EpíflleofS. PaultoMae. CHAP.z.6. Prophdts,andChritt call men,not to example,but to the rule ofthe firfl zof iuflitution.2.We neuer readeofany ofthem(no not the bell) that well carted iubut what fruit had it between Hadah&Sillah at firti,it Rill re- tained:For what moleflarion brought iteuen to goodmen?what a flirre had Abraham to compa%Sarah andHagar to peace ? and in their chil- dren Ifaac and Ifmael , what a number of fparkles of contention were kindled?what heart-greife was it to Iacob to fee fuch daily emulation betweene Leah and Rahel ? andwhat other was the fruit of their enuìe, but an occafion further ro draw him into fin, in taking firfl one oftheir maids, and then anothers,and all topleafe both;to lay nothingof the do he had doubtleffe about their children. When Mofes fpeaketh of Elaus a.wiues,he added,they were anheart greife to lfaacandRebecca, Gen. 26. 35. when the Scripture fpeaketh of Gideons 7o.fonnes begotten of his ownebodie, with the realon, for he had many wires, lud. 8.3o. the very next chapter Chewed) how Abimelech ilewe all there 70. fonnes on one Rohe, faue lotham. How was Elcanah troubled to fatisfic and re- compence his wife Hannah . for the reproachwherewithTeninnah her i,Sam.t 6. adtserfarie vexed her fore ? in the incliningof Salonions profperirie,the firfl exception the Lord Cooke againtl himwas , that he lowedmany out- a.king.rr.r. landith women, which (innebrought him to all the wickedncffe that was found in his hands. /. Whereas it isPaid that the Patriarkswere car- ried hereunto not by flelhly lull, but in delire of increafe of that holy {Cedewhich was in that one people: I anfwer,we may foreligioufly and charitablycenceiue of them,and in that regard of the Lordsmore fpeci- all indulgence & conniuence,yet can it not prooue lawfull; it may make it in them a leffecoil!, but not no fault: for if it had been lawfull for the fathers in regardofmultiplying the Church, and filling the earth , it had beenemuch more lawful! and fir for our find Parents for to them was laid , encreafeandmultiply , andft!l the earth , and yet God permit- Gcr,,,,,g. teddt not CO them, but it crept into the worldagainll that fir(; inflituti- on. Obieft. 2. Sam. t a. 8. Hee gaue thy Lords wiues into thy bofome;, therefore Dauid had many wiues both ofhis owne and Sauls , the Lord bering the author. Anf.' Tholewords (info thy boforne) indeed often fsgnifie the neere coniun6lionofmarriage: yet here,as in Tome other places, it fignifieth ' onely,that they were ginen vnder Dauids power and hand,narnely,into his fubieelion : and fo it fgnifieth fometimenothingcite , but to haue fomething with a man: as elfewhereDauid faich,he bore the reproaches of themighty in bis boforne; fo here Dauidhad with him hisMailer Sauls p1at,8950, wiues. 2. If thephrale fhould not fo be here taken,incefl wouldbe de- fended.
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