Contrary is the stoutness of such wives as must have their 1own will, and do what they list, or else all shall be out of quiet. Their will must be done, they must rule and over-rule all, they must command not only children and servants, but husbands also, if at least the husband will be at peace. Look into families, observe the estate and condition of many of them, and then tell me if these things be not so. If an husband be a man of courage, and seek to stand upon his right, and maintain his authority by requiring obedience of his wife, strange it is to behold what an hurly burly she will make in the house: but if he be a milk-sop, and basely yield unto his wife, and suffer her to rule, then, it may be, there shall be some outward quiet. The ground hereof is an ambitious and proud humour in ⟨p. 287⟩women, who must needs rule, or else they think themselves slaves. But let them think as they list: assuredly herein they thwart Gods ordinance, pervert the order of nature, deface the image of Christ, overthrow the ground of all duty, hinder the good of the family, become an ill pattern to children and servants, lay themselves open to Satan, and incur many other mischiefs which cannot but follow upon the violating of this main duty of Obedience, which if it be not performed, how can other duties be expected?
Contrary is the stoutnesse of such wiues as must haue their 1own will, and doe what they list, or else all shall be out of quiet. Their will must be done, they must rule and ouer-rule all, they must command not only children and seruants, but husbands also, if at least the husband will be at peace. Looke into families, obserue the estate and condition of many of them, and then tell me if these things be not so. If an husband be a man of courage, and seeke to stand vpon his right, and maintaine his authoritie by requiring obedience of his wife, strange it is to behold what an hurly burly she will make in the house: but if he be a milke-sop, and basely yeeld vnto his wife, and suffer her to rule, then, it may be, there shall be some outward quiet. The ground hereof is an ambitious and proud humour in ⟨p. 287⟩women, who must needs rule, or else they thinke themselues slaues. But let them thinke as they list: assuredly herein they thwart Gods ordinance, peruert the order of nature, deface the image of Christ, ouerthrow the ground of all dutie, hinder the good of the family, become an ill patterne to children and seruants, lay themselues open to Satan, and incurre many other mischiefes which cannot but follow vpon the violating of this maine duty of Obedience, which if it be not performed, how can other duties be expected?
- 1Contrary to obedience, stoutness.Contrary to obedience, stoutnesse.
