Of the Commandments. (7) to Of the Commandments. (9)

Of the Commandments. (7)

VII. If you would hear the Word aright, be not only attentive, but retentive: Lay the Word up in your Memories and Hearts, Luke 8.15. The Seed on the good Ground are they, who having heard the Word keep it. The Greek Word [gap], to keep, signifies to hold the Word fast that it doth not run from us. If the Seed be not kept in the Ground, but is presently washed away, it is sown to little purpose: So if the Word Preached be not kept in your Memories and Hearts, it is Preached in vain. Many People have Memories like leaking Vessels, the Word goes out as fast as it comes in. How can it profit? If a Treasure be put in a Chest, and the Chest be not lock'd, it may easily be taken out. A bad Memory is like a Chest without a Lock, the Devil can easily take out all the Treasure. Luke 8.12. Then comes the Devil and takes away the Word out of their Hearts. Labour to keep in Memory the Truths you hear. The things we esteem we are not so apt to forget. Will a Bride forget her Iewels? Ier. 2.32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments? Did we prize the Word more, we should not so soon forget it. If the Meat doth not stay in the Stomach, but comes up as fast as we eat it, it cannot nourish: So if the Word stays not in the Memory, but is presently gone, it can do the Soul but little good.

VIII. If you would hear aright, practise what you hear; Practice is the Life of all. Rev. 22.14. Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life. Bare Hearing will be no Plea at the Day of Judgment. Lord, I have heard so many Sermons. But God will say, What Fruits of Obedience have ye brought forth? The Word we Preach is not only to inform you, but to reform you; not only to mend your Sight, but to mend your Pace in the way to Heaven. A good Hearer is like the Helitropium, &c. it opens and shuts with the Sun, to

God, against Sin. Now that you may sanctifie a Sabbath by Hearing:

1. If you do not hear the Word aright, you lose all your Labour. How many a weary Step have you taken? Your Body hath been crowded, your Spirit faint; if you are not bettered by hearing, if you are as proud, as vain, as earthly as ever, all your hearing is lost. You would be loth to Trade in vain; and why not as well to hear Sermons in vain? Iob 9.29. Why then labour I in vain? Put this Question to thy own Soul, Why labour I in vain? Why do I take all this Pains to hear, yet have not the Grace to practise? I am as bad as ever, why then labour I in vain?

2. If you hear the Word, and are not bettered by it, you are like the Salamander in the Fire, not hotter; your hearing will encrease your Condemnation. Luke 12.47. That Servant which knew his Lord's Will and did it not, shall be beaten with many Stripe[gap]. We pity such as know not where to hear; it will be worse with such as care not how they hear. To graceless disobedient Hearers every Sermon will be a Faggot to heat Hell. It's sad to go loaden to Hell with Ordinances. O beg the Spirit to make the Word Preached effectual. Ministers can but speak to the Ear, the Spirit speaks to the Heart. Acts 10.44. While Peter spake, the Holy Ghost sell upon all them that heard the Word.

V. Having heard the Word in an Holy and Spiritual manner, for the further Sanctification of the Sabbath, confer of the Word. We are forbid on this Day to speak our own Words, Isa. 58.14. but we must speak of God's Word. Speak of the Sermon as you sit together; This is one part of sanctifying the Sabbath. Good Discourse brings holy Truths into our Memories, and fastens them upon our Hearts. Mal. 3.17. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. There is a great Power and Efficacy in good Discourse. Iob 6.25. How forcible are right words! By holy Conference on a Sabbath, one Christian helps to warm another when he is frozen, to strengthen another when he is weak. Latimer confessed he was much furthered in Religion, by having Conference with Mr. Bilny the Martyr. Psal. 119.172. My Tongue shall speak of thy Word. One reason why Preaching the Word on a Sabbath doth no more good, is, because there is so little good Conference. Few speak of the Word they have heard, as if Sermons were such Secrets, that they must not be spoken of again: Or, as if it were a shame to speak of that which will save us.

VI. Shut up the Sabbath-Evening with Repetition, Singing of Psalms and Prayer: Beg that God would bless the Word you have heard; but I hope your Practice herein will prevent my farther speaking. Could we but▪ thus spend a Sabbath, we might be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, Rev. 1.10. our Souls might be nourished and comforted: And this Sabbath which we now keep, would be an earnest of that everlasting Sabbath which we shall Celebrate in Heaven.

EXOD. XX.8. Remember to keep the Sabbath-day Holy.

Vse I. See here a Christians Duty, To keep the Sabbath-Day Holy.

1. The whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God. It is not said, Keep a part of the Sabbath holy, but the whole day must be religiously observed. If God hath given us Six Days, and taken but One to himself, shall we grudge him any part of that Day? It were Sacriledge. The Jews kept a whole Day to the Lord, and we are not to abridge or curtail the Sabbath, (saith St. Austin) more than the Jews did. The very Heathens by the Light of Nature did set apart a whole Day in the Honour of their False Gods: And Scaevola their High Priest did affirm, That the wilful Transgression of that Day could have no Expiation or Pardon. Whoever do rob any part of the Sabbath for servile Work or Recreation, Scaevola the High Priest of the Heathenish Gods shall rise up in Judgment against such Christians and condemn them. And they who say, that to keep a whole Sabbath is too Iudaical, let them show where God hath made any Abatement of the Time of Worship, where he hath said, You shall keep but a Part of the Sabbath. And if they cannot show that, it argues much Boldness to go to rob God of his Due. That a whole Day be design'd and set apart for God's special Worship, is a perpetual Statute while the Church remains upon the Earth, saith Pet. Martyr. Of this Opinion also were Theodoret, Austin, Iraeneus, and the Chief of the Fathers.

2. As the whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God, so it must be kept Holy. You see the manner of sanctifying the Lord's Day, by Reading, Meditation, Prayer, hearing of the Word, and by Singing of Psalms, to make Melody to the Lord. Now, besides what I have said for the keeping this Day holy, let me make a short Comment or Paraphrase on that Scripture, Isa. 58.13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shalt honour him, not doing thy own ways, nor finding thy own pleasure, nor speaking thy own words. Here is a Description of the right sanctifying a Sabbath.

(1.) If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath.] That may be understood either Literally or Principally.

First, Literally. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, that is, If thou withdrawest thy Foot from taking long Walks or Journeys on the Sabbath-day. So the Jewish Doctors expound it. Or,

Secondly. Spiritually. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, that is, If thou turn away thy Affections (the Feet of thy Soul) from enclining to any worldly Business.

(2.) From doing thy Pleasure on my holy Day.] That is, Thou must not do that which may please the Carnal Part, as Sports and Pastimes. This is to do the Devil's Work on God's Day.

(3.) And call the Sabbath a Delight.] Call it a Delight, that is, esteem it so. Tho the Sabbath be not a Day for Carnal Pleasure, yet holy Pleasure is not forbidden. The Soul must take pleasure in the Duties of a Sabbath. The Saints of old counted the Sabbath a Delight. The Jews called the Sabbath, Dies Lucis, A Day of Light. The Lord's Day, on which the Sun of Righteousness shines, is both a Day of Light and Delight. This is the Day of sweet Intercourse between God and the Soul. On this Day a Christian makes his Sallies out to Heaven, his Soul is lifted above the Earth; and can this be without Delight? The higher the Bird flies, the sweeter it sings. On a Sabbath the Soul acts its Love to God; and where the Love is, there is the Delight. On this Day a Believers Heart is melted, q. d. quickned, enlarged in Holy Duties; and how can all this be, and not a secret Delight go along with it? On a Sabbath a gracious Soul can say as Cant. 2.3. I sat under his shadow with great delight, and his Fruit was sweet to my taste. How can a Spiritual Heart chuse but call the Sabbath a Delight? Is it not delightful to a Queen to be putting on her Wedding Robes in which she shall meet the King her Bridegroom? When we are about Sabbath-Exercises, we are dressing our selves, and putting on our Wedding-Robes in which we are to meet our Heavenly Bridegroom the Lord Jesus? And is not this delightful? On the Sabbath God makes a Feast of fat things, he Feasts the Ear with his Word, and the Heart with his Grace. Well then may we call the Sabbath a Delight; and to find this holy Delight, is to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day.

(4.) The Holy of the Lord, honourable.] In the Hebrew it is [gap], Glorious. To call the Sabbath Honourable, is not to be understood so much of an outward Honour given to it by wearing richer Apparel, or having better Diet on this Day, as the Jewish Doctors corruptly gloss. This is the chief Honour some give to this Day. But thou shalt call the Sabbath Honourable, that is meant, of the Honour of the Heart that we give to this Day, reverencing it, and esteeming it the Queen of Days. We are to count the Sabbath Honourable, because God hath honoured it. All the Persons in the Trinity have honoured it, God the Father blessed it, God the Son rose upon it, God the Holy Ghost descended on this Day, Acts 2.1. And indeed this Day is to be honoured of all good Christians, and had in high Veneration. It is a Day of Renown: On this Day a Golden Scepter of Mercy is held forth. The Christian Sabbath is the very Crepusculum and Dawning of the Heavenly Sabbath. It is honourable, because this Day God comes down to us, and visits us. To have the King of Heaven present in a special manner in our Assemblies, makes the Sabbath-day honourable. Besides, the Work that is done on this Day makes it honourable. The Six Days are fill'd up with-servile Work, which makes them lose much of their Glory, but on this Day Sacred Work is done. The Soul is employed wholly about the Worship of God; it is Praying, Hearing, Meditating; it is doing Angels Work, Praising and Blessing of God. Again, The Day is Honourable by vertue of a Divine Institution. Silver is of it self valuable; but when the Royal Stamp is put upon it, it is honourable. So God hath put a Sacred Stamp upon this Day, the stamp of Divine Authority, and the stamp of Divine Benediction. This makes it honourable. This is a sanctifying the Sabbath, to call it a Delight, and Honourable.

(5.) Not doing thy own ways.] That is, Thou shalt not defile the Day by doing any Servile Work.

(6.) Nor Finding thy own pleasure.] That is, not gratifying the Fleshly Part by Walks, Visits or Pastimes.

(7.) Nor Speaking thy own Words.] That is, Words Heterogeneous and unsuitable for a Sabbath, vain impertinent Words, Discourses of Worldly Affairs. Here is the sanctifying of a Sabbath described.

Vse II. If the Sabbath-day be to be kept holy, it reproves them, who instead of sanctifying the Sabbath, profane it. They take that Time which should be Dedicated wholly to God, and spend it in the Service of the Devil and their Lusts. The Lord hath enclosed this Day for his own Worship, and they lay God's Day common: God hath set an Hedge about this Commandment, Remember, and they break this Hedge. But he who breaks an Hedge, a Serpent shall bite him, Eccles. 10.8. The Sabbath-day in England lies bleeding: And Oh! that our Parliament would pour in some Balm into the Wounds which the Sabbath hath received. How is this Day profaned, by sitting idle at home, by selling Meat, by vain Discourse, by sinful Visits, by walking in the Fields, by using Sports. The People of Israel might not gather Manna on the Sabbath, and may we use Sports and Dancings on this Day? Truly it should be matter of Grief to us to see so much Sabbath-profanation. When one of Darius's Eunuchs saw Alexander setting his Feet on a rich Table of Darius's, he fell a weeping. Alexander ask'd him why he wept? He said, It was to see the Table which his Master so highly esteemed, to be now made a Footstool. So we may weep to see the Sabbath-day, which God so highly esteems, and hath so honoured and blessed, to be made a Footstool, and to be trampled upon by the Feet of Sinners. To profane the Sabbath is a Sin of an High Nature; it is a wilful Contempt of God: It is not only a Casting God's Law behind our back, but a trampling it under foot. God saith, Keep the Sabbath holy, but Men will pollute it: This is to despise God, to hang out the Flag of Defiance, to throw down the Gantlet, and challenge God himself. Now how can God endure to be thus saucily confronted by proud Dust? God will not suffer this high Impudence to go unpunished. This will draw God's Curses upon the Sabbath-breaker, and God's Curse blasts where it comes. No sooner did Christ curse the Fig-tree, but it withered. Tho the Law of the Land lets Sabbath-breakers alone; to rob a Man of his Purse shall be punished with Death, but to rob God of his Day shall not be punished with Death. But God will take the matter into his own hand; he will see after the punishing of Sabbath-violation: And how doth he punish it?

1. With Spiritual Plagues. He gives up Sabbath-profaners to hardness of Heart, and a seared Conscience. Spiritual Judgments are sorest. Psal. 81.12. So I gave them up to their own Hearts Lusts. A Sear in the Conscience is a Brand-mark of Reprobation.

2. God punisheth this Sin of Sabbath-breaking, by giving them up to commit other Sins. God to revenge the breaking of his Sabbath, suffers Men to break open Houses, and so come to be punished by the Magistrate. How many such Confessions have we heard from Thieves going to be executed! They never regarded the Sabbath, and so God suffered them to commit those hainous Sins, for which now they are to die.

3. God punisheth Sabbath-breaking by sudden visible Judgments on Men for this Sin. God punisheth them in their Estates, and in their Persons. One carrying Corn into his Barn on the Lord's Day, both House and Corn consumed with Fire from Heaven. In Wiltshire there was a Dancing Match appointed upon the Lord's Day, and one of the Company as he was dancing fell down dead suddenly, and so was made a Spectacle of God's Justice. The Theatre of God's Iudgments relates of one, who used every Lord's Day to hunt in Sermon-time, and he had a Child by his Wife with an Head like a Dog, and it cried like an Hound. His Sin was monstrous, and it was punish'd with a monstrous Birth. The Lord threatned the Jews, That if they would not hallow the Sabbath-day, he would kindle a Fire in their Gates, Jer. 17.27. The dreadful Fire which brake out in London began on the Sabbath-day; as if God would tell us from Heaven, he was then punishing us for our Sabbath-profanation. Nor doth God punish it only in this Life with Death, but with Damnation. Such as break God's Sabbath, let them see if they can break those Chains of Darkness in which they and the Devils shall be held.

Vse III. It exhorts us to Sabbath-holiness.

Of the Commandments. (8)

I. Make Conscience of keeping this Day Holy. The other Commandments have only an Affirmative in them, or a Negative: This Fourth Commandment hath both an Affirmative in it, and a Negative: Thou shalt keep the Sabbath-day holy: And, Thou shalt not do any manner of Work in it: To show how carefully God would have us observe this Day. Nor only must you keep this Day your Selves, but have a care that all under your Charge keep it. Thou, and thy Son, and thy Daughter, and thy Man-Servant, and thy Maid-Servant. That is, Thou who art a Superiour, a Parent or a Master, thou must have a Care that not only thy self sanctifie the Day, but those who are under thy Trust and Tuition. To blame are those Masters of Families, who are careful that their Servants serve them, but have no care that they serve God. They care not though their Servants should serve the Devil, so long as their Bodies do them Service. That which St. Paul saith to Timothy, 1 Tim. 6.20. Serva Depositum, Keep that which is committed to thy Trust, is of a large Extension. Not only have a Care of thy own Soul, but have a Care of the Souls thou art entrusted with. See that they who are under thy Charge sanctifie the Sabbath. God's Law provided, That if a Man met an Ox or an Ass going astray, he should bring him back again: Much more when thou seest the Soul of thy Child or Servant going astray from God, and breaking his Sabbath, thou shouldest bring him back again to a Religious Observation of this Day. Now that I may press you to Sabbath-Sanctification, consider,

(1.) God hath promised great Blessings to the strict Observers of this Day. If this Day be a Delight, Isa. 58.14. Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord. Delighting in God is both a Duty, and a Reward. In this Text it is a Reward, Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord: As if God had said, If thou keep the Sabbath Conscientiously, I will give thee that which shall fill thee with Delight. If thou keepest the Sabbath willingly, I will make thee keep it joyfully: I will give thee those Enlargements in Duty, and that inward Comfort as shall abundantly satisfie thee; thy Soul shall overflow with such a stream of Joy, that thou shalt say, Lord, in keeping thy Sabbath there is great Reward. And, I will cause thee to ride upon the High Places of the Earth: That is, I will advance thee to Honour, ascendere faciam; so Munster interprets it. Some by the High Places of the Earth understand Iudaea: So Grotius. I will bring thee into the Land of Iudaea, which is higher situated than the other Countries adjacent. And I will feed thee with the Heritage of Iacob. 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 Promise, Isa. 56.2. Blessed is the Man that doth this, that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it. Blessed is the Man; in the Hebrew it is, [in the Plural, Ashre,] Blessedness. To him that keeps the Sabbath holy, here is Blessedness upon Blessedness belongs to him: he shall be blessed with the Vpper 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 entail'd upon him and his Posterity after him?

(2.) A Conscientious keeping 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.

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 Table, I am next to speak of the Duties of the Second Table. The Commandments may be likened to Iacob's Ladder: The First Table, as the Top of the 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 Righteously towards Man. He cannot be good in the First Table, that is bad in the Second. Honour thy Father and thy Mother.

In this, 1. A Command, Honour thy Father and thy Mother.

2. A Reason annexed to it; That thy Days may be long in the Land.

(1.) The Command, Honour thy Father.

Quest. Who is meant here by Father?

Ans. Father (Verbum [gap]) is taken several ways; the Political, Ancient, Spiritual, Oeconomical, Natural.

First, The Political Father, the Magistrate. He is the Father of his Countrey, he is to be an Encourager of Vertue, a Punisher of Vice, a Father to the Widdow and Orphan. Such a Father was Iob, Chap. 29.16. 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 Scripture calls Kings Fathers. Isa. 49.23. Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers: They are to nurse up their Subjects in Piety, by their good Edicts and Examples; and to nurse them up in Peace and Plenty. Such nourishing Fathers were David, Hezekiah, Iosiah, Constantine, Theodosius. It is happy for a People who have such nursing Fathers, whose Breasts milk Comfort to their Children. These Fathers are to be Honour'd. 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. Iudg. 17.6. When there was no King in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own Eyes. A Wonder. Prov. 30.27.

(2.) God hath promoted Kings, that they may promote Iustice. As they have a Sword in their Hand to signifie their Power, so a Scepter, an Emblem of Justice. It is said of Marcus Aurelius Emperor, That he allotted one Hour of the Day to hear the Complaints of such as were oppressed. Kings place Judges, as Cherubims about the Throne, for distribution of Justice. These Political Fathers are to be honoured, Honour the King, 1 Pet. 2.17. And this Honour is to be shown by a Civil Respect to their Persons, and a chearful Submission to their Laws, so far as they agree and run parallel with God's Law. Kings are to be Pray'd for, which is a part of that Honour we give them. 1 Tim. 2.1. 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 Kings, that God would honour them to be Blessings, that under them we may enjoy the Gospel of Peace, and the Peace of the Gospel. How happy was the Reign of Numa Pompilius, when the Swords were beaten into Plough-shares, and the Bees made their Hives of the Soldiers Helmets!

Secondly, There is the grave, ancient Father, who is Venerable for old Age; whose Grey Hairs are resembled to the White Flowers of the Almond-tree, Eccles. 12.5. These are Fathers for Seniority, on whose wrinkled Brows, and in the Furrows of whose Cheeks is pictur'd the Map of Old Age. These Fathers are to be honoured. Levit. 19.32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary Head, and honour the Face of the Old Man. Especially those are to 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 Spring of Grace in the Autumn of Old Age: To see Men stooping towards the Grave, yet going up the Hill of God. To see them lose their Colour, yet keep their Savour. Such whose silver Hairs are crowned with Righteousness, are worthy of double Honour: They are to be honoured, not only as Pieces of Antiquity, but as Patterns of Vertue. If you see an Old Man 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.

Thirdly, There are Spiritual Fathers, as Pastors and Ministers. These are the Instruments of the New-Birth, 1 Cor. 4.15. Tho you have Ten Thousand Instructors, yet have ye not many Fathers, for in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. The Spiritual Fathers are to be honoured,

1. In respect of their Office. What-ever their Persons are, their Office is honourable. They are the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts, Mal. 2.7. They represent no less than God himself, 2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ. Jesus Christ was of this Calling; he had his Mission and Sanction from Heaven, Ioh. 8.18. And this Crowns the Ministerial Calling with Honour.

2. Ministers, these Spiritual Fathers are to be honoured for their Work sake; they come like the Dove with an Olive-branch in their Mouth; they preach glad Tidings of Peace. Their Work is to save Souls. Other Callings have only to do with Mens Bodies or Estates, but the Ministers Calling is employed about the Souls of Men. Their Work is to redee[gap] Spiritual Captives, and turn Men from the Power of Satan to God, Acts 26.18. Their Work is to enlighten them who sit in the Region of Darkness, and make them shine as Stars in the Kingdom of Heaven. These Spiritual Fathers are to be honoured for their Work sake, and this Honour is to be shown three ways.

1. By giving them Respect, 1 Thess. 5.12. Know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and esteem them very highly in love for their work sake. I confess the scandalous Lives of some Ministers hath been a great Reproach, and hath made the Offering of the Lord to be abhorred in some places of the Land. The Leper in the Law was to have his Lip covered. Such as are Angels by Office, but Lepers in their Lives, ought to have their Lips covered, and to be silenced. But tho 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 honoured the Prophet Elijah, 1 King. 18.17. Why did God reckon the Tribe of Levi for the First-born? Numb. 3.12. Why did he appoint that the Prince should ask Counsel of God by the Priest? Numb. 27.21. Why did the Lord show by that Miracle of Aaron's Rod flourishing, that he had chosen the Tribe of Levi to Minister before him? Numb. 17. Why doth Christ call his Apostles the Lights of the World? Why doth he say to all his Ministers, Lo, I am with you to the end of the World? But because he would have these Spiritual Fathers reverenced? In ancient times the Egyptians chose their Kings out of their Priests. They are far from showing this Respect and Honour to their Spiritual Fathers, who have slight Thoughts of such as have the Charge of the Sanctuary, and do minister before the Lord —Know them, saith the Apostle, which labour among you—Many can be content to know their Ministers in their Infirmities, and are glad when they have any thing against them; but not to know them in the Apostles Sence, so as to give them double Honour. Surely, were it not for the Ministry, you would not be a Vineyard, but a Desart. Were it not for the Ministry, you would be destitute of the two Seals of the Covenant, Baptism and the Lord's Supper; you would be Infidels; For Faith comes by hearing; and how shall they hear without a Preacher? Rom. 10.14.

2. Honour the Ministers, these Spiritual Fathers, by becoming Advocates for them, and wiping off those Slanders and Calumnies which are unjustly cast upon them, 1 Tim. 5.19. Constantine 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.

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 an Hearer, but a Follower of the Word. As Disobedience reproacheth the Ministry, so Obedience honoureth it. The Apostle calls his Thessalonians, his Crown, 1 Thess. 2.19. What is our Crown of rejoycing, are not ye? A thriving People are a Ministers Crown. When there is a Metamorphosis, a Change wrought; People came to the Word proud, but they go away humble; they came Earthly, but go away Heavenly: They came as Naaman to Iordan, Lepers, but they go away healed. This is an Honour to the Ministry. 2 Cor. 3.1. Need we as some others, Epistles of Commendation? Tho other Ministers might need Letters of Commendation, yet Paul needed none: For when Men should hear of the Obedience of these Corinthians, which was wrought in them by Paul's Preaching; this was a sufficient Certificate for him, that God had blessed his Labours. The Corinthians were a sufficient Honour to him, they were his Letters Testimonial. You cannot honour your Spiritual Fathers more, than by thriving under their Ministry, and living those Sermons which they preach.

Fourthly, There is the Oeconomical Father; that is, the Master. He is Pater Familias, the Father of the Family. Therefore Naaman's Servants called their Master Father, 2 Kings 5.13. And the Centurion calls his Servant Son , Matth. 8.6. The Servant is to honour his Master as the Father of the Family. Tho the Master be not so exactly qualify'd as he should, yet the Servant must not neglect his Duty, but show some kind of Honour to him.

(1.) In obeying his Master in licitis & honestis, in things that are lawful and honest. 1 Pet. 2.18. Servants be subject to your Masters; not only to the Good and Gentle, but also to the Froward. God hath no where given you a Charter of Exemption to free you from your Duty. You cannot disobey your Earthly Master, but you disobey your Master in Heaven. Think not that Birth, or High Parts, no nor yet your 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. 13.2.

(2.) The Servants honouring of his Master (his Oeconomical Father) is seen in being diligent in his Service. Apelles painted a Servant with his Hands full of Tools, an Emblem of Diligence. The loytering Servant is a kind of Thief, tho he doth not steal from his Master Goods, yet he steals that Time which he should have employed in his Masters Service. The slothful Servant is called a Wicked Servant, Matth. 25.26.

(3.) The Servant is to Honour his Master, who is his Family-Father, by being Faithful. Matth. 24.45. 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.

First, 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. Such Servants are Spies. Who would keep a Glass tkat is crack'd? Who would keep a Servant that hath a Crack in his Brain, and cannot keep a Secret?

Secondly, Faithfulness in a Servant is seen in designing the Masters Advantage. A Faithful Servant esteems his Masters 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. 24.12. O Lord God of my Master Abraham, I pray thee send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my Master Abraham. Doubtless Abraham's Servant was as glad he had got a Wife for his Masters Son, as if he had got a Wife for himself.

Thirdly, 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 the Servant's Body, so the Servant should be careful of the Master's Name. When the Master is unjustly reproached, the Servant cannot be excused if he be possessed with a dumb Devil.

Of the Commandments. (9)

Fourthly, Faithfulness is, when a Servant is true to his Word. He dares not tell a Lie, but will speak the Truth, tho it be against himself. A Lie doubles the sin. Psal. 101.7. He that telleth Lies, shall not tarry in my sight. A Liar is of near a-kin to the Devil, Ioh. 8.44. And who would let any of the Devil's Kindred live with him? The Lie that Gehazi told his Master Elisha, entailed a Leprosie on Gehazi and his Seed for ever, 2 Kings 5.22. A Faithful Servant, his Tongue is the true Index of his Heart.

Fifthly, Faithfulness is, when a Servant is against Impropriation. He dares not convert his Masters Goods to his own Use. Tit. 2.10. Not purloyning.

Ne aliquid haereat in digitis. What a Servant filcheth from his Master, is damnable Gain. The Servant who enricheth himself by stealing from his Master, stuffs his Pillow with Thorns, and his Head will lie very uneasie when he comes to die.

Sixthly, Faithfulness is in preserving the Masters Person, if unjustly in Danger. Banister who betrayed his Master the Duke of Buckingham in King Richard the Third's Reign, it is remarkable how the Judgments of God befell that Traiterous Servant: His eldest Son ran mad, his Daughter of a singular Beauty was suddenly struck with Leprosie, his younger Son was drowned, and he himself arraigned, and had been executed, had he not been saved by his Clergy. That Servant who is not true to his Master, will never be true to God or his own Soul.

(4.) The Servant is to honour his Master, by serving him as with Love, (for Willingness is more than the Work) so with Silence: That is, without repining, and without replying. Titus 2.9. Exhort Servants to be obedient to their Masters, not answering again. Greek, [gap], Not giving cross Answers. Some Servants are quick of Speech, tho slow at Work; and instead of being sorry for a Fault, they provoke by unbeseeming Language. Were the Heart more humble, the Tongue would be more silent. They are the Apostles Words, not answering again. And to those Servants who do thus honour their Masters, or Family-Fathers, by Submission, Diligence, Faithfulness, Love, and humble Silence, for their encouragement let them take that, Col. 3.24. Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the Flesh, not with eye-service, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ. In serving your Masters ye serve Christ, and he will not let you lose your Labour, ye shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance. From serving on Earth, you shall be taken up to Reign in Heaven, and shall sit with Christ upon his Throne, Rev. 3.21.

EXOD. XX.12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother, &c.

If we are not just we cannot be holy. Having shown you how Servants are to honour their Masters, the Fathers of Families, I shall next show how Masters are to carry it towards their Servants, that they may gain Honour from them.

1. In General. Masters must remember that they have a Master in Heaven, who will call them to Account. Eph. 6.9. Knowing, that your Master is also in Heaven.

2. More Particularly.

(1.) Masters must have a care to provide for their Servants: As they cut them out Work, so they must give them their Meat in due season, Luke 17.7. And the Food should be wholsom and sufficing. It is an unworthy thing in some Governors of Families, to lay out so much upon their own Backs, as to pinch their Servants Bellies.

(2.) Masters should encourage their Servants in their Work, by commending them when they do well: Tho a Master is to tell a Servant of his Faults, yet he is not always to beat upon one string, but sometimes take notice of that which is praise-worthy. This makes a Servant more chearful in his Work, and gains the Master Love from his Servant.

(3.) Masters must not over-burden their Servants, but proportion their Work to their Strength. If you lay too much load on a Servant, he will faint under it. Christianity teacheth Compassion.

(4.) Masters must endeavour the Spiritual Good of their Servants; they must be Seraphims to kindle their Love to Religion: They must be Monitors to put them in mind of their Souls: They must bring them to the Pool of the Sanctuary, waiting till the Angel stir the Waters, Iohn 5.4. They must seek God for them, that their Servants may be his Servants: They must allow them Time convenient for secret Devotion. Some Masters are cruel to the Souls of their Servants; they look that they do the Work about the House, but abridge them of Time they should employ in working out Salvation.

(5.) Masters should use mild gentle Behaviour towards Servants, Eph. 6.9 Forbearing Threatning. Lev. 25.43. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour, but fear thy God. It requires Wisdom in a Master to know how to keep up his Authority, yet lay down his Austerity. We have a good Copy to write after. Our Master in Heaven is slow to Anger, and of great Mercy, Psal. 145.8. Some Masters are so harsh and implacable, that they are enough to spoil a good Servant.

(6.) Be very exact and punctual in the Compacts and Agreements you make with your Servants: Do not prevaricate; keep not back any of their Wages, nor deal deceitfully with them, as Laban did with Iacob, changing his Wages, Gen. 31.7. Falseness in Promise is as as bad as False Weights.

(7.) Be careful of your Servants, not only in Health but in Sickness. They have got their Sickness in your Service; use what means you can for their Recovery. Be not like the Amalekite, who forsook his Servant when he was sick, 1 Sam. 30.13. but be as the good Centurion, who kept his sick Servant, and sought to Christ for a Cure, Mat. 8.6. If you have a Beast that falls sick, you will not turn it off, but have it look'd to, and pay for its Cure. Will you be kinder to your Horses than your Servants? Thus should Masters (the Fathers of the Family) carry themselves prudently and piously, that they may gain Honour from their Servants, and may give up their Accounts to God with Joy.

Fifthly, The Natural Father. The Father of the Flesh, Heb. 12.9. Honour thy Natural Father. This is so necessary a Duty, that Philo the Jew placed the Fifth Commandment in the First Table, as tho' we had not perform'd our whole Duty to God, till we had paid this Debt of Honour to our Natural Parents. Children are the Vineyard of the Parents planting, and Honour done to the Parent, is some of the Fruit of the Vineyard.

Quest. Wherein are Children to show their Honour to their Parents?

Resp. I. In a Reverential Esteem of their Persons. They must [gap], Give them a Civil Veneration. Therefore when the Apostle speaks of Fathers of our Bodies, he speaks also of giving them Reverence, Heb. 12.9. This Veneration or Reverence must be shown,

1. Inwardly, by Fear mixed with Love. Lev. 19.3. Ye shall fear every Man his Mother and his Father. In the Commandment the Father is named First, here the Mother is named First. (1.) Partly, to put the Honour upon her the Mother, because by reason of many Weaknesses incident to her Sex, she is apt to be more slighted by Children. And (2.) Partly, because the Mother endures more for the Child; therefore here God gives the Mother the Priority, names her first, Ye shall fear every one his Mother and his Father.

2. Reverence must be shown to Parents Outwardly, viz. In Word and Gesture.

(1.) In Word; and that either in speaking to Parents, or speaking of them.

First, Reverence in speaking to Parents. Children must speak to Parents respectively, and in decent Language. 1 Kings 2.20. Ask on my Mother, said King Solomon, to his Mother Bathsheba.

Secondly, Reverence in speaking of Parents. Children must speak of their Parents honourably; they ought to speak well of them if they deserve well. Prov. 31.28. Her Children rise up and call her Blessed. And in case a Parent betrays Weakness and Indiscretion, the Child should make the best of it, and by his wise Apologies for his Father, cover his Fathers Nakedness.

(2.) In Gesture. Children are to show their Reverence to their Parents by Submissive Behaviour, by uncovering the Head, bending the Knee. Ioseph, tho he were a Great Prince, and his Father grown poor, yet he bow'd to him, and behaved himself as humbly as if his Father had been the Prince, and he the poor Man, Gen. 48.46. And King Solomon, when his Mother came to him, rose off his Throne, and bowed himself to her, 1 Kings 2.19. Among the Lacedemonians, if a Child had carried himself arrogantly and sawcily to his Father, it was lawful for the Father to appoint whom he would to be his Heir. O how many Children are far from this giving Reverence to their Parents! They despise their Parents; they carry themselves with that Pride and Malapertness towards them, that they are a shame to Religion, and bring their Parents Grey Hairs with Sorrow to the Grave. Deut. 27.16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his Father or Mother. If all that set light by their Parents are Cursed, how many Children in our Age are under a Curse! If such as are disrespectful to their Parents live to have Children, they will be Thorns in their sides, and God will make them read their Sin in their Punishment.

II. The Second way of showing Honour to Parents, is in careful Obedience. Col. 3.20. Children obey your Parents in all things. Our Lord Christ herein set a Pattern to Children. Luke 2.51. He was subject to his Parents. He to whom Angels were subject, yet was subject to his Parents. This Obedience to Parents is shown three ways.

(1.) In hearkning to their Counsel. Prov. 1.8. Hear the Instruction of thy Father, and forsake not the Law of thy Mother. Parents are as it were in the room of God; if they would teach you the Fear of the Lord, you must listen to their Words as Oracles, and not be as the deaf Adder to stop your Ears. Ely's Sons hearkned not to the Voice of their Father, 1 Sam. 2.25. but they were called Sons of Belial, ver. 12.—And Children must hearken to the Counsel of their Parents, as in Spiritual Matters, so in other Affairs which relate to this Life, as in the Choice of a Calling, and in case of entring into Marriage. Iacob would not dispose of himself in Marriage, (tho he were Forty Years old) without the Advice and Consent of his Parents, Gen. 28.1, 2. Children are as it were the Parents proper Goods and Possession, and it is high Injustice in a Child to give away her self without the Parents leave. If Parents should indeed counsel a Child to match with one that is Irreligious or Popish, I think the case is plain; and many of the Learned are of Opinion, that here the Child may have a Negative Voice, and is not obliged to be ruled by the Parent. Children are to marry in the Lord, 1 Cor. 7.39. Therefore not with Persons Irreligious, for that is not to marry in the Lord.

(2.) Obedience to Parents is shown in subscribing to their Commands. A Child should be the Parents Eccho: When the Father speaks, the Child should Eccho back Obedience. The Rechabites were forbidden by their Father to drink Wine, and they did obey him, and were commended for it, Ier. 35.6. And Children must obey their Parents [gap], in all things, Col. 3.20. Things that are more against the Grain, and which they have some Reluctancy to, yet they must obey their Parents. Esau would obey his Father, when he commanded him to fetch him Venison, because it is probable he took pleasure in hunting; but refused to obey him in a matter of greater Concernment, namely, in the Choice of a Wife. But tho Children must obey their Parents in all things, yet restringitur ad licita & honesta, it is with this Limitation, Things just and honest. Obey in the Lord, Ephes. 6.1. That is, so

far as the Commands of Parents agree with, and are consonant to Gods Commands. If they command against God, here they lose their Right of being obeyed, and in this Case we must unchild our selves.

(3.) Honour is to be shown to Parents in relieving their Wants. Ioseph cherished his Father in his Old Age, Gen. 47.12. It is but the paying a just Debt. Parents have brought up Children when they were young, and Children ought to nourish their Parents when they are old. The young Storks by the Instinct of Nature bring Meat to the Old Storks, when by reason of Age ther are not able to fly, Pliny. Lex Pelargica—The Memory of Aeneas was honoured, for carrying his Aged Father out of Troy when it was on Fire. I have read of a Daughter, whose Father being condemned to be starv'd to Death, she did in Prison give him Suck with her own Breasts, which being known to the Governours, procured his Freedom out of Prison. To blame are such, shall I say Children or Monsters, who are ashamed of their Parents when they are old, and fallen to decay. When Parents Tears and lean Cheeks may plead Pity, yet Children have no Compassion: When they ask for Bread they give them a Stone. When Houses are shut up, we say the Plague is there. When Childrens Hearts are shut up against their Parents, the Plague is in those Hearts. Our blessed Saviour took great Care for his Mother: When he was on the Cross, he charg'd his Disciple Iohn to take her home to him as his Mother, and see that she wanted nothing, Iohn 19.26, 27. The Reasons why Children should honour their Parents, are:

1. It is a Solemn Command of God, Honour thy Father, &c. As God's Word is the Rule, so his Will must be the Reason of our Obedience.

2. They deserve Honour, in respect of that great Love and Affection which they bear to their Children, and that Love is evidenced both by their Care and Cost. (1.) Their Care in bringing up their Children. A Sign their Hearts are full of Love, because their Heads are so full of Care. Parents oft take more Care for their Children than for themselves. They take Care of them when they are tender, least like Wall-Fruit they should be nip'd in the Bud. And as Children grow older, so the Care of Parents grows greater. They are afraid of their Childrens falling when young, and of worse Faults when they are older. (2.) Their Love is evidenced by their Cost. 1 Cor. 12.14. They lay up, and lay out for their Children. They are not like the Raven or Ostrich, Job. 39.14. which are cruel to their Young. Parents sometimes do impoverlsh themselves to enrich their Children. All this calls for Honour from the Children. Children can never parallel or equal Parents Love. Parents are the Instruments of Life to their Children, Children cannot be so to their Parents.