Sex and less yet as we have already shewed to the prejudice of the Masculine Sex Likewise their Instances of those Women that have been rendered Famous by their Prudent Governing their States are of no greater Efficacy For if we compare these with others that have but badly Acquitted themselves in their Provinces by following the Natural Tendency of their Sex I know not which Ballance would be found lightest and as to that of the Descent of Crowns on Females it is grounded on Policy and takes only place where Males are destitute For Policy and Experience do Teach the World that nothing can be more Destructive to a Monarchical State than Election and by consequence that it is better to give way to the Succession of this Sex than to hazard an entire Ruin for by this means they avoid all the Evil consequences of Contentious Elections especially if this succeeding Commandress be Married or Marry soon after So likewise it may be that some People that have highly esteemed Women and affected them for their Governours but it is as likely that the Emulation and Ambition of the Grandees amongst themselves for the Government has put them upon this Humour rather than any other Consideration and being withal Superstitious and Barbarous People whose Soveraigns had the Authority of Counselling only rather than Commanding Indeed it is true when the People would only fill up a Valuity that is to say when they desire a Soveraign only to be the first amongst his Equals as certain People term it it is of no great consequence whether it be a Man or a Woman or if you will a Stock that Reigns It is true that the Saviour of the World was Incarnated in the Womb of a Virgin but in that he only lets us know that he would follow the Laws of Nature although by a means supernatural And it will be sufficient to shew us once for all the Preheminency he has given to Man in that he was made Man and not a Woman Now since he Died for both Sexes and has Enrich'd them both without distinction with his Grace we must conclude from hence that as Grace separates its self from the Dictates of Nature so likewise the Life of Grace which we lead in this World is the beginning of the Life of Glory in which Men and Women shall both Rejoyce in Heaven but as our Saviour said They neither Marry nor are given in Marriage Neither can they Die any more For they are equal unto the Angels and are the Children of God being the Children of the Resurrection So that we can conclude nothing from hence touching things that are simply Natural as this is Now though it may be said that Christ has Raised some Women to the Honour of Martyrs yet it cannot be said that they have been admitted into the Apostleship which is a degree far more Excellent no nor to the Ministry of the Church insomuch that St. Paul forbids them to speak in the Assembly of the Faithful Let your Women keep silence in the Churches saith the Apostle for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are Commanded to be under Obedience as also saith the Law And in another place he saith Let the Woman Learn in Silence with all Subjection But I suffer not a Woman to Teach Then which nothing can more significantly declare their Subordination even in the State of Grace And therefore all these Reasons drawn from Nature from Grace from Examples and from particular Customs of People are so far from disproving the Truths we have advanced that they much rather confirm them 〈…〉 mean the Inequality of the Sexes because of the Preheminence of the Man over the Woman and by consequence the Subordination and Submission of the Woman in respect of the Man But although they prove nothing in Favour of the generallity or totallity of the Sex of Women yet they plainly enough prove the equality or indeed the preheminency on the contrary part of some particular Persons For as we said before the Sex may be considered either in its totality or in its individuals if we compare the Masculine to the Feminine Sex in their totality it is plainly evident the Man excels the Woman but on the other side if we compare them in individuals that is some particular Men with some particular Women it is as evidently true that Women do not only equal but excel some Men who can aver saith Seneca that Nature has been cruel towards Women in that she has alotted them a small share of understanding or has dealt niggardly with them in any talent for Vertue which she allows to Men believe me they have the same vivacity the same disposition to good things if they will make good use of it and they are no less able than Men to undergoe labour and pains if they be accustomed to it and in another place he saith their Qualities are not inferiour to these of Men but they shew themselves less and this is because of their infirmities and weakness of Nature which obscures them as Clouds do the Sun From which considerations we can never Extol enough Vertuous Women for that they diligently overcome these natural difficulties or if we may so say for that they leave Nature it self in as much as they shun all its allurements to apply themselves to Vertue And in this Sense a Woman is capable of what a Man can be capable of yea she may not only equal him but infinitely surpass him And indeed how many Men do we see that degenerate from that Force and Nobleness of Spirit that Nature has made him partaker of how many Families do we see that as St. Augustin says have the Head cast down meaning by this expression that as the Husband is the Head of the Family that Family has its Head cast down where the Wife is more Vertuous than the Man But to return to our purpose it does not follow from hence what disparity soever may sometimes happen to be between a Man and his Wife or whatsoever advantage of Endowment a Wife may have above her Husband that she obtains thereby this Prerogative we speak of The interruption of the possessions of a right doesnot disanul it much less a right that Nature gives whose Laws are unchangeable and in this especially wherein it is stipulated with the express Commands of God who has imposed in positive Terms Submission on the part of the Wife without distinguishing whether the Husband does Merit it or not whatsoever equality or inequality then there may be between the Man and his Wife the Man is nevertheless the Master and the Wife must always Submit to him for this Personal equality does not exclude the inequality of the Sex the which being according to the Institution of Nature exacts of the Woman not only a Submission of Decency and good Manners but a Submission that 's positive and real The same things may be said
Thou shalt to her a Father be And as a Brother lovingly Shalt Cherish her a Mothers Love From thee in her shall Reverence move So the Husband ought to supply to his Wife the place of Father Mother Brother and all other Relations Yea much more two Persons must make up but one Behold then the highest pitch that Love is capable of reaching too Behold the height of the most ardent Amity that can be conceiv'd to be so conjoyn'd with the thing loved as to become one and the same thing with it This Love is a Symbole of that Caelestial Love that shall be perfected in the Elect when having put off this sinful Flesh and are renewed by Christ they shall be made one with him Can that Union then between the very Soul and Body be more perfect than is that of Persons joyned in Marriage Can there be any thing more admirable since to comprehend it we must conceive a kind of Miracle imagining two Persons are not two but simply one That is to say the one ought to be so nearly United to the other by Love that whatever touches the one be it Good or be it Evil it also affects the other so lively that there is no difference in their resentments It is this miraculous Love that makes the Union of Marriage which Union is undissolvâ—ble according to our Divine Law-giver so long as this Love subsists and is not banished by infidelity to that Bed which God has made Sacred to Marriage If then it be this Love that according to the intention of the words of our Saviour is the Sacred Tye of the Marriage of Christians there can be nothing more opposite to it than Jealousie since being the pernicious Bud of Luxury the most unbridled of all our Passions it is impossible that it can consist with the tenderness and holy peace of that Love that conjoyns Man and Wife Now this Love being a Command of God which we violate by these Motions of Self-Love it necessarily follows that we commit a manifest Sin every time we give way to this Passion of Jealousie And therefore to say that a Man or Womans Love is commendable for their being Jealous is the same thing as to say it is commendable to offend God But that we may be yet further convinced St. Paul does not only give us the Commands of God on this Subject but on his own part he gives us the condition of Marriage between Man and Wife in as much as on the one side he recommends to Christian Husbands to Love their Wives and on the other he recommends to the Wives to be submissive to their Husbands in loving them Husbands Love your Wives saith he even as Christ loved his Church and gave himself to Dye for it so let Husbands Love their Wives even as their own Bodies Indeed saith a Learned Doctour in explaining this Passage as Jesus Christ is over and Rules his Church and which he Governs and Protects for its own Good even so a Husband ought to Command and Govern his Wife both for her own and whole Families good But we must here observe that since St. Paul has ordered Husbands to Love their Wives he thereby teaches them not to Command or Govern them Imperiously but with Mildness and in Love that thereby the Yoak of the Power of the Husband may be rendered lighter and more easie So the Husband saith another Learned Man must know that Marriage is the highest degree of all Amities whatever and that Amity is vastly different from Tyranny since Tyrants are not obeyed but by force This for the Part of the Husband As to what respects the Part of the Wife he ceases not to preach submission to them Let Wives saith he submit to their Husbands as to the Lord because the Man is the head of the Woman even as Christ is the Head of the Church which is his Body and whereof also he is the Saviour as therefore the Church is obedient to Christ so let Women also be obedient to their Husbands in all things Let Women then consider the Person of our Lord and Saviour who is the Head and Espouse of the Church in the Person of their Husbands Neither does this submission at all exclude the Love of the Wife towards the Husband but on the contrary ought to be accompanied with Love as though St. Paul should say I charge the Wife that she not only love her Husband but also that she fear him and bear to him a respect as to her Master and Head to whom she ones submission for which reason she ought to take all care not to give him offence and thus much for Women In which we cannot but admire the Justice and at the same time the importance of the words of this great Apostle He saith to Husbands Love your Wives knowing well that if they loved them they would not hearken to any Infidelity that could loosen their conjugal Unity for Love is the very Tye and Cement of this Union he knew well that to Love them is to Love their own selves since they are one Flesh with them and to oblige them to a reciprocal Love and lastly he saith to them Love your Wives Thereby giveing them to understand that the Superiority of the Husband ought to be altogether in Love Then he saith to the Women Love your Husbands but he adds be ye subject to your Husbands Let them that are grown up in years saith he instruct the young Married Women with Prudence teaching them to Love their Husbands and Children to be Orderly Chast Diligent in Ruling their House Good submitting to their Husbands He adds it to let them know that a Woman should so Love her Husband that she bear him Respect and so to Respect him that she Love him also for from these two Sentences conjoyned arises the Duty of a Wife towards her Husband A Woman must be not only Good and Compliant but also submitting and Obedient to her Husband because he is her Head The Apostle commands Obedience in the Woman because he knew from the Nature of Humane Genius that this Submission would Infallibly maintain Love in the heart of the Husband nothing in the World tending so much to win the heart and create Love as Submission so that Submission in the Woman nourishes Love in her Husband and the Love of the Husband reproducing or multiplying it self in the Woman from thence Springs that marvellous Unity which God design'd in distinguishing the Sexes and instituting Marriage in which Holy Contract it is the Mans part to Furnish Love and the Womans Obedience and Respect So St. Paul does not describe this Love of a Husband as a common Love but proposes for example the inviolable Love of Christ Jesus for his Church as far as Man is capable of imitating this great example thereby giving it the Character of the sincerest of all Loves nor can
to procure wherewithal to Pay her Redemption she Perished there and was never heard of more which left the Generous Tartar in Peaceable Possession of her Husband and in perfect Unity with him the rest of her Days Behold the Effects of True Love Behold the Effects of Honest and Lawful Jealousie that Enclines and Inspires such generous Lovers to deprive themselves of their Dearest Enjoyments and Rights to please their Husbands to Employ all their Strength and Power to Free them from Enemies from Exiles from Prisons from Torments yeâ— from Death and Dieing themselves foâ— them It is on this manner that Jealousie iâ— an Excess of Love and especially iâ— this Jealousie retains it self within the Bounds which the Religion we Profess prescribes to it and which these Ancientâ— were Ignorant of Yea It is this Prudent Jealousie that is the Effect of Discreet Love as this Love is the Effect of Meekness Willingness Modesty Submission and Vertue of the Wife which works such Wonders and Produces that Peace in Marriage that cannot be Sufficiently esteem'd It is this which the Wise King understands when he says Who so findeth a good Wife findeth a good Thing and Obtaineth Favour of the Lord. So likewise we are Commanded Not to keep our selves at a distance from an understanding Woman which one has received in the Fear of the Lord for the Favour of her Countenance is more Precious than Gold And likewise it is written Happy is he that abideth with an understanding Wife Happy is the Husband of a good and Vertuous Wife the Number of his Years shall be doubled And â—ikewise that She is an Excellent Lot That She is the Lot of them that Fear God That She shall be given to them for their good Works But of the Vertues of a good Wife it is Meekness that is the Joy of her Husband and Distributes Strength to his Bones also to speak little For this is a Testimony of her good Understanding A Wife of good Understanding saith the same Apochrypha Loveth silence nothing is comparable to a Soul that is well instructed or that hath Reservation In short Gold cannot stand in comparison with the Price of a good Wife It is then Meekness Civility Modesty Silence Understanding and Prudence that renders a VVife Commendable that renders her Aimable Dear and Precious beyond all the goods and all the Treasures of the World It is by these Vertues that she gains herself Renown in being Jealous and not at all by that Jealousie which has only self Love for its Object and is Grounded upon Sensuality and which by consequence dishonours Man by rendering him like to Beasts But to Conclude and to Reduce a 〈…〉 the Counsells we have given to Husbands as well as Wives into one maxime which may easily be Imprinted in theiâ— Memories we shall only resume thaâ— Rule which an Ancient Father of the Church has recommended to them in two VVords in which he Comprehends in short both the Mutual Duties of Married People and the infallible means to entertain Peace in Marriage Let not the Wife Saith this Reverend Father Pretend an Equal Right in Marriage since she is under a Head and let not the Husband despise his Wife because she is Subject to him since she is his Body Let the Woman therefore always look upon her Husband as her Superiour and let the Husband Love his Wife as his own Body and they shall Live in Peace FINIS Some Books Printed for and Sold by W. Freeman over against the Devil Tavern by Temple-Bar in Fleetstreet THe Penitent Pardoned or a Discourse of the Nature of Sin and the Efficacy of Repentance under the Parable of the Prodigal Son by J. Goodman D. D. Rectour of Hadham and one of His Majesties Chaplains in Ordinary The Second Edition Corrected and Enlarged Cuarto The Funeral Rites and Ceremonies of all Nations in Use through the known World With a Discourse concerning Burial and the Laws on that Behalf Written Originally in French by the Ingenious Mounsieur Muret. To which is added a Vindication of Chriscianity against Paganism Translated by P. Lorrain Gent. Twelves Scarrons Novels c. The Fruitless Precaution The Hypocrites The Innocent Adultery The Judg in his own Cause The Rival Brothers The Invisible Mistress The Unexpected Choice Rendred into English with some Additions by J. Davies Gent. The Manners of the Israelites in Threâ— Parts 1. Of the Patriarchs 2. Of thâ— Israelites after their coming out of Aegypt until the Captivity of Babylon 3. Of the Jews after their Return untiâ— the Preaching of the Gospel Shewing their Customs Secular and Religious their Generous Contempt of Earthly Grandeur and the great Benifit and Advantage of a plain Laborious Frugal and Contented Life The Golden Grove a Choice Mannuel containing what is to be Believed Practiced and Desired and Prayed for the Prayers being fitted to the several Days of the Week To which is Added A Guide for the Penitent Composed for the Use of the Devout especially of Younger Persons by Jeremy Taylor D. D. Twelves ☞ There is now in the Press a New Book which will be Published in few Days Entituled Daily Exercise for a Christian or A Manual of Private Devotions consisting of Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings as well for every Day in the Week as upon particular Occasions Composed by a Person of Exemplary Piety for his own Use As for me and my House we will Serve the Lord Josh 24. 15. Price 1 s. The common Errour in the nature of Jealousie Feigned Jealousies of Married People Feigned Jealousies of Lovers That Correction from a Husband is no effect of Jealousie Des Cart. Treatise of Pass Jealousie in it self is Innocent What real or naughty Jealousie is That Christian Religion must be the rule of Passion That Passions are good and the Principles of our Actions a Existimandum profecto est constare animal u 〈…〉 civitatem bene legibus munitam Ar. de anim motu 〈…〉 The Strusture of the Body External Organs Internal Organs Vse of tâ—â— Internal Organs a Nâ—â—â—sse est pâ—osâ—â—â—â— pâ—â—â—câ— pâ—â—m motâ—s 〈◊〉 mâ—diâ— ess movâ—â—â—â—â—ramae utâ—â—rumqueâ—nim etremorâ—â—st 〈…〉 ultimâ—m Ariâ—â—â—ttle anim cap. 9. The Animal Spirits How Sensation is made Where and how the Passions are formed * Biben dum est mihi dictat cupiditas hoc autem esse poâ—ulâ—â— tum sensus vel phantasia vel mens affirmat confestim bibitur Arist de animi mot c. 7. a Phantasia distincta a sensibus quia vel ipsis quies centibus ad est ut in â—omno Arist de ani â— 3. cap. 4. b Cogitatio imaginatio agentes adducunt affectiones nam agentium species reproesentant Arist de anim moâ— c. 11. That the Body acts and moves it self by the conformation of its Members without the help of the Soul a That Blood is the Soul of Beasts Deut. 12. 23. b Joh. 13. That Beasts have not Passions but
there be a greater Love than to dye for one as by this example Husbands are obliged to dye for their Wives if necessity requires it In short It is this that Sanctifies Marriage for it is a Sacrament because the agreement of their Wills and the Union of their Bodies signifie on the one hand the Charity which is according to the Spirit between God and Righteous Souls or the Church and on the other the Sacred Marriage that Jesus Christ has contracted with the same Church by the Mistery of his Holy Incarnation This Sacred Marriage ought therefore to serve for an Example to Man in Marriage Husbands ought to Love their Wives as Christ loved his Church not that St. Paul exacts of Man an equal affection but only that they imitate his Example For Husbands ought to look upon Christ who is the Espouse of the Church as a Model for all the Circumstances of their Love wherewith they ought to Love their Wives On the other hand he is not to be understood on the part of the Woman as if he spoke of some slight kind of Submission but a Submission perfectly entire in all things whatsoever especially respecting the conduct of the Family of the Husband whereof she is a Member In such sort that in this Society there must be no more than one sole Will and which is that of the Husband two differing Wills not being capable of Union So that to say it once over again the Husband commanding or imposing nothing on the Wife but what is reasonable and consonant to the Power that God has given her and to the perfect Love he has commanded him to have for her And she for her part being Obedient and Submitting to him in the Lord in every thing without any exception they together effect that which is altogether admirable that of two Persons they make but simply one in Marriage Upon these immoveable Principles not only the Ecclesiastical Laws who contain the Precepts of the Gospel and the Interpretation of the Fathers but also the Civil Laws are founded to establish the Discipline we ought to observe in a State of Marriage All which do so unanimously ordain a mutual Love between the Persons Married the Superiority of the Husband and the Submission and Obedience of the Wife to the forming of Marriage that if any one of these be a wanting they acknowledge there no more Society although the Bands are not broke before the Death of one of the two Married Persons It is not the Bed says the Lawyer but the agreement of their minds that makes a Marriage and where ever this mutual agreement is not there can be no Marriage Now to all this No place is wanting of Authorities for recommending to the Woman Submission Subjection and Obedience for though she may sometimes be called a Mistress of the Family or Companion by her Husband yet this does not give her any Command nor any Share in the Authority of the Family When she is Marrying they Cover her with a Vail thereby shewing her that she ought to be Humble and Submissive to her Husband As soon saith St. Ambrose as Rebecca perceived Isaac coming asking who he was and being enformed that it was he that should Espouse her she Bared her Feet and began to Cover her self with a Vail thereby Teaching us that a Submissive Shame-facedness should even preceed their Marriage Nor can any Wife be permitted to perform it if she have Vowed a Vow of Continence without the permission of the Husband and that because she must be Submitting to her Husband in all things It is agreeable to the Order of Nature that Women Submit to their Husbands as well as Children to their Parents since it would be injust that the Greater should be Subject to the Less The true Mark â—hat Man is the Image of God is that he is as Lord and Exercises an Empire which only appertains to God for every King or he that Exercises Command carrys thereby the Image of God and from hence in part it may be said that God made Man after his own Image for which reason the Apostle saith That Man ought not to Cover his Face because he is the Image and Glory of God whereas the Woman ought â—o Cover hers because she cannot be said to be either the Image or the Glory of God A Woman that refuseth to Obey her Husband who is the Head of the Woman as Christ is the Head of the Husband does not Offend less therein than the Husband should if he denied to Obey Christ The Woman Scandalizes the Word of God when she Contemns that Sentence that was by him pronounced to her Thou shalt be under the Power of thy Husband Dishonouring thereby the Holy Gospel in as much as against the Law and the Intention of Nature she that professeth Christianity and by the Order of God ought to be Subject to her Husband yet notwithstanding would Command him yea although the very Pagaâ— Women Obey and Submit to their Husbands following only the Law of Nature Lastly Since Adam was Deceived by Eve and not Eve by Adam it is but Just that she should take him for Master whom by making him accessary she made Guilty of the Punishment for the Fault that was hers and the rather that being under his Conduct she may not fall again by the Weakness of her Sex Now all this we are Taught by the Holy Scriptures the Fathers of the Church and the Canonical Law Let us now ask the Question of the People of this World Whether or no according to these Rules which ought to be Inviolable and Sacred to us since our Destruction and Salvation depend thereon a Man that makes profession of Christianity imitates as he is obliged to do the Union and Love of Christ for his Church when he has a Sensual Jealousie of his Wife I would Ask Whether or no a Christian Woman gains to her self a good Report by being Jealous And how that Modesty which ought to accompany Marriage together with this Command of God Wives be Subject to your Husbands Can consist or agree with the many Contradictions she Daily weaâ—ies her Husband withal How with her Haughtiness Outrages Reproaches Invectives Disobedience and Fretings which her Jealousie continually â—ut her upon Can this be to be Subâ—ect to her Husband to Elevate her self above him in pretending to Instruct him and to Censure and Examine all his Actions thereby Raising Contests Bitterness and Contempt So far are these Extravagancies from being the Attendants of the Holiness of a Sacrament Instituted by God â—hat they are directly a Reversing of both Divine and Humane Laws they are the Violation of Marriage and the breaking off of Union For if by this Holy and Inviolable Contract and as God has Commanded by St. Paul the Husband is Obliged to Love his Wife with the most Pure and Perfect Love of all other and the Woman is Obliged to Humble
to the Objection started from the Bands that tie the Man and Woman in Marriage It would be but a bad Inference to say that because the Husband and Wife are under an equal Obligation as to what regards the tye of Marriage it not being permitted to the Husband to Marry another Wife whilst this is living what Discontent soever may happen between them nor to the Woman to have another Husband so long as this lives therefore the one is of equal condition with the other in Marriage The Soul and Body as we have said before are joyned together and do conjointly Compose Man as the Husband and the Wife do Compose one in Marriage their separation causes the dissolution and rupture of the Compound as the Death of one of the Married People causes the Dissolution of Marriage nevertheless none but those that have lost their Reason would say that because the Union is of equal Necessity to the Soul as well as the Body to the Forming and Being of Man therefore the one is of equal Condition with the other for Nature Common Sense and Experience Demonstrate to us how far the Soul is Elevated above the Body and in what great Prerogatives Nobleness and Excellence it su 〈…〉 passes it And the same things are to be understood of the Man in Regard of the Woman which Nature Common Sense and Experience shews us to be much Inferiour to the Man and therefore Obliged by that Natural Rule which says the less Worthy shall give place effectively to the more Excellent to render to the Man a real and unfeigned Submission in all things that have respect to Marriage or the Society wherein they are conjoyned They Object in the Second Place That the Apostle to confirm this Equality of the Man and the Woman has given to the Woman the same Power over the Body of the Husband that he has given the Husband over the Body of the Wife The Wife hath not power of her own Body but the Husband and likewise also the Husband hath not power of his own Body but the Wife and by consequence they are equal in Power the one to the other We Answer That it is a wrong Interpretation of the words of St. Paul which give a Reciprocal Power to the Man and the Woman over the the Bodies the one of the other to understand them of an equality of Power in all things For the reciprocal interest respects only the Nuptial Bed and the Duties to which Married People are obliged the one towards the other without lawful impediment to the enâ— the frailty of Nature may be restrain'd within the Bounds of Continence of Marriage They are indeed in that both equal alike in Power and in some respects of an equal dependency the one of the other but unequal in all other things And this is the Explication of this place by Divines When saith one St. Paul saith That the Wife has no Power of her own Body he thereby means that it is not lawful to either of the Married Persons to refuse the use of the Bed to the other that shall demand it provided as St. Thomas Remarks there be no lawful inpediment And in this the Married Persons are in some manner each of them under a reciprocal Servitude though in other things the one is unequal to the other by vertue of that Law that was enjoyn'd to the Woman thou shalt be under the Power of thy Husband So likewise it is on this Ground that the Books of the Discipliue of the Church remark that It is a Sin to refuse the Duty of Marriage without a lawful excuse when it is desired according to that saying of the Apostle Let the Husband render unto the Wife due Benevolence and likewise also the Wife to the Husband â—he Reason whereof follows because they have not Power over their own Bodies They are then equal in the Inâ—erest of this Duty but in all other things that respect the Family there is no Equality between them for they that are under the Power of others are their â—nferiours and not their Equals They Object in the Third place that â—nsidelity in Marriage being a Crime on either part that Causes Separation since â—t is as well permitted to the Wife to leave her Husband if he be unfaithful to her as to a Husband to put away his Wife when she has fail'd in her Faith to him therefore it may be lawful and commendable for a Woman to prevent so fatal a Separation by her Distrusts by her Care yea even by Reproofs and Rebukes We Answer That it is true that a Woman seeing her Husband give himself over alltogether to disorder and infaithfulness may leave him if she will according to the words of the same Apostle St. Paul Let not the Wife depart from her Husband but and if she depart let her remain un-Married or be reconciled to her Husband But it is not at aâ—â— true that she ought to prevent this Evil with Rebukes or Angry Speeches for what belongs to Correction appertains to a higher Authority Now Women in Marriage and even before Marriage according to both Natural and Divine Precepts being Subordinate to their Husbands it follows from hence that as it is impossible that which is Subject can be Superior so likewise it cannot be that she that is Subject can have Right of Correction since Correction depends essentially on Superiority The Wife indeed on this Occasion may well give some Advice with mildness to her Husband concerning his Conduct since this Advice is an Office of Charity but to put herself in a Passion against him to give him angry or sharp Rebukes and Checks is wholy to lay aside the Duty and Submission she ows him We may plainly see Subordination even on this occasion to be denoted by the Terms of Seperation although the Condition of the Man and Woman be thereby made equal for if the Woman Violate her Faith it is said the Husband may put her away but if the Husband be Unfaithful it is not said the Wife shall put â—im away but only that she may leave â—im to shew the Superiority and â—uthority of the Husband and the Subâ—ission and Silence the Wife ought to â—bserve And indeed the Husband beâ—â—g her Master her Superiour yea her â—ing must she take upon her to set â—im his Lessons or what is more dare â—e Reprove or Despite him Dare she say if she be a Christian since she â—ught to look upon her Husband as â—epresenting the Person of Jesus Christ â—s we said before In the fourth place Women Object â—hat if it were so great a Crime to deâ—lare their Resentments to their Husâ—ands when they suspect them to diâ—ide their Bed the Holy Scriptures â—ould have contain'd some Ordinances â—o provide against it and let them know â—hat the Wife therein committed an Ofâ—ence which might violate Marriage â—nd cause their Separation Instead â—hereof it only signalizes the breach â—f Faith
as the sole cause for which Married People can take occasion to â—reak off Conjugal Society To which we Answer That this is â—ikewise a Fallacy to believe that because our Saviour said that the Unfaithfulness to the Bed was the cause of Divorce therefore no other cause can be sufficient to separate Conjugal Society For according to the opinion of the Learned when our Saviour particularized the breach of Faith he did it only because this Sin regards solely Marriage whereof Fidelity is the very Soul and Life and which is by consequence the most natural and direct cause of Divorce but he did not intend thereby to Exclude all other general Reasons which may of their own Nature give that liberty to all Christians of what Society soever they be such as are a great Number of Vices and Pernicious Customs amongst which Two are reckoned as Essential or Primary Causes The First is Unbeleif in Religion whereby they being corrupted with some dangerous Doctrine may Infect their Partners and destroy their Salvation The Second is in Case the one Partner having committed some hainous Crime remains Incorrigible in his Inclinations and readiness to Perpetrate it again in which Case after the other Partner hath Three times Admonished or Corrected him and he not amending he not only may but ought to make a separation which is the point in Controversie And indeed of all the Vices a Woman can be subject to there is none e 〈…〉 al 's or is so unsufferable or which as so dangerous Effects as Crosness of Humour Stubbornness and Incorrigibleness for no other seizeth upon and overthrows the Holy Union the Mildness and Peace of Marriage which on 〈…〉 y make Men Happy in this World with that Fury that these do who can describe the Displeasure the Distaste the Trouble and the Horrour a Man undergoes by a Wife that is given to Tatling and Bawling that is Imperious Quarrelsome Furious Passionate Deceitful Obstinate Vexatious and Morose which are like so many Monsters brought forth by Jealousie or the Prejudices this Infernal Passion blinds the Understanding withall But it is not meet to Exaggerate these Disorders These that suffer them confess themselves that they cannot be exprest in words And those who by a particular Favour of God are free of them if they have but so much Sense as to apprehend their Blessing will look upon it as a Happiness that exceeds all the Ideas can be given thereof in words There is no Enjoyment or Riches in this World can stand in any comparison with the Value thereof So that it was with good reason the Wife King said Better is a Drie Mâ—rsel and Quietness therewith then a House full of Sacrifices 〈…〉 e It was with reason also he 〈…〉 ll in the Wil 〈…〉 d 〈…〉 and an Angry Woman And 〈…〉 ca 〈…〉 be expected from these co 〈…〉 Gaâ—â—sayings and Ob 〈…〉 cies of a Woman but a continual Discord since Jarrings of this Nature are unvoidable A continual Droping in a very Rainy Day and a Contentious Woman are alike whosoever hideth her hideth the Wind and the Ointment of his Right Hand which bewrayeth it self Saith the same Wise Man To let us know than an unhappy Husband cannot tell where to dispose himself for if he endeavour with Prudence to satisfie her on the one hand she takes occasion to Insult over him on the other What unparallel'd Perplexity must this be especially if the Husband be of a Moderate Temper as the Scriptures describe it saying The unruly Tongue of a Woman is to a Peaceable Man as a Sandy Mountain is to the Feet of a Man that is spent with Age So the Disagreement that the Malice of such a Woman stirs up in the Family is represented to us in the comparison of Two Oxen that fight together in the same Yoak Yea the Evil a Man suffers is such that it is said that he that is joyned to such a Wife is as a Man that taketh a live Scorpion in his Hand But who can â—ift out all the Deceits all the Crafts and all the Contrivances and Lewdnesses that their Jealousie suggests to obtain their Ends Satisfaction and Revenge we shall rather chuse to continue the Phrases of the Scripture on this Subject than give occasion to others to accuse us for intermingling our own Sense in these Invectives It saith That as the Sadness of the Heart is an universal Wound so the Wickedness of a Woman is the fulness of Mischief It is also such a Wife as is there wished to the Wicked and ungodly for a Curse And that we may not doubt but that all these detestable Effects spring from Jealousie we are there told it in plain Terms where it 's said That this Sorrow and Affliction oâ— Heart which exceeds all other Afflictions is a Jealous Wife and that these Cries Clamours and Quarrels must be understood of a Woman that'â— madded with this Passion since it iâ— there added That the Tongue of a Jealous Woman is Piercing and She ceases nâ— to make her Complaints to all She meet with If then these things be so as nâ— doubt they are since they are Attesteâ— by the Scriptures we may conclude as we said before That Jealousie is â— lawful Cause of Divorcement since it wicked Effects are no less inconsistenâ— with the Unity of Marriage then thesâ— of Unfaithfulness it self which is an undisputable Cause of Dis-union according to the Law of Christ Women that are Jealous Object iâ— the last place That it is unreasonable that an Honest Woman who is Conâ— joyn'd with an Husband of a Licentiouâ— Conduct should be obliged to keep sâ—lence and stifle her resentment there of Is it so then that he only must have the priviledg to censure his Wife upon Suspitions though he be never so Criminal Himself and that She must be obliged to keep silent her Suspitions notwithstanding her Honesty and Chaâ—tity and that her Husband can lay no Blemish on her Conduct This Objection lets us see the Irregularity of the Mind of some sorts of Women who grow Proud upon that very Consideration that they are Honest believing thereby to have a Right to Vex and Trouble their Husbands as out of Revenge and to Punish them for the good Fortune they had in Marrying an honest Woman But to Retreive them from this Abuse we have shown already clearly enough I suppose that the Man being Master has the right in this quality of Correction and not at all the Woman And indeed he only is obliged to break silence if by her ill Conduct She give place for Suspition to Regulate her not only upon a Principle of Charity but also for his Honour and particular Welfare since the Reputation of the Wife creates the Reputation of the Husband and the Faults which he permits in her do return upon himself and fastens the same Infamy and Punishment upon him as upon the Wife The