666 Bpfiefians, Chap.S. VE R. 31, Doli. I. Doll. 2. Ye r. 2. I diftinEtionbetweene the being one flefh of a wretch with a harlot , and a man with his wife ; for theirs is neither lawful!, holy, nor infeparable. The things I would haveyou markefrom hence are thefe ; Firft, That a man mull therefore lave hir wife, becauJe it is not afixate ofman, but Gods inflitution; for we fee here that the Apoftic doth teach it even from thofeancient Canons of Gods owne making, which have beene from the beginningof the world. For though in carafes it is queflionable whether e 'fofes or vldam Both fpeake thcfe, or God immediatly, yet thisChrift hathput out ofcontroverfie that God did en:: t this. Look Mat.19.5. Haveyou not read that God created them and Paid, &c. So that as we hence inbreed the dutie of the woman, let her befubjeâ as to God, asknowing that this is Gods will : fo let the husband love, asknowing that this is Gods owne Conflitution. If we fhould trangrcffe mans Canons in our Matrimonie, we might hap- pily hereof it in the Court : take heed of trefpaffing, efpecially of wilfull breakingGods Canons, who can not onely punifh the purfe and body, but fling into hell. Marke hence, That the wife is not onely to be loved but moretenderly then the Parent : for the is become himfelfc : Great love is due to them who havebeene Gods inftruments ingiving us our being ; how great is that loveby which this is exceeded e So thatthismay let us fee how vile a thing it is notto love the wife. For ifone fhouldbe unkinde to his Parents, wayward toward them, provoke them to wrath, &c.would not men fay,the Ravens of the val. Icy might picke out the eyes of filch a partie a then how monftrous is fuch meafure to a Wife, who is to have place in love above the Parent e Againe, it doth teachmen that they mull fometime rather fuftaine the Parentsunjuft difpleafure, then leave the bond of love in which they are tyed to the wife. If the Father and Mother fhould not brook the wifeof their child, he mutt lisein loffe oftheir favour,rather then let his wife be oppreffed in innocency , or nested his love where he doth principally owe it. From the laft claafe fundry things may beobferved, That the mee- ting together in marriagebenevolence being the ordinanceofGod, ispure andholy; Heb. t 3. Thebed undefiled,marriage honourable. Theydo wickedly that accufeit ofany finfull filthineffè. True it is,chat our cor- ruption doth fptinkle it with pollution often , but who would rave a- gainft Winewhich rejoyceth the heart ofman, bccaufe the fin ofman doth abufeit todrunken diflemper a and that is a foolilh Titre why men fhould fecke fecrecy in thefe things, as if this could argue the actionasfinfull. Why doe men covering their feete retire themfeives fecretly a Morali uncomelinefTe is one thing , finfull filthineffe ano- ther : and therefore let them looke that do give wipes toGods Or- dinances, how they will efcape that curie which is threatned againft them that call cvill good, and good (as this is)cvilI. It
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