IVE >;z4234, 8phefians,Chap. 5. f 64,1 this circumftance which the Apoftle never forgetteth, is this, becaufe many women were adulterouflygiven,many had their friends,as men betide their wives had their concubinesand miftreffes. Many by rude behaviour canting themfelves to be divorced, did leape into fecond marriages, never Peeking to win the favour and returne to them that indeede were their husbands. Therewere like the Samaritane, ¡oh. q,. 18. that of fixe they ferved had norone, as it is probable, a true huf- bandof them all : no wonder therefore if he faith, to yourownehuf- bands. Which confederation doth meere with many, who are good to Pfc. every body, but thofe towhom they owe all dutie : they will fpeake wellof other men, they will commend them,tell what they could doe bythem, but their owne they cannot Pet them vile enough. But let us makethe belt of our owne, in all other things that whichwe have is better to us, then the beft things which we have not. Laftly for themanner : wefee thatit unot enoughto yeelddutie, but bllt. it mull be doneritb confcience, that it is the willof God. And this is of great ufe,for it will makeus doe two things at once : ferveGod in ferving man: it will fecondly make our obedience an eafieyoake when we have the Lordbeforeus, and thus obeyingwe may looke for our recompenfeof reward fromGod. The doctrinedoth meere withmanywho obey not as to the Lord Yfe. whom they ferve in fodoing, but becaufe they have fuch boyfterous men, that theydare not doe otherwife, orbecaufe theyknow it would beou; of theirway, or becaufe theywould with that outward coun- terfeit femblance of duty, blanch over foule matters from the eyes ofmen, orthinking the contrarywould be reproachful! tothem. VERSE 23. For the husband is the wives head, even as Chrifi is VERS. 23. she headof the Church, and the rame is the Saviour of his body. Now the Apoftle doth urge it by a reafon ; you mutt be fubjeEt to himwho ismade of Goda head toyou : Man is a head; therefore you mutt be fubjed. The ad. part in thisverfe, the conclufion in the next. Noweachofthem is laid down,and illuftratedby comparifoni Man is the head as Chrift; which mutt not fimply be underftood, but propor- tionably : man in externall regiment, doth refemble Chrift io the fpirituall government of the Church Nowhe doth defcribe Chrìff by afurther refpe5t, that we may knowwhat kinde ofheadhe is,and man ought to be, who is to refembie him; thefame is the Saviour ofhis body; hencehe repeateth the precept not femply,but amplifiedby corn- parifon, as the Church obeyeth Chrift her head, fo let women obey their husbands. r. Thenwehave to confidersThat man is a beadover his wife. z. VVhat kinde ofhead, a raving head, fuch a preheminence as is beneficiallto her, who is fubjeded. 3. That it is notenough for women to obey, but they mutt doek idgood fortand manner, evenas the Churchdothobeying Chrift. Forthe t. Man (as the Scripture witneffeth) is the headofthe woman, Dea, Kkk not
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