magistrates is very important; that it is an ordinance of God; that they are accountable for the discharge of the trust committed to them; and that many eyes are upon them, and also the eyes of the King of kings and Lord of lords. 11. That it is the duty of subjects to obey magistrates; and that they who disobey them, sin against God, by whom they are ordained.

Sins Forbidden.

The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing any thing against, the honour and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and relations.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,―

1. That we are forbidden to neglect the honour due to any one, whether our superior, our inferior, or our equal. 1 Pet. ii. 17.-"Honour all men." See also Rom. xiii. 7; Gen. xxiii. 7; Rom. xii. 16; 1 Pet. iii. 8, and Eph. vi. 2, 3.

2. That we are forbidden to do any thing against the honour belonging to any one, whether our superior, our inferior, or our equal. Rom. xii. 10.-“ Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another." See also Eccl. x. 20; Matt. xxiii. 11; Phil. ii. 3, and 1 Cor. xix. 22.

3. That we are forbidden to neglect the duties which are due to any one, whether our superior, our inferior, or our equal. Rom. xiii. 8.--" Owe no man any thing, but to love one another." See also Tit. iii. 1; Eph. vi. 1, 5; Col. iv. 1; Eph. vi. 4; Gal. v. 13, and 1 Pet. iii. 8.

4. That we are forbidden to do any thing against the duties which we owe to any one, whether our superior, our inferior, or our equal. 1 Thess. v. 15.-"Follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men." See also 1 Pet.

iii. 6; Matt. xxiii. 4, and Phil. ii. 3.

EXPLANATION.

Obs. 242.-The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth superiors, inferiors, and equals, to neglect the honour and duty which belong to any one, or to do any thing against that honour and duty.

To neglect the honour and duty which we owe to any one, whether our superior, or our inferior, or our equal, is not only to omit the performance of such relative duties altogether, but also, when they are performed, to do them without any regard to the command and authority of the Lawgiver. -Isa. xxix. 13.

To do any thing against the honour and duty which we owe to any one, whether our superior, our inferior, or our equal, is to commit those sins which are the very opposite of the relative duties which are incumbent upon us.--Rom. ii. 22.

1. This commandment is violated by superiors when they trample upon their inferiors; when they seek their own glory, and ease, and profit, and pleasure; when they command things unlawful, or things which their inferiors cannot perform; when they counsel, and encourage, and favour them in what is evil, or dissuade, and discountenance, and discourage them in what is good; when they disgrace their superiority by a careless behaviour before their inferiors; or when they enrage or provoke them to anger. It is violated by those who are superior in age, when they seek not opportunities of establishing the younger in the faith as it is in Jesus; when, by their wickedness, they are a disgrace to the hoary head, which ought to be a crown of glory; or when they do not set before the young an example of faith and holiness in all manner of conversation. It is violated by superiors in gifts and grace, when they despise the weak, and will not bear with them; when they do not study to instruct them; or when they take advantage of their weakness and inferiority.

2. This commandment is violated by inferiors, when they envy, despise, or rebel against their superiors, in their lawful counsels, commands, and corrections. It is violated by inferiors in age, when they do not respect the man of gray hairs ; when they reproach the hoary head; when they contemn the advice, and hate the example of the aged; when they do not seek to be instructed by them; or when they mock them, and avoid them, and will have none of their service. It is violated by inferiors in gifts and grace, when they envy and grieve at the gifts of superiors; when they despise their instruction; when they misrepresent them; or when they do not imitate them, or learn of them.

3. This commandment is violated by equals, when they envy the gifts of one another; when they grieve at the advance

ment or prosperity of one another; when they usurp preeminence over one another; when they undervalue or despise one another; when they do not prefer one another in love; or when they do not live as brethren in love."

Besides the sins of superiors, inferiors, and equals, above enumerated, we may notice more particularly the sins which are committed by mankind in the various relations in which they stand to one another; as husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, ministers and people, and magistrates and subjects.

Obs. 243.-The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth those sins by which it is violated in the relation of husbands and wives.

1. It is violated by both husband and wife, when they do not always act towards one another under impressions of the nearness of the relation; when they speak disdainfully to one another; when they appear so morose, that they will scarcely exchange words; when they take offence at each other's conduct, although in a mere trifle; when they do not seek to please one another; when they do not submit to one another's judgment; when they refuse to hearken to one another, as helpers of spiritual joy; when they grieve each other by word or deed; when their affections are in any respect alienated from one another; or when they give one another cause to suspect any unfaithfulness in the marriagecovenant.

2. It is violated by the husband, when he indulges in idleness, and does not provide for his household, but spends in rioting and drunkenness what should be laid out for the comfort of his wife and family; when he keeps from his wife more than is meet; when he ceases to be her guardian; when he lords it over her, not considering that she is his own flesh; or when he stretches out his hand against her, whom he ought to love as himself.

3. It is violated by the wife, when she has no respect for her husband; when she is not careful to lay out frugally what he provides; or when she usurps the place of her husband, not remembering the nature of that superiority which is given him over her.

Obs. 244.-The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth those sins by which it is violated in the relation of parents and children.

1. It is violated by parents, when they are careless about their children in their earlier years; when they do not pray

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much for them and with them; when they are careless about their education; when they have no anxiety to train them up in the fear of the Lord; when they encourage them in idleness; when they do not teach them to pray to God; when they do not deter them from sin, or when they correct them for transgressing against themselves, while sin against God is overlooked; when lying, swearing, cheating, and profanation of the Lord's day, &c., are not checked, nor the evil of such sins pointed out to them; when they do not correct them in due time, and when necessary; or when they prefer one child to another, as if not equally related to them.

2. It is violated by children, when they lose their love and affection for their parents; when they do not fear and reverence them; when they are disobedient to them in their just and lawful commands; when they do not submit to their counsel and direction, and reproofs and admonitions; when they cease to requite their kindness towards them; when they give them cause of sorrow; or when they do not pray for them, but curse them, although only in their hearts.Wicked and disobedient children are in that black catalogue of sinners who are excluded from the kingdom of heaven.— See Rom. i. 29, &c.

Obs. 245.-The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth those sins by which it is violated in the relation of masters and servants.

1. It is violated by masters, when they refuse their servants proper maintenance and wages; when they deprive them of any part of their due upon any pretence; when they treat them unmercifully; when they believe a bad report against them without reason; when they exercise no care over them; when they do not seek their spiritual welfare, provided they get their own work done by them; when they deprive them of necessary rest; when they prevent them from attending public ordinances; when they do not allow them sufficient time to attend to their eternal concerns; when they set a bad example before them; or when they do not correct them when they sin against God.

2. It is violated by servants, when they show no respect for their masters; when they do not study to maintain the honour of the family; when they are disobedient; when they are slothful, or negligent, or idle, and not diligent in business; or when they show no desire to follow the way of peace and holiness, without which they cannot see the Lord in mercy.

Obs. 246.-The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth those sins by which it is violated in the relation of ministers and people.

1. It is violated by ministers, when they enter among a people contrary to their will, when they are careless about the knowledge of their people's state; when they are careless about their eternal welfare; when they do not dispense ordinances among them in due order; when they are slothful in their work; when they do not frequently pray for their people; when they do not set an example of faith and holiness before them; when they do not declare the whole counsel of God, respecting the only way of a sinner's acceptance; when they preach smooth things, and not the great things of God's law; when they study to please men more than God; or when they do not study to show themselves approved in all things, as those who must give an account.

2. It is violated by the people, when they do not reverence their ministers; when they do not esteem them very highly for their work's sake; when they speak evil of them; when they do not pray for them; when they do not wait on the ordinances of Christ when dispensed by them; when they despise their counsel, and direction, and reproofs; when they are not careful to strengthen their hands in their great work; when they slander them unjustly; when they judge rashly concerning them; or when they do not allow them a sufficiency of the world's good things.

Obs. 247. The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth those sins by which it is violated in the relation of magistrates and subjects.

1. It is violated by magistrates, when they establish unjust or unequal laws; when they are partial in the administration of justice, or take bribes; when they oppress the poor; when they do not study to promote the interests of true religion by precept and example; when they do not protect the rights and privileges of their subjects; when they do not endeavour to restrain vice and immorality; when they do not punish evil-doers; in a word, when they do not act according to the spirit of their important office.

2. It is violated by subjects, when they do not respect magistrates as the ordinance of God; when they judge uncharitably respecting their conduct; when they disobey their just laws; when they refuse the payment of just taxes and tribute; when they do not pray for them; when they