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rections r; fidelity to, defencet, and maintenance of their perfons and authority, according to their feveral ranks and

powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be, are ordained of God. v. 2. Whofoever therefore resisteth the power, refifteth the ordinance of God: and they that refist, shall receive to themfelves damnation. v. 3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou fhalt have praise of the fame: v. 4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the fword in vain: for he is the minifter of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. v. 5. Wherefore ye muft needs be fubject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience fake. Heb. xiii. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and fubmit yourselves: for they watch for your fouls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Prov. iv. 3. For I was my father's fon, tender and only beloved in the fight of my mother. v. 4. He taught me alfo, and faid unto me, Let thy heart retain my words, keep my commandments and live. Prov. xxiii. 22. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and defpife not thy mother when the is old. Exod. xviii. 19. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counfel, and God fhall be with thee. v. 24. So Mofes hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had faid.

Heb. xii. 9. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our fleth, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence: fhall we not much rather

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be in fubjection unto the Father of fpirits, and live? 1 Pet. ii. 18. Servants,be fubject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. v. 19. For this is thank-worthy, if a man for confcience toward God endure grief, fuffering wrongfully. v. 20. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye fhall take it patiently? but if when ye do well, and fuffer for it, ye take it patiently; this is acceptable with God.

Tit. ii. 9. Exhort fervants to be obedient unto their own mafters, and to please them well in all things; not anfwering again. v. 10. Not purloining, but fhewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

1 Sam. xxvi. 15. And David faid to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Ifrael? wherefore then haft thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. v. 16. This thing is not good that thou haft done: as the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your mafter the Lord's anointed. 2 Sam. xviii. 3: But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou fuccour us out of the city. Efth. vi. 2. And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Terefh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who fought to lay hand on the king Ahafuerus.

the nature of their places v; bearing with their infirmities, and covering them in love w, that fo they may be an honour to them and to their government x.

Q. 128. What are the fins of inferiors against their fuperiors?

A. The fins of inferiors against their fuperiors are, all neglect of the duties required toward themy; envying at z, con

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v Mat. xxii. 21. They fay unto him Cefar's. Then faid he unto them, Render unto Cefar the things which are Cefar's: and unto God the things that are God's. Rom. xiii. 6. For, for this cause pay you tribute also: for they are God's minifters attending continually upon this very thing. v. 7. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, cuftom to whom cuftom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour. 1 Tim. v. 17. Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. v. 18. For the fcripture faith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn: and, The labourer is worthy of his reward, Gal. vi. 6. Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Gen. xlv. 11. And there will I nourish thee (for yet there are five years of famine) left thou, and thy houfhold, and all that thou haft come to poverty. Gen. xlvii. 12. And Jofeph nourished his father and his brethren, and all his fathers houfhold with bread, according to their families.

I Pet. ii. 18. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but alfo to the froward. Prov. xxiii. 22. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and defpife not thy mo

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ther when fhe is old, Gen. ix. 23. And Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their fhoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they faw not their father's nakedness.

x Pfal. cxxvii. 3. Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. v. 4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man: fo are children of the youth. v. 5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they fhall not be afhamed, but they fhall fpeak with the enemies in the gate. Prov.xxxi.23. Her husband is known in the gates, when he fitteth among the elders of the land.

128. y Mat. xv. 4. For God commanded, faying, Honour thy father and mother, and, He that curfeth father or mother, let him die the death. v. 5. But ye fay, Whofoever fhall fay to his father or his mother, it is a gift by whatsoever thou might eft be profited by me. v. 6. And honour not his father or his mother he fhall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

z Num. xi. 28. And Joshua the fon of Nun, the fervant of Mofes, one of his young men, answered and faid, my lord Mofes, forbid them. v.29. And Mofes faid unto him, Envieft thou for my fake? Would God

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tempt of a, and rebellion b, against their perfons c, and places d, in their lawful counfels e, commands, and corrections f; curfing, mockingg, and all fuch refractory and scandalous carriage, as proves a fhame and difhonour to them and their government b.

Q. 129. What is required of fuperiors towards their inferiors?

A. It is required of fuperiors, according to that power they receive from God, and that relation wherein they ftand, to lovei, pray fork, and bless their inferiors/; to inftruct,

that all the Lord's people were pro-
phets, and that the Lord would put
his Spirit upon
them.

a i Sam. viii. 7. And the Lord faid unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people, in all that they fay unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I fhould not reign over them. Ifa. iii. 5. And the people fhall be oppreffed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child fhall behave himfelf proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

2 Sam. xv. from v. 1. to 12. And it came to pafs after this, that Abfalom prepared him chariots and horfes, &c.

Exod. xxi. 15. And he that fmit. eth his father or his mother, fhall furely be put to death.

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d1 Sam. x. 27. But the children of Belial faid, How fhall this man fave us? and they despised him, and brought him no prefents; but he held his peace.

1 Sam. ii. 25.-Notwithstanding they (viz. the fons of Eli) hearkned not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would flay them.

f Deut. xxi. 18. If a man have a ftubborn and rebellious fon, who will not obey the voice of his father

or the voice of his mother, and that when they have chaftned him, will not hearken unto them: v. 19. then fhall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of the city, and unto the gate of his place: v. 20. and they fhall fay unto the elders of his city, This our fon is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice, he is a glutton and a drunkard. v. 21. And all the men of his city fhall ftone him with ftones, that he die: fo fhalt thou put evil away from among you, and all Ifrael shall hear, and fear.

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g Prov. xxx. II. There is a generation that curfeth their father, and doth not bless their mother. v. 17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and defpifeth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley fhall pick it out, and the young eagles fhall eat it.

b Prov. xix. 26. He that wasteth his father, and chafeth away his mother, is a fon that causeth fhame, and bringeth reproach.

129. i Col. iii. 19. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Tit. ii. 4. That they may teach the young women to be fober, to love their husbands, to love their children.

1 Sam. xii. 23. Moreover, as for me,

fructm, counsel and admonish them ; countenancingo, commending, and rewarding fuch as do well q; and difcountenancing r, reproving, and chastifing, fuch as do ill; protectingt, and providing for them all things neceffary for foul

me, God forbid that I fhould fin against the Lord in ceafing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way. Job. i. 5. And it was fo, when the days of their feafting were gone about, that Job fent and fanctified them, and rofe up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings, according to the number of them all: for Job faid, It may be that my fons have finned, and curfed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

11 Kings viii. 55. And he stood, and bleffed all the congregation of Ifrael, with a loud voice, faying, v. 56. Bleffed be the Lord, that hath given reft unto his people Ifrael, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed-Heb. vii. 7. And without all contradiction, the lefs is bleffed of the better. Gen. xlix. 28. All these are the twelve tribes of Ifrael: and this is it that their father fpake unto them, and bleffed them; every one according to his bleffing he bleffed them.

m Deut. vi. 6. And these words, which I command thee this day, fhall be in thine heart. v. 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and fhalt talk of them when thou fitteft in thine house, and when thou walkeft by the way, and when thou lieft down, and when thou rifest up.

Eph. vi. 4. And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

1 Pet. iii. 7. Likewife ye hufbands dwell with them according

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to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

p 1 Pet. n. 14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are fent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. Rom. xiii. 3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou fhalt have praise of the fame,

9 Efth. vi. 3. And the king faid, What honour and dignity hath been. done to Mordecai for this? Then faid the kings fervants that miniftred unto him, There is nothing done for him.

r Rom. xiii. 3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou fhalt have praife of the fame: v. 4. for he is the minifter of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the fword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil.

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Prov. xxix. 15. The rod and reproof give wifdom: but a child left to himfelf, bringeth his mother to fhame. 1 Pet, ii. 14. (See above inp) t Job. xxix. 12. Because I deliver-ed the poor that cried, and the fatherlefs, and him that had none to help him. v. 13. The bleffing of him that was ready to perifh, came upon T

foul v and body w: and, by grave, wife, holy and exemplary carriage, to procure glory to God x, honour to themfelvesy, and fo to preserve that authority which God hath put upon them z.

Q. 130. What are the fins of fuperiors?

A. The fins of fuperiors are, befide the neglect of the du ties required of thema, an inordinate feeking of themselves b, their

me: and I caufed the widows heart
to fing for joy. v. 14. I put on righ-
teousness, and it clothed me; my
judgment was a robe and a diadem.
v. 15.
I was eyes to the blind, and
feet was I to the lame. v. 16. I was
a father to the poor; and the cause
which I knew not, I fearched out.
v. 17. And I brake the jaws of the
wicked, and pluckt the spoil out of
his teeth. Ifa. i. 10. Hear the word
of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom;
give ear unto the law of our God,
ye people of Gomorrah. v. 17. Learn
to do well, feek judgment, relieve
the oppreffed, judge the fatherless,
plead for the widow.

Eph. vi. 4. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

w 1 Tim. v. 8. But if any provide not for his own, and efpecially for thofe of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

* 1 Tim. iv. 12. Let no man defpife thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in converfation, in charity, in fpirit, in faith, in purity. Tit. ii. 3. The aged women likewife, that they be in behaviour as becometh holinefs, not falfe accufers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things. v. 4. That they may teach the young women to be fober, to love their hus

bands, to love their children. v. 5. To be difcreet, chafte, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blafphemed.

y 1 Kings iii. 28. And all Ifrael heard of the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king: for they faw that the wifdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

z Tit. ii. 15. These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man defpife thee.

130. a Ezek. xxxiv. 2. Son of man, prophefy against the shepherds of Ifrael, prophefy, and fay unto them, Thus faith the Lord God unto the fhepherds, Wo be to the shepherds of Ifrael that do feed themfelves: fhould not the shepherds feed the flocks? v. 3. Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. v. 4. The difeafed have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was fick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye fought that which was loft; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

Phil. ii. 21. For all feek their own, not the things which are Jefus Chrift's. • John

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