697 / 808
I'VE
R.I.
ephefans,C
hap.
6.
4.
The
light
of
nature
bath
taught
it.
left.
But
here
two
things may be
asked,
if
the Parent be
to
have
'
obedience herein,
whether
may
he
conftraine his child
to
this
or
that
marriage
which queftion
is neceffary in
thefe times
,
becaufe
that
over-lath
in
their expenfe,&
by
over
-
renting
themfelves,they
weaken
their
eftate,&
this
is
made the
laft refuge,
the
eldeft fon muffon
paine
of
lofing bleffrugand
inheritance,
take any one
whom the
Parents
finde
out
and know
to
have money
enough to make
all whole
againe.
Arsfw.
The Parent
cannot enforce a childe
to marriage, though
a
child muff
with
all reverence ufe his
liberty,
and
not without
good
reafon diffent
from the
Parent;
for
coulent makethmarriage,
but
in-
forced confent
is
truly conftrued
as
none. Againe,
we
fee
that
Beshase!
and Laban,
though
they
gave
Rebecca
, yet
they
did it
with
asking
her
aft'ent, Gen.
24.57.
Thirdly,the
fruits
of
thefe things teftifie
whence
they
are,
for thefe forced matches doe often overthrow the patri-
mony which
is
left,
yea the bodies
and foules
of
chofe
thus
beftowed.
weft.
a.
It
is
asked on
theother fide,whether the Parent
can let his
childe
of
marriage
:
which
is
needfull becaufe
in
thefe dayes
(wherein
naturall
afedion
waxeth
cold)
fome are found fo hard hearted
that
they
will
not
let their children
ufe
their liberty.
Anfiv.
The
Parent
hindereth marriage, either after
a
fort from this
or that
partie; or altogether denieth
ir,
or
at.leaft the feafonablebene-
fit
of
it
:
in
the
firft
the Parent mutt be obeyed.; in
the
técond he
is
not
to
have
obedience ;
the
reafon
is
becaufe when
he
doth
denie
me
feafonable marriage with
any
whofoevcr,
he
doth
come again('
that
Commandement,
r
Cor.
7.
Let
every
one for
avoiding fornication
have his wife;
Now
he
is
to be obedient but
in
the Lord.
ALiefl.
But
if
he
will
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
you
both; if
there
be
no help here,
if
thou marrieft, we
can
fay no-
thing
to
thee, but goe
in
peace.
Now
for
the
ufe
of
this doctrine it
doth
ferve
us
firft
to
Wrnember
our former defaults, and
to
fee
the prefent
difobedience in
which ma.
ny
of
us
doe
live
:
for
many of
us
have beenelike
Samael
and
David,
children,
who
(no
doubt) wanted not
inftrudion,
but
they
heard
it
with their heeles
,
they did
not hide it
in
their hearts
to
yeild
obedi-
ence
:
which
of
us
have not let much feed
of
this
kinde fall
to
the
ground
fruitleffe! So for obedience
to commands,
wee are
like
Eller,
Do
not
thus my children ,
but they
heard nor.
Wee
withdraw
the
(boulder
if
we like
not
that
which they bid us,and have no legs,
ifthey
fetid
us
of
errands
that
pleafe us
not. Yea
wee thinke
when a more
homely
fervice
is
injoyned , it would difgrace
us
todoe it. But for
correction, O we
have
a
world
of
rebellion againft
this,
wee
thinke
this
commeth but from hatred, we that we
will
not
be
made
fooles
to
take any
fuch
matter, we fcorne
it
as
agreat
fhame
to
us
; we
fwell
here
with
defperate refolurion, rather
to
make away our
Pelves
then be
Nan
fo
7