Children of Men presume to violate or profane they may be justly o Hos 5.5 7.10 convicted that their p Ps 9.16 Hos 7.2 13.9 Punishment or Perdition is of themselves We live indeed now under Gospel-Rules and a q Zec. 9.9 Mat. 21 5. gentle-gracious King yet a r Ps 2.6 Isa 32.1 43.15 Ez. 37.22,24 Hos 3.5 Jo. 18.37 1 T. 6.15 Rev. 17.14 King and One that will not be disobeyed dishonoured or slighted but on s Ps 2.9 Pr. 13.13 Jer. 10.10 Ez. 21 9,10 c. Mat. 18 23.34 22.2,13 L. 19.12,27 1 Co. 16.22 Rev. 2.16 sharp Terms and Penalties who as he is the t Acts 8.32 Rev. 5.12 7.14 13 8. See p. 24. e c. Lamb slain so is he the u Isa 38.13 Lam. 3.10,11 See page 24. g. Lion slaying and tearing in pieces Now what Creature more favourable to Submission or gratefull to Courtesie then the Lion if we believe History What x Rev. 6.16,17 14.10 17.14 fiercer then the Lamb Christ if justly offended Thus admiring and submitting to Christ the highest Husband in the glorious Exercise of his own Power we come now still within his Limits and by his leave and strength to view his honourable Delegation of his Vice-gerent Man CHAP. V. The Symbol betwixt CHRIST and the Husband in the Point and Power of Practical Knowledge SO strong and stable a Symbol and Sympathy is there indeed between Christ and his Church Husband and Wife that it may well and must on all hands be alleadged and insisted on And as it is gladly granted in Point of Cherishing so there will appear no ground of declining it in Case of Chastening other then the Tenderness of Humanity which how far 't is requisite and tolerable is now to be discussed In Order and for Introduction hereunto we are first to weigh well Gods y Deu. 10.17 Ps 115.3 135.5,6 136.6 1 T 6.15 Rev. 17.14 19 16. soveraign z Num 23.19 Ps 111.7 Is 25.1,2 48.3 55 11. certain a Ps 33.11 111 8. 119.160 Eccl. 3.14 Is 14.24 45.23 46 10. Ez. 24.14 irrevocable Councels and Edicts and chiefly as to our present Purpose to carry along with us that his primitive-peremptory Decree at the Creation viz. b Gen. 3.16 Thy Desire shall be to thine Husband and he shall rule over thee Where note that 1. Cupimus clariora potiora 2. Here 's not Regula but Regimen the Man was not onely to direct but rule her and what implies Regimen if not as even an Heathen defines it Parcere Subjectis debellare Superbos How else differs it from Parity or Equality Or what more golden Rule of Regiment or Government can there be Now as the c Num 25.5 Deu. 17.12 25.1,2 L. 12.11,58 20 21. Jo 19.10,11 Ro 13.4 Tit 3.1 1 P 2.14 Magistrate bears not the Sword no more doubtless doth the d Gen 20.16 Nu 30.8 â—3 1 Co 14.35 Eph 3.24 Husband the Sway in vain Gods Decrees are more then Scare-Crows Next we finde it delivered us by divine Authority as in Confirmation of the said Decree That e Eph 5.23 1 Co 11.3 Compare and consider well Eph 5.19 30. the Husband is Head of the Wife even as Christ is Head of the Church Not politically as in other Unions or Relations but spiritually mystically sacramentally He is so the Head of the Wife as Christ is the Head of the Church And these two are to stand for impregnable Maxims instar Omnium adversus Omnia The Wife is also enjoyned in sundry Places of Sacred Writ a similar or suitable f Eph. 5.22,24,33 Col. 3.18 Tit. 2.5 1 P. 3.1 Est 1.22 Subjection and Obedience the holy Ghost expresly directing as g Col. 3.22 Servants to obey their Masters in all Things so h Eph. 5.24 Wives to be subject to their Husbands in every Thing And especially the i Tit. 2.3,4,5 aged Women to be not Actors onely but Teachers of Obedience to Husbands the words subjection obedience being it seems Convertibles and putting no difference 'twixt Wives and Servants l 1 P. 3.6 Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. And ere we pass lo here how the holy Spirit also pleaseth to make use of a very Heathen to check this dear Daughter of his in case of but a supposed slighting of her Husband m Gen. 20.16 Behold saith Abimelech to Sarah He is to thee a Covering of the Eyes unto all that are with thee and with all other as if her Eye ought have been terminated in Him at least that she should not have looked out much less abroad without his privity leave and presence which is a stricter I say not more servile Observance then can be required from any Servant So that for the too large Liberty which 't is like Sarah took to look about her the Spirit saith She was reproved Wherein we may not but imagine some forward or offensive Carriage in her in her Husband Abrahams Absence for God useth not to chide his n Isa 41.8 Ja. 2.23 Ez. 14.23 2 Ch. 20.7 Friends without Cause And sure it is not far from this Purpose that Women are enjoyned to o 1 Co. 14.35 ask their Husbands at home and to testifie their Subjection by their p 1 Is 2.12 silence But it is further to be observed That the divine Wisdom in all Places where it directeth the Conjugal Duties q Eph. 5.22 Col. 3.18 1 P. 3.1 first layes down the VVomans Subjection and Obedience as a Leading and Allurement to the Mans Affection and then wills that he bear toward her in Knowledge Love and Lenity befitting as the cited Texts do shew And which is yet to be noted least she should either insist too much on his Love without Merit or forget her Duty the Command is doubled and pressed upon her r Eph. 5.22,33 Let the Wife see as the Translators render it be sure that she reverence viz. fear not affright her Husband implying and as it were pointing at a greater proneness of Neglect and Forgetfulness in her and the petulancy adhering to that Sex at least inforcing the Duty more upon Her which some good VVives do not brook to hear The Reasons of Gods original Decree and the succeeding Confirmations thereof although we are not to dispute or dive into yet himself is pleased partly and indeed plainly to signifie unto us That this very primitive Institution for the VVomans Subjection proceeded as s Ex. 9.27 1 S. 12 7,9 2 Ch. 12.5,6 Ezr. 9.14,15 Neh 9.33 Job 34.10,12,23 Ps 97.2 119.137 145.17 Pr. 8.8 Isa 57 17. Jer. 11.20 21.8,9 32.23 Lam. 1.18 3.39 Ez. 14.23 Dan. 4.37 9.7,14 Jo. 8.16 Ro. 2.5,6 2 Th. 1.6 Rev. 16 5,6,7 19 2. See p 43. m. all other his Judgements and Dealings do of most equitable and just Grounds partly
3.12 20.25 feeble Faith If Scripture then and Reason so concurr as in the present case they seem to do what letteth from beleeving that the Christian Husband being Head of his Wife as Christ is of his Church and so compleatly qualified as before may for urgent Cause as well and warrantably chasten as cherish his Wise Now Christ we have heard hath sundry wayes to correct his Church his Wife but we are here to take Correction for Blows or actual Beating of the Body A servant or other offending Inferior saith Solomon will b Pr. 29.19 not be corrected by words In our Progress we are to note that the practicall knowledge of our humane Husband is expressed of the holy spirit by the Word c 1 P. 3.7 Dwelling Which as it is exercised in the contemplative doctrinall or directive way we are here to wave or omit for Reasons d Page 20. before shewed and apply us onely to the disciplinary Part. To our readier Access and proceeding it will conduce much to know That by my Dwelling and converse in the World among Men and Women I have discern'd and discover'd some odd and uncoth Tenets and Principles the ordinary ones doe follow too of certain-uncertain Wives by vertue whereof when they please they can as they talk of Hocus wipe off even all Affinity with their Husbands or at least will live and e LADY is too low a style for them Lord it by them They were hatched I suppose in Ignatius his Conclave for they chirp on this fashion 1. That their Husband hath nothing to do with them viz. as to reprove or admonish them For 2. Their Soul their Tongue and All 's their own they may speake what they please in their own not their Husbands House without Controll or Question yea may lawfully sweare while wronged or provoked 3 That the disposing of unfort unate Marriages so they call them are not by appointment or Providence of God but brought about by the Devill and his Agents 4. That if a Woman have had one or more former Husbands he that she now hath is not her Husband longer then he pleaseth her what is he then I pray and what shee And they cite f Jo. 4.18 Isa 4.1 Scripture for it if any therefore were ignotum Ignatio it is likely This. 5. If they have an Husband that is conscious of his Place and Duty they presently apply this Plaister which was hardly fitted to their wounded spirit g Job 3.25 The thing I greatly feared is come upon Me to wit the Plague of subjection to my Husband as with a h Jer. 31.18 Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke 6. Though they may yeild themselves a little a-kin to their Husband and perchance somewhat kind for carnall ends yet the i See p. 48. a c. noble or gentle Blood bubbling and boiling in their veines or the pregnant Mother-wit capering in their Brain or the l Dan. 4.30 inestimable-matchless Means they brought still rolling in their mind and mouth as indeed the most m Eccl. 10.19 obvious and sensible Incentive All or any of these say they is evidence enough for Priority Predominance or in English Mastery over the simple-honest Man the Husband Who if he can but keep himself from abusing his Laydy-Lord's Allowance to surfet or further Blemishing her Honour hath as much Command and Charge as he is capable of or as many an unworthy Man cares for And there are some good Women under the honoured degree of Ladies-indeed whom we know loth to bear or be known by their Husbands Name whether out of Modesty or Majesty judge yee The Custome of this your Nation condemning them and the n Isa 4.1 Scripture also seeming to comfirm it But we leave this schismaticall Sect to enjoy themselves and their Husband or what they call him at their pleasure What shall we say to these Women or how may they be treated withall to their own content or satisfaction It would be too tedious and almost impossible to fit them all with Answers suitable to their Fancy or Size These their Tenets are all no doubt the spurious Issue or Products of adulterous Parents o Ps 73.6 Pr. 6.16,17 21.4 30.13 Ro. 1.30 Pride and p Job 21.14 Ps 10.4 14.1 73.11 Eph. 2.12 Tit. 1.16 Atheism the Posterity or Fry of that infamous q L. 10.18 Jude 6 2 P. 2.4 Progenitor that infernall Leviathan who is r Job 41.34 King and Father of them and will not cease to spawn and spread till God shall quite cut him off and s Rev. 20.10 cast him into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone and thenceforth eternally secure and cleare the t Rev. 20.9 beloved City from his cunning Circumventions and contagious Infusions But the five first being more monstrous then the last we shall at once rid them out of our way by referring those Phoenix's if the simile will reach and hold the Professors thereof to a few u Gen. 2.24 20.16 Num. 5.27,31 30.6 to th' end 36. all Pr. 31.11 Isa 45.7 Am. 3.6 Mal. 2.14,15 Mat. 19.5 M. 10.8 1 Co. 6.16 7.4,16 14.35 Eph. 5.23 Ro. 7.2 They may sort these Texts themselves and apply them Texts of holy Scripture which if it will not fit our Turn as well as their's we shall subscribe to their Principles The 6 Tenet being more frequent and familiar and so more infectious we shall more intensly pursue by answering and absolving it as God enableth For under this not excluding the rest are couched all the Cases wherein or Quaere's whether the Christian Husband dwelling or walking in a consciencious Knowledge with his Wife is to exercise any coactive or corrective Power over her or how he shall fadg with such harsh and hatefull Interferings as partly are and are to be decipher'd and are possibly and too apparently to be found in some Wives These will distinctly appeare in their Order and season and we conceive come more clearly off in way of Objection and Answer then otherwise CHAP. VI. Whether a good Man must or may correct or beat his bad Wife Objections answered WE are here to encounter an Army of Objections which on every Wing come like Swarms buzzing about our eares Those of most Weight and Worth are admitted and respectively answer'd the rest dismissed till other Oportunity For even the best and soundest here presented will haply be found to relish of and flow as much from Affection which indeed is commendable if not meerly naturall as from Judgement in the Objectors though otherwise it may be most judicious Who need not be minded what n 1 K. 11.3 Neh. 13.26 Weaknesses the wisest Men on earth have incurr'd or contracted by too much Indulgence in this kinde There needs no great curiosity in their Order but take them as they come to hand Some have either fully or in part their Answer already to which wee 'l
An hard Knot must have an answerable Wedg els in a cruel Pitty we betray their souls The Wounds of secure sinners will not be healed with sweet Words The holy Ghost came as well in firy Tongues as in the likeness of a dove c. Object 3. The Opinions of most orthodox Divines who treat or speak on this subject or of Conjugall Duties are against Beating of Wives and although some seemed to allow it yet they have since retracted and are reduc'd into the streame of Dissenters who leave none other Remedies or Comforts to the aggrieved Husband in his greatest Conflicts but Humiliation for his ill Choice together with Prayer Patience and Yeilding Some I suppose pleasantly noting that he rather deserves Beating for chusing no better And for illustration or instruction an Instance is added in a cholerick Couple who meeting in Marriage and the good Man asked how they could ever accord c. He answer'd That when the Fit was on his Wife he yeilded to her as Abraham did to Sarah and so shee on the contrary Answ 1. I confess that after I had made a large entrance into this Theme and heard of some worthy Men to be otherwise minded especially when I was told of the said Retractation by a reverend Divine I was a little disheartned from proceeding to a period And although I never harbour'd so much as a thought of thwarting any good Mans Opinion much less many as labouring only to enlighten my own Judgement and conscience yet I have been carried on u Neh. 2.18 Pr. 16.9 Ezr. 7.28 under Gods powerfull directing hand with these and the like Considerations As 1. That they being but Men as others will not I suppose affirme their Judgements x Witness the said Retractation of an esteemed orthodox Divine if yet it may be counted a Retractation For I hear not so much as a syllable in it sounding towards a Retreat These Words indeed and the like I finde therein viz. Let nothing be counted a Sin which Scripture doth not condemn as a Sin and what the Word the Rule of Truth and Falshood doth not shew us to be unlawfull That let us hold to be lawfull Safely may one conclude in all manner of Actions I will take that as warrantable against which I finde nothing written Care-cl p. 12. And Generals not limited by God doe give our Consciences Warrant to their utmost Generality so farr as they may not dash against some other Commandment Ibid. p. 20 infallible in Matters wherein the Word is not express but rather what they speak in such case to be at most y 1 Co. 7.6 by permission and not of Commandement and that all Men fetching their Arguments from the same Fountain One may hit or miss the Mark as soon as another And truly it may stand as a just Apology for many judicious worthy Divines That their urgent Avocations otherwise have not allowed them a thorow Search or Pensitation of this Point especially the case not pinching so near upon them 2. I could not but contract some Animation even from the said Retractation it self which must needs be more slenderly grounded then the Authors fore-going Assertion 3. I have seen I suppose the most eminent or accepted Writers on this Subject z Heb. 11.4 who being dead do yet speak whose Memory I have good cause to honour But with humble submission to graver Judgements these have not perhaps for the preceding Reason come fully home to the Point nor raught me satisfaction They allow the Wife indeed which no good Man denies to his good One to be sublevant to his Burden of guiding the Houshold which rightly understood doth more betoken his Trust then her Authority his Ease then her Honour and shee is to take the Staff as he delivers it not twitch it out of his hand and usurp his Authority for shee may chance have more need of ordering then all the rest This seems to be the Meaning of these good Men in that they require a precedent strict Obedience in the Wife but herein I humbly conceive they come short they leave the Husband lame and remediless in point of Coertion the life of Power and Command 4. I presume they hold not Marriage it self unlawfull to All or Any sorts of Men because a 1 Co. 7.7 c. Paul that chast and chosen Vessel and some few of his temper have contained or yet because Paul himself who had good cause to b 1 Co. 7.40 think he had the spirit of God yea to be sure he knew c 1 Co. 2 16. the Mind of Christ d 1 Co. 7.1,7 8. wished that all Men universally indefinitly were even as he to wit unmarried or unminded that way seeming also directly e 1 Co. 7.37,38 1 T. 5.11 to disswade from Marriage or yet because even all the Disciples the f See p. 25. n ult c. secretaries and especiall g L. 22.28,29 Jo. 16.27 Favourites of God the Lights of the World c. said h Mat. 19.10 It is not good to Marry For then how should i Gen. 1.28 9.7 35.11 Mankind be propagated and the l Isa 66.5 Jo. 17.12,20,21 10.16 1 Th. 4.15,17 elect Number especially made up and perfected according to Gods Purpose and appointment Therefore Paul for his part concludes m 1 Co. 7.9 t is better to Marry then to burne and n Ver. 36. 1 T. 5.14 bids let them marry insinuating a Necessity which is also to be understood in our present Case as at large anon And for the Disciples see in the place forecited Christ his most wise and mild Arguing and Answer to take off their erroneous Conceit Besides o Gen. 15.2,4,5 21.2,3 25.21 49.25 Ex. 23.26 Deu. 7 13,14 Jud. 13.3,24 1 S. 1,5,11,20 2.5 2 K. 4.14,16 Ps 113 9. 127.3 L. 1.7,13,36,57 1 T. 2.15 5.14 Child-bearing is pronounced a Blessing but p Gen. 20.17,18 Lev. 20.20,21 2 S. 6.20,23 Pr. 30.16 Jer. 22.30 Barrenness q Hos 9.14 miscarrying Womb dry Brests and r Ps 78.63 Maidens not given to Marriage are accounted sore Judgements Yet howsoever there seemeth more restraint from Mariage then here from Beating For why might we not thence argue thus It were well and better the Wife could not deserve Blows but if they be due or needfull or best for her why should they be denied her This Branch of Answer were more genuine to the 2. Obj. but I hope not altogether improper here 5. That commonly these Men of God have Offertures made unto them of none but Godly-disposed or at least well bred and civilized Women to Wives Or if they find them not so yet the very s Lev. 21.6,8 Ez. 42.14 L. 1.70 Jo. 20.22,23 Acts 3.21 1 Co. 4.1 Tit. 1.8 2 P. 1.21 sacred Function and sublime Parts of such Men inviteth and inforceth an awfull-reverent Respect unto them this again
them betime they had a fair Hint given for helping themselves Now we must here needs enlarge a little Whether we ought to obey Women not to say f Acts 5.29 4.19 Men rather then God Judge Yee Let no g T it 2 15. Man much less a h Est 1.17 Tantâ— eru aliis quantâ— tibi fuâ—ris Woman thy Wise despise thee for shame apage I know not whether of the two were more tollerable to suffer that or to say this Oderint dum metuant But verily even i Est 1.22 Ahasuerus and his Heathens shall rise in Judgement against those l We are What we dare Hic Mulier A pretty hearing hindish Husbands Who Men of Parts especialy do basely betray Gods Image and Authority imprinted in and entrusted to them unto scorn and reproach Not in a godly discreet and compassionate yeilding as to the weaker Vessell but in a sheepish Lenity at best but to gain applause of loving and lowly and slavish succumbing unto and thereby fomenting the petulant and malignant yea the lofty violent and vicious Humours of their Wives Which it seems is not attended onely with Reproach but disprofit Ill thrives that luckless Family that shows A Cock that 's silent and a Hen that Crows c. Incerti Auth. The rest I have not ready in mind nor will stay for it Of this sort for certain are even those Levites Who cannot allow themselves of the m 1 Co. 9.14 Fruits of their own precious Labours n Whether these be Objects of pity or reproof and reproach I dispute not Quo decenter amiciantur while Pride prevails so far with Covetousness in their Wives who are presumed the best and humblest of Women as to rufflle it in Silks They give him leave to preach but they 'l practice Do not these Men more then all other forget themselves yea their o Ps 44.21 God and Husband are these fit p 1 P. 5.3 Ph. 3.17 1 T. 4.12 Tit. 2.7 Examples for the Flock of Christ and Beleevers Shall these be q Isa 50.7 58.1 Faces of Flint or r Je. 1.18 15.20 Ez. 3.8,9 brasen Walls against a Rebellious whole-Nation that are Noses of Wax to their owne Wives their weaker Vessell whom they may presumedly cast almost in any Mould s Tit. 2.15 Let no Man or Woman despise thee is primary and proper to them Let them therefore either lift up their Head-ship and shew it us or els lay by the Title least it mislead us They best know sunt quod audent No more but so These and other more private and powerfull Incentives have concurred to the publication hereof as if it had been prepared by divine providence against or beside which I know nothing can be but I say purposly framed and fitted to be publique and exemplary And who knoweth whether God hath chosen so weak and worthless an Instrument to resist and baffle base Pride and Insolence Or whether I be the silly Wretch designed by him for t Est 4.14 such a Time and service as this And surely high time it is that many of our willfull weak Vessells were talked withall in some Way obvious to their Sences seeing the u Heb. 4.12 See p. 14. y. quick and powerfull Word of God seemeth so dull and despicable a Thing to their spirits some of them by contracting an habituall Insolence being already turned Amazons and almost viz. in high degree x Gen. 6.4 Which of some is conceived to be meant not so much of their enlarged stature of Body as their swelling insolence of minde above Men against God and so not to be taken in the same sense with those Num. 13.32,33 Deu. 2.10,11,20,21 3.11 1 S. 17.4 Giants or Monsters of Woman-kind Permit this light Expression upon as light a Subject CHAP. IX The Conclusion I Summe up all in a swasive Address or Application and I suppose I shall speak the Mind of all or most that beare the name of honest or good Men. Let it in the 1. Place be odious to hear of meum tuum mine and thine betwixt Man and Wife Certainly Christ never intended it He refused to divide betwixt y L. 12.14 two Brethen how much more would he have done 'twixt z Mat. 19.6 one Flesh But if there be any distinction at all let it be understood aright and the Prerogative and Property ascribed as God hath appointed 2. Let our animous Women begin to do or endeavour their due Homage and they shall have due Honour Let them first for so they must walk carefully to please God and their Husband and then shall he dwell knowingly yea in their own sence kindly tenderly and patiently with them Let them perform or yeild their due Obedience and then if they fall short of due Benevolence or other fit Obsequies and fair Allowances of Love they may take their best and next Remedy And let other men do as they list or may I will expect that if I speak in honest-sensible-sober Earnest my Wife if I have her shall be silent when I bid her which I am sure is agreeable to the Teutonick Translation or sence of the Sacred Scripture and I suppose to the Brittish too On these Conditions let him be branded for a Barbarian and Heathen that in the least wise abuseth or evill intreateth his Wife Were there more Sarah's and Abigail's there would probably be more Abraham's and fewer Nabal's They begin at the wrong End of the Proverb if they apply it hither-ward that say A good Jack maketh a good Jill For for by their Leave its the Jill that must lead the Duty But if they will needs forget themselves to be Wives their Husbands must yet remember they are so If they be so insulse and impudent as to vilify affront and defy their Husband under that Notion especially That is if they will be so a 2 P. 3.5 willingly grossly ignorant as not to know their Head from their Feet they must be satisfied with Fare suitable to their b Ps 32.9 Manners not their Means or Mannors for how can they in reason claim so copious an Alimony or kind Vsage if they scorn or scant their Husband of that Authority afterward which God gave and themselves granted him at First Or if they make no dainty to strike at their Head though but in Word onely they have heard it wounds deeply they must not disdain a little scratch on their Body or to be deplum'd of a little Pride by their discreet and consciencious Husband for their good I beleeve the direfull Martyrdom of but a Member of the Lambs beloved Wife before described is sowrer Sawce then 1000. dry Blows or if a little bloody bestowed on some of our coy cross domineering Dames In short if they cannot or will not carry in some degree conformable to the Prescript and Patern of that c 1 P. 3.1 c. weaker Vessell set them
down as moulded and framed by the holy Ghost they must permit their Husband in some proportion to exercise that Knowledge and coactive Power which God hath imparted to him while not contradicted but commended by his revealed Word That after they have suffered a while for their d 1 P. 2.20 Faults or e Pr. 26.5 Folly they may f 1 P. 2.12 glorify God their day of Visitation and at last with their Fellow Servants and g L. 23.40,41 1 P. 2.20 just Sufferers have all h Rev. 7.17 21.4 Teares wiped away from their Eyes We know Christs little i See page 37. i. ult Flock consisteth of good Men and good Women with their l 1 Co. 7.14 holy Issue which are evidently m See page 37. m. farr fewer then the wicked Ones of the World the comparing of Men with Women I refer to the n Alt. Eccl. 7.28 Kingly Preacher and therefore in proportion as of Men so of Women we must look for the lesser Number of good then bad From many of these better and worse am I liable to like Censure which some far worthier then my self incurred before me 't is doubtfull I shall not live to make my Peace or recover my repute upon their Terms if they be not wronged in the report which I willingly suspect but from which side to expect the severer I stand in doubt The Worser I weigh not they must either bene agere or male audire I am neither to follow their Documents affect their Approofs nor fear their Detractions The Better I would either satisfy or on fairer grounds submit unto There are I know many good Men uxorious some deservedly I doubt not whose Affection may be apt as is already touched to transcend their Judgement and justly endearing their Wives as themselves make them tender of hearing ought against Women in generall lest it seem to touch at Theirs But let no vertuous discreet or modest * Here I first name the Woman because she will be first apt to take offence Woman no pious or prudent Man be troubled or take distast hereat Here 's nothing taxeth or tasketh them further then to incite their Christian Admonition and reproof of Others where they find o Mat. 5.9 Ro. 14 19. Ja. 3.18 Cause and p 1 Mat. 7.6 Pr. 9.7,8 23.9 Place for it As for the gracious and godly Women who do conscienciously submit to their Husbands indifferent Commands as duty binds yea q 1 P. 3.1 though their Husband obey not the Word but be wicked who being harmless I say have yet churlish or cruel Husbands r 1 P. 4.19 let them commit their souls to God in well doing as unto a faithfull Creator their Amends lying mostly or mainly in his hand who will either s Ex. 2.2 7. Ps 9.9 103.6 106 7. right them here or richly and unspeakably t Ro. 8.18 2 Co. 4.17 Rev. 7.14 c. reward them hereafter I beleeve there are in the World many wronged-good Women that would fain be remedied of their down-right outragious Husbands and want not temporall-civill Means and Opportunity for it yet are patient and silent For who so skittish as they that are least hurt Who so bold as Byard But to the other I may say as in the Case of Servants very near a-kin to theirs u 1 P. 2.20 If when ye be buffeted for your Faults you not onely not take it patiently which though you did you gained neither x L. 17.9,10 glory nor thanks but most impudently kick and rebell yea without pressure or provocation yee do but incur the y Ja. 3.1 greater even a double or perchance deeper Condemnation For as the Apostle there insinuateth some Body must be Master not all nor many for so the World might soon be turn'd topsy-turvy and Brethren he saith not sisters Women were not then so much as suspected to come in Competition for Mastery Remember or know that as z 1 Co. 14.33 God is Author of Peace so not of a Gen. 11.9 Confusion We never read of Parity or Equality that was or shall be consistent or permanent in any Relation or Body animate but in the sacred-mysterious Trinity of God And truly I beleeve that some good Women among us who are upon the Matter Commanders in Chief would blush to confess it or be so accounted See by the way the shifty and slinking Nature of sin The b Gen. 3.12,13 Woman that thou gavest to be with me shee gave me c. said Adam and so may his grand-sons often say The Serpent saies Eve beguiled Me. Nothing holds Water nor wards the least Blow or Assault but Truth and Integrity these only are impregnable impenetrable These Women the last I mean do grant a Thing call'd Subjection but they neither know nor care to learn the Meaning much less the Practice of it they are pleased not to dispute it but they abhor to discharge it Thus beats the Pulse I suspect in many a formall Family But from the beginning it was not so Lastly here 's not the least Animation intended to any Libertine of either Sex Therefore let no prophane drunken disorder'd Fellow dare to beat his Wife though c Turpe est dectori c. Hands off Mat. 7.4,5 never so bad Who proposeth no better End therein then to express his Power because forsooth hee 'l not be crossed though in a very Toy commanding her oft-times meer Trifles to try Obedience Let not these dream but they also have a d Eph. 6.9 Master for they do justly forget the Notion and Relation of Husband a Master I say in Heaven whose Eye is never off them who will one day exact a strict and severe Account of their doing Neither let those Women think to catch any Protection Countenance or Comfort from the Word or hand of God who know none other use of their Husbands then to be Coverts of or Caters for their Lust Pride and Luxury I come now by Gods blessed Conduct to the Period of my crabbed and tedious Parenthesis wherein you have a Spark or Glimpse of that native Intellect conferred by our common Maker the Fountain of Wisdom on Me the meanest or worst of his Creatures which he more abundantly and splendidly sheds forth in Others What spirituall Improvement he hath also given it heer you have seen As for humane Acquisitions or Accessions of Learning c. Aeque ' doctus ac vestitus neutiquā mediocriter I may grate fully affirm as of other like He hath ever suppeditated perhaps not what I wished but what I needed which if they seem too low and short for so high a Design as This I cannot help it you have already the best Reasons I am able to give of mine Enterprise which I conceive included in These That e 1 Co. 7.7 every Man hath his proper Gift of God one after this Manner and