properties and perfect offices of a laufull heade. For the same God that
hath denied power to the hand to speake, to the bely to heare, and to the
feet to see, hath denied to woman power to commande man, and hath taken
away wisdome to consider, and prouidence to forsee the thinges, that, be
profitable to the common welth: yea finallie he hath denied to her in any
case to be head to man: but plainly hath pronounced that man is head to
woman, euen as Christ is heade to all man[72]. If men in a blinde rage
shulde assemble to gether, and apointe them selues an other heade then
Iesus Christ (as the papistes haue done their romishe Antichrist) shuld
Christ therfore lose his owne dignitie, or shulde God geue that counterfet
head power to geue life to the bodie, to see what soeuer might endamage or
hurte it, to speake in defense, and to heare the request of euerie
subiect? It is certein that he wold not. For that honor he hath apointed
before all times to his onelie sonne: and the same will he geue to no
creature besides: no more will he admit, nor accept woman to be the lauful
head ouer man[73], althogh man, deuil, and angel will coniure in their
fauor. For seing he hath subiected her to one (as before is saide) he will
neuer permit her to reigne ouer manie. Seing he hath commanded her to
heare, and obey one, he will not suffre that she speake, and with vsurped
authoritie command realmes and nations. Chrysostome explaning these wordes
of the apostle[74]: (the heade of woman is man) compareth God in his
vniuersall regiment to a king sitting in his royall maiestie[75], to whome
all his subiectes commanded to geue homage and obedience, appeare before
him, bearing euerie one suche a badge and cognisance of dignitie and
honor, as he hath geuen to them: which if they despise and contemne, then
do they dishonor their king, Euen so saith he oght man and woman to
appeare before God, bearing the ensignes of the condition, whiche they
haue receiued of him. Man hath receiued a certein glorie and dignitie
aboue the, woman, and therfore oght he to appeare before his high
maiestie, bearing the signe of his honor, hauinge no couerture vpon his