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king, as fupreme; 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." Let us honour and dutifully fubject ourselves, according to the will of God, to our gracious Sovereign King George, our rightful and lawful King by virtue of the laws of Scotland, pointed at in the claim of right, and upon which was founded the late happy Revolution. Let us adore that bountiful providence, by which his grandfather [Frederick Elector Palatine of the Rhine] having loft one kingdom [that of Bohemia], besides his private eftate, in the cause of the Proteftant religion, three kingdoms are now conferred on the grandfon. Let us thank our God, who did so seasonably bring him to the throne, and that in peace, to the surprise of all parties, fo as we were like men that dreamed. Let us fuppofe that the Popish Pretender had effectuated his purpose, what a cafe had we been in this day! Yet rejoice with trembling; it is hard to say that Heaven and thefe' finful nations are become friends yet. Let us be dutiful to fubordinate magiftrates under him, and honour those whom God has honoured by their office, saying to them, Te are gods. Let us not ftumble atheists, Jacobites, and malignants, against our holy religion, by contempt of the magiftrate. We read the Bible, where fubjection is commanded to fubjects oft and again, even to magiftrates that were enemies to Christianity. We are the followers of that Jefus who paid his tribute, and taught the people, of the Jews, who were more folemnly covenanted with God, and more strictly bound up in the choice of their kings, than any nation under heaven, yet not to deny their tribute to Cæfar, the Heathen Roman emperor, who then was their chief magiftrate, Matth. xxii. 19.-21.

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Secondly, I fhall fhew the duty of magiftrates to their fubjects, which I fhall only name.

1. They ought to establish good laws among their fubjects, and to see them duly executed, Zech. viii. 16. 2 Chron. xix. 5, 6, 7.

2. To govern them with wisdom, juftice, and clemency, 2 Chron. i. 10.

3. To punish evil-doers, and encourage them that do well, Rom. xiii. 3.

4. To protect them, and provide for their common fafety,

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1 Tim. ii. 2.; to fee to their profperity, and not to oppress them, Prov. xxviii. 16.

5. Lastly, They ought to promote true religion, and advance the intereft of Chrift's kingdom among their fubjects, If. xlix. 23. Some will have the magiftrate to be the fountain of church-power. Others leave him nothing to do in religion but to defend the church, and execute her acts. Thus go the Papifts. Truth goes the middle way, allowing the magiftrate a cumulative, though not a privative, power in church-matters; and though he ought not to exercise a fpiritual function, yet he can command and oblige ministers and other church-officers to do their duty, authoritatively call them to do it. And this is no more to ufurp church-power, than a ministers charging magiftrates from the word, is to ufurp civil power. See Confeffion of Faith.

There are other relations that import a mere preference; as, betwixt the aged and the younger, the weaker in gifts and the stronger, and between equals.

First, As to the relation betwixt the aged and the younger, 1. I fhall confider very briefly the duties of the younger to the aged, for thefe are fathers and mothers in fcripturelanguage, 1 Tim. v. 1.

(1.) They ought to fubmit to them, fo as to follow their wife advice, and not to stand upon the points with them, but to be ready to yield to them, where lawfully it may be done, 1 Pet. v. 5.

(2.) They ought to honour them, and carry respectfully to them. The Ancient of days commands us to honour old age, Lev. xix. 32.

2. The aged ought, (1.) To be ready to profit the younger fort by their good advice, to tutor them, as Eli did young Samuel, 1 Sam. iii. 9. (2.) To give them the example of a virtuous and holy life, Tit. ii. 2.

Secondly, The duties of the weaker in gifts to the ftronger

are,

(1.) To reverence and refpect them for the gifts of God in them, Gen. xlv. 8. (2.) To be willing and ready to learn of them. (3.) To beware of judging harfhly of them in things wherein they have a greater liberty than them, Rev.

xiv. 3.

The duties of the ftronger in gifts are, (1.) To communicate cheerfully to them what God has given them, and fo VOL. III. No. 22.

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to help them by their gifts. (2.) To encourage them, and bear with their infirmities, Rom. xv. 1.

Lastly, The duties of equals are, (1.) To regard the dignity and worth of each other, and carry refpectfully to them. 1 Pet. ii. 17. (2.) To carry modeftly towards one another, preferring in honour each other, Rom. xii. 10. (3.) To endeavour after and rejoice in one another's welfare as their own, ver. 15, 16.

II. I proceed now to fhew, what is forbidden in the fifth commandment. According to our Catechifm, it forbids "the neglecting of, or doing any thing against the honour and duty which belongeth to every one in their feveral places and relations.'

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This question is a field as large, or rather larger than the former, in fo far as to one duty feveral fins are opposed: but fearing that ye cannot bear enlargement, having heard fo much already on thefe relations, I fhall contract my difcourse on this into a very narrow compafs.

This command is broken, (1.) By neglect of the duties we owe to our relations, which ye have heard. (2.) By doing any thing against and contrary to these duties.

First, Hufbands and wives break this command, and fin against one another, many ways. As particularly,

1. Against that tender conjugal love they owe to one another, is all unkindness, whereby, laying afide, and divesting themselves of natural affection, they are furly to carelefs of, and unconcerned for their relatives, or their comfort. Of this fort are their bitter fpeeches, reproaching and reviling one another. That selfishness, whereby they are at no pains to please one another in lawful things, and void of fympathy in one another's joys and griefs unreasonable fufpicions and jealoufies, whatever be done to please them; blazing abroad their own fhame, in speaking to the difcredit of their relatives; contempt of and defpifing one another. All these 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 means, is all idlenefs, mifmanagement, and wastery; and in respect of their fouls, is unconcernedness about them, being at no pains

to instruct, admonish, and watch over one another; and if at any time they tell them of their faults, it is to their reproach, being before others, or in their paffion, so that it can do no good. And much more when they become fnares and hinderances to one another, inftead of meet helps, leading and provoking their relatives to fin against God, and ruin their own fouls.

Wives particularly fin against their husbands, by cafting off all reverence to them, carrying themfelves imperiously towards them, being disobedient, wilful, and untractable, and, like Vashti, Efth. i. 10, 11, 12. who would not come to the king, when sent for by him, will not go an inch by their own will to please them. It is not their honour to command, whose province God has made it to obey, Ezek. xvi. 30. Eph. v. ult.

Hufbands fin against their wives in dealing untenderly with them, tyrannizing 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 utmost farthing; nor encouraging and praising them when they do well; most of all in beating them, in use only with furious or mad men, Eph. v. 25. 29.

Secondly, As to parents and children:

1. Children fin against their parents by disobedience 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 dishonouring them in word and deed, Deut. xxvii. 16.; and much more by curfing of them, Exod. xxi. 17. Many, again, fin against God and their parents, being unteachable, and will not hearken to their instruction, Prov. v. 7.; they will not take a fharp word from them, but their hearts rise against them and it too, Prov. xiii. 18.; and others, though they will bear with words, yet they are stubborn, and will not fubmit to correction, Deut. xxi. 18, 19. And what will we fay of those that, like curfed Ham, make a jeft of their parents infirmities, waste their fubftance, and prove unnatural and hard-hearted to them when they are old and in distress? Prov. xix. 26. Finally, they fin by disposing of themselves 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 encouraging them in idleness, prove a fnare to them. Moft men, if they bring their children to be able to fhift for a livelihood to themfelves, think they have done enough, while they have not 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 say of those that will learn them to ban, fwear, lie, pick and fteal, and encourage them in fuch 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 their fpirits, by holding them, fo 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.; indifcreet and untender dealing with them with respect to their callings or marriages.

Thirdly, As to masters and fervants :

1. Servants fin against their masters by irreverent, disrefpectful, and faucy carriage towards them, without any respect to the honour which God calls them to give to their mafters. Many are difobedient, and will plainly tell, that they will not do what they are bidden; or if they do it, they will do it in fuch a manner, as fhall vent their pride and paffion. Though the fcripture commands not to anfwer again, they will anfwer, and have the laft word too, and by no means will fubmit to reproofs. Many are unfaithful to their masters, their service is eye-service, unfaithful fervice, either by their negligence and floth bringing their master to lofs, or by dishonesty 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 masters were no more concerned in them, if they work their work, Eph. v. 5, 6.

2. Masters fin against their fervants, not allowing them fufficient maintenance, but niggardly pinching them, keeping

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