The duties of husbands.
"Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them."
I. THE DUTY OF LOVE. This love, which is consistent with his headship over her, implies:
1. That he is to delight in her (Proverbs 5:18, Proverbs 5:19), and please her (1 Corinthians 7:33).
2. That he is to cherish her as Christ the Church (Ephesians 5:29), providing for her support and comfort (1 Timothy 5:3).
3. That he is to protect her as the weaker vessel.
4. That he is not to be bitter against her, using bitter words or sour looks, acting rigorously or imperiously, as if she were a slave and not a companion.
5. That he is to seek her spiritual good, for she is to be an heir with him of the grace of life. (1 Peter 3:7.)
II. THE REASONS OF THIS DUTY.
1. The intimacy of the relationship between them. He leaves father and mother to cleave to his wife. She is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh (Ephesians 5:28, Ephesians 5:29, Ephesians 5:33).
2. She was originally provided as a help meet for him. (Genesis 2:18.) "Yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant" (Ma Colossians 2:14).
3. She is the glory of the man. (1 Corinthians 11:7.)
4. The strongest argument is the analogous love of Christ to his Church. (Ephesians 5:25-28.)—T. C.