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magistrates, who are not of their communion, are very weak, and most of them, such as may easily be answered; as,

1. When they allege the commission given by Christ, to Peter, Feed my sheep, John xxi. 17. They pretend, that to feed, is the same as to govern; and that this implies a power of punishing; which they suppose to be so far extended, as that the bishop of Rome may depose sovereign princes, as occasion offers; and that this power was given to Peter and his successors, which the popes of Rome pretend to be.

But to this it may be replied; that this commission given by Christ to Peter, to feed his sheep, imports his feeding them with knowledge and understanding, and not lording it over God's heritage. Thus our Saviour says, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority over them, are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve, Luke xxii. 25, 26. Moreover, their pretence that the bishops of Rome are Peter's successors, contains a claim of what they have not the least shadow of right to; and is, indeed, to place them in Peter's chair, who are the greatest opposers of his doctrine.

2. Another argument they bring, tending to overthrow the power of the civil magistrate, is, that, as the soul is more excellent than the body, and its welfare to be preferred in proportion thereunto; so the church is to take care of the spiritual concerns of mankind, to which all temporal concerns are to give place; therefore its power is greater than that of the civil magistrate.

Answ. To this it may be replied; that this similitude does not prove the thing for which it is brought; and though it be allowed, that the soul is more excellent than the body; yet its welfare is not to be secured by inflicting corporal punishments, such as persecutions and massacres; which, to abate and encourage, is to cast a reproach on religion; and it will tend very much to weaken the interest of Christ in the world.

Moreover, the magistrate is ordained by God, to defend the religious as well as civil liberties of his subjects; which is included in the apostle's exhortation; let prayers be made for kings and for all in authority; that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty, 1 Tim. ii. 2. and elsewhere we are exhorted, to submit to governors, as unto them who are sent by the Lord, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well, 1 Pet. ii. 14.

3. There is another argument which they make use of, taken from Azariah the priest's opposing king Uzziah, for intrud ing himself into the priest's office, in burning incense in the temple. Thus it is said, in 1 Chron. xxvi. 16-18. that when

"he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction. For 'he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord, to burn incense upon the altar of incense. • And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men. And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It uppertaineth 'not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn 'incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed, neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.' To support their argument, taken from this scripture, they observe, that the priests, who went in with Azariah, are said to be valiant men, and so ready to commit any hostilities against the king. Azariah also threatens him, when he tells him, It should not be for his honour; and peremptorily commands him, to be gone out of the temple. This they suppose, is a flagrant instance of the power of the church over the civil magistrate, in all those things that interfere with what is sacred.

But to this it may be replied;

(1st) That Uzziah's sin, according to the law of that dispensation, was very great, and against an express command of God, who had ordered, that none should officiate in the priest's office, but those who were of the family of Aaron.

(2dly,) Azariah, and the rest of the priests, did not attempt to depose him, but to prevent his going on in his sin; which would not be for his honour, as the high-priest tells him. And this he says, not in a menacing way, as signifying that he would inflict some punishment on him; but as declaring what God would do against him, that would tend to his dishonour for this sin.

(3dly,) Though the high-priest, in God's name, commanded him to go out of the sanctuary; yet he did not lay violent hands on him, at least, till the leprosy was seen upon him. Ver. 27. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests 'looked upon him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.' This they did, because a leper was not, according to the law of God, to enter into the congregation, inasmuch as he would defile it.

(4thly.) He was not properly deposed; but, by this plague of leprosy, rendered incapable of reigning; and therefore he lived alone,' ver. 21. in a several house, being a leper; for * he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his ⚫ son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land." This was agreeable to the law of God, touching the leper, in which it is said, that all the days wherein the plague shall be

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in him, he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell a
lone, without the camp shall his habitation be,' Lev. xiii. 46.
It may farther be observed, that his son managed the affairs
of the kingdom for him; so that the use which is made by the
Papists of this scripture, to give countenance to their doctrine
of deposing princes, is foreign to the true sense thereof.

4. There is one more scripture-example which the Papists
bring, whereby they defend their practice, not only of depo-
sing, but murdering princes; and that is in 2 Kings xi. 15.
But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hun-
dreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, have her forth
without the ranges; and him that followeth her, kill with the
sword. For the priest had said, let her not be slain in the
house of the Lord. But to this it may be replied,

[1st] That Athaliah was plainly an usurper, not only by
reason of her sex, since a woman was not to reign over Israel,
or Judah: But she killed all the seed royal, to establish her.
self in the throne, except Joash, who escaped, being hid from
her fury, in an apartment belonging to the temple, 2 Chron.
xxii. 11.

[2dly,] What Jehoiada did in deposing her, was not only
with a good design to set up the lawful heir; but it was done
by an express command of the Lord, chap. xxiii. 3.

[3dly,] Joash was proclaimed, and anointed, and universal-
ly owned as king by the people, before Athaliah was slain, 2
Kings xi. 12,-14.

VI. We are now to consider the sins of inferiors against
their superiors. These are expressed in general terms, in one
of the answers we are explaining; namely, neglecting the du-
ties we owe to them, envying at, and contempt of their per-
sons, places, and lawful counsels and commands, and all re-
fractory carriage, that may prove a shame and dishonour to
their government; but, more particularly, inferiors sin against
their superiors.

1. In divulging their secrets; and that either as to what re-
spects the affairs of their families, or their secular callings in
the world.

2. In mocking, reproaching, or exposing their infirmities.
Thus it is said, The eye that mocketh at his father, and despi-
seth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out,
and the young eagles shall eat it, Prov. xxx. 17.

3. In endeavouring to make disturbance or disorders in fa-
milies, or the common-wealth, through discontent with their
station as inferiors, or a desire to rule over those to whom they
ought to be in subjection.

4. Servants sin, in neglecting to fulfil their contract, or do
the service which they engaged to perform, when they first er-
VOL. III.

3 X

tered into that relation. Or when they are only disposed to perform the duties incumbent on them, when they are under their master's eye, having no sense of common justice, or their obligation to approve themselves to God, in performing the duties they owe to man. Thus the apostle exhorts servants, to be obedient to them which are their masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ. Not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, Eph. vi. 5, 6.

5. Children sin, by being unnatural to their parents, who refuse or neglect to maintain them if they need it, especially when they are aged; whereby they will appear to have no sense of gratitude, for past favours, nor regard to that duty which nature obliges them to perform.

QUEST. CXXIX. What is required of superiors towards their inferiors?

ANSW. It is required of superiors, according to that power they receive from God, and that relation wherein they stand, to love, pray for, and bless their inferiors; to instruct, counsel, and admonish them; countenancing, commending, and rewarding such as do well; discountenancing, reproving, and chastising such as do ill; protecting, and providing for them all things necessary for soul, and body; and by grave, wise, holy, and exemplary carriage, to procure glory to God, honour to themselves, and so to preserve the authority which God hath put upon them.

QUEST. CXXX. What are the sins of superiors?

ANSW. The sins of superiors are, beside the neglect of the duties required of them, and inordinate seeking of themselves, their own glory, ease, profit, or pleasure; commanding things unlawful, or not in the power of inferiors to perform; counselling, encouraging, or favouring them in that which is evil, dissuading, discouraging, or discountenancing them in that which is good; correcting them unduly, careless exposing, or leaving them to wrong, temptation, and danger; provoking them to wrath; or any way dishonouring themselves, or lessening their authority, by an unjust, indiscreet, rigorous, or remiss behaviour.

QUEST. CXXXI. What are the duties of equals ?

ANSW. The duties of equals are, to regard the dignity and

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• worth of each other, in giving honour to go one before another, and to rejoice in each others gifts and advancement, as in their own.

QUEST. CXXXII. What are the sins of equals ?

ANSW. The sins of equals are, beside the neglect of the du ties required, the undervaluing of the worth, envying the gifts, grieving at the advancement or prosperity one of another, and usurping pre-eminence one over another.

QUEST. CXXXIII. What is the reason annexed to the fifth Commandment the more to enforce it?

ANSW. The reason annexed to the fifth Commandment, in these words, [That thy days, may be long upon the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee] is an express promise of long life and prosperity, as far as it shall serve for God's glory, and their own good, to all such as keep this Commandment.

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WE are to consider the duties which superiors owe to

their inferiors. Whatever circumstance of advancement one has above another in the world, this is a peculiar gift, of God, and should not give occasion to that pride of heart which is natural to fallen man, which puts him upon casting contempt on those who are below him; much less should they. oppress others, who are in a lower station of life than themselves; but should endeavour to do good to them, and thereby glorify God. And, indeed, as every relation is mutual, and calls for its respective duties, so that superiors expect the duty which belongs to them, from inferiors; it is equally just and reasonable that they should not neglect those duties which they are obliged to perform to them; though they be of another nature, different from those which they demand from them. Here we shall consider,

2. The duty of parents to children. This not only includes in it the using their utmost endeavours to promote their worldly advantage, as to what respects their present or future condition in life; but they ought to have a just concern for their spiritual welfare, which is a duty very much neglected, though it be incumbent on all parents, and will be performed by those who have a sense of God and religion upon their spirits; this the apostle calls bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Eph. vi. 4. When children are first capable. of being instructed; or when they first take in the knowledge of common things; then it is the parent's duty to instil into

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