of every thing of this kind; and from their very infancy sow the seeds of justice in their hearts, and train them up in the exactest practice of it. If possible, teach them the love of justice, and that in the least things as well as the greatest. Impress upon their minds the old proverb: "He that will steal a penny will steal a pound." Habituate them to render unto all their due, even to the uttermost farthing.

25. Many parents connive, likewise, at the ill-nature of their children, and thereby strengthen it. But truly affectionate parents will not indulge them in any kind or degree of unmercifulness. They will not suffer them to vex their brothers or sisters, either by word or deed. They will not allow them to hurt or give pain to any thing that has life. They will not permit them to rob birds' nests; much less to kill any thing without necessity, not even snakes, which are as innocent as worms,—or toads, which, notwithstanding their ugliness, and the ill name they lie under, have been proved over and over to be harmless as flies. Let them extend, in its measure, the rule of doing as they would be done by, to every animal whatsoever. Ye that are truly kind parents, in the morning, in the evening, and all the day beside, press upon all your children, "to walk in love, as Christ also loved us, and gave himself for us;" to mind that one point, "God is love; and he that dwelleth in lore, dwelleth in God, and God in him."

16

SERMON XCVI.

ON OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS.

"Children, obey your parents in all things."-COL. iii. 20.

1. Ir has been a subject of controversy for many years, whether there are any innate principles in the mind of man. But it is allowed, on all hands, if there be any practical principles naturally implanted in the soul, "that we ought to honour our parents," will claim this character almost before any other. It is enumerated among those universal principles by the most ancient authors; and it is undoubtedly found even among most savages, in the most barbarous nations. We may trace it through all the extent of Europe and Asia, through the wilds of Africa, and the forests of America. And it is not less, but more, observable in the most civilized nations. So it was first, in the eastern parts of the world; which were for so many ages the seat of empire, of learning and politeness, as well as of religion. So it was afterwards in all the Grecian states, and throughout the whole Roman empire. In this respect it is plain, they that have not the" written "law are a law unto themselves;" showing "the work," the substance, "of the law" to be "written in their hearts."

2. And wherever God has revealed his will to man, this law has been a part of that revelation. It has been herein opened afresh, considerably enlarged, and enforced in the strongest manner. In the Jewish revelation, the notorious breakers thereof were punishable with death. And this was one of the laws which our blessed Lord did not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Accordingly, he severely reproved the scribes and Pharisees for making it void through their traditions; clearly showing that the obligation thereof extended to all ages. It is the substance of this which St. Paul delivers to the Ephe

sians, (vi. 1,) "Children, obey your parents in the Lord;" and again in those words to the Colossians, "Children, obey your parents in all things."

3. It is observable, that the apostle enforces this duty by a threefold encouragement: First. To the Ephesians he adds, "For this is right;" it is an instance of justice as well as mercy. It is no more than their due; it is what we owe to them for the very being which we have received from them. Secondly. "This is acceptable to the Lord" it is peculiarly pleasing to the great Father of men and angels, that we should pay honour and obedience to the fathers of our flesh. Thirdly. It is "the first commandment with promise;" the first to the performance whereof a peculiar promise is annexed: "that it may be well with thee, and that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." This promise has been generally understood to include health and temporal blessings, as well as long life. And we have seen innumerable proofs, that it belongs to the Christian as well as the Jewish dispensation: many remarkable instances of its accomplishment occur even at this day.

But what is the meaning of these words, "Children, obey your parents in all things?" I will endeavour, by the assistance of God, first, to explain, and, then, to apply them.

But

1. 1. First. I will endeavour to explain these words; and the rather, because so few people seem to understand them. Look round into the world, not the heathen, but the Christian world, nay, the Reformed part of it; look among those that have the Scriptures in their own tongue; and who is there that appears even to have heard of this? Here and there a child obeys the parent out of fear, or perhaps out of natural affection. how many children can you find that obey their fathers and mothers out of a sense of duty to God? And how many parents can you find, that duly inculcate this duty upon their children? I doubt, a vast majority both of parents and children are totally ignorant of the whole affair. For the sake of these, I will make it as plain as I can but still I am thoroughly sensible, those that are

not willing to be convinced will no more understand what I say, than if I was talking Greek or Hebrew.

السلام

2. You will easily observe, that by parents the apostle means both fathers and mothers, as he refers us to the fifth commandment, which names both the one and the other. And, however human laws may vary herein, the law of God makes no difference; but lays us under the same obligation of obeying both the one and the other. 3. But before we consider how we are to obey our parents, it may be inquired, how long we are to obey them. Are children to obey only till they run alone, till they go to school, till they can read and write, or till they are as tall as their parents, or attain to years of discretion? Nay, if they obey only because they fear to be beaten, or because otherwise they cannot procure food and raiment, what avails such obedience? Those only who obey their parents when they can live without them, and when they neither hope nor fear any thing from them, shall have praise from God.

4. "But is a man that is at age, or a woman that is married, under any further obligation to obey their parents?" With regard to marriage, although it is true that a man is to leave father and mother, and to cleave unto his wife; and, by parity of reason, she is to leave father and mother, and cleave unto her husband; (in consequence of which there may be some particular cases wherein conjugal duty must take place of filial;) yet I cannot learn, either from Scripture or reason, that marriage either cancels or lessens the general obligation of filial duty. Much less does it appear, that it is either cancelled or lessened by our having lived one-andtwenty years. I never understood it so in my own case. When I had lived upwards of thirty years, I looked upon myself to stand just in the same relation to my father as I did when I was ten years old. And when I was between forty and fifty, I judged myself full as much obliged to obey my mother in every thing lawful as I did when I was in my leading-strings.

5. But what is implied in, "Children, obey your parents in all things?" Certainly the first point of

obedience is to do nothing which your father or mother forbids, whether it be great or small. Nothing is more plain, than that the prohibition of a parent binds every conscientious child; that is, except the thing prohibited is clearly enjoined of God. Nor indeed is this all; the matter may be carried a little farther still: a tender parent may totally disapprove what he does not care flatly to forbid. What is the duty of a child in this case? How far is that disapprobation to be regarded? Whether it be equivalent to a prohibition or not, a person who would have a conscience void of offence should undoubtedly keep on the safe side, and avoid what may perhaps be evil. It is surely the more excellent way, to do nothing which you know your parents disapprove. To act otherwise seems to imply a degree of disobedience, which one of a tender conscience would wish to avoid.

6. The second thing implied in this direction is, Do every thing which your father or mother bids, be it great or small, provided it be not contrary to any command of God. Herein God has given a power to parents, which even sovereign princes have not. The king of England, for instance, is a sovereign prince; yet he has not power to bid me do the least thing, unless the law of the land requires me so to do; for he has no power but to execute the law. The will of the king is no law to the subject. But the will of the parent is a law to the child, who is bound in conscience to submit thereto, unless it be contrary to the law of God.

7. It is with admirable wisdom that the Father of spirits has given this direction, that as the strength of the parents supplies the want of strength, and the understanding of the parents the want of understanding, in their children, till they have strength and understanding of their own; so the will of the parents may guide that of their children till they have wisdom and experience to guide themselves. This, therefore, is the very first thing which children have to learn,-that they are to obey their parents, to submit to their will, in all things: and this they may be inured to, long before they