A care-cloth

O that I had never married, is a most undecent thought in an husbands hart, & a fond word in his lips! Why should our wills oppose Gods will, when he hath made it known unto us? Paul saith before; Art thou joined to a wife? seek not to be loosed. A valiant soldier doth never repent of the battle, because he meets with strong enemies; he resolves to be conqueror, and then the more and stronger his foes, the greater his honour. So must the husband and wife resolve to conquer the troubles of marriage, and use the buckler of patience against the blows of adversity, that they may conquer. But here also you will ask how? and I must tell you how. The means to get patience in the cumbers of the wedded estate, are chiefly these: first, to resolve, you must and will be patient: secondly, to pray that you may be patient: thirdly, to consider your comforts, as well as your crosses: and fourthly, to look up to God, as the Author, and Heaven, as the end of your troubles. A firm purpose of will to do, or suffer any thing, doth greatly fortify the ⟨p. 81⟩soul. He that often thinks, I am bound to bear my part of trouble quietly, seeing every man alive hath his portion in troubles; and seeing we have brought troubles upon our selves; and seeing these troubles are but short and light in comparison of those we have deserved; and therefore I will even buckle my shoulders to the burden, and not give way to shrinking; this man shall find, that an hard load will lye lighter upon a resolute heart, then an easier burden, upon an irresolute spirit. Whatsoever a Christian man doth constantly tell himself, that he hath great reason to do, shall have much good by doing, and must needs do, or do worse; and therefore enacts this statute in his mind, By Gods help I will do it; that shall he be able to do in good measure, and God will pass by his failings. Do thus much for the matter of patience, inure your minds to think much of the reasons that should induce you to it, and upon those reasons to conclude, that through the gracious assistance of God, you will be patient, and you shall be so. But resolutions without prayer are presumptuous, and God doth use to chastise presumption, by making it find its own weakness. Wherefore you must pray much and often, as well as resolve. Strong resolutions, joined with strong supplications, cannot be in vain.

O that I had neuer married, is a most vndecent thought in an husbands hart, & a fond word in his lips! Why should our wils oppose Gods will, when he hath made it knowne vnto vs? Paul saith before; Art thou joyned to a wife? seeke not to be loosed. A valiant souldier doth neuer repent of the battaile, because he meetes with strong enemies; he resolues to be conquerour, and then the more and stronger his foes, the greater his honour. So must the husband and wife resolue to conquer the troubles of marriage, and vse the buckler of patience against the blowes of aduersitie, that they may conquer. But here also you will aske how? and I must tell you how. The meanes to get patience in the cumbers of the wedded estate, are chiefely these: first, to resolue, you must and will bee patient: secondly, to pray that you may bee patient: thirdly, to consider your comforts, as well as your crosses: and fourthly, to looke vp to God, as the Author, and Heauen, as the end of your troubles. A firme purpose of will to doe, or suffer any thing, doth greatly fortifie the