Tim. 2. 9. 4. 4. 5. Dal. 5. 21. and drinks, apparel, and all the enjoyments and pleasures of life, The natural appetites are to be governed with wisdom and refolution, that we may not abuse any thing, which God hath created and given us for our health and comfort, by finful exceffes. Drunkennes is ranked among the works of the flesh, which fhut men out from the kingdom of God and Luk. 21. 34. gluttony or luxurious indulgence in eating is equally cenfured both by fcripture and reason. Rom. 14. 14, We are taught rather to reftrain our liberty, even in things in themfelves lawful, than, under the pretence of freedom, to venture too 1 Cor. 6. 12, far on the borders of fin, or offend the weak 23. confcience of a brother. They are enemies 23. to the cross of Chrift, who make the belly Phil 3.18,19. their idol, who glory in their fhame, and mind earthly things; and it is one of the marks of the great apoftacy of the latter days, that men 2 Tim. 3. 4. will be lovers of pleasures,more than lovers of God. 1 Cor. 6. 12, Though all things are lawful which were de 13. Prudence and diligence in the affairs of this life. figned for the ufe of man, yet all things are not expedient, and we mult not be brought under the power of any meats are for the belly, and the belly for meats; but it must be remembred that God will destroy both it and them, and it is difhonorable to a chrittian to fuffer his foul to be inflaved to things in their own nature perifhing, and which muft foon be destroyed, fince he profeffes to be feeking immortality. As believers must not be flothful in the affairs of their falvation, buc fervent in fpirit, Rom. 12. 11. ferving the Lord; fo they ought to be diliEph. 4. 28. gent in the common bufinefs of life, working in fome honeft calling, that they may not only provide for themfelves and thofe of their own houfe, but also have fomething to give to him that that needeth. They are cenfured by the Apo- 2 Theff. 3: C SECT. IV. Social Duties. Fidelity. 4. 2. HRISTIANS ought to regard Juice as Juice and one of the weighty things both of the Law and Gofpel. Truth and honefly fhould Matt. 23. 23. appear in all their dealings with men. They 2 Cor. 1. IZ. muft not allow themfelves even in the moft fecret fraud; but are called to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, and every kind of craft and deceit, as well as open theft and robbery, and fhew themfelves Ifraelites indeed 1 Joh. 1. 47! in whom is no guile. As they are required Pfal. 32. 1,2. always to speak the truth from the heart, fo 2 Cor. 7. 14 their whole conduct fhould be upright, and 11. 7. their fidelity fhould appear in the performance Pfal. 15. 2,48 1 3. 12. BELIEVERS must be full of mercy and good Mercy and fruits, kind, tenderhearted, abounding in eve- kindness. ry good work, and ready to forgive the grea- Col. teft injuries. They are taught to pity the 2 Cor. 877 afflicted, relieve the diftreffed, and freely dif- 15.& chap.9. perfe and give to the poor. They are warn- Luk. 12. 154 throughout. ed to take heed of covetousness, which is idolatry; and inftructed to be good and merciful, Coloff. 3. 5. even as our Father in heaven is merciful, and Matt. 5. 7. not to be rigorous in exacting even their pro- uk.6.35,36. per rights, but give up their juft claims ra- Matt.5. 38ther z 5.7. Duties of particular re lations. Eph. 5. 22 33. 6.1-9. Coloff. 3. 18, 25. 4. ther than do any thing which hath the appear ance of revenge or cruelty. CHRIST hath given a fpecial command, that Husbands fhould love their Wives, even as he hath loved the Church, to regard them even as part of their own bodies, and tenderly cherish them as their own flesh, fhewing no bitterness against them. He hath alfo required Wives to fubmit themfelves unto their 1 Pet. 3. 1-own hufbands, to love them, and be under becoming fubmiffion, taking pattern from that love and reverence which the Church yields to Chrift. Children are required to obey their parents in the Lord, as what is justly due from them, and in fo doing encouraged to hope for the promife of life remarkably annexed to that firft command of the zd Table, 7: Honour thy Father, and thy Mother'. And Parents are commanded to govern their children with fuch wifdom, kindness, and fteadinefs, as not to provoke them by ill treatment, or difcourage them from their duty; and to take all proper pains to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Servants are inftructed to be obedient to their mafters; not with eye-fervice as men-pleafers, but in fingleness of heart fearing God, doing every thing heartily as to the Lord and not unto men; pleafing them well in all things; not anfwering again; not pilfering or embezzeling their mafter's goods, but fhewing all good fidelity. And Masters are required on the other hand to treat their fervants well, to forbear the feverity of threatnings, and give them that which is juft and equal, knowing that they themselves alfo have a Master in heaven. Thus in every relation the Gospel teacheth us to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, IT 4.8. Tis a good and pleafant thing for brethren Duties of christian bre of the fame family to dwell together in unity thren. and chriftians, being brethren, as they are all Pfal. 33the children of God by faith, are required to Gal 3. 26-28 maintain fervent charity among themfelves, 1 Pet. 3. 8 and preferve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. They must not feek every man his own things, but every one his brother's welfare. In managing all the affairs of the church, as well as in their more private "conversation, their aim fhould be to edify one Rom. 14. 194 another. Every appearance of pride and vain Eph. 4. 16 Cor. 10. 244 16. glory, envy, and itrife, among chriftian bre- Gal. 5. 26. thren, and every thing which tends to pro- Phil. 2. 3. voke one another and caufe divifions and con- Jam. 3. 14 tentions, must be pronounced oppofite to that 16. wifdom which is from above: fuch things proceed from a carnal fpirit and temper, and are declared to be earthly, fenfual and devilih. Every chriftian ought to think foberly Rom. 12. 3 and modeftly of himself, and instead of being 10: conceited of his own knowlege or attainments Phil. 2. 1in grace, each fhould be ready to esteem another better than himself. Chriftian brethren ought to manifeft fincere love and tenderness 1 Theff 5.14: 2 Theff. 3.15. in exhorting, admonishing and reproving each other. The gentleft methods should be used to reclaim an offending brother, in a private manner, before the church is informed against him. With all meeknefs, and pity, and with Matt. 18. 1 §-s all proper allowances for humane infirmities, we should tell him of his faults, and not bear any fecret grudge in our hearts against him, Lev. 19. 17! or be fevere in our cenfures. We must be ready to forgive any perfonal injuries, though Matt. 6. 14. often repeated, as God for Chrift's fake hath 15. forgiven us, and must reject none wholly from our charity, whom Chrift will not reject Rom. 15.74 at the great day according to the plain decla H rations 18. 18.21-35 Eph. 4. 32, 7 20. rations of the Gospel. And in all public cen fures the Church ought to proceed according Mat. 18.15 to the rules which Chrift has given us in his word, and imitate his example, who is touchHeb.2.17,18. ed with a feeling of our infirmities, and hath 4. 14-10 compaffion on the ignorant and them that are out of the way; and if a man be overtaken Gal. 6. 15 in a fault, they which are fpiritual fhould be ready to restore fuch an one in the fpirit of meeknefs, confidering that they themselves alfo are liable to be tempted. Honour to be 18 1 Tim. 6. 3 given to the To all the officers which Chrift has ap ficers of the pointed in his Church due honor is to be Church. paid, especially to thofe who labor in word 1 Tim. 5.17. and doctrine, whom the Holy Ghoft hath made Overfeers of the flock of God. As it is A&t. 20. 17, the duty of the Elders orOverfeers to feed that flock whichChrift hath purchased with his own 2 Tim.4.1,2. blood, by preaching the word, delivering to them the doctrines and commands of Christ, and admonishing and governing the Church according to his will declared in his word, not as having dominion over their faith and ■ Pet. 5. 2,3. being lords over God's heritage, but as help zCor. 1. 24. ers of their joy: fo on the other hand it is 1 Theff 5.12, the duty of the brethren to know and esteem them very highly in love for their work's fake, Heb. 13. 17. and to obey and Jubmit themfelves to their in-ftruction and government, becaufe they watch for fouls as thofe who must give an account, And fince the benefit of the Church depends much upon the good reputation of thote who are it's instructors and guides, chriftians ought carefully to obferve that rule of the Gofpel,Tim.5 19. against an Elder receive not an accufation, but Pfal. 15. 3. before two or three witnesses, and not easily liften to every flanderous report. 13. It |