my family: though I should perhaps wish that had I the same occasion that this man has, another would be bound for me; yet because the desire is unreasonable, and such as in duty to myself, and my family, I ought not to comply with; neither am I obliged by virtue of this rule, to answer his desires in it.

6. Q. What then do you take to be the true import of this rule?

A. That whatsoever I could justly and reasonably desire of another man in my circumstances; and it would become him, in charity, to do for me, the same I ought to do for my neighbour, and thereby make it manifest, as the other rule directs, that I do, indeed, love him as myself.

7. Q. To how many commandments has God reduced our duty towards our neighbour?

A. To six; which make up the whole of the second table.

8. Q. What is the first of these?

A. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy Days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

9. Q. What is the proper extent of this commandment?

A. It expressly regards only our natural parents; but the reason of it extends to all sorts of persons who are in any respect our superiors, and to whom we owe any singular honour upon that account; and to the most of which the very name of fathers is given in the Holy Scriptures.

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PROOFS SUBJOINED. Gen. xlv. 8. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his house. Job, xxix. 16. I was a father to the poor;

and the cause which I knew not I searched out. Judg. xvii. 10. And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel and thy victuals. xviii. 19. And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. 2 Kings, ii. 12. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more. v. 13. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith unto thee, Wash and be clean. vi. 21. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? xiii. 14. Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness, whereof he died. And Joash, the king of Israel, came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. Isa. xlix. 23. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens, thy nursing mothers. 1 Cor. iv. 15. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus, I have begotten you through the Gospel.

10. Q. What are the chief relations to which this commandment may be referred?

A. They are especially these following: first, of children towards their parents: second, of subjects towards those who are in authority over them: third, of scholars towards their governors: fourth, of ordinary Christians towards their ministers: fifth, of ser

vants towards their masters: sixth, of wives towards their husbands: seventh, of younger persons towards the aged: and, eighth, of those who are in a lower degree, towards such as are in a higher place of state and dignity.

11. Q. Does not this commandment require some return of duty from those who are upon any of these accounts to be honoured by us.

A. In the equity of it, it certainly does: and therefore as it is our duty to honour them, so it is no less their duty to behave themselves, as their relation requires, towards us.

12. Q. What do you mean by honouring of such persons?

A. Not a bare formal respect; but with that, all that love, duty, and obedience; all that help and service, which they may justly expect from us, and which our own reason tells us we ought to yield to them.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Eph. vi. 1, 2. Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise. Col. iii. 20. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 1 Tim. v. 3, 17, 18. Honour widows that are widows indeed. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. vi. 1, 2. Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service,

because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. 1 Pet. ii. 17. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Fear God. Honour the king.

13. Q. What are the particular duties which are required of children towards their parents?

A. To love, honour, and succour their father and mother: to obey their orders, and bear with their infirmities, and submit to their correction: to promote their comfort and welfare by all fitting means; and if they need, and their children are able, to provide for, and support them.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Lev. xix. 2, 3. Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy. For 1 the Lord your God am holy. Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my Sabbaths. Deut. xxvii. 16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. Prov. i. 8. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother; for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. xxx. 17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. Matt. xv. 4, 5, 6. Compare Mark, vii. 10, 13. Matt. For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father and mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Mark. For Moses said, Honour thy father and mother; and whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: but

ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, it is corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered. Eph. vi. 1, 2. Children obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. Col. iii. 20. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 1 Tim. v. 4. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents; for that is good and acceptable before God. 2 Tim. iii. 2. For men shall be lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.

14. Q. Are all these duties to be equally paid to both our parents?

A. They are; and that by the express words of the commandment, honour thy father and thy mother. Compare Prov. i. 8. vi. 20. Eph. vi. 2. Prov. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.-My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Eph. Honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise.

15. Q. What return of duty ought parents to make to their children?

A. It is their duty to breed them up carefully whilst they are young; virtuously and religiously, when they are capable of discerning between good and evil. To love them: to provide, according to