TheMariage.-Bfeßing. q.of In applying of thispoint , it willnot bee hard wproue thenegleet ofit a- Thor/Y. mongff men.It is faid,that theconfcience isa thoufand witneffes;which if it be true , Iamalmoftofopinion , that fomany confciences asbe !acre, fomany thoufandwitneffes I (hall haue toconfirme it. It is notthe careofparents,firft to feeke the Lord, beforethey feeke matches for their Children : It is notthe vfe ofperfons intending marriage, tomake prayertoGod,tobe the Preface to theirattempts; It is notthe fathion,to account theprayers of Chriftian friends (whofeferaentiraet , they being thefriendrefGodr, are likely tomadly much f)a rIoh,tp,ip;, neceffary complementto a wedding : Itisnot the pra&ifeofmarriagepelts, flaaa9,ts. confcionably,andintentiuely , to apply themfeluesto this taske of deuotion. Sate lbeleeue that a challenge madeto vs about this, would receiue fuchan anfweras Labaxmade toJacob, whenhe had (contrary to promiCe) givenhim Leah forRachel: It is net the mannerofthis placer. It will be little forour creditfo t Gems 9: ac. to anfwer, becaufe thoughwee fpeakeofc uftome herein,yet we cannot fayas Paul did;we banenofilchexflem, neither the Churches ofGode: for it bath binmade to i Cora OS plain veto vs,that is waswont to be the vieofGo speople. Andindeedfrorn thedefe&ofthis duty,as from a poyfoned fountain, haue flown alltheft great euitsinmariagesat this day: As,r.The buying&felli gofchildrenamongpa. rents,they finging nothing but to the tuneofIudas.M'hatrodyoxgatemeg a.The x Math,as.H. forcedmarriages, whichmoflly hauethe fameAte ofextreme lothing, which Amnonrdefilingofhis filler hadr:3.Thevnequal yokings,as badasthole inhibi-y a Sam.t;.r ted in theLaw,ofan Oxe and an iffytogether=:el.The vntimely couplings,be. a Dnut,aa.rm fore the partieshaue pairedthetimeofeating ButterandHony;that is,haueknew. ledge to refafetheexil,andtoshaf:thegoode : 5. The huntingafterportions,& pro- alfa.7.r5, portions, faces and fafhions , without any refpe& to thehidmanofthe heart b; h t pct3 4= whereinmen thew themfeluesto haueas littlewit as Efopsdog,which fnapt at thefhadow,and loftthe fubllance;andaslittle grace asEfau,who preferredthe pottage beforehisbirth rightc, 6.The reuels anddiCorders that arekept at wed- cGen.15 :33è dings,no whit inferiourto chofe in Arno, his dayes ; nothing butmulicke and drinking,without any forrow for theofflietion of Iofcpha.All there, &diners o- dAmos G.6. chers likethere, proceed from the negle&of this oneduty. It is the rule ofthe Scripture;Ifthe firftfeai:sbeholyfa is thewhole hole: Soon thecontrary, where eRótn.u,tI thefitti beginning areprofane, it isvery vnlikely the proceedings Mouldbee betrer.You that haue failed herein,hereyoumay feeielb matter ofrepentance; the not forrowingfora trefpaffe,whenit is difconered,doubleth the fault. You that areyetis theharbour,andhaue not yetlaunched out intotheft bufinelies, hereyou may 'came where tobegin , ifyou defretomakeaprofperousvoy. age. The very Heathenheld it right tobegin with Gode: Itisexpeeted ofChrifli- lei tote ansby a double bond, according as they hauereceiueda double light, one of Primrigiutai nature,theother of grace. Remember hereafter that irisa monlirous mariage, &c. áheadleffe wedding,where this wanteth:it is ominous to the'wholebufrneffe, ifir be forgotten. And we thatarenowhere to be beholders ofthe vnitingof thefe two,letvs not thinke,wehaue difcharged theduty of friendsbyourvfu. all and formal'acclamations; OfGodgheeyou rya:ST. But let vs ferioufly thinke (as thefe heredid,) what is meet,. in particular tobedefired for them : and ler ourhearty prayers be themeffengers ofour delires to the throneofgrace;that when we (hall after thefe folemnitiesdepart from them , wemay truly fay to thcm,inthe witneffe ofour foules; we baneblefedjou outofthe boxfe efthéLordg. g PrattsLnt Now, the better to dire& vs in thisduty,let vs hearkenunto that which fol. loweth,namely, the particular good things requeftedofGod inthis prayer,on thebehalfe ofthat worthypairehere ftoried. The requefts are three: T. On the belsalfeof the wife : m. On the behalfeofthe Husband. 3.Òn thebehalfeof thePofte- ri:ifrring from them both. The reqselb which is for theWife, Iwill fpe akeof thus : s.OfthePhrafe Thetfife thatcommethinte thine Houle: a.Ofthe mat- N á 2 ree
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=