A care-cloth

but it wants not its Briars, to fetch blood of their fingers, that are overeager to crop it. It is a day not all our so fair and sun-shine, but that a man may be wet to the skin, with the storms that arise in it before the evening. Wherefore before a man resolve upon an entrance into this estate, let him lay both ends together, as they use to speak; let him cast all things into the balance of his judgement, and then judge indifferently, and out of the direction of reason take that course, which shall be most for his comfort. Thou are now weary of being under the command of a governor; If thou be a maid, take heed thou meet not with a worse governor, and more hasty, though bearing a fairer title; If thou be a man, beware thou meet not with one to govern, whom it shall be ten times more hard and troublesome to rule, then to please almost any ruler. It is tedious to thee, that those are now wives, which were girls when thou wast marriageable; and husbands which were boys, when thou wast grown to mans estate; thou thinkest it much, that they carry away the account from thee, and are in show more set by. Well, take heed, lest in catching after such honour, thou stumble not upon so many troubles, as shall make thee wish again, to sit at the lower end of the board, and to give place to thy youngers in such complements, rather then to be equal with them in ⟨p. 63⟩such cumbers. Thou findest it a war within thy self to keep down lust; take heed it be not a greater war, when marriage hath assuaged lust, to keep down impatient risings at the troubles of marriage, or to hold up thine heart against sinking, and discouragement under those troubles. This estate (as sure as Paul was a wise man, and a true speaker) hath as much sour as sweet; as many bitter morsels, as pleasant; as much tribulation, as contentment: try it whoso well, have shall never find the Apostle false. Therefore be not a fool, to take up thy self with an over-greedy thinking of the benefits thou lookest for, not troubling thy self to consider the miseries also, that will affront thee: but look well to both, and take notice of both, and accept of that, which judgement shall most incline thee to, not which passion. I confess, brethren, it is a certain truth, that our Apostle hath before delivered in this Chapter; Better marry, then burn:

but it wants not its Briars, to fetch blood of their fingers, that are ouereager to crop it. It is a day not all our so faire and sun-shine, but that a man may be wet to the skin, with the stormes that arise in it before the euening. Wherefore before a man resolue vpon an entrance into this estate, let him lay both ends together, as they vse to speake; let him cast all things into the ballance of his iudgement, and then iudge indifferently, and out of the direction of reason take that course, which shall bee most for his comfort. Thou are now wearie of being vnder the command of a gouernour; If thou be a maid, take heed thou meete not with a worse gouernour, and more hastie, though bearing a fairer title; If thou be a man, beware thou meete not with one to gouerne, whō it shall be ten times more hard and troublesome to rule, then to please almost any ruler. It is tedious to thee, that those are now wiues, which were girles when thou wast marriageable; and husbands which were boyes, when thou wast growne to mans estate; thou thinkest it much, that they carrie away the account from thee, and are in shew more set by. Well, take heed, lest in catching after such honour, thou stumble not vpon so many troubles, as shall make thee wish again, to sit at the lower end of the boord, and to giue place to thy youngers in such complements, rather then to bee equall with them in