is both a duty, Ps. xxxvii. 4., and a reward. In this text it is a reward, "Then thou shalt delight thyself in the Lord:" as if God had said, "If thou keep the sabbath conscientiously, I will give thee that which will fill thee with delight; if thou keep the sabbath willingly, I will make thee keep it joyfully; I will give thee those enlargements in duty, and that inward comfort, which shall abundantly satisfy thee; thy soul shall overflow with such a stream of joy, that thou shalt say, 'Lord, in keeping thy sabbath there is great reward!'"-2. Of honour. And, " I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth." That is, I will advance thee to honour, ascendere faciem, so Munster interprets

and heaven. "And I will feed
thee with the heritage of Jacob;"
that is, "I will feed thee with
all the delicious things of Canaan,
and afterwards I'll translate thee
to heaven, whereof Canaan was
but a type." And another pro-
mise, Isa. lvi. 2., "Blessed is the
man that doth this, that keepeth
the sabbath from polluting it."
"Blessed is the man;" in the
Hebrew, it is blessedness.
him that keeps the sabbath holy,
here is blessedness upon blessed-
ness belongs to him; he shall be
blessed with the upper and nether
springs; he shall be blessed in
his name, estate, soul, progeny.
Who would not keep the sabbath
from polluting it, that shall have
so many blessings entailed upon
him and his posterity after him ?

To

it. Some, by the "high places (2.) A conscientious keeping

of the earth," understand Judea, -so Grotius. I will bring thee into the land of Judea, which is higher situated than the other countries adjacent.-3. Of earth

the sabbath seasons the heart for God's service all the week after. Christian, the more holy thou art on a sabbath, the more holy thou wilt be on the week following.

OF THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

Exod. xx. 12., Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

HAVING done with the first cond. "Honour thy father and table, I am next to speak of the duties of the second table.

The commandments may be likened to Jacob's ladder; the first table, as the top of his ladder, reacheth to heaven,-it respects God; the second table, as the foot of the ladder, rests on the earth,-it respects superiors and inferiors. By the first table, we walk religiously towards God; by the second, we walk religiously towards He cannot be good in the first table that is bad in the se

thy mother."

In this, 1st. A command, "Honour thy father and thy mother."-2d. A reason annexed to it, "that thy days may be long in the land."

I. The command, "Honour thy father."

QUEST. Who is meant here by

father?

Ans. Father is taken several ways; the Political, Ancient, Spiritual, Economical, Natural.

a cheerful submission to their laws, so far as they agree and run parallel with God's law. Kings are to be prayed for, which is a part of that honour we give them, 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2., "I exhort that supplications, prayers, intercessions, be made for kings, that we may lead a quiet, peaceable life under them, in all godliness and honesty." We are to pray for

magistrate. He is the father of civil respect to their persons, and his country; he is to be an encourager of virtue, a punisher of vice, a father to the widow and orphan; such a father was Job, ch. xxix. 16., " I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I knew not, I searched out." And, as magistrates are fathers, so especially the king, who is the head of magistrates, is a political father; he is placed as the sun among the lesser stars. The kings, that God would honour scripture calls kings "fathers," them to be blessings; that under Isa. xlix. 23., "Kings shall be them we may enjoy the gospel of thy nursing-fathers." They are peace, and the peace of the gosto nurse up their subjects in piety, pel. How happy was the reign by their good edicts and examples; and to nurse them up in peace and plenty. Such nursingfathers were David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Constantine, Theodosius. 2. There is the grave ancient It is happy for a people who have father who is venerable for old such nursing-fathers, whose age, whose grey hairs are resembreasts milk comfort to their bled to the white flowers of the children. These fathers are to be honoured; for,

(1.) Their place deserves honour. God hath set these political fathers to preserve order and harmony in a nation, and to prevent those state convulsions which otherwise might ensue: Judges xvii. 6., When "there was no king in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own eyes." A wonder, Prov. xxx. 27.

of Numa Pompilius, when the swords were beaten into ploughshares, and the bees made their hives of the soldiers' helmets !

almond-tree, Eccl. xii. 5. There are fathers for seniority, on whose wrinkled brows, and in the furrows of whose cheeks is pictured the map of old age. These fathers are to be honoured: Lev. xix. 32., "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man." Especially, those are to be honoured who are fathers not only for their seniority, but their piety; whose souls are flourishing, when their bodies are a-decaying. 'Tis a blessed sight to see the springs of grace in the autumn of old age, -to see men stooping towards

(2.) God hath promoted kings, that they may promote justice. As they have a sword in their hand, to signify their power, so a sceptre, an emblem of justice. It is said of Marcus Aurelius, em- the grave, yet going up the hill peror, that he allotted one hour of God, to see them lose their of the day to hear the complaints colour, yet keep their savour. of such as were oppressed. Kings Such, whose silver hairs are place judges as cherubims about crowned with righteousness, are the throne, for distribution of worthy of double honour; they justice. These political fathers are to be honoured, not only as are to be honoured: "Honour pieces of antiquity, but as patthe king," 1 Pet. ii. 17. And terns of virtue. If you see an this honour is to be shown by a old ınan fearing God, whose grace

shines brightest when the sun of his life is setting, O honour him as a father, by reverencing and imitating him!

which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake." I confess, the 3. There are spiritual fathers, scandalous lives of some ministers as pastors and ministers. These have been a great reproach, and are the instruments of the new have made the "offering of the birth, 1 Cor. iv. 15., "Though Lord to be abhorred," in some ye have ten thousand instructors, places of the land. The leper in yet have ye not many fathers; for the law was to have his lips in Christ Jesus I have begotten covered: such as are angels by you through the gospel." The office, but lepers in their lives, spiritual fathers are to be ho

noured.

ought to have their lips covered, and to be silenced. But though some deserve no honour,' yet such as are faithful, and make it their work to bring souls to Christ, are to be reverenced as spiritual fathers. Obadiah ho

1. In respect of their office. Whatever their persons are, their office is honourable; they are the "Messengers of the Lord of Hosts," Mal. ii. 7. They represent no less than God himself, 2 noured the prophet Elijah, 1 Cor. v. 20., "Now then we are Kings xviii. 16. Why did God ambassadors for Christ." Jesus reckon the tribe of Levi for the Christ was of this calling; he had his mission and sanction from heaven, John viii. 18., and this crowns the ministerial calling with honour.

first-born? Numb. iii. 13. Why did he appoint that the prince should ask counsel of God by the priest? Numb. xxvii. 21. Why did the Lord shew, by that miracle of 'Aaron's rod flourishing,' that he had chosen the tribe of

2. Ministers, these spiritual fathers, are to be " honoured for their work's sake;" they come, "Levi to minister before him?" like the dove, with an olive-branch Numb. xvii. Why doth Christ in their mouth; they preach call his apostles the lights of "glad tidings of peace;" their the world? Why doth he say work is to "save souls." Other to all his ministers, "Lo, I am

callings have only to do with with you to the end of the world;" men's bodies or estates, but the but because he would have these minister's calling is employed spiritual fathers reverenced ? In about the souls of men. Their ancient times the Egyptians chose work is to redeem spiritual cap- their kings out of their priests. tives, to turn men "from the They are far from shewing this power of Satan to God," Acts respect and honour to their spirixxvi. 18. Their work is "to tual fathers, who have slight enlighten them who sit in the thoughts of such as have the region of darkness," and make charge of the sanctuary, and do them "shine as stars in the minister before the Lord. "Know kingdom of heaven." These spi- them," saith the apostle, "which ritual fathers are to be "honour-labour among you." Many can ed for their work's sake;" and be content to know their ministers this honour is to be shewn three

in their infirmities, and are glad when they have any thing against them, but do not know them in the apostle's sense, so as to give

s

them "double honour." Surely, Naaman to Jordan, lepers, but were it not for the ministry, you they go away healed; this is an would not be a vineyard, but a honour to the ministry. 2 Cor. desert; were it not for the min- iii. 1., "Need we, as some others, istry, you would be destitute of epistles of commendation?" Althe two seals of the covenant, - though other ministers might baptism and the Lord's supper; need letters of commendation, yet you would be infidels: "For Paul needed none: for, when faith comes by hearing; and how men should hear of the obedience shall they hear without a preach- of these Corinthians, which was er," Rom. x. 14. wrought in them by Paul's

spiritual fathers more than by thriving under their ministry, and living upon those sermons which they preach.

(2.) Honour the ministers, preaching, this was a sufficient these spiritual fathers, by becom-certificate for him, that God had ing advocates for them, and wip- blessed his labours. The Corining off those slanders and calum- thians were a sufficient honour to nies which are unjustly cast upon him; they were his letters-testithem, 1 Tim. v. 19. Constantine monial. You cannot honour your was a great honourer of the ministry; he vindicated them; he would not read the envious accusations brought in against them, but did burn them. Do the ministers open their mouths to God for you in prayer, and will not you open your mouths in their behalf? Surely, if they labour to preserve you from hell, you should preserve them from slander; if they labour to save your souls, you ought to save their credit.

4. There is the economical father, that is the master; he is pater familias, -the father of the family; therefore Naaman's servants called their master 'father,' 2 Kings v. 13. And the centurion calls his servant, 'son,' Mat. viii. 6. The servant is to honour his master, as the father of the family. Though the master be not so exactly qualified as he should, yet the servant must not neglect his duty, but shew some kind of honour to him.

(1.) In obeying his master in licitis et honestis, in things that

(3.) Honour them by conforming to their doctrine. This is the greatest honour you can put upon your spiritual fathers, by believing and obeying their doctrine. He is an honourer of the ministry, who is not only a are lawful and honest, 1 Pet. ii. hearer, but a follower of the 18., "Servants, be subject to word. As disobedience reproach- your masters; not only to the eth the ministry, so obedience good and gentle, but also to the honoureth it. The apostle calls froward." God hath no where his Thessalonians his crown, 1 given a charter of exemption to Thess. ii. 19., "What is our free you from your duty. You crown of rejoicing? are not ye?" cannot disobey your earthly masA thriving people are a minister's ter, but you disobey your master crown; when there is a meta- in heaven. Think not that birth, morphosis, a change wrought,- or high parts, no, nor yet your when people come to the word proud, but go away humble,they come earthly, but they go away heavenly, they come, as

grace, will exempt you from obedience to your master; to obey him, is an ordinance of God, and the apostle saith, " Whosoever resisteth the ordinance, shall receive to themselves damnation," Rom. xiii. 2.

had got a wife for himself. 3dly, Faithfulness in a servant is seen in standing up for the honour of his master. When he hears him spoken against, he must vindicate him. As the master is careful of

(2.) The servant's honouring of his master (his economical father), is seen in being diligent in his service. Apelles painted a the servant's body, so the servant servant with his hands full of should be careful of the master's tools, an emblem of diligence. name; when the master is unThe loitering servant is a kind of justly reproached, the servant thief; though he doth not steal cannot be excused if he be posfrom his master's goods, yet he sessed with a dumb devil. 4thly, steals that time which he should Faithfulness is, when a servant have employed in his master's 'is true to his word.' He dares service. The slothful servant is not tell a lie, but will speak the called a " wicked servant," Mat.

xxv. 26.

truth, though it be against himself. A lie doubles the sin: Ps. ci. 7., "He that telleth lies, shall not tarry in my sight." A liar is near akin to the devil, John viii. 44. And who would let any of the devil's kindred live with him? The lie that Gehazi told his master Elisha, entailed leprosy on Gehazi and his seed for ever, 2 Kings v. 27. A faithful servant, his tongue is the true index of his heart. 5thly, Faithfulness is, when a servant is against impropriation. He dares

(3.) The servant is to honour his master, who is his family-father, by being faithful, Mat. xxiv. 45., "Who then is a faithful and wise servant?" Faithfulness is the chief thing in a servant. This faithfulness in a servant is seen in six things: 1st, In tenaciousness in concealing the secrets your master hath entrusted you with; if those secrets are not sins, you ought to promise privacy. What is whispered in your ear, you are not to publish on the house-top; not convert his master's goods to such servants are spies. Who his own use, Tit. ii. 10., "Not would keep a glass that is crack- purloining," What a servant ed? Who would keep a servant filcheth from his master, is damthat hath a crack in his brain, nable gain. The servant who and cannot keep a secret? 2dly, enricheth himself by stealing Faithfulness in a servant is seen from his master, stuffs his pillow in designing the master's advan- with thorns, and his head will tage. A faithful servant esteems lie very uneasy when he comes to his master's good as his own. Such a good servant had Abraham; when his master sent him to transact business for him, he was as careful about it, as if it had been his own, Gen. xxiv. 12.,

die. 6thly, Faithfulness is in preserving the master's person, if unjustly in danger. Banister who betrayed his master the duke of Buckingham, in king Richard the Third's reign,-it is remark

"O Lord God of my master able how the judgments of God Abraham, I pray thee send me befel that traitorous servant: his good speed this day, and shew eldest son ran mad, his daughkindness unto my master Abra-ter, of a singular beauty, was ham!" Doubtless Abraham's suddenly struck with leprosy,servant was as glad he had got a his younger son was drowned, wife for his master's son, as if he and he himself arraigned, and