as being unacquainted with the Press I was fearfull to offer it a Piece so unprepared And truly how curt and compendious soever this Treatise may seem I found it so vast and copious in the Contrivall that I had some reluctance in my self about the Proceeding And it s no dissembling before the searcher of Hearts could I have foreseen the length or difficulty of the seeming little Way or had I not in the way felt a stronger Impulse and better Faculties then my own to direct and drive me forward I had fainted and faln off yea laid me down quite discouraged in the sense of my Imbecillity But my good Shepherd Jo. 10.14 who best knows how to deal with Lambs Isa 40.11 and those that are with Young was both so wise as to conceal it from me and so gracious as to lead me on along with some Ease and Alacrity While thus sensible of Divine Assistance I stirred up my self to a little more Elaboration and feeling a daily confluence of new-fresh Forces and Supplies I grew ashamed to think of Lagging or Lassitude and at length somwhat confirmed as I conceiv'd was loth to leave Place either for just Objection or future Exercise of my own in the Point here disputed And now although the Lord knoweth I am confcious of but little knowledg in my self less then the least of Saints yet somewhat more it is then Satan wisheth me or would perswade me that I have as You 'll hear anon This slender Piece then being in such Manner as God pleaseth accomplished I have no cause of doubt but some ground of Hope that in Point of Knowledg at least it will further some confirm others and offend none that fear God nor be sleighted of any as unconcerned since no married Man dares profess but that he ought to know thus much and much more In short Mayest thou enjoy the Profit Pleasure and Comfort of that which I have collected not without some Pains and Perplexity The Body may be enthral'd the Minde and thoughts cannot 2 Tim. 2.9 much less can the Word of God be bound Thine Husband Brother or Friend in the Lord M. Ã V. If any weak Reader be troubled at the Marginall Contractions which were onely to gain room make your recourse hither Gen. Genesis Ex. Exodus Lev. Leviticus Num. Numbers Deu. Deuteronomy Jos Joshua Jud. Judges Ru. Ruth 1. 2. S. Samuel 1. 2. K. Kings 1. 2. Ch. Chronicles Ezr. Ezra Neh. Nehemiah Est Esther Job Ps Psalme Pr. Proverbs Eccl. Ecclesiastes Cant. Canticles Isa Isaiah Jer. Jeremiah Lam. Lamentations Ez. Ezekiel Dan. Daniel Hos Hosea Ioel. Am. Amos. Ob. Obadiah Jon. Ionah Mic. Micah Nah. Nahum Hab. Habakkuk Zep. Zephaniah Hag. Haggai Zec. Zechariah Mal. Malachi Mat. Matthew M. Mark L. Luke Io. Iohn Act. Acts. Ro. Romanes 1. 2. Co. Corinthians Gal. Galatians Eph. Ephesians Ph. Philippians Col. Colossians 1. 2. Th. Thessalonians 1. 2. T. Timothy Tit. Titus Phil. Philemon Heb. Hebrews Ia. Iames. 1. 2. P. Peter 1 2 3. Io. Iohn Iude. Rev. Revelation Some of these Abbreviations are usuall and plain enough yet it 's no great harm to let all go together The Chapters speak thus 1. AN Introduction touching the Occasion of this Discourse 2. The Certainty Truth Authority Consent and other peculiar Excellencies of the Sacred Scripture 3. Of divine Knowledge The Fountain streams Force and Effects of it 4. Practicall Knowledge relating to the Husbands Power Sharpest Correction consistent with choicest Affection First in Christ 5. The Symbole betwixt Christ and the Husband in the Point and Power of practicall Knowledge 6. Whether a good Man must or may correct or beat his bad Wife Objections answered 7. Conjectures at the Causes and Measure of Correction 8. Additionalls coincident with the Occasion of the Discourse 9. The Conclusion CHAP. I. AN Introduction touching the Occasion of this Discourse IT hath been as little suspected by my self as expected by any other the Natives of this Nation that I should undergo the Presse especially on so sudden and sad Occasion And I have even trembled to think that the mighty Creatour of the world who is a Deu. 4.24 and 9.3 Heb. 12.29 a consuming fire who rendeth shaketh and throweth down the b Nah. 1.6 Rocks c 1 K. 19.11 Mountains yea the d Ps 18.7 Isa 13 13. Joel 3.16 Hag. 2.6 whole Earth Heavens and e Ezr. 38.20 what not should f Isa 41.2 call to his foot a despicable poor worm and not crush him in pieces rather then set him on work Or that the living dreadfull God should look upon g 2 S. 9.8 a dead dog without utter distast and abhorrence But when I consider what he saith who h Num. 23 19. 1 S. 15.29 Tit. 1.2 cannot lie That as he is the i Isa 57.15 Job 36.5 Ps 113.5,6 and 138.6 high and lofty one inhabiting Eternity so he dwelleth with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit that k Ro. 4.17 quickneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were that l 1 Co. 1.27,28 Mat. 11.25 hath chosen the foolish weak base despised things of the World to confound the wise and mighty that m Ps 8.2 Mat. 21.16 out of the mouths of babes and sucklings yea n L 19.40 from stones can extract and perfect his praise it being the glory of his highest Power to shine forth in the o 2 Co. 12.9 lowest weaknesse and his good pleasure I hope not onely to p Ps 103.14 Heb. 2.16.17 pity and q Deu. 32.73 Isa 26.12 and 40.11 support my frailty but to wink at my filthines and r Isa 4.4 6.5,6 7. Ez. 16.6,8,9 Jo. 13.8 wash me from it I have in these respects taken the humble and bashfull boldnes as under the s Ps 61.4 Covert t Ps 36.7 shadow of his Wings imploring the constant Presidence and direction of u Neh. 9.20 his good spirit to present what is promised In pursuance whereof I may profess as in his Presence to whose eyes w 1 Ch. 28.9 and 29.17 Job 42.2 Ps 2.7.9 and 44.21 Pro. 17.2 Jer. 17.10 Ro. 8.27 1 Th. 2.4 Rev. 2,23 all hearts x Heb. 4.13 all Things are naked and opened That what I shal here express is principally to shew forth his sacred Authority and mine Integrity under it And if the deviations or obliquities of others must needs light in my way I shall touch as tenderly on them as is possible with some few Inferences for pious and publick use and caution This first Chapterand the last may be termed a Prooemium and Appendix to this Discourse And if any demand why These or why Thus and not together ward either before or after I answer 1. I am confident they will be found fit and needfull 2. It may suffice to know that they appear in such Order as they were suggested or occurred to me