A care-cloth

Good Reader: Most gravely doth our Communion Book admonish such as come to be married, that they ought to enter into this estate, not rashly, lightly, unadvisedly, to satisfy their carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts, that have no understanding; but discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God. Needful it is, that this counsel be sounded often in the ears of the unmarried, and not alone in that instant, when they are now about to consummate marriage. For want of heeding this counsel, how common is it, and withal how mischievous? For men to offend in an over-sudden and over-hasty undertaking of Marriage, without the due meditation of two special things (namely, what be the duties of Marriage, and what the difficulties,) it is as impossible to be well prepared for that estate, as to fly without wings, to go without legs, or to see without an eye: yet ⟨image 3⟩scarce one man or woman of a number will put themselves to the pains of informing themselves beforehand, of either of these two things. Thus having blindly and headlongly cast themselves into marriage, either not at all (or with no firm and settled knowledge) knowing, what belongs unto it, what services they are called to perform, what burdens to sustain in it: it follows (as needs it must) that with much hazard to their own souls, and much unquietness to themselves, families and neighbours, they prove utterly careless of their duties, and extremely impatient under their crosses. Hence it comes to pass, that marriage proveth to many, just as the stocks unto the drunkard; into which, when his head was warm with Wine or Ale, he put his foot laughingly, and with merriment: but a little after (having slept out his Wine, and cooled his head with a nap,) he longs as much to get it out again. Hence it is, that divers houses are none other, but even very Fencing-Schools, wherein the two sexes seem to have met together for nothing, but to play their prizes, and to try masteries. Hence it is, that many husbands and wives do fare almost always, as Job fared, when the Devil had smitten his body with boils and ulcers, cursing their Wedding-day, as much as he did his Birth-day, and thirsting after divorce as much, as ever he did after death.

GOod Reader: Most grauely doth our Communion Booke admonish such as come to be married, that they ought to enter into this estate, not rashly, lightly, vnaduisedly, to satisfie their carnall lusts and appetites, like bruit beasts, that haue no vnderstanding; but discreetly, aduisedly, soberly, and in the feare of God. Needful it is, that this counsel be sounded often in the eares of the vnmarried, and not alone in that instant, whē they are now about to consummate marriage. For want of heeding this counsel, how common is it, and withall how mischieuous? For men to offend in an ouer-sudden and ouer-hastie vndertaking of Marriage, without the due meditation of two special things (namely, what be the duties of Marriage, and what the difficulties,) it is as impossible to be well prepared for that estate, as to flye without wings, to goe without legs, or to see without an eye: yet