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indulge you in the particulars that you wish, is, that they fee it would hurt you. And it is a dreadful venture for you, to think, as yet, of trusting yourselves. Trust therefore to thofe, whom you have all manner of reason to truft; and obey them willingly, who by the laws of God and man, have a right to rule you; and, generally speaking, a power to make you obey at laft, be you ever fo unwilling.

Not that children are bound to obedience, in all things, without exception, Should a parent command them to lie, to fteal, to commit any wickednefs; God commands the contrary; and he is to be obeyed, not man. Or should a parent command any thing of confequence, directly oppofite to the laws of the land, and the injunctions of public authority: here the magiftrate, being the fuperior power, in all things that confeffedly belong to jurifdiction, is to be obeyed, rather than the parent, who ought himself to be fubject to the magiftrate*. Or if, in other points, a parent would require what was both very evidently and very greatly, unfuitable to a child's condi tion and station; or had a clear tendency to make him miferable; or would be certainly and confiderably prejudicial to him through the remainder of his life: where the one goes fo far beyond his juft bounds, the other may allowably excufe himself from complying. Only the case must be both so plain, and withal of such moment, as may justify him, not only in his own judgment, which may easily be prejudiced, but in that of every confiderate perfon, whom he hath opportunity of confulting, and in the general opinion of mankind. And even then, the refusal must be accompanied with the greatest decency and humility; and the ftricteft care to make amends, by all instances of real duty, for this one feeming want of duty.

In proportion as young perfons approach to that age, when the law allows them to be capable of governing themselves, they become by degrees lefs and less fubject to the government of their parents; especially in smaller matters; for in the more important concerns of life, and above all, in the very important one of marriage, not only daughters, (concerning whom, the very phrase of giving them in marriage, fhows, that they are not to give themselves as they please) but fons

* See Taylor's elements of civil law, p. 387, 388, 389.

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too, fhould have all poffible regard to the authority, the judge ment, the blessing, the comfort of those to whom they owe every thing. And even after they are fent out into the world, to ftand on their own bottom, ftill they remain for ever bound not to flight them; but in all proper affairs, to confult with them, and hearken to them; as far as it can be at all expect. ed, in reafon or gratitude, that they should.

4. The last thing, which in fcripture phrase of honouring parents comprehends, is affording them decent relief and fupport, if they are reduced to want it. For thus our Saviour explains the word, in his reproof of the Pharifees, for "making this commandment of no effect by their tradition. God commanded, Honour thy father and thy mother: but ye fay, whofoever fhall fay to his father or mother, it is a gift, by whatsoever thou mighteft be profited by me:" that is, what fhould have relieved you, I have devoted to religious uses; whofoever shall fay this, and "honoureth not his father or his mother; he fhall be free*." In St Mark it is, "Ye fuffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother +." And in other places of fcripture, befides this, honouring a perfon fignifies contributing to his maintenance: as 1 Tim. v. 17, 18. "Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine; for the fcripture faith, the labourer is worthy of his reward."

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How worthy parents are of this, as well as the other forts of honour, when they need it, fufficiently appears from all that hath been faid. If they deferve to be loved and respected; furely they are not to be left exposed to distress and want, by those whom they have brought into life; and for whom they have done fo much but children, even if they are poor, fhould both be diligent in working, and provident in saving, to keep their helplefs parents from extremities: and if they are in competent good circumftances, fhould allow them a liberal share of the plenty which they enjoy themselves. Accordingly St Paul directs, that both children and nephews, that is, grand-children, for fo the word nephew always means in fcripture, fhould "learn firft to fhow piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God."

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God." Indeed nature, as well as Christianity, enjoins it fo ftrongly, that the whole world cries out fhame, where it is neglected. And the fame reason, which requires parents to be assisted in their neceffities, requires children alfo to attend upon them, and minister to them, with vigilant affiduity and tender affection, in their infirmities; and to confult, on every occafion, their defires, their peace, their ease. And they should confider both what they contribute to their fupport, and every other instance of regard, which they show them, not as an alms, given to an inferior: but as a tribute of duty paid to a fuperior. For which reafon perhaps it may be, that relieving them is mentioned in fcripture under the notion of honouring them.

One thing more to be obferved, is, that all these duties of children belong equally to both parents; the mother being as exprefsly named as the father, in the commandment; and having the fame right in point of reason. Only, if contrary or ́ders are given by the two parents to the child; he is bound to obey that parent rather, whom the other is bound to obey alfo but ftill preferving to each all due reverence: from which nothing, not even the command of either, can difcharge him.

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And now I proceed to the duties of parents to their chil dren on which there is much lefs need to enlarge, than on the other. For not only parents have more understanding to know their duty, and stronger affections to prompt them to do it but indeed, a great part of it hath been already intimated, in fetting forth that of children to them. It is the duty of parents, to take all that kind care, which is the main foundation of love; to keep up fuch authority, as may secure refpect; to give fuch reasonable commands, as may engage a willing obedience: and thus to make their children fo good, and themfelves fo esteemed by them, that they may depend, in cafe of need, on affiftance and fuccour from them.

More particularly, they are bound to think them, from the firft, worthy of their own inspection and pains; and not abandon them to the negligence, or bad management of others: fo to be tender of them, and indulge them, as not to encourage. VOL. IV. their

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their faults; fo to reprove and correct them, as not to break their fpirits, or provoke their hatred; to inftil into them the knowledge, and require of them the practice, of their duty to God and man; and recommend to them every precept, both of religion and morality, by what is the strongest recommendation, a good and amiable example: to breed them up as fuitably to their condition, as may be; but to be fure not above it; watching over them with all the care that conduces to health; but allowing them in none of the softness that produces luxury or indolence; or of the needlefs diftinctions that pamper pride to begin preparing them early, according to their future ftation in life, for being useful in it, to others and themselves to provide confcientioufly for their spiritual and eternal, as well as temporal good, in difpofing of them; and bestow on them willingly, as foon as it is fit, whatever may be requifite to fettle them properly in the world: to lay up for them, not by injustice, penurioufnefs, or immoderate folicitude, all that they can; but by honest and prudent diligence and attention, as much as is fufficient; and to distribute this amongst them, not as fondness, or refentment, or caprice, or vanity, may dictate; but in a reasonable and equitable manner; fuch as will be likelieft to make those who receive it, love one another, and esteem the memory of the giver.

These are, in brief, the mutual duties of parents and children and you will eafily perceive that they are the duties, in proportion, of all who by any occafional, or accidental means, come to stand in the stead of parents or of children. The main thing which wants to be observed, is, that from the neglect of thefe duties on one fide, or on both, proceeds a very great part of the wickedness and mifery, that is in the world. May God incline the hearts of all that are concerned either way in this most important relation, fo to practife the feveral obligations of it, as may procure to them, in this world, reciprocal fatis." faction and joy, and eternal felicity in that which is to come, through Jefus Chrift our Lord.

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THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

PART II.

N my laft difcourfe I began to explain the fifth commandment and having already gone through the duties of children and parents, properly so called, I come now to the other forts of inferiors and fuperiors: all which have sometimes the fame names given them, and are comprehended under the reafon and equity of this precept.

And here, the first relation to be mentioned, is, that between private fubjects and thofe in authority over them: a relation so very like that of children and fathers, that the duties on both fides are much the fame in each.

But, more particularly, the duty of subjects, is, to obey the laws of whatever government Providence hath placed us under, in every thing which is not contrary to the laws of God; and to contribute willingly to its fupport, every thing that is legally required, or may be reasonably expected of us: to be faithful and true to the interests of that society, of which we are members; and to the perfons of those who govern it; paying, both to the Supreme Power, and all fubordinate magiftrates, every part of that fubmiffion and respect, both in fpeech and behaviour, which is their due; and making all those allowances in their favour which the difficulty of their office, and the frailty of our common nature, demand: to love and wish well to all our fellow-fubjects, without exception; think of them charitably, and treat them kindly; to be peaceable and quiet, each minding diligently the duties of his own station; not factious and turbulent, intruding into the concerns of others; to be modest and humble, not exercising ourselves in matters too high for us *; but leaving fuch things to the care of 3 D 2

* Pfalma cxxxi. 1.

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