Marriage duties briefly couched together out of Colossians, 3. 18, 19. By Thomas Gataker…Marriage duties briefely couched togither out of Colossians, 3. 18, 19. By Thomas Gataker…

And this first serveth to admonish the wife to be forward in performance of such good duties as God requireth on her part; and not to strain courtesy and stand upon terms, as to say, Let him do what he should do, and then I will do what is befitting me. Wouldest thou have him to do that that is his duty? there is no way more agreeable to the word and will of God, more consonant to the course and order of nature, more likely to prove successful and effectual to that purpose and to have a blessing of God go with it, then the careful performance of thy duty to him, then which nothing is more forcible to draw duty from him. In a word the wives main duty here is subjection, the mans principally Love; ^*and there is nothing more available with a good nature, to extract from it love and all duties of love, then a willing subjection and yielding issuing from love in the party to be loved.

And this first serueth to admonish the wife to be forward in performance of such good duties as God requireth on her part; and not to straine courtesie and stand vpon tearmes, as to say, Let him doe what he should doe, and then I will doe what is befitting me. Wouldest thou haue him to doe that that is his dutie? there is no way more agreeable to the word and will of God, more consonant to the course and order of nature, more likely to prooue successefull and effectuall to that purpose and to haue a blessing of God goe with it, then the carefull performance of thy dutie to him, then which nothing is more forcible to draw dutie from him. In a word the wiues maine dutie here is subiection, the mans principally Loue; ^*and there is nothing more auaileable with a good nature, to extract from it loue and all duties of loue, then a willing subiection and yeelding issuing from loue in the partie to bee loued.

1. *Nulla est maior ad amorem inu•tatio quam prevenire amando. nimos q•e aurus est animus, qui dilectionem, si nolebat impendere, nolit & rependere. Aug de catech. rud. cap. 4.Nulla est maior ad amorem inu•tatio quam preuenire amando. nimos qe aurus est animus, qui dilectionem, si nolebat impendere, nolit & rependere. Aug de catech. rud. cap. 4.