other ways is sinful and is all quite lost and you over and above in case you shall so do guilty and must give an account of your layings out as well as of your receivings in Vse a moderation and be sober in your desires and endeavours after and in your delighting and rejoycing in any worldly things as wealth credit honor preferment ease liberty and the like also in sleep and rest The Heathens many of the moral Heathens taught and practised this lesson of moderation as Cato Fabricius Scipio and very many more we read of yea Hannibal though a Souldier and Caesar an Emperor that they might not exceed the bounds they would be sure to abridge and deny themselves of much of that which was lawful in meat drink apparel recreation Houshold-furniture meerly upon the account of honor credit or esteem in the world because they judged it a brave thing to be sober and temperate and a shameful thing unworthy for a man especially if of note in the worlds esteem for wisdom to be overtaken with excess in the use of meat drink apparel c. or of passion Now what a shame is it that the Heathens Pagans that knew not the true God should go much beyond Christians in these things which know the true God end have his word to inform and direct them and are frequently called on by his Ministers and by his Providential works to live soberly especially such as pretend to Godliness and that Heathens should rise up in judgment against Christians and condemn them for being given to excess in eating drinking daintiness excess in apparel to be as rich and costly in their apparel as other Christians that are much above them yea as Heathens that are much superior to them in many ways and respects and be as fashionable and modish yea as fantastick many Professors as the loose prophane vain men and women of the world as gayish and apish to the great dishonour of God scandal of Religion discredit to the Gospel and the profession of it sadding the hearts of the sober tender Christians hardning of vain persons in their vain fantastick modes and ways the great hinderance of the conversion of soul who are strengthned in their sins by the vain conversation carriages habits of such as pretend to real piety The work of conversion will never go prosperously on or as sometimes for merly till Christians are reduced to their wonted gravity sobriety and moderation in apparel and other carriages For what may and do many loose persons say We say they think Religion is but a fancie a precise humorous singularity nothing of reality for we see that they themselves that are so precise and ready to run after Sermons are as covetous and greedy of the world as ambitious as fashionable and complying to the modes of the times and as proud as any others are if there were a reality in Religion and they themselves beleeve it would they do so and so Therefore use a moderation be sober and temperate in these and also in your desires cares and endeavours after worldly things and in your delight in them Be not covetous and having pinching and sparing farther than is meet and commendable God will provide Heb. 13.5 He hath said Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Neither let Heathens condemn you for prodigal and lavish spending or laying out for outward good things for the back belly and house nor for pride vain-glory self boasting and self-exalting for delighting and solacing your selves in outward good things for ambitiousness affectation of worldly esteem and to be some-body in the world above others or voluptuousness given to pleasures worldly delights sleep ease or the like But if you will be ambitious or covetous covet earnestly the best things to be rich in the knowledge of the things of God rich in faith rich in grace be ambitious who shall go one before another in humility self-denyal and in all good works Laying up for your selves a good foundation against the time to come that ye may lay hold on eternal life i. e. to have a good argument and evidence in your selves that you are in the number of them that have a true saving faith love to God Jesus Christ and his children and ways to which God of his free Grace hath promised eternal life So the Apostle exhorts 1 Tim. 6.17 18. 19. Study and endeavour to be good and useful in and to all your relations to improve them for their good every way especially for their spiritual and everlasting good and welfare both for the credit and propagation of Religion as well as for your own peace and comfort in the faithful discharge of your duty There are the relations of husbands wives parents children brethren sisters masters servants fellow-servants neighbors acquaintance Christians subjects members of the Common-wealth and Kingdom It is not enough for a married man to be a good man but he must be a good husband and so for a married woman to be a good woman but she must study to be a good wife also So likewise to be a good child a good sister a good father a good brother a good mother a good master a good servant and so in every relation any do stand in to any other that all may be the better for you and you for them and God may be glorified by all on your behalf And therefore labour to insinuate your selves as much as conveniently may be into the favour of every one of Superiours by submission obedience and diligence of equals by courtesie and freedom of inferiours by affability mixt with gravity and gentleness c. The Heathen could say Nemo sibi natus est no man is born for himself but partly also for his friends and partly for his Countries good for a general good He is not a true Christian indeed no nor a right qualified man that doth not desire and endeavour to be good and beneficial to all relations I desire to be not only a good man but also a good Minister of Jesus Christ a good husband a good child a good father a good brother a good master a good servant a good fellow servant a good friend a good kinsman a good neighbour a good acquaintance a good Christian a good subject and a good member of the Church and Kingdom in which I live and am a member through the goodness of God I speak upon supposition if I were in all these relations as I am in many that all relations might be the better for me by being a husband to one a master to others a father to others a brother to others c. Oh! that the good Lord would inable and make me good useful and beneficial in and to every relation Oh! that I could be your pattern in every relation in all well doing Oh! how glad should I be in every relation
and condition to be always good and useful as David who served his generation Act. 13 36. and so fulfilled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the wills of God ver 22. 20. Vse Recreations when nature requires in conventent places fit company and at convenient times and seasons not in times of mourning fasting or publike calamity never on the Lords day which is to be imployed in holy exercises Read and consider Isa 22.12 13. Exod. 20.8 and use them lawfully as recreations not as a trade or calling to refresh and make you more fit for the duties of your calling civil and religious not like him that is all day or a great part of it whetting his sythe but cuts down nothing or little But always let your recreations be only such as are lawful honest harmless of good report and sutable to the end you use them gravely and soberly as Christians Dicing carding mixt-dancing scurrilous sports and stage-plays are unbecoming the piety and gravity Christians should exercise in all their act on s if not simply unlawful for Christ ans 21. Think often of and prepare daily for suffering and death For our Saviour commands all that will be his Disciples to deny themselves and take up his cross and so follow him Luke 9.23 in respect of preparation and expectation for as Solomon tells us We know not what a day may bring forth Prov. 27.1 And the Apostle James also Chap. 4. ver 14. Therefore labour to get and clear up to your selves that you have true saving faith truly repented of your sins and have all other renewing and sanctifying Graces that you have an interest in Jesus Christ that your sins are pardoned the sting of death pulled out and all sufferings shall work together for your spiritual and eternal good See before in Adversity And then for death Know and consider that when where or howsoever it cometh it is to a true believer to a godly man only a means to put off the body of sin and to free the Soul from all sin both actual and original from Satans temptations from all worldly cares sufferings and sorrows from all toil and labour from all diseases distempers weaknesses and imperfections both of body and Soul a passage from natural life to eternal life from earth to Heaven from the company of evil and ungodly men and enemies for so many are in this world to have immediate and full communion with God the Father Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit and all the holy Angels Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all other Saints departed in the faith And though you must part with many things desirable in this world and lovely as friends relations and some with riches honour and greatness in the world yet remember it is but for a time and to enjoy a far better estate incomparably better far better friends the most blessed and glorious Lord God the Heavenly Father Jesus Christ your husband Head Redeemer Justifier elder Brother the blessed Spirit your sanctifier and comforter godly relations and all the spirits of just men made perfect in Heaven and free from all the infirmities and corruptions they had while on earth which sometimes made the meetings of beloved and desired friends uncomfortable yea bitter as that of Paul and Barnabas two most godly persons and dear friends and companions Act. 15 37 38 39. And though the body shall go to the grave and see corruption yet it is but for a time God will destroy death it self and the grave raise up the body and glorifie it with the Soul to live for ever in Heaven in glory and happiness Hos 13.14 Phil. 3.21 1 Thes 4 15 16 17. Who after wearisome labour all day is unwilling to go to bed and rest Isa 57.1 2. why should any be unwilling to part with the worse for a state and condition that is every way incomparably better and everlasting wherefore comfort your selves and one another with these things and in an holy humble manner triumph over death and all worldly evils as the Apostle did 1 Corinth 15.54 c. 22. Married persons husbands and wives you know you are one flesh Gen. 2.24 And therefore your duty in common is 1. To dwell together that you may be mutual helpers one to another and to live chastly keeping each to other only keeping your bodies undefiled Adultery is a great sin to be punished with death Levit. 20.10 16. Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.4 Consider Prov. 5.15 16 17 18 20 21. Drink waters out of thine own cistern c. 2. In a special manner to love one another above all other persons in the world and delight one in another above all others in respect of Gods command and because of their near union In this respect Solomon and God by him counselleth Prov. 5.18 Rejoyce with the wife of thy youth let her be as the loving Hand and pleasant Roe let her brest satisfie thee at all times This is the wives duty as well as the Husbands Love is the ground of all other duties and good carriages the bond of perfection it bindeth together all those duties that do or ought to pass between man and wife neighbour and neighbour Love provoketh constraineth to all duties where this is wanting all other duties will be wanting and often altogether neglected or slightly performed and where true love is there all other duties will be readily performed 3. To bear one with another and bear one anothers infirmities Gal. 6.2 Bear ye one anothers burden and so fulfil the Royal Law Jam. 2.8 4. To defend protect and preserve one anothers person good name credit and chastity 5. To nourish and cherish one another Eph. 5.29 No man hateth his own flesh but nourisheth cherisheth it Now husband and wife are one flesh and thus doing they do in effect preserve their own persons lives chastity credit comfort and nourish their own bodies This duty lieth on them at all times and in all estates and conditions in sickness and weakness in health in poverty lameness c. as well as in time of health strength beauty prosperity yea though the other party be not able or wilfully wanting to do his or her duty because of Gods command their near conjunction and solemn Matrimonial covenant to take one another for better for worse for richer for poorer c. 6. To be diligent provident careful to increase preserve that estate which God hath or shall give you the command of God reason and your own common interest mutually bind both to be as careful of the goods of the family as if they were their particular own goods and therein also to be helpful one to another 7. To govern the children servants and whole family wisely and discreetly for the good of the whole family and therein also to be helpful one to another 8. Especially to be the helpers one to another for the good of your Souls using all loving means to win and draw
one the other that is yet uncalled and in the state of nature to grace and holiness faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to his commandments to prevent sin in one another and to preserve and help forward the work of Grace begun by your mutual hearty prayers loving advice counsel encouragement commendation good example and all other ways and so much the more because that is the chief end of marriage and their most neer relation binds them the Soul being the most pretious thing more worth than the whole world and the salvation of the soul of far greater concernment than any other thing in the world than any outward estate than bodies lives And he that truly loves his yoke-fellow cannot but much desire and rejoyce each in others Souls welfare A duty generally neglected by most husbands wives sometimes much hindred by the other yoke-fellow but very sad will be the account such hinderers and neglecters must make ere long to God for neglecting much more for hindring their yoke-fellows salvation neglecting their own duty and doing the Devil work for so it is See Act. 13.9 10 11. in discouraging or hindring any that do mind and seek the good of their own or others Souls The faithful discharge of these common duties is the way to have marriage a merry age a blessing indeed and a great comfort and help one to another The neglect brings many a cross trouble and often a curse and proves the most grievous yoke each to other which they cannot be freed from as long as they live The Husbands particular duties are these and such like 1. To dwell with his wife according to knowledge as is commanded 1 Pet. 3.7 that is to be able and ready to govern her wisely go before her instruct inform and counsel her as he is her head and Governour It is to be lamented that many marry before they know or can govern themselves and many husbands are much more fit to be taught and governed themselves than to govern others Such must bewail their ignorance and give all diligence to be inabled to discharge their duty and then to do it in love not rigorously and imperiously Sic volo ste jubeo I will and command you Such Language rather becomes absolute Lords over slaves not husbands to their wives Col. 3 19. Husbands love your wives and be not bitter unto them Love and meekness sweetens every condition and relation every command counsel is pleasant to the heart as sugar to the taste it makes even hard things to be easily taken and undergone as bitter pills in sweet syrrop or pap of Apples 2. To love and delight in his wife in a special manner as his own body his other self Ephes 5.28 He that loveth his wife loveth himself no man ever hated his own flesh And this he must manifest by his loving speeches to her and of her courteous carriage towards her bearing with her and kindly accepting of her courtesie and readiness to yeeld to her in things reasonable 3. Not to exact or require of her any thing that is unhonest unjust evil or cannot stand with the peace of a good Conscience or that is above her ability or unfit and unseemly for her to do unless in case of necessity Nor forbid her any thing but what is evil and unlawful unseemly or that will be of ill consequence or have some evil effect If her conscience be erronious he must meekly inform her of her error out of the word of God 1 Pet. 3.7 4. To bear with her infirmities as the weaker vessel 1. Pet. 3.7 5. To provide for her all things needful and convenient to be liberal to her to maintain her according to his degree and ability readily and cheerfully not niggardly penuriously and grutchingly but liberally that she may if need require shew particular favours to win and incourage others under and about her She is his second self and her credit and comfort is his 6. To honour her by giving all due respects to her especially before others children and servants 1 Pet. 3.7 7. To allow her liberty being discreet and careful to dispose of goods and order matters of the house as she thinks meet as Elkanah did to Hannah 1 Sam. 1.23 for wives are commanded to guide the house 1 Tim. 5.14 whereby it appeareth that the businesses of the house doth belong and are most proper to the wife as to order the keeping trimming of the house disposing the provision of the family governing the young children and maid-servants in which respect she is called The house-wife Mater-familias 8. In case there be just cause of blame and reproof in a wife which may not without neglect of love care and good conscience be wholly winked at and past by in silence then to reprove her privately alone in love and meekness convincing her by Scripture and good reason that so she may see her error and his love and tender respect to her Gal. 6.1 9. To countenance and encourage her in all well-doing commending and praising her as the husband of the good wife in the Proverbs trusting in her Prov. 31.11 28. But above all to encourage her and be a helper to her for her Souls good praying daily with her and for her minding her of the concerns of her Soul instructing counselling comforting and allowing her sufficient and fit time for private and publike duties of Religion It is a wicked thing to discourage and hinder honest hearts that desire to serve God truly and faithfully when Reason and Religion call on them The wives particular duties are these 1. To be subject to her husband in all things lawful and honest so far as may stand with her obedience to God and the peace of a good Conscience Ephes 5.22 23 24. Wives submit your selves to your own husbands as to the Lord for the husband is head of the wife as Christ is head of the Church and saviour of the body There is a double reason to move the wife so to do the Authority her husband hath over her as her head the con for t she hath by him as a saviour of the body to protect and defend her and provide all things needful for her And the manner of her subjection and obedience to him is laid down in the words as to the Lord that is willingly readily cheerfully to obey him by doing what he requires and forbearing what he forbids coming at his call c. so far as he requires nothing contrary to the will of God See 1 Sam. 20.31 c. 2. To reverence her husband as her head and saviour in some respects as Christ is to the Church Eph. 5.32 33. And the wife see that she reverence her husband by her inward esteem of him as worthy of honour on her part as her head under Christ yea though before and otherwise in himself her inferior much and unworthy having before God and men given him by her Matrimonial Covenant
own salvation But be careful to hear with humble hearts with much attention to remember believe love and practice what you hear for not the hearers but the doers of the Law are blessed Rom. 2.13 Jam. 1.22 23 25. And be earnest with God in behalf of your Minister that he may be a useful instrument of God to your soules and esteem him highly in love for the works sake 1 Thes 5.12 13. 3. Meditate often on the word you hear and read 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate on these things for blessed is the man that doth meditate therein day and night Psal 1.1 2. Oh how I love thy Law said David Psal 119.97 It is my meditation all the day Meditate often 1. Of your sins and what they deserve 2. Of your death 3. Of the day of judgement 4. Of the joys of Heaven 5. Of the torments of Hell And 6. Of God especially of the omniscience omnipresence power justice and mercy of God and of the merit of Christ Dr. Vsher has an excellent treatise of meditation on Prov. 18. Meditation is of great use to further our knowledge and understanding in the things of God to help our memories stir up affections help faith repentance love and every grace put on to practice and to bring in much sweet comfort and spiritual thought 4. Be careful conscientiously to keep the Christian sabbath or Lords day holy for we are expresly so commanded Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy viz. in all the duties of Gods worship publick private and secret the whole day is the Lords but for our spiritual advantage and benefit who allows us six daies for our worldly business reserving only some small portions of them at our best advantage to seek his blessing on our undertakings and one whole day in seven for his service for us to exercise our selves in the works of piety and holyness works of mercy and charity and works of present and urgent necessity that is such as could not be foreseen and done before nor cannot be put off to another day as the feeding of the beasts watering them quenching of fire broke out helping a poor beast fallen into a ditch and such like It is the Lords day not ours set apart not for our worldly business actions recreations or discourse but his service God allows us six dayes for them and this day one in seven and the first day of the week for his service as may be clearly concluded and proved from the fourth Commandment Christs resurrection and resting from the great work of our redemption the practice of the Apostles and the whole Church of God to this day He that makes no conscience of keeping the Lords day holy will make as little conscience of any other duty of piety towards God or dealing with men 5. Pray frequently fervently and constantly in publick in private and in secret also daily 1 Thes 5.17 Pray without ceasing that is daily instantly and constantly not that we should spend all our time in praying and do nothing else but keep a constant course of prayer at the most convenient seasons daily and be also ready to pray whensoever there shall be a fit opportunity offered have alwayes a praying frame of heart as much as may be Luk. 18.1 Our Saviour put forth a Parable sayes the Evangelist to this end that men should pray alwayes that is constantly and importunately and not faint Eph. 6.18 Praying alwayes i. e. on all seasons and fit opportunities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pray at least twice a day morning and evening the Jews had their morning and evening sacrifices and incense offer'd a type of prayer Daniel notwithstanding his great and weighty imployments and publick business prayed three times a day solemnly on his knees Dan. 6.10 David seven times a day Psal 119.164 But many are like Heathens and like the bruite beasts have no prayer in the Family daily or none in private and some onely at night in a short curtal drowsy manner without faith c. In the morning when you wake let your first serious thoughts be of God and his goodness towards your selves and others the night past and heartily praise God for them Psal 103.12 Praise thou the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits i.e. not any of them Consider well Psal 92.1 2. And when you are up and dressed first addresse your selves to God by humble and hearty praises and prayer for grace and power against sin and to live holily for preservation from evils both of sin and suffering also for a blessing on your lawful undertakings and thankfully acknowledge his goodness and benefits and so labour to have your hearts filled with a sense of Gods goodness and holy resolutions to walk with God as Enoch did Also at night consider what has been done that day past and how bless God for what hath been well done for mercies received and evils prevented his blessings on your undertakings and assistance of you in your callings humbly acknowledging and bewailing what has been done amiss beg pardon and commit your selves and all to his protection and care for the night and time to come in well doing Use all kinds of prayer confession deprecation petition and thanksgiving 1. Confession confess your sins daily humbly and unfeignedly to God with sorrow and shame and purpose of reforming what has been amiss Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy 2. Deprecation pray to God to remove evils felt and prevent evils fear'd both of affliction and trouble but especially the evil of sin 3. Supplication petition to God for mercy pardon power against sin and for good things needful both for soul and body this life and that to come for your selves and others especially for those to whom you stand in a more special relation be earnest with God for Magistrates and for your Ministers as you love your own good and welfare of soul and body 4. Thanksgiving and praises be thankful to God for every mercy and good thing privative and positive for evils prevented and removed and for good things bestowed and promised for soul and body for your selves and others for this life and that to come Psal 103.1 2. Ephes 618. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance supplication for all Saints 1 Tim. 2.1 2. I exhort first of all that supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead ae quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty 6. Singing of Psalms Davids Psalms especially and above all others is an ancient an heavenly spiritual comfortable soul-refreshing Christian duty frequently practised by the people of God both under the old and new Testament in the
far better than a bare portion though great 11. Be not partial in manifesting your love to them though Nature and Religion bind you to love them and that tenderly The partialness of many Parents in manifesting their affections more to one child than to another hath many times been the occasion of very evil events many times of undoing sometimes of the death of one sometimes of both and so of all their children There is a very sad story of this kind printed of late years You know the story of Jacobs love to his Joseph it was in part the occasion of his Brethrens envy hatred and conspiracie of his death Gen. 37.3 4 7 18 19 20. Also of Davids love to his Absalom also to Adonijah and what grievous doings followed That child whom the Parents so partially affect many times proves the Parents greatest grief and trouble as were Absalom and Adonijah to David and just it is with God it should be so and the neglected child proves the greatest comfort and credit I grant there may be special reasons in one child more than another that may move and draw the Parents affections and that the Parents may love it and delight in it more as in Joseph but take heed of manifesting it further than may be for both their good Take heed also of being too cockering and indulging to your children also of being too severe and rigorous Col. 4.6 Ephes 6.4 Too much cockering commonly spoils them and makes them less loving more careless to please undutiful And too much severity and harshness doth dispirit them makes them heartless mopish disrespectful to their Parents whom they think do not love but hate them Neither be too free and liberal to feed your children with mony nor too niggardly and close handed the one makes them proud prodigal and spend-thrifts the other makes them heartless discontented and often to use very unwarrantable shifts to help themselves The golden mean is best a little with the Parents eye over them to see how they lay it our encourageth them to husband their little well 12. Teach them to be dutiful and carry themselves with due respects to all persons Good breeding is a great ornament and gains love but clownishness disrespect contempt 13. And when they are grown up and to be put out and disposed abroad to a School Calling or in Marriage be very careful to get the best Teacher and the best Master or Mistress for abilities skill honesty goodness the best ordered family where goodness and Godliness is practised taught and encouraged and their everlasting welfare will be furthered And such a Trade and Calling as is not only lawful honest of good report credible and profitable but also sutable to your childrens age abilities means to manage it and to his mind and inclination But in Marriage be most especially careful to have a meet yoke-fellow and helper every way a person as far as you are able upon due inquiry to judge truly religious of a good disposition of honest parentage provident and diligent in an honest and credible calling with other sutable conveniences as much as may be but let the former by no means be neglected Prov. 31.30 Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised 1 Cor. 7.39 A little with the fear of the Lord is better than great treasure and trouble therewith Prov. 15.16 Also I advise all persons to deal plainly and faithfully that nothing be pretended that in ordinary ways of Providence will not be found true They that seek to deceive others are commonly also deceived themselves and justly He that walketh uprightly walketh safely Prov. 10.9 yet it is good providence to foresee as much as may be to prevent evils and inconveniences that may fall out Eccles 2.14 The wisemans eyes are in his head but the fool goeth on and is punished Prov. 22.3 And if any says the Apostle want wisdom as who doth not more or less let him ask of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth no man Jam. 1.5 Forget not in every undertaking to seek God first and last 24. Children learn to know and make Conscience of discharging your duties towards your Parents First Honour your Parents it is the express command of God Exod. 20.12 Ephes 6.2 3. Honour thy father and thy mother see what forcible Reasons follow It is the first commandment with promise says the Apostle Ephes 6. namely the first Commandment of the second Table has a great encouraging promise annexed to it viz. long life with it prosperity in those words that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth Honour comprehends Reverence obedience and maintaining them in case of want 1. Reverence them in your hearts as worthy of all respect and honor from you and manifest it outwardly by your humble and reverend behaviour and carriage before them lowly obeysance hearkning unto them by your modest silence before them and when called to speak by mild humble reverend speech to them and of them as Joseph did bowing himself lowly before his aged father though blind and could not see him and much inferior to him in respect of his place and authority in Egypt and himself a married man Gen. 48.10 12. But worthy are those children to be blamed and shamed that before their Parents are bold loud streperous full of words or stout sullen and surly not answering their Parents or in a short suappish manner as if their equals are dogged froward pouting rude But most unworthy are those children who having gotten a little wealth or fine cloathes above their parents are proud and scorn them or are ashamed to own and acknowledge their poor parents and those also that despise reproach or curse their parents such by the Law of God were without mercy to be put to death Levit. 20.9 Prov. 20.20 Mat. 15.4 The ravens shall pluck out his eyes that mocketh at his father or despiseth his mother Pro. 30.17 And be sure those children of what age place or estate soever that carry themselves undutifully or irreverently to their parents shall be paid home in the same kind and full measure God is righteous but he will honor them that honour their parents 2. Obedience is due unto father and mother in all things lawful and which may stand with their obedience to God the Heavenly Father Eph. 6.1 Children obey your Parents in the Lord. There is the duty obedience and the limitation of it in the Lord for this is right says the Apostle Obedience is a true and real honour reverence without this is but complement and this is the real and surrest proof of dutiful children This obedience must be shewed by a ready and cheerful doing what the Parent commands and as he or she commands and forbearing what the Parent forbids But disobedience and rebellion are great sins and such persons are counted by the Holy Ghost as the vilest persons sons