Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

§7. The mutual obligations which subsist between husbands and wives,-in whose relative situations there is less difference than in the preceding classes, and yet somewhat of inequality,-are chiefly, on the part of the husband,-to love, comfort, honour, and cherish his wife ;-to keep her with tenderness and care in sickness and in health ;-to direct her conduct, defend her character and person, provide for her support according to her station, and live with her in conjugal union and fidelity till death do separate the sacred matrimonial bond: on the part of the wife, to obey, serve, love, honour, cherish, and keep her husband in sickness and in health ;-to be careful of his reputation, property, happiness, and children;-to be united with him in interest and affection to the end of life.

8. The general duties which are demanded between equals consist in the general performance of mutual good offices ;-in living in brotherly love and charity;-in promoting the honour of each other by freely giving all due credit to the virtues and acquirements, and hiding, with indulgence, the infirmities and failings of our brethren ;-in cheerfully yielding ⚫ the pre-eminence to others, and rejoicing in their prosperity or exaltation;-in promoting peace and concord amongst all men.

§ 9. The Fifth Commandment is "the first with promise." The only one, indeed, to which a specific promise is annexed. To the Jews it held out a long continuance in the enjoyment of the promised land, the lot of their inheritance, and the great object of their hopes. To Christians it affords a proof of the

particular regard which the Omniscient pays to the performance of this comprehensive precept; and at the same time holds out a prospect that long life and prosperity, so long and so great at least as shall conduce to their real happiness and eternal interests, in the heavenly Canaan, shall be the portion of those who not only fulfil the sacred obligations of filial love, but who endeavour to be followers of their Divine Master and Teacher in the exemplary discharge of all relative and social duties.

From Scripture.

SECTION I.

Matt. xxii. 37-40. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Rom. xiii. 8, 9, 10. Owe no man any thing but to love one another : for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Jam. ii. 8. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. Gal. v. 14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Luke vi. 31. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. Matt. vii. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye so to them : for this is the law and the prophets. John xiii. 34, 35. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another ; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 1 John. ii. 23. And this is his commandment, That ye should be

lieve on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 1 John iv. 7—12. 20, 21. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John v. 2. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. Gal. v. 6. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

SECTION II.

(Exod. xx. 12.) Deut. v. 16. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Ephes. v. 21. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 1 Pet. ii. 17. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Rom. xii. 10. Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. 1 Tim. i. 5. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. Phil. ii. 3. Let nothing be done through strife

or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himself.

SECTION III.

Rom. xiii. 7. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. (1 Pet. ii. 17. See above.) Matt. xix. 19. Honour thy father and thy mother : and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Lev. xix. 22. And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the Lord for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him. 1 Tim. v. 1, 2. Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. Gen. iv. 20, 21. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother's name was Tubal : he was the father of all such as handle the harp and the organ. Gen. xiii. 8. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we be brethren. 2 Kings v. 13. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean. Judges xvii. 10. And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in. 2 Kings xiii. 14. Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. Isai. xlix. 23. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the

« ForrigeFortsett »