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.1 Give unto thy servant an understanding heart. So give unto thy servant an understanding wife.2 If Abraham's servant prayed unto the Lord to prosper his business, when he went about to choose a wife for another, how shouldst thou pray when thou goest about a wife for thy self, that thou mayst 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 in the choice of a wife,3 Godliness and fitness: Godliness, because our Spouse must be like Christs Spouse, that is, graced with gifts, and embroidered with virtues, as if we married holiness her self. For the marriage of man and woman is resembled of the Apostle to the marriage of Christ and the Church.4 Now the Church is called holy, because she is holy. In the sixth of the Canticles she is called undefiled,5 ⟨p. 19⟩because she is undefiled.6 In the 45. Psal. she is called fair within, because her beauty is inward;7 So our Spouse should be holy, undefiled, and fair within. As God respecteth the heart, so we 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 fairest: and for revenge hereof, his joy hath ever ended with his wives youth, which took her beauty with it. The goods of the world are good, and the goods of the body are good, but the goods of the mind are better.8 As Paul commendeth Faith, Hope, and Charity, but saith the greatest of these is charity: so may I 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. we are taught to marrie in the Lord, then we must chuse in the Lord too: therefore we must beginne our marriage where Salomon beganne his wisedome.1 Giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding heart. So giue vnto thy seruant an vnderstanding wife.2 If Abrahams seruant praied vnto the Lord to prosper his busines, when he went about to chuse a wife for another, how shouldst thou pray when thou goest about a wife for thy selfe, that thou mayst say after, My lot is fallen in a pleasant ground? To direct thee to a right choise herein, the holie Ghost giues thee two rules in the choise of a wife,3 Godlinesse and fitnesse: Godlines, because our Spouse must bee like Christes Spouse, that is, graced with gifts, and imbrodered with vertues, as if we married holinesse her selfe. For the marriage of man and woman is resembled of the Apostle to the marriage of Christ and the Church.4 Now the Church is called holie, because shee is holie. In the sixt of the Canticles she is called vndefiled,5 ⟨p. 19⟩because she is vndefiled.6 In the 45. Psal. she is called faire within, because her beautie is inward;7 So our Spouse should be holie, vndefiled, and faire within. As God respecteth the heart, so we must respect the heart, because that must loue, and not the face. Couetousnesse hath euer bene a suiter to the richest, and pride to the highest, and lightnesse to the fairest: and for reuenge hereof, his ioy hath euer ended with his wiues youth, which tooke her beautie with it. The goods of the world are good, and the goods of the bodie are good, but the goods of the minde are better.8 As Paul commendeth Faith, Hope, and Charitie, but saith the greatest of these is charitie: so may I commend beautie, and riches and godlinesse, but the best of these is godlinesse, because it hath the things which it wāts, and makes euery state alike with her gift of contentation.
- 11. Reg. 3. 9.
- 2Gen. 24. 12.
- 3Godly, & fit.Godly, & fitte.
- 4Ephe. 5. 29.
- 5Cant. 6. 8.
- 6Psal. 45. 9.
- 71. Sa. 16. 7.
- 81. Cor. 13. 13.
