Coni.5: Of Honouring Superiours in General. Chap.2. 32 cannot be diffolved as long as we live. Andamong ftrangers we fhould refpeá ra- ther thePoor than the Rich, &c. This we (hewed was the order of Love in refpeá ofneernefs of Conjunáion with us. But now in refpeét ofexceltency, and the Honour which is therefore due to any, it is otherwife : for in Come cafes the perfon ofgreater excellency muff be prefer- red beforefuch as be ofneer relation to us. S. Paul honoured Nero an Infidel appeal- ing to him.Thus a tiranger may be honoured rather thanone ofour own countrey, Ads sg. it. as Daniel was honoured by Darius above all the Princes ofBabylon : and Iaf'eph Dan. 6 though a (hanger,by Pharaoh, above all the Rulers ofEgypt. Thus one that is not allied may behonoured before one of our own kindred, as Mofes appointed 7ofhua and not any ofhis own Sons to fucceed him in the governMent ofIfrael. Now fuch Perfons to behonoured, in refpeá of their excellent gifts, and oftheir neernefsto God, whichwe ought to efteem and honour above all neernefs to our feives,by anyRelations to us, that our Honour and refpeá being the reward which God bath appointed to inch gifts, although inrefpe(} ofour felves alfo we are tore- gard them, they being ofgreat ufe andprofit to us by their gifts. The Heathen man faid, that everyone made more account of im "r, than of oar, ofbis own things, than Phil 2. at> ofGods, and the Apoftle complains offuck as fought 7d iavrmv, u zdxprsé, their own things, andnot the things ofGbrift ; but ifwe look at theexcellencyofany, we mutt not chiefly look at our felves, but to honour God in his gifts; for we mutt confider them in adouble refpeá : r. As they are ufiful and beneficial to us, and fo the duty is, diliges, thou !halt love them, a. As they areweer to God, by that excellency which hehath given them : and fo we mutt do more than love them, we muff Ho- nour them. Ifit behere demanded, Why did not God make all men excellent alike, and fit to be Superiours ? Anf. God made menof finite natures, and therefore offuch con- dition,that one fhould need the helpofanother : for which end the woman alfowas ovit made to be anhelp. to the man. .Betides, feeing men grow in wifdom and abilities ,inf; forfeveral performances according to their finite capacities, induftry, and education, Gen. s: tB: necetfarily it follows, that as the flocs differ each from other in glory, fo one mandoth excel another. In this regard the elder Brotber,having as dignity ofPrimogeniture, r Cor is.st: fo more maturity ofyears and reafon, wasappointed by God to rule over the refs of azt. the family. Yet God the King of Kings,and Lord ofLords,the fountainand original 2 Tim. a. so: ofall rule, madeMores the younger Brother Ruler, and as a God to Aaron the elder Brother; and preferred David before his elder brethren ; and Solomon before Adoni- jab andAbfalom, when hefirft framed and compofed a national Government in his ownpeople.But having fettled the platformof that Rule he intended,by the praáice ofDavid andSolomon in a Monarchical courfe (thebelt of all kinds ofGovernments, and approved by God, becaufe he relied in it) he left the managing of that King- dom and Rule,to the trueand lawful heirs ofDavid inall after times : Becaufe they by education under their Patents,andaptnefs ofChildren towalk in the Reps oftheir Fathers,and to fit their fpirits and carriage to what they are born to, would proba- bly belt perform the royal and weighty chargeof ruling as Kings,and makeeleáion ofthe molt able,aáive and faithful inftruments toallift them in managing their great affairs. Wecome now to the words of the Precept, and (hall confider. r. The objeá, Father and Mother: and a. The duty, Honour. t. The object; for as Cbryfoffome faith, they mutt firft (be) avac before they canbe Honoured. Our Saviour faith,call none Father on earth,for ye havebut one Father in heaven. Muth. 23. yl And to fpeakproperly according to the rules ofDivinity, itis true, there is noother Father butGod;for otherParents,as theHeathen could fay,arebut Igyara,a ñs yavtetSc the inftruments ofgeneration under God, and therefore Paternity being afcribed to God andMan, it is in God originally and properly, in Man derivatively and inftrumen- tally, as we fee in the words ofthe ApoRle,who makesGod thefirni Father, ofwhom the whole Family in Heaven andEarth is named : and as he is the firft, fohe isthe lait too,for whenmyFather andMotherforfabte me,the Lord taketh me up,faith"thePfalmift. Eph. 3. i g. God performs the office ofa Father Rift, before any earthly could, and lati when o- f?falm. 27, 16. therFathers cannot helpus. Sf Now
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