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SERMON XLIV.

Duties of Husbands and Wives.

EPHESIANS v. 22- -33.

Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands as unto the Lord; for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the Saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so let their wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies:-He that loveth his wife loveth himself;-for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church; for we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, let every one of us in particular so love his wife, even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

THE Apostle having, in the preceding part of this epistle, stated and inculcated the various duties, which Christians more generally owe to one another, comes now to the consideration of the relative and domestic duties.

In the words just read, he particularly explains and powerfully urges the duties of the conjugal relation.

As this is the first, so it is the most important relation, that ever existed in the human race; and the obligations arising from it, ought to be seriously considered and sacredly regarded. The happiness of the relation, its usefulness to civil and religious society, the honor of the family, the education of children, and the interest of religion in the world, much depend on the prudent and faithful discharge of the duties which the husband and wife owe to each other. Of these duties, there is no passage in scripture, which gives a clearer view than this before us. But while we attend to this,

we shall naturally introduce other passages relative to the same subject.

You will here observe,

That there are some duties which these correlates owe to each other in common.

That there are some particularly incumbent on the wife toward her husband. And,

That there are some especially incumbent on the husband toward his wife.

These several obligations I shall explain; and shall also apply in their place the arguments which the Apostle uses to enforce them.

I. I begin with those which are common to both

the correlates.

The husband and wife are, in some respects, equals. Hence there are several duties alike incumbent on both. The Apostle alluding to the union of the first pair, and to the first institution of marriage, says, "A man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be jointo his wife, and they two shall be one flesh."

This relation is founded in mutual consent; and the consent does, or ought to proceed from mutual affection, and to be preserved by mutual kindness.

As these relatives are one, and have one common interest, they ought to act with an undivided concern for the happiness of the family.

Being one flesh, they are to dwell together as heirs of the grace of life. The husband is not to put away his wife, nor she to depart from him.

They are alike bound to mutual fidelity and a chaste conversation. They are to avoid, not only the gross violations of the conjugal vow, but that light behavior and wanton language which indicate an impure mind, or which might insensibly transfer the affections to an unlawful object, or create the suspicion of a wandering desire.

They are under equal obligations to study each other's peace and comfort, to take part in each other's 'pains and distresses, to assist in each other's duties and services, and to support each other's reputation and honor. Every thing of this kind is comprised in the Apostle's direction, "To render to each other due benevolence."

The instruction and education of their children and domestics; the giving and receiving of seasonable advice; and praying with and for one another, are duties common to both, and implied in that expression of St. Peter, "that they live together as heirs of the grace of life, that so their prayers may not be hindered."

II. There are some duties peculiarly incumbent on the wife. These the Apostle expresses by the terms submission, reverence, obedience and subjection.

"Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands, as unto the Lord-for the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. As the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their husbands in every thing. Let the wife see, that she reverence her husband."

He cannot intend, that the wife in every thing should yield an implicit obedience to her husband, as the church to Christ; but only that she should be subject to him in all things agreeable to the will of Christ. So he states her obedience in his epistle to the Colossians, "Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands, as is fit in the Lord."

The husband though the head of the wife, is not to treat her as a menial servant, and exact from her an unlimited subjection. This is to assume an authority, which Christ has not communicated to him. Both should act, as having one soul, and combine their influence in the government of the household. But when there happens a diversity of sentiment, and neither can impart conviction, the obligation to recede, doubtless lies first on the woman.

The Apostle says, "The woman ought not to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence with all subjection." For this he assigns several reasons. He says, "Adam was first formed, and then Eve." He therefore had a natural precedence. The man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man," being formed out of him, and made of his flesh and bone'. "Neither was the man created for the woman, but she for the man," to be an help meet for him. "And

'Adam was not" first "deceived," and drawn into the apostasy, "but the woman being deceived was," first in the transgression." For this cause God ordered, that "her desire should be to her husband, and he should rule over her."

But the reason alleged, in the text, for this subjection, is the example of the church. The first marriage was an emblem of the union between Christ and his church. As the woman was bone of man's bone, and flesh of his flesh, so "we are members of Christ's body, of his flesh and of his bones." And the ancient institution, "They two shall be one flesh," was a mystical representation of this spiritual relation.

Now since the church is subject to Christ, the woman ought to be subject to her husband, who, by Christ's authority, is constituted her head.

A family should resemble a church in union, peace and subordination. In a church there could be no edification, if there were no government; neither in a family could there be order, if there were no head.

Either of them, without rule, must be dissolved, or live in perpetual discord. Christ is the head of the church; and all its members are bound to obey the government which he has instituted. The husband, under him, is ruler in his own house; and when he governs it according to the laws of Christ, all the members are to be subject to him. Thus the family will become a little church; and, being edified in knowl. edge and virtue, will grow into a meetness to join the general assembly and church of the first born, whose names are written in heaven.

The honor and interest of religion require, that Avives, by a cheerful subordination, cooperate with their husbands in all the important concerns of the household, and in the nurture, education and government of the dependent members. Hence this direction of Paul to Titus, "Charge them to be sober, to respect their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed;" or that the gospel be not reproached among heathens by means of the confusions and disorders in Christian families. We proceed,

III. To consider the duties of husbands to their These the Apostle expresses by the word

wives.

LOVE.

Under this word he comprises all those kind offices, which love, in so intimate and tender a connexion, will naturally dictate. Love here stands opposed to sharpness and severity." Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them." Though the wife by the order of creation, the manner of the apostacy, and the injunctions of the gospel, is bound to obey; yet the husband is not warranted to exercise an arbitrary authority. He is to maintain the superiority with gentleness, always considering his wife as his associate, closely allied to him by the strongest bonds of friendship and interest, "He must not be bitter against

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