An exposition of the morall lavv, or Ten Commandements of almightie God set dovvne by vvay of exercitations, wherein is contained an explanation of diverse questions and positions for the right understanding thereof, together with an explication of these scriptures which depend upon, or belong unto every one of the commandements, all which are cleared out of the originall languages, the customes of the Iewes, and the distinctions of the schoolemen / by Iohn Weemse ...

EXERCITAT. II. Of the duties of the wife to the husband. Commandement. V.

Ephes. 5.22. Wives submit your selves unto your hus∣bands as unto the Lord.

THere are sundry combinations in the which the in∣feriours are bound to give honour to their superi∣ours: First in the family, and next in the politie.* 1.1 In the familie, first, betwixt the wife and the husband.* 1.2 The wife is bound to honour her husband, and the man is bound to honour his wife. 1. Pet. 3.7. because this is the gentlest sort of commandement, therefore hee is bound to honour her, as shee is bound to honour him.

The second combination is betwixt the children and the parents, and the third combination in the familie is betwixt the master and the servant; and because every thing is best seene in the smallest partitions, therefore we will unfold this in the familie first.

The duties of the wife to the husband, are subjection,* 1.3 obedience, and reverence.

First,* 1.4 the woman oweth subjection to the man by the order of creation: The woman was made for the man, and not man for the woman. 1. Cor. 11.8. and as the Sab∣bath

was made for the man, and not the man for the Sabbath. Mark. 2.23. therefore he is Lord of the Sabbath. So the woman was made for the man: therefore hee is Lord over the woman.

* 1.5So they two shall be one flesh; it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the mascu∣line gender, and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the feminine, because the man is the more excellent sexe; but when the woman is chiefe in the transgression, then the woman is put first, Obloquutae sunt Miriam & Aaron, Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses. Num. 12.1.

Secondly, as the order of creation proveth this, so doth the fall prove it: The woman was first in the trans∣gression and not the man. 1. Tim. 2.14. The woman was last in good,* 1.6 and created but for the man: First, in evill, last, in good; therefore she is justly subiect to the man.

Thirdly, the Apostles order proveth this subjection. 1. Cor. 7.1. God is Christs head, Christ is the mans head, and the man is the womans head; if yee will re∣spect order in policie, the man is the image of God a∣bove the woman, and he is more the glory of God then the woman: if the woman will not subiect her selfe to her husband, but usurpe soveraignty over him, as shee seeketh soveraignty over her husband, so if shee could, shee would pull Christ out of his place, and God out of his place.

* 1.7Fourthly, the vaile that was put upon the womans head on the day of her marriage, testifies her subjection to her husband: therefore she is said to have power upon her head, 1. Cor. 10.10. The woman ought to have power over her head, that is, a vaile, which was a signe of her subjection and of her husbands power over her. Num. 2. When the husband was jealous of his wife, she stood bareheaded all the time before the Priest, as not being under her husbands subjection untill she was cleared of that suspition.

Gen. 20.16. And unto Sara hee said, Behold I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold hee is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all that are with thee, and with all other; that is,* 1.8 I have given thy husband money to buy thee a vaile to cover thy face, that all may know with whom thou dost converse, that thou art a mans wife, and so they shall not commit adultery with thee, taking thee to be an unmarried woman.* 1.9 The wo∣man was subject to her husband; the bill of divorce, Matt. 5.31. is called in the Syriack Libellus diminutionis, and shee was diminuto capite, when she wanted her hus∣band; the man is the glory of the woman, and when she wanteth her husband she wanteth her glory.

Lastly,* 1.10 the woman in token of her subjection when she was married, shee changed her name and wa•• called after her husband: to impose a name was a signe of au∣thority: Adam was called Ish, and Eva was called Issha, and Salomons spouse is called Shulamite, Cant. 6.13. and the Romans said Quando ego ero Catus tu eris Caia, Esay. 4.1. Onely let us be called after thy name.

This subiection of the wife to the husband, differeth farre from servile subiection,* 1.11 for hee that is servily sub∣iect, worketh for another: but the wife worketh not for another, but for her selfe, for shee and her husband are one. This subiection of the woman to the man in the beginning was a more free and willing subiection then since the fall, Gen. 3. Et ad maritum tuum erit appetitus tuus; the seventy translate it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, conversio tua, thy turning shall be to him: the same phrase is used to ex∣presse the subiection of the younger brother to the el∣der, Appetitus illius erga te, and thou shalt rule over him, Gen. 4. He shall be subiect unto thee, because thou art his elder brother: so the woman should be subiect to the man, because she was created after him, and for him, and she is the weaker vessell. When the husbands de∣sire

is said to be towards his wife,* 1.12 then it signifieth love, Can. 7.10. I am my beloveds, and his desire is towards me, that is, he loveth me most intirely; but the womans desire towards the man, implyeth both love and sub∣jection.

* 1.13If the man had not falne, the Lord would not have given out this that her appetite should have beene to∣wards her husband, The law is not made for a righteous man, 1. Tim. 1.9. After the fall yee shall see that man and woman carried the punishment of their sinne: In naturall things, the woman bringeth forth her children with paine, and the man eateth his bread in the sweat of his browes.* 1.14 Secondly, in morall duties there is some reluctation, and the woman is more hardly subiect to her husband, then before. But in spirituall duties and sub∣jection to God there is greatest rebellion of all, Rom. 7.23. I finde another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde.

The second duty of the wife to the husband is obe∣dience,* 1.15 All the wives shall give honour to their husbands, Esth. 1.20. Hannashim ijttenu jekar, the verbe here is put in the masculine gender,* 1.16 although he be speaking of women, to signifie their voluntary subjection and o∣bedience: for it is the manner of the Hebrewes when they speake in the praise of women, they put them in the masculine gender, Ruth. 1.8. So 1. Sam. 25.27. Prov. 31.13. Esay 34.14. Eccles. 12.4. these the Greekes call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.17 when women behave themselves like men, Esth. 1.22. Asshuerus made a law, That every man should beare rule in his owne house, and that it should be pub∣lished in the language of every people, in the originall it is, Loquetur lingua populi sui,* 1.18 to speake the language of their owne people, and it seemeth to be a proverbiall speech, that is, to keepe their wives in subjection, as the Persians did.

Whether did Vashti refuse lawfully or not to come to the king at the feast? [Quest.]

Some answer that she justly refused, [Answ.] for the Persians had a law, that their wives should not be seene by any others but by their husbands; and Macrobius saith,* 1.19 that it was onely given to concubines and harlots, to come publikely in the sight of men at their feasts, and publick meetings. But for answer to this,* 1.20 some of the Persian lawes were altogether unlawfull: Cambyses asked of his counsellers, whether there was any such law amongst the Persians that the king might marry his owne sister? they answered, not: but there was another law, that the kings of Persia might do what they would: this law is altoge∣ther unjust: so this law,* 1.21 that the lawes of the Medes and Persians could not be revoked, was not just; for all posi∣tive laws of men upon better considerations may be al∣tered; this is proper here onely to the law of God not to be altered. And they had some lawes which proceeded onely of jealousie, as this:* 1.22 now this law being a law so defective it did not bind, whereas the King himselfe commanded her to come, and here his wife was not to interpret the statute, but to give simple obedience to her husband.

The third thing which the wife oweth to the hus∣band is reverence;* 1.23 Bagnal is called both lord and hus∣band: So Sara honoured Abraham and called him Lord. 1. Pet. 3.6. So the wise calleth her husband Isshi, my man, Hosea. 2. as the name of greatest familiarity and love, But the harlot saith, Prov. 7.19. [ish,] the man is gone abroad, and not [isshi,] my man: and the Lord after he dis∣claimed the word bagnal, yet he would be called ish, Hos. 2.16. Contrary to this is, when wives count base∣ly of their husbands, Iob. 19.17. My breath is strange to my wife.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sundry combinations in the familie.
• * 1.2

  The man is bound to honour his wife.
• * 1.3

  Three duties of the wife to the husband.
• * 1.4

  The woman should bee subject to the man by order of creation.
• * 1.5

  Miriam prius nomina∣tur quia peccati author fuit.
• * 1.6

  The woman fell first therefore ought to be subiect.
• * 1.7

  The vaile a token of subiection.
• * 1.8

  The vaile a token of subjection to her hus∣band.
• * 1.9

  The bill of divorce why called the bill of diminution. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Attenuari.
• * 1.10

  The woman called af∣ter her husbands name. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ʋir. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Faemina. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.11

  The subiection of the wife to the husband is not servile subiection.
• * 1.12

  The desire of the hus∣band towards the wife is love, but her desire to the husband is both sub∣jection and love.
• * 1.13

  If the woman had not sinned, her appetite had not bene towards her husband.
• * 1.14

  Since the fall man and woman carry the punishment of their sins in naturall, morall, and spirituall things.
• * 1.15

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Faemin e trihuent hono∣rem maritis.
• * 1.16

  Nomina masculina jun∣cta foeminis.
• * 1.17

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. F••rtem virum me praesto hic de foeminis dicitur.
• * 1.18

  Loqui lingua populi sui apud Persas quid.
• * 1.19

  Macrob. lib. 7. Satur∣nal.
• * 1.20

  Whether Vasti did just∣ly refuse to come at the commandement of the king.
• * 1.21

  Many of the Persian lawes unlawfull.
• * 1.22

  Vasti should have given obedience to the king.
• * 1.23

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Dominus, Ʋir.