(1.) Consider your neighbour's good as well as your own. Weigh impartially with yourself what proportionable advantage, in common estimation, your neighbour is like to have for that which you receive of him. For you must love your neighbour as yourself. In whatsoever you have to do with men, you must not look only to your own advantage, but to the benefit also of your neighbour. Observe, therefore, the royal law, the standard of all equity in this kind: "Whatsoever you (with a rectified judgment and honest heart) would that men should do unto you, do you even so unto them: for this is the law and the prophets."

(2.) Be watchful that you let not slip your opportunities of lawful advantage; and take heed lest in these evil times you be circumvented by fraud and falsehood, and be insnared by unnecessary suretyship.

Whereas in every calling there is a mystery, and for the most part each calling and condition of life has its special sin or sins, which the devil, and custom, for gain or credit's sake amongst evil men, hath made to seem lawful; yea have put a kind of necessity upon it, which cannot be shunned without exposing a man's self to censure,-look narrowly, therefore, by the light of God's word, and by experience, to find out that or those sins, and then be as careful to avoid them.

II. Concerning Superiors and Inferiors.

There are other works also, such as concern you as you are a superior, and in authority; or as you

are inferior, and subject, either in family, church, or commonwealth; in doing which you must act for the glory of God, following the directions of his word and Spirit.

I. As you are a superior.

1. Walk worthy of all honour and due respect, behaving yourself in your place with such holiness, wisdom, gravity, justice, and mercy; and observing such a medium between too much rigour and remissness, between straining your authority too far, and relaxing it too much, that those under your charge may have cause to fear and love

you.

2. Wait on your office, and be watchful over your charge with all diligence and faithfulness; using all good means to direct and preserve them in the duties of godliness and honesty, which is the only end why God hath set you over them. The means are, (1.) Go before them in good example. Examples of superiors have a kind of constraining power, working strongly and insensibly upon inferiors. (2.) Pray with and for them. (3.) Command only things lawful, possible, and convenient, and only those to which the extent of your authority from God and man doth allow you. (4.) As much as in you lies, procure for them the means, and put them upon the opportunities of being, and of doing good. (5.) Prevent, likewise, and remove all occasions of their being, and of doing evil. (6.) Protect and defend them, according to your power from all wrongs and injuries. (7.) When they do well, encourage them, by letting them see that you take notice as readily of their well-doing, as of their faults; and so far as is fit, let them have the praise and fruit of

their well-doing. (8.) When they do evil, rebuke them more or less, according to the nature of their fault; but never with bitterness, by railing at, or reviling them, in terms of disdain and contempt. There should be always more strength of reason in your words to convince them of their sin, and to make them see their danger, and to know how to be reformed, than heat of anger, in uttering your own displeasure. (9.) If admonitions and words will reclaim them, then proceed not to correction and blows; but if they regard not your reproofs, then, according to the nature of the fault, and condition of the person, and the limits of your authority, you must, in mercy to their soul, give them sufficient but not excessive punishment. (10.) When you have done thus, and have waited a convenient time for their amendment, but find none, when they thus declare themselves to be rebellious, you must seek the help of higher authority.

That you may govern according to these directions, consider well and often, First, that those whom you govern, are such whom you must not oppress, neither may you rule over them with rigour; because they now are, or may be, heirs of the same grace together with you. Secondly, Remember often, that you have a superior in heaven; that you are his servant and deputy, governing under him; that all your authority is from him; and that, at last, a time will come when you must give account to him of your government.

II. As you are under authority. (1.) You must honour and reverence all whom God hath set over you. (2.) You must obey them, in all such their

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lawful commands as are within the compass of their authority and commission, and that with fidelity, and singleness of heart, for the Lord's sake. (3.) You must submit to their reproofs, corrections, and just restraints with patience, without murmuring, or answering again, or resisting. For if you submit to the powers that be ordained of God, or if you resist them, you rebel against God, and resist the ordinance of God: which whoso doth, shall receive to himself damnation or judgment. But if you, not only for wrath, but chiefly for conscience to God, do submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, doing therein the will of God from the heart, then, whether men requite you or not, you shall be sure of the Lord to receive the reward of the inheritance for thus obeying men, you serve the Lord Christ.

III. Concerning Bodily Refreshment and

Recreations.

The constitution of man's soul and body is such, that they cannot long endure to be employed, and stand bent with earnestness upon any thing, without relaxation and convenient refreshment.

1. The whole man is refreshed by eating and drinking: in which you must be, first, holy; secondly, just; thirdly, temperate. (1.) It was their sin, who fed themselves without all fear of God, Jude 12. Meats and drinks are not sanctified to a man, if he be not pure and holy; and if they be not received with prayer and thanksgiving. (2.) You must not eat bread of deceit, nor ill-gotten food:

every man must eat his own bread. God would have no man to eat the bread of wickedness, nor yet. drink the wine of violence. (3.) Moreover, you must not eat and drink for gluttony and drunkenness, to please the palate, and to gorge the appetite; but for health and strength.

2. A man, when he is weary, may be refreshed, likewise, by variety and interchange of the duties of his particular and general calling. And the best recreation to a spiritual mind, when it is weary of worldly employments, is to walk into Christ's garden; and there, by reading and meditating, singing of Psalms, and holy conference, you may solace yourself with the sweet comforts of the Holy Spirit, and enliven your heart with joy in God, even joy in the Holy Ghost; and a delight in the commandments and word of God. These are the most profitable, most ravishing, and most lasting delights of all others. And by how much the soul is of a more spiritual, heavenly constitution, by so much more it will content and satisfy itself in these delights.

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Yet since bodily and natural delights, are part of our Christian liberty, therefore, taking heed that abuse not your liberty, you may, when you have need, recreate yourself with them. Now that you may innocently enjoy recreation, follow these directions:

1. The matter of your recreation must be of a common nature, and of things of indifferent use. Things holy are too good, and things vicious are too bad, to be sported or played with.

2. Recreations must be seasonable for time; not on the Lord's day, in which time God forbiddeth all