Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him.—Rev. 1.7

[A Sermon on 1 Timothy 2:9-11, by John Calvin.]
 
¶ A   S E R M O N   O F   M A I S-
ter. Iohn Caluine, vpon the first Epistle of
Paul, to Timothie, published for the benefite and
edifying of the Churche of God.

Translated out of French
into English, by
L.T.

AT LONDON
Imprinted for G. Bishop
and T. Woodcoke
1 5 7 9.

The 17. Sermon vpon the second Chapter.
  1. Likewise also the women, that they aray themselues in comely apparall with shamefastnes and modestie, not with broided haire, or golde or pearles, or costly apparell,
  2. But (as becommeth women, that professe the feare of God,) with good works.
  3. Let the woman learn in silence with all subiection.
WE told you this morning, that Paul shewing the privilege that God hath given us to come to him, that we may familiarly call upon him, addeth, that we must prepare ourselves to all holiness. For it is not meet that we should come before God laden with corruption and filthiness: and therefore we must endeavour ourselves to be holy. Now this consisteth not in ceremonies, as in the time of the law, but in spirit and truth. And as before he commanded men to life up pure and clean hands to heaven, so now he saith, that if women will enjoy this so great and excellent a benefit, to be counted the daughters of God, that they may come unto him, as to their father, and have him for their refuge, They must apparel themselves modestly in comely apparel, and not in braided hair, & these trifling curiosities that women have, nor yet in sumptuousness of gold and precious stones, (For where Paul nameth pearls, he nameth one kind for all) to be short (saith he) let them shew a kind of appareling that is meet for women which make profession of the feare of God by good works. And thus we see what Paul's meaning is in this place. But peradventure a man would think, that he busieth himself about too pelting trifles, and such as are not worth speaking of, leaving greater virtues, & more meet to be stood upon.

And on the other side, a man might also ask this question, why he speaketh rather of women's apparel, then of men's. But let us mark that Paul's mind here is to touch a fault, which women are naturally inclined unto, & too much given to it, to wit, this foolish appetite that they have to shew themselves, and to be gorgeous and brave, that men may behold them afar off: because women are in that part faulty, Paul speaketh of it precisely & of purpose in this place. True it is, that if a woman keep herself from all tricking and trimming of her self, and apparel her self as modestly, as is possible, yet that is not all. Neither doth Paul rest himself there simply: for we shall see in the end how he concludeth, that women must apparel themselves in such sort, as they make profession of the fear of God by good works. Therefore the matter standeth not only in robes, or coats, and all such like, but generally, in the whole life. So then we see in sum what Paul's meaning is, to wit, that if women will call upon God purely, they must, beside the name of Christianity which they bear, have also the effect, & must shew by good works, that they have been taught in God's school. And let us take that word, before we come to any particular: for so doing we shall be better instructed in Paul's meaning, and gather also such instruction out of this text as is meet.

So then, even as he required men to lift up pure hands, So he saith, women must make profession of faith and fear of God, by good works. Now when he speaketh of giving witness of their faith, it is according to that, that we showed this morning, that is to say, that we cannot call upon God, unless we be grounded upon his word, and be well instructed. And is it so, that women have need as well as men to fly unto GOD? Then must they also be instructed in the Gospel. And in deed, GOD hath made no difference betwixt men and women, in giving them the doctrine of salvation, but his meaning was that this benefit and treasure, should be common as well to the one as the other: and so saith Peter also: that The inheritance of the kingdom of heaven is made common to us all, and God's meaning was to make men and women equal in this respect. So then let us mark first of all, that women are not exempt, but they must be taught & instructed in the word of God, & they that would deprive them of it, are thieves, yea & sacrilegers. Therefore seeing God doth call women to receive instruction at his holy mouth, let them not be negligent therein: but let them know, seeing GOD doeth them this honour, that of reason they ought to employ themselves to profit in it, so far forth as shall be meet for them. Now let us come to the second, which is this, That they must make confession of their faith by good works. When Paul speaketh thus, he meaneth that it is not sufficient to have this name, but our life must be a witness whether we be so or no. Therefore for proof of our faith, we must have good works, and this must be a notice & confirmation, that we prattle not in vain the word of God, & make only a show that we believe it, but that we have received it indeed, and that it hath taken root in us. True it is, that this belongeth both to men and women: but let us mark, that when Paul speaketh here of women, he bindeth men much more to make such declaration of their faith: for if there were any excuse to be had, no doubt it belongeth to women rather then to men, because of their infirmity. And indeed, these poor frail creatures are to be born withall.

But if the case stand so, that women, if they show not indeed that they are duly instructed in the word of God, and their life be not answerable to it, cannot excuse themselves, and the holy Ghost condemneth them here, what shall men do? Do they not deserve to be doubly condemned? And thus let us mark and bear it well away, that we play the false wretches in pretending GOD's name, unless we declare our faith by good works, and show that we have not received the gospel in vain. And now let us consider well in what time we are. Behold how God punisheth the Papists, because they boast themselves to be Christians, & yet their whole life is full of wickedness. And we may not marvel at it, if we see such a dangerous and horrible confusion in these poor ignorant men, which know not what good and pure doctrine meaneth: yet shall they be sure to pay for it, and that roundly, for their abusing of God's name after such a sort. But what shall become of us? For we pretend to be reformed: and there is nothing else in our mouths. And surely God was very gracious and merciful unto us, yea, more then we can think of, when it pleased him to lend us the true doctrine of his Gospel, and drew us out of the wicked & shameful corruptions wherein we lived. Therefore our life should shine as a lamp. But if we have the Gospel in our mouths, and in the mean while our lives be foul & filthy, and we run a wicked & naughty race, is there not I pray you an horrible vengeance prepared against us, for so falsifying this sacred title of the name of God? And therefore let us bear away well by this text, what the confession of faith importeth: not the speaking of the tongue only, but that our life be answerable thereunto, according as Paul saith, To make profession of Christianity by good works. Now if the case stand so, that we must make confession of our faith, or else we show that there is neither virtue nor working of the holy Ghost in us, we conclude, that they which renounce God by their works, show themselves sufficiently before men, to be but infidels. Neither may we fall to debating the matter, as we see many do, which will say and use these kinds of speeches, "As for me, I am as good a Christian as the best of them," But if we should lay forth their life before them, it would make them liars. For (as Paul saith) they renounce God by their wicked works: and therefore God for his part taketh them to be none of his, prattle they never so much. And thus much for one point.

Now after that Paul hath thus spoken of such a showing forth of their faith as women must make, he setteth down & showeth us that it is meet, their apparel be answerable thereunto: as if he should say, "If a woman apparel and attire herself after the manner of an harlot, & show a kind of unchasteness, both in her countenance and her garments, and other trimming of herself, is there not a jar [clashing], & doth she not seem to be at square with herself?" Can we say, that this her doing is a fit & seemly thing for a woman that maketh such a profession? No, no. So then seeing women must witness their faith by good works, it followeth also that they must apparel themselves soberly, and modestly. But let us now return to that which we have touched before, that is to say, that Paul sticketh not wholly upon garments, neither driveth only at them, as though that were all the matter he would command women to observe, and there were no other virtues to be required in them: but his mind was in this place to touch a vice which women are overmuch given unto, (as we said before,) and it is this curious trimming of themselves to be seen afar off. If we should go about to make a certain law for women's apparel, out of doubt it would hardly be brought to pass. True it is, that sometimes rulers of common weales which had the governance in their hands, were constrained somewhat to bridle them, and make moderation and stay in this behalf. For women have been so intemperate in all ages, and so burning & set on fire with this wicked affection and appetite, that rulers have been constrained to ordain pains and punishments to remedy this matter withal, and unless they had done so, they could never have come to any pass. Whereby we see, that this desire to deck & trim themselves which is in women, is as an horn mad beast, for that it cannot otherwise be suppressed & kept under, but by hampering of it with cords and chains. And therefore the very Heathen magistrates, & unbelievers, appointed certain laws and statutes for it: so that they which in these our ages, suffer so great & unmeasurable costliness in bravery, may be ashamed to give more liberty that kind of way than the heathen do. But as for our part we cannot make a certain law, to say, this is forbidden, this is suffered: to speak precisely and particularly of every piece. Well may we draw out a general doctrine, but if we would come to rifle up every little piece and baggage of women's apparel, what ado were it? We should never make an end & there is not so much as a pin, but it must be rifled up. Therefore we must be sober therein, & mark what God hath forbidden, & how he thought it enough to reprove the faults which are committed in this behalf.

And yet (as I said) we may well gather a sum by that which is showed us in his word. It is said here, that women must be comely appareled. Paul useth a word which betokeneth as much as an ornament: but it is to reprove more sharply this foolish & perverse desire wherewith women are thus set on fire: for they think, they can never be brave enough, unless they have too much. And therefore when women deck and trim themselves according to their fancy, they cannot but pass measure, they cannot but be gorgeous and full of vanity, carried away with ambition & vainglory. And therefore Paul showed on the contrary side, that whatsoever women have to deck themselves withal, which is more than enough, is a disguising which God condemneth, and they also disguise themselves as though they were in a mask, & should cloth themselves with men's apparel. And this is it which Paul meant, when he spake of this gorgeous apparel which women use, as if he should say, I know how women will deck and trim themselves superfluously, if they follow their own fancy: but this is as filth before God.

And therefore they must be appareled and decked after another sort. And how? He useth here two words: the one of them signifieth properly shame or bashfulness, and the other signifieth gravity or sobriety, & modesty. So that we have to mark well that Paul doth here point out as it were with the finger, the two faults that women have and are as it were the two wellsprings of all superfluities, which have reigned in the world through all ages, and bear great sway yet at this day. What moveth women to desire to be thus prancked and trimmed up and to have all shining and glistring about them? there are two causes: the one is ambition, that is to say, vainglory and pride, and the other is vanity, in that they love to be seen, and will always be fair. And this is oftentimes accompanied with a far greater mischief. For their meaning is not to please their husbands only, as this is a cloak wherewith they shroud themselves, but they will have these baits also to draw men to them, as we see many do. And these are the two faults which Paul reproveth in this place. Wherein he giveth us a very good & fit means to correct all excesses and all superfluities by, which are in women's apparel.

Let us begin with this word, shame and bashfulness. Paul meaneth that women must not be impudent, they must not be tomboys, to be short, they must not be unchaste, but must know what virtue is best befitting them, and doeth most become them, to wit, modesty in not shewing themselves too much, nor casting themselves at random.

If women were thus disposed, a great sort of these pelting baggage toys which we see, & a number of these trifling disguisings would no doubt be laid aside: we should not need many words, nor long brabling about the matter, to say, Is it lawful to have these earrings, to have such coiffs, to have such curling and braiding of hair, to have golden chains, bracelets, tablets, and such like? And why so? For a woman would think thus: I must be modest to obey GOD, I must be shamefast and bashful: for this is the true decking of a woman that feareth God. Therefore if women were thus advised, out of doubt all this superfluity would vanish away, as I have said before.

But what? women are nowadays more out of square, then ever they were: especially if a man go to these great courts, hardly shall he be able to find any difference betwixt men and women. Indeed men for their part do also abuse themselves in this behalf. For they cloth themselves in women's apparel, & women in men's, so that there is an horrible confusion amongst them, as if the world had conspired to turn the order of nature upside-down: and beside this, there is a certain gorgeous bravery amongst them which they lust after. And why so? Surely to be as it were an ale pole. Men use not to hang out a sign at a tavern, unless they meant men should come in who list. And while women deck and trim themselves after this sort, to draw men's eyes to them, and to have men stand gazing at them, what is this else but a spreading out of their nets? & therefore it is as much as if they kept open tavern of their own bodies. True it is, that all of them will not do so: but this is the end of their prancking, and it is not almost to be found, but that such gorgeous deckings, and such braveries do always bear one smack of bawdery with them although whoredom do not always follow. So then let us mark well, when Paul speaketh of this, shamefastness and modesty, that in correcting one fault he taketh away all those superfluities wherewith women are so set on fire, that they can keep no measure in them, & therefore it booteth not now, to reckon them up by piecemeal. And if this affection and perverse desire were well purged, no doubt women would deck themselves modestly, and we should see no more of these disguisings. See there cometh out a woman like a painted idol;—all our age is full of colours, there is nothing but laying on of gold, perukes and false hairs, and such like: again, we see such pomp, and bravery, that when such a Diana cometh forth, we may well judge and think that she is at defiance with all shame, with all modesty, with all honesty, as a stews, & strumpet, ready to say on this wise: "I will show myself here as a salt bitch, I will be impudent and shameless, and show my filthiness to all the world." We should I say, see no more of these things. If women observe this rule of modesty, they would not be so bespangled with gold as they are, they would not have their heads uncovered as now they have: to be short, they would not so exceed measure in gorgeousness as they do, wherein they do but fight against modesty & honesty, which Paul speaketh of in this place, if all this (as I said) were cut off. But what? We see our women have not yet learned this lesson, profess they Christianity never so much. Neither may we stand upon these terms, "These things are indifferent," (as many use this subtlety to cloak their doings withal,) "hath not God left these things in man's choice, whether he will deck himself or not? And must we scan out matters so narrowly, & be so scrupulous for this point, that there can not be a sleeve, nor a gorget, but men must busy themselves therein to know which piece is more out of square than other? And what for all this? are they not deckings and settings forth of the body?" Yes, what then? As though all liberty were taken from us, if we should use modesty? As for example there is one amongst us, that can use his goods aright, and order them in such sort, that he will play the good husband with them, and will not wastefully spend them, well, he shall have liberty, his goods shall be given him into his hands. But as for a child that knoweth not how to use money, is it reason think you to give all into his hands, to dispose of them as he shall think good? Not so: but they shall be kept until he come to age. In like sort, shall a madman or fool have the using of his goods in his own hands, although he be rich? Is he to be suffered to use his goods according to his own fantasy? No, no: Let us learn therefore, seeing God hath been so good and gracious to us, as to give us liberty to use these things, that is to say, apparel, and meat, & drink, let us learn I say, to have this modesty in us, that we may bridle ourselves, & be, as we had an overseer to rule and govern us. And this is it in few words which we have to bear away.

There is moreover, and besides this, ambition and pride. For women may apparel themselves as harlots, and yet not very sumptuously neither. A woman may have a gown that shall not be very costly, she may have no gold nor precious stones about her, and yet it is not to be said that she is not excessive, and wanting measure or superfluous. And why so? because her fashion may be unchaste, whorish, and enticing. And this is the first fault. But yet there is another, and it is this, women may apparel themselves modestly, without this shameless and impudent gorgeousness which I have spoken of, and yet we may see a bravery and pomp in them, as who would say, Men shall well understand that I can be brave if I list [if I wish], so that a woman may deck herself simply, and not make the matter so fine and curious as commonly they do, neither have these little trifling baggages which we have spoken of, and yet it is not to be said, that she shall not be condemned before God. And why so? for if this vanity, which we have spoken of, be a fault to be condemned what shall we think of pride? What shall become of this high-mindedness, when women will needs be known to be something? So then behold the second point, which we must a little consider of. For it is not enough, that a woman's apparel be not too much out of square, or that God condemneth it, but there must be also a moderation, and modesty to correct this ambition, and high-mindedness and gorgeousness withal. But (as I said before) if we would narrowly rip up all these trifles, from the pantofles [slippers] to the hood, we could not do it: but let every woman consider herself, & think with herself, "Go to, although I be not so foolish as to trick up myself to be seen, yet am I not void of pride, for I would have a gown more brave and sumptuous than other women have, that men might know me." Therefore let every women consider herself well and examine these two faults. For the holy Ghost is wise enough to reform us. And we see that he hath brought us to these two springs: And if we could find the means to heal such diseases, out of doubt we should no more see such excessive gorgeousness, there would be no more such glistering & shining as is amongst us. This is it in few words, we have to mark. And if this be commanded women, by more strong reason, it is likewise commanded men: for if the faults which Paul condemneth were to be born withal, women were rather to be excused than men. And therefore we see, how God speaketh, who is the judge. Therefore let men learn to apparel themselves both soberly and modestly, so that pride and vanity may be cut off in them.

Pride, I say, that we desire not by our brave garments to commend and set forth ourselves above other, and moreover that we have none of these curious braveries to make us glister and shine as though we should stretch out our wings as Peacocks, thereby to look upon ourselves: let these faults be corrected in us. For there is nothing that displeaseth God more than pride & this high-mindedness, and ambition, as who would say, "I will show who I am, and when men shall see me, they will say, I am of some countenance and worship." And surely this is not small fault, for it cannot be, when we are thus puffed up and proud, but this foolish curiosity must proceed from this spring. And therefore let us not say, that these are small and light sins, but let us weigh them in God's balance, and then we shall see what account the matter is of, & what it importeth. And surely we see when GOD so sharply reproveth the vanity that was in women, in the Prophet Isaiah's time [Isaiah 3], that he threateneth them with an horrible punishment, he doeth it not without cause: yea, and the Prophet although he had not been amongst the women in their closets to inquire of all that baggage, yet he discifereth by piecemeal all those trumperies, and useth a great sort of words, to set forth all those superfluities which were in women. And addeth afterwards, that God will shave their hairy scalps, and they shall go bald, he will cut their garments even to their thighs, and will discover all their shame, so that they shall be a mock and reproach to all the world. When we see that God useth such hard threats, & mocks at it, to see women so decked, that they bestow all their time almost to pranck up themselves so diligently, seeing, (I say,) he marketh it, and writeth it as it were in his tables, know we that when such superfluities reign amongst us, if we will not correct them of our own minds, God will and must use a violent remedy. And therefore let us mark, that it is not without cause that Paul standeth upon this point, especially seeing it is a fault that hath reigned in all ages: & again, because it proceedeth from two so wicked springs, which displease God more than any thing else: to wit, from this vanity, when we are drunken with our follies, & from pride, when we pranck up ourselves to have all the world gaze upon us, & to make account of us.

This being so, we see now what instruction we have to gather out of this text, I mean, both men and women. Let women know and be thus persuaded, seeing the holy Ghost doth thus direct his talk to us (not only in this text, but also in many other place of holy writ, as in the third of the first Epistle of Peter and in the place of Isaiah, which we alleged before, and many other,) we must consider wherefore it is that God stirreth us up & exhorteth us to such modesty and sobriety: no doubt, because we are too superfluous in decking ourselves, & it is very hard to amend this fault. And therefore seeing we know the disease, we must come and seek the remedy. Therefore when women shall perceive both this pride and this vanity, they must fight against it, and come to these virtues which Paul speaketh of, to wit, to modesty, & moderation.

As touching modesty, they must be bashful and honest, they must bridle themselves, they must not covet to be seen, nor have any great garishness about them: again there must be moderation also, that is to say, they must be humble, and not give themselves to this high-mindedness, & this ambition, which is against the moderation and sobriety that Paul speaketh of. And let men also consider, for their part, wherefore apparel was made, to wit, for two causes. For there is both honesty & necessity. The necessity is in keeping us from heat & cold: the honesty is in covering us, yea in such sort, that our covering be decent and meet. As for necessity, we can easily keep a rule, for as we see that meat & drink are for our nourishment and feeding, in like sort our garments, that we do not retchlesly [recklessly] give over ourselves to suffer cold and heat.

But as for honesty, we keep no measure therein, so that we may well seem to be at defiance with God and to what end serveth the honesty? Had it not been for the sin of man we should not have been ashamed to be naked.

And how cometh it to pass that we carry our shame about with us, but only that it pleased God to set a mark upon us, as if an evildoer should be burnt with an hot iron, as who would say, Thou shall be known to be a naughty pack by thy forehead. So hath our Lord God imprinted in men's and women's bodies, a shame and filthiness which causeth us to hide ourselves. And therefore when men and women do so superfluously and excessively pranck themselves, and stretch out their wings as Peacocks, do they not I pray you, fight against the order of nature? mean they not to despite God, and show that they be not ashamed of their sin? And this is it we have to consider of. Yet let us mark what is written in Peter, to wit, that our decking is inward. For if we would think upon this, to deck ourselves before God and his Angels, we should not have so much leisure to seek pranckings for the body. He that hath so great a care, to be so well appareled and so well trimmed, showeth that his soul is very roustie, & full of filth, and that he hath not great care to make it clean, & to keep it upright.

Therefore if we will be honest in our apparel, what must we do? Let us mark well what Peter saith, where he showeth us, how God will have us to be decked and trimmed before him. And wherewith? With humbleness, with modesty, with sobriety, with moderation, with patience and all such like. Yea, when we have put off all our sins, and wicked desires, then the holy Ghost reigneth in us, and these are the ornaments which are so often spoken of, that the Church shall be decked with precious stones, there shall be nothing but gold and silver, whereby we are given to understand, that GOD will have us decked with graces and gifts of his holy Ghost, and therein it is that we must take pains. Therefore let us think upon it, and then it shall not be hard for us to hold ourselves back from all these unmeasurable fashions, whereunto the worldlings are too much given, because they have nothing else to do. And let us mark well, that all they that think upon nothing else, but upon prancking up themselves, have no care of their souls, neither pass they to deck themselves before God and in their souls.

And yet it is that (as I said) that we should most of all see unto: and we see what is said unto us in that Scripture [Romans 3.14] that our Lord hath not left us naked. For he hath not only promised us to clothe us with the graces of his holy spirit, but he hath given us Jesus Christ to set us forth withall, whom we must put on. Therefore if we were once resolved of this point, we shall easily pass through the world, and never encumber ourselves with many superfluities. Moreover, (as I said before) if these two wicked roots be once plucked out of us, we shall need no excess nor sumptuousness, it will suffice us to be clothed with the gifts and graces of the spirit of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our true decking as I said before. After that Paul hath spoken of women's appareling, he addeth. Let them learn in silence and quietness with all subjection. And this is precisely spoken, because there are many women, that would be wiser, and desire to seem far better than men. We see, (I say,) this foolish ambition, and this is to fight against nature. And therefore when Paul had touched one fault, which women are too much given to, he addeth also another. For he will show the reasons afterward, why women should hold their peace, and should learn, and take no public authority upon them: but let us content ourselves here that he respecteth that which was to be corrected in women, and also is chiefly to be cut off. As a Physician, when he seeth any part of the body, where the disease is rooted, he goeth to that. If a man come & ask counsel, and saith, my head acheth, this aileth me, and that aileth me, the Physician will mark whence the cause is, and thereunto will apply such remedies as are meet. And the holy Ghost who is a good Physician for all spiritual sins, doth also give us remedies which are meet for us.

And therefore, Paul, after that he had corrected this vanity which is in women touching their apparel, addeth also this correction against the pride and desire that is in them, to make themselves seem somewhat. And it is like that in those days, (as we see it came to pass in the City of Corinth) there were some women very far out of square. For under a pretence that God had done them this honour, to make them partakers of his word, and to call them to one and the selfsame inheritance of life, they thought they should be no longer subject to men. And if this foolish rashness of women was already in Corinth, (as we shall see in the text of Paul which we must expound more at large) it cannot be also, but there was the like pride and presumption in the women of Ephesus, & those quarters thereabout. The like we may think of this curiosity of garments. For we know that this country of Asia was very superfluous and had more sumptuousness by a great deal, than these quarters: and therefore they needed remedies. And this is the reason that moved Paul to speak thus, Let women learn in silence with all subjection. True it is, that men also, to speak generally, must receive this lesson as well as women: that is to say, to learn with all subjection and quietness: for we are all God's scholars. And let this be one lesson.

Therefore whosoever refuseth to profit and to be taught, he can not bear the yoke of Jesus Christ, and will not be of his flock. For if we be sheep, we must hear the voice of our shepherd, and we know that Jesus Christ hath called us unto him upon this condition, that we should profit in his school so long as we live. Therefore this is not only for women that they should learn, but men have their part in it also. He that thinketh himself so wise, that he hath not more need to learn, is a fool: yea, a very bedlam. For this is our true wisdom, to know that we are ignorant, to the end that we may be daily more and more confirmed in good doctrine.

And therefore let us not think that men and women differ herein, that women learn: no man may think himself exempt out of this rule. As for example, it is mine office to teach, but is it therefore to be said, that I must not also learn as well as the other? I am not exempt from the common sort of men, as who would say, I should not be Jesus Christ's disciple: woe be unto me, if at any time I go up into the Pulpit, to teach the doctrine of salvation, if for my part I do not profit by it. Therefore he that speaketh, and they that hear, must be all generally taught: but the woman hath this condition diverse, that she must learn, and not have the office of teaching. And therefore Paul addeth in silence with all subjection. Men must be subject, and with a quiet and peaceable heart profit in the word of GOD: for we shall not all of us be called to this office of teaching, it is sufficient that there be a few, and that the other hear in silence: and if there be any so proud, that they will not suffer themselves to be taught, let them go and be Satan's scholars, that is to say, let him make them blind, and bewitch them, to make them very stocks. So then let us mark well, that if we will profit in God's school, as well men as women, we must have this subjection, and peaceable spirit which we have spoken of. But (as I said before) women must know that GOD putteth them yet under another subjection, to wit, that they are not to exercise the office of teaching, and it belongeth not to them to meddle with it. And why so? The reasons shall be showed afterward as we said: let it be sufficient for them that it is the holy ghost that speaketh here.

For if women will teach, by what authority will they do it? if they be not sent of God, we must refuse them, and detest them, even as men: if a man be not called of God, and have not an express calling we must in no wise hear him. What shall become of women then, which are utterly shut out? And this is it in few words, we have to note in this text, waiting for the rest. And so, although Paul direct himself precisely to women, yet must men profit in this instruction, and every one of us must gather his part, so that we are all warned to be modest and discrete, and to behave ourselves honestly as well in our garments, as in all other points, and to walk in such mildness, that we swerve not from the obedience of our God, but that from day to day we profit in his word, seeing he is so good unto us, to instruct us in it.

Nowe let vs fall dowe before the face of our good GOD, with confession of our faults, and pray him to make vs feele them in such sort, that we may learne to displease our selues in them more and more, and so examine our selues, that wee may discouer all
the hypocrisie that is in vs, and that wee bee no more giuen to flatter our selues, but
seeke the remedies whiche GOD hath giuen vs, to the ende that with all sobernesse
and modestie, wee may marche one to euerlasting life, passing so speedely this
frayle life, that wee be not incombered in those thinges whiche vsually hinder
vs, to turne vs away from the right way of saluation, but that we may profite
therein, more and more, vntill God hath taken away the corruptiós of
our fleshe from vs, to clothe vs with this heauenly glorie,
whereunto we striue. And that he bee so gratious
not vnto vs onely, but to all people and
nations of the earth
&c.