Not that you should imitate those unnatural Heretics that tell us that Fathers and Mothers, and Brethren, and Sisters, and Husbands, & Princes, & Wives, and Subjects, are all Carnal Relations that must be disowned any further than Justice binds us to a retribution to parents or others that have been at pains or cost upon us: No, this is worse than heathenish impiety, and not only against the fifth Commandment, but abundance of the plainest passages through the Scripture: To be without natural affection, and disobedient to parents, is part of the Character of those impious professors of whom Paul prophesied, 2 Tim. 3. 2, 3. If Christian servants have Heathens to their Masters, they must not therefore cast off the yoke, but count them worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed: And if they have believing Masters, they must not despise them because they are brethren, but the rather do them service because they are faithful. This is the doctrine of the Gospel, which stablisheth and not dissolveth our Relations: and if any teach otherwise, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, 1 Tim. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4. Believing wives must stay even with unbelieving husbands, and win them to Christ by an eminent subjection, chastity, modesty, and piety, 1 Pet. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6. 1 Cor. 7. 13, 14. And the like may be said of other relations. God calls ⟨p. 196⟩us not as Popish votaries conceive, to renounce and separate from our natural or other near relations, on pretence of being devoted to him. The words of Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 16. are abused by them. It's true, we must know no man after the flesh, no not Christ himself; that is, as esteeming them principally for carnal excellencies (as personage, greatness, birth, &c.) or to carnal advantages and ends, or preferring the body and common relations before the inward spiritual worth and spiritual relations: And thus we must not know either parents, or children, or husbands, or wives after the flesh; nor should a Christian know or do any thing after the flesh as a Carnal man: but yet as we still continue our Relation to Christ as his Disciples, and Servants, and Members, and Redeemed ones, for all that we know him not after the flesh; so must we continue our Relations to others, and be faithful in the duties of those Relations, and this after the Spirit and for God.
Not that you should imitate those unnatural Hereticks that tell us that Fathers and Mothers, and Brethren, and Sisters, and Husbands, & Princes, & Wives, and Subjects, are all Carnal Relations that must be disowned any further than Justice binds us to a retribution to parents or others that have been at pains or cost upon us: No, this is worse than heathenish impiety, and not only against the fifth Commandment, but abundance of the plainest passages through the Scripture: To be without natural affection, and disobedient to parents, is part of the Character of those impious professors of whom Paul prophesied, 2 Tim. 3. 2, 3. If Christian servants have Heathens to their Masters, they must not therefore cast off the yoak, but count them worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed: And if they have believing Masters, they must not despise them because they are brethren, but the rather do them service because they are faithful. This is the doctrine of the Gospel, which stablisheth and not dissolveth our Relations: and if any teach otherwise, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doating about questions and strifes of words, 1 Tim. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4. Believing wives must stay even with unbelieving husbands, and win them to Christ by an eminent subjection, chastity, modesty, and piety, 1 Pet. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6. 1 Cor. 7. 13, 14. And the like may be said of other relations. God calls ⟨p. 196⟩us not as Popish votaries conceive, to renounce and separate from our natural or other near relations, on pretence of being devoted to him. The words of Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 16. are abused by them. It's true, we must know no man after the flesh, no not Christ himself; that is, as esteeming them principally for carnal excellencies (as personage, greatness, birth, &c.) or to carnal advantages and ends, or preferring the body and common relations before the inward spiritual worth and spiritual relations: And thus we must not know either parents, or children, or husbands, or wives after the flesh; nor should a Christian know or do any thing after the flesh as a Carnal man: but yet as we still continue our Relation to Christ as his Disciples, and Servants, and Members, and Redeemed ones, for all that we know him not after the flesh; so must we continue our Relations to others, and be faithful in the duties of those Relations, and this after the Spirit and for God.
