THE Children of this World like to fishes that are in Salo , sine sale , in the salt water without any salt tast in them in the midst of the holiest and heavenliest actions and places cannot put of the shooes of their carnall affections , Exod. 3.5 . but haue too frequently their thoughts and tongues exercised about their worldly & wicked affaires , and even then and there out of the evill treasures of their hearts , bring forth that which is evill Luk. 6.45 . Ezekiells auditors even whilest they were sitting before him to heare his words and shewing much loue with their mouthes , haue their hearts going after covetousnesse Ezek. 33.31 . And whilest our saviour was dividing to his hearers the bread of life , one of the company rashly and rudely interrupteth him , about speaking to his brother to divide the inheritance with him . Luk. 12.13 . so hardly can they which are accustomed to evill doe any good Ier. 13.23 . even in the best times and places : but on the other side , the children of light shine still as lights in the world Phil. 2.15 . haue sursum corda in civill as well as in sacred businesses , & out of the good treasures of their hearts bring forth good things Luk. 6.45 . whether they are eating or drinking or whatsoever they are doing , Gods glory is their aime and end 1. Cor. 10.31 . in all these things eructat cor , their heart is stil enditing of some good matter Psal. 45.1 . a divine sentence is ready in their lips Prov. 16.10 . and their mouth vpon every occasion is speaking of wisdome , and their tongue talking of iudgement Psal. 37.30 . Let them but passe by the mowers in the field they open their mouth in an holy prayer that may minister grace to the hearers , and say , the blessing of the Lord be vpon you , we blesse you in the name of the Lord Psal: 129.8 . let them but come to the reapers and their lips are full of grace , they say with that good man Boaz , the Lord be with you Ruth . 2.4 . In the same spirit , in the same steps doe the Elders , and all the people of Bethlehem walke here . Being called vpon to be witnesses about some civill passages of buying of lands by Boaz , and purchasing of Ruth to be his wife , to raise vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritance vers. 9.10 : they are not onely ready to doe this good office of bearing witnesse , all the people that were in the gates , and the Elders said we are witnesses , but also blesse them in the name of the Lord , power out a most solemne and effectuall fervent prayer to the Lord the father of lights from whom cometh downe every good and perfect gift to prosper the intended matrimony of this present couple with blessings befitting their married estate , the Lord make the woman &c. Now our Saviour when he would feed the people with the bread that perisheth brake it into peeces Mark . 8.6 . that every one might haue his portion conveniently , I will then be a follower of him , and as becometh a faithfull and wise steward in Gods house , divide these words aright , that every one may the better haue his portion of spirituall food out of them . In this faithfull and charitable prayer then ( I call it so because Necessitas cogit orare prose : charitas fraternitatis hortatur pro alio Chrys. Necessity compelleth a man to pray for himselfe , but charity exhorteth him to pray for others . We may obserue the parts and points : 1. The petitioners that find in their heart to pray this prayer as David speaketh , 2. Sam. 7.27 . all the people that were in the gate and the Elders . 2. To whom they make their prayers euen to him of whom all things come 1 Chr. 29.14 . the Lord , the Lord make , 3. For whom , for the parties here purposing matrimony , the woman severally , and the man severally . 4. For what are the petitions for them . 1. For the woman the Lord make the woman that cometh into thine house like to Rahell and Leah which two did build the house of Israell . 2. For the man and doe thou worthily in Ephratah , and be famous in Bethlehem , or that thou maist doe worthily &c. The first occurring circumstance that standeth in the doore of the text like Abraham in the doore of his tent , is of the persons petitioning and praying , all the people that were in the gate , and the Elders , they will not only be witnesses of the contract , but petitioners also for the contracted , they will not onely testify the covenant made betweene the parties , but also sanctify it with their prayers . I may say then to all that are present or any way pertinent to this worthy and weighty worke of contracting and marrying in the Lord , as our Saviour to the lawyer about a worke of mercy Luk. 10.37 . vade & fac similiter , goe and doe likewise , pray for the peace and prosperity of the parties to be married , not with formall but with hearty acclamations , not with a superficiall God giue you ioy , but with a solemne and substantiall benediction of the parties , and invocation of the most high God possessor of heaven and earth , to blesse them out of Zion , that they may see the good of Ierusalem all the daies of their life and that they may see their childrens children and peace vpon Israell Psal. 128.5.6 . The God of heaven in his blessing of Adam and Eue ; the first married persons , in whose loynes we then were all of vs , ( and God blessed them Gen. 1.28 . ) hath shewed vs what is good and what he requireth of vs , even to be followers of him herein as deare children Eph. 5.1 . And in this good and old way did the generations of old walke . Abrahams eldest servant and ruler of his house , being sent by him to his country and to his kindred , to take a wife vnto Isaacke , when he cometh to the place , beginneth first with prayer to the Lord of his Master Abraham , to send him good speed that day , and to shew kindnesse vnto his Master Abraham Gen. 24.12 . And when the Lord God of his Master Abraham had led him to the house of his Masters brethren , and had prospered his iourney and hee had obtained Rebeccah to be wife vnto his Masters sonne , her brother , mother , and friends solemnely blesse her at his departure , and say , Thou art our sister be the mother of thousands of Millions , and let thy seed possesse the gates of those that hate them Gen. 24.60 . And when Isaacke being stricken in yeares sent Iacob to Padan-Aram amongst his kindred to find out a wife , he prayeth seriously for his prosperous successe , God almighty blesse thee and make thee fruitfull , and multiply thee , that thou maist bee a multitude of people , and giue the blessing of Abraham to thee , and to thy seed with thee Gen. 28.3.4 . And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marriage Psalme endited at Solomons taking to wife of Pharaohs daughter being an eminent type of the spirituall . marriage betweene Christ and his Church , doth omnia fausta precari , pray for all happinesse to the married parties , is full of supplications for them , benedictions of them , and propheticall predictions of happinesse vnto them Psal. 45. And if all things must be done in the name of the Lord , Col: 3.17 . much more must this great thing bee begunne in the name of the Lord , if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euery creature or ordinance of God must be sanctified with prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 . much more must this solemne ordinance of his be blessed and sanctified with prayer . It is a good rule giuen by Marke the Eremite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , prayer must be the Vsher of all our actions . But how are these last and worst daies whereinto we are falne , degenerated from this holy course ? Happily we may heare a formall and superficiall acclamation of God giue you joy , drap out of some few mens mouths at such times & meetings . But most mens vnsanctified mouthes at such times , like puddle waters , that being stirred send forth noysome sent , breath our nothing but such corrupt communications as may rather minister griefe then grace to the hearers , & which might better befit the vnchast bedde of fornication in the stewes , then the vndefiled be dde of honourable matrimony in the house , and from the abundance of their polluted hearts , they belch forth such vncleane and vnsavoury words as may make their eares to tingle that heare them : They cannot speake the language of Canaan at such times , any holy and heavenly prayers , but the language of Ashdod ribals and scurrilous iests , filthy and foolish talking which are not convenient , as the Apostle speaketh Eph. 5.3 . And as David said of the slanderous tongue Psal. 52.4 . thou louest all devouring words ô thou deceitfull tongue : so may I of theirs , thou louest all defiling words , ô thou vaine and vncleane tongue ; The marriage meetings with them are never well seasoned or celebrated vnlesse they be filled with filthy discourses , and obsceane songs , and of a Bride house a Brothell house as the Idolatrous Iewes turned Bethell , Gods house , into a Bethauen , an house of vanity , Hos. 4.15 . They countenan e not Gods ordinance with their holy apprecations , but rather confound the married parties with their horrible prophanations , and fill their faces with shame , as though with Zimri and Cosbi , they were taken in an vncleane act , Numb : 25. and the language of the whorish woman , come let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning , let vs solace our selues with loues , Prou: 7.15 . is nothing so impure , as many of their vnchast songs and discourses such a world of iniquity is in mens tongues to defile this sacred businesse with .

Now if it become all the people to pray at such times , much more are prayers comely in the mouthes of the Priests of the people , if it be good for the Elders that are in the gate to pray for the married persons , much more is it good for the Elders of the Church to pray for them , and blesse them as they are commanded to pray over the sicke Iam. 5. And this we presse and praise not as making the Ecclesiasticall benediction of the Priest the very essentiall forme of matrimony , as most of the Popish writers doe , ( for then all matrimonies in the world without this benediction should haue beene no better then fornications , vtterly void for want of an essentiall forme ) but as requiring it for a solemne and publike testification of the matrimoniall consent , and a benediction of the parties publishing their consent , and entering into the covenant of God . For howsoever in foro interiori , in the court of the conscience , it bee a true marriage where there is a free and full consent of the parties before lawfull witnesses , and cannot absolutely be made void for want of a benediction giuen in the Church , yet in foro exteriori , in the externall court , by evident deduction out of holy writ , and by the lawes of the Church and most Commonwealths , it is no lawfull nor laudable marriage , which is not confirmed & blessed in the face of the Church . Paenes nos occultae conjunctiones , id est , non prius apud Ecclesiam professae , juxta maechiam & fornicationem periclitari judicantur . saith Tertullian lib. de pudicitia cap. 4. With vs secret marriages , that are not solemnized first in the Church , are esteemed fit to bee questioned as adulteries and fornications : And though Tertullian be very ancient , yet this benediction in the face of the Church is ancienter , came into it from the beginning , euen in the first hundred yeare after our Saviour : Platina in the life of Soter Bishop of Rome , who liued in the yeare of Christ 174. referreth it to him and saith he ordained it , Ne legitima haberetur vxor nisi cui sacerdos ex instituto benedixisset , that none should be accounted a lawfull wife , but whom the Minister had blessed according to the ordinance ; But yet this rite of benediction is more ancient . For Euaristus who was Bishop of Rome in the yeare of Christ 97 , in an Epistle to the Bishops of Africa found in the first Tome of the Counsells , and in the Decrees cap. 30. q. 5. speaketh thus of it , Aliter legitimum vt à Patribus accepinius , & à sanctis Apostolis &c. Marriage is not otherwise lawfull , as we haue receaued it of the Fathers , and as we finde it delivered by the Apostles , vnlesse in its proper time it be Ecclesiastically blessed by the Priest with prayers and oblations as the manner is , wedlockes so made are lawfull , if they be otherwise vndertaken , there is no doubt but they are adulteries , or dwellings together , or whoredomes , or fornications rather then marriages that are lawfull . And Tertullian againe in his second booke to his wife the 9 chapter saith , Vnde sufficiam ad enarrandam faelicitatem ejus matrimonij , &c. How can I sufficiently set out the happinesse of that marriage which the Church maketh , the communion confirmeth , the Angels declare to be sealed , and the father counteth ratified . And S. Ambrose for his time in his 70 Epistle saith , Conjugium velamine sacerdotis & benedictione sanctificari oportet . Marriage must be sanctified with the Priests putting on a vaile and benediction : Synesius comming to bee Bishop of Cyrene , and professing that he would still hold his wife with his Bishoprick , mentioneth this custome , Mihi & Deus ipse & leges , ipsaque Theophili sacra manus vxorem dedit : God himselfe , and the lawes , & the holy hand of Theophilus hath giuen me a wife : Therefore I declare to you all , and would haue it witnessed , that I will not forsake her . Nicephorus lib. 4. hist. Eccles. cap. 55. And the fourth Councell of Carthage in the 13 Canon saith , When the Bridegroome and the Bride are to bee blessed of the Priest , let them bee presented by their parents , or those that haue the charge of the wedding . Both the lawes , Ecclesiasticall , and Imperiall are full of Canons and Constitutions , that none should wed privately , but benedictione à sacerdote acceptâ publicè , Cap. null . cap. & qu. ijsdem . Receauing the Priests benediction publikely , nisi sacerdotum precibus matrimonium corroboratum fuerit , vnlesse the matrimony be confirmed by the Priests prayer , which is the constitution of the Emperours Leo and Alexius Comnenus . The hereticall Anabaptists then & schismaticall Brownists professing themselues to bee wise , become fooles in condemning this ancient , needfull , and laudable rite of publike blessing in the face of the Church , the new married persons in the name of the Lord , as though there were no more required in contracting for a wife then in bargaining for a horse , onely to shake hands and come together .

But we haue eaten so much of the hony of this first point ( the persons petitioning here ) as is sufficient for vs , Prov. 25.16 . I come therefore to the next branch , to whom they petition and pray , the Lord make ] And indeed on whom should they call for the marriage blessing but on him who is the father of mercies , and God of all comfort , 2. Cor. 1.3 . From whom commeth downe every good and perfect gift , Iam. 1.17 . But on him , of whom , and through whom , and to whom are all things : Rom: 11.36 . In whose hand is power and might , and in whose hand it is to make great and to giue strength vnto all , and of whom all things come , 1. Chr. 29.11.12 . Whose blessing alone maketh rich , Prov. 10.22 . and of whom whosoever are blessed they shall be blessed , Gen: 27.33 . whom should they haue in heauen but the Lord to call vpon , Psal. 73.25 . And who can shew vs any good vnlesse he lift vp the light of his countenance vpon vs , Psal. 4.6 . King Darius Parasites made both a flattering and a bloud-sucking law , ( like the Image that Pliny speaketh of , that had both a frowning and a smiling lookes ) That no man should aske any petition of any God or man for thirty daies , but of him , and this could not bee changed according to the law of the Medes and Persians which altereth not . Dan. 6.7 . But it is an immutable and inviolable law established in the high Court of heauen , not for thirty daies but from the beginning , till time shall be no more , that none of the houshold of faith should aske any petition either for the blessings of heauen aboue , or the earth beneath , or for any spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus , of any of the sonnes of men in earth , or the sonnes of God in heauen ( I meane the company of the blessed Angells , or the spirits of iust men made perfect ) but only of the LORD our Father and Redeemer whose name is everlasting , Isa. 63 16. Call vpon me in the day of trouble , Psal. 50.15 . & if vpon him ; whom should they haue in heauen but him . And it is surely sealed vnto vs with the bond of a double oath , verily , verily , I say vnto you , Whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name , not the Father and me in the holy Angells and blessed Saints name , he will giue it you , Ioh. 16.23 . Here I might reape that which the holy Ghost hath sowed , that this Father of lights , & fountaine of all blessings is to be sought and sued to in all our necessities , but I will only hoc agere , prosecute opus diei in die suo , the worke of the day in its right time and keepe my selfe within the spheare of Marriage not turning either to the right or left hand . In their asking of God a blessing on these married parties here , they plainely professe marriage to bee of his ordinance and institution . For God as at the beginning , Gen. 1. so now blesseth only the worke of his owne hand ; that which he hath ordained and instituted and not any of the workes of darknesse , or of Satan the prince of darknesse . It should imply a very contradiction , that God should condemne marriage as a worke of the flesh , in which state men cannot please him , and yet blesse Adam and Eue at the first ( God blessed them and said , increase and multiply , Gen. 1.28 . ) and these here , & other married persons in future times in the Church . Out of his holy mouth cannot proceed blessing & cursing of the same state of life . Marriage then is his ordinance , and the worke of his hands , and ordained by him non communiter sed singulari modo , not after the common fashion of his other workes , but after a singular manner . For hee did not onely ordaine it in that holy place of Paradise , and in that time when Adam stood vpright , as hee was created after the image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse , but in the institution of it , first as it were consulted about the making of woman , and ordaining of it , It is not good that the man should bee alone , I will make him a helpe meet for him , Gen. 2.18 . As before he had deliberated about the making of man , ( let vs make man in our Image , after our likenesse Gen. 1.20 . ) and did not make him with a words speaking , as hee did the other creatures , therein shewing not the infirmity of the workeman , but the excellency and dignity of the worke , according to that of Saint Basil homil : 10. hexameron , de nullo operum , This word let vs make , is written of none of the workes which God had formerly made , but all things are made by Gods bare word and commandement Learne therefore ô man , how much thou only art esteemed , for God did not thinke it fit to ioyne thy generation to the common commandement of the creatures , as a matter of vulgar price . After this God put his consultation and decree in execution , in forming the woman with his owne hands , and when hee had formed her , in bringing her to the man , in ioyning them together , in blessing them , and publishing the law of matrimony , therefore shall a man leaue his father and mother and cleaue to his wife and they shall be one flesh Gen. 2.24 . in all which tanquam in expressis tabulis wee may see the finger and ordinance of God . Therefore Theophilact in Epitome divinorum dogmatum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith , God hath not only fashioned the woman , but he also ioyned her to the man , according to the law now in practise . He brought her to the man , and hee himselfe was the betrother and giuer of her in wedlocke as also he brought a certaine gift to the wedding , his blessing . And the man as soone as she was brought to him acknowledgeth her spiritu prophetico , by the spirit of prophecy , to be of Gods forming and ordinance , Adam said , this is now bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh , she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man Gen. 2.23 . yea after the fall , he had so much light still to acknowledge her to be Gods gift , he calleth her the woman that thou gauest me Gen. 3.12 . And least then it might be thought , that mans sinne had made void Gods ordinance , God both still kept on foot this his ordinance , even when he denounced to the serpent , that the seede of the woman should breake his head , and to the woman , in sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children , thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee Gen. 3.15.16 . ( wherevpon Adam calleth his wiues name Eue because she was the mother of all liuing vers . 20. ) & also after the flood fully renewed his Charter to Noah and his sonnes , blessing them and saying be fruit full , multiply & replenish the face of the earth Gen , 9.1 . Qui bene eruditi sunt in fide Catholica , noverunt quod Deus fecerit nuptias , They that are well instructed in the Catholike faith , know that God hath ordained marriage August : tract . 9. in Ioh. Connubium non est ex colluvione peccati , sed ex institutione Dei , Marriage cometh not from the corruption of sinne , but from the ordinance of God . Fulgen : de statu viduarum ep. 2.

And when this ordinance was much defiled by rash divorces , marrying of many wiues , & wandring lusts , our Sauiour vpon the Pharisees tempting him about divorces , revoketh and referreth all to the first institution , haue ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female , and said for this cause shall a man leaue Father and Mother and shall cleaue to his wife , and acknowledge that still to be Gods ordinance , and the married parties to be ioyned together by God Mat. 19.4.5.6 . And to giue a reall demonstration hereof after he was baptized in Iordan and invested into the office of the Mediator , he vouchsafeth not only his presence at a wedding , but also honoureth it with the first miracle that ever hee wrought Ioh. 2. Quomodo non crunt venerabiles nuptiae &c. Epiphan. lib. 2. haer. 67 , how shall not marriage be honourable and obtaine the kingdome of heaven , when our saviour was called to a marriage that he might blesse it ? For if he had refused to goe to a wedding , then he had beene a dissolver of marriage , but now he cometh to a wedding that he might stoppe their mouthes that spake against the truth . Ipse rogatus ad nuptias &c. ( Aug: in quaest. vet. & nov. test . quaest , 127 ) Christ being intreated disdained not to goe to a wedding , and not only adorned it with his presence , but also bestowed that which was wanting to mirth ; for it is written , that wine maketh glad the heart of man . And that he might shew that he did this according to the will of God his father , hee answered the Iewes about divorces , saying , that which God hath ioyned together , let no man put asunder . Marriage then is Gods ordinance , the marriage covenant is Gods covenant Prov. 2.17 . it is hee that prepareth & appointeth the wife for the husband , and the husband for the wìfe , Abraham saith to his servant , the God of Heaven shall send his Angell before thee , & thou shalt take a wife to my sonne Gen. 24.7 . and the servant prayeth that the Damsell that giueth him & his Cammels water may be the woman whom God had appointed for Isaacke ver. 14. And the Angell telleth Tobias of Sarah that should be his wife , shee was appointed vnto thee from the beginning Tobit . 6.17 . And it is God that knitteth their hearts one to another in loue , It was of the Lord that Sampson loued and desired the woman of Timnah Iud. 14.4 . Hence then may the tongue of the learned speake a word in season , for the stopping of those foule mouths that shoote out their arrowes even bitter words , either against the state of matrimony to disgrace it as miserable , or against the ordinance it selfe to condemne it as sinfull and abominable . For the first we haue a generation in the world , who seeme wise in their owne eyes , if they can boldly calumniate , and smite with the tongue this state and kinde of life as most wretched : The old heathens invectiues , fill their mouthes with vaine reasonings and janglings against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; say they with Menander Marriage is the vttermost of misery and with Epicharmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. there are but two good dayes with a woman , when a man marrieth her and when a man burieth her , and with another Satyrist , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. every woman is bitternesse & she hath but two good times , one in the bed another in the graue , with Ovid Faemina nulla bona est &c. No woman is good , but if a good wife hath happened to any one , I know not how an ill thing is become good , and with Plautus in paen . act. 1. Negotij qui sibi volet vim comparare , navim & mulierem , haec duo comparato &c. Hee that will get him store of businesse , let him get 〈◊〉 these two things , a ship and a wife , for no two 〈…〉 more businesse : and with Menander in 〈…〉 13. deipnos . cap. 13. In pelagus 〈…〉 , &c. thou throwest thy selfe into 〈…〉 businesse , not the Lybucke or Aegean sea , where 〈…〉 scarce three ships are cast away , but , 〈◊〉 ●xorem servatur prorsus nemo , no man that marrieth a wife escapeth . So whilest they could not or would not distinguish betweene the abuses and faults of the married persons , and the lawfulnesse , happinesse , and commodity of the state it selfe , Satan hath beene a lying spirit in their impure mouthes , & like mills that cannot grinde but with foule water , they haue poured out floods of exclamations against the state it selfe .

But as though this were too little , there hath risen in the Church it selfe , a worse generation of those heretickes that speaking perverse things , nay lies in hypocrisie , and hauing their consciences seared with an hot iron 1. Tim. 4. haue called good evill , light darknesse heere , this ordinance of God , the institution of Sathan , & haue condemned marriage as altogether vnlawfull in any , which the Holy Ghost hath commended to be honourable in all Heb. 13.5 . I will not spend the time in mentioning , nor tire your eares with hearing the names of that rabble of hereticks , that in the primitue Church belched out these blasphemies , that marriage and procreation was of the divell , and that the married persons were excluded from all hope of heauen or happinesse to come . Let their memory perish with their heresy ; and let Gods word be true and every man a lyar . And Antichrist of Rome ( of whom Daniell prophecied that he should not regard the desire of women , Dan. 11.37 . that is , hee should simulare castitatem vt plurimos decipiat , counterfeit chastity that he might deceiue very many , as Hierome vpon that place interpreteth it ) with his false prophets , that they might commend the single life of their votaries , and compell their Clergy to it , haue set their mouthes against heauen in vilifying the ordinance it selfe . Pope innocent in his third Epistle , can find out these texts against marriage of the Clergy , be ye holy because I am holy , The state of marriage then by this reasoning is vnholy , and , to the vncleane and vnbeleeuers nothing is cleane , and they that are in the flesh cannot please God , all married persons then are in the flesh and vnpleasing to God . And is it not a wonder that Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe in this cleare light of learning and the Gospell , would defend that which the Pope spake in the darke time of ignorance , Non male dici possit de coniugatis , qui sunt in carne non possunt placere Deo . It may not amisse be said of married persons , they that are in the flesh cannot please God , de sacram : matr : cap. 5. And c. Nupt. 32. qu. 1. the same Pope like an excellent Arithmetician and Divine too reasoneth thus , The Scripture said of the first , 3.4.5 . and 6. day when God had finished the worke of every day , & God saw that it was good , but it is not said so of the second day , signifying that the number of two is not good which doth divide from vnion , and figureth the marriage covenant , wherevpon all the creatures that enter the Arke of Noah by two are vncleane : see we not what a deepe mystery he hath found in the number of two against marriage , and he reasoneth there , that if lay men must abstaine from their wiues for a time , that they may giue themselues to prayer , much more ought Priests who must pray and sacrifice daily , abstaine from such company , which Bellarmine secondeth , and supposeth againe lib. de Cler. c. 18. actus coniugalis hominum reddit totum carnalem et ineptum ad divina , the matrimoniall act maketh a man wholly carnall , and vnfit for divine things , and cap. 19. Matrimonium vehementer , &c. Matrimony vehemently hindreth earnestnesse in praying , powerfulnesse in preaching , and care of the poore . And lastly to fill vp the measure of their iniquity , they say , that a Priest sinneth more grievously in marrying a wife , then in committing fornication , and keeping a concubine , Coster Enchirid. and that a Digamus which hath had two wiues successiuely , is reiected from priesthood , but not a fornicator , because Digamy , is more forbidden then adultery or keeping a concubine Bellar : de cler. cap. I say therefore with Michaell the Archangell imperet illis Deui , the Lord rebuke them Iude the 9 verse , for casting dung in the face of his ordinance .

But to passe on further into the waters of the sanctuary , we shall finde that these people and Elders of Bethlehem doe all things well heere , for that they take every good occasion of prayer , it is well , we should pray without ceasing 1 Thes: 5.17 . that they call vpon the Lord heere , seeking to the fountaine and not digging to them , cisternes , that can hold no water , it is good and comely , whom should they call vpon but the Lord who is worthy to be praised & prayed vnto Psal: 18.3 . that they pray for Boaz and Ruth , the persons intending to enter into the covenant of God , it is their charity that seeketh not her owne alone but the Good of others 1 Cor. 12. as all the members of the mysticall body of the Church haue the same care one for another 1 Cor. 12.25 . and pray one for another Iam. 5.16 . Now the persons for whom they pray and the blessings for which they pray , that they may be blessed with , are so involved and linked one with another , that they cannot be disioyned in the handling , these blessings are severall . 1 For tho woman the Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachell and like ▪ Leah , which two did build the house of Israell , wherein wee haue 1. The woman described by a speciall effect , the woman that is come into thine house . 2. The blessing it selfe both expressed , that she may be like Rachell and like Leah , and also explained wherein it should consist , which two did build the house of Israell . The woman here is first of all described vnto vs by a speciall effect and called the woman which is come into thine house ] The wiues place then is to bee in the house with the husband : Isaak bringeth Rebeckah into the same tent with him , when she becommeth his wife , Gen. 24.67 . David fetcht Bathsheba into his house , when he took her to wife , 2. Sam. 11.27 . Nay she is not only to be receaued into the house , but also into the heart and bosome , she is the wife of the bosome , Deut. 13.6 . Set me as a seale vpon thyne heart , saith the Church to Christ , Cant 8.6 . And the husband must loue the wife , as Christ loued the Church , Ephesians 5.25 . The soule of Ionathan ( whose loue to Dauid was wonderfull passing the loue of women , 2. Sam. 1.26 . ) was knit with the soule of David , and David loued him as his owne soule , 1. Sam. 18.1 . if this payre of friends had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one soule in two bodies , how much more is it and ought it to be so in the married payre , and if it bee good and pleasant for bretheren to dwell together , Psal. 133.1 . how much more is it good and pleasant for them that are no more twaine but one flesh to dwell together , seeing they make but one body , it is monstrous that vnum corpus sit in duobus locis , that one body should bee in two places . The wife that was made of the rib of man , and made to bee an helper before him , must be collaterall & conversant with him , haue individuam vitae consuetudinem , an inseparable society of all hir life with him , which is the very definition of marriage , and agreeable to that Apostolique Canon , Let not the wife depart from the husband , 1. Cor. 7.10 . with her the husband must reioyce , and be ravished alwaies with her loue , Prov. 5.18.19 . and if they must loue together , they must liue together , Vbi amor ibi oculus , where the loue goeth there the eye desireth to be looking still , she is his companion , Mal. 2.17 . and so must cohabite together with him and not breake company , according to that likewise yee husbands dwell with them , 1. Pet. 3.7 . The harlots feet abide not in the house , but she is without and in the streets , Prov. 7.11.12 . but the vertuous woman looketh well to the waies of her houshold , Prov. 31.27 . and chast women must be keepers at home , Tit. 2.5 . It is a duty imposed on married women to guide the house , 1. Tim. 5.14 . and so to bide in the house . That which Saint Hieronie said of the Monke out of his Cell , Monachus in oppido piscis in arido : A Monke in the street is like a fish on the dry land , is true of them , a woman gadding from house to house , from place to place , is like a fish out of the water , his proper element . Plutarch in quaest. Rom. qu. 29. relateth that the Romans had a custome not to suffer the Bride to goe ouer the threshold , but to carry her over , & the Boetians , to burne the Axeltree of the Cart before the doore on the marriage day , both which rites were memorandums to them that they must be housekeepers . The Tortoise & the Snayle that carry their shells vpon their backes , are the Emblems and Hieroglyphicks of a good wife , that must carry her house vpon her backe . Non sunt inventa aeque dulcia nomina , &c. ( Bernard . serm. 7. in Cant. ) there are not found names alike sweet to expresse mutually the sweet affections of the word & the soule , as the Bridgroome and the Bride , for they haue all things common , nothing proper , nothing divided from themselues , there is one inheritance to them both , one house , one table , one bed , yea one flesh .