÌ„ froÌ„ his father which with great expenses trauayle laboure hath brought him vp whan she blyndeth him with loue and at the laste gettethe him awaye vnder the title of mariage Or whan a wanton and fayre tongued fellowe entycethe a damesell from hyr mother and than vnder the tytle of mariage conueyeth her awaye what is it els but menne stealyng Thus I trust it is manifest
gaue the camels drynke But the mā maruayled at her and marked her well and hyld his tonge et cete No doute he hadde respecte to the ryches of the mynde and of the body and percea ued that she was gentle seruiseable lowly geuē to laboure quycke in her busynesse louynge towarde straūgers that she was not my ◅taughte or nycely brought vp ner a hye mynded or deyn tye veast but honeste and handsome How she was condycyoned coulde he not knowe better then by such token She was yet an vntouched virgin and therfore also wel nourtoured and no nyce thynge Whan she commeth to the well she makethe no stoppe ner bringeth a sorte of yong fellowes with her nether standeth she gasyng and wondryng vpon the straunge man but quyckely and straight goeth she her way and tendeth her own busynesse But assone as the olde honeste man Abrahams seruaunt speke vnto her she sheweeth herselfe very curtuous and gentle Full reuerently calleth she hym syr master or lord and serueth him quickely asketh no questions at him and makethe no moo wordes These are righte vertues highely to be commended in a virgin Morouer this damsell is praysed for her bewtye and fayrenesse of hir body whiche was euen asmuch the more excellent as she exceaded in ver tuous condicions Thou wilt saye yee but where are the other gyftes of god and ryches of the mynd as the fea re of GOD true beleife et cete I answere The sayde vertues were not in her wythoute the fear of God and fayth Abraham also had ta ken an ooth afore of the same his seruaunte after this maner Thou shalt sweare by the lord of heauen earth that vnto my sonne thou shalt take no wyfe of the doughters of the Cananites among whom I dwel but shalte go to my coun tre and kynrid and thence bring him a wyfe The Cananites were corrupte and loste in theyr faythe and manners gyuen to Idolatrye and abhomynacyon yet were they mighty and rytche But they in Mesopotamia whēce Abra ham was feared God and were vertuous not withstandyng they were not of lyke power and ritches Neuertheles Abraham folowed after the feare of God therin leauethe he vs an ensample that we all shulde be the gladder to haue God then Mammō And thus haste thou also that in this mariage there was great experien ceof fayth Whan the seruasit now had with sylēce consydred the excellent giftes in the damesell he asketh her furthermore whose doughter art thou She aunswereth I am the doughter of Bathuel and Nahor is graundfather Then Abrahams seruaunt toke out a ryng of gold other Iewels and gaue her them For no vncomlye thynge is it to geue honeste presentes to honeste damesels in the waye of honeste and so to moue theyr myndes vnto the honour and loue of mariage Els or in other wise of suspecious personnes ought honest damsels to take none For it is no vntrueprouerbe She that taketh the pedlers ware must be fayne to haue the pedler himselfe also at the last c. Moreouer the seruaunt thought he wolde pro ue how frendly mercifull harbarous faithful the damesell was and sayd Haue ye rowme in thy fathers house to lodge in And she sayd vnto hym We haue plenty of lytter and prouender rowme ynoughe to lodge in yet because she wold not take much vpon her she ranne in and tolde her brother Laban the matter Who immediatelye made readye the stable goeth forth to the well bringeth the seruaunte into the house and setteth meat before him But the seruaunt sayde I will not eate tyll I haue first done my earand And so beganne and tolde how that hys master Abraham had one onelye sonne how riche he was and how he had sente him to Mesopotamia to get hys sonne a wyfe Then tolde he howe he made hys prayer vnto god came to the well and how theyr doughter Rebecca came to the well also how she behaued her selfe and what she dyd by the vohych he vnderstode that god had prouyd◅d theyr doughter for his masters sonne So that now his request was that they wold geue hym a fynall aunswere whether they could be cont◅t to mary theyr daughter to his masters sonne or no. Where vpon the damsells father and brother aunswered Thys commeth euen of the Lorde therfore wyll we not saye agaynst it ▪ c. And thus out of the story we learne that whā we haue made oure faythfull prayer vnto God appoynted oure election ordynatelye and vsed the other meanes we must do oure errand vnto the parentes or tutours of the partye and how and after what maner we ought to do it The damesel also is enquyred what her wyll is she consenteth and ther wyth is the mariage conclu ded Thus much I haue spokē cōcerning the chosynge of conuenient and mete spouse and of the earand appertaynyng to the same Yet in thys thynge also must I warne euerye reasonable and honeste persone to beware that in contractyng of maryage they dyssemble not ner set forth any lye but rather vse trueth tell how euery thyng standeth For they that lye and dyssemble do afterward cause much displeasure amonge them that are disceaued Let euery one remembre how loth he wolde be to be disceaued hymselfe and that it is comenly sayde In mariage ought no man to be begyled Euery man lykewyse must esteme the parson to whom he is handfasted none otherwyse then for his owne spouse though as yet it be not done in the church ner in the streate For thus is it wrytten Deut. xxii yf a mayde be handfasted to an husband and then a man fynde her and lye wyth her they shall both he caried out of the cytye and stoned vnto death The. xiii Chapter Of the weddyng ANd to the intēt that all incōueniēces for to come which myght afterward growe eyther touchyng the goodes or the promy ses maye cyrcumspectlye be preuented therfore after y ◠handfastynge makyng of the contracte y ◠church goyng weddyng shuld not be differred to long lest the wickedde sowe hys vngracyous sede in the meane season Likewyse the weddinge cohabitacion of y e parties ought to be begōne with God wyth the earnest prayer of y t whole church or cōgregaciō But into this dysh hath y e dyuell put his foote myngled it wythe many wycked vses and custumes For in some places ther is suche a maner wel worthy to be rebuked that at the handefastyng there is made a great feast sup◅rfluous bācket euē the same nyght are the two hādfasted personnes brought layed togyther yea certen wekes afore they go to the chyrch Which is nothyng els but a wycked lust and a playne euidēce y t thou lytle regardest the blyssyng euen as dyd Esau that in wedlocke thou sekest nothyng but caruall desyre Christ commaundethe vs that fyrst before all thynges and in all thynges we
apte and conuenient statutes and ciuile lawes suche ought no reasonable Christen man to resist but muche rather is he bounde to obey them lyke as the holy Apostle Peter hath wrytten and taught i. Petre. ii Be ye subiecte ◅ayth he to all ciuile ordinaunces of men for the Lordes sake The hygher pow ers haue authorite to make Ciuile lawes in out warde thynges And who so withstondeth such bothe wythstonde the ordinaunce of God and therfore shall God ponysh hym as Paule testifyeth Roma xiii Secondely the Lorde saythe Deutero vii youre doughters shall ye not gyue to theyr sonnes meanyng the vnfaythfull Infidelles and theyr doughters shall ye not take for youre sonnes Therfore in goynge about mariage a christen man must fyrst looke that in handfastynge hymselfe to a woman he make no diuorce of the true fayth or brynge it into parell For it followeth in the lawe For they shall make your sonnes to fall away from me and to serue strating Goddes And then shall the indignacion of the Lorde waxe whotte ouer you and destroye you shortely Neuerthelesse yf there be no daunger of faulyng awaye from Goddes trueth or of hur tyng the same then concernyng mariage it ma keth no matter though the partie dwell amonge Infidelles or come of vnfaythefull fathers and mothers For Booz whiche was grandefather to Iesse Dauids father married a Cananite of Ierico euen ◅uth whom the Euangelist recyteth in the Genelogy of Christ Iesu mat i. For she was right faythfull abhorred al ydolatry Elles yf there be parell presente that the one shalbe caryed away vnto errour then hath not onely the lawe in the olde Testamente spoken there agaynst but Paule also commaundeth in the second to the Corinthians the sixte chapter sayeng Beare not a straūg yoke with infidels For what felowshyp hathe righteousnes wythe vnryghteousnes What company hathe lyghte with darkenesse What concorde hathe Christe wyth Belial Or what parte hathe the beleuer with an Infidell How agreeth the Temple of God wyth Idolles Ye are the Temple of y e lyuyng God c. Mariage is a cōmon participacion of mynde body goodes Now sayth Paule What vnyte can a faythfull beleuer haue wyth and infydeler The vnbeleuer cleueth to vnrighteousnesse to darkenesse to ypocrysye to erroure euen vnto the deuell and to ydolatry Agayne the faithfull beleuer despyseth abhorreth condemnethe all such thinges loueth righteousnes the trueth of the Gospel the lyght euen the Lord and hath God lyuyng in hym How wyll these two now drawe one yoke whiche are of suche a contrary mynde To drawe one yoke is a maner of spekyng and is as muche to say as to haue fellow shyp and to yoke thē selues togither in wedlock To beare a strasig yoke is it to take an vnfaith ful mate or one to gyue ouer himselfe vnto such thynges as maye alienate hys mynde frō God his trueth And verely what womā so euer taketh an vnbeleuyng mā must drawe after hym in vnbeleue yea do se heare that whiche is cleane contrary vnto fayth and hurteful to her soule The chyldren also shalbe brought vp in in fidelite And thoughe it come not to passe whyle the parentes be alyue yet happeneth it after the death of the faythfull Whyle such yoked folkes also are alyue there is no tranquilite finally the beleuer must be in continuall discorde wyth the vnbeleuer or els must he graunt vnto her so do agaynst God agaynst his own soule and agaynst his conscience Therfore must we take good aduisement afore hand leest we yoke oure selues our frēdes or our chyldren with vnfayth ful people to the great hurt of our selues ours Thou wylt say For asmuch now as I haue an infidell to my mate I perceaue that ther can be no mariage betwene hym and me therfore wyll I departe from hym To this doth Paul aunswere the. i. Cor. vii yf a brother that is to saye a Christē man haue an vnbeleuyng wyfe she be content to dwell wyth hym let hym not departe from her And yf an womā haue an vn beleuyng husbonde he consent to dwell wythe her let her not departe from hym For the vnbe leuyng husbonde is sanctifyed by the wyfe and the vnbeleuynge wyfe is sanctifyed by the husband Els were your chyldren vnclene but now are they holy But and yf the beleuyng departe lette hym departe A brother or a sister is not in subieccion to suche But in peace hath God cal led vs. c. We must therfore put a difference betwene it that is done already and it that is yet to do A wedlocke is it no doubte that after the common custome and law is openly and iustely celebrated of euery man estemed for wedlock But yf in the same there be any erroure or blemysh that errour should not be defended or bro ught into other mariages Neyther oughte men therfore immediately to conclude saye Myne vnsemely mariage is therfore no mariage at al. Wherfore whyle the matter is not yet past euery man ought to beware that he nether hys be snared in daunger We can note well the blemyshes of the body much more ought we to con sidre the blemyshes of the soule We should take ensample by Salomon seyng it is manifest vn to what poynte the vnbeleuing women brought hym although he was the wysest amonge men vpon earth But whan the matter is done alredy let euery mās mynd be to kepe that thyng y ◠God hath called hym vnto and do that mooste conuenient is makynge faythfull prayer vnto God and followynge the counsayle of the holye Apostle Peter whiche i. Pet. iii. he gaue to the women that haue vnbeleuyng husbōdes sayēg Let the wyues be in subieccion to theyr husbondes that euen they which beleue not the worde maye without the worde be wonne by the good conuersacion of the wyues whan they se youre chaste lyuyng in the feare of God It plesed not Paul that in wedlocke al hope should be sodenly cast of for vnbeleues sake and vyolence ministred to seperacion For in y e fore recyted place to the Corinthians he sayth after this manner For what knowest thou woman whyther thou shalte saue the man or no Or y u manne whether thou shalte wynne the woman or no Wherfore he that is snared in such a case let him call vpō God and lyue in his fear in fayth fulnes in pacience in long sufferynge in discrecion soberly and in vnfayned loue Yet let euery Christen mā take hede that for his wyues sake ◅e consent to none ydolatry neyther defyle him selfe withe the workes of vnbelefe Lette euery man remember the wordes of the Lorde Who so loueth father or mother wyfe or childrē sister or brother londe or substaunce more then me is not worthy of me But let hym alway cry vpō God for succoure counsayle conforte and helpe So shall he faythefully not onely shewe hys louynge kyndenes but also fynde remedy and declare hys
pryde him of hys gyfte Yf thy wife be not al togyther circumspecte and handsome and God hath endewed the wyth wysdom and actiuite than boast not thy selfe agaynste thy wyfe but remember howe God hathe prouided the for her in maryage to the intent that thou shouldest supple her imperfection and that ye both doynge your best togyther myghte be one perfecte bodye If the wyfe be rytche and the husbande poore then let not the wyfe boast her rytches agaynste the husbande but considre that thorowe mariage her goodes are become her husbandes also For mariage is a mutuall felowshyp partakyng of al thynges The bodye lyke wyse is more of value than the goodes Seynge then that thy body is thy husbandes muche more are thy goodes his And thus must euery one of you iudge in others giftes y t what so euer the one spouse hathe more excellent then the other the same thorowe mari age is his spouses aswell as his owne Thyrdly it doth greatly increase loue whan the one faythefully seruethe the other whan in thynges concernyng mariage the one hideth no secretes nor priuities from the other whā of all that euer they optayne or get they haue but one comon purse togither the one lockyng vppe nothyng from the other whan the one is faythfull to the other in eatynge drynckynge and all necessite whan the one harkenneth to the other whan the one thyncketh no scorne of the other whan in matters concernynge the rule of the house the one wyll be councelled and aduised by the tother But muche discorde commeth of it whan the one hateth and wyll not suffer them whome the tother loueth and can not forsake as namely a mans frend father mother syster bro ther and such other lyke Fourthely let the one learne euer to be obsequious seruiseable to y e other in al other thīges And this shall come to passe yf y e one note what thyng the other can awaye wyth all and what pleaseth him And so from henceforth to meddle with the one and eschew the other Some wiues are so frowarde that whan theyr husbandes are mery they are sadde And contrary wyse there be diuers men that fyrst desyre to meddle wythe that thyng whiche they perceaue y ◠theyr wyues can not awaye wythal Some nether canne nor wyl heare theyr infirmities more nor lesse Som tyme whan the wyfe is sad and disquietted then wyll the husbande haue to muche sporte and pastyme of her And sometyme if the husbande be displeased than the wyfe wyth spytefull wordes and wanton fashyons prouokethe hym to more anger Some hadde rather haue theyr backe full of strypes than to holde theyr tonges and forbeare a lytle But where the vnderstondyng of obsequye and obedience is then lette euery one remember that the other hath the nature of mankynde in hym and is tempted lette the one lende to the other somewhat in temptacion forbeare wythe hym gyue hym the place gentylly for a tyme. And thoughe thy spouse in hys displeasure do happen for to speake an vnkynde or vnientyl worde yet thynke that it was not he but wrath that spake it Fyfthly There is no manner of thyng that more strongly kepethe and increasethe loue matrimoniall then doth curtesy kyndenesse playnnesse and gentylnesse in wordes manners and dedes But there be diuers marryed parsonnes among whome is not foūd a good worde but al way brawlyng chidyng discorde And yet fyll they all the world wyth complayntes what a mi serable lyfe they haue togyther And they them selues neuerthelesse are gylty of theyr owne mis chefe Let them leue theyr churlyshe fashons and be frendely and louyng one to another and then shall they come to rest And if happely they can not excell in that behalfe yet lette them shewe a good mynde and louynge wyll in theyr wordes and dedes so shall an honest vertuous spouse be contented therwythe For euident it is that many a man wolde fayne be endewed wyth humanite and gentlenes And yet by the means of imperfeccion not for any frowardnes he canne not One man also is of an heuyer nature than another Syrtely it lykewyse heapeth and encreasethe loue matrimoniall whan the parties swell not one agaynst another and whan eyther openeth to the other theyr grefe in due tyme and wythe discresion For the longer a displeasure or euell wyll reygnethe in secrete the worsse wyll be the discord The dyuell also sometyme maketh theyr hartes so hard styffe that at the last they both become croked vessels Therfore I saye woulde I haue the due tyme obserued bycause that there is some season in the which yf greues were shewed it shuld make greater debate as yf thou shuldest tell it thy husbande when he is oute of pacience or moued And specially who so speaketh to a drōken man talketh wyth hym that is not at home Therfore Abigail perceauyng Naball her husbond to be dronken wolde not speake her mynde vnto hym vntyl the mornyng i. Reg xxv Thus ought euery one to wayte his conue nient and due tyme. Wyth discrecion I saye must it be done also for some shewe theyr grefes so vnmannerly so spytefully and so vncurteously that they make nowe a greater discencion than was afore And yf the one of a good faythfull meanyng begyn to speake of the tother the same shall not onely take indignacion at hym wythout pacient hearyng oute of his tale but also begynne to make spytefull rehersals agayne of the newe Remember your selues well both of you for if ye so continue in dissencion brawlyng and chydyng the one wyth the other truly ye can not haue Gods fauoure For who so wyll be forgyuen of God must and ought fyrst to be at one with his negh boure and also to forgyue hym hys trespasse faulte Accordynge to the wordes of the Lorde Math. v. vi xviii So sayth Paule Ephe. iiii Thoughe ye be angrye yet synne not Lette not the Sonne go downe vpon yourewrathe neyther gyue place vnto the backehyter c. Lette all bytternes fearsnes wrath roaryng and cursed speakyng be put awaye from you Be curteous one to another and mercyfull forgyuynge one another euen as God for Christes sake hath for gyuen you Seuently chyldren begotten in wedlocke are a very sure bonde of matrimoniall loue And therfore the Latinistes call them Pignora Now is pignus as muche to saye as a pledge or gage or pawne And the chyldren begotten in lawfull marriage are as a pledge and suerty of the loue that can not be parted asunder For howe canst thou at ony tyme be deuided from the marryed spouse by whome thou haste chyldren yf thou wylt saye Take thou one I wyll take another yet hath ech of you in that one chylde somthing which pertayneth to yourselfe For certayne it is that the chylde cometh of you both God also bryngeth it so to passe that somtyme the childrē looke lyke the father sometyme
lytle gyue therof after thy power For a good treasure shalt thou lay vp in store for thy selfe agaynst y â— day of trouble yea that small substaÌ„ce wherof a poore man giueth almose pleseth the Lord much better then when welthye men gyue theyr lytle of theyr great rytches Example in s. Luke RemeÌ„ber the comon Prouerbe That thou sparest from gyuyng for Gods sake shall the dyuell cary another waye So saythe Salomon Some man gyueth out his goodes and is the rytcher but the nyggarde hauyng ynough wyll departe from no thynge And yet is he euer in pouerte He that is lyberall in gyuynge shall euer haue plenty God increaseth loue and fauoureth ma ryed folke bycause they shewe mercy charite to the nedy And yf God maketh the ritch man poore he doth well For he seeth that if he shuld haue ritches he would be to proud and forget God and himselfe to with pouerte therfore and adfliccioÌ„ wyll he nourtour his chyldren so to teach them his wayes lest in abundaunce and wealth they runne after theyr owne wayes and lustes For tribulacion and aduersite are the fyer and salte that purge preserue vs from stynkynge not destroye vs but they teache vs to put our trust in God and not in oure selues nor in no creatures they draw vs from transitory thinges to fasten vs sure to God and because we shoulde not be condemned wyth the worlde he plucketh vs wyth his Crosse from the worlde Into the which troublouse state of the crosse whan maryed cowples be cast of GOD then haue they the moost present coÌ„solacions out of sâ—…riptures to conforte them and to cause them to reioyce in theyr affliccion as are the holy Psalmes of Dauid we haue also the godly ensamples of the deare beloued faythefull seruauntes of God as were Iob Abraham Iacob c. Item the wordes of Christ. Who so wyll serue me let him dayely take his crosse vpon hym and folow me And in Ihon and Paule is full of conforte in hys epistles specially Hebreus x. Whan ony of the maryed personnes be tempted or troubled wyth syckenes or any other fortune then shulde the to ther conforte hym or her wythe these confortable ensamples Psalmes and sentences of gods spirite of all consolacion one suffryng wyth the tother for so shall the affliccion and Crosse be the easylyer borne and loue mutuall the more encreased Trewe loue sheweth her selfe moost clearely in trouble and syckenes And yf the one grudge at the tothers syckenes he doth agaynst Gods wyll And if he reioycethe at her or she at hys affliccion it is a token of lytle loue excepte hys reioyce be in the Lorde so to conforme hym to the similitude of hys sonne Christ that he myght be lyke hym in glory Paul coÌ„maundeth you to do to your seruauÌ„ tes that y t is iust and equall louyngly frendly vsynge them remembrynge that ye your selues haue a master in heauen learne of Iob also the same for your seruauntes are of Goddes creacion as wel as ye derely beloued and hys chosen children also yea and your brothren and systers in Christ. Let them therfore for theyr laboures haue theyr conuenient food and wages be not bytter harde nor iniuriouse vnto them in no wyse A great offence it is before God to kepe the labourynge seruauntes wages froÌ„ hym Iames sayth vnto such rytch meÌ„ Beholde the hyer of y â— labourers that haue reaped downe youre feldes which hyer ye haue kept backe by fraude cryeth and the complaynt of the labourers is entred in to the eares of the Lorde of Sabbaoth Ye haue had good dayes vpon erth and lyued at your pleasure and delyghted your hartes but it is only agaynst the daye of your slaughter So Iames sayth that the defraudynge of mens wages wyll be at last a slaughter Many men vse theyr seruauntes as slaues and beastes and therfore is theyr ertorted seruyce vnprofitable vnfaythfull to suche cruell masters more faythfull is the seruice done of loue than for feare compulsion Agayne the seruauntes must laye a parte all euel condicions prydevnfaythfulnes brawlyng and murmurynge pyckyng and tales tellynge remembryng Paules exhortacion sayeng ye ser uauntes be obedient to your masters with feare and tremblynge in singlenes of youre herte as vnto Christ not with eye seruice as meÌ„ plesers but euen as the seruaunt of Christ that ye may do the wyll of GOD from your hartes wythâ—… good wyll Thyncke that ye serue the Lorde and not men ¶ The. xviii Chapter How chyldren shuld be well and godly brought vp GReate ioye quietnes it bryngethe to the pareÌ„tes to se theyr childreÌ„ godly vertue ously brought vp And agayne besydes y e sorow y t euell brought vp chyldreÌ„ bring to theyr parentes yet shall they render a strayght rekenyng to God for theyr euell bryngynge vp of them The women shulde noryshe theyr owne chyldren wyth theyr owne brestes or els yf they maye not for weaknes yet oughte they to seke honeste and godlye nourses of sober lyuynge that wyth theyr mylke they myght drinkin also vertewe And the pareÌ„tes especiallye the mother must endeuour to speake fyrst to the chyld perfectly playne and â—…ncte wordes for as they be fyrst enformed to speake so they wyll contynew Caius and Tyberius the sonnes of Cornelia Grachy were ornate and eloquent in theyr speche for theyr mother was eloquent of tongue And euen from theyr infancy forth let the parentes teach theyr â—…hyldren no fables nor lyes nor no vayne nor lyght communicacioÌ„ but that onely which is godly honest graue and frutefull let it be planted in theyr new hertes They must teach them fyrst certayne godly sentences though they yet can not vnderstande them yet let them commende them to memory and practyse them in speche tyll they maye here after the better perceaue them as are these folowyng As certaynely as thou seyst the heauens and the earth so certaynly muste thou knowe that ther is one iÌ„uysyble god one alone for all suffycient hauing hys beyng of himselfe all creatures ther being of him Heauen and earthe and all that was made is of goddes owne creacyon God is the mooste hyghe goodnes Wythout God theris nothing good God nedeth no creature to be ioynedde wyth hym in hys dedes and cownselles to forgeue dampne saue or healpe It is he alone that vpholdeth all the worâ—… preserueth it and gyueth euery thyng the lyfe beynge whyche it hath He is louyng graciouse and mercyful to them that so beleue and trust vpon him God is trewe and iuste and holye in all hys workes God loueth vertue and hateth synne 〈◊〉 vyce It is good that God commaundeth and euell that he forbyddeth God punysheth synne euell A man must loue God aboue all thynges He may not murmur agaynst god but be wyllynge and thankfull in all aduersite to beare it He must call onely vpon God and complayne to hym onely in