This is a source and fountain, from whence many domestic evils frequently flow. Women should remember the character that husbands sustain in scripture. They are to them, what CHRIST is to the church. And it is mentioned to the honour of _Sarah_, that she called _Abraham_ “Lord.” “Shall I have a child who am old, _my Lord_ being old also?” It is remarkable, there are but two good words in that whole sentence, “my Lord,” (for all the others are the language of unbelief) and yet those two words the Holy Ghost mentions to her eternal honour, and buries, as it were, the rest in oblivion. “Even as _Sarah_ (says St. _Peter_) obeyed _Abraham_, calling him Lord.” An evident proof how pleasing it is in the sight of GOD, for women in the married state to reverence and respect their husbands. Not that husbands therefore should lord it over their wives, or require too much respect at their hands. This would be unchristian, as well as ungenerous, indeed. They ought rather, as GOD has taken such care to keep up their authority, commanding their wives to reverence and respect them; they ought, I say, to be doubly careful, that they live so holy and unblameable, as to lay their wives under no temptation to despise them. But to return from this digression. Does the apostle say, “Let the wife see that she reverence her husband?” May I not pertinently apply this caution to you who are married to JESUS CHRIST? See to it that you reverence and respect your husband. I say, _see to it_. For the devil will be often suggesting to you hard and mean thoughts against your husband. It was thus he beset our mother _Eve_, even in a state of innocence. He would fain persuade her to entertain hard thoughts of her glorious benefactor. “What, has GOD said, ye shall not eat of the trees of the garden?” Has he been so cruel to put you here in a beautiful garden only to vex and teize you? This he made use of as an inlet to all his succeeding insinuations. And this trade he is still pursuing, and will be pursuing to the very end of time. Besides, in the eyes of the world, JESUS CHRIST has no form or comeliness that they should desire him; and therefore, unless you “watch and pray,” you will be led into temptation, and not keep up such high thoughts of your blessed JESUS as he justly deserves. In this you can never exceed. Women, perhaps, may sometimes think too highly of, and, through excess of love, idolize their earthly comforts. But it is impossible for you to think too highly of your heavenly husband, JESUS CHRIST.
Farther, what says the apostle in his epistle to the _Ephesians_? Speaking of the marriage state, he says, “The wife is the _glory_ of her husband;” as though he had said, a christian wife should so behave, and so walk, as to be a credit to her husband. As _Abigail_ was an honour to _Nabal_, and by her sweet deportment made up, in some degree, for her husband’s churlishness. This is to be a help-meet indeed. Such a woman will be praised in the gate; and her husband get glory, and meet with respect on her account. And ought a woman to be the glory of her husband? How much more ought you, that are the Lamb’s bride, so to live, and so to walk, as to bring glory, and gain respect, to the cause and interest of your husband JESUS? This is what the apostle every where supposes, when he would draw a parallel between a temporal and spiritual marriage. “The woman, is the glory of her husband, even as the church is the glory of CHRIST.” Agreeable to this, he tells the _Corinthians_, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of GOD;” and as he also speaks to the _Thessalonians_, 1 _Thessalonians_ ii. 11, 12. “As you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you (as a father doth his children) that you would walk worthy of GOD who hath called you to his kingdom, and his glory.” What an expression is here! “That you would walk worthy of GOD.” O! how ought this, and such like texts, to stir up your pure minds, O believers, so to have your conversation in this world, that you may be what the apostle says some particular persons were, even “the glory of CHRIST.” You are his glory; he rejoices over you with singing; and you should so walk, that all who know and hear of you, may glorify CHRIST in you.