Q. 128. What are the sins of inferiors against their superiors?

A. The sins of inferiors against their superiors are, all neglect of the duties required toward them; (1) envying at, (2) contempt of, (3) and rebellion (4) against their persons (5) and places, (6) in their lawful counsels, (7) commands and corrections; (8) cursing,

of them they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Prov. xxxi. 23. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

(1) Matt. xv. 4, 5, 6.-But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his 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. (2) Num. xi. 28, 29.-And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets.

(3) 1 Sam. viii. 7. For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. Isa. iii. 5.-The child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

(4) 2 Sam. xv. from verse 1 to 12. And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, &c.

(5) Ex. xxi. 15. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

(6) 1 Sam. x. 27. But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents.

(7) 1 Šam. ii. 25.-Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

(8) Deut. xxi. 18, 19, 20, 21.—And they shail say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and

mocking, (1) and all such refractory and scandalous carriage, as proves a shame and dishonour to them and their government. (2)

Q. 129. What is required of superiors towards their inferiors?

A. It is required of superiors, according to that power they receive from God, and that relation wherein they stand, to love, (3) pray for, (4) and bless their inferiors; (5) to in struct, (6) counsel, and admonish them; (7)

rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die.

(1) Prov. xxx. 11. There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. Verse 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.

(2) Prov. xix. 26. He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.

(3) Col. iii. 19. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Tit. ii. 4.

(4) 1 Sam. xii. 23. Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. Job i. 5.

(5) 1 Kings viii. 55, 66. And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, &c. Gen. xlix. 28.

(6) Deut. vi. 6, 7. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

(7) Eph. vi. 4. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord

countenancing, (1) commending, (2) and rewarding such as do well; (3) and discountenancing, (4) reproving, and chastising such as do ill; (5) protecting, (6) and providing for them all things necessary for soul (7) and body (8) and, by grave, wise, holy, and exemplary carriage, to procure glory to God, (9) honour to themselves, (10) and so to

(1) 1 Pet. iii. 7. Likewise, ye husband's, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

(2) Rom. xiii. 3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.-Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. 1 Pęt. ii. 14.

(3) Esth. vi. 3. And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this?

(4) Rom. xiii. 4.-He is the minister of God,—a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

(5) Prov. xxix. 15. The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. Rom. xiii. 4.

(6) Job xxix. from the 12th verse to the 18th. Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him, &c. Isa. i. 10, 17.Relieve the oppressed; judge the fatherless; plead for the widow.

(7) Eph. vi. 4. See figure (7), page 284.

1 Tim. v. 8. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

(9) 1 Tim. iv. 12. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Tit. ii 3, 4, 5.

(10) 1 Kings iii. 28. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the

preserve that authority which God hath put upon them. (1)

Q. 130. What are the sins of superiors? A. The sins of superiors are, besides the neglect of the duties required of them, (2) an inordinate seeking of themselves, (3) their own glory, (4) ease, profit, or pleasure; (5) commanding things unlawful,(6) or not in the power of inferiors to perform; (7) counselling, (8) enking; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

(1) Tit. ii. 15. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

(2) Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 3, 4.-Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?-The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have'ye sought that which was lost.

(3) Phil. ii. 21. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

(4) John v. 44. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? John vii. 18.

(5) Isa. lvi. 10, 11. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough. Deut. xvii. 17.-Neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

(6) Acts iv. 17, 18.-And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach, in the name of Jesus. Dan. iii. 4, 5, 6.

(7) Ex. v. from verse 10 to the 19th. There shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks, &c. Matt. xxiii. 2, 4.

(8) Matt. xiv. 8, compared with Mark vi. 24. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.

couraging, (1) or favouring them in that which is evil; (2) dissuading, discouraging, or discountenancing them in that which is good; (3) correcting them unduly; (4) careless exposing, or leaving them to wrong, temptation, and danger; (5) provoking them to wrath; (6) or

(1) Jer. v. 30, 31. A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? 2 Sam. xiii. 28.

(2) Jer. vi. 13, 14. From the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Ezek. xiii. 9, 10. (3) John vii. 46, 47, 48, 49. The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people, who knoweth not the law, are cursed. John ix. 28. Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

(4) 1 Pet. ii. 19, 20. For this is thank-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. Heb. xii. 10.-They verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Deut. xxv. 3.

(5) Lev. xix. 29. Do not prostitute thy daughter Isa. Íviii. 7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Gen. xxxviii. 11, 26.

(6) Eph. vi. 4. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.