from the pampering and feeding of a morsel for the worms, to the nourishing of that immortal being infused into it, and directing them to the proper nourishment of souls, the Bread that came down from Heaven. (John vi. 27.)

So here, the Apostle pulls off from Christian women their vain outside ornaments; but is not this a wrong, to spoil all their dressing and fineness? No, he doth this, only to send them to a better wardrobe: there is much profit in the change.

All the gold and other riches of the temple prefigured the excellent graces of Christians: of Christ indeed first, as having all fulness in Himself, and as furnishing it to them, but secondarily, of Christians, as the living temples of God. So, Psalm xlv. 13, the Church is all glorious, but it is within. And the embroidery, the variety of graces, the lively colours of other graces, shine best on the dark ground of humility. Christ delights to give much ornament to his Church, commends what she hath, and adds more. Thy neck is comely with chains: we will make thee borders of gold. (Cant. i. 10, 11.) The particular grace the Apostle recommends, is particularly suitable to his subject in hand, the conjugal duty of wives; nothing so much adorning their whole carriage, as this meekness and quietness of spirit. But it is, withal, the comeliness of every Christian, in every estate. It is not a woman's garment or ornament, improper for men. There is somewhat (as I may say) of a particular cut or fashion of it for wives towards their husbands, and in their domestic affairs; but men, all men ought to wear of the same stuff, yea, if I may so speak, of the same piece, for it is in all one and the same spirit, and fits the stoutest and greatest commanders. Moses was a great general, and yet not less great in this virtue, the meekest man on earth.

Nothing is more uncomely in a wife than an uncomposed, turbulent spirit, that is put out of frame with every trifle, and inventive of false causes of disquietness and fretting to itself. And so in a husband, and in all, an unquiet, passionate mind lays itself naked, and discovers its own deformity to all. The greatest part of things that vex us, do so not from their own

nature or weight, but from the unsettledness of our minds. Multa nos offendunt quæ non lædunt: Many things offend us which do not hurt us. How comely is it to see a composed, firm mind and carriage, that is not lightly moved!

I urge not a stoical stupidity, but that in things which deserve sharp reproof, the mind keep in its own station and seat still, not shaken out of itself, as the most are; that the tongue utter not unseemly, rash words, nor the hand act any thing that discovers the mind hath lost its command for the time. But truly, the most know so ill how to use just anger upon just cause, that it is easier, and the safer extreme, not to be angry, but still calm and serene, as the upper region; not as the place of continual tempest and storms, as the most are. Let it pass for a kind of sheepishness to be meek; it is a likeness to Him who was as a sheep before the shearers, not opening his mouth ; it is a portion of His spirit.

sooner.

The Apostle commends his exchange of ornaments, by two things. 1. This is incorruptible, and therefore fits an incorruptible soul. Your varieties of jewels and rich apparel are perishing things; you shall one day see a heap made of all, and that all on a flame. And in reference to yourselves, they perish When death strips you of your nearest garment, your flesh, all the others, which were but loose upper garments above it, must off too: it gets indeed a covering to the grave, but the soul is left stark naked, if no other clothing be provided for it, for the body was but borrowed; then it is made bare of all. But spiritual ornaments, and this of humility, and meekness amongst them, remain and are incorruptible; they neither wear out, nor go out of fashion, but are still the better for the wearing, and shall last eternity, and shine there in full lustre.

And, 2, Because the opinion of others is much regarded in matter of apparel, and it is mostly in respect to this that we use ornament in it, he tells us of the account in which this is held: men think it poor and mean, nothing more exposed to contempt than the spirit of meekness, it is mere folly with men,—that is no matter; this overweighs all their disesteem, It is with God

of great price; and things are indeed as He values them, and no otherwise. Though it be not the country fashion, yet it is the fashion at Court, yea it is the King's own fashion, Matt. xi. 29, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. Some, who are court-bred, will send for the masters of fashions; though they live not in the Court, and though the peasants think them strange dresses, yet they regard not that, but use them as finest and best. Care not what the world say; you are not to stay long with them. Desire to have both fashions and stuffs from Court, from Heaven, this spirit of meekness, and it shall be sent you. It is never right in any thing with us, till we attain to this, to tread on the opinion of men, and eye nothing but God's approbation.

Ver. 5. For after this manner, in the old time, the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves.

Ver. 6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord; whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

THE Apostle enforces his doctrine by example, the most compendious way of teaching. Hence, the right way to use the Scriptures, is, to regulate our manners by them; as by their precepts, so by their examples. And for this end it is that a great part of the Bible is historical. There is not in the Saints a transmigration of souls, but there is, so to speak, a oneness of soul, they being in all ages partakers of the self-same spirit. Hence, pious and obedient wives are here called the daughters of Sarah. Such women are here designated as, 1. Holy; 2. Believing; 3. Firm and resolute; not afraid with any amazement. Though by nature they are fearful, yet they are rendered of undaunted spirits, by a holy, clean, and pure conscience. Believing wives, who fear God, are not terrified; their minds are established in a due obedience to God, and also towards their husbands.

VOL. II.

F

Ver. 7. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them, according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

YOUR wives are subject to you, but you likewise are subject to this word, by which all ought, in all stations, to be directed, and by which, however, all shall one day be judged. And are you alike subject as they [uoiws]: parents as children, masters as servants, and kings as their subjects; all hold of a Superior, and it is high treason against the majesty of God, for any, in any place of command, to dream of an unbounded absolute authority, in opposition to Him.

A spirit of prudence, or knowledge, particularly suitable and relating to this subject, is required as the light and rule by which the Husband's whole economy and carriage is to be guided. It is required that he endeavour after that civil prudence for the ordering of his affairs, which tends to the good of his family but chiefly a pious, religious prudence, for regulating his mind and carriage as a Christian husband; that he study the rule of Scripture in this particular, which many do not, neither advising with it what they should do, nor laying it, by reflection, upon their past actions, examining by it what they have done. Now, this is the great fault in all practical things: most know something of them, but inadvertency and inconsideration, our not ordering our ways by that light, is the thing that spoils all.

Knowledge is required in the Wife, but more eminently in the Husband, as the head, the proper seat of knowledge. It is possible, that the Wife may sometimes have the advantage of knowledge, either natural wit and judgment, or a great measure of understanding of spiritual things: but this still holds, that the Husband is bound to improve the measure both of natural and of spiritual gifts that he hath, or can attain to, and to apply them usefully to the ordering of his conjugal carriage; and that he understand himself obliged somewhat the more, in the very notion of a husband, both to seek after and

to use that prudence which is peculiarly required for his due deportment. And a Christian wife, who is more largely endowed, yet will shew all due respect to the measure of wisdom, though it be less, which is bestowed upon her husband.

Dwell with them.] This indeed implies and supposes their abiding with their wives, so far as their calling and lawful affairs permit; but I conceive, that what it expressly means, is, all the conversation and duties of that estate; that they so behave themselves in dwelling with them, as becomes men of knowledge, wise and prudent husbands; which returns them usually the gain of the full reverence and respect due to them, of which they rob and divest themselves, who are either of a foolish or trifling carriage, or of too austere and rigid a conver

sation.

Giving honour unto the Wife.] This, I conceive, is not, as some take it, convenient maintenance, though that is a requisite duty too, and may be taken in under this word: but it seems to be, chiefly, a due conjugal esteem of them, and respect to them; the Husband not vilifying and despising them, which will be apt to grieve and exasperate them; not disclosing the weaknesses of the wife to others, nor observing them too narrowly himself, but hiding them both from others, and his own eyes by love; not seeing them further than love itself requires, that is, to the wise rectifying of them by mild advices and admonitions that flow from love. And to this the reasons indeed suit well. It seems at first a little incongruous, Honour because weaker, but not when we consider the kind of honour; not of reverence as superior, for that is their part, but of esteem and respect, without which, indeed, love cannot consist, for we cannot love that which we do not in some good measure esteem. And care should be taken that they be not contemned and slighted, even because they are weaker; for, of all injuries, contempt is one of the most smarting and sensible, especially to weak persons, who feel most exactly the least touches of this. Omne infirmum naturá querulum; Every weak being is naturally peevish; whereas greater spirits are a little harder against opi