Of domesticall duties eight treatises. I. An exposition of that part of Scripture out…

Answ. No verily: For S. Peter exhorteth faithful wives ¹that were married to Infidel husbands to be subject to them, and that in fear.

Answ. No verily: For S. Peter exhorteth faithfull wiues ¹that were maried to Infidell husbands to be subiect to them, and that in feare.

1. 11 Pet. 3. 1, 2.

The reason is clear: For spiritual blindness disableth not from civill government: indeed nothing that such a man doth is acceptable to God, or available to his own salvation; but yet it may be profitable to man: a wicked man may be provident enough for wife, children, and whole family in outward temporal things.

The reason is cleare: For spirituall blindnesse disableth not from ciuill gouernment: indeed nothing that such a man doth is acceptable to God, or auailable to his owne saluation; but yet it may be profitable to man: a wicked man may be prouident enough for wife, children, and whole family in outward temporall things.

Again, it oft falleth out, that an husband is a long time ²far off absent from the house: sometimes by reason of his calling, as an Ambassador, Soldier, or Mariner; sometimes also carelessly or wilfully neglecting house, goods, wife, children and all: and in his absence hath left no order for the ordering of things at home: in this case also there is no question, but that the wife hath power to dispose matters without her husbands consent: provided that she observe those rules of Gods word concerning justice, equity, truth and mercy, which an husband in his disposing of them ought to observe.