appear to have no government of themselves ?How can they form their domeftics to virtue, who exhibit an example inconfiftent with virtue, and fhew themselves to be wanting in a moft capital branch of religion?

Let us, then, who ftand in this connexion, by reciprocal love and good offices honor our profeffion and promote each other's happinefs, as being heirs together of the grace of life. Then our prayers will not be hindered.

SERMON XLV.

EPHESIANS vi. 1, 2, 3, 4.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promife, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayeft live long on the earth. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,

IN thefe words the Apoffle ftates the duty of children to their parents, and the duty of parents to their children.

We will confider them diftinctly. Firft.

The Apoflle addreffes himself to children in an exhortation to obey and honor their parents. "Obey your parents in the Lord;" or in compliance with the command of the Lord, which fays, "Honor thy father and mother." To enforce this exhortation he reminds children, that the command to "honor their parents," is diftinguished from the others by a particular promise of the divine favor. "This is the first commandment with promise.". The promise is, "Thou fhalt live long on the earth." This promife the Apoftle interprets, not as confined to temporal profperity, nor yet as abfolutely infuring long life; but as fignifying in

general, that "it fhall be well with them; "or that God will bestow on them fuch things, as his perfect wisdom fees to be beft for them. "Obey your parents-for this is right." It is plainly reafonable in itself and acceptable to God, that children. who are young and inexperienced, weak and dependent, fhould honor and obey those who naturally care for them, who are charged with their fupport and education, and whofe fuperior wisdom and riper experience, enable them to judge for their children better than children can judge for themfelves.

The obedience and honor; which children owe to their parents, comprise several things, which are of great importance in this relation.

1. Children owe to their parents an inward affection and regard.

Their obedience fhould flow from love, gratitude and efteem.

The

Without a correfpondent principle in the heart, external tokens of honor are of little value. love which parents bear to their children entitles them to reciprocal affection.

Confider, you who are young, in what various ways your parents have expreffed and continue fill to teftify their regard for you. They have fupplied the wants of your helplefs infancy;watched over the motives of your heedlefs childhood, and guided the fteps of your giddy and unthinking youth. They have fpared no pains to inform your minds and regulate your manners, to rear you to manhood, and mould you to virtue.They have anxiously attended you in times of sickness, and trembled for you in hours of danger. And your happy return to health and fafety has filled their hearts with joy, and their mouths with praise. You, who have feen a brother or a fifter wrapt in the funeral shroud, have, at the fame time, witneffed the anguifh of your parents. Such

would have been their anguish, had the fame fhroud embraced your cold limbs. How are they diftreffed, when, by your unworthy behavior, you bring fhame and difhonor on yourselves! What pleasure fills their fouls, when they fee you im. proving in knowledge and goodness, and rifing to reputation and esteem! All their worldly labors and cares have your welfare and honor for their principal object. Their earthly hopes and prof pects are in you.

Can you, my young friends, think seriously on these inftances of your parents regard and affection, and not feel yourfelves bound to return love for love? You love those companions, who allociate with you in your amufements and diverfions. Can you be indifferent to your parents, who daily employ their time, strength and thoughts in pro moting your comfort and welfare, and in laying a foundation for your honor in this world, and your happiness in the next?

If, at any time, you feel uneafy under the re, ftraints, which they lay upon you, confider, whether they have not given you full proof of their benevolence; and believe that these restraints are kindly intended.

2. You are to honor your parents by external tokens of respect.

Solomon, though his regal dignity raised him fuperior to all around him, yet forgot not the hon. or due to a parent. When his mother approached him, he rose to meet her, and bowed himself to her, and placed her on his right hand.

The natural fuperiority of your parents, and the important relation which they bear to you, oblige you to be fubmiffive in your carriage, dutiful in your manners, and respectful in all that you speak to them in their prefence, or fay concerning them, in their absence.

There is nothing which fhocks us more, than to fee a youth behave toward his parents with infolence, or to hear him treat their characters with derifion.

Never, my children, never expofe the fecret failings of a parent. You will thus bring difhonor on yourselves, and on the family. If, at any time, you should have occafion to mention fome public inftance of his misconduct, speak with prudent caution and tenderness-with filial grief and concern; not in a way of ridicule, mockery and con tempt. The impiety of Ham in deriding his father's miscarriage, brought on him a lafting curse; while the filial dutifulnefs of the other fons, in endeavoring to conceal his shame, entailed a bleffing on them and their pofterity.

3. You are to obey the juft commands of your parents.

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Obey your parents in the Lord." You are to honor God as fupreme, and them in obedience to him. "If any man love father or mother more than me," fays our Lord, "he is not worthy of me." If a parent should enjoin any thing contraty to the will of God, you cannot be bound to obey For the authority of God, and the obligations of virtue are always fuperior to the commands of men. "Obey your parents in all things;" fays the Apostle, "for this is well pleafing to the Lord." You must make it your firft aim to please God; and, in all things agreeable to his will, you must be obedient to them. In matters, of which you are not competent to form a judgment, you must fubmit to their authority, and confide in their fuperior wisdom. If in these cases you err, the error will be to them, not to you.

You fhould obey them cheerfully, without complaining, or answering again-without evading or fhifting off their orders. For this you have the example of Chrift, who, in his youth, was subjec