Christ is to the church, Eph. v. 25. And if men would reflect on this, it would make them very dutiful, and bear with many things, as Chrift doth, elfe we would be ruined.

2. Because thy wife is thy own flefh, thy fecond felf, ver. 28. 29.; and fo undutifulness is monftrous.

3. Because she is the weaker veffel, 1 Pet. iii. 7.; for it hath pleased the Lord to exercise the woman with a special measure of infirmity, both natural and moral.

The reasons of the woman's duty are these.

1. Because the woman was created for the man, 1 Tim. ii. 13. compare 1 Cor. xi. 9.

2. Because the woman was the first that finned, 1 Tim. ii. 14. compare Gen. iii. 16.

3. Because she is the weaker vessel.

Use 1. Let all fuch as have been, or are in that relation, be humbled under a sense of their fin in that point, and fly to the blood of Chrift for pardon. And let every one look on that relation as a ferious matter, in which people must walk with God, and under which they are bound to fo many duties, of which they must give an account to the Lord.

Let husbands and wives ftudy to make confcience of their duty one to another, and frame their life accordingly. For motives, confider,

(1.) God lays them on. Nature may ftorm at them, but they are God's commands; and whofo breaketh over the hedge, the ferpent will bite.

(2.) Your marriage-vows and voluntary covenant engage to these. Though we forget them, God does not, and will

not.

(3.) Your own comfort depends upon them; and fo does the happiness in that relation.

Laftly, Death comes, and that will diffolve the relation. Therefore, before that awful event, let every one make conscience of performing their refpective duties, that they may die in peace.

As to the relation betwixt parents and children, see Col. iii. 20. 21. “Children obey your parents in all things: for this is well-pleafing unto the Lord. Fathers provoke not your children to anger, left they be difcouraged."

In the first of these, we have, 1. The duty that children owe to their parents; and that is obedience in all things. lawful. The word rendered obey, points at obedience flowing

from inward respect to them, 2. The reason of it; it is pleafing to God, who has enjoined it.

In the next place, we have the duty of parents to their children. Where, 1. There is something supposed, that they must use their parental power and authority over their chil dren for their good. 2. Something expreffed, that they use it moderately, not abuse it to the irritating of them, left they crush them, and make them heartlefs.

Parents and children muft carry to one another as they will be anfwerable to God who has given them their orders. Here I fhall fhew,

1. The duties that children owe to their parents.

2. The duty of parents to their children.

First, I am to fhew the duties which children owe to their parents.

1. Singular love to them as the parents ought to bear to them. This is called natural affection, the want whereof is accounted among the most horrid abominations, Rom. i. 31. Such a natural affection did Jofeph fhew to his father, Gen. xlvi. 29. when he went to meet him, fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while."

2. Reverence and fear. Their fear is to be fquared with love, and their love falted with fear, Lev. xix. 3. The mother is there particularly mentioned; and that, in the first place, because, as people are ready to break over the hedge where it is lowest, so children are most apt to despise their mother; and they being much about her hand while young, left familiarity breed contempt, God hath exprefsly provi ded against it. They must have a confcientious regard to that authority God has given them over them, and fear to offend them, as thofe who to them are in God's ftead.

3. An outward reverent and respectful behaviour towards them. They ought not to be treated rudely by their children, as if they were their companions, Mal. i. 6.; but they ought to speak refpectfully to them, Gen. xxxi. 35.; and carry refpectfully to them, Prov. xxxi. 28. This was

Solomon's practice, even when a king, 1 Kings ii. 19.; for as the candle, if lighted, will shine through the lantern, fo reverence in the heart will appear in the outward car, riage.

4. A ready obedience to their lawful commands, Col. iii. 20. If it be not contrary to the command of God, they

ought to obey. Subjection and obedience to parents is the honour as well as the duty of children. Jofeph's ready obedience to his father is recorded to his commendation, Gen. xxxvii. 13. Yea, Christ himself was a pattern to children in this regard to the parental authority, Luke ii. 51.

5. Submiffion. They are to fubmit to their instructions and directions, readily receiving them, and complying with them, Prov. i. 8. Man being born like a wild ass's colt, has need to be taught. They are to fubmit to their reproofs and admonitions, to take them kindly, and amend what is amifs, Prov. xiii. 1. Yea, they are to fubmit to their corrections, for the folly bound up in their hearts makes the rod neceffary, Heb. xii. 9. They are children of Belial, indeed, that will not bear this yoke of fubjection.

6. Bearing with their infirmities, and covering them with the wings of love. Whether they be natural or moral infirmities, they would beware of defpifing or infulting them on that account, or any way expofing them, as fome foolish youngsters are apt to do, Prov. xxiii. 22. Gen. ix. 22.

7. Following their reafonable advice, and taking alongst with them the authority of their parents, in order to their calling or marriage. That children ought not to dispose of themselves in marriage without the consent of parents, is the constant doctrine of the Proteftant churches. And the reafons are these. (1.) The fcripture gives the power of making marriages for children to the parents, Deut. vii. 3. Jer. xxix. 6. 1 Cor. vii. 37. 38. Yea, even after parties have confented, it is left to the parent, whether to give his abused daughter to him that has been guilty with her, Exod. xxii. 16. 17. (2.) The most approved examples of marriage in fcripture go this way, Gen. xxiv. 3. 4. xxviii. 1. 2. and xxix. 19. Judg. xiv. 2. Lastly, The reason is plain; for the child cannot give away any thing, that is his parents against their will. Now, the child himfelf is the parents, a part of their felf-moving fubftance, in which they have a most undoubted property. So, when the devil was permitted to fall upon what was Job's, he fell upon his children, and killed them in the first place. Yet, upon the other hand, no parent can force a child to marry fuch and fuch a perfon; for confent makes marriage, and that which is forced is no confent. The child must be fatisfied as well as the parent, Gen. xxiv. 57. So the fhort of it is, that the

confent of both is neceffary, and that the parent must neither force the child, nor the child rob the parent.

8. Readiness to requite their parents when they are in need of it; that as they did for them when young, so they muft do for them when old, or reduced to poverty. This God requires of children, 1 Tim. v. 4. It is a piece of that honour to parents which the fifth command enjoins, Matth. xv. 4. 5. 6. So did Jofeph, Gen. xlvii. 12. This was a piece of duty which the Lord performed to his mother while he hung on the crofs, John xix. 27.

9. Lastly, In a word, children fhould fo live as they may be an honour to their parents; for according as they are, their parents are either credited or afhamed. Yea, and when they are dead and gone, they fhould be reverently remembered, their wholesome advices religiously followed, and their debts fatisfied, fo as no body may get occafion to reproach them when they are away.

Use 1. This may ferve for conviction and humiliation to us all, who either have had parents fince we came to the years of difcretion, or yet have them. Who can fay in this, I have made my heart clean?

2. I exhort fuch as have parents, whether one or more, to be dutiful to them, according to the word. There is in deed a great difference betwixt children in their father's family, and thofe forisfamiliated, who, by tacit or express consent, are left to their own disposal; but the duty of filial affection, reverence, and gratitude, abideth. For motives confider,

(1.) That parents with refpect to their children, do in an especial manner bear an image of God, as he is our Creator, Provisor, and Ruler. So are parents those from whom, under him, we had our being, by whofe care and government God provided for us, when we could neither provide for nor rule ourselves.

(2.) Hence it is evident, that do what we can to them, or for them, we can never make a full recompence, but, after all, must die in their debt. But how little is this confidered by many, who look on what they do for their parents in a magnifying glafs, while they are blind to what their parents have done for them!

(3.) Laftly, Confider, that God takes special notice how ye carry to your parents, Col. iii. 20. It is a piece of duty

which God readily regardeth according to his promise; and the neglect thereof ufeth not to be overlooked, but as it dif pofeth to an ill life otherwise, so God readily pays it home, fo as the fin may be read in the punishment.

Secondly, I come to confider the duty of parents to their children; and I may take up this under five heads, viz. while they are yet in the womb, while in their infancy, from the time they come to the ufe of reafon, at all times, and when a-dying.

1. The duty which parents owe to their children while yet in the womb.

1ft, Parents are obliged to use all care for the prefervation of the child, to beware of any thing that may harm the child in the belly, and especially that may procure abortion, Judg.

xiii. 4.

2dly, Dealing with God in behalf of the child, praying for its preservation, and for its foul, as foon as it is known to be a living foul. I think that no fooner fhould the mother or father know a living foul to be in the womb, but as foon, with Rebekah, they fhould go to God for it, Gen. xxv. 21,

If Hannah could devote her child to God before it was conceived, 1 Sam. i. 11. Chriftian parents may and ought to devote their children to God when quickened in the womb. Whofo neglect this, confider not that then the child is a finful creature, under the wrath of God, and the curfe of the law; that it is capable of fanctification, must live for ever in heaven or hell, and that poffibly it may never see the light.

Laftly, Labouring by all means that it may be born within the covenant; which is to be done by parents making fure their own being within the covenant; for fo runs the promise, "I will be thy God, and the God of thy feed."

2. The duty they owe to them in their infancy.

1st, Parents should bless God for them when they are born, Luke i. 67. &c. Children are God's heritage; the key of the womb is in his hand; he gives them to fome, and withholds them from others; and they should be received with thankfulness from the Lord's hand.

2dly, Giving them up to the Lord as foon as they are born, renewing the dedication of them to God, and accepting of the covenant for them; and procuring to them the feal of the covenant, without any unneceffary delay. Under VOL. III. No. 21. B