Chap. 5:22, 23, 24. Wives, Submit Yourselves Unto Your Own Husbands, As Unto The Lord. For The Husband Is The Head Of Th
HOMILY XX
CHAP. 5:22, 23, 24. WIVES, SUBMIT YOURSELVES UNTO YOUR OWN HUSBANDS, AS UNTO THE LORD. FOR THE HUSBAND IS THE HEAD OF THE WIFE, EVEN AS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH: AND HE IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE BODY. THEREFORE AS THE CHURCH IS SUBJECT UNTO CHRIST, SO LET THE WIVES BE TO THEIR OWN HUSBANDS IN EVERY THING.
A certain wise man, setting down a number of things in the rank of blessings, set down this also in the rank of a blessing, A wife agreeing with her husband. And elsewhere again he sets it down among blessings, that a woman should dwell in harmony with her husband. And indeed from the beginning, God appears to have made special provision for this union; and discoursing of the twain as one, He said thus, Male and female created He them; and again, There is neither male nor female. For there is no relationship between man and man so close as that between man and wife, if they be joined together as they should be. And therefore a certain blessed man too, when he would express surpassing love, and was mourning for one that was dear to him, and as his own soul, did not mention father, nor mother, nor child, nor brother, nor friend, but what? Thy love, saith he, fell upon me, as the love of women. For indeed, in very deed, this love is of all empires the most absolute: for others indeed may be strong, but this passion has not only strength, but unfadingness. For there is a certain love deeply seated in our nature, which imperceptibly to ourselves knits together these bodies of ours. Thus even from the very beginning, from man sprang woman, and afterwards from man and woman sprang both man and woman. Perceivest thou the close bond and connection? And how that God suffered not any extraneous nature to enter in from without? And mark, how many providential arrangements He made. He permitted the man to marry his own sister; or rather not his sister, but his daughter; nay, nor yet his daughter, but something more than his daughter, even his own flesh. And thus the whole He framed from one beginning, gathering all together, like stones in a building, into one. For neither on the one hand did He form her from without, that the man might not feel towards her as towards an alien; nor again did He confine marriage to her, that man might not, by contracting himself, and making all centre in himself, be cut off from the rest. Thus as in the case of plants, they are of all others the best, which have but a single stem, and spread out into a number of branches; (since were all confined to the root alone, all would come to nothing, whereas again had it a number of roots the tree would be no longer beautiful;) so, I say, is the case here also. From Adam singly he made the whole race to spring, preventing them by the strongest necessity from being ever torn asunder, or separated; and afterwards, making it more restricted, he no longer allowed sisters and daughters to be wives, that we may not in a reverse way contract our love to one point, and thus in another manner be cut off from one another. Hence Christ said, He which made them from the beginning, made them male and female.
For great evils are hence produced, and great benefits, both to families and to states. For there is nothing which so tempers our life together as the love of man and wife. For this many will lay aside even their arms, for this they will give up life itself. And Paul would never without a reason and without an object have spent so much pains on this subject, as when he says here, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. And why so? Because when they are in harmony, the children too are well brought up, and the domestics are in good order, and neighbours, and friends, and relations partake of the fragrance. But if it be otherwise, all is turned upside down, and thrown into confusion. And just as when the generals of an army are at peace one with another, all things are in due subordination, whereas on the other hand, if they are at variance, every thing is turned upside down; so, I say, is it also here. Wherefore, saith he, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Yet how strange! for how then is it, Lord, that Thou sayest elsewhere, ‘If one bid not farewell both to wife and to husband, he cannot follow me?’ For if it is their duty to submit themselves, as unto the Lord, how saith He, that they must depart from them for the Lord’s sake? Yet their duty indeed it is, their bounden duty. But the word as is not necessarily and universally expressive of exact equality. He either means this, ‘as knowing that ye are servants to the Lord;’ (which by the way is what he says elsewhere, that, even though they do it not for the husband’s sake, yet must they primarily for the Lord’s sake;) or else he means, ‘when thou obeyest thy husband, think thou obeyest him as serving the Lord.’ For if he who resisteth these external authorities, those of governments, I mean, resisteth the ordinance of God, much more does she who submits not herself to her husband. Such, saith the Scripture, was God’s will from the beginning.
Let us take as our groundwork then, that the husband occupies the place of the head, and the wife the place of the body.
Ver. 23, 24. Then, to shew by arguments also that the husband is the head of the wife, he adds, as Christ also is of the Church, and He is the Saviour of the body. Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ, so also let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Then after saying, The husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is of the Church, he further adds, and He is the Saviour of the body. For indeed the head is the saving health of the body. He had already laid down beforehand for man and wife, the ground of their love, and their provident care, assigning to each their proper place, to the one that of authority and forethought, to the other that of submission. As then the Church, that is, both husbands and wives, is subject unto Christ, so also ye wives submit yourselves to your husbands, as unto God.
Ver. 25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church.
Thou hast heard how great the submission; thou hast extolled and marvelled at Paul, how, like an admirable and spiritual man, he tempers together our whole life. Thou didst well. But now hear what he also requires at thy hands; for again he is employing the same pattern.
Husbands, saith he, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church.
Thou hast seen the measure of obedience, hear also the measure of love. Wouldest thou have thy wife obedient unto thee, as the Church is to Christ? Take then thyself the same provident care for her, as Christ takes for the Church. Yea, even if it shall be needful for thee to give thy life for her, yea, and to be cut into ten thousand pieces, yea, and to endure and undergo any suffering whatever,—refuse it not. Though thou shouldest undergo all this, yet wilt thou not, no, not even then, have done any thing like Christ. For thou indeed art doing it for one to whom thou art already knit; but He for one who turned her back on Him and hated Him. In the same way then as He laid at His feet her who turned her back on Him, who hated, and spurned, and disdained Him, not by menaces, nor by violence, nor by terror, nor by any thing else of the kind, but by his unwearied affection; so also do thou behave thyself towards thy wife. Yea, though thou see her looking down upon thee, and disdaining, and scorning thee, yet by thy great thoughtfulness for her, by affection, by kindness, thou wilt be able to lay her beneath thy feet. For there is nothing more absolute than these chains, and especially for husband and wife. A servant, indeed, one will be able, perhaps, to bind down by fear; nay not even him, for he will soon start away and be gone. But the partner of one’s life, the mother of one’s children, the foundation of all one’s joy, one ought never to chain down by fear and menaces, but with love and good temper. For what sort of union is that, where the wife trembles at her husband? And what sort of pleasure will the husband himself enjoy, if he dwells with his wife as with a slave, and not as with a free-woman? Yea, though thou shouldest suffer any thing on her account, do not upbraid her; for neither did Christ do this.
Ver. 26. And gave Himself, he says, for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it.
So then she was unclean! So then she had blemishes, so then she was unsightly, so then she was worthless! Whatsoever kind of wife thou shalt take, yet shalt thou never take such a bride as the Church, when Christ took her, nor one so far removed from thee as the Church was from Christ. And yet for all that, He did not abhor her, nor loathed her for her surpassing deformity. Wouldest thou hear her deformity described? Hear what Paul saith, For ye were sometimes darkness. Didst thou see the blackness of her hue? What blacker than darkness? But look again at her boldness; living, saith he, in malice and envy. Look again at her impurity; disobedient, foolish. But what am I saying? She was both foolish, and of an evil tongue; and yet notwithstanding, though so many were her blemishes, yet did He give Himself up for her in her deformity, as for one in the bloom of youth, as for one dearly beloved, as for one of wonderful beauty. And it was in admiration of this that Paul said, For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; and again, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And though such as this He took her, He arrayed her in beauty, and washed her, and refused not even this, to give Himself for her.
Ver. 26, 27. That He might sanctify and cleanse her, he proceeds, by the laver of the water by the word; that He might present her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
By the laver He washeth her uncleanness. By the word, saith he. What word? In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And not simply hath He adorned her, but hath made her glorious, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. Let us then also seek after this beauty ourselves, and we shall be able to create it. Seek not thou at thy wife’s hands, things which are not hers. Seest thou that the Church had all things at her Lord’s hands? By Him was made glorious, by Him made without blemish? Turn not thy back on thy wife because of her deformity. Hear the Scripture that saith, The bee is little among such as fly, but her fruit is the chief of sweet things. She is of God’s fashioning. Thou reproachest not her, but Him that made her; what can the woman do? Praise her not for her beauty. Both that praise and that hatred alike, and this love, belong to unchastened souls. Seek thou for beauty of soul. Imitate the Bridegroom of the Church. Outward beauty is full of conceit and great license, and throws men into jealousy, and the thing often makes thee suspect monstrous things. But has it any pleasure? For the first or second month, perhaps, or at most for the year: but then no longer; the admiration by familiarity wastes away. Meanwhile the evils which arose from the beauty still abide, the pride, the folly, the contemptuousness. Whereas in one who is not such, there is nothing of this kind. But the love having begun on just grounds, still continues ardent, since its object is beauty, not of the body, but of the soul. What better, tell me, than heaven? What better than the stars? Tell me of what body you will, yet is there none so fair. Tell me of what eyes you will, yet are there none so sparkling. When these were created, the very Angels gazed with wonder, and we gaze with wonder now; yet not in the same degree as at first. Such is familiarity; things do not strike us in the same degree. How much more in the case of a wife! And if moreover disease come too, all is at once fled. Let us seek in a wife affectionateness, modest-mindedness, gentleness; these are the characteristics of beauty. But loveliness of person let us not seek, nor upbraid her upon these points, over which she has no power, nay, rather, let us not upbraid at all, (it were rudeness,) nor let us be impatient, nor sullen. Do ye not see how many, after living with beautiful wives, have ended their lives pitiably, and how many, who have lived with those of no great beauty, have run on to extreme old age with great enjoyment. Let us wipe off the spot that is within, let us smooth the wrinkles that are within, let us do away the blemishes that are on the soul. Such is the beauty God requires. Let us make her fair in God’s sight, not in our own. Let us not look for wealth, nor for that high-birth which is outward, but for that true nobility which is in the soul. Let no one be looking to get rich by a wife; for such riches are base and disgraceful; no, let no one look at all to get rich from this source. For they that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into foolish and hurtful lusts, and into destruction and perdition. Seek not therefore in thy wife abundance of wealth, and thou shalt find every thing else go well. Who, tell me, would overlook the most important things, to attend to those which are less so? And yet, alas! this is in every case our feeling. Yes, if we have a son, we concern ourselves not how he may be made virtuous, but how we may get him a rich wife; not how he may be well-mannered, but well-monied: if we follow a business, we enquire not how it may be clear of sin, but how it may bring us in most profit. And money is become every thing; and thus is every thing corrupted and ruined, because that passion possesses us.
Ver. 28. So ought men to love their wives, saith he, as their own bodies.
What, again, means this? To how much greater a similitude, and stronger example has he come; and not only so, but also to how much nearer and clearer an one, and to a fresh obligation. For that other one was of no very constraining force. And so, that no one may say, ‘but He was Christ, and was God, and gave Himself,’ he next conducts his argument on a fresh ground, saying, so ought men; because the thing is not a favour, but a debt. Then after saying, as their own bodies, he adds,
Ver. 29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it.
That is, tends it with exceeding care. And how is she his flesh? Hearken; This now is bone of my bone, saith Adam, and flesh of my flesh. And not only so, but also, they shall be, saith God, one flesh
Even as Christ the Church. Here he returns to the former example.
Ver. 30. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
How so? In that He was made of our substance, as Eve also was made flesh from the flesh of Adam. And well does he make mention of bones and flesh; for these are principal things about us, our flesh and bones. The one being laid underneath as a sort of foundation, the other as a superstructure. However it is clear as to the former case, but how can this latter be? As in that case, there is so close a relation, so, he would say, is there also here. What means, of His flesh? It means, really from Him. And how are we thus members of Christ? In that we have been begotten after Him. And how of His flesh? Ye know, as many as partake of the Mysteries. For from Him are we at once created anew. And how? Hear again this blessed saint, where he saith, Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same. Only here He imparts to us, not we to Him. How then are we of His flesh and of His bones? Some say that it is the blood and the water are meant, but it is not so. But what he means to express is this, that like as, without conjugal union, He was begotten of the Holy Ghost, so also are we begotten in the Laver. Mark, how many are the examples, to establish the faith of that conception. Oh, the madness of the heretics! That which is once born of water, whatever it is that is born, that they confess to be a true birth; but that we are made His body, that they admit not. And yet if we do not become so, how will the expression, of His flesh and of His bones, suit? But mark. Adam was created, Christ was born. From Adam’s side entered in corruption. From the side of Christ welled forth life. In Paradise sprang up death, in His Cross was effected its destruction. As then the Son of God is of our nature, so are we of His substance; and as He hath us in Himself, so also have we Him in us.
Ver. 31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Behold again a third ground of obligation; for he shews that a man leaving them that begat him, and from whom he was born, is knit to his wife; and that then the one flesh is, father, and mother, and the child, formed from the union of the two. For indeed by that union is the child produced, so that the three are one flesh. Thus then are we in relation to Christ; we become one flesh by participation, and we much more than the child. And why and how so? Because so it has been from the beginning.
Tell me not she is such a character, or such a character. Seest thou not that we have in our own flesh itself many defects? For one man, for instance, is lame, another has his feet distorted, another his hands withered, another some other member weak; and yet nevertheless he does not grieve at it, nor cut it off, but oftentimes prefers it even to the other. Naturally enough; for it is part of himself. As great therefore as is the love which each entertains towards himself, so great is that which he would have us entertain towards a wife. Not because we partake of the same nature; no, this ground of duty towards a wife is far greater than that; it is that there are not two bodies but one; he the head, she the body. And how saith he elsewhere, and the Head of Christ is God? This I too say, that as we are one body, so also are Christ and the Father One. And thus then is the Father also found to be our Head. He sets down two examples, that of the natural body, and that of Christ’s body. And hence he further adds,
Ver. 32. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.
What is this? A great mystery, he says, it is; that it was something great and wonderful, the blessed Moses, or rather God, intimated. For the present, however, saith he, I speak regarding Christ, both that He left the Father and came down, and came to the Bride, and became one Spirit. For he that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit. And well saith he, it is a great mystery. And then as though he were saying, ‘But still nevertheless the allegory does not destroy affection,’ he adds,
Ver. 33. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
For indeed, in very deed, a mystery it is, yea, a great mystery, that a man should leave him that gave him being, him that begat him, and that brought him up, and her that travailed with him and had sorrow, those who have bestowed upon him so many and great benefits, those with whom he has been in familiar intercourse, and be joined to one whom he never even saw, and who bears no relation to him, and should honour her before all others; a mystery it is indeed. And yet are parents not only not distressed when these events take place, but rather, when they do not take place; and are delighted when their wealth is spent and lavished upon it.—A great mystery indeed! and one that contains some hidden wisdom. Such Moses prophetically shewed it to be from the very first; such now also Paul proclaims it, where he saith, concerning Christ and the Church.
However not for the husband’s sake alone it is thus said, but for the wife’s sake also, that he cherish her as his own flesh, as Christ also the Church, and, that the wife reverence her husband. He is no longer setting down the duties of love only, but what? That she reverence her husband. The wife is a second authority; let not her then demand equality, for she is under the head; nor let him despise her as being in subjection, for she is the body; and if the head despise the body, it will itself also perish. But let him bring in love as a counterpoise to obedience; as is the case with the head and the body; the body yielding the hands, the feet, and all the rest of the members for service, the head providing for the body, and containing all feeling in itself. Nothing can be better than this union.
And yet how can there ever be love, one may say, where there is fear? It will exist there, I say, preeminently. For she that fears and reverences, loves also; and she that loves, fears and reverences him as being the head, and loves him as being a member, since the head itself is a member of the body at large. Hence he places the one in subjection, and the other in authority, that there may be peace; for where there is equality of ranks there can never be peace; neither where a house is a democracy, nor where all are rulers; but the ruling power must of necessity be one. And this is universally the case with matters referring to the body, inasmuch as when men are spiritual, there will be peace. There were five thousand souls, and not one of them said, that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they were subject one to another; an indication this of wisdom, and of the fear of God. The principle of love, however, he explains; that of fear he does not. And mark, how on that of love he enlarges, stating the arguments relating to Christ and those relating to one’s own flesh; the words, For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother. Whereas upon those drawn from fear he forbears to enlarge. And why so? Because he would rather that this prevail, this, namely, of love; for where this exists, every thing else follows of course, but where the other exists, not necessarily. For the man who loves his wife, even though he have not one extraordinarily tractable, still will bear with every thing. So difficult and impracticable is unanimity, where persons are not bound together by that love which is founded in supreme authority; at all events, fear will not necessarily effect this. Accordingly, he dwells the more upon this, which is the strong tie. And the wife who might seem to be the loser in that she was charged to fear is the gainer, because the principal duty, love, is charged upon the husband. ‘But what,’ one may say, ‘if a wife reverence me not?’ Never mind, thou art to love, fulfil thine own duty. For though others do not do theirs of course, we ought of course to do ours. For instance, he says, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. And what then if another submit not himself? Still obey thou the law of God. Just so, I say, is it also here. Let the wife at least, though she be not loved, still reverence notwithstanding, that nothing may lie at her door; and let the husband, though his wife reverence him not, still shew her love notwithstanding, that he himself be not wanting in any point. For each has received his own.
This then is a marriage according to Christ, a spiritual marriage, and a spiritual offspring, not of blood, nor of travail. Such also was that of Isaac. Hear how the Scripture saith, And it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Yea, a marriage it is, not of passion, nor of the flesh, but wholly spiritual, the soul united to God by an union unspeakable, and which He alone knoweth. Therefore he saith, He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Mark how earnestly he endeavours to unite both flesh with spirit, and spirit with spirit. And where are the heretics? Never surely, if marriage were a thing to be condemned, would he have called Christ and the Church a bride and bridegroom; never would he have brought forward by way of exhortation the words, A man shall leave his father and his mother; and again have added, that it was spoken concerning Christ and the Church. For of her it is that the Psalmist also saith, Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear, forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house. So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty. Therefore also Christ saith, I came forth from the Father, and am come. But when I say, that He left the Father, imagine not such a thing as takes place among men, a change of place; for just in the same way as the word go forth is used, not because He literally came forth, but because of His incarnation, so also is the expression, ‘He left the Father.’
Now why did he not say of the wife as well as of the husband, she shall be joined unto her husband? Why, I say, is this? Because he was discoursing concerning love, and was discoursing to the husband. For to her indeed he discourses concerning reverence, and says, the husband is the head of the wife, and again, Christ is the Head of the Church. Whereas to him he discourses concerning love, and commits to him this province, and charges him with the love, thus rivetting him and cementing him to her. For the man that leaves his father for the sake of his wife, and then again, leaves this very wife herself and forsakes her, what forbearance can he deserve?
Seest thou not how great a share of honour God would have her enjoy, in that he hath taken thee away from thy father, and hath linked thee to her? What then, a man may say, if our duty is done, and yet she does not follow the example? But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.
However, when thou hearest of fear, demand that fear which becomes a free woman, not as though thou wert exacting it of a slave. No, she is thine own body; and if thou do this, thou reproachest thyself in dishonouring thine own body. And of what nature is this fear? It is the not contradicting, the not rebelling, the not being fond of the preeminence. It is enough that fear be kept within these bounds. But if thou love, as thou art commanded, thou wilt make it yet greater. Or rather it will not be any longer by fear that thou wilt be doing this, but love itself will have its effect. The sex in a manner is but weak, and needs much support, much condescension.
But what however will they say, who are knit together in second marriages? I speak not at all in condemnation of them, God forbid; for the Apostle himself permits them.
However, supply her with every thing, and with even an excess of condescension. Do every thing and endure trouble for her sake. Necessity is laid upon thee.
Here he does not think it right to introduce his counsel, as he in many cases does, with examples from them that are without. That of Christ, so great and forcible, were alone enough; and more especially as regards the argument of subjection. A man shall leave, he saith, his father and his mother. Behold, this then is from without. But he does not say, and shall dwell with, but shall be joined unto, thus shewing the closeness of the union, and the fervent love. Nay, he is not content with this, but further by what he adds, he explains the subjection in such a way as that the twain appear no longer twain. They shall be, he does not say, ‘one spirit,’ he does not say ‘one soul,’ (for that is manifest, and is possible to any one,) but so as to be one flesh. She is a second authority, possessing indeed an authority, and a considerable equality of dignity; but at the same time the husband has somewhat of superiority. In this consists most chiefly the well-being of the house. For he took that former argument, the example of Christ, to shew that we ought not only to love, but also to govern; that she may be, saith he, holy and without blemish. But the word flesh has reference to love—and the word shall be joined, has in like manner reference to love. For if thou shalt make her holy and without blemish, every thing else will follow. Seek the things which are of God, and those which are of man will follow readily enough. Govern thy wife, and thus will the whole house be in harmony. Hear what Paul saith. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their own husbands at home. If we thus regulate our own houses, we shall be also fit for the management of the Church. For indeed a house is a little Church. Thus is it possible for us by becoming good husbands and wives, to surpass all others.
Consider Abraham, and Sarah, and Isaac, and the three hundred and eighteen born in his house. How the whole house was harmoniously knit together, how full was the whole of piety. She also fulfilled the Apostolic injunction, and reverenced her husband; for hear her own words, It hath not yet happened unto me even until now, and my lord is old also. And he again so loved her, that in all things he obeyed her commands. And the young child was virtuous, and the servants born in the house, they too were so excellent, that they refused not even to hazard their lives with their master; they delayed not, nor asked the reason. Nay, one of them, the chief, was so admirable, that he was even entrusted with the marriage of the only-begotten child, and with a journey into a foreign country. For just as with a general, when his soldiery also is well organized, the enemy has no quarter to attack; so, I say, is it also here: when husband and wife and children and servants are all interested in the same things, great is the harmony of the house. Since where this is not the case, the whole is oftentimes overthrown and broken up by one bad servant; and that single one will often sweep away and mar the whole.
MORAL. Let us then be very thoughtful both for our wives, and children, and servants; knowing that we shall thus be establishing for ourselves an easy government, and shall have our accounts with them gentle and lenient, and say, Behold I, and the children which God hath given me. If the husband command respect, and the head be honourable, then will the rest of the body sustain no violence. Now what is the wife’s fitting behaviour, and what the husband’s, he states accurately, charging her to reverence him as the head, and him to love her as a wife; but how, it may be said, can these things be? That they ought indeed so to be, he has proved. But how they can be so, I will tell you. They will, if we will despise money, if we will look but to one thing only, excellence of soul, if we will keep the fear of God before our eyes. For what he says in his discourse to servants, whatsoever any man doeth, whether it be good or evil, the same shall he receive of the Lord; this is also the case here. It is not therefore for her sake so much that he should love her, as for Christ’s sake. This, at least, he as much as intimates, in saying, as unto the Lord. So then do every thing, as in obedience to the Lord, and as doing every thing for His sake. This were enough to induce and to persuade us, and not to allow that there should be any irritation, and dissension. Let none be believed who should slander the husband to his wife; no, nor let the husband believe any thing at random against the wife, nor let the wife be without reason inquisitive about his goings out and his comings in. No, nor on any account let the husband ever render himself open to any suspicion whatever. For what, tell me, what if thou shalt devote thyself every day to thy friends, and every evening to thy wife, and not even thus be able to content her, and place thyself out of reach of suspicion? Though thy wife complain, yet be not annoyed—it is her love, not her folly—they are the complaints of fervent attachment, and ardent affection, and fear. Yes, she is afraid lest any one have stolen away her marriage bed, lest any one have injured her in that which is the summit of her blessings, lest any one have robbed her of her crown, lest any one have broken through her marriage chamber.
There is also another ground of petty jealousy. Let no body claim too much service of the servants, neither the husband from the maid-servant, nor the wife from the man-servant. For these things also are enough to beget suspicion. For consider, I say, that righteous household I spoke of. Sarah herself bade the patriarch take Hagar. She herself directed it, no one compelled her, nor did the husband attempt it; no although he had dragged on so long a period childless, yet he chose rather never to become a father, than to pain his wife. And yet even after all this, what said Sarah? The Lord judge between me and thee. Now, I say, had he been any one else, would he not have been moved to anger? Would he not also have stretched forth his hand, saying as it were, ‘What sayest thou? I had no desire to have any thing to do with the woman; it was all thine own doing; and dost thou turn again and accuse me?’—But no, he says nothing of the sort;—but what? Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. He delivered up the partner of his bed, that he might not grieve Sarah. And yet surely is there nothing greater than this as regards affection. For if partaking of the same table produces unanimity even in robbers towards their foes, (and the Psalmist saith, Who didst eat sweet food at the same table with me;) much more will the becoming one flesh—for such is the being the partner of the bed—be of necessity effectual to attach us. Yet did none of these things avail to overcome the just man; but he delivered Hagar up to his wife, to shew that nothing had been done by his own fault. Nay, and what is more, he sent her forth with child. Who would not have pitied one who had conceived a child by himself? Yet was the just man unmoved, for he set before every thing else the love he owed his wife.
Let us then imitate him ourselves. Let no one reproach his neighbour with his poverty; let no one be in love with money; and then all difficulties will be at an end.
Neither let a wife say to her husband, ‘Unmanly coward that thou art, full of sluggishness and dulness, and fast asleep! here is such an one, a low man, and of low parentage, who runs his risks, and makes his voyages, and has made a good fortune; and his wife wears her jewels, and goes out with her pair of milk-white mules, she rides about every where, she has troops of slaves, and a swarm of eunuchs, whilst thou art cowering down, and living to no purpose.’ Let not a wife say these things, nor any thing like them. For she is the body, not to dictate to the head, but to submit herself and obey. ‘But how,’ she will say, ‘is she to endure poverty? Where is she to look for consolation?’ Let her select and put beside her those who are poorer still. Let her again consider how many noble and high-born maidens have not only received nothing of their husbands, but have even given dowries to them, and have spent their all upon them. Let her reflect on the perils which attend such riches, and she will be well content with this retired life. Yes, and on the whole, if she is affectionately disposed towards her husband, she will utter nothing of the sort. No, she will rather choose to have him at her side gaining nothing, than gaining ten thousand talents of gold, accompanied with that care and anxiety which ever arise to wives from those distant voyages.
Neither, however, let the husband, when he hears these things, on the score of his having the supreme authority, betake himself to revilings and to blows; but let him exhort, let him admonish her, as being less perfect, let him over-persuade her with arguments. Let him never once lift his hand,—far be this from a noble spirit,—no, nor give expression to insults, or taunts, or revilings; but let him regulate and direct her as being wanting in wisdom. Yet how shall this be done? If she shall be instructed in the true riches, the heavenly wisdom, she will make no complaints like these. Let him teach her then, that poverty is no evil. Let him teach her, not by what he says only, but also by what he does. Let him teach her to despise glory; and then his wife will speak of nothing, and will desire nothing of the kind. Let him, as if he had an image given into his hands to mould, let him, from that very evening on which he first receives her into the bridal chamber, teach her temperance, gentleness, and how to live modestly, casting down the love of money at once from the outset, and from the very threshold. Let him discipline her in wisdom, and persuade her never to have bits of gold hanging at her ears, and down her cheeks, and laid round about her neck, nor laid up about the chamber, nor gold and costly tissues stored up. But let her dress be handsome, still let not what is handsome deviate into finery. No, leave these things to the people of the stage. Adorn thine house thyself with all possible neatness, so as rather to breathe an air of soberness than any other perfume. For hence will arise two or three good results. First then, the bride will not be grieved, when the apartments are opened, and the tissues, and the golden ornaments, and silver vessels, are sent back to their several owners. Next, the bridegroom will have no anxiety about the loss, nor for the security of the accumulated treasures. Thirdly again, in addition to this, which is the crown of all these benefits, by these very points he will be shewing his own judgment, that indeed he has no pleasure in any of these things, and that he will moreover put an end to every thing else in keeping with them, and will never so much as allow the existence either of dances, or of immodest songs. I am aware that I shall appear perhaps ridiculous to many persons, in laying down laws on such points. Still nevertheless, if ye will but listen to me, as time goes on, and ye shall reap the benefit of the practice, then ye will understand the advantage of it. And the laughter will pass off, and ye will laugh at the present fashion, and will see that the practice now is really that of silly children and of drunken men. Whereas what I recommend is the part of soberness, and wisdom, and of the sublimest way of life. What then do I say is our duty? Strip marriage of all those shameful, those Satanic strains, those immodest songs, those parties of profligate young men, and this will avail to chasten the spirit of thy bride. For she will at once thus reason with herself; ‘Wonderful! What a man is this? He is a philosopher; he regards the present life as nothing, he has brought me here into his house, to be a mother, to bring up his children, to keep his house.’ ‘Yes, but these are distasteful thoughts to a bride? Just for the first or second day;—but not afterwards; nay, she will even reap from them the greatest delight, and relieve herself of all suspicion. For a man who can endure neither pipers, nor dancers, nor broken songs, and that too at the very time of his wedding, that man will scarcely endure ever to do a foul deed, or to say a foul word. And then after this, when thou hast stripped the marriage of all these things, then take her, and form and mould her carefully, humouring on her bashfulness to a considerable length of time, and not destroying it suddenly. For even if the damsel be rather bold, yet for a time she will keep silence out of reverence for her husband, and feeling herself a novice in the circumstances. Thou then break not off this reserve too hastily, as intemperate husbands do, but encourage it for a length of time. For this will be a great advantage to thee. Meanwhile she will not complain, she will not find fault with any laws thou mayest frame for her. During that time therefore, during which shame, like a sort of bridle laid upon the soul, suffers her not to make any murmur, nor to complain of what is done, lay down all thy laws. For as soon as ever she acquires boldness, she will overturn and confound every thing with full security. When is there then another time so advantageous for forming a wife, as that during which she reverences her husband, and is still timid, and still shy? Then lay down all thy laws, and willing or unwilling, she will certainly obey them. But how shalt thou help spoiling her modesty? By shewing her that thou thyself art no less modest than she is, addressing to her but few words, and those too with great gravity and collectedness. Then entrust her with the discourses of wisdom, for her soul will receive them. And establish her in that loveliest habit, I mean modesty. If ye will, I will also tell you by way of specimen, what sort of language should be addressed to her. For if Paul shrank not from saying, Defraud not one another, and spoke the language of a bridesmaid, or rather not of a bridesmaid, but of a spiritual soul, much more will not we shrink from speaking. What then is the language we ought to address to her? With great delicacy then we may say to her, ‘I have taken thee, my child, to be partner of my life, and have brought thee in to share with me in the most honourable and closest ties, in my children, and the superintendence of my house. And what advice then shall I now recommend thee?’ But rather, first talk with her affectionately; for there is nothing that so contributes to persuade a hearer to admit the things that are said, as to be assured that they are said with hearty affection. How then art thou to shew that affection? By saying, ‘when it was in my power to take many to wife, both with better fortunes, and of noble family, yet I was enamoured of thee, and thy conversation, thy modesty, thy gentleness, and soberness of mind.’ Then immediately from these beginnings open the way to your discourse on true wisdom, and with some circumlocution make a protest against riches. For if you direct your argument all at once against riches, you will disgust her; but if you do it by taking an occasion, you will succeed entirely. For you will appear to be doing it in the way of defence, not as a morose sort of person, and forbidding, and over nice about trifles. But when you take occasion from what relates to herself, she will be even pleased. You will say then, (for I must now take up the discourse again,) that ‘whereas I might have married a rich woman, and with good fortune, I could not endure it. And why so? Not capriciously, and at random; but I was taught well and truly, that money is no real possession, but a most despicable thing, a thing which moreover belongs as well to thieves, and to harlots, and to plunderers of graves. So I gave up these things, and went on till I fell in with the excellence of thy soul, which I value above all gold. For a young damsel who is discreet and ingenuous, and whose heart is set on piety, is worth the whole world. For these reasons then, I courted thee, and I love thee, and prefer thee to my own soul. For the present life is nothing. And I pray, and beseech, and do all I can, that we may be counted worthy so to live in this present life, as that we may be able hereafter also in the world to come to be united to one another in perfect security. For our time here is brief and fleeting. But if we shall be counted worthy so to spend this life, and to be well-pleasing to God, then shall we ever be both with Christ and with each other, with more abundant pleasure. I value thy affection above all things, and nothing is so bitter or so painful to me, as ever to be at variance with thee. Yes, though it should be my lot to lose my all, and to become poorer than Irus, and undergo the extremest hazards, and suffer I know not what, all will be tolerable and endurable, so long as thy feelings are true towards me. And then will my children be most dear to me, whilst thou art affectionately disposed towards me. But thou must do these duties too.’ Then mingle also with your discourse the Apostle’s sayings, that ‘thus God would have our affections blended together; for listen to the Scripture, which saith, For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined unto his wife. Let us have no pretext for narrow-minded jealousy. Perish riches, and retinue of slaves, and all your outward pomps. To me this is more valuable than all.’ What weight of gold, what amount of treasures, are so dear to a wife as these words? Never fear that thy beloved one will ever rave against thee. No, she will own that thou lovest her. For courtezans indeed, who now attach themselves to one and now to another, would naturally enough be exasperated against their lovers, should they hear such expressions as these; but a free-born wife or a noble damsel would never be exasperated with such words; no, she will be so much the more subdued. Shew her too, that you set a high value on her company, and that you are more desirous to be at home for her sake, than in public places. And esteem her before all your friends, and above the children that are born of her, and let these very children be beloved by thee for her sake. If she does any good act, praise and admire it; if any foolish one, and such as girls may chance to do, advise and admonish. Condemn up and down all riches and extravagance, and gently point out the ornament that there is in neatness and in modesty; and be continually teaching her what is expedient.
Let your prayers be common. Let each go to Church; and let the husband ask his wife at home, and she again ask her husband, the account of the things which were said and read there. If any poverty should overtake you, allege those holy men, Paul and Peter, who were more glorious than any kings or rich men; and yet how did they spend their lives, yea, in hunger and in thirst. Teach her that there is nothing in life terrible, save only offending against God. If any marry thus, marry with these views, he will be but little inferior to solitaries; the married but little below the unmarried.
If thou hast a mind to give dinners, and to make entertainments, invite no immodest, no disorderly person; but if thou shouldest find any poor saint able to bless your house, able only just by setting his foot in it to bring in the whole blessing of God, invite him. And I would say moreover another thing. Let no one of you make it his endeavour to marry a rich woman, but much rather a poor one. When she comes in, she will not bring so sure a source of pleasure from her riches, as she will annoyance from her taunts, from her demanding more than she brought, from her insolence, her extravagance, her vexatious language. For she will say perhaps, ‘I have not yet spent any thing of thine, I am still wearing my own apparel, bought with what my parents settled upon me.’ What sayest thou, O woman? Still wearing thine own! And what can be more miserable than this language? Why, thou hast no longer a body of thine own, and hast thou money of thine own? After marriage ye are no longer twain, but are become one flesh, and are then your possessions twain, and not one? Oh! that love of money! Ye both are become one man, one living creature; and dost thou still talk of ‘mine own?’ Cursed and unhallowed word that it is, the devil introduced it. Things far nearer and dearer to us than these hath God made all common to us, and are these then not common? We cannot say, ‘my own light, my own sun, my own water:’ all our greater blessings are common, and are riches not so? Perish the riches ten thousand times over! Or rather not the riches, but those tempers of mind which know not how to make use of riches, and yet esteem them above all things.
Teach her these lessons also with the rest, but with all the attractiveness thou canst. For since the recommendation of virtue has in itself much that is stern, and especially to a young and tender damsel, whenever discourses on true wisdom are to be made, devise every method to make them attractive. And above all banish this notion from her soul, of ‘mine and thine.’ If she say the word ‘mine,’ say unto her, ‘What things dost thou call thine? For in truth I know not; I have nothing of mine own. How then speakest thou of ‘mine,’ when all things are thine? Freely grant her the word. Dost thou not perceive that such is our practice with children? When, whilst we are holding any thing, a child snatches it, and wishes again to get hold of the other thing, we allow it, and say, ‘Yes, and this is thine, and that is thine.’ The same also let us do with a wife; for her temper is more or less like a child’s; and if she says, ‘mine,’ say, ‘why all are thine, and I am thine.’ Nor is the expression one of flattery, but of exceeding wisdom. Thus wilt thou be able to abate her wrath, and put an end to her disappointment. For it is flattery when a man does an unworthy act with an evil object: whereas this is the highest philosophy. Say then, ‘even I am thine, my little child; this advice Paul gives me where he says, The husband hath no power over his own body, but the wife. If I have no power over my body, but thou hast, much more hast thou over my possessions.’ By saying these things thou wilt be setting her at rest, thou wilt have quenched the fire, thou wilt have shamed the devil, thou wilt have made her more thy slave than one bought with money, with this language thou wilt have bound her as with a spell. Thus then, by thine own language, teach her never to speak of ‘mine and thine.’ And again, never call her simply by her name, but with terms of endearment, with honour, with exceeding affection. Honour her, and she will not need honour from others; she will not want the glory that comes from others, if she enjoys that which comes from thee. Prefer her before all, on every account, both for her beauty, and her discernment, and extol her. Thus wilt thou persuade her to give heed to none that are without, but to scorn all the world except thyself. Teach her the fear of God, and all things will flow in smoothly to thee as from a fountain, and the house will be full of ten thousand blessings. If we seek the things that are incorruptible, these corruptible things will follow. For, saith He, seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. What sort of persons, think you, must the children of such parents be? What the servants of such masters? What all others who come near them? Will not they too eventually be loaded with blessings out of number? For generally the servants also have their characters formed after their master’s, and are fashioned after their humours, love the same objects, which they have been taught to love, speak the same language, and engage with them in the same pursuits. If thus we regulate ourselves, and attentively study the Scriptures, in most things we shall derive instruction from them. And thus shall be able to please God, and to pass through the whole of the present life virtuously, and to attain those blessings which are promised to those that love him, of which God grant that we may all be counted worthy, through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, together with the Holy Ghost, be unto the Father, glory, power, and honour, now, and ever, through all ages. Amen.