Quest. CXXXI. What are the duties of equals?
Answ. The duties of equals are, to regard the dignity and 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 duties 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.
1. 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 them those things that are spiritual. It is, indeed, a difficult matter to speak to them about divine things, so as to lead them into the knowledge thereof; and it requires a great measure of wisdom and faithfulness in them. One of the first duties that they owe to them, is acknowledging God’s right to them, putting them under his care, giving them up to him, hoping and trusting in Christ, that he will bestow on them the saving blessings of the covenant of grace, and that in their early age of life. Moreover, since children soon discover themselves to have a corrupt nature: This ought to be checked and fenced against, as much as it is in our power: Since all habits of sin are of an increasing nature, and though it be difficult to prevent them; yet we shall find it much more so to root them out.
Now that we may instil into the minds of children, the principles of religion, as soon as they are capable of receiving instruction, let it be observed,
(1.) That parents must take great care that they neither speak nor act any thing before their children, which may tend to corrupt their minds, or afford a bad example, which it would be of pernicious consequence to them to follow; nor ought they to suffer those passions to break forth, which may render them mean and contemptible in the eyes of their children; or give them occasion, by their example, to indulge the same passions.