Con1.7 of Marriage: Chap. e. 429 Heaven and earth, touching marriage , and therefore not to be repealed. Prima in- ftttatio perpetua regula. The tirft inftitution, hall be a perpetual Rule ; when God by Mat. 19.6 Adam fpake there, he fpake to pofterity ; be it therefore enaéled , that from hence forth Erunt,&c. And this fheweth it to be jsirú divini. 2. The next is, thatmarriage is an honourable eftate t not only tolerable , allow- able, or commendable, but honourable; and fo it was ever reputed in all ages , by Heb.r3.4 all perfons; we fee that Chrift honoured it with his own prefence, and his fiat Joh.z miracle. Neither is it in aliquibusfic, inaliúnon, honourable infome, and not fo in Tix.1.6 others. For not only the Patriarchs , Priefts and Prophets , under the Law wee ' Cor3.z married, but under the Gofpe!, Elders and Prieftswere married: So were Apofiles t Cor.9 and Bifnops. 3. The caufesor reafons why marriage wasinftituted, are generally or principally two. 1. First, the prefervation and propagation of Mankind. z. That mans life might be more comfortable, anddelightful to him, but there caufes may more efpe- cíaily be erilarged to three I. God in the beginningPaid , It is notgood that manfhoaldbe alone, I will make a help meet for him. The Mil caufe thereforewas the henefir and commodity of Gen,t.iß Man. For God thought that Adam could not live pleafantly an well, unlefs he gave him a wife. And therefore a wife is not to be accounted a neçeffary evil , as fòme phrafe it, but as a help. Whofoever then bath ntft , nor ever had wife or children, is ignorant of a double bleffing. . And this the very Heathen did acknowledge. Hè that wants a wife, is in as ill cafeas he that wants a hand, an arm, a foot., or an eye. But betides the bleffing by procreation of Children,this cohabitation or living in focietywith a wife is mots profitable and comfortable. Her company givesa man refrefhment after labour, and makethhim to forgetforrow and aflli ion. ' Nothing fo grievous, nothing foburthenfome, butaman and wife, living lovingly together, can well overcome it. z.- TheSecond caufe why Matrimony was inftituted, was the procreation of children, and education of them, in thefear of God. That there might befemen fanttsm, aholyfeed. That there might be a means of 'propagating .by fucceßìon Mai.z.lq the Church of God. It was Gods care, in the creation , when he bleffedAdam and Gen. 1.28 Eve with crefcite& multiplicamini; be fruitful and multiply and replenifh the earth. 94 The lifte care he had, at the re- creation uponthe general Deluge, with the fameBe- nediflion. 3. The third caufe was toavoid Fornication: Let every man (for that caufe faith 1 Cor.q. z St. Paul) have his osen wife, and let every. woman have herown husband. To keep the Heb13ç bed undefiled. And it is better to marry than burn, as he faith elfewhere. Therefore ' Cor.7.9 marriage is not tobe accounted either a fin , or an aF.h of uncleannefs , but rather Chryf. concubstut earnpropria uxore, eft caftitat, lawful marriage is chaftity. If thou takeft a wife ( faith St. Paul) thou finned not , and if a Virgin marry the finneth not, Gen.3.18 primus graduocat?isatis eftfincera virginitat, fecundos fidele conjugium. The firft de- gree of chaflity is pure virginity , the fecond faithful wedlock. So that for thefe three reafons marriage is good, and noneft bonunt homini ere f lum, it is not good for man to bealone, Paid God. Non eft bonum, it is not good, faith God , it was not, non eft bonummibi, it is not good for me : but non homini, not for man. Gods decrees are ever for our good. r. Solitude is not good. Societyis good. Homo eft animal man is afo'cia- hle Creature. It is good to flrengthen one, left a man fall : and to help if he do fall. Two are better than one (faith the Preacher.) And if twolie together, they have beat, Eccl:4.1.n but how can one be warmalone. 2. Solitude is unpleafant. t. In regard of God, for his purpofe and intent isto communicate his goodnefs withmany , and not to reftrain it toone. 2. In regard of itfell: for bonum eft fui difúfvum goodnefl is noniggard or clofe handed, and Heb.z.io therefore God would, that there shouldbe a generationfuifrmilis, of. onelike to it Obi. felt. 3. In regard of theworld, not,perpetuando,for perpetuity, fed multiplicando, Gen.24.6o for the cattleof inceeaf. 32.12 But this ho/i3072 was neccffary may Tome fay , when there was but one man in '3.16 the world, it is not now, when there be fo many thoufands: when peopleare mul- 217 tiplied
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