Of Domestical Duties, Treatise 3 · Section 73 – Section 1
§. 73. Of the benefit which a wife hath by an husband.
The fourth reaſon taken from the benefit which a wife receiueth 4. Reaſon.from her husband, doth yet further preſſe the point in hand. Though Chriſt be properly the Sauiour of the bodie, yet euen herein an husband carieth a reſemblance of Chriſt, and is after a manner a Saniour: for by vertue of his place and office he is on the one ſide her protector, to defend her from hurt, and preſerue her from danger; and on the other ſide, a pronider of all needfull and neceſſarie things for her: in which reſpect ſhe is taken from her parents and friends, and wholly committed Gen. 31. 14.to him: (as Iaakobs wiues ſaid, HaueHave we any more portion or inheritance in our fathers houſe?) yea ſhe her ſelfe, and all ſhe hath is giuen to him: and he againe communicateth what ſoeuer he hath to her good, and for her vſe. Dauid compareth a wife to Pſal. 128. 3.a Vine, in relation to her husband: intimating thereby, that by him ſhe is raiſed to that height of honour ſhe hath, as a vine by the tree, or frame neere vntounto which it is planted. By his honour is ſhe dignified, by his wealth is ſhe enriched. He is, vnderunder God, all in all to her; in the family he is a King to gouerne and aid her, a Prieſt to pray with her and for her, a Prophet to teach and inſtruct her. As the head is placed in the higheſt place ouer the bodie, and vnderſtanding placed in it, to gouerne, direct, protect, and euerie way ſeeke the good of the bodie, and as Chriſt is vnited to the Church as a ſpouſe, and made her head, that ſhe might be ſaued, maintained, and prouided for by him; ſo for this end was an husband placed in his place of ſuperioritie; and his authoritie was committed to him, to be a Saniour of his wife. Wherefore if none of the former motiues preuaile with wiues, and moue them to be ſubiect to their husbands, yet ought this.
For from this reaſon flow theſe two concluſions.
1. The ſubiection required of a wife is for her owne good.
2. In refuſing to obey ſhe ſheweth her ſelfe both vngratefull to her husband, and alſo iniurious to her ſelfe.
That her ſubiection is for her owne good, is euident by this A wiues ſubiection tendeth to her owne good.end for which an husband is made an head, to be a Saniour: not to puffe him vp, to make him inſult and tyrannize ouer his wife. So as if ſhe be ſubiect vntounto him, ſhe may reape much good from him. As the Church is wiſely gouerned, and ſafely protected by ſubiecting her ſelfe to her head Chriſt Ieſus; and as the body partaketh of much good, and is preſerued from much euill by ſubiecting it ſelfe to the head, ſo if a wife be ſubiect to her huſband, ſhe will fare much the better thereby, all the eaſe, profit, and benefit thereof will be hers. If therefore ſhe tender her owne good, this is a way and meanes ordained of God for this end; let her herein ſeeke it.
If notwithſtanding this ſhe refuſe to be ſubiect vntounto her huſband, doth ſhe not (as we ſay) ſtand in her owne light? She being by her ſex the weaker, and the more vnable to helpe her ſelfe, …f ſhe ſhall reiect this good helpe which God hath prouided for her, is ſhe not moſt iniurious to her owne ſelfe? And conſidering Gratitude requireth a wife to be ſubiect.the care and pains her husband vndergoeth for her ſake, is it not moſt vnnaturall and monſtrous ingratitude, inwardly to de…piſe, or outwardly to ſcorne ſuch an head? No better teſtimony …f a gratefull heart can be giuen by a wife to her husband, then …heerefull and ready ſubiection: and no greater ingratitude can …e ſhewed, then rebellion, and diſdaine. Now among vices in…ratitude is one of the moſt odious to God and man: ſo as both …o auoid the blacke ſpot of ingratitude, and to carry away the …ame of gratefulneſſe, ought wiues to be ſubiect.
§. 74. Of the example of the Church ſet before wines.
The laſt reaſon taken from the example of the Church is alſo 5. Reaſon.…f good force to perſwade wiues vntounto ſubiection. Example more …reuailes with many then precept. If any example may be of …orce, then this moſt of all: for it is not the example of one only, …ut of many; not of many ignorant, and wicked perſons, but of underſtanding, wiſe, holy and righteous perſons, euen all the …aints that euer were, are, or ſhall be: for the Church compriſeth …l vnderunder it, euen that whole ſociety of Saints, which are choſen of God in his eternall counſell, redeemed of Chriſt by his precious bloud, and effectually called by the Goſpell of faluation, Gods ſpirit working inwardly and powerfully vponupon them, thoſe very ſoules of iuſt and perfect men now triumphing in heauen, not excepted: note how this Church is deſcribed in the 26, and 27. verſes. Let this example therefore be oft thought of: it will neuer repent any to follow it: for it treadeth the only right path to eternall glory, whereunto they ſhall aſſuredly come that follow it.
But to ſhew the force of this reaſon a little more diſtinctly, note theſe two concluſions following from it.
1. Wiues are as much bound to be ſubiect to their husbands, as the Church to Chriſt. Elſe why ſhould this example be thus ſet before them, and preſſed vponupon them? why are husbands ſet in Chriſts ſtead, and reſembled to him?
2. A wiues ſubiection to her husband, anſwerable to the Churches ſubiection vntounto Chriſt, is an euidence that ſhe is of the Church, guided by the ſame Spirit that the Church is. For it cannot be performed by the power of nature, it is a ſupernaturall worke, and ſo an euidence of the Spirit.
Wherefore, ô Chriſtian wiues, as your husbands by their place reſemble Chriſt, ſo doe you by your practiſe reſemble the Church. Of the two this is the more commendable: for that is a dignitie, this a vertue: but true vertue is much more glorious then any dignitie can be.
Theſe reaſons being well poiſed, and the force of them all ioyned together, they cannot but worke on the ſtouteſt ſtomacke that is: wherefore if this point of ſubiection ſeeme to be too bitter a pill to be well digeſted, let it be ſweetned with the ſyrupe of theſe reaſons, and it will much better be ſwallowed, and hauehave the more kindly worke.
The fourth Treatiſe. Husbands Particular Duties.
§. 1. Of the Generall Heads of this Treatiſe.
EPHES. 5. 25, &c.
Husbands louelove your owne wiues, euen as Chriſt alſo loued the Church, &c.
AS the wife is to know her dutie, ſo the huſband Husbands bound to dutie. Propterea debent mulieribus ſuis ad virtutis exemplum ſe praebere, quia viri ſunt. Aug. de adult. Coniug. l. 2. c. 8.much more his, becauſe he is to be a guide, and good example to his wife, he is to dwell with her according to knowledge, (1 Pet. 3. 7.) the more eminent his place is, the more knowledge he ought to hauehave how to walke worthy thereof. Neglect of dutie in him is more diſhonourable vntounto God, becauſe by vertue of his place he is a1 Cor. 11. 7.the Imag eand glory of God, and more pernicious not to his wife only, but alſo to the whole family, becauſe of that power and authority he hath, which he may abuſe to the maintenance of his wickedneſſe, hauing in the houſe no ſuperiour power to reſtraine his fury: whereas the wife, though neuer ſo wicked, may by the power of her husband be kept vnderunder, and reſtrained from outrage.
Wherefore to goe on in order, in laying downe the husbands Husbands particular duties.duties (as we hauehave the wiues) we are to conſider,
1. The Duties themſelues.
2. The reaſons to inforce them.
In ſetting downe the duties we muſt note
1. The matter wherein they conſiſt.
2. The manner how they are to be performed.
The Apoſtle compriſeth the whole matter of them all vnderunder LoueLove, which is the ſumme and head of all.
This we will firſt handle: and then proceed to other particulars.