A Meet Help, Title page – To the reader
A Meet help. OR, A Wedding SERMON, Preached at New-Caſtle in New-England, June 19th. 1694.
At the Marriage of Mr. John Clark, AND Mrs. Elizabeth Woodbridge.
By Mr. Iohn Cotton, Paſtor of the Church at Hampton.
Heb. 13.4. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge.
Hoſ. 3.3. Thou ſhalt not play the Harlot, and thou ſhalt not be for another man, ſo will I alſo be for thee.
Cant. 2.16. My beloved is mine, and I am his.
Boſton, Printed by B. Green, and J. Allen. Sold by Michael Perry, at his Shop over againſt the Town houſe, 1699.
To the Candid READER.
THis ſmall Tract had come to light before now, had it not been for the averſeneſs of the Author thereunto. The Auditory to whom it was Preacht, were ſo ſatisfied and pleaſed with the Diſcourſe that they did generally in the ſeaſon of it, deſire it might be made publick; the unwillingneſs of the Preacher (whoſe deſign was wholly to have ſtifled it) hath hitherto hindred and delayed it; but being overcome at laſt, others that got the peruſal of it, do judge that whether in ſeaſon, or out of ſeaſon, it may be uſeful. Marriage is one of the moſt conſiderable Changes that befal the Children of men in this World; and though it be ſo, that ſome ſpend a conſiderable age, and live and dye without taſting the ſweets of it; whether frighted by an apprehenſion of imagined and inſuperable ſorrows attending it, or from a natural frigidity, or a moroſe unſociable temper, or on religious grounds or pretences, or perhaps on other reaſons not mentioned, muſt be left to themſelves; but the generality of the Children of men do ſo far anſwer the Law of their Creation, and the end of this Inſtitution that they do incline and deſire, and in time actually enter on this Change, without which the World would ceaſe; and we cannot eaſily ſee, how the great things that God hath yet to do on the Stage of the World, would be accompliſhed. Marriage then being of ſuch general concernment to the Sons and Daughters of Adam, and to the Church of God; it is good for every one to be adviſed about it, and when they engage in it, ſo to do it as may beſt anſwer all its ends; and wiſdom in this as in all other weighty Concerns, muſt be ſought of him who giveth liberally, and upbraideth not: it being God alone that can guide into ways that are plain and eaſy, or ſweeten any Change or Condition to us, and render that State that would be otherwiſe thorny and perplexing to us, to be comfortable and pleaſant. Hence its requiſite, that not only his preſence be ſought, but his Oracles conſulted; which ſome neglecting, and driving on furiouſly, having their heat kindled by ſome ſecular Intereſt, have run themſelves into ſuch intanglements and intricacies, that they could afterward find it eaſier to bewail themſelves in; then extricate themſelves out of. The Sac… … its Counſels in reference to this Affair; the Apoſtle ſpends a large Chapter upon it. 1 Cor. 7. and though he gives liberty to the Unmarried to pitch on whom they will, yet he limits it with that reſtriction, only in the Lord, which ſome not obſerving, it may be ſaid of their Matches, as God ſometimes ſpeaks of Iſraels Kings. Hoſ. 4 8. They have ſet up Kings, but not by me, they have made Princes, and I knew it not; on which account it was ſometimes ſpoken in reference to one of them: That he gave him in his anger, and took him away in his wrath This is enough to ſhew us, that Truths of this nature, are ſometimes to be managed, opened, unfolded and applyed by the Miniſters of the Goſpel; and the Enſuing Sermon being at ſuch a time, was pertinent to the purpoſe in hand, and a word in ſeaſon; and is thereupon commended to thy peruſal, with ſincere wiſhes, it may prove to thy benefit.
Per Auditorem.