Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

licity. Great honors shall be conferred upon them in being made kings and priests unto God, and they shall be rendered infinitely rich in being made joint-heirs with Christ. They shall have a seat at Christ's right, and be themselves seated on thrones of judgment. They shall join the glorious society of heaven, have all their corruptions done away, be near Christ, enjoy the beatific vision, have all doubts dispelled; every cloud removed, and swim in rivers of pleasure.

Improvement.

It is a great thing to be a citizen of Zion and an heir to such astonishing glory and bliss. It is great in every view; as to privileges, as to change of temper and change of state. It is to be feared that many consider themselves as citizens of Zion, who have no just claim to this character. But it is a dangerous thing to be deceived respecting our state, and we have need to look well to it, that we

are not.

We see also the folly of sinners in neglecting religion when they have the offer of such a prize and such privileges.

Be exhorted then to work out your salvation. Behold now is the accepted time: Behold now is the day of salvation.

1

DISCOURSE XVIII.

EXOD, XX. 12.

Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee..

THE all-wise God has established a beautiful subordination amongst men; not founded on positive institutions, but resulting from their different relations and circumstances, and absolutely necessary to the harmony and well-being of soci ety. The doctrine of liberty and equality, if des signed to abolish these distinctions, which are pointed out in the word of God, and are dictated by the great law of benevolence, is destructive to society, and subversive of the fundamental principles of religion and morality. But if the meaning is, that a system of law and government ought to consult and respect equally the interest and good of every class of men, the doctrine is just, and founded in reason.

It is important that we attain to a proper understanding of the extent, nature and important reasons of the command recited in the text.-It is my design

I. To explain the command..

II. Suggest some considerations to enforce it.

I. I am to explain the command.-In the pro secution of this design, I shall enquire

(I.) Who are to be understood by father and mother?

(II.) How we are to honor them?

[ocr errors]

(I.) I enquire, who are to be understood by father and mother? I fully acquiesce in the answer to this question given by the assembly of divines, viz. that by father and mother in the fifth command, are meant not only natural parents, but all superiors in age and gifts; especially, such as by God's ordinance, are placed over us in authority, in family, church, or commonwealth. So that father and mother respect the regulations and subordinations amongst men, arising from different circumstances. It will not be necessary to show, that natural parents are, in Scripture, styled father and mother. The aged are often styled fathers. "Our fathers, where are they? Since the fathers have fallen on sleep.-Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father.-The elder women as mothers, &c."-It is necessary in order to harmony in society, that there should be subordination among the members. The same should take place in a family, according to age-Men of eminence and gifts in the church, are also styled fathers. Thus Elisha says to Elijah, "my father, my father," and king Joash uses the same expres sions to Elisha. Rulers are in Scripture, styled "fathers." Thus Naaman is styled father by his servants and subjects. Thus it is said, "Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nursing mothers." So that this command requires suitable honors and respect to superiors.

(II.) I enquire how this duty is to be performed, or how we are to honor father and mother? Here I would consider the respect and honor due to different superiors.

(1.) Natural parents are to be honored by a cheerful obedience to all lawful commands. I say lawful For we must obey God rather than man. We may obey no creature in that which, according to the divine law, is wrong, and in those things

[ocr errors]

which we may view as wrong, or unreasonable, we ought, as children, with modesty and due respect, to excuse ourselves. It is the duty of children, while in a state of minority, to be faithful and devoted to the interest of their parents, and it becomes them, after they are, by law, of age, ever to treat their parents with respect. It is their du ty also, to honor them by contributing to their support and comfort. Children, when it is in their power, ought never to see their parents suffer through indigence. The Apostle, speaking of widows who are objects of charity, says, if they have children, or nephews, let them learn to show piety at home, and requite their parents.

Children ought to honor their parents by such suitable language and behavior, as custom has established; as, for instance, the addition of Sir, is often proper as a mark of respect, in reply to a superior. Children are not to delay, when a parent speaks, and are to reply in such a manner as custom has instituted; rising up; uncovering the head as a mark of respect, and giving parents the most honorable seat and place. The command is, "thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man.'

It is dishonorable in children to take the lead in conversation, when their parents are present, or to speak without being spoken to, unless by way of question, or request, or when invited to use freedom. These are some of the ways in which rents are to be honored.

pa

(2.) I shall consider how superiors in to be honored... There ought to be different degrees of subordination. Other things being equal, respect is to be had to superior age. It is beautiful and according to the dictates of religion, that children in a family, should yield the first rank to the oldest of their number, and so maintain such

a subordination from the highest to the lowest. The same thing ought to take place in other societies. Destroy subordination, and you destroy the springs of society, and introduce general discord. As the subordination is great between children and the aged, so the former ought to use all instituted marks of honor and respect to them,. in language and behavior.

It is, in my view, one sad token, at the present day, of disrespect to divine institutions, that proper distinction and subordination between children and youth, and the aged, are no longer observed.. Children are bold, saucy, and impudent. They enter the houses of their superiors, without any mark of respect. All modesty of behavior is laid aside. But the express command of Jehovah is, "thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man."

I must pass over many relations in which respect and honor are due, as of servants to masters, wives to husbands.-So also, I must omit saying any thing with relation to the respect due to those whom God has honored with leading gifts. in his church, and observe,

(3.) That rulers, especially those in high rank in government, are to be honored as civil fathers.. This is most reasonable and enforced by moral considerations. There is nothing more evident than that the great God has enjoined it on us to pay suitable respect to rulers, and has for the good of society, instituted subordination in this. respect. We are to honor them by cheerfully paying tribute for their support. "For which cause," says the Apostle, "pay ye the tribute, for they are Gods ministers, honor to whom honor, fear to whom fear, tribute to whom tribute." Our Saviour himself wrought a miracle to pay tribute to the heathen rulers. We are not only to pay

« ZurückWeiter »