Chap t 9. An Expofition upon the Book of J OB. Verf 17. 269 florin(); the cbild'reát ofmy ovine bodie ; the did not one'sy abhorre me, when I cryed out of the lofe of my efface, when I, com- plained ofmy paines and fores, and of the injurioufnefíe ofmy friends, but when I wasbewailing the Tolle ()fray very children, in which the was as much concerned ,as I am. Secondly, I intreated for the childrens fake may carry this perfa zium meaning, as if the argument which he ufed to draw his wife j;14 Conjxg'i to.refpeCt him washis children. I entreated her by the invio- ej s. lable bandofmarriage, and the fruits of it, but the regarded i``0" me not. My breath is ftrange to my wife, dc.. Hence Obferve ; Firft, They who have takenfweeteff content in one another, may quickly be loathfome to one another. There is nothing in the Creature of any long continuance, much leffe ofany long contentment. Man and wife ought in duty to take mutuall delight and contentment one in another, yet a wife who is one flesh with .her husband, may count his breath a ftranger, and fhe who was givenfor ahelpe, may prove belpleire, in time of greatett need. When man was created, theLord faid it is not goodfor man to be alone, Iwill make him a help mate for him. A wife is made fora help to man, and when loth a man-need her helpe fomuch, as in the timeofficknef e, and affíic'}ion. That which is good at all times, is at fometimes better. A wife thould ever be a helpe to her husband, but then molt when he cannot helpe him- felle. The vertue of forne wives hath appeared glorioufly at fuch times and when difeafes have made all others loath their husbands, they have delighted in them. True conjugall love out- lives all changesboth of time and ftate,, it knowes no decay either by age or ficknetfe. The Story is famous of Prince Edward, wounded with a poyfoned knife by a treacherous Atfafline, to whomwhen other Speeds Chrrru meanes ofcure proved ineffeftuall, his wife the Lady Eleanor P.6 3°°"'5 fucked out the poyfon; and gave him both eafe 'and healing. How rare a patterne was this woman of conjugall fidelitie how farre did theout-a&.'ob's wife in love, who was fo farra from fucking his wonnds or licking his foares, that the could not:abide.his breath.. Solomon gives this affurance of a vacuous. woman,
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