Marriage duties briefly couched together out of Colossians, 3. 18, 19. By Thomas Gataker…Marriage duties briefely couched togither out of Colossians, 3. 18, 19. By Thomas Gataker…

And this is a necessary effect of love. For what a man loveth most, he desireth most; and what he desireth and affecteth most, that he most delighteth in. Which that a man may the better do, he must remember that as every Christian man may assure himself that ^qhis present estate, what eve• it be, is best & fittest for him: so a Christian married man is bound to believe and to persuade himself, not that his wife is the wisest, or the fairest, or the best conditioned woman in the world; but that she is the si••est wife for him, that God hath allotted him, and therefore rest himself contented in her & satisfied with her, and live with as much alacrity & cheerfulness with he• as may be. And as parents love and delight in their children, not because they are fair or wise and witty, but ²because they are their children& and therefore how soever seeing better parts in others, they could be content to change quality for quality, yet they w•l not exchange child for child: so a man is to love & delight in his wife even for this cau•• because s•ee is his wife, and howsoever it may be he could wish some of her parts b•ttered, yet to rejoice in her as they are.

And this is a necessarie effect of loue. For what a man loueth most, he desireth most; and what he desireth and affecteth most, that he most delighteth in. Which that a man may the better do, he must remember that as euery Christian man may assure himselfe that ^qhis present estate, what eue• it be, is best & sictest for him: so a Christian married man is bound to beleeue and to perswade himselfe, not that his wife is the wisest, or the fairest, or the best conditioned woman in the w•rld; but that she is the si••est wife for him, that God hath allotted him, and therefore rest himself contented in her & satisfied with her, and liue with as much alacrity & cheerefulnes with he as may be. And as parents loue and delight in their children, not because they are faire or wise and witty, but