An Expojition upon the ------------------ t. 2. !. !. ! . 2 . in the Holy Scriptures, yea,_ more frequemly1 and more cxprcfiy, t han any ot her Duties whatfoever. · l fuall therefore begin firft, with the mutual Duties of P.~rcnt s , :~. nd Children. And here I !hall fpea k, 1ft. Of the Honour that is due to Parents from their Children. 2Ly. And then what Parents are obliged to do for their Children. 1. For the former of thefe, the Command faith, Honour rhy FAther lfml rhy Mother. Now this Honour which they arc to defer unto them, confifts ill thefefour things, Reverence, Obedience, Retributli:on and Imitation. Firft, Children are to Reverenc~ their Parents. Now Reverence: is nothing but an awful Love, a Fearfulnefs to offend, out of the Rcfpca we bear them. It is not fuch a Fear as terrifies, and drives us from the Prefence and Company of thofe whom we dread) for that is fiavifh and tormenting; but a genuine, fweet, and obliging Fear; a fearful Elteem and Veneration; a Fear that will ingage us to attend on them, to obferve and imitate them? and to abftain from doing any thing that might. grieve or trouble them. Now this Reverence which we owe our Parents, is wont to cxprefs it felf outwardly by two Thin~s, Speeches and Geftures. • Firftl Our Speeches muft be full of Refpett. and Honour, giving unto them the higheft Titles that their Quality and Condition will admit. They muft: lilrewife he very few, and very humble and fubmiffive. Talkativenefs is an Argument of Difi·efpeCt~ and by the Anfwers of the Lip~, the Heart is tryed and founded; therefore we find how mHdly and reverently 'JonAthan fpeaks to his Father Saul, although he were then l)leading for his Da-v:d, and managing the Concernment of his Friend's Life, which was far clearer to him than his own; yet fee with what Modefty he urgeth it, 1 Sam. 19· 4, )• Let not the King fin againft his Ser-vant, againft Davd, for he did put his Life in his hand, and flew the Phitiftiue, &c. And God blcffed a Speech fo wel1 temper'd, and fo full of foft and melting Oratory, with fuccefs. Yea, we find an inftance of a difobedient Son in the Parable of our Saviour, Jl!atth. 21. who though he obeyed not the Commands of his Father, yet thought it too fhameful a Crime not to give him good Words, and 1reverent Titles, v erfe 30. !go, Sir . And certainly it is but fit and meet that we fhauld give them the beft and mofi: obliging Language, who have taught us to fpeak; and to plcaf~ them with our Words, wh'O have inftruCted us how to form them. Yea, that rude and boifterous Language which many of the Sons of Belial ufe towards their Parents, is fa odious and deteftable unto God, that he hath in his Law threatned to Jmnilh it with the fame Punifhment as Blafphemy againfi: himfe!f, Exod. 21. 17. H e that curftth biJ Father or hiJ Mother, jiJalt fureiy be put to Death. And Pr011. l-0· 20. He that curfoth his Fathtr or his Mother, hu Lamp! ]hall be put out in obfcur& Dt~rknefs. . Secondly, We muft likewife {hew them Reverence in our Geftures, and comport our felves with all Lowlincfs and Modefty befpre them, in bowing the Body, and lhewing all other external SigJ?-S of refpett : So we find, Gen. 48. 12. that 'Jojep?, as highly Exalted as he was m the C~urt of Pharaoh, when. he bro~ght _out his . Sons to receive the Bleffing of 1acob his Father, he bowed hunfelf with h1s Face to the Earth. And on the contrary, That an ill·conditioned Look towards a Pa.. rent, is feverely threatned, Prov. 30. 17· The EJe ~hat m~ck.et.h at hiS Father, and defpi{eth to ob1y his Mother, tht Ravms of the Valley jhalt P"k :t out, and the young Eaglts Jha!l cat it. But, SecondiJ, As we. muft Honour them with _Reverence, fo efpe~ially_ with Obedience, wlthout which all external Reverence IS but mcer Formality, tf not meer Mockery. See that large Charte.r whic~ God hath .gi~cn unto Parents, Coiof. 3 . 10. Children, obey your Partnts m all thmgs; for thu u well pleaftng untQ the Lord. , . . Our Obedience-to them may be confidered either as ACbve, or Paffive; and we are obliged by God's Command to yield them both; ACtive 9bedience, in whatfoever is not contrary to the Will and Law of God; Paffive, 111 whatfoever they im~ pofe upon us that is fa: And therefore !fe are to obey o~r Parents in w~tatfoever honeft: Calling and Employment they Will fet us. Da-v1d, though defbn'd to a Kingdom, is yet by his Father ']effe appointed to keep the Sheep, I Sam. t6. I 1.. We ought not, tiU at lait we are emancipated and fet free by ~heir Confent, to enter
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