I'VE R.I. ephefans,Chap. 6. 4. The light ofnature bathtaught it. left. But here two things may beasked, if the Parent be to have ' obedience herein, whether mayhe conftraine his child to this orthat marriage which queftionis neceffary in thefe times , becaufe that over-lath in their expenfe,&byover-renting themfelves,theyweaken their eftate,& this is made the laft refuge, the eldeft fon muffon paine oflofing bleffrugand inheritance, take any one whom the Parents finde out and know to have moneyenough to makeall whole againe. Arsfw. The Parent cannot enforce a childe to marriage, though a child muffwith all reverence ufe his liberty, and not without good reafon diffent from theParent; forcoulent makethmarriage, but in- forced confent is truly conftruedas none. Againe, we feethat Beshase! and Laban, though theygaveRebecca , yet theydid it with askingher aft'ent, Gen. 24.57. Thirdly,the fruits of thefe things teftifiewhence they are, for thefe forced matches doe often overthrow the patri- mony which is left, yea the bodiesand foulesofchofe thusbeftowed. weft. a. Itis asked on theother fide,whether the Parentcan let his childe ofmarriage : which isneedfull becaufe in thefe dayes (wherein naturall afedionwaxethcold) fome are found fo hard hearted that they willnot let their children ufe their liberty. Anfiv. The Parent hindereth marriage, either after a fort from this or that partie; or altogether denieth ir, orat.leaft the feafonablebene- fit of it : in thefirft the Parent mutt be obeyed.; in the técond he is not to haveobedience ; the reafon is becaufe when he doth denieme feafonable marriage with any whofoevcr, hedoth come again(' that Commandement, r Cor. 7. Let everyone for avoiding fornication have his wife;Now heis to be obedient but in the Lord. ALiefl. Butif hewill not let me, what mutt I doe! ,Anrw. By all good meanes trie to win his favour this way ; if itwill not be,feeke reliefeby the Magiftrate,who is a common Parent to youboth; ifthere be no help here, ifthou marrieft, wecan fay no- thing to thee, but goe inpeace. Now for theufe ofthis doctrine it doth ferveus firft toWrnember our former defaults, and to fee the prefentdifobedience inwhich ma. ny ofus doe live : for many of us have beenelike Samael and David, children, who (nodoubt) wanted not inftrudion, but they heard it with their heeles , they did not hide it intheir hearts to yeildobedi- ence : which ofus have not let much feed of this kinde fall to the groundfruitleffe! So for obedience to commands,wee are like Eller, Do not thus my children , but theyheard nor. Wee withdraw the (boulder ifwe likenot that which they bid us,and have no legs, ifthey fetid usoferrandsthat pleafe us not. Yea wee thinke when a more homely fervice is injoyned , it would difgrace us todoe it. But for correction, O wehave aworld ofrebellion againft this, wee thinke this commeth but from hatred, we that we will not be made fooles to take anyfuch matter, we fcorneit as agreat fhame tous ; wefwell here withdefperate refolurion, rather tomake away our Pelvesthen be Nan fo 7
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