[print edition page number: 39]

Rachel Speght

A Muzzle for Melastomus,^[1] the Cynical Baiter of and Foulmouthed Barker against Eva’s^[2] Sex (1617)

Proverbs 18:22.
He that findeth a wife, findeth a good thing, and receiveth favor of the lord.

If lawful it be to compare the potter with his clay or the architect with the edifice, then may I (in some sort) resemble^[3] that love of God towards man in creating woman unto the affectionate care of Abraham for his son Isaac, who that he might not take to wife one of the daughters of the Canaanites, did provide him one of his own kindred.^[4]

Almighty God, who is rich in mercy,^[5] having made all things of nothing and created man in his own image, that is (as the Apostle expounds it) in wisdom, righteousness, and true holiness, making him Lord over all,^[6] to avoid that solitary condition that he^[7] was then in, having none to commerce or converse withal [40] but dumb creatures, it seemed good unto the Lord that as of every creature he had made male and female, and man only being alone without mate, so likewise to form a helpmeet for him.^[8] Adam for this cause being cast into a heavy sleep, God extracting a rib from his side thereof made, or built, woman, showing thereby that man was as an unperfect building afore woman was made and, bringing her unto Adam, united and married them together.^[9]

Thus the resplendent love of God toward man appeared in taking care to provide him a helper before he saw his own want^[10] and in providing him such a help as should be meet for him. Sovereignty had he over all creatures, and they were all serviceable unto him; but yet afore woman was formed, there was not a meet help found for Adam. Man’s worthiness not meriting this great favor at God’s hands, but his mercy only moving him thereunto, I may use those words which the Jews uttered when they saw Christ weep for Lazarus: “Behold how he loved him!”^[11] Behold, and that with good regard, God’s love! Yea his great love, which from the beginning he hath borne unto man, which, as it appears in all things, so next, his love in Christ Jesus apparently in this: that for man’s sake that he might not be a unity when all other creatures were for procreation dual, he created woman to be a solace unto him, to participate of his sorrows, partake of his pleasures, and as a good yoke-fellow bear part of his burden. Of the excellency of this structure (I mean of woman, whose foundation and original of creation was God’s love) do I intend to dilate.

Of woman’s excellency, with the causes of her creation, and of the sympathy which ought to be in man and wife each toward other.

The work of creation being finished, this approbation thereof was given by God himself: that all was very good.^[12] If all, then woman, who (excepting man) is the most excellent creature under the canopy of heaven. But if it be objected by any:^[13]

First, that woman, though created good, yet by giving ear to Satan’s temptations brought death and misery upon all her posterity.

Secondly, that Adam was not deceived, but that the woman was deceived and was in the transgression.^[14]

Thirdly, that Saint Paul saith, “It were good for a man not to touch a woman.”^[15]

Fourthly, and lastly, that of Solomon, who seems to speak against all of our sex: “I have found one man of a thousand, but a woman among them all have I not found,”^[16] whereof in its due place.

To the first of these objections I answer that Satan first assailed the woman because where the hedge is lowest, most easy it is to get over, and she being the weaker vessel^[17] was with more facility to be seduced, like as a crystal glass sooner receives a crack than a strong stone pot. Yet we shall find the offence of Adam and Eve almost to parallel. For as an ambitious desire of being made like unto God was the motive which caused her to eat, so likewise was it his, as may plainly appear by that ironica,^[18] “Behold, man is become as one of us.”^[19] Not that he was so indeed, but hereby his desire to attain a greater perfection than God had given him was reproved. Woman sinned, it is true, by her infidelity in not believing the Word of God, but giving credit to Satan’s fair promises, that she should not die.^[20] But so did the man too. And if Adam had not approved of that deed which Eve had done and been willing to tread the steps which she had gone, he being her head would have reproved her and have made the commandment a bit^[21] to restrain him from breaking his maker’s injunction. For if a man burn [42] his hand in the fire, the bellows that blowed the fire are not to be blamed, but himself rather, for not being careful to avoid the danger. Yet if the bellows had not blowed, the fire had not burnt. No more is woman simply to be condemned for man’s transgression, for by the free will which before his fall he enjoyed, he might have avoided and been free from being burnt or singed with that fire which was kindled by Satan and blown by Eve. It therefore served not his turn a whit afterwards to say, “The woman which thou gavest me, gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”^[22] For a penalty was inflicted upon him as well as on the woman, the punishment of her transgression being particular to her own sex and to none but the female kind, but for the sin of man the whole earth was cursed.^[23] And he being better able than the woman to have resisted temptation, because the stronger vessel,^[24] was first called to account to show that to whom much is given, of them much is required,^[25] and that he who was the sovereign of all creatures visible should have yielded greatest obedience to God.

True it is (as is already confessed) that woman first sinned, yet find we no mention of spiritual nakedness till man had sinned. Then it is said, “Their eyes were opened,” ^[26] the eyes of their mind and conscience, and then perceived they themselves naked, that is, not only bereft of that integrity which they originally had but felt the rebellion and disobedience of their members in the disordered motions of their now corrupt nature, which made them for shame to cover their nakedness. Then (and not afore) it is said that they saw it, as if sin were imperfect and unable to bring a deprivation of a blessing received, or death on all mankind, till man (in whom lay the active power of generation) had transgressed. The offence therefore of Adam and Eve is by Saint Austin thus distinguished, “the man sinned against God and himself, the woman against God, her self, and her husband.”^[27] Yet in her giving of the fruit to eat, had she no malicious intent towards [43] him, but did therein show a desire to make her husband partaker of that happiness, which she thought by their eating they should both have enjoyed. This her giving Adam of that sauce wherewith Satan had served her (whose sourness afore he had eaten she did not perceive) was that which made her sin to exceed him. Wherefore, that she might not of him who ought to honor her^[28] be abhorred, the first promise that was made in Paradise, God makes to woman: that by her seed should the serpent’s head be broken.^[29] Whereupon Adam calls her Hevah (“life”),^[30] that as the woman had been an occasion of his sin, so should woman bring forth the Savior from sin, which was in the fullness of time accomplished, by which was manifested that he is a Savior of believing women, no less than of men,^[31] that so the blame of sin may not be imputed to his creature,^[32] which is good, but to the will by which Eve sinned. And yet, by Christ’s assuming the shape of man was it declared that his mercy was equivalent to^[33] both sexes, so that by Hevah’s blessed seed (as Saint Paul affirms) it is brought to pass that “male and female are all one in Christ Jesus.”^[34]

To the second objection, I answer that the Apostle^[35] doth not hereby exempt man from sin, but only giveth to understand that the woman was the primary transgressor and not the man. But that man was not at all deceived, was far from his meaning, for he afterward expressly saith that as “in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.”^[36]

For the third objection, “It is good for a man not to touch a woman,”^[37] the Apostle makes it not a positive prohibition, but speaks it only because of the Corinths’ present necessity, who were then persecuted by the enemies of the [44] Church.^[38] For which cause, and no other, he saith: “Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife” (meaning whilst the time of these perturbations should continue in their heat). “But if thou art bound, seek not to be loosed. If thou marriest, thou sinnest not,” only increasest thy care. “For the married careth for the things of this world, and I wish that you were without care that ye might cleave fast unto the Lord without separation. For the time remaineth that they which have wives be as though they had none.” For the persecutors shall deprive you of them, either by imprisonment, banishment, or death, so that manifest it is that the Apostle doth not hereby forbid marriage, but only adviseth the Corinths to forbear a while, till God in mercy should curb the fury of their adversaries. For (as Eusebius writeth)^[39] Paul was afterward married himself, the which is very probable, being that interrogatively he saith, “Have we not power to lead about a wife, being a sister, as well as the rest of the Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas?”^[40]

The fourth and last objection is that of Solomon: “I have found one man among a thousand, but a woman among them all have I not found.”^[41] For answer of which, if we look into the story of his life, we shall find therein a commentary upon this enigmatical sentence included. For it is there said that Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, which number connexed^[42] make one thousand. These women turning his heart away from being perfect with the Lord his God,^[43] sufficient cause had he to say that among the said thousand women found he not one upright.^[44] He saith not that among a thousand women never any man found one worthy of commendation, but speaks in the first person singularly (“I have not found”), meaning in his own experience. For [45] this assertion is to be holden^[45] a part of the confession of his former follies and not otherwise, his repentance being the intended drift of Ecclesiastes.^[46]

Thus having (by God’s assistance) removed those stones whereat^[47] some have stumbled, others broken their shins, I will proceed toward the period of my intended task, which is to decipher^[48] the excellency of women, of whose creation I will, for order’s sake, observe. First, the efficient cause, which was God; secondly, the material cause, or that whereof she was made; thirdly, the formal cause, or fashion and proportion of her feature; fourthly and lastly, the final cause, the end or purpose for which she was made.^[49] To begin with the first.
The efficient cause of woman’s creation was Jehovah the Eternal, the truth of which is manifest in Moses his narrative of the six days’ works, where he saith, “God created them male and female.”^[50] And David exhorting all “the earth to sing unto the Lord” (meaning, by a metonymy,^[51] “earth,” all creatures that live on the earth, of what nation of sex so ever) gives this reason: “For the Lord hath made us.”^[52] That work then can not choose but be good, yea very good, which is wrought^[53] by so excellent a workman as the Lord, for be being a glorious Creator must needs effect a worthy creature. Bitter water cannot proceed from a pleasant sweet fountain, nor bad work from that workman which is perfectly good, and in propriety,^[54] none but he.^[55]

Secondly, the material cause, or matter whereof woman was made, was of a refined mold, if I may so speak. For man was created of the dust of the earth, but woman was made of a part of man after that he was a living soul.^[56] Yet was she not produced from Adam’s foot to be his too low inferior, nor from his head to be his superior, but from his side, near his heart, to be his equal, that where he is lord, she may be lady. And therefore saith God concerning man and woman jointly, “Let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the heaven, and over every beast that moveth upon the earth.”^[57] By which words he makes their authority equal and all creatures to be in subjection unto them both. This being rightly considered doth teach men to make such account of their wives, as Adam did of Eve: “This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.”^[58] As also, that they neither do or wish any more hurt unto them than unto their own bodies, for men ought to love their wives as themselves, because he that loves his wife loves himself,^[59] and never man hated his own flesh (which the woman is) unless a^[60] monster in nature.

Thirdly, the formal cause, fashion, and proportion of woman was excellent. For she was neither like the beasts of the earth, fowls of the air, fishes of the sea, or any other inferior creature, but man was the only object which she did resemble. For as God gave man a lofty countenance, that he might look up toward heaven, so did he likewise give unto woman. And as the temperature of man’s body is excellent, so is woman’s. For whereas other creatures, by reason of their gross humors,^[61] have excrements for their habit (as fowls, their feather; beasts, [47] their hair; fishes, their scales) man and woman only have their skin clear and smooth. And (that more is) in the Image of God were they both created.^[62] Yea and to be brief, all the parts of their bodies, both external and internal, were correspondent and meet^[63] each for other.

Fourthly and lastly, the final cause or end for which woman was made was to glorify God and to be a collateral companion^[64] for man to glorify God, in using her body and all the parts, powers, and faculties thereof as instruments for his honor. As with her voice to sound forth his praises, like Miriam and the rest of her company;^[65] with her tongue not to utter words of strife, but to give good counsel unto her husband, the which he must not despise. For Abraham was bidden to give ear to Sarah his wife.^[66] Pilate was willed by his wife not to have any hand in the condemning of Christ, and a sin it was in him that he listened not to her.^[67] Leah and Rachel counseled Jacob to do according to the word of the Lord,^[68] and the Shunamite put her husband in mind of harboring the prophet Elisha.^[69] Her hands should be open according to her ability in contributing towards God’s service, and distressed servants, like to that poor widow which cast two mites into the treasury;^[70] and as Mary Magdalene, Susanna, and Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward, with many others, which of their substance ministered unto Christ.^[71] Her heart should be a receptacle for God’s Word, like Mary that [48] treasured up the sayings of Christ in her heart.^[72] Her feet should be swift in going to seek the Lord in his sanctuary, as Mary Magdalene made haste to seek Christ at his sepulcher.^[73] Finally, no power external or internal ought woman to keep idle, but to employ it in some service of God, to the glory of her Creator and comfort of her own soul.

The other end for which woman was made was to be a companion and helper for man. And if she must be a helper, and but a helper, then are those husbands to be blamed which lay the whole burthen of domestical affairs and maintenance of the shoulders of their wives. For as yoke-fellows they are to sustain part of each other’s cares, griefs, and calamities. But as if two oxen be put in one yoke, the one being bigger than the other, the greater bears most weight. So the husband, being the stronger vessel, is to bear a greater burthen than his wife. And therefore the Lord said to Adam, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, till thou return to the dust.”^[74] And Saint Paul saith, “That he that provideth not for his household is worse than an infidel.”^[75] Nature hath taught senseless creatures to help one another, as the male pigeon, when his hen is weary with sitting on her eggs and comes off from them, supplies her place, that in her absence they may receive no harm until such time as she is fully refreshed. Of small birds, the cock always helps his hen to build her nest, and while she sits upon her eggs, he flies abroad to get meat for her, who cannot then provide any for her self. The crowing cockerel helps his hen to defend her chickens from peril and will endanger himself to save her and them from harm.^[76] Seeing then that these unreasonable creatures, by the instinct of nature, bear such affection each to other, that without any grudge they willingly, according to their kind, help one another, I may [49] reason à minore ad maius^[77] that much more should man and woman (which are reasonable creatures) be helpers each to other in all things lawful, they having the law of God to guide them, his Word to be a lantern unto their feet and a light unto their paths, by which they are excited^[78] to a far more mutual participation of each others’ burthen than other creatures. So that neither the wife may say to her husband, nor the husband unto his wife, “I have no need of thee,” no more than the members of the body may so say each to other, between whom there is such a sympathy that if one members suffer, all suffer with it.^[79] Therefore, though God bade Abraham forsake his country and kindred, yet he bade him not forsake his wife, who being “flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone,”^[80] was to be copartner with him of whatsoever did betide him, whether joy or sorrow.^[81] Wherefore Solomon saith, “Woe to him that is alone.” For when thoughts of discomfort, troubles of this world, and fear of dangers do possess him, he wants^[82] a companion to lift him up from the pit of perplexity into which he is fallen.^[83] For a good wife, saith Plautus, is the wealth of the mind and the welfare of the heart, and therefore a meet associate for her husband.^[84] And “woman,” saith Paul, “is the glory of the man.”^[85]

Marriage is a merry-age^[86] and this world’s Paradise, where there is mutual love. Our blessed Savior vouchsafed to honor a marriage with the first miracle that he wrought,^[87] unto which miracle matrimonial estate may not unfitly be [50] resembled. For as Christ turned water into wine,^[88] a far more excellent liquor, which, as the psalmist saith, “makes glad the heart of man,”^[89] so the single man is by marriage changed from a bachelor to a husband, a far more excellent title, from a solitary life unto a joyful union and conjunction, with such a creature as God hath made meet^[90] for man, for whom none was meet till she was made. The enjoying of this great blessing made Pericles more unwilling to part from his wife than to die for his country,^[91] and Antonius Pius to pour forth that pathetical exclamation against death for depriving him of his dearly beloved wife: “O cruel hard-hearted death in bereaving me of her whom I esteemed more than my own life!”^[92] “A virtuous woman,” saith Solomon, “is the crown of her husband.”^[93] By which metaphor he showeth both the excellency of such a wife and what account her husband is to make of her. For a king doth not trample his crown under his feet, but highly esteems of it, gently handles it, and carefully lays it up, as the evidence of his kingdom. And therefore when David destroyed Rabbah, he took off the crown from their king’s head.^[94] So husbands should not account their wives as their vassals, but as those that are heirs together of the grace of life,^[95] and with all lenity and mild persuasions set their feet in the right way, if they happen to tread awry, bearing with their infirmities, as Elkanah did with his wife’s barrenness.^[96]

The kingdom of God is compared unto the marriage of a king’s son.^[97] John calleth the conjunction of Christ and his chosen a marriage.^[98] And not few, but many times, doth our blessed Savior in the Canticles^[99] set forth his unspeakable love towards his Church under the title of a husband rejoicing with his wife, and often vouchsafeth to call her his sister and spouse, by which is showed that with “God is no respect of persons,” nations, or sexes.^[100] For whosoever, whether it be man or woman, that doth “believe in the Lord Jesus,” such “shall be saved.”^[101] And if God’s love even from the beginning had not been as great toward woman as to man, then would he not have preserved from the deluge of the old world as many women as men.^[102] Nor would Christ after his resurrection have appeared unto a woman first of all other, ^[103] had it not been to declare thereby that the benefits of his death and resurrection are as available by belief for women as for men. For he indifferently died for the one sex as well as the other. Yet a truth ungainsayable^[104] is it that the “man is the woman’s head,”^[105] but which title yet of supremacy, no authority hath he given him to domineer or basely command and employ his wife as a servant, but hereby is he taught the duties which he oweth unto her. For as the head of a man is the imaginer and contriver of projects profitable for the safety of his whole body, so the husband must protect and defend his wife from injuries. For he is her “head, as Christ is the head of his church,”^[106] which he entirely loveth, and for which he gave his very life, the dearest thing any man hath in this world.^[107] “Greater love than this hath no man, when he bestoweth his life for his friend,” saith our Savior.^[108] This precedent passeth all other patterns; it requireth great benignity and enjoineth an extraordinary affection. For “men must love their wives, even as Christ loved his Church.”^[109] Secondly, as the head doth not jar or contend with the members, which “being many,” as the apostle saith, “yet make but one body,”^[110] no more must the husband with the wife, but expelling all bitterness and cruelty he must live with her lovingly and religiously, ^[111] honoring her as the weaker vessel.^[112] Thirdly and lastly, as he is her head he must, by instruction, bring her to the knowledge of her Creator, that so she may be a fit stone for the Lord’s building. Women for this end must have an especial care to set their affections upon such as are able to teach them,^[113] that as they “grow in years, they may grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, our Lord.”^[114]

Thus if men would remember the duties they are to perform in being heads, some would not stand a tip-toe as they do, thinking themselves lords and rulers, and account every omission of performing whatsoever they command, whether lawful or not, to be matter of great disparagement and indignity done them. Whereas they should consider that women are enjoined to submit themselves unto their husbands no otherways than as to the Lord,^[115] so that from hence, for man, ariseth a lesson not be forgotten: that as the Lord commandeth nothing to be done but that which is right and good, no more must the husband. For if a wife fulfill the evil command of her husband, she obeys him as a tempter, as [53] Sapphira did Ananias.^[116] But lest I should seem too partial in praising women so much as I have (though no more then warrant from scripture doth allow), I add to the premises that I say not all women are virtuous, for then they should be more excellent than men, sith^[117] of Adam’s sons there was Cain as well as Abel, and of Noah’s, Cham as well as Sem.^[118] For that of men as of women, there are two sorts, namely good and bad, which in Matthew the five and twenty chapter, are comprehended under the name of sheep and goats.^[119] And if women were not sinful, then should they not need a Savior. But the Virgin Mary, a pattern of piety, “rejoiced in God her Savior,” ^[120] ergo, she was a sinner. In the Revelation, the church is called the spouse of Christ, ^[121] and in Zachariah, wickedness is called a woman,^[122] to show that of women there are both godly and ungodly. For Christ would not purge his floor if there were not chaff among the wheat,^[123] nor should gold need to be fined,^[124] if among it there were no dross. But far be it from anyone to condemn the righteous with the wicked,^[125] or good women with the bad (as the Baiter of women^[126] doth). For though there are some scabbed sheep in a flock, we must not therefore conclude all the rest to be mangy. And though some [54] men, through excess, abuse God’s creatures, we must not imagine that all men are gluttons, the which we may with as good reason do as condemn all women in general for the offences of some particulars. Of the good sort is it that I have in this book spoken, and so would I that all that read it should so understand me. For if otherwise I had done, I should have incurred that woe which by the prophet Isaiah is pronounced against them that “speak well of evil,”^[127] and should have “justified the wicked, which thing is abominable to the Lord.”^[128]