The Whole Duty of Man Epitomized, Part 15
PARTITION XV.
Of Duties to our Brethren, and Relations; Husband, Wife, Friends, Maſters, Servants.
THE ſecond ſort Duties to Brethren: Natural Love.of Relation is that of a Brother, which we may take in a double Sence, either Natural or Spiritual. I begin with the Firſt, the Duties between Natural Brethren, I mean ſuch that are of the ſame immediate Parents. And the Duty of theſe is to have united Hearts and Affections, to love one another with great Tenderneſs and Sincerity, and to do their utmoſt to promote their mutual Good and Happineſs; This is a Duty ſo neceſſary in all The neceſſity of Love among Brethren.Points, that without …t no Family, where there is any number of Brothers, and Siſters, can propoſe any tolerable Eaſe or Satisfaction.
The ſecond ſort are Spiritual Brethren, Spiritual Brethren.under which Notion are comprehended all thoſe that are baptiz'd in the ſame Faith, and Church with our ſelves, and to all theſe our Compaſſion is to be the moſt melting and affectionate; with theſe we are to profeſs and defend the Faith of Chriſt Crucify'd, and to communicate with 'em in Our Duty to hold Communion with them. To bear their Infirmities, to reſtore them after falls, and to ſympathize with them.all Holy Offices, we are to bear with their Infirmities, and in a friendly manner to admoniſh and reprove 'em, and by fair and gentle Methods to endeavour to bring them to Repentance after they are fall'n. We are to ſympathize with them in all their Agonies and Diſtreſſes, whether of Soul, Mind, or Body.
The third Relation is that between Huſband The Wife owes to the Husband Obedience, Fidelity and Love.and Wife, this is the neareſt Relation of all, and yet there are ſeveral reſpective Duties which they owe to each other, for the Wife in the firſt Place, ſhe owes her Huſband Obedience, which God has ſtrictly commanded her to pay him in all things that are Juſt and Lawful; ſhe owes him Fidelity both to his Bed and his worldly Affairs, ſhe owes him likewiſe her Love, and is bound to behave her ſelf to him with the greateſt friendlineſs and ſweetneſs. And this ſhe is The faults of the Husband acquit her not from theſe Duties.to do notwithſtanding his faults, which will by no means acquit her of any of theſe Duties.
There are likewiſe Duties from the Husband to the Wife: Love,ſeveral Duties owing from the Huſband to the Wife; the Firſt, Is Love, by which he is enjoin'd to treat her with the utmoſt Tenderneſs and Compaſſion, not to behave himſelf to her with any manner of harſhneſs or ſeverity, but to uſe her in all reſpects as a part of himſelf.
Secondly, He owes Fidelity to her Bed, this Faithfulneſs to her Bed,is as much the Huſbands Duty as the Wife's, and the breach of it in either, is an Act of Uncleanneſs, and Perjury. Thirdly, He is bound to do his endeavour To maintain and inſtruct her.to provide for her, and to ſuffer her freely to partake of all his outward Bleſſings; and amongſt the reſt of his Duties, he is chiefly to take Care of the Salvation of her Soul, and to inſtruct her as far as her need requires in the Principles of Honeſty and Religion.
In brief, Huſbands and Wives are mutually Husbands & Wives bound to pray for, and aſſiſt each other.bound to Pray for each other, and to their utmoſt to propagate their Reciprocal Good and Happineſs.
The true Ends of The true Ends of Marriage to be conſulted, and unlawful Marriages to be avoided.Marriage are likewiſe to be conſulted; in which Caſe the Ornaments of the Mind are ſooner to be choſen, then either Wealth, or Beauty, or any other outward Appendage; above all the reſt, unlawful Marriages are to be avoided, 'tis a Holy State and ſhould never be enter'd into, but according to the Direction of the Church, Reverently, Adviſedly, Soberly, and in the Fear of God.
The next thing is Friendſhip, which is Friendſhip with its Duties.of that common good and concern, that humane Life would be but a wretched thing Faithfulneſs, Aſſiſtance, Admonition, Prayer, Conſtancy.without it; the Duties of it are many, but the moſt material are Faithfulneſs in our Truſts; Aſſiſtance, either with reſpect to our Souls, or Bodies; to our Souls, eſpecially in admoniſhing us of our faults; which is the higheſt and moſt exalted Act of Friendſhip that can paſs between Man and Man. Prayer is the next Duty, and after that Conſtancy, and all theſe together render a Friend an ineſtimable Jewel.
The Laſt Relation is that between Maſters, and Servants, and theſe too are mutually engag'd to each other. The Servant is bound to obey Servants owe to their Maſters, Obedience, Fidelity, Submiſſion, Diligence.his Maſter's juſt Commands, and to execute them with Freedom and Satisfaction; he owes him likewiſe an univerſal Fidelity in all his Concerns; and is oblig'd by all the Rules of Modeſty, and good Manners, to bear his Rebukes, and Reprehenſions, with Submiſſion, and to diſcharge his Truſt, in every Particular, with Diligence, and Application.
The Maſters on the other ſide, owe to Maſters owe to their Servants: Juſtice, Admonition, Means of Inſtruction, Moderation in Command, Encouragement.their Servants Juſtice, in providing them with convenient Food, and paying them their Wages; as alſo Admonitions and Reproofs, with regard as well to their Sins and Offences againſt God, as Faults againſt themſelves. They owe 'em likewiſe good Example, that is, they are to make their own Lives and Actions a fit Preſident for them to walk by; they are to allow them opportunities for Inſtruction, and convenient time for the Publick Worſhip of God; moreover they are to command them with Prudence and Moderation; to encourage their well doing, and to treat their Faithfulneſs, Diligence, and Piety with a great deal of Kindneſs and Bounty.