203 feems to have declared their fovereignty, by bleffing them with the greatest strength and abilities. Where God has made the body and the mind fitteft to undergo toils and labours, neceffary to the well being of the world; the carrying on businefs at home and trade abroad; the defending ones country from foreign foes, and the adminiftring of justice: where we perceive God has qualified his creatures for these offices, which are so neceffary, that the world cannot fubfift in peace and order without them, we may fafely conclude that therein he defigned to place the fuperior power of government. Therefore, as God hath made men neceffary for these works, he hath made them fuperior to fuch as are not able to do them; and confequently, fuperior to the woman; but not with a tyrannical authority, not to use them as flaves and menial fervants, but as friends and companions in all the state of wedlock. Tho' it is granted that there are fome inftances of women excelling in these particulars; yet they will not overthrow the visible defign of God: though there be women fuperior to many men in ftrength of body, and abilities of mind, in fineness of parts, greatnefs of capacity, foundness of judgment, and strength of memory; yet the number of fuch neither is, was, or will be, great enough to fhew that God intended to give that fex the fuperiority. And agreeable to this design of God, nature feems to have fettled and directed the ufages and customs of all countries at all times, that woman should not be above, but the companion of man; tho' fome nations have not had fo great regard to it, as in all reason they ought to have had: fo far from difputing the priority with them, that they have placed them little above their flaves or menial fervants, contrary to reafon and decency, and the defign of God, who intended them for friends and companions in all their feveral conditions. Even the nations that have been most civilized, have allowed them to be only made for the folace of man, the care of domestick matters, and the continuance of the world: but fince life and immortality are brought to light through the gospel, which teacheth us that the females have a foul entitled to the fame inheritance of eternal blifs with the man, the apoftle limits the authority of man over the woman, and defcribes the manner of her fubjection, In what manner. jection, and fhews the cause thereof. Men, fays he, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. And to the women, he prescribes these rules, let the women learn in filence, with all fubjection: but I fuffer not a woman to teach, (i. e. in publick) nor to ufurp authority over the man, but to be in filence. Because Adam was first formed, then Eve: and Adam was not deceived (first) but the woman being deceived, was (first) in the tranfgreffion. Where note, that he makes the creation or formation of Eve, after Adam, to be one reason of her fubjection: this reason would have held good, if both had continued innocent, it was a reafon before they had tranfgreffed; and St Paul urges the fubjection of women to their husbands, because the first of men was before the first of women. Again, the womens fubjection is fetched from Eve's being firft in the tranfgreffion; fhe was deceived first, and then deceived her husband; she was undone by disobeying God, and he undone by following her; fhe must rule no more: it was part of her curfe that her desire should be to her husband, and he should rule over her; God's commands laying it as a punishment on the fex, for the forward tranfgreffion of their first mother; and that it might not be evaded, as a curfe and punishment, which all people may avoid; the fame thing is commanded again and again in the new covenant made with God through Jefus Christ. In what cafes. Yet both power and obedience have their proper bounds, and the tranfgreffors of them become on one fide, tyrants and ufurpers, and on the other rebels: fo it is with wives and hufbands; the one may exercife a power that belongs not to them; and the other refuse fubmiffion where it is due. Thus it is certain, that a wife owes no fubjection to her husband, against the laws of either God or man: religion claims the first place in her obedience; and though the laws, or rather customs of the land, are tender to women offending in the company of their husbands, as prefuming them under constraint; yet religion has no fuch confideration, but includes them all under fin, who commit any finful actions; and no command or example of a husband will excuse a wife offending against a known law of God, God, or doing any thing immoral: fhe owes him no fubjection in fuch matters; he is himself a rebel to their common lord and master, whilst commanding any unlawful action, and she is with him in the tranfgreffion. Yet, in other matters, their disobedience will be faulty, where they cannot make their excuse by reafon and discretion, allowed custom, decency, and good fame. Her direc tion. Some may ask, who fhall be judges in fuch a cafe; I anfwer, wives must take good care that the commands, which they comply not with, be fuch as will justify them to impartial people: that they may reasonably excuse their own non-compliance, and condemn the men that gave fuch commands, wives muft not oppose their wills to their husbands, or reasons to reasons, unless they are plainly oppreffed; left they be found to contend for maftery; and if the will and reafon of one be equal to the others, it is fomething befides that must determine, who shall yield; and then we must recur to know who must obey. Yet ple who ought to confider these things beft, are fo far from enquiring, where, and when they must obey, and in what cafes they are at liberty, that they are evermore at liberty, and never in fubjection at all, though in the most reasonable cafes; but forget their duty and their fex together. chafte. peo XI. It cannot be but that wives must know that without a chaste conversation they are wives no longer; the band of wedlock is diffolved before God, and if Muft be the husband asks the affiftance of the law, it may be diffolved before man also because this is not without the breach of the most folemn vow that can be thought on : wherefore, our Saviour faith, that though it be not lawful to put away a wife for every caufe, yet in the cafe of fornication it may be done. And though perjury may take away a man's good name, or his eftate, yet there may be some amends made by repentance; his good name may be recovered by a recantation of what was fworn to his prejudice; and his estate may come again by force of law, or voluntary restitution. And if the life of a father be taken away by perjury and injustice, some compenfation may be after made to his unhappy children; but the perjury and injuftice of an adulterous wife, are fuch offences, as exceed them both; because even a con a confeffion of the crime to the injured party, may make him more miserable, and do him farther injury; and, as for fatisfaction, it is scarce in their power to make any. It is hard even for common prostitutes to repent! how bitter fhould their forrow and contrition be before God, fince they have almost difabled themselves, from doing any other thing? But certainly no people in the world can fin, with fuch a painful self-conviction, as the wife of a man's bofom. haviour. Her outward carriage must be alfo inoffenfive, Of good be- void of fufpicion, as well as blame: unless a man be a mere beast, and in a manner forfaken of God, the chafte and fober converfation of his wife, will gain upon him. And there are few men, but have times of thinking and confidering when they reflect upon the carriage and converfation of their wives: that they have most religiously observed their vows; not made them fuch requitals as as their perjury and falfhood according to the maxims of the world, would justify; but have been wary to a fcruple, managed themselves fo virtuoufly, that they have given them neither fecret jealoufy within, nor fhame and infamy abroad, and borne their fenfible and wounding injuries, as though they had been treated kindly, which muft call them to repentance. And every woman is obliged to take thefe courfes, whether effectual or no: it is that which they first and last must practife, and which no falfe injurious ufage can difpenfe Bare no ha- with; in thefe finful inftances there must be no requital, the fin of one will not excufe the fin of another; befides, that is a fad revenge which muft fall upon our own heads at the last. tred. They must perfift in the performance of their duties towards God and man; they must remember that their obedience is founded upon love, and that perfect love Love him. not only cafteth out fear, but forbids all kind of fullennefs, harfhnefs, noife, fcoldings, or unquietnefs; and leads to and cultivates a chafte converfation, which if it prevails, they have gained their point; and if not, they have the fatisfaction of doing their duty; and taking the courses, that were likelieft to effect what they defired: they are excufable both to God and man, and fhall not fail of their reward at the laft deft in dress. last day. A light, wanton, and fufpicious carriage, does not only give offence to fober people, and encouragement to the vicious, but doth religion great mischief in the minds of their partners, who see it has no power and efficacy; which eftranges the affections, and hardens them in their unlawful actions. Remember alfo the moft vicious hufbands in the world would have their wives fcrupulously virtuous, and make the want of thofe qualities and graces, pretences for their own lewdness. XII. Befides, fuch attire as ferves to looseness and immodefty is forbidden; because the defign itself is fo abominable, by heating of the fancies, and inflam- Muft be moing the hearts of impetuous youth, and kindling thofe impure defires, that will confume both body and foul. A drefs put on with this defign, is not only blameable, but damnable, without repentance; it is all they can do on their fide, to complete their finful defires. So that as the defigns taking effect does not at all depend on them, fo neither will it's miffing it's effect excuse them, or diminish the guilt or punishment it deferves. Wherefore, whoever dreffes to make herself amiable or comely, must ask herself what fhe defires that grace and comelinefs for, and what use she defigns to make of peoples admiration; and according as that is better or worse, fo will her adorning herself be more or less innocent in the fight of God. Again, fuch a dress as takes up too much time, may reasonably be prefumed to be criminal, because our time is given for better purposes; it is not, properly fpeaking, our own; but fo much is to be expended on things neceffary, and on things convenient, and none at all on things which do us any harm. Likewise it should never be forgot, that fuch coftliness of apparel, as exceeds the quality and ability of the wearer, is an offence against decency, that becoming order, which the wisdom and cuftom of all times and places have agreed upon, as moft convenient to difference people one from another, and, in the matter of quality, to prevent all diforder, confufion, and difrefpect. Doubtless an offence of this kind is a fin against God: nay in wife and civilized nations, this kind of luxury has more or less been reftrained by penal laws; which shews fome inconvenience, some kind of deformity, Drefs when blameable. In women. |