Two Marriage Sermons, Dedication 1 – Errata
TWO MARIAGE SERMONS: THE FORMER ON PROV. 19. 14.
By THOMAS GATAKER B. of D. and Pastor of Rotherhith.
THE LATTER ON IOHN 2. 1-12.
By that learned and judicious Divine Mr WILLIAM BRADSHAW some time Fellow of SIDNEY COLLEDGE in CAMBRIDGE▪
LONDON, Printed by Edward Griffin for Fulke Clifton, and are to be sold at his shop on New Fish-street hill vnderunder Saint Margerets Church. 1620.
A Good Wife Gods Gift.
A MARIAGE SERMON ON PROV. 19. 14.
By THOMAS GATAKER B. of D. and Pastor of Rotherhith.
LONDON, Printed by EDWARD GRIFFIN for FVLKE CLIFTON. 1620.
TO THE WORSHIPFVLL MY LOVING COSENS, Mr IOHN SCVDAMORE of Kenchurch in Hereford-shire, and Mrs ELIZABETH SCVDAMORE his Wife, many happy dayes togither with all true Blessednes both temporall and eternall.
RIght deere, and vnfeinedly beloued in Christ Iesus, I hauehave a long time much desired some good occasion of testifying mine hearty affection to your selues in particular among others of that Familie, which I acknowledge my selfe so deeply indebted vntounto. And I seeme now at length to hauehave lighted on that, that I hauehave so long longed for. Being to publish a wedding Sermō of a worthy Frend deceassed,Mr. W. Br. (which I wish, if Gods good will had so bin, he had liued to doe himselfe) conteyning matter concerning the holy disposition & Christian managing of Mariage Feasts; I thought good to adioyne to it (being it selfe but short) some Meditations of mine owne, of somewhat a neere subiect, the occasion of such Feasts, to wit, A good Wife, by Salomon said to be Gods Gift. That which here I addresse vntounto you, as to remaine a Monument of mine hearty well-wishing vntounto you, so to abide by you, as a Monitor to put you both in minde, what a blessing of God you enjoy either in other, and what cause you hauehave to be thankfull to him either for other. Since it pleased God by his prouidence and your Frends agreement to bring you togither, and to knit that sacred knot betweene you, I hauehave not yet bin so happy, as to be an eye-witnes of your Christian & religious cohabitation & conversation: but hauehave by many bin informed of it, to my great ioy, that you tread both in the steps of your pious Parents, and therein shew your selues to be their Children,aRom. 9. 8. not according to the flesh onelyonly, but (which would hauehave bin their greatest comfort, had they survived to hauehave seene it, and shall be your cheifest happines both here and hereafter) according to the promise, euen of eternall saluation, annexed to the gratious Couenant of Faith in Christ; which by your godly practise you shew your selues to hauehave common interest in with them. And indeed to speake in the Holy Ghosts language, thenbEorum filij dicimur, quorum actus imitamur. Origen. in Ezech. hom. 4. & Greg. Rom. mor. lib. 20. cap. 17. are we truly the Children of our religious Parents and Ancestors, when in goodnes and godlines we take after those that we come of. cIoh. 8. 39. Etiam virtus fecit mihi fratrem Iesum, patrem Abraham. Origen. in Ezech. hō. 8. & in Rom. c. 4.They are Abrahams Children, that doe Abrahams works; and dRom. 4. 12, 23. Israel spiritalis à carnali, non nobilitate patriae, sed nouitate gratiae, nec gente, sed mente distinguitur. Aug. doctr. Chr. l. 3. c. 34.that tread in the steps of Abrahams Faith, who is the Father of all the Faithfull. Those that take other courses, and degenerate, (aseforeign. Homer. Odyss. foreign. Eurip. Heracl. Hīc Demosthenes, foreign. Aristid. in Cimon. Et inde diverbium, foreign. Neminem prope magnorum virorum filium optimum reliquisse satis claret Tales pleri que habuerunt, vt melius fuerit de rebus humanis sine posteritate discedere. Spartian in Severo. too many do,) from the Faith and Piety of their Parents, are in Gods account, as our Sauiour termeth the Iewes, but fforeign. Matth. 12. 39. & 16. 4. Spuria soboles: vt rectè Piscat.a bastardly brood; rathergEzech. 16. 3. non de eorum semine, sed de imitatione generati. Greg. mor. l. 20. c. 11. quibus eos non necessitudo, sed morum similitudo iungebat. Origen. in Rom. 4. Hittites and Canaanites, thenhRom. 6. 6, 7. Vide Aug. epist. 200. right Hebrews, oriIoh. 1. 47. true Israelites, though they come of Abraham or Israel either after the flesh. They are not kGalat. 6. 16. Psal. 128. 6. & 125. 5.the Israel of God, vntounto whom the blessing is promised of mercy and peace; yea oflEsai. 26. 3 & 57. 19. peace, peace; that is, ofmPsal. 119. 165. much peace, nIoh. 14. 27.true peace, oPacem omnimodam. Iun.all manner of peace, such peace as no *Esai 48. 22. & 57. 21.wicked one euer had or can hauehave. WhichpPhilip. 4. 7. peace far surpassing all humane conceipt, that you may constantly retaine in part here, and attaine finally vntounto the full fruition of it hereafter; hold on, I beseech you, in that good course, that by Gods goodnes you hauehave already entred into, and hauehave made some good progresse in. Hold on, I say: yea hold out: For qMatth. 24. 13. Apoc. 2. 10.it is holding out to the end, that must bring you tor1. Petr. 1. 9. the end of your duplicate page duplicate page Faith, the saluation of your Soules. And that you may so do; (because standing still is dangerous; and sVnum è duobus necesse est, aut proficere, aut prorsus deficere. Bern. in Cant.vnlesse daily we win ground, we soone fall behind hand and goe backward;) let it be your continuall care and constant endeuourt2. Pet. 3. 18. to grow in grace & in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ; to whom be glory both now and for euer: And to whose holy protection committing you and yours now and for euer, I take leaue of you for the present, and rest in Him.
Your affectionate Kinsman and hearty well-wisher, Thomas Gataker.
Faults of moment to be amended.
Pag. 5. lin. 5. for clipped read slipped. p. 6. l. 4. after those put in his. p. 7. l. 2. for her read heere. p. 21. in marg. for foreign read foreign.