Mai. i. 6. A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master : if then I be a father, where is mine honour ? and if I be a master, where is my fear ? saith the Lord of hosts.
THE unfolding and enforcing of relative duties, is a very essential branch of the Christian ministry ; and conducive, in a variety of views, to the most important ends. If indeed the whole of religion were made to consist in the performance of those duties, or if men were urged to perform them in their own strength, or with a hope of meriting God's favour, then the foun- dations of Christianity would be sapped, and the whole fabric would fall to ruin. But, if they be set
1267. J RELATIVE DUTIES TO GOD AND MAN. .jTT
forth in order to shew to the ungodly their transgres- sions, and their consequent need of mercy ; or if they be inculcated on the believer in order that he may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour ; no subject can be more weighty, or more deserving of our atten- tion. But there is yet another view, in which the consideration of them may subserve the best of pur- poses. Men, however disposed they may be to limit the extent of their own duties, are easily led to ac- knowledge the obligations of others towards them- selves. Hence, there being always a number of persons interested in discovering their own rights, and disposed to insist upon them ; and every person having risen, or hoping to rise, from a subordinate relation to one invested with authority; the duties of every distinct relation are ascertained and approved. This is not the case with respect to the duties of men towards God. The authority there is all on one side, and obedience is wholly on the other. Hence all men feeling the same desire to limit and curtail the rights of their Governor, and to extend the bounda- ries of their own liberty, the laws of God are almost entirely superseded : disobedience to them is univer- sally connived at, as though it were no evil ; and the general welfare of society is made the ground and measure of all morality. Here then the relative duties may be introduced to great advantage ; these being already admitted, serve as acknowledged principles, from whence we may argue ; and the application of them to the duties of the first table is obvious and irresistible. This use of them God himself has taught us, as in many other passages, so especially in that before us ; in illustrating which we shall propose for your consideration the following observations :
I. There is no duty of earthly dependents towards their superiors, which does not exist in an infinitely higher degree towards the Governor of the universe.
II. However attentive men are to fill up their duties in domestic life, they are universally prone to neglect their duties towards God.
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