1er. Io. •s Jo{J!. 24·IS 'fa. 01. 1 •. Cor. 7· 39 M•/2. IS Prev. 19.14 Chap.• a.Sea.,~l. fl~~~'i i''i!l!~!~ -:&... .J!:... ..3L -1!:• ..lt.. ..3!:-..3L. -<r.. ~~ ..Jt.. ::lE:....:§:..-:::3E: ::l£.'"' ~ CHAP. XI. SECT. t. Of the Nature of Family-duties. ~~*~~ Itherto of the Duti:s which concern every man in his own particular; next to them fucceed F11mily-duries: .l\.nd they are fuch Duties as ought to be joymly or rtfpeflively obferved by the FAmilies and houfes ofthe l'eople ofGod. This isimplyed by that threat, Palm oltt thy fury Jtpon the hettthm that kz,ow thee not, and upon the families thatcall not on thy Name; and by that example of ']ojhua, liut asfor me and my houfe, we the Lord, . wiltferve the Lord, and by that promife of God, At thefame time,ft<ith wsll I be the God ofall the Families oflfracl, and they]hall be my peorle. SECT. :1.. Of the Prepar11tivcs· to Fiwilly-duties. N Ow that we may comfortabiy carry on there Family-duties, obfervc we 5 1. Our entrance into them. I 2. Our proceedings in them.. , . , . I. FQJ' entrance, we mull: lay a good 'foundation for tractablenefs unto Religioniti tbore that belong to this family : A 5 z. In the governour. · s -, 2. In the governed. ' I. In the governor, whofe duty it is, · · .•. I . To endeavour in a fpecial manner for knowledge in Gods Word, :ind for holi· . nelfe ofconverration in a Chrill:ian walking; This would tend~uch to the prefer\'ation of his authority, who otherwire will be llighted and difregarded, through an aptneife in inferiours to take occafion there-from. 2. To marry in the Lord, and then to live chall:ely.in wedlock, that there may be an holy feed: Now that he maymarry in the Lord, z. Let piety be the mover of his af. fecrion; and perfonage, parentage, and portion, be only as a comfortable acceifary, tpnfiderable in a fecond place: Chrill:ianity and grace is the chief golden link and noble tye, which hath the power and priviledge to make marriage a lovely and everlaffing bond. 2 . Let himply the throne of Grace with fervency of prayer; a good wife is a more immediate gift of God: whence Solomon could fay, Houfes and ricbes.are the in· • heritance offflthers, but a pmdent wife is from the Lord : fuch a rare and preciOus Jewel is to be fued and fought for at Gods mercy-feat with extraordinary importunity and Zeal; and if lhe be procured at Gods hand by prayer, he lhall find a thourand times more fweetnefs and comfort, than if lhe be caft on him by an ordinary providence. 3· Let him obferve and mark there fix points in his choyce, as, I. The Report : 2. The . looks : 3. The fpeech: 4- The apparel: 5. The cot?panions: 6. The ~ducation' There are like the pulfes : that lhew the fitners and godlmefs of any party wtth whom he ought to' marry. ... 3· To beware whom headmits'todwell with him, tha'ttheybe u'actable unto re· ljgious courfes : See Davids refolution herein, Mine eyuJl:all be upon thefaithful ofthe land, that they may dwell with me : he that walk§th in a perfefl way fluli/ ferveme, he that work§th drceit jha/1 not dwell within my houfe, he that telleth lies, ]hall not tarry .n my fight. ' . . . 2. In the governed, whore ·duty it is both·to joyne-together in the pe,rformaace of F11m•ly·
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