husband For a godly wife neither must nor will seek a soueraignty or superiority ouer her husband Lomb. lib. 4 For the woman as the master of the sentences doth allegorise was made of the rib of man that he should entreat her gently as his mate she was neither made of the head that she should vsurp autority power ouer him nor yet of the feete that she shuld be abused as a slaue vile seruaÌ„t by him And euen as the lowest soils be commonly most battle and fertil so those wee men that be most modest humble are mest filled furnished with gods gifts graces Iam. 4.6 euen in the greatest measure For as the holy scripture saith god resisteth the proud Plin. l. 14. giueth grace to the huÌ„ble Thirdly the vine is fruitful it be areth grapes plentifully which wel ripened mightily pressed do yeeld great store of wine Galen de Sa. 4. which cheereth the hart of man refresheth the vital spirits heateth the cold stomack helpeth the rawnes and crudity many other infirmities of the same Ther are many wiues which are fruitful in children and this is a corporall blessing for so many godly children so many blessings of God In the old law sterrility and barrennes was deemed as a curse of God and therefore many godly religious weomen as Sara Rachel Rebecca Gen. 3â— Anna with others hartily huÌ„bly prayed of god that he would giue theÌ„ children Psal 127.5 O happy blessed is the man that hath his quiuer ful of godly children brought vp in the fear of the lord they shal be a terror to the enimy a stay to the country a comfort to their parents But ther is another spiritual blessing Good religion ther is another fruitfulnes beeter thaÌ„ this that is that the wife be inuested adorned with good qualities First that she feare God religiously walk in his waies for then shal God procure purchase hir fauor grace in the eies of her husbaÌ„d And therfore we find by experience that diuers weomen not so fair being godly are better liked and loued of their husbands than others more amiable beautiful Plinie and yet not so godly For as the loadstone draweth hard yron to it so this fear of god in the wife wil easily moue a wise husbaÌ„d but it wil force a waiward husbaÌ„d to entreat hit louingly gently Loue. And as to season vnsauery meats pleasaÌ„t delicat sauces be prepared so to giue a good relish to the sweet food of honest mariage it must be tempered seasoned with a most ardent feruent loue And good reason to loue them to whoÌ„ we haue giuen our bodies and al and chosen to bee partakers of all ioies and sorrows of wealth and wo of health sicknes for whoÌ„ we forsake father mother brother sister frind kif kin al that not for a time but during the course of our life I say it is good reason we should like loue them that with a most near dear affectioÌ„ We read of noble Iulia Pompeys wife who expressed the signe of a most louing wife for being with child when she saw her husbaÌ„ds warlick coat brought into the city al imbrued with gored bloud fel into a sudden sound scriching most rufully and wofully crieng out O Pompey Pompey farewel and so this noble lady with her vntimely child preseÌ„â—ly dyed The greatest maintainer of this houest loue is shamefastnesse Shamefast 〈◊〉 which is such a vertue in a woman that without it the rest are al disgraced For this shamefastnes is giuen to weomen for a defence to keepe their reputatioÌ„ for a castle to preserue their chastity for a fort to maintain their honor and for a garland to aduance their prayse and commeÌ„dation 〈◊〉 Aristotle the famous philosopher requiers in a mayd to bee marâ—ed foure thinges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 riches good pareÌ„tage beauty vertue Beauty is coÌ„mendable a good parentage is honorable wealth land a good inheritaunce is not to bee contemned but the chiefest dowry the best inheritance the most pretious Iewell in a woman is vertue especially the vertue of obedience So our Apostle teacheth Wiues obay your husbands Ephes 5 22. Obedience Man is fitter for this soueraynty of rule regunent then a woman euen by the lawe of nature hauing greater skill to rule experieÌ„ce to gouern capacity to coÌ„prehend wisdome to vnderstaÌ„d streÌ„gth to execute carefulnes to prosecute patieÌ„ce to suffer and a greater courage and magnanimity to performe and perfect all purposes and practises whatsoeuer Host 1 2â— In the booke of Hester wee reade of king Hasuerosh king of the Medes Persians he had a masterly and imperious shrewe to his wife Queen Vasti who would not obay him in a certayne matter Whervpon he called and conueÌ„ted his nobles and counsellours and by their couÌ„sell she was put away and hee maried the noble and vertuous lady Queene Hester But let this imperious Oueene goe Let vs passe ouer Zantippe Soccates wife Exod. 4. lob 2.9 Let Sipora Moses wife let Iobs wife and good Tobias also as most noble and notorious shrewes goe and let euery godly wife follow the good example of godly Sara who obeyed her husbaÌ„d AbrahaÌ„ with all dutifull reuereÌ„ce and called him Lord in tokeÌ„ of her singular humility Good name And as she must be obedient so she must haue an especial care of hir good name For a good name is as a sweete oyntment and as a most delicious precious perfume Plutarch in Caesar Cesar wold haue his wife Pompeia not only fre from dishonesty but also fre froÌ„ al suspicioÌ„ both of dishonesty disloyalty There be many waies to preserue this good name but I take this to be as one most chiefe and excelleÌ„t in a maid or wife to be resident at home as the snaile Tit. cap. 2.5 not oft to range run abroad as Dina did To keepe home For by this means the house shal be better gouerned her husband better pleased all euill suspicions auoyded and great expences saued For fewe there be but they are great wasters in their gay and gorgeous apparel which is the more encreased by gossoping and gadding abroad as the manner is in some places But our Apostle teacheth godly weomeÌ„ not to delite in too gay and garish apparel 1 Pet 3. 1 〈◊〉 2.9 but so to attire themselues as wel becoÌ„meth modest matrons and as is fittest for the vocatioÌ„ of their husbands And here our king and propher Oauid in modesty a prophet in maiesty a king would haue a godly wife to be as a side part of the house or as a wall to the house to defend it not to bee a ruine to pull it down either by the pride of her fancies or pomp of her train or delicatnes of her dyet or sumptuousnes in Iewels
A SERMON PREACHED AT TRAFFORD IN LANCASHIRE AT THE MARIAGE OF A DAVGHTER OF THE right Worshipfull Sir EDMOND TRAFFORDE Knight the 6. of September Anno. 1586. By WILLIAM MASSIE bacheler in diuinity and fellow of Brasennose Colledge in Oxforde Prouer. 19.14 House and riches are the inheritance of the fathers but a godly wife commeth of the Lorde AT OXFORD Printed by IOSEPH BARNES and are 〈◊〉 be solde in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Tigres head 1586. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL HIS VERY GOOD PATRONE SIR EDMVND TRAFFORD KNIGHT W. M. wisheth health and long life in this woorlde and in the next to come aeternall foelicity I Hauing right Worshipfull receaued by your good means great courtesies both in the country at my studie in Oxforde and as not able any way to requite the like I haue yet and will still keepe the same in a gratefull memorie In the meane time at a good testimonie hereof I dedicate this Sermon to your Worship which at your request I preached at your house before the right honorable the most noble Earle of Darby and the right reuerend father in God the B. of Chester with diuerse Knightes and Esquires of great Woorship at the solemne marriage of your daughter a modest and vertuous Gentlewoman maried to a yong Gentleman of great worship and good education The which holie mariage God blesse euen as he blessed Ioseph Gen. 48.20 that it maie be said of their issue as it was said of his children God make them as Ephraim and Manasseâ— For your selfe as you haue long beene a principal protector of Gods trueth and a great countenance and credit to the Preachers therof in those quarters and haue hunted out and vnkeÌ„neled those slie and subtil foxes the Iesuites and seminarie Priests out of their câ—lles caues 〈◊〉 the vâ—tâ—rmost of your 〈◊〉 with the great ill will of many both open and priuat enemies to the prince and the Church but your rewarde it with the Lord and as you haue maintained stil yoâ—â— house with great hospitality in no point dimâ—â—ing the glory of your woorthy predecessors but rather adding to it So I pray God stil continue your zeale your liberality your loyaltie and fidelitie to your prince Church and common wealth that here you may line long with encrease of worship and after the race of your life welrâ—â—â—e here you maie be partaker of chose vnspeakeable ioies in the kingdome of Heauen which be prepared for all the elect children of God vnto whose blessed protection I recommend you and al yours Amen Yours to command in Christ Iesu WILLIAM MASSIE The text Psal 128. 1 BLessed is euery one that feareth the Lorde and walketh in his waies c. 2 When thou eatest the labours of thine handes thoushalt bee blessed and it shal be well with thee 3 Thy wife shall bee as the fruitefull vine on the sides of thine house 4 And thy children like the oliue plantes round about thy table 4 Loe surely thus shall the man bee blessed that feareth the Lorde 5 The Lorde out of Sion blesse thee that thousee the wealth of Hierusalem all the daies of thy life 6 Yea that thou see thy childrens c. THE fit opportunitie of this time this great coÌ„course of all sortes haue moued me to take this text and to vndertake to entreat of the honorable estate of mariage before this honorable and worshipful assembly wherein if you cousider the antiquity thereof God appointed it before the fal of Adam in paradise if you respect the necessity it is naturall and therefore agreeable to all estates if you seeke after comfort then virtus vnita fortior it is not good man should bee alone If you care for delectation in an honest matter then of all bonds and loues none is so delectable none is so inuiolable as is the bond loue betwixt the husband the wife Lastly if you marke the continuation therof from elder times to these our present daies then behold our Sauior did honor mariage with his honorable presence Ioh. cap. 2. and with his first most glorions miracle The godly learned in al ages of all degrees at al times both princes the nobility and gentility the state ecclesiasticall the people as Moses Aaron Dauid Eli Samuel Esay Zachary and al the Apostles but Iohn the auncient fathers and reuerend bishops in the pure and primitiue times as Tertullian Hilary Nazianzen Spiridion with others haue coÌ„mended allowed and practised the same neither to the hinderance of their functions nor detriment of the commoÌ„ wealth nor the derogation of the glory of God Iuelapol All which haue beene by our men both by penne and in the pulpit proued substantially by scriptures sufficiently by fathers perspicuously by ancient histories wherof to discourse more fully I caÌ„not but wil conteÌ„t my self with a short compendious enarratioÌ„ and explication of this text wherein I note these two things First a description of the husband the wife and children with their feuerall and singuler dueties Secondly a peticion or prayer for them First in the description of the hitsband the first and chiefest quality wherewith hee must bee adorned and furnished is 1. Part. to feare god to serue him aright to haue a right a righteous faith which must be grounded on the woord of God Let me speake as I haue read and I do beleeue as I speake I would haue this husband whom I describe to be a protestant to mary a protestant I would haue them both to be of one religion and to be of a sound religion which I am perswaded is not the stubborn obstinacy of the Iew nor the Godlesse impietie of the Turke nor the vain superstition of the Papist but is the ancient catholick apostolick faith which is now both preached by vs professed by you that is to beleeue rightly to liue vprightly to offer the sweetinceÌ„se of our praiers to god aboue steedfastly to beleeue to be saued only by Christs death without any merit of ours to frequent the church to receaue the Lords supper in both kinds to honor obey Rings Princes as the most noble and excellent in their dominions and in a word to fear God Such a reuerend and religious fear had Abraham ouer his sonne Isaack to mary him not to a prophane gentile or heathenish woman Gen. 2.3 but one of his owne stocke and lyneall discent that serued worshipped the same true God that he did Thus doth the blessed Apostle teach Cor. 6.14 we must not drawe the yoke with infidels For betwixt this godly husband and vertuous wife there must be an equality in years and in vertues both young or both old and no meane loue soone hotte soone cold but a most ardent and feruent loue which cannot be quenched with a flud of waters which cannot bee without this fear of God and except they bee of the same religion Ambrose for so defendeth Ambrose Inter
quos est diuersareligio inter eos non est firma amicitia Those that be of a contrary religiō the loue betwixt them is not sincere nor cannot be of any long continuance Many erre notoriously in their marriages through their careles contempt of this fear of God Some mary in their noneage and minority some respect onely beauty others harken after lands others after gold and siluer following the Poet O ciues ciues quarēda pecunia primum virtus post 〈◊〉 And many one for land takes a foole by the hand Others are not ashamed to holde this vile and villanous opinion as prophane Atheistes Agood marriage if the wife were away But are we stronger than Sampson wiser than Salomon greater than Achab to tempt the Lord who all most grieuously offended in this point Sampson was thereby dishonored Salomon brought so far through idolatrous women from this fear of God that some of the auncient fathers doubt of his saluation Ring Achab of himselfe was solde to all mischiefe but was made the worse through the wicked counsel of his vngratious wife Iesabel 1 King ◠22 but they both had their tragical ends and well deserued a terrible spectacle for the like to al posterity These worldly marriages are iustly refuted by him who saide Mallem virum pecunia quà m pecuniā viro indigentem Themist offic 2. Better is an honest poore man than a wicked rich man And those foolish marriages are forbid by the wise man in his booke Ecclesiasticus Marrie thy Daughter Cap. 7.25 and so shalt thou perfourme a weightie matter but giue her vnto a man of vnderstanding Glaucus in Homer preferred copper before Goolde Hom. Iliad ◠whereby hee shewed his follie Martha chose the woorser part Luk. 10.41 whereby shee shewed her woorldelinesse Esau preferred a messe of delicate broth before his birthright for the which he is called of the Apostle a prophane man Heb. 12.16 So many prefer beutie before bounty riches before vertue gold and siluer before shamefastnesse and godlines lands and inheritances before honesty and discretion But this our religious husband must feare the Lorde with a Godly feare Ios 24.15 like the good sonne of Iosua who hath this blessed testimony that he feared the lord with his whole family Pro. 1.7 For this fear of the Lord is the beginning of al wisedome Luk. 18.2 As for those men that resemble the rigorous iudge that neither feare God nor good man that neuer thinke of the saluation of their sinful seduced soules that either be Athiestes or Libertines or Machiuelians or Spend-thriftes or couetous Nabals or great Gamsters or Luxurious and Riotous persons or seditious and traiterous papists are no fitte men to bee such a husband as I propose But such I commend as here out Prince and Prophet in royalty a Prince in learning a Prophet Mat. 10.28 doth who fear not men that can kill the body but fear the Lord who can kill both body and soule and cast both into hell fire euen such a one as walkes not in the waies of the wicked or in his owne waies but in the waies of the Lorde which is the second qualitie and duety of a good Godly busband 2 And walkes in his waies The second quality of this husband is to walke in the water of the Lorde wherein I may decipher vnto you the wit and wisdome of a godly and religious husband 1. Cor 9.24 Our life is aptly resembled to a race or course or a iourney in going whereof a man must haue a wise and expert guide to direct him in his iourney This guide of our religion of our life of all our actions is the woorde of God For so our Prophet erclaimeth with a zealous exclamation vsing a retoricall subtecon both playing the opponent respondent himselfe Psal 119.9 O wherewith shall a yong man learne to redresse and reforme his waies Euen by ruling himselfe according to thy woorde This worde is a rule to iudge the straight from the crooked a squire to direct our building by a compasse to guide our shippe by a Law to iudge controuersies by and as a God in this world to decide and determine all matters which shall arise in the Churches of God euen to the end of the world For our purpose the Iewes erred in marriage they would seeke a diuorse for euery trifle they would marry wiues that were yong faire wealthy and when they were either old or poore or deformed they would put them away They did also make the Church of God a denue of theeues by their prophane selling and buieng in it but our sauiour reforms these notorious errors by two principles Mat. 19.8 the one is It was not so frō the beginning Mat. 21.13 the other It is writ my house shal be called the house of praier And certainly this husband shal shewe his wisedome in this if he guide himselfe his wife and family according to this rule to walke in the waies of the Lorde which are fully and faithfully sette downe in the olde and newe Testament Ier. 8.9 for so the prophet thinketh You thinke you are a wise people but you reiect the Lawe of God and what wisedome can be in you And Austen cites out of Iob Enchirid. ad Laur. c. 2 this sentence Hominis Sapientia est pietas The Godly man is the wise man This wise husband may learne in this woorde to loue his wife entirely Pro. 5.18 to be merry with her in the Lord to abstaine from too much bitternesse Col. 3.19 to dwell with her according to knowledge not to bee rigorous but courteous towardsher for with the most courteous perswasions preuail more than sharp reprehensions doe But chiefly his wisedome shal appeare in this to bring to his house no ill naughty defamed persons So Menelaus did fondely in entertaining to his house friendely that lewed and lasciuious Parts whereby his wife faire Helena was defiled as also he must be sufferable in the importunities of his wife For as a litle iarre in musick is not easily espied so a litle shrewdnesse in the wife may be colerated 1. Pet. 3.7 For this cause Saint Peter would haue house bands to honour their wiues which consistes in this in prouiding sufficiently for their necessities by a godly prouidence to beare with their infirmities in the Lord Prou. 29.18 Eccle. 9. and in no wise a wise houseband may bee iealous ouer the honesty of his wife for that either needes not or bootes not Ouely let him hee as zealous in religion as wise in his gouernement of himselfe his wife and family so let him auoide idlenesse and labour diligently in his vocation which is the third quality of a good houseband 2 When thou eatest the labours of thine owne hands thou shalt bee blessed and it shal be well with thee This good husband must not be idle and slothfull but labor
faithfully painefully in that vocation wherein God hath called him Gen. 2.15 So Adam before his fall had this charge of God to dresse the garden of Eden Gen. 3.15 And after his fall this precept In the sweate of thy brows thou shalt eate thy bread The diuine Philosopher Plato sawe so much by the instinct of nature Nemo sibi nascitur Cic. Offic. 1. wee are borne to defend our Country to benefit and gratifie our friendes and neighbours There be foure parts in the commoÌ„ wealth The Prince as the head the honorable and woorshipfull as armes and shoulders the state ecclesiastical as eies the common multitude as the feete O blessed and happie shall that realme be when these foure partes agree in a sweete consort and melody in the amiable and blessed loue of peace and vnity discharging their duties fully and faithfully in the feare of God The Prince in appointing the nobility and gentry in counselling the preachers in feeding and the people in beying 2. King 18. For Princes the imitation of Dauid of Ezechias of Iosias is worth the imitation who al were very diligent in appointing good lawes for the religion of God and also I may not forget the great zeal learning of Alphred king of this laÌ„d Act. and Mon. who diuided the day into three parts some hours he took for his priuat study seruice of god some he reserued for the hearing of matters of state and the common wealth and the rest he left for his rest repast and recreation For counsellers they may imitate Ioseph who vnder king Pharao ruled the land of Aegypt with great and singular wisdom and prouidence Gen. 41.39 Dan. 44.5 they must bee as Daniel was to Darius in whom the enemies coulde finde no fault touching the gouernment of his kingdome For the Clergy to feede by preaching by hospitality by godlines of life Humfred de vita Iuel to follow that reuerend Bishop of Salisbury who followed the noble emperour who said O where should a captaine die but in the fielde so his poesy was O where should a Bishop die but in the pulpit For where preaching faileth there the people perisheth Prou. 29.18 Rom. 13.12 For the common people they must be obedient to their Magistrat to loue and honor their Prince to bear that nature and affection to their soueraign as did the Israelites to Dauid the king of Israel who al made this noble protestation It is better that a thousand of vs dy than Dauid our king God saue Dauid the king if hee die the great light of Israel is quenched So let al faithful and loyal subiectes beare this affection to our most noble and gracious Princesse Elizabeth 2 Sam. 18.3 It is better that a thousand of vs die by the seditious treacheries of our false forsworne and fraudulent countrimen than Elizabeth our Queene God protect and preserue Elizabeth If shee die and miscarie the great light of Israell shall be quenched Now if our husband be any of these four he hath something to doe he must be careful to prouide for his house to feede cloth his family to instruct his wife and children to pay his seruants their wages faithfully and truely and to walke in that vocation with a good conscience whereto God hath called him Ari. oecom lib. 1. cap. 6. The office of the husband is to get the duery of the wife is to keepe the office of the husband is honeslly to maintaine his liuelihood the duty of the wife is prudently to gouerne the househould Such a noble care had the noble Emperor Valerianus of whome thus it is writ Euseb lib. 7. cap. 9. Aula Valeriani erat referta pijs viris Ecclesia Dei facta est The court of Valerianus the Emperour was fraught and furnished with godly men and made the Church of God Such a noble Captaine was Cornelius who hath this report to feare the Lorde with his whole family Act. 10.1.2 Thus if our husband labor in his vocation he shal haue this blessing of the Lord to eate the fruites of his own labours Eccles 1. The most noble and learned King Salomon in those 12. Chapters of his book Ecclesiastes declares most largely and learnedly how all things vnder the cope of heauen are nothing but griefe sorowe vexation anguish griefe of body sorrow of hart â—ixâ—tion of braine and anguish of mind but yet this to bee our part and portion and a blessing of God in this life when wee both sow and trape when we both plant the vine and drink the vine when we build houses and dwell therein when we can be content to liue of our owne for that is our owne that doth vs good when we eat drink without gluttony and drunkennes in sobriety and modesty in the fear of God This is a blessing this is a great blessing this is a great and gracious blessing of God himselfe and such a blessing shal this religious and wise politick husband enioy wheÌ„ I haue described to you wherin because I haue bin longer than either perhaps I should or you expected I wil be the shorter in the description of the wife and children Which thus foloweth in the Text. 3 Thy wife shall bee as the fruitful vine on the sides of thine house thy children like the oliue plants round about thy table Among the trees that be fertil and fruitful the Oliue is commended for his fatnes Iudg 9 9â— the fig tre for his sweetnes the vine for cheerfulnes for wine driues away sorrow is a souerain restoratiue for an heauy and pensiue hart so among all creatures men and weomen be only commended for their learning wisdom godlines The comparison of a woman to the vine I wil not amplify largely but touch it briefly First the vine is weak Plin. lib. 4. must be vnderset and vnderpropped by some sure and strong stay so the wife is the weaker vessell more subiect to infirmities a wise modest man wil not disclose hir infirmities but tolerat the same with good discretion 2. Sa. 11.1.7 so Bersabe was more beautiful than strong when she defiled hir body with Dauid brake her faith and loue with hir good husband Vrias which was the very occasion of his death Eua the mother of all shewed her selfe very weak when shee was beguiled with an aple Gen. 3.6 Gen. 19.26 Lots wife was both weak wicked when she looked back in token she lusted after Sodoma and Gomorra against the commandemeÌ„t of God but she was turned into a piller of salt a terrible spectacle most horrible monument of wicked back-sliders and sinful reuolters Plinie l. 14. to al godly posterity Secondly a vine is not only weak but low too it growes near the earth So a godly wife must not be proud and stately in her owne conceits but humble modest in the presence of her