3. The natural imperfection of the woman. The apostle calleth her
* the weaker vessel, ' 1 Peter iii. 7. Abilities of mind are not ordinarily so strong in her as in the man ; and they have fewer opportunities than man hath for perfecting their natural parts ; and they are not so able to provide for themselves, modesty not permitting them to go up and down in the world. Therefore though God would have them copart- ners with the man in the good things of this life, yet he hath entrusted the government in the hands of the man,
4. The manner and order of the creation. The woman was made after man, out of man, and for man. God formed man first, and then the woman out of him, and for man's good. This reason is urged by the apostle: 1 Tim. ii. 13, 'For Adam was first formed, then Eve ;' 1 Cor. xi. 8, 9, 'For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man.' This noteth her subordination and dependence on him :
* After man ; ' therefore man must be superior.
You will say then, The birds and beasts should be preferred, for they were created before either.
Ans. The apostle speaketh of the same kind, not of diverse ; but
* of man,^ and not he of her. . Therefore even in innocency was she sub- ject to Adam, though then without grief and molestation: 'For man,' as appears from the end of the creation of the woman, which was to be a help and comfort to him ; for whatever serveth to any end is lesser than the end for which it serveth.
5. From the woman's being first in the transgression; for this is a part of the sentence. Gen. iii. IG, ' He shall bear rule over thee.' There is little reason that the course settled in the creation should be changed after the fall ; for the woman was first seduced, and then draweth her husband into the fellowship of the sin. Therefore God in effect telleth
YeR 22.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 443
her, Since thou canst not rule thyself, meet it is that thou shouldst he put under the rule and power of another. Tlie apostle deduceth this subjection from the same ground : 1 Tim. ii. 14, ' But Adam was not -deceived, but the woman being deceived, was first in the transgression ; ' that is, Adam was not first deceived, but Eve ; she was first cheated by the serpent, and so a cause and beginning of ruin on all mankind; therefore it is equal ever afterwards that the woman should obey the man, because the man perished by hearkening to the wife : her honour was first lost.
6. The inconveniences that would ensue if this subjection were taken away. There must be order in every society, witiiout which there foUoweth division, and thereupon confusion ; and a house divided can- not stand. Now the fittest to govern the family is the husband, who is the most worthy, being created after the image of God, and the woman after the image of the man. We see pax est tranquillitas ordinis ; trouble the order of nature, and presently great inconveniences follow, thunders, earthquakes, inundations ; so disturb the order of due subjection in a family, and then nothing but strife, clamours, mutuaJl jealousies.
Use 1. Is reproof to several sorts.
1. Of all those frothy and profane wits who scoff at women's subjec- tion, and make it a matter of unsavoury mirth. See how misbecoming chiistians this is, partly as it is a duty required by God. Should any of God's laws be made matter of laughter and derision to us ? This is to make mock of sin, which is the guise of atheistical fools, Prov. xiv. 9 ; for if we scofi' at the law that forbiddeth it, we make the transgres- sion a mere matter of laughter. I am sure it weakeneth our reverence of God's precepts. Partly as it is a great duty which enforceth all the rest. For our easier and shorter direction, the scripture compriseth all the duty of the wife in one word, ' submission ; ' as all the duty of the husband in the word ' love.' And what God intended for a help, shall we turn it into matter of laughter ? Let the woman submit to her husband, and she will not stick at other duties ; as, let the husband love his wife, and all family converse will be easy. Now should we sti'ike at all conjugal duties, and stab them at the heart, as they do that weaken that reverence which belongeth to the fundamental duties, by making matter of sport of them ? Once more, the occasion on which God revived this precept should intimate graver thoughts ; for it was upon the woman's being first in the transgression which was the foun- tain of all our miseries. Now the remembrance of the fall of our first parents should check all profane and unsavoury mirth, rather than feed it.
2. It reproveth those that dispute against it by manifold cavils ; but no reasoning must be allowed against a plain and known duty. There- fore, to prevent these disputes, let me lay down two conclusions —