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examples enough to our purpose. We will content ourselves here with citing a few from Scripture.

The reverence which Shem and Japheth expressed for their father's honour, failed not to draw a blessing upon them; as did the contrary behaviour of Ham a curse upon his family a.

The entire confidence which Isaac placed in his father Abraham, and the ready submission he yielded to his will on the most trying occasion, were tempers truly admirable, and signally rewarded by Heaven b. Jacob acted as became one who had received the blessing at the hand of his venerable parent, when he paid so dutiful a regard to his commands, in the alliance he contracted with the family of Laban. And it was commendable in Esau, whatever might be his character in other respects, to forbear marrying the daughters of Canaan, because he saw it pleased not Isaac his father c.

The many expressions of filial duty and affection which occur in the story of Joseph, must strike every attentive reader with admiration and pleasure: nor can we see him distinguished in so extraordinary a manner as he was by the smiles of Providence, without concluding that his piety to his father was highly pleasing to God. The love which good old Jacob bare to him in his tender years, was no doubt heightened by the son's assiduous attention to conform to the will of so indulgent a parent. And as he learned obedience by suffering, (for he was trained in the school of affliction) so he gave the most affecting proofs of it, when elevated to the highest station, next to Pharaoh, in Egypt. How earnestly did he enquire of his brethren,

the Ædileship, and otherwise munificently rewarded by the Roman people. There was also, on the same occasion, an Hosidius, who eluded the search that was to have been made after him, by an artifice which filial tenderness suggested: the son spread a report that his father had laid violent hands on himself, and, to make the fact the more credible, spent his fortune in performing his obsequies.The Chinese are said to be a people remarkable for filial piety: and I remember to have somewhere met with a striking instance of it. "A Mandarine having been condemned to death for some crime committed by him in his office, his son, a child of only fifteen years, besought the Emperor that he might suffer in his stead. The Emperor, moved with this uncommon instance of filial affection, gave the father his life. And he would have conferred some tokens of honour on the son, but the son declined them, saying, he would not accept any distinction which should recall to him the idea of a guilty father." a Gen. ix. 20-27. b Gen. xxii. 1—19. c Gen. xxviii. 1-9.

when they came to buy corn of him, after the welfare of his father!-Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive a? What a tender message did he send to him by his brethren, entreating him to come down to Egypt, and assuring him that he should be near him, and he would nourish him lest he should come to poverty b! What respect did he shew him by meeting him, in his chariot with his proper attendants, at Goshen and what ardent affection, by falling on his neck, and weeping on it for a considerable time c! How did he pride himself in the honour of presenting his aged parent to Pharaoh ! and how happy was he in making him so princely a provision for the remainder of his days! In short, filial affection, reverence and obedience, stampt his whole conduct to the end of life. When he presented his children to their grandfather to receive his dying blessing, he bowed himself with his face to the earth d. When he had performed the last tender office of closing his eyes in death, he fell upon his face, and wept upon him, and kissed him e. And the dear remains of his venerable parent he failed not to attend to the land of Canaan, and to deposit them in the sepulchre of his ancestors, with every possible expression of genuine sorrow and affectionate respect.

So extraordinary a character as Moses is not to be passed over in silence, and the rather, as a remarkable circumstance occurs in his story to justify the inference, that he was particularly attentive to the duties we have been recommending. The circumstance I refer to was the respect he paid to Jethro his father-in-law, when he made him a visit in the wilderness. Moses went out to meet him, and did obeisance, and kissed him f. Nor did he content himself with rendering him these external expressions of regard: he listened to the prudent advice which Jethro gave him, and did all that he had said g. And thus were the duties of filial obedience, which he so solemnly enjoined on the Israelites, exemplified in his own conduct.

The generous attention, too, of Ruth to her mother Naomi, amidst all that sad reverse of fortune which she suffered in a strange land, is not to be enough admired. Naomi was her

a Gen. xliii. 27.
d Chap. xlviii. 12.
g Ver. 21.

b Chap. xlv. 10, 11.

e Chap. 1. 1.

c Chap. xlvi. 29.

f Exod. xviii. 7.

husband's mother, a widow, childless, and reduced to poverty. In this destitute state she resolves to return to her own country. And it might naturally be expected, considering what is the manner of the world, that Ruth, having lost her husband, Naomi's son, should have no great objection to the parting with his mother. But such is her attachment she will on no account leave her a. And how God rewarded her duty and piety the story at large relates: she married into a wealthy family, became the mother of a numerous offspring, and had the great honour of standing on the list of those from whom the Messiah descended.

David was as eminent for his magnanimity and generosity, as for his sincere and fervent piety; and his attention to the safety and repose of his venerable parents, during the cruel persecution he suffered from the house of Saul, affords a striking proof of the one as well as the other. Driven as he was by that infatuated prince into the wilderness, he presented an address on their behalf to the king of Moab, entreating him to grant them an asylum at Mizpeh. • Let my father and my mother,' says he, I pray thee, come forth and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. And he brought them,' it is added, before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the hold b.'

The next instance to be mentioned, and which we have already adverted to, is Solomon. From the great respect he paid to his mother, when he was grown to man's estate, and had as¬ cended the throne of Israel, it may be fairly concluded, that he held all that duty we have been explaining and enforcing in the greatest reverence. And his dutiful carriage to his parents was one striking proof of that wisdom, for which he is so much celebrated in sacred writ. The particular I refer to was his behaviour to his mother, when she demanded an audience of him. It is said, the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand c.'

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The obedience of the Rechabites to the commands of Jonadab their father, and in instances too of a very self-denial nature, is held up by the prophet Jeremiah to the view of the Jews, in b 1 Sam. xxii. 3, 4. c 1 Kings ii. 19.

a Ruth i. 16, 17.

order to expose the exceeding great undutifulness of their carriage towards God, who had acted the part of a father towards them. Jonadab had solemnly forbidden their drinking wine all their days, and building houses, and cultivating vineyards and fields, for reasons too particular to be here explained. They were obedient, no temptation could prevail on them to violate their father's commands. Wherefore this message is sent them by the prophet, in the hearing of the Jews. Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you; therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab the son of Rachab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever a.

We might mention other striking examples both in the Old and New Testaments, but that of our Lord Jesus Christ shall suffice. It is said of him, when he was twelve years old, that he went down with his parents from Jerusalem to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. And he increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man b. And the affectionate attention he paid to them through the whole of his life, may be easily imagined from the tender words which dropped from his lips in the very article of death. Seeing his mother, and the disciple whom he loved, standing by the cross on which he was expiring, he said to her, Woman, behold thy son; and then to the disciple, Behold thy mother: meaning thereby to commend them to each others cordial regards. And the sacred historian immediately adds, From that hour that disciple took her unto his own house c. How admirable an example this! And what a deep sense must our Saviour have had upon his mind of the importance of filial duty, thus solemnly to enjoin it, in effect upon us all, with his expiring breath!

Thus have we urged upon children the duties they owe their parents, by arguments drawn from the light of nature—the express command of God-and the examples of persons eminent for wisdom, virtue, and piety. Weigh these arguments, children, we beseech you, and resist the force of them if you can. Should you, however, be insensible to them, you will forfeit all claim to humanity and good sense, as well as religion. On the b Luke ii. 51, 52,

a Jer. xxxv. 18, 19.

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c John xix. 25-27.

contrary, should you feel their force, and be disposed cordially to obey your parents in the Lord, we are authorized by the word of God to assure you, that it shall be well with you in this world, and in that which is to come.

DISCOURSE VII.

DUTIES OF SERVANTS TO MASTERS.

EPH. VI. 5-8.-Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ: not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

HAVING

AVING considered the duties of parents and children, we proceed to explain and enforce those of masters and servants. Previous to this it will be necessary to enquire into the true origin and grounds of this relation. The discussion of this question will throw a light upon our subject, and prepare us to receive the apostolic instructions in our text.

Here then we shall lay down the following positions, which have an evident connection with and dependance on each other -Men, as men, are equal-Their condition in life is various and unequal-They are not sufficient to their own support, and therefore stand in need of one another's assistance-But effectual assistance can only be rendered in a way that requires authority on the one part, and obedience on the other-Authority and obedience are, however, the result of voluntary agreementAnd, where these are properly adjusted, there will be a pretty equal distribution of happiness.

I. Men, as men, are equal.

What I mean is, that we all possess one common nature, and

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