The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women

but assuredly they might conclude that such a body could not long endure. And no less monstrous is the body of that common wealth, where a woman beareth ¹empire. For ether doth it lack a lawful head (as in very deed it doth) or else there is an idol exalted in the place of the true head. An idol I call that, which hath the form and appearance, but lacketh the virtue and strength, which the name and proportion do resemble and promise. As images have face, nose, eyes, mouth, hands and feet painted, but the use of the same, can not the craft and art of man give them: as the holy ghost by the mouth ²of David teacheth us, saying: they have eyes, but they see not, mouth, but they speak not, nose, but they smell not, hands and feet, but they nether touch nor have power to go. And such, I say, is ⟨p. 28⟩every realm and nation, where a woman beareth dominion. For in despite of God (he of his just judgement, so giving them over in to a reprobate mind) may a realm, I confess, exalt up a woman to that monstriferous honour, to be esteemed as head. But impossible it is to man ³and angel, to give unto her the properties and perfect offices of a lawful head. For the same God that hath denied power to the hand to speak, to the belly to hear, and to the feet to see, hath denied to woman power to command man, and hath taken a way wisdom to consider, and providence to foresee the things, that be profitable to the common wealth: yea finally he hath denied to her in any case to be head to man: but plainly hath pronounced that man is head to woman, even as Christ is head to all man.⁴ If men in a blind rage should assemble together, and appoint them selves an other head then Jesus Christ, (as the papists have done their romish Antichrist) should Christ therefore lose his own dignity, or should God give to that ⟨image 29⟩counterfeit head power to give life to the body, to see what soever might endamage or hurt it, to speak in defence, and to hear the request of every subject? It is certain that he would not. For that honour he hath appointed before all times to his only Son: and the same will he give to no creature besides: no