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scandalous carriage, as proves a shame and dishonour to them and their government".

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

A. It is required of superiors, according to that power they receive from God, and that relation wherein they stand, to lovei, pray for, and bless their inferiors; to instruct m, counsel and admonish them "; countenancing, commending, and rewarding such as do well; and discountenancing",

b Prov. xix. 26. He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach

129. 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 sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.

k 1 Sam. xii. 23. Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way. Job. i. 5. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings, according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts Thus did Job continually. / 1 Kings viii. 55. And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, Ver. 56. Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed-Heb. vii. 7. And, without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better. Gen. xlix. 28. All these are the twelve tribes of 1s rael and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

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m Deut. vi. 6. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; Ver. 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy

children; and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

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

o 1 Pet. iii. 7. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according 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. ii. 14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent 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 shalt have praise of the same.

9 Esth. vi. 3. And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered 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 shalt have praise of the same: Ver 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 sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

reproving, and chastising such as do ill; protecting, and providing for them all things necessary for soul" and body": and by grave, wise, holy, and exemplary carriage, to procure glory to God, honour to themselves, and so to preserve that authority which God hath put upon them 2.

Q. 130. What are the sins of superiors?

A. The sins of superiors are, besides the neglect of the duties required of them a, an inordinate seeking of themselves, their own glory, case, profit, or pleasure; com

s Prov. xxix. 15. The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. 1 Pet. ii. 14. [See above in letter p.] ↑ Job. xxix. 12. Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. Ver. 13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. Ver. 14. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. Ver. 15. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. Ver. 16. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. Ver. 17. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. Isa. i. 10. Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. Ver. 17. Learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

u 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 specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

x 1 Tim. iv. 12. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Tit. ii. 3. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; Ver. 4. That they may teach the young women

to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, Ver. 5. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

y 1 Kings iii. 28. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom 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 despise, thee.

130. a Ezek. xxxiv. 2. Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds, Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ver. 3. Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. Ver. 4. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

b Phil. ii. 21. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

c John.v. 44. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? John vii. 18. He that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

d Isa. Ivi. 10. His watchmen are

manding things unlawful, or not in the power of inferiors to perform; counselling, encouraging, or favouring them in that which is evil; dissuading, discouraging, or discountenancing them in that which is good; correcting them unduly; careless exposing, or leaving them to wrong, temp

blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Ver. 11. Yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. Deut. xvii. 17. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

e Dan. iii. 4. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, Ver. 5. That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up. Ver. 6. And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Acts iv. 17. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. Ver. 18. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach, in the name of Jesus.

fExod. v. from Verse 10. to 18. And the task-masters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw, &c. Matt. xxiii. 2. Saying, The scribes and Pharisees sit in Mo-ses' seat. Ver. 4. For they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne.— g Matt. xiv. 8. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. Compared with Mark vi. 24. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And

she said, The head of John the Baptist.

b 2 Sam. xiii. 28. Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill him, fear not; have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

i 1 Sam. iii. 13. For I have told him, that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

k John vii. 46. The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Ver. 47. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Ver. 48. Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed on him? Ver 49. But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Col. iii. 21. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Exod. v. 17. But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord.

/ 1 Pet. ii. 18. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, Ver. 19. For this is thank-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. Ver. 20. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently; this is acceptable with God. Heb xii. 10. For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Deut. xxv. 3. Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seeni vile unto thee.

tation, and danger m; provoking them to wrath"; or any way dishonouring themselves, or lessening their authority, by an unjust, indiscreet, rigorous, or remiss behaviour. Q. 131. What are the duties of equals ?

A. The duties of equals are, to regard the dignity and worth of each other P, in giving honour to go one before another; and to rejoice in each others gifts and advancement, as their own".

Q. 132. What are the sins of equals?

m Gen. xxxviii. 11. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at thy father's house till Shelah my son be grown; (for he said, Lest peradventure he die also as his brethren did :) and Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. Ver. 26. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more. Acts xviii. 17. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judg. ment-seat and Gallio cared for none of those things.

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

o Gen. ix. 21. And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent 1 Kings xii. 13. And the king (Rehoboam) answered the people roughly, and for. sook the old men's counsel that they gave him; Ver. 14. And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. Ver. 15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord. Ver. 16. So, when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O

Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. 1 Kings i. 6. And his father had not displeased him (viz. Adonijab) at any time, in saying, Why hast thou done so? 1 Sam. ii. 29. Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifices, and at mine offering which I have commanded in my habitation, and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? Ver. 30. Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said, indeed, that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Ver. 31. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.

131. p 1 Pet. ii. 17. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

9 Rom. xii. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.

r Rom. xii. 15. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Ver. 16. Be of the same mind one towards another Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Phil. ii. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Ver. 4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

A. The sins of equals are, besides the neglect of the duties required, the undervaluing of the worth', envying the gifts", grieving at the advancement or prosperity one of another; and usurping pre-eminence one over another *.

Q. 133. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment, the more to enforce it?

A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment, in these words, That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, is an express promise of long life and prosperity, as far as it shall serve for God's glory and their own good, to all such as keep this commandment".

Q. 134. Which is the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not killa. Q. 135. What are the duties required in the sixth_commandment?

A. The duties required in the sixth commandment are, all careful studies, and lawful endeavours, to preserve the

132. s Rom. xiii. 8. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

t 2 Tim. iii. 3. Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.

Acts vii. 9. And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt; but God was with him. Gal. v. 26. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Numb. xii. 2. And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. Esth. vi. 12. And Mordecai came again to the king's gate but Haman hasted to his house, mourning, and having his head covered. Ver. 13. And Haman told Zeresh his wife, and all his friends, every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men, and Zeresh his wife, unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him; but shalt surely

fall before him.

x 3 John, ver. 9. I wrote unto the church but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not. Luke xxii. 24. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

133. y Exod. xx. 12.

z Deut. v. 16. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 1 Kings viii. 25. Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me, as thou hast walked before me. Eph. vi. 2. Honour thy father and thy mother, (which is the first commandment with promise,) Ver 3. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

134. a Exod. xx. 13.

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