JOHN CALVIN: 'THE TRUE CALLING OF WOMEN' (3)

Posted at Purely Presbyterian:

John Calvin
The 19th Sermon
upon the second chapter of 1 Timothy

[Part Three]

A comfort: “Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing“

Now let us come to that which followeth: “That the woman shall be saved by bearing of children, so that,” saith he, “she abide in the faith, and charity, and in holy life and modesty.“

It is not without cause, that Paul addeth this comfort, to soften this heaviness which women might have conceived by that which he said before [1 Tim. 2.14], to wit, that they in the person of Eve are the cause of the Fall, which is so miserable, as we see in all mankind. We are cursed of God, we are children of wrath, the devil ruleth over us, we are in slavery to everlasting death, there is nothing but corruption in our nature—to be short, we are clean over head and ears [i.e. hopeless]. And who is the cause of all this? The women: they are made faulty in this matter, and God pronounceth this sentence against them, to make them despair, if they have any fear, or do any[wise] at all apprehend the wrath of God. But as our Lord and God will have his creatures to be humbled, so will he not bring them into desperation, but will always have them to have some remedy. For after that he hath beaten them down, he lifteth them up again, as we have here an excellent example.

The pride of women was well condemned by Paul, when he shewed, that if they will needs brag and boast themselves, they should look upon Eve, who was the cause of all our undoing, and brought us to God’s curse, and under the tyranny of Satan—and that only by her pride. And seeing it is so, let women hold up their noses no more: for all their presumption is sufficiently beaten down here.

Yet it was to be feared (as I said) that women might despair, and be utterly cast down, as though God shut them out clean from salvation, as though he made them utterly unfit to trust in him. Therefore Paul addeth a good remedy, and meet for this purpose, and saith, that notwithstanding the evil that came from Eve, yet God will not put women clean out of hope. He thinketh it enough to bridle them, that they lift not up themselves, but rather humble themselves, and yet he calleth them unto him, and giveth them a means to return to the state from whence they fell—that is to say, saith he, “If they know their calling.“

“Childbearing“—synecdoche for the woman’s particular calling.

True it is that Paul setteth down one kind, which is “bearing of children,” but under this he comprehendeth that which he saith also precisely of the curse of the woman, in that she is subject to such pains. For we know that when women have conceived, they are not without pain and trouble. We see how often they are out of taste, and they have beside many other by-things and that more is, they know what pain it is to bear children. Cometh their time to lie down? They know what the curse of God importeth, which we have already touched. Then must they afterward have care and trouble both night and day, to nourish their children, that the meat which they take, may be turned into milk. I speak of women which are nurses—for Paul speaketh not here of these fine dames, which will be exempt from the condition of women—but of faithful women, which do their duty, and when they are mothers know what God hath made them subject unto, and take it patiently. So then we see that under one kind, Paul advertiseth women in this place, how that if they submit themselves willingly and patiently to that which God hath commanded them, and their state requireth, it is an acceptable sacrifice to God, and the curse which was laid upon all women in Eve’s person, is as it were taken away, for God receiveth them to his favour and love.

Source: https://purelypresbyterian.com/2020/05/23/the-true-calling-of-women-john-calvin/