,cing r, reproving, and chaftning fuch as do ill f; protecting t and providing for them all things neceffary for Soul v and Body w: and, by grave, wife, holy and examplary carriage, to procure glory to God x, honour to themselves y, and fo to preferve 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 duties required of them a, an inordinate feeking of themfelves, r Rom. 13.3. For rulers are not a terrortogoodworks,but tothe evil. Wilt thou then notbe afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praife 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,arevenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. f Prov. 29. 15, The rod and reproof give wifdom: but a child left to himself, bringeth his mother to fhame.1Pet.2.14. (See above in p.) t Job 29.12. Becaufe I delivered 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 perish,came uponme: and I caufed the widows heart to fing for joy. v.14. I put on righteoufnefs,& it clothed me: my judgment was a robe & 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 caufe which I knew not,lfearched out.v. 17.And I brake the jaws of the wicked,and plucktthe fpoil out of his teeth.Ifa. 1.10.Here 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 oppref fed, judge the fatherlefs, plead for the widow. v Eph. 6.4. And ye fathers,provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. wI Tim.5.8, But if any provide not for his own, and fpecially for thofe of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. XITim.4.12.Let no mandefpife thy youth, but be thou an example ofthebelievers,in word, in converfation, in charity,in fpirit,in faith, in purity.Tit.2.3. Theagedwomen likewife, that they be in behaviour asbecometh holinefs,notfalfeaccufers,not given tomuchwine,teachers of good things. 7.4. That they may teach the young women to be fober, to love their hufbands, to love their children. v.5.To be difcreet,chafte,keepersathome,good, obedient totheirown husbands,that the wordof God be notblafphemed. yiKings3.28.Andall Ifraelheard of thejudgment which the kinghad judged, and they feared the king: for they faw that the wifdomofGod was in him, to do judgment. z Tit. 2. 15. These things fpeak & exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man defpife thee. 130. a Ezek. 34. 2. Son of man, prophefy against the fhepherds of Ifrael,prophefy,and fay unto them, Thus faith the Lord God unto the fhepherds, wo be to the fhepherds of Ifrael that do feed themfelves: fhould not the fhepherds feed the flock? 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 yenotftrengthned, neither have ye healed that which was fick, neither have Telves b, their own glory c, ease, profit, or pleasure d; commanding things unlawful e, or not in the power of inferiors to perform f; counselling g, encouraging h, or favouring them in that which is evil i; diffwading, difcouraging,or discountenancing them in that which is good k; have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought againthat which was driven away, neither.have ye fought that which was loft; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. b Phil. 2, 21.For all feek their own,not the things whichare Jefus Chrifts. c John 5.44, How canyebelieve, which receive honour one of another, and feek not the honour that cometh from God only? John7. 18. He that speaketh of himself, feeketh his own glory; but he that feeketh his glory; that fenthim, the fame is true, and no unrighteoufnefs is in him. d Ifa. 56. 10. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; fleeping, lying down, loving to flumber. v. 11. Yea, they are greedy dogs,which can never have enough,& they are fhepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own way,everyone for his gain frombis quarter. Deut. 17.17. Neither fhall he multiply wives to himfelf, that his heart turn not away,neither fhall he greatly multiply to himself filver and gold. e Dan. 3. 4. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded,O people, nations,and languages, v. 5. That at what time ye hear the found of the cornet, flute, harp, facbut, pfaltery, dulcimer, and allkinds of mufick,yefall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath fet up. v, 6. And whofo falleth not down and worshippeth, fhall the fame hour be calt into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Acts4.17. cor But that it fpreadnofurtheramong the people, let us ftraitly threaten them,that theyfpeak henceforth to no man in this name. v. 18. And they called them, and commanded them not to peakat all, nor to teach in the name of Jefus. fExod.5.fromverfe10 tothe 18. And the task-mafters of the people wentout,and their officers,andthey fpake to the people, faying, Thus faith Pharaoh,I will not give you ftraw, &c.Mat. 2.23.Saying, The Scribes and Pharifees fit in Moles feat.v4. For they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be born.-. g Mat. 14. 8. And fhe,being before inftructedof her mother, faid; Give me here John Baptifts head in a charger. Compared with Mark 6. 24. And fhe went forth, and faid unto her mother, What fhall I afk? and the faid, the head of John the baptift. h 2 Sam. 13. 28. Now Abfalom hadcommandedhisfervants,faying, Mark ye now when Ammons heart is merry with wine; and when fay unto you, Smite Ammon,then kill him,fear not: liave not I commanded you? be couragious and be valiant. i1Sam.3.13.Forl have toldhim, that Iwill judge his houfe for ever: for the iniquity which heknoweth: because his fons made themselves vile, and he reftrained them not. k John 7. 46. The officers anfwered, never man fpake like this man. v. 47. Then antwered them the Pharifees, Areye alfo deceived? v.48.Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharifeesbelievedon him?.49. But this people who knoweth not the law are curfed, Col.3, 21, Fa thers, correcting them unduly 1; careless expofing, or leaving them to wrong, temptation and danger m; provoking them to' wrath n; or any way difhonouring themselves, or leffening their authority, by an unjust indifcreet, rigorous or remifs behaviour o. l: 131. thers, provokenot yourchildrento anger, left they be difcouraged. Exod. 5.17.Buthe faid, Ye are idle; ye are idle, therefore ye fay, Let us go and do facrifice to the Lord. I. 1 Pet.2.18. Servants,befübject to your mafters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but alfo to the froward v. 19. For this is thank-worthy, if a man for confciencetoward Godenduregrief fuffering wrongfully. v, 20. For what glory is it,if when ye bebuffeted for your faults,ye fhall take it patiently; but if when ye do well, and fufferforit,ye take it patiently: this is acceptable with God. Heb. 12. 10. For they verily for a few days chaftned us after their own pleafure; but he for our profit,that we might be partakers of his holinefs. Deut. 25. 3,Forty ftripes,he may give him,and not exceed:left if he fhould exceed, and beat him above thefe with many ftripes, then thy brother should feem vile unto thee. m Gen. 38.11.Then faid Judah to Tamar his daughter in law,Remain a widow at thy fathers houfe, till Shelah my fon be grown; (for he faid Left peradventure he die alfo as his brethren did) and Tamar went and dwelt in her fathers houfe. v, 26. And Judah acknowledged them,and faid,Shehath been more righteous than I; because I gaveher not unto Shelah my fon: & he knew her again no more. Acts 18.17. Then all the Greeks took Softhenes the chief ruler of the fynagogue, and beat him before the judgment-feat, and Gallio cared for none of thofe things. n Eph.6.4.And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. o Gen.9.21. And he drankofthe wine,and was drunken,and he was uncovered within his tent. I Kings 12.13.And the King (Rehoboam) anfwered the people roughly, and forfook the old mens counfel that they gave him; v. 14 And spake to them after the counsel of the youngmen,faying, My Fathermade your yoke heavy, & I will add to your yoke;my father alfo chaftifed you with whips,but I will chaftife' you with fcorpions..15. Wherefore the king hearkned not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord,-v.16.So when all Ifrael faw that the king hearkned notunto them, the people anfwered the king, faying, what portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the fon of Jeffe: to your tents, O Ifrael: now fee to thine own houfe, David. So Ifrael departed unto their tents 1 Kings 1.6,And his father hadnot difpleafedhim(viz. Adonijah), at anytime, in faying, Why haft thou done fo? 1 Sam. 2. 29. Whereforekick ye at my facrifices,and at mine offering whichI havecommanded in my ha tation, and honoureft thy fons above me,to make yourselves fat, with thechiefeft of all the offerings of Ifrael my people? v.30. Wherefore the Lord God of Ifrael faith, I laid indeed, that thy houfe, and the house of thy fatheríhould walk before me for ever: but now the Lord faith, Be it far from me: for them that honour me,I willhonour and they that defpife me, fhall be lightly esteemed; v. 31. Behold, the days come that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy fa ther 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 9; and to rejoice in each others gifts and advances ment, as their own r. Q. 132. What are the fins of equals? A. The fins of equals are, befide the neglect of the duties required f, the undervaluing of the worth t, en vying the gifts v, grieving at the advancement or prosperity one of anotherw;and ufurping pre-eminence one overanotherx. Q.133.What is the reafon annexed to the fifth commandment, the more to enforce it? A. The reafon annexed to the fifth commandment, in thefe words, That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee y, is an exprefs promife of long life and profperity, as far as it fhall ferve for God's thers houfe, that there fhall not be an old man in thine house. 131. p1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. q Rom. 12. 10. Be kindly affe&tioned one to another; with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another. r Rom. 12.15.Rejoice with them that do rejoice, & weep with them that weep. v. 16. Be of the fame mind one towards another. Mind not high things, but condefcend to men of low eltate. Be not wife in your own conceits. Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through ftrife or vain-glory, but in lowlinefs of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. v. 4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man allo on the things of others. 132. Rom. 13. 8. Owe no man any thing,but to love one another: for he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law. t 2 Tim.3.3. Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accufers, incontinent, fierce, defpifers of those that are good. glory v Acts 7.9. And the patriarchs, moved with envy,fold Jofeph into Egypt: butGod waswith him. Gal. 3. 26. Let us not be defirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. w Numb. 12. 2. And they faid, hath the Lord indeed fpoken only by Mofes ? hath he not spoken also by us? and the Lord heard it. Efth. 6.12. AndMordecai came again to the kings gate; but Haman hafted to his houfe,mourning,and having his head covered. v. 13. And Haman toldZerefh his wife and all his friends,every thing that had befallen him. Then faid his wife men, and Zerefh his wife unto him, if Mordecai be of the feed of the Jews, before whom thou haft begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him,butfhalt furely fall before him. x3 John 9. I wrote unto the church; butDiotrephes,wholoveth to have pre-eminence amongthem, receiveth us not. Luke 22. 24. And there was allo a ftrife amongst them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. 133. y Exod. 20. 12. z Deut. glory and their own good, to all fuch as keep this command ment z. Q. 134. Which is the fixth commandment? A. The fixth commandmenr is, Thou shalt not kill a. ment? A. The duties required in the fixth commmandment are, all careful studies, and lawful endeavours, to preserve the life of ourselves b and others c, by refifting all thoughts and purposes d,fubduing all paffions e,and avoiding all occafionsf, z Deut. 5.16. 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 8.25.Therefore now, Lord God of Ifrael, keep with thy fervant David my father that thou promifedit him, faying, There shall not fail thee a man in my fight to fit on the throne of Ifrael;fo that thy children take heed to their way,thatthey walk before me as thou haft walked before me. Eph. 6. 2. Honour thy father and thy mother (which is thefirft commandment with promife) v.3.That it may be well with thee,and thou mayeft live long on the earth. 124. a Exod. 20. 13. 135.b Eph. 5.28. So ought men to love their own wives as their own bodies: he that loveth his wife,loveth himself. v.29.For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church. CIKings 8.4. Forit wasfo,when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water. d Jer. 26.15. But know ye for certain,that if ye put me to death, yefhall furely bringinnocentblood upon yourfelves,and upon this city,and uponthe inhabitants there tem of: for of a truth the Lord hath fent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. v. 16. Then faid the princes,and all the people unto the priests, and to the prophets, This man is not worthy to die; for he hath spoken to us in the name of theLord our God,Acts 23.12.And when it was daycertain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curfe, faying,that they would neither eat nor drink, tillthey had killedPaul. v. 16. And when Pauls filters fon heard of their lying in wait, he went andentred into the castle,and told Paul. v,17. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him,& faid,bring this young manuntothe chief captain: forhe hath a certain thing to tell him. v. 21, But do not thou yield unto them: for therely in wait for him more than forty men,which have bound themselves with an oath,that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him and now are they ready looking for a promife from thee,v. 27. This man was taken of the Jews, and fhould have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and refcued him, having underflood that he was a Roman. e Eph. 4. 26. Be ye angry, and fin not: let not the fun go down upon your wrath: v. 27. Neither give place to the devil, f 2 Sam, 2. 22. And Abner faid again to Afahal, Turn thee afide from |