6 The Lord gave Adam a wife to try him withal, and if he had not yielded too much unto her in the time of temptation, no doubt he might have been a great help that she might have been recovered, and neither of them both have so fallen. For had not he yielded unto her he might have continued still in her innocency. Thus then the Lord tried Adam, whether he would continue in his obedience or no: likewise doth the Lord at all times try men in marriage whether they will continue in his obedience, and labour to win their wives also to the faith of Christ. So in like manner the Lord tries the wives whether1 they will be in all things subject to their husbands, as Sarah. For what gifts soever a woman hath, yet not being subject to her busband, they are nothing. For even in mans innocency she was subject, and after the fall it was laid on her as a punishment: so that if she be not obedient she cannot be saved. Yet the Lord other whiles also trieth whether she ⟨p. 743⟩[…]er sobriety and wisdom will as it were break the crookedness of her husband: […] the Apostle teacheth, that the wives must adorn the hidden men of the heart, that […] husbands (albeit then not converted to the faith) might be won by the honest2 […]ersation of their wive•: how much the more then ought those who have Christians […]eir husbands, by their means bring them forward what they may▪ in the profession […]ue godliness? But if they be disobedient, and will requite evil with evil, or with […]e, they do what in them lieth, to overthrow the faith of their husbands. And thus […] Lord trieth wives also, whether they will continue in his obedience. Again, he trieth […] whether they will rest in the love of their husbands only, and be contented there[…] ▪ 3yea when they see their husbands hearts turned from them: for if they will but only […] when they are beloved, they declare that they only love themselves and not their […]nds: for they ought thus to consider, the Lord hath turned my husbands hart from […] because I yielded not to him that duty which I ought, therefore I will not hold on to […]see still, but now I will rather love him more, to see if the Lord will by these means […] his heart again.
6 The Lord gaue Adam a wifeto trie him withall, and if he had not yeelded too much vnto her in the time of temptation, no doubt hee might haue beene a great helpe that she might haue been recouered, and neither of them both haue so fallen. For had not he yeelded vnto her hee might haue continued still in her innocencie. Thus then the Lord tried Adam, whether hee would continue in his obedience or no: likewise doth the Lord at all times trie men in marriage whether they will continue in his obedience, and labour to win their wiues also to the faith of Christ. So in like manner the Lord tries the wiues whether1 they will be in all things subiect to their husbands, as Sarah. For what gifts soeuer a woman hath, yet not being subiect to her busband, they are nothing. For euen in mans innocencie she was subiect, and after the fall it was laid on her as a punishment: so that if shee be not obedient she cannot be saued. Yet the Lord other whiles also trieth whether shee ⟨p. 743⟩〈…〉er sobrietie and wisedome will as it were breake the crookednesse of her husband: 〈…〉 the Apostle teacheth, that the wiues must adorne the hidden men of the heart, that 〈…〉 husbands (albeit then not conuerted to the faith) might bee wonne by the honest2 〈…〉ersation of their wiue•: how much the more then ought those who haue Christians 〈…〉eir husbands, by their meanes bring them forward what they may▪ in the profession 〈…〉ue godlinesse? But if they bee disobedient, and will requite euill with euill, or with 〈…〉e, they doe what in them lieth, to ouerthrow the faith of their husbands. And thus 〈…〉 Lord trieth wiues also, whether they will continue in his obedience. Againe, hee trieth 〈…〉 whether they will rest in the loue of their husbands onely, and bee contented there〈…〉 ▪ 3yea when they see their husbands hearts turned from them: for if they will but onely when they are beloued, they declare that they onely loue themselues and not their nds: for they ouht thus to consider, the Lord hath turned my husbands hart from because I yeelded not to him that dutie which I ought, therefore I will not hold on to se still, but now I will rather loue him more, to see if the Lord will by these meanes his heart againe.
- 1The subjection of the wife to the husband how God requireth it.The subiection of the wife to the husbād how God requireth it.
- 21. Pet 3. 1. 2. 3
- 3The love of the wise to the husband.The loue of the wise to the husband.
