As death and the curse came into the world by a woman, so also did life and health:  “God sent forth his Son, made of a woman.”  Yea, to show how much those that came after did abhor the act of the mother, this sex, in the Old Testament, coveted children, if happily this or that woman might be the mother of the Saviour of the world.  I will say again, that when the Saviour was come, woman rejoiced in him, before either man or angel.  I read not that ever man did give unto Christ so much as one groat; but the women followed him and ministered unto him of their substance.  It was a woman that washed his feet with tears, and a woman that anointed his body to the burial.  They were women that wept when he was going to the cross; and women that followed him from the cross, and that sat by his sepulchre when he was buried.  They were women that were first with him at his resurrection-morn, and women that brought tidings first to the disciples that he was risen from the dead.  Women therefore are highly favored, and show by these things that they are sharers with us in the grace of life.

All the glory of this world, had not Adam had a wife, could not have completed this man’s blessedness.  He would yet have been wanting.

The family.

A master of a family and a mistress of the same are those that are entrusted of God with those under their tuition and care to be brought up for him, be they children or servants.

Look to it and consider with thyself whether thou hast done such duty and service for God in this matter, that, setting common facilities aside, thou canst with good conscience lift up thy face unto God; the which to be sure thou canst by no means do, if iniquity to the utmost be not banished out of thy house.

And will it not be a sad complaint that thy servant shall take up against thee before the Judge, at the last day, that he learnt the way to destruction in thy house, who art a professor?  Servants, though themselves be carnal, expect, when they come into the house of professors, that there they shall see religion in spangling colors; but behold, when he enters thy door, he finds sin and wickedness there.  There is pride instead of humility, and height of raillery instead of meekness and holiness of mind.  He looked for a house full of virtue, and behold nothing but spider-webs; fair and plausible abroad, but like the sow in the mire at home.

“Bless me,” saith such a servant, “are these the religious people? are these the servants of God, where iniquity is made so much of and is so highly entertained?”

And now is his heart filled with prejudice against all religion, or else he turns hypocrite like his master and mistress, wearing, as they, a cloak of religion to cover all abroad, while all is naked and shameful at home.