This did an Heathenish woman, What shall didst thou then do, thou christen wife, which ough test by right to know, that god useth y• to great honour, wham he causeth the to bear children, which afterward may serve him and the whole country, and may come to be honest folks, & a perpetual commendation to thee? The holy scripture also sayeth evidently, that a wife is in the work of God and serveth him, when she bringeth forth children, and guideth them well. Therefore what so ever she there in doth and suffereth, she must gladly do it and suffer it for gods sake, & put her trust in god, that he which putteth her to the pain and labour, can also show her both comfort and help, ye she may not doubt, but be certayned at God's hand, yea 1what soever she faithfully and obediently suffereth and doth with the children in marriage it is no less good work in the sight of god, then all mes giving, prayer, or mortifying of the body. For that is her cross which the lord hath laid ⟨p. lxi⟩upon her to bear. Paul sayeth also. i. Timoth ii. The woman brought transgression into the world, but she shall recover her honour again by bearing of children, if she continue in the faith, in godly love, in the sanctifying, and in nurture. This should Christen wives remember in all their cross, and to be glad, willing, & of a good courage therein. And who hath showed the O woman) all the griefs, anguishes […] troubles, all the pains and miseries, that those wives have which bring forth no children? It may chance, that they have more misery and pain in another sort, then thou hast with thy children. And that haply they have here rest & good days, and yet sin therein with pride, daintiness, voluptuousness, wantonness, idleness, niceness, & such infirmities, so that here upon earth they get little honour and worship thereof, & must have eternal pain in the world to come. This I say against froward & wicked wives, and not against those that would be glad to take any pain & labour so that they might have children and to live meekly, virtuously and honestly.
This dyd an Heithenish womā, What shul dest thou thē do, thou christē wife, whiche ough test by ryght to know, that god vseth y• to greate honoure, whā he causeth the to beare chyldren, which afterward may serue him and the whole countre, and maye come to be honeste folkes, & a perpetuall commendacion to the? The holy scripture also saieth euidently, that a wife is in the worke of God and seruethe hym, whan she bringeth forth chyldren, and gydeth them well. Therfore what so euer she there in dothe and suffreth, she must gladlye do it and suffre it for gods sake, & put her trust in god, that he whiche puttethe her to the payn and laboure, can also shew her both comforte and helpe, yee she may not doubte, but be certayned at goddes hand, ye 1what soeuer she faythfully and obedientlye suffereth and doth with the childrē in mariage it is no lesse good worke in the sight of god, then all mes geuyng, prayer, or mortifieng of the bodye. For that is hir crosse which the lord hath layed ⟨p. lxi⟩vpon her to beare. Paul sayeth also. i. Timoth ii. The woman brought transgression into the worlde, but she shall recouer her honoure agayne by bearyng of chrildren, yf she contynue in ye fayth, in godly loue, in the sanctifieng, and in nourtoure. This shulde Christē wiues remem bre in all their crosse, and to be glad, wyllynge, & of a good courage therin. And who hath shewed the O woman) all the grefes, anguysshes 〈…〉 troubles, all the paynes and miseries, that those wyfes haue which bring forth no chyldrē? It maye chaunce, that they haue more myserye and payne in another sort, then thou hast wt thy children. And that happely they haue here rest & good dayes, and yet fynne therin wythe pryde, deyntynesse, voluptuousnes, wantonnesse, ydel nesse, nycenesse, & such infirmities, so that here vpon earth they get lytle honoure and worshyp therof, & must haue eternal payne in the world to come. This I say agaynst froward & wicked wifes, and not agaynst those that would be glad to take any payne & laboure so that they might haue chyldren and to lyue mekely, vertuouslye and honestlye.
- 1Pains taking about children: is the cross of the wives.Paynes takyng about chyldren: is the crosse of the wyues.
