For help hereof in 1. Cor. 7. 39. we are taught to marry in the Lord, then we must choose in the Lord too: therefore we must begin our Marriage where Solomon began his wisdom. Give unto thy servant an understanding heart: so 1give unto thy servant an understanding wife. If Abraham's servant prayed the Lord to prosper his business 2when he went about to choose a wife for another, how shouldst thou pray when thou goest about a wife for thy self, that thou mayest say after, My lot is fallen in a pleasant ground. To direct thee to a right choice herein, the holy Ghost gives thee two rules, Godliness and Fitness: Godliness, because 3our Spouse must be like Christs spouse, that is, graced with ⟨p. 29⟩gifts & embroidered with virtues, as if we did marry Holiness her self. For the marriage of man and woman, is resembled of the Apostle to the Marriage of Christ and 4the Church. Now, the Church is called Holy, because she is holy. In the 6. Cantie. she is called Undefiled, 5because she is undefiled. In the 45. Psalm she is called fair 6within, because her beauty is inward: so our Spouse should be holy, undefiled, and fair within. As GOD respecteth the heart, so 7we must respect the heart, because that must love, and not the face. Covetousness hath ever been a suitor to the richest, and pride to the highest, and lightness to the fa• rest, and for revenge hereof his joy hath ever ended with his wives youth, which took her beauty with it. The goods of the ⟨p. 30⟩world are good, and the goods of the body are good, but the goods of the mind are better. As Paul commendeth Faith, and Hope, & Charity, but saith the greatest of 8these is Charity: so I may commend beauty, and riches, and godliness, but the best of these is godliness, because it hath the things which it wants, and makes every state alike with her gift of contentation.
For helpe hereof in 1. Cor. 7. 39. wee are taught to marrie in the Lord, then we must choose in the Lord too: therefore we must begin our Mariage where Salomon began his wisedome. Giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding heart: so 1giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstāding wife. If Abrahams seruant praied the Lord to prosper his businesse 2when hee went about to choose a wife for another, how shouldst thou pray when thou goest about a wife for thy selfe, that thou maiest say after, My lot is fallen in a pleasant ground. To direct thee to a right choice herein, the holie Ghost giues thee two rules, Godlines and Fitnes: Godlines, because 3our Spouse must bee like Christs spouse, that is, graced with ⟨p. 29⟩gifts & imbrodered with vertues, as if wee did marrie Holinesse her selfe. For the mariage of man and woman, is resembled of the Apostle to the Mariage of Christ and 4the Church. Now, the Church is called Holie, because she is holie. In the 6. Cantie. she is called Vndefiled, 5because she is vndefiled. In the 45. Psalme she is called faire 6within, because her beautie is inwarde: so our Spouse should bee holie, vndefiled, and faire within. As GOD respecteth the heart, so 7we must respect the heart, because that must loue, and not the face. Couetousnes hath euer been a suter to the richest, and pride to the highest, and lightnesse to the fa• rest, and for reuenge hereof his ioye hath euer ended with his wiues youth, which tooke her beautie with it. The goods of the ⟨p. 30⟩world are good, and the goods of the bodie are good, but the goods of the minde are better. As Paule commendeth Faith, and Hope, & Charitie, but saith the greatest of 8
- 11. King. 3. 9
- 2Gen. 24. 12.
- 3Godly and fit.
- 4Ephes. 5. 29.
- 5Cant. 6. 8.
- 6Psal. 45. 9.
- 71. Sam. 16. 7.
- 81. Cor. 13. 13.
