To her silence and patience, she must add The acceptable obedience, which makes a woman rule while she is ruled. This is the wives tribute to her husband: for she is not called his head, but he is called her head. Great cause hath man to make much of his wife, for great and many are her duties to him, for Paul saith;1 Wives submit your selves unto your husbands, as to the Lord. Showing that she ⟨p. 54⟩should regard his will as the Lords will,2 but withal, as the Lord commandeth only that which is good and right, so she should obey her husband in good & right, or else she doth not obey him as the Lord, but as the tempter. The first subjection of woman began at sin: for when God cursed her for seducing her husband,3 when the Serpent had seduced her, he said, He shall have authority over thee. And therefore as the man named all other creatures,4 in sign that they should be subject to him, as a servant which cometh when his master calleth him by his name: so did he name the woman also,5 in token that she should be subject to him likewise. And therefore Assuerus made a law,6 that every man should bear rule in his own house, and not the woman,7 because she sinned first, therefore she is humbled most:8 & ever since, the daughters of Sarah are bound to call their husbands Lords,9 as Sarah called her husband: that is, to take them for their Lords,10 for heads and governors. If ye disdain to follow Abraham's spouse, the apostle biddeth you follow Christs spouse:11 for he saith; Let a wife, be subject to her husband, as the church is to Christ. A greater love then this (saith Christ) no man can have So a better example then this,12 no woman can have. That the wife may yield this reverence ⟨p. 55⟩to her husband,13 Paul would have her attire to be modest and orderly, for garish apparel hath taught many gossips to disdain their husbands. This is the folly of some men, to lay all their pride upon their wives,14 they care not how they sloven themselves, so their wives jet like Peacocks.15 But Peter doth commend Sarah for her attire, and not Abraham, showing that women should brave it no more then men,16 and God made Eves coat of the same cloth that he made Adams.17
To her silence and patience, she must adde The acceptable obedience, which makes a woman rule while she is ruled. This is the wiues tribute to her husband: for shee is not called his head, but he is called her head. Great cause hath man to make much of his wife, for great and many are her duties to him, for Paul saith;1 Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands, as to the Lord. Shewing that shee ⟨p. 54⟩should regard his will as the Lords will,2 but withall, as the Lord commandeth onely that which is good and right, so she should obey her husband in good & right, or else she doth not obey him as the Lord, but as the tempter. The first subiection of woman began at sinne: for when God cursed her for seducing her husband,3 when the Serpent had seduced her, he said, He shall haue authoritie ouer thee. And therefore as the man named all other creatures,4 in signe that they should be subiect to him, as a seruant which commeth when his master calleth him by his name: so did he name the woman also,5 in token that shee should be subiect to him likewise. And therfore Assuerus made a law,6 that euery man should beare rule in his owne house, and not the woman,7 because she sinned first, therefore she is humbled most:8 & euer since, the daughters of Sara are bound to call their husbandes Lords,9 as Sara called her husband: that is, to take them for their Lords,10 for heads and gouernors. If ye disdaine to follow Abrahams spouse, the apostle biddeth you folow Christs spouse:11 for he saith; Let a wife, be subiect to her husband, as the church is to Christ. A greater loue then this (saith Christ) no man can haue So a better example then this,
- 1Ephes. 5. 23
- 2How far the wife should obey.How farre the wife should obey.
- 3Gen. 3. 16.
- 4Gen. 2. 20.
- 5Verse 23.
- 6Hest. 1. 20. 22.
- 7Num. 30. 7.
- 8Judg. 19. 26Iudg. 19. 26
- 9Gen. 18. 12
- 101. Pet. 3. 6.
- 11Ephes. 5. 24.
- 12John 15. 13Iohn 15. 13
- 13The cause why many despise their husbands.
- 141. Tim. 2. 9.
- 15
