The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan…

Whatsoever men may talk of Godliness, except it appear in a conscionable discharge of the duties of their Relations, all their talk and profession of Religion is […] no purpose. Except a Servant be diligent and faithful to his Master, a Child dutiful to his Parent, a Wife loving and obedient to her Husband, all their profession of Religion is in vain. So unless Masters, Parents, and Husbands, be careful and conscionable in the discharge of the duties of their Relations, all their talk of Godliness is to no purpose.

Whatsoever men may talk of Godliness, except it appear in a conscionable discharge of the duties of their Relations, all their talk and profession of Religion is 〈…〉 no purpose. Except a Servant be diligent and faithful to his Master, a Child dutiful to his Parent, a Wife loving and obedient to her Husband, all their profession of Religion is in vain. So unless Masters, Parents, and Husbands, be careful and conscionable in the discharge of the duties of their Relations, all their talk of Godliness is to no purpose.

Therefore, O Young Man, have special regard to thy Relative Duties: if thou be not good therein, thou art not good at all, what show of goodness soever thou makest. A good man, but a careless Master, careless of the Souls of his Servants! A good man, but an harsh, unkind Husband, these cannot well stand together: Men are really what they are relatively: except thou art relatively good, thou art not really good. Be therefore exactly conscionable in the duties of thy Relations. If thou beest a Master, a Governor of a Family, be just and merciful to thy servants, careful for the saving of their Souls. If thou beest an Husband, be kind and loving ⟨p. 153⟩to thy Wife, let all thy Commands be in love, then will they be more cheerfully obeyed. If thou beest a Father, be careful in the education of thy Children, bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: As God hath made them thy Children by Natural Generation, do thou endeavour to make them his Children by a Religious Education. Know that relative duties and graces do very much grace Religion.