4 Succour. We should always endeavour to promote our parents comfort and happiness; and we are especially called upon to assist them : (1) In times of sickness or trouble—e.g. : (a) David succoured his parents.-1 Saml. xxii., 3. (b) Christ thought of His mother.-St. John xix., 26-27. (2) In their old age—e.g.: (a) Joseph succoured Jacob.-Gen. xlvii., 12. (b) Ruth succoured Naomi.-Ruth i., 16. II. The Duties Implied in the Command. 1. The duties of all inferiors to their superiors or betters. Although the commandment only expresses our duty to our parents, yet it reaches or applies to all those relations in life which resemble the relation of parents and children. The parental authority is taken as "the type and origin of all authority; and, as "the family is the nursery of the state," so the commandment includes the duty of submission to all authority." (1) The duties of the governed to their governors. This includes the duty we owe to our sovereign, and to all that are put in authority under her, such as judges, magistrates, &c., down even to constables. are: (a) Respect or Loyalty—e.g.: The duties "Fear God. Honour the King."-1 Peter ii., 17; Romans xiii., 1-2-7; 1 Tim. ii., 1-2; 1 Peter ii., 13-15. (b) A ready obedience to the laws of our country: An honest and cheerful payment of taxes and other state burdens-e.g.: "Render unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsars."-St. Matt. xxii., 21; Deut. xvii., 11; Titus iii., 1. (c) Hearty co-operation in supporting the cause of order.— Rom. xiii., 1-2. (2) The duties of scholars to their teachers. (a) Attention to their instructions. (b) Diligence in their studies. (c) A prompt, willing and cheerful obedience. *Maclear, page 90. (3) The duties of people to their ministers. (c) Respect. "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy."-Heb. xiii., 7, 17; 1 Thess. v., 12-13; 1 Tim. v., 17. (4) The duties of servants to their masters. (a) Faithful attention to work, whether the master's eye is upon us or not-e.g.: "Not with eye-service as men pleasers. Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men."-Col. iii., 22-23. (b) Obedience. "Servants be obedient to them that are your masters, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ."-Ephes. vi., 5-6. (e) Honesty. "Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but showing all good fidelity."-Titus ii., 9-10. (d) Respect. "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward."-1 Peter ii., 18; Titus ii., 9-10; 1 Tim. vi., 1-2. (5) The duties of the young to the aged, and persons generally to those higher in rank than themselves. (a) Deference to their opinions—e.g.: "Ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder."-1 Peter V., 5. (b) Respect-e.g. : "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man."-Lev. xix., 32. Example of disrespect-The children who mocked Elisha. 2 Kings ii., 23-24. 2. The Duties of all Superiors to their Inferiors. (1) The duties of parents to their children. (a) To train them well—e.g.: "Train up a child in the way he should go."-Prov. xxii.. 6. "Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."-Ephes. vi., 4. (b) To chasten or correct them. "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him, chasteneth him betimes."-Prov. xiii., 24. "Chasten thy son while there is hope."-Prov. xix., 18. (c) To encourage them and treat them kindly. "I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."-Mal. iii., 17; Col. iii., 21; Ps. ciii., 18. (2) The duties of governors to the governed. To rule well, wisely, and impartially; not arbitrarily, but according to law, with all kindness and consideration.-Ps. lxxviii., 70-72. (3) The duties of teachers to their scholars. To faithfully and conscientiously perform their duties to their pupils, grudging neither time nor labour in promoting their mental and moral improvement. (4) The duties of ministers to their people. "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock."1 Peter v., 2-3. (5) The duties of masters to their servants. "Masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a master in heaven."--Col. iv., 1. (6) The duties of the aged to the young. Patience and consideration for youth. 3. The mutual duties of Husbands and Wives. "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life.”1 Peter iii., 1-7. III.-The Promise. St. Paul calls this "the first commandment with promise." The promise is "that thy days may be long in the land. This refers more especially to the Jews. With regard to Christians, the same promise has a spiritual fulfilment, although very often God sees fit to fulfil it also according to the letter. The temper required to make a person obedient to those who are over him is meekness. Our Lord, therefore, says that "The meek shall inherit the earth."-St. Matt. v., 5. CHAPTER VII. THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT. "Thou shalt do no murder." I. The Sins forbidden. 1. According to the letter of the Command. (1) Murder-i.e., the wilful and unlawful destruction of human life. This is one of the Devil's sins. "He was a murderer from the beginning."-St. John viii., 44. He succeeded in tempting Eve to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, though he knew that the punishinent for eating of it was death. To take away life is to assume a prerogative which belongs only unto God-e.g. : "I kill, and I make alive."-Deut. xxxii., 39; 1 Saml. ii., 6; 2 Kings v., 7. And hence the punishment for wilful murder, both under "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man."-Genesis ix., 6. God told Moses "He that killeth a man shall surely be put to death.”— Leviticus xxix., 17, 21; Exodus xxi., 14; Numb. xxxv., 30-33. It is not murder unless there is a malicious intention and a deliberate act; hence the commandment is not broken by killing anyone— (a) Accidentally.—Deut. xix., 4-6. (1) A Judge.-Deut. xix.,11-13. (2) A Soldier.-St. Luke iii., 14; viii., 9; Acts x., 1, 2. Any of those forms of murder which our law punishes as manslaughter are, however, breaches of the commandment-e.g., killing a man in a quarrel or a fight. Instances of murderers. (a) Cain murdered Abel.-Gen. iv., 8. (b) Joab murdered Abner and Amasa.-2 S: ml. iii., 27; (c) Zimri slew his master, Elah.-1 Kings xvi., 8-20. (2) Suicide, or killing one's self. (a) Saul and his armourbearer.-1 Saml. xxxi., 4-5. (c) Judas Iscariot.-St. Matt. xxvii., 5. We have no right to destroy that life which God has given us for His glory. (3) Attempting to take life, even if unsuccessful-e.g.: (a) Joseph's brethren.-Gen. xxxvii., 18-28. (b) Nebuchadnezzar attempted to take the life of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.-Dan. iii. (c) The Chief Priests and Scribes sought how they might kill Jesus.-St. Luke xxii., 2. (4) Assisting, allowing, or advising others to take life—e.g. : (a) David slew Uriah with the sword of the children of Ammon.-2 Saml. xii., 9. (b) Absalom slew Amnon.-2 Saml. xiii., 28-29. (c) Ahab was charged with killing Naboth, because he permitted Jezebel to do it.-1 Kings xxi., 8, 19. 2. According to the Spirit of the Command. Our Lord's comment on this commandment, in his Sermon on the Mount (St. Matt v., 21-26), shows that it is broken not merely by actual murder, but by indulging in those bad passions which tend to murder-e.g.: (1) Violent or unjustifiable anger. "Be ye angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath."-Ephes. iv., 26. (2) Hatred. (3) Revenge. Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; (4) Envy. "The works of the flesh are these: hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, envyings, murders, and such like."-Gal V., 20-21. (5) Jealousy. (6) Malice. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, an evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."-Ephes. iv., 31-32. (7) Spirit of cruelty. (8) Unnecessary exposure to danger. |
