run farre into this poynt of the pride of women but it is not my purpose to doe it but rather to follow the example of the Apostle which telleth them that such thinges ought not to be and to wish them that they would array themselues as becommeth women which professe the faith of Iesus Christ in comely apparrell with shamefastnesse modesty that the word of God bee not euill spoken of through you The Tenth Chapter THere bee yet many duties more which are very needfull for women both to learne to obserue as appeareth by the instructions which the blessed Apostle gaue vnto his Sonne Titus whereby to instruct the Timo. 2. Creets with wherein he instructeth the elder women that their behauiour bee such as becommeth holinesse not false accusers not giuen to much wine but teachers of honest things that they may instruct the yonger women to be sober minded that The good properties which ought to be in women they loue their Huabands that they loue their Children that they be discreet chast keeping at home good and subiect to their Husbands that the word of God be not euill spoken of but many of these things I haue in some sort touched before only here I would haue women take norise of a thing or two not yet spoken of and so I will draw to a conclusion The Apostle warneth them not to be false accusers and this toucheth busie bodies of our time which will goe pratling to carrie newes and bring debates The Husbands smart sometimes for the wiues tongues and contention amongst neighbours by lying and slaunderouse speeches so that many times the men smart for the womens tongus and neighbours liue at great varience one with another which otherwise would liue in loue and peace together This ought not to be amongst womeÌ„ but to be such as SalomoÌ„ speaketh of in the last of his Prouerbs who speaking there of a vertuous woman shee will saith he open her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue doing thus should they bee able to performe the things here commanded and to instruct others in the duties belonging vnto them Againe hee commandeth that women be not giuen to much wine I would that women were more carefull to auoyd this sinne then Women ought not to delight in much drinking of wine or strong drinke they be for wee haue too many women-drunkards amongst vs as well as men-drunkards now adayes the more is the pitty but woe bee to those that rise vp early to follow drunkenesse and to them that continue vntill night till the wine do enflame them woe be to them that Ecclu â—6 are mighty to drinke wine and to theÌ„ that are strong to powre in strong drinke great is the plague of a drunken woman saith the wise man for shee cannot couer her owne shame we haue example of this in Noah and Lot though otherwaies a righteous man yet being drunke with wine coÌ„mitted Incest with his owne Daughters And euen in these dayes wee see many that haue wasted great Ill diseases beggery the fruits of drunkennesse substance by this meanes and some bringing themselues to diseases shortning their owne dayes by inordinate drinking these are the fruits of excesse drinking and taking delight in wine and strong drinke therefore very great care had women need to take of themselues that they be not giuen to much wine or to take delight in strong drinke Another thing I note that the Apostle doth admonish women of and that is that they bee home-keepers or keepers of their owne houses hence it is that the woman is often called the howse-wife not the street wife shee must be no gadder abroad shee must not spinne streat thread as too many doe which when they haue forced their Husbands to lay more vpon their backes then he is able to put in his purse along time after their owne house will not hold them but they must gad from this place to that place and Women ought not to bee gaddars abroad but keepers of their owne houses euery where to show their pride and their Husbands follie thus did not that vertuous woman which I told you of before which Salomon speakes of it will not bee amisse if I doe discribe her vnto you for surely she that performeth that which the blessed Apostles haue here taught concerning the duty of Wiues will omit nothing of that vertuous woman hee speaketh of or come short of her perfections and these are the words Who shal finde a vertuous woman for her price is far aboue the pearles the heart of her Husband trusteth in her and hee shall haue no need of spoyles shee will doe him good and not ill all the dayes of her life shee seeketh wooll and flaxe and laboureth chearefully with her hands shee is like the Shippes of Marchants shee bringeth her foode from farr and she The discription of a good Wife riseth while it is yet night and giueth the portion to her houshold and the ordinary to her maides shee considereth a field and getteth it and with the fruit of her hands shee planteth a Vineyard shee girdeth her loynes with strength and strengtheneth her armes shee feeleth that her marchandise is good and her candle is not put Pro. 31. out by night shee putteth her hands to the wheele and her hands to the spindle shee stretcheth out her hands to the poore putteth out her hands to the needy she feareth not the snow for her family for all her family are cloathed with scarlet she maketh her selfe carpets fine linnen and purple is her garments her Husband is known in the gates when hee sitteth with the elders of the land she maketh sheetes and selleth them and giueth girdles vnto the Marchants strength and honour is her cloathing and in the latter day shee shall reioyse shee openeth her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue shee ouerseeth the waies of her Houshould and eateth not the bread of idlenesse her Children rise vp and call her blessed her Husband shall prayse her saying many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all fauour is deceitfull and beauty is vanity but a woman that feareth the Lord shee shall bee praysed giue her the fruit of her hands and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates I hope now I shall not need to amplifie this duty of Wiues any further seeing I haue already laboured thus farre in it I will therefore conclude leauing you to the consideratioÌ„ of these things you to the tuitioÌ„ of our good God whome I do beseech to looke mercifully vpon vs all and by his grace and powerfull spirit to worke in our harts a true and speedy reformation of our sinfull liues that so by the holy intercession of our blessed Mediator and the merits of his blessed passion wee may enioy that blessednesse which euery good soule doth long to enioy
mistaâ—â—e me nor for though I haue shewed that a father ought â—â—do thus for his sonne yet I doe not say he ought to doe this for a disobedient wicked or vnthriftie son for such a one I haue shewed ought to bee punished by the Magistrate and that seuerely neither did the father of this prodigall giue him a new portion wheÌ„ hee had ryoted away that which That this priuiledge belongeth not vnto lewd and wicked children he gaue him although vpon his repentance he receiued him into his fauour againe neither doe we finde that any of these aforenamed gaue any double portion Gen. 27. to any of their sonnes Isaok had but one blessing to giue though hee had two sonnes nay these men did giue these portions vnto their sons at the time of their deathes but not before but if a father for the aduancement of his sonne bee pleased out of his loue to spare him som part of his goods while hee doth liue yet if hee wastfully royotously consume it I see not that his father Parents supplying the wnats of vicious children becommeth authors of their vnthriftinesse should feede him with a new supply for so he may be authour of his sonnes vnthriftinesse And thus briefely you see how a man may or should dispose of his goods by the rule of the word of God and this may suffice to satisfie our pollitition for this matter The duty of Children The 18. Chapter ANd now concerning the duty of Children whereof I am purposed to write indeede there was neuer more neede to write of these thinges then now and neuer more teaching of them then in these dayes but neuer was instructions either by word or writing lesse regarded of them then now they be And no maruaile for if God himselfe haue spoken and none would heare him if hee haue stretched out his hands none Esai 1. would regard so that hee hath beene forced to cry out vnto the The great disobedience both of men and children in former ages heauens and the earth to beare witnesse of the disobedience of his Children if it bee thus with men of vnderstanding what will it bee with Children if it were thus with men thousands of yeares agoe what will it be with Children in these times if the Apostles of Christ were mocked Act. 2. and sayd to be full of new wine when they preached the word of God vnto the people and Luke 3. Christ himselfe despised for teaching them and sayd to haue a diuell in him surely if grace feare of God were then fled froÌ„ men what hope shall wee haue to finde it now in Children who haue beene disobedient euen froÌ„ the beginning scoffers mockers as Ismaell of Isack Ham of his owne father and of the saints Prophets of God as of Elisha But bee wise ye children and take heed for neuer such did escape the heauie iudgements of God nor neuer shall in time to come as appeareth by these Ismaell cast out of his fathers Gen. 21. house and fauour yet his first borne sonne Ham also not onely Gen. 9. loosing the blessing of his father but both hee and his posterity became accursed the Children which wicked Elish 42. of 2. King 2. theÌ„ deuour'd by two shee Beares well I will yet with patience rest in hope if Ionas be commanded Ionah 1. to preach against Nineue he may not leaue to doe it fly to Tharsus my maister hath giuen mee a talent to vse shall I lay it vp in a napkin for him noe I dare not doe so but I say still for Sions sake I will not be silent but with Salomon exhort you that be childreÌ„ Prou. 4. to heare the instruction of a father and to giue eare to learne vnderstanding despise not instructions by Good counsell ought not to be refused by whomsoeuer giuen whomsoeuer it be taught whether from the mouth of a learned diuine or of a lay man for gold of it selfe is pure in what base thing soeuer it bee put and the diamond is stil precious though God the author of all good things proceeding from man it lye in the dunghill neither is there any good thing that can proceede from the heart of man but by the powerfull working of the spirit of God therefore let mee intreate you who hearts God shall moue with desire to seeke the knowledge of your duty to reade these few chapters following wherein I haue briefely set downe what duty you owe and must performe vnto your Parents if you meane to please God And although I write these things vnto children yet for that the younger sort for want of yeares are not able to vnderstand them I will leaue these ABC trewants whose delight is rather in their play theÌ„ learning and will addresse my words to those of more riper yeares whose time should shew their knowledg hauing loÌ„g since learned past the graces and now haue their rules by roate without booke what said I that they are past grace by learning too many rules without booke yea indeed it is true therfore I may the bolder speake it though with griefe for wee see many in these dayes which should haue knowledge by their learning but doe The great abuse which schollers make of their learning shew by the leawdnesse of their liues that grace hath not yet wrought any good knowledge in them but that they haue learned too many rules without booke as I sayd for in Gods booke or any other good booke I am sure they neuer learned such things There be many such schollers Youth comming to learne lattine and yet forget their Primer lessons that haue learned many lattine bookes ouer but haue quite forgotten their English Primer lessons to beleeue in God and to keepe his Commandements therefore to the end they may become good schollers in Gods schoole it shall not be amisse to put them to conne ouer their old lessons againe of their obedience vnto their Parents Honour thy Exo. 20. Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee and it is not amisse for others neither it may doe well for both let none despise it the wiser sort I am sure will not It hath pleased the Almighty and powrefull God which worketh all in all thinges for a secret Iudgement and purpose and for his owne godly will and pleasure to prouide and appoynt an howre in the which thy Father and Mother should come together to the end that thou thorough them mightest bee made he was present with thee in the wombe of thy mother fashioned thee and breathed life into thee and for the great loue hee beare vnto thee provided milke in thy mothers breasts against thou wast borne mooÌ„ed also thy Father and Mother and all other to loue thee to pitty thee and to nourish thee and as hee hath made thee through them so hath
beseech thee for his sake to accept this our bounden duty and humbled hearts which as a Morning sacrifice with all humblenesse wee heere present vnto thee yeelding prayse thankes vnto thy sacred Maiesty for all those manifold blessings which in thy mercy thou hast dayly thus plenteously powred vpon vs thy most vnworthy servants amongst the rest we forget not that bodily health peace prosperity which thou in thy mercy dost still continue vnto us with that quiet and comfortable rest which wee haue enioyed this night past that thou hast now brought vs to the beginning of this day in safety These and all other things whatsoeuer we doe praise thy most glorious name for and now still doe most humbly beg of thee that thou wilt be pleased to receiue vs this day and all the daies of our liues vnder thy powerfull protection Oh defend and keep vs from euil guide vs with thy grace sanctifie vs with thy spirit graunt that in all things yea and aboue all things that our whole care and endeavours may be zealously to walke before thee in holy obedience vnto thy heauenly will holy commandements blesse vs we humbly beseech thee in the labors of our hands graÌ„t that we take nothing in hand vnaduisedly but what shall be agreeable vnto thy most holy will thou that knowest what is needfull for vs better then we our selues do vouchsafe wee pray thee to giue vnto vs the good things which wee haue neede of whether it bee for our soules or bodies euen for thy deere and onely Sons sake Iesus Christ blessed for euer we doe most humbly begge them in of thee that forme of prayer which he himselfe haught vs saying Our Father c. Euening Praier O Blessed God which gauest the people of Israel in charge euery day to offer vnto thee a morning euening sacrifice that there by thou mightest be glorified and praised for their dayly protection and preseruation wee most vnworthie wretches presuming through this thy mercy to prostrate our selues heere before thy divine maiesty to offer vnto thee this our bounden duty do most humbly beseech thee for thy blessed Sonnes sake Iesus Christ blessed for euer that by the powerfull assistance of thy holy spirit thou wilt sanctifie our harts vnto the performance heereof for we confesse in respect of our manifold sins wee are farre vnworthy to present our selues before thy glorious maiesty much more that thou shouldest regard vs or accept any thing which we do but wee most humbly beseech thee enter not into iudgment with thy seruants for who then shall stand before thee our very righteousnesse is like vnto a filthy cloath the thoughts of our hearts are dayly and hourely corrupt before thee who can tell how often hee offendeth we haue beene alwaies rebellious Children against thee disobeying thy commandements contemning thy iudgements and abusing thy merits and it is thy great mercy that hath stayed thee that thou hast not vtterly consumed vs long since euen in the midst of our sinnes when they were vnregarded of vs or we vnrepented of them but since thou hast beene pleased to infuse now againe into vs thy grace to see our sins let this thy grace worke in vs we beseech thee a true and vnfained repentance of them pardon oh pardon all our sins O Lord we humbly beseech thee for thy blessed Sonnes sake Iesus Christ we most humbly beseech thee to pardon all our offences which eieither either this day or any other day or time from our births to this houre wee haue committed whether in thought word or deed whersoeuer whensoeuer howsoeuer or against whomsoeuer committed let that innocent most precious bloud which thy blessed Sonne hath shed to wash a way the sins of thy seruants wash and purge vs from all our sinnes and seeing that from vs of our selues no good thing can proceed we humbly beseech thee to create in vs new hearts and by the powerfull working of thy holy spirit sanctifie both our hearts and soules vnto thee that we may heerafter striue to performe a more holy and zealous obedience vnto thy heauenly will and holy commandements then euer hitherto we haue done for our blessed Sauiours sake we beseech thee to graunt these and all other good thinges vnto vs which may dayly further vs in the workes of our saluation and heere as wee are by duty bound we render vnto thee humble and most heartie thankes for all those great and manifold blessings which in thy great mercy thou doest dayly thus plenteously power vpon vs most vnworthy wretches and amongst the rest wee forget not that bodily health peace and prosperity which we doe still enioy with the blessings which wee haue this day receiued These and all other thinges whatsoeuer wee doe praise thy most glorious name for and doe most humbly begge of thee to continue thy mercies and blessings still vnto vs in all the good thinges that we haue need of and amongst the rest we beseech thee to receiue vs vnder thy powerfull protection this night that so wee may rest in peace and sleepe in safety for wee know there is no safety but in thee with thee in vaine are our houses any protection vnto vs or our beds any place of rest for our weak bodies if thy blessing bee not with vs. Oh suffer not Sathan to trouble vs in our sleepes nor any danger to annoy vs but wee beseech thee let thy holy Angels watch ouer vs while we take rest that so when wee shall wake againe wee may render due prayse vnto thee vnto whome all prayse belongeth neyther doe wee beg these thinges for our selues here alone but for thy whole Church wheresoeuer dispersed More particularly we pray thee be gracious vnto this land wherin through thy goodnesse we liue and haue oâ—â— beeing and herein as wet are by duty bound wee humbly beseech thee to powre thy blessings on that great piller of thy Church our dread Soueraigne Lord Charles by thy gracious appoyntment King of great Brittaine France and Ireland wee beeseech thee enrich his royall heart with such graces and gifts as shall bee meete for that high place and calling wherein thou hast placed him blesse with him his and our noble Queene Mary his faythfull privie Counsellors the reverend Clergie all true hearted Nobilitie loyall Gentry and louing Comminalty we beseech thee let thy blessings dwell on the heads of these so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth neyther forget wee the poore afflicted meÌ„bers of this thy Church wheresoeuer dispersed or howsoeeuer distressed and euery particular member thereof howsoeuer afflicted whether outwardly in body or inwardly in mind euen as if our selues were in their case so begge wee for them patience comfort and a speedy release of their seuerall calamities that they with vs and wee with them may in the end reioyce together with thee in thy heauenly kingdome which Lord we beseech thee to hasten prepare vs for thee and come Lord Iesus come quickly euen so Amen T. C.