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THE RELATIVE DUTIES OF MANKIND. [Part III.

And further, “ Concerning the woman’s duty, it consists indoing whatsoever her husband commands, and so receives meas-ures from the rules of his government. Her first duty is obe-dience, which, because it is nowhere enjoined that the man shouldexact of her, but often commanded to her to pay, gives demon-stration that it is a voluntary cession that is required ; such acession, as must be without coercion and violence on his part,but on fair inducements and reasonableness in the thing, and outof love and honor on her part.” Again he says, quaintly enough,as elsewhere, “It is modesty to advance and highly to honorthem who have honored us (women) by making us to be the com-panions of their dearest excellences ; for the woman, that wentbefore the man in the way of death, is commanded to follow himin the way of love ; and that makes the society to be perfect,and the union profitable, and the harmony complete.” More-over he says, “ A wife never can become equal but by obeying ;but so her power, while it is in minority, makes up the authorityof the man integral, and becomes one government, as themselvesare one man.” “ She that hath a wise husband, must enticehim to an eternal dearness by the veil of modesty and the graverobes of chastity, the ornament of meekness, and the jewels offaith and charity ; she must have no coloring but blushings, herbrightness must be purity, and she must shine round about withsweetnesses and friendship, and she shall be pleasant while shelives, and desired (lamented) when she dies.”* It would havebeen wrong, not to have availed myself of the authority of thiscelebrated divine, whose sentiments are as excellent as his styleis copious and happy.f

SECTION II.

The relation of parents and children is the next of the domes-tic relations in intimacy, and the mutual duties growing out of itare of the utmost importance. Children are universally felt tobe the first hope and highest interest of their parents. Theybear their names, reflect their qualities, and are destined to inherit

* Sermons on the Wedding' Ring.

t See Brown’s Philosophy of the Human Mind, Vol. HI. pp. 377-383.