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The number of the facraments

The nature of baptifm

The danger of not complying with the gospel-call

How the facraments become effectual to falvation
The nature of the facraments

Gen. xvii. 10. explained, in the notes

The fubjects of baptifm

336

345

352

- ib,

359 363 369

Gen. xvii. 12. explained, in the notes

370

Gen. xvii. 14. alfo explained, in the notes

371

The nature of the Lord's Supper

374.

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Gen. xxii. 1. explained, in the notes

562

iii. in the notes

The conclufion of the Lord's prayer

A difcourfe on the experimental knowledge of Chrift

Extracts from the author's notes on part of Gen. ii. &

Of the right improvement of a time of fickness and mortality 606

564

584

591

Two forms of perfonal covenanting by the author

617

ERRA TU M.

p. 165. 1. 3. after shalt infert not

A N

ILLUSTRATION

O F THE

DOCTRINES of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, with respect to both FAITH and PRACTICE,

UPON THE PLAN OF

The ASSEMBLY'S SHORTER CATECHISM.

Of the fifth Commandment, continued.

HIS is a weighty point, [viz. married perTfons concern for one another's eternal happinefs], which few lay to heart. I fhall lay

before you these few things with respect to it. (1.) Married perfons, for this end that they may be helpful to one another's fouls welfare, ought to walk fo together as they may have in each other's consciences a teftimony of their integrity, 2 Kings iv. 1: They should take heed they lay not ftumbling-blocks before one another, nor carry fo as to engender hard thoughts of one another that way. The teftimony of God is above all, the teftimony of confcience next, but the teftimony of a yoke-fellow's confcience after that. (2.) They fhould labour to beget and advance the fear of God in one another, to bring them to and carry them on in the truth of religion, 1 Cor. vii. 16. They are not meet helps that are only helpful for the body and temporal concerns; for in that cafe the better part has no help of them. Intereft as well as duty VOL. III. A

engageth to this; for the better a man be, the better hulband will he be, &c. No wonder that those who fear not God, regard not man.

(3.) They fhould entertain communion in prayer and addreffes to the throne of grace, praying for one another, and praying with one another, 1 Pet. iii. 7. The hufband fhould hold up his wife's cafe to God with his own, and the wife the cafe of the hufband; and help them by prayers with them and for them, which is true Chriftian help. They know one another's weakneffes, temptations, and difficulties, better than any one elfe, and therefore ought to be the more particular in this.

(4.) They fhould be acquainted with one another's cafe, and therefore inquire into the fame, and obferve it, that they may the better fuit the help to the case, 1 Sam. i. 8. And O what a happiness is it for one to have one that is their own flesh, to whom they may freely unbofom themfelves! And what a fad thing is it where religious conference is not obferved betwixt fuch parties?

(5.) They fhould watch over one another. This is living as being heirs together of the grace of life, 1 Pet. iii. 7. They fhould ftir up one another to duties and good works; and happy are they that fo prove monitors to one another, 2 Kings iv. 9. 10. They fhould warn one another of what appears finful in their way, and fo not fuffer fin upon them, Eccl. iv. 9. 10. If men fee a spot on their face, they will tell them of it; but spots in the converfation are more dangerous. But withal fpecial care must be taken that there be no bitterness mixed with it, for that mars the operation; the feafon must be observed when it will take beft, 1 Sam. xxv. 36. 37. and it fhould be mixed with love. Yea, fometimes entreaties fhould be used rather than rebukes, especially from the wife to the husband, as prudence itfelf may teach, and may be gathered from 1 Tim. v. 1. Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father. And fuch warnings

fhould be kindly taken and readily complied with, as the beft evidences of love.

(6.) Lastly, A joint care for the religious govern. ment of the family. The one ought not to devolve that entirely on the other, but each take their share ; otherwise it cannot mifs to be mifmanaged. Each of them owes a duty to the fouls of their children and fervants; and therefore fhould watch over them, admonish, and rebuke, and stir them up to duty; and fee that God be worshipped in the family, that it be not neglected for the husband's abfence, or any thing. elfe; for though the wife be the weaker veffel, the is the head of the family under her husband.

Secondly, I come to fhew the duties more peculiar to each party.

1. The duties of the husband of this fort may be reduced to this one, viz. That he carry himfelf towards her as a head for her good, ruling her in the fear of the Lord. It is not a name of power only, but of duty; for he must be fuch a head to her as Chrift is to the church, Eph. v. 23. And whofo reckon upon the authority of that name without eying the duty of it, put asunder what God has joined in his grant, and will join when he calls men to an account.

2. The duties of the wife may be reduced to this one, viz. fubmitting herfelf to her husband as her head, Eph. v. 22. 23. She is not to lord it over him, but to be subject to him. And in this refpect there is a reverence and fear of the hufband enjoined the wife, Eph. v. 33. 1 Pet. iii. 2. which is a due regard in. the heart to his character as a husband, feeing in that God has put of his own name upon him, God himfelf being called our husband; a fear to offend him, flowing from love, venting itself in fpeaking and carrying refpectfully to him, 1 Pet. iii. 6.

Now the hufband as the head of the wife owes her, 1. Protection, fo as the may be as fafe and easy under the covert of his relation to her as he can make her. For this caufe God has given the husband as a

head to the weaker veffel; and therefore it was an ancient ceremony in marriage for the hufband to fpread his fkirt over his wife, Ruth iii. 9. He is to protect her to the utmost of his power from the injuries of other, I Sam, xxx. 18. and particulaaly from the infults whether of children or fervants in the family, as well as neighbours, Gen. xvi, 6. And if so, furely he himself is not to bear hard upon her, but to fhew her a peculiar tenderness as the weaker veffel, a tenderness to her body and spirit too; and not to fuffer her, far lefs to oblige her to diftrefs herself above measure.

On the other hand, the owes him obedience, a submiffion to and compliance with his admonitions. It is obferved of Job's wife, for as ill as fhe was, when he calls her a fool, she does not give him the fame epithet again. Reafon itself teaches, that whofo puts himself under the protection of another, muft be ruled by that other, and not by himself.

2. Provision, 1 Tim. v. 8. The husband ought to provide for his wife, and chearfully furnish her with what is needful and convenient according to his ftation and ability; and lay out himself by all lawful means for her comfortable through bearing. And this he should have an eye to not only for the time of his life, but even after his deceafe.

And on the other hand, the wife ought to be helpful to her husband by her frugal management, Prov.. xxxi. 27, And God's word and frequent experiments plainly fhew, that a man's thriving or not thriving has a great dependence on his wife's management, Prov. xiv. I, While he then is bufy without doors, the fhould be careful within; and therefore it is recommended to women to be much at home, Tit. ii. 5. Yet may well go abroad when her business calls her, as Abigail did, I Sam, xxv.

fhe

3. Lastly, Direction, with calmness inftructing her, how the fhould carry 'in every thing, both with respect to things of this life and of the other, Prov. ii. 17. He ought to be as eyes to her, which have their

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