abroad their own fhame in fpeaking to the difcredit of their relatives; contempt of and defpifing one another. All thefe are quite oppofite to conjugal love,

2. Against that faithfulness they owe to one another, in refpect of their bodies, is infidelity in the grofs breach of the marriage-contract, deferting and leaving one another, and defrauding one another. In refpect of their mens is all idlenefs, mifmanagement, and waftery. And in respect of their fouls, is unconcernednefs about them, being at no pains to inftruct, admonith, and watch ever one another; and if at any time they tell then of their faults, it is to their reproach, being before So in their paffion, so that it can do no good.

ch more then whey become fnares and hindes to one another instead of meet helps, leading voking their relatives to fin against God, and eir own fouls.

yes particularly fin against their husbands, by g off all reverence to them, carrying themselves perioufly towards them, being difobedient, wilful, intractable, and like Vashti, Efth. i. 10. 11. 12. o would not come to the king, when fent for by h, will not go an inch by their own will to pleate e. It is not their honour to command, whose province God has made it to obey, Ezek. xvi.,

30. Eph.

Hufbands fin against their wives in dealing untenderly with them, tyrannifing and domineering over them in a masterful way, not protecting them from the infults of others, nor providing for them; giving them that are their wives no truft, but making them like Nabal accountable to the utmott farthing; nor encouraging and praifing them when they do well; moft of all in beating them, in ute only with furious or mad men, Eph. v. 25. 29.

Secondly, As to parents and children :

1. Children fin against their parents by difobedience to them. Such are in the midft of the black roll, Rom. i. 30. and are in a near way to ruin, Prov. xxx,

17. So do they by all irreverence to them, and flighting and difhonouring them in word and deed, Deuts xxvii. 16. and much more by curfing of them, Exod XXI. 17. Many again fin against God and their pás rents, being unteachable, and will not hearkens to their inftruction, Prov. v. 7.; they will not take i harp word from them, but their hearts rife againft them and it too, Prov. xiii. 18.; and others, though they will bear with words, yet they are ftubborn, and will not fubmit to correction, Deut. xxi. 18. 19. And what will we fay of thofe that like curfed Ham make ajeft of their parents infirmities, wafte their fubftance, and prove unnatural and hard-hearted to them when they are old and in diftrefs? Prov. ix. 26. Finally, they fin by difpofing of themfelves to callings or in marriage without confent of their parents, Gen. xxvi, 34-35

2. Parents fin against their children. many ways, while they are not concerned for them while infants; but many are careless as to the bringing up of their children to fome honeft employment, but by encou raging them in idleness, prove a fnare to them. Most men, if they bring their children to be able to fhift for a livelihood to themfelves, think they have done enough, while they "liave been at pains to bring them up for God. Many will learn them to work that will not learn them to read, pray, &c. What fhall we fay of thofe that will learn them to ban, fwear, lie, pick and fteal, and encourage them in fuck things? Some kill their children by cockering of them; they indulge them fondly to their ruin. And how indifcreetly will parents dote on one child by another, where it is not grace but mere fancy that makes the difference? Gen. xxv. 28. Some, on the other hand, are wofully harsh to their children, and break theig fpirits, by holding them to fhort by the head that they are driven to extremities, ufing them as drudges rather than as children, immoderately beating them when they are in a fault, and inveighing against them

with bitter words, Col. iii. 21. ; indiscreet and untender dealing with them with respect to their callings or marriages.

"

Thirdly, As to masters and servants: ifto 1. Servants fin against their mafters by irreverent, difrefpectful, and faucy carriage towards them,without any respect to the honour which God calls them to give to their mafters. Many are disobedient, and will plainly tell, that they will not do what they are bidden; or if they do it, they will do it in fuch amahner, as shall vent their pride and paffion. Though the fcripture commands not to answer again, they will anfwer, and have the laft word too, and by no means will fubmit to reproofs. Many are unfaithful to their mafters, their service is eye-fervice, unfaithful fervice, either by their negligence and floth bringing their mafter to lofs, or by difhonefty in that which is under their hands. Some profeffing fervants are by their way a fcandal to religion in families where they are. Others are a plague to the family by the averfion they fhew to every good thing or religious duty, as if their mafters were no more concerned in them, if they work their work, Eph. v. 5. 6. „dret sormed: pait

2. Mafters fin againft their fervants, not allowing them fufficient maintenance, but niggardly pinching them, keeping back their wages from them in whole or in part, and fo oppreffing the hireling; rigorously keeping them at work, not allowing them convenient time for reft, nor worshipping of God in fecret, or attending on public ordinances. And fo they fin against them by continual chiding and uneafinefs to them, and careleffnefs with refpect to their fouls good, Eph. to Yew sdt

vi. 9.

Fourthly, As to minifters and people : 1. People fin againft their minifters, by their flighting and defpifing them, and nowife treating them as the meffengers of Chrift; going on in their evil ways over the belly of all warnings and reproofs, being ftubborn and refufing fubjection to difcipline; flan

dering of them, creating them trouble, by forfakingiw of ordinances, &c. or any wife making their workst burdenfome, or them to drive heavily in it; and to reftraining prayer for them.

P

1279 Ministers fin against people by an unconcernednefs about their fouls cafe, lazinefs and unab faithfulness in difcharge of their duty, provingu Rumbling-blocks to their people by a loofe walk, of andynot being earneft in prayer for them, for the bleffing of God on them and their meffage. ar-bbid sd A to ruling elders and people, I have nothing to. add to what I faid before.

en Fifthly, As to magiftrates and fubjects:

}

151 Subjects fin against their magiftrates, by carry-w ing difrefpectfully to them, rebelling againft them,fr and difobeying their juft laws, reviling and speak-iis ing defpitefully of them, denying them fubjection and their just dues, and not praying for them. 919. Magiftrates fin against fubjects by using their power to fatisfy their lufts, and giving bad example) to others, by tyranny and oppreffion, unjuft laws,dt and discountenancing piety and virtue, and opposm fing themselves to the kingdom of Chrift. how

Sistbly, As to the aged and younger: How little refpect do the younger fhew to the aged! Inftead ofi that honour due to age, people are ready to befool them, if not to account them witches or wizards,10 forgetting that either they must come to their aged themselves, or die by the way. On the other handpit few old people carry fo to the younger, as to com=”3 mand respect by their exemplary piety and holinessed but, on the contrary, gray hairs are often found in s the way of wickednefs.

Seventhly, As to the weaker and stronger in gifts: It is often the fin of the weaker to envy the stronger, and if they can to mifreprefent them. The weak judge the ftrong, and the ftrong defpife and ftumble the weak...

Lafly, Equals fin against one another, undervaluing the worth, envying and grieving at the good of one another, and ufurping pre-eminence over one another.

The fpring and fource of all this is, (1.) Want of love to and fear of God; for while people are not in their duty to God, how fhould they be in their duty to man? (2.) Pride and felfifhnefs, while every one feeks himfelf, and not the good of others.

These things may be very humbling to all of us. Who can fay his life is clean in any of thefe relations? But even thofe who are very dutiful in their feveral relations as to the matter, may be guil ty of the breach of this command, in fo far as what they do in thefe things does not proceed from gra cious principles; for indeed the firft command mu be carried along in all the reft.

ebo

III. We come now to the reafon annexed to this command ; which is, "A promife of long life and profperity (as far as it fhall ferve for God's tc glory and their own good) to all fuch as keep "this commandment.'

This is a promife to encourage the confcientious performance of the duties here required. The apoftle tells us, that it is the first command with promife, Eph. v. 2.

Quef. 1. How is this command the firft with promife, feeing the fecond has a promife alfo?

Anf. It is the first command of the fecond table: for it is the most weighty of them all, as comprehending all the reft in it, fo that we cannot fin againft the reft, but we muft firft break over the hedge of this which encompaffeth all the reft. For one cannot violate another's life, chastity, &c, but he firft violates the honour due to him by this comand. And it is the only command that has a special promife of a particular mercy annexed to it. The promife annexed to the fecond command is but