First,1 Is a good wife such a special gift of God? then is Marriage questionless a Blessing, and no small one, of it self: one of the greatest outward Blessings ⟨p. 10⟩[…] ⟨p. 11⟩[…] ⟨p. 12⟩that in this world man enjoyeth.e Blessed is every one, saith the Psalmist, that feareth God, and that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat of the labour of thine hands: happy art thou, and it shall go well with thee. Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: and thy Children like the Olive plants round about thy table. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth God. In the first place cometh the Wife as the first and principal blessing, and the Children in the next. And surely to reason backward to that the Apostle doth:f If the root, saith he, be holy, the branches also be holy: and, If the branches, say I, be holy then the root that beareth them much more. So here, If the branches be blessed, the root that beareth them much more. If Children be a Blessing, theng the root whence they spring ought much more to be so esteemed.h Behold, Children and the fruit of the womb, are the gift of God, saith iSolomon. Children are the gift of God; but the Wife is a more special gift of God: she cometh in the first place, they in the second: And gifts are usually answerable to the greatness of the Giver. It was a witty answer of a great Prince, when he was disposed to be rid of a bold begging Philosopher: he asked a groat of him, and the King told him,k It was too little for a Prince to give; he requested the King then to give him a Talent, and the King told him,l It was too much for a Beggar to crave. And surely God indeed in his special gifts to us, is wont mto regard not so much what is fit for us to ask or to expect, as what standeth with his goodness and greatness to give.
First,1 Is a good wife such a speciall gift of God? then is Mariage questionles a Blessing, and no small one, of it self: one of the greatest outward Blessings ⟨p. 10⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 11⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 12⟩that in this world man enioyeth.e Blessed is euery one, saith the Psalmist, that feareth God, and that walketh in his wayes. For thou shalt eat of the labour of thine hands: happy art thou, and it shall goe well with thee. Thy wife shall be as the fruitfull vine by the sides of thine house: and thy Children like the Olive plants round about thy table. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth God. In the first place commeth the Wife as the first and principall blessing, and the Children in the next. And surely to reason backward to that the Apostle doth:f If the roote, saith he, be holy, the branches also be holy: and, If the branches, say I, be holy then the roote that beareth them much more. So here, If the branches be blessed, the roote that beareth them much more. If Children be a Blessing, theng the roote whence they spring ought much more to be so esteemed.h Behold, Children and the fruit of the wombe, are the gift of God, saith iSalomon. Children are the gift of God; but the Wife is a more speciall gift of God: shee commeth in the first place, they in the second: And gifts are vsually answerable to the greatnes of the Giuer. It was a witty answer of a great Prince, when he was disposed to be rid of a bold begging Philosopher: he asked a groat of him, and the King told him,k It was too litle for a Prince to giue; he requested the King then to giue him a Talent, and the King told him,l
- 1Use 1.Vse 1.
- ePsal. 128. 1, 2, 3, 4.
- fRom 11. 16.
- g[Greek or Hebrew] •••rocles de nupt. apud Stob. tō. 2. cap. 65.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 •••rocles de nupt. apud Stob. tō. 2. cap. 65.
- hPsal. 127. 3.
- iIs enim ex titulo Autor videtur.
- k[Greek or Hebrew]. Drachmam dare nō est regium.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Drachmam dare nō est regium.
- l[Greek or Hebrew]. Talentum petere non est Cynicum. Antigonus Thrasyllo apud Plut. in apophth. Et Sen. d• benef. l. 2. c. 17.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Talentum petere non est Cynicum. Antigonus Thrasyllo apud Plut. in apophth. Et Sen. d• benef. l. 2. c. 17.
- mNon quaero quid te accipere deceat, sed quid me dare. Alexand. apud Sē. de benef. lib 2. c. 16. Idem Perillo amico cū ad filias elocandas talenta quinquaginta assignasset, is autem decem suffi•ere affirmasset, [Greek or Hebrew]. Plut. in apophth.Non quaero quid te accipere deceat, sed quid me dare. Alexand. apud Sē. de benef. lib 2. c. 16. Idem Perillo amico cū ad filias elocandas talēta quīquaginta assignasset, is autem decem suffi•ere affirmasset, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Plut. in apophth.
