her husband As marriage was ordained besides all other matters for generation so together with the duties common both to the husband and to the wife which thereof doe depend and are before declared the woman is also perticularly called subiect to the bearing of children to the trauaile of child birth and to the labour of suckling and bringing them vp This estate is full of trouble yet is she hereto subiect by her transgression as God speaking to Eue said I will greatly encrease thy sorrows and thy conceptions in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children But as this consideration should cause her to walke in humilitie as in all her sorrowes and labour bearing the Badge of sinne so should them the same condition and estate conceiue comfort in that as S. Paul testifieth 1. Tim. 2.15 The woman shall be saued by bearing of children In which bearing of children the Apostle meaneth the heauinesse want of relish and other the troubles while she breedeth the sorrows and trauaile of child birth and the labours in nursing bringing them vp And this is the wonderfull wisedome goodnes of God that he laieth a foundation of comfort for the woman in that which otherwise doth breed her sorrow and care for these fruites of sinne shal be conuerted to her good and saluation Also by obaying quietly in this vocation shee doth seruice to God so is saued led through this meanes and way into euerlasting life in case as Saint Paule also addeth with modestie shee abide in faith loue and sanctification 2 As by this word generation of children is also ment her dutie in suckling them so is the woman to remember that God hath giuen her two brests not that she should employ them for a shew or ostentation but in the seruice of God and to bee a helpe to her husband in suckling the children common to them both Experience teacheth that God conuerteth her bloud into the Milke where with the cilde is nursed in the mothers wombe Hee bringeth it into the brests furnished with Nipples conuenient to minister the warme Milke vato the childe whom he endueth with industrie to draw out the Milke for his owne sustenance The woman therefore that can suckle her child and doth it not but refuseth this office and duetie of a mother declareth her selfe to bee very vnthankefull to God as it were forsaketh and contemneth the fruite of her wombe And therefore the brute beastes lying vpon the ground and graunting not one Niple or two but sixe or seuen to their young ones shall rise in iudgement against these daintie halfe mothers who for feare of wrinkling of their faces or to auoid some small labour doe refuse this office of a mother due to their children They might take example by Anna the mother of Samuell who suckled her child till the daies of weaning By Sarah the wife of Abraham as Moses noteth where hee attributeth to her these speeches 1. Sam. 1.23 Gen 27.1 Luk. 1â— 27 Who would haue said to Abraham that Sarah should haue giuen children sucke And for the words of the woman that said vnto Iesus Blessed is the wombe that bare thee the pappes that gaue thee sucke As the first part of her speech must bee ment by the virgine Marie so may we in reason referre to her also the second thereof gather that she suckled her son Iesus Christ 3 But let vs goe on to other the perticuler duties of the wife to her husband The husband is the head of the wife and the wife is subiect to her husband It is the ordinance of God grounded 1. Tim. 2.13 as Saint Paule noteth first vpon this that man was created first 1. Cor. 11.8 and afterward Eue Secondly as the same Apostle sayth in this that the man is not from the woman but the woman from the man thereto adding that the man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man And therefore it is meete she should bee subiect to her husband These resons do proue that the subiection of the wife to her husband is it not in her a curse for it was established by the order and end of her creation before the transgression But the third reason ensued vpon this That the woman being seduced by the Serpent seduced her husband 1. Tim. 2.14 as Saint Paule also noteth saying Adam was not deceiued Gen. 3.16 but the woman was deceiued and was in the transgression It was also the sentence which God pronounced when hee reproued the woman for that thee beleeuing the Serpent had seduced her husband Thy will sayth hee shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall haue dominion ouer thee 1. Pet. 3.1 Colos 3.18 Ephe. 5.22 Neither is it without reason that this subiection of the woman to her husband is so often commanded and recommended in Gods word Let wiues saith Saint Peter bee subiect to their husbandes Wiues saith Saint Paul be yee subiect to your husbands as it is meete in the Lord. Also writing to the Ephesians hee saith Wiues bee yee subiect to your husbands as to the Lord. 1. Pet 3.5 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church Saint Peter the rather to induce them to this dutie addeth For in time past the holy women which trusted in God attired themselues Gen. 18.12 not in sumptuous apparell but in vertue and were subiect to their husbands And for example he aleaged Sarah the wife of Abraham who called her husband Lord. 1. Cor. 11. This subiection in the daies of Saint Paule was acknowledged by the couering of their heads And in that consideration doth he so earnestly vpholde that the woman ought to couer her head in token that shee is vnder power of her husband This did Rebecca well vnderstand and practise for seeing her husband Isaac come Gen. 24.65 before she presented her selfe in his presence shee tooke a Vayle and couered her head as a token of subiection and testimonie of the reuerence that she did beare vnto him 4 The duties of the wife comprised in this subiection Ephe. 5.24 are by Saint Paule noted who sayth As the Church is subiect to Christ so let women bee subiect to their husbandes in all thinges As the Church therefore should depend vpon the wisedome discretion Gen. 3.1 and will of Christ and not follow what it selfe listeth So must the wife also rule and apply her selfe to the discretion and will of her husband euen as the gouernment and conduct of euerie thing resteth in the head not in the body Moses writeth that the Serpent was wise aboue all the beasts of the field and that did he declare in assaulting the woman that when he had seduced her she might also seduce her husband Saint Paule noting this among other the causes of the womans subiection doth sufficiently shew that for the auoiding of the like inconueniences it is
more able to with and temptations and a line of three twists is not so soone broken They are 〈◊〉 each to helpe vp other if either of them happen to 〈…〉 or sinne Wis 4. â— Two are better sayeth the same Salomon 〈…〉 they haue better wages for their labour And if they 〈…〉 will 〈◊〉 vp the other but wo vnto him that is alone for if he 〈…〉 lift him vp They ought also each to perâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 to relieue the poore diligently to frequent 〈◊〉 to vse prayers and supplications and praise and thankesgiuings to the Lord to comfort each other in the time of affliction to be short either to exhort other to walke in the feare of God 〈◊〉 in all duties and exercises beseeming the children of God In this mâ—nner did that holy woman Elizeus hottesse exhort her husband to prepare a chamber for the prophet to lodge in Saint Paul also sayth 2. King 4 1â— 1. Cor. â—4 â—â— That women desirous to learne should question with theyr husbandes at home Whereby he sheweth that the husband ought to bee so instructed as hee maie bee readie to instruct his wyfe at home And in deede a heathen Philosopher in this sense sayth verie well Plutarch in the rules of marriage That the husband after the example of the Bee should euerie where gather euerie good instruction that he might be able to impart it to his wife and by hauing communication acquaint her therewith Thus sayeth hee maye the mindes of women well taught be wonne from vanitie to vertue 7 Other duties there are which be common both to the husband the wife as among the rest such as proceed of the vnion of marryage wherof God in the institution thereof sayde They are one flesh And Iesus Christ confyrmed saying Two shall bee one 〈◊〉 And therfore in Saint Marke hee addeth They are no more two but one flesh Gen 2.24 Math. 19. 5 Marke 10.8 And in deede if Eue being created of one of the ribbes of Adam was as parte of himselfe then is the wife also a parte of her husband and as the one halfe of himselfe And of this vnâ—â—â— and coniunction proceedeth the mutuall loue betweene man and wife For no man sayth Saint Paule hateth his owne flesh but loueth and cherisheth it And speaking to husbandes hee sayeth Husbandes loue your wiues Ephes 5.15 Titus 2.4 Eccle. 25.1 And writing to Titus hee commaundeth him to exhort the elder women to teach the younger to bee modest and to loue theyr husbandes Three thinges sayth Wisedome doo reioyce thee and with them am I beautifyed before God and men Vnitie of brethren loue of neighbours a man and wife that agree together But syth the foundation of this mutuall loue is the vnity of marriage wherby the husband and the wife are made one flesh the husbande as the head the wife as the bodie It followeth that this loue must bee stedfast not variable and that the vnion of marriage continue notwithstanding whatsoeuer befall either the husband or the wife Notwithstanding whatsoeuer complexions I saie natures infyrmities may appeare whatsoeuer sicknesse losse of goods iniuries griefes or other inconueniences that may arise yet so long as the foundation of loue that is the vnion of marriage doth continue so long must loue and affection remaine God commandeth vs to loue our neighbors as our selues because they be of our flesh Albeit therefore that hee contemne hate offend or wrong vs albeit he bee our enemie and in respect of himselfe deserueth not that wee should loue him yet because hee is of our flesh the foundation of loue remayning wee must loue him As also our sauiour Iesus Christ sayth Loue your enemies blesse those that curse you Mat. 5.44 doo good to those that hate you and praie for those that molest and persecute you Howe much rather ought they to put this in practise who by the bonde of marryage are made one flesh The rather because the vnion betweene man and wife is without comparison more straight and bindeth them each to loue other much more than the coniunction whereby man is vnited vnto his neighbour 8 But this is the mischiefe that in many their loue is not grounded vpon the vnion of marriage but vpon beautie riches other carnal and worldly considerations subiect to chang alteration and losse This corruption that respecteth beautie is olde and noted to bee among the causes of the floud The sonnes of God sayth Moses seeing the daughters of men were faire lusted after them Gen. 6. 2 toke them in marriage But in deed it is monie that maketh loue and riches ingender affection witnesse the experience of our daies Yet such loue resembleth onely a fire of straw which is but a blaze and is soone out vnles it be continued with great wood or other lyke substance Loue growing of beautie riches lust or anie other lyke slight vncertain and fraile grounds is soone lost and vanished vnlesse it be maintained with the consideration of this vnion of two in one flesh and the vertues thereto adioyned and therefore must euerie man thinke vpon this vnion in marriage that he may inioy nourish continue the loue that therof procedeth the rather because such loue is the nurse of coÌ„cord that maketh marriage happy As contrariwise the want of this loue is the fountaine of strife quarelling debate and other like afflictions that conuert the paradise of marriage into a hell Augustine of baptisme of children Dissention between man and wife saith S Augustine is the trouble and ouerthrow of the householde They that will auoid such strife must therefore loue each other and especially they must haue care heereof when they are first married For as a vessell made of two peeces glewed together may at the first be easily broken but in time groweth strong so is it also wyth two persons that are glewed or ioyned together by the bond of marriage 9 This loue the mother of peace will ingender a care and dutie each to support other and so to practise the same which Saint Paul requireth in all beleeuers Ephes 4.31 that is To be gentle one to another friendly and each to forgiue other euen as God hath forgiuen vs through Christ Let the husband thinke that he hath married a daughter of Adam with all her infyrmities and likewise let the woman thinke that she hath not married an Angell but a child of Adam with his corruptions And so let them both resolue to beare that that cannot be soone amended Let not the bodie complaine of the head albeit it haue but one eie neither the head of the bodie albeit it be croked or mishapen Such defaultes doo neuer break vnion and loue betweene the head and the bodie neyther must the infirmities of the husband or the wife infringe the loue that procedeth of the vnion in marriage If the husband be giuen to brauling or the wife to chiding let them both beware
Gods will that shee should bee subiect to her husband so that she shall haue no other discretion or will but what may depend vpon her head As also he saith Thy desire shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall rule ouer thee Gen. 3.16 This dominion ouer the wiues will doth manifestly appeare in this that God in olde time ordained that if the woman had vowed any thing vnto God it should notwithstanding rest in her husband to disaduow it So much is the wiues will subiect to her husband Numb 30.7 Yet is it not ment that the wife should not employ her knowledge and discretion which God hath giuen her in the helpe of her husband But alwaies it must bee with condition to submit her selfe to him acknowledging him to bee her head that finally they may so agree in one as the coniunction of marriage doth require Yet as when in a Lute or other musicall instrument two strings concurring in one tune the sound neuerthelesse is imputed to the strongest and highest so in a well ordered householde there must be a communication and consent of counsell and will betweene the husband and the wife yet such as the counsell and commaundement may rest in the husband 5 True it is that some women are wiser and more discreete then their husbands As Abigall the wife of Nabal and others Whether was Salomon deceiued when he said A wise woman buildeth vp the house Prou. 14. Prou. 11. and blessed is the man that hath a discreet wife Yet still a great parte of the discretion of such women shall rest in acknowledging their husbands to be their heads and so vsing the graces that they haue receiued of the Lord that their husbands may bee honoured not contemned neither of them nor of others which falleth out contrarie when the wife will seeme wiser then her husband Plut. of the precepts of matrimonie A certaine heathen Philosopher hath very well described this modestie and dutie of a wife saying That a woman should not speake but to her husband or by her husband And as the voyce of him that soundeth a trumpet is not so lowd as the sound that it yeeldeth so is the wisedome and word of a woman of greater vertue and efficacie when all that she knoweth and can doe is as if it were said and done by her husband 6 The obedience that the wife oweth to her husband dependeth vpon this subiection of her will and wisedome vnto him 1. Pet. 3.6 As S. Peter also noteth in Sarah the wife of Abraham For hauing exhorted Christian women to be subiect to their husbands hee propoundeth the example of Sarah saying As Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. And in that sence saith S. Paul Ephe. 5.33 Let the wife stand in awe of her husband For fearing to displease her husband Ester 1. she will be carefull to yeelde vnto him due obedience Vpon Queene Vashties refusall to obey her husband King Assuerus hee tooke occasion to forsake her and to depriue her of that great estate to be Queene ouer many kingdomes For albeit she might seeme in reason not to please him in that hee required of her yet had it beene better for her to haue pleased him in a matter of it selfe nature not wicked then by her refusall to prouoke her husband and giue him cause to suspect some disdaine and contempt especially considering shee might well thinke that the King coulde not paciently beare such a refusall in so solemne an assemblie Heerein are women taught not to prouoke their husbands by disobedience in matters that may bee performed without offence to God neither to presume ouer them either in kindred or wealth or obstinately to refuse in matter that may trouble householde peace and quiet Disobedience begetteth contempt of the husband Hest 1.12 and contempt wrath as we may note in this historie of Hester and is manie times the cause of troubles betweene the man and the wife If the obedience importeth any difficultie she may for her excuse gently propound the same yet vpon condition to obey in case the husband shoulde persist in his intent so long as the discommoditie importeth no wickednesse For it is better to continue peace by obedience then to breake it by resistaunce And indeede it is naturall in the members to obey the conduct and gouernment of the head Yet must not this obedience so far extend as that the husband should commande any thing contrarie to her honor and saluation and in this sence wee must take the saying of Saint Paule Wiues bee subiect to your husbands Col. 3.18 Ephe. 5 22. as it is comelie in the Lorde 7 Many women do thinke this subiection and obedience a cursed matter vnworthie them 1. Tim. 2.13 But let them remember that there was no curse or indignitie in the woman that was created with Adam after the Image of God 1. Cor. 11.8 Yet did the order of the creation of Adam being the first created and Eue the next Likewise the taking of woman from out of man submit Eue to Adam and consequently the wife to the husband as is aforesaid But as concerning the third reason of this subiection namely that when the Serpent had seduced her 1. Tim. 2.14 she also seduced her husband she is in the scarre or blemish of that her sinne to acknowledge the mercy goodnesse and wisedome of God For as for the benefite of the person God hath put the body in subiection to the head that thereby it may be guided and gouerned So the frailtie of the woman seduced by the Serpent together with her boldenesse to seduce her husband did stand in need of this remedy of subiection whereby as wel she should haue no authoritie to receiue any so pernitious counsels as also her husband should haue no excuse in case he would be induced to wickednesse by her that was subiect vnto him As therefore it were a monsterus matter and the meanes to ouerthrow the person that the bodie should in refusing all subiection and obedience to the head take vpon it to guide it self to commaund the head so were it for the wife to rebell against the husband Let her then beware of disordering and peruerting the course which God in his wisedome hath established and with all let her vnderstand that going about it shee riseth not so much against her husband as against God And that it is her good and honor to obey God in her subiection and obedience to her husband If in the practise of this dutie she find any difficultie or trouble through the inconsiderate course of her husband or otherwise let her remember that the same proceedeth not of the order established by the Lorde but through some sinne afterward creept in which hath mixed gale among the home of the subiection obedience that the woman should haue enioyed in that estate wherein together with Adam she was created after the Image of