Bribery Usury Extortion c. if therefore the bond of the fifth Commandement be broken men rush upon breach of the sixth Commandement witnesse their bloodiness mentioned v. 9. upon breach of the seventh Commandement witness their filthiness instanced in vers 10. 11. upon breach of the eighth Commandement witness their oppression usury bribery extortion v. 12. upon breach of the nineth Commandement witness their carrying of tales to shed blood v. 9. yea upon breaches of all the Commandements of the first Table witness their despising the holy things of God and profaning his Sabbaths v. 8. Deut. 21. 20. the Parents are brought in complaining This our Son is stubborn he will not obey our voice he is a glutton and a drunkard It is no wonder that children who honour not Parents are given to those or to any other vices to which loose and lewd companions will readily draw them Surely it is justly to be feared to be too much our case in New England where many of the youth grow so rude and profane so regardless of Superiours in the family as masters in the State as Magistrates in the Church as Elders where many of them are so vainly given so loose in their company so proud and supercilious in their carriages so new-fangled in their fashions and ruffianly in their hair nay jearers many of them at the best persons and things in a word where is so little yet appearing of God or good in too many of them I say it is justly to be feared that children here are not honourers of Parents Here Parents are commonly put more to it to make use of their childrens hands and help and so children here being naturally apt to count too much upon what they do for Parents they are as apt to set the more light by them and by their instructions and admonitions and so an open way is made thereby to any other wickedness amongst them Hence also malefactors when at the Gallows they have made their dying Confessions they have laid on hardest upon this sin as the rise of those which brought them at length to that sad end that they regarded not their Fathers they despised their Mothers were unruly and disobedient Children to their Parents Ah will some then say the good counsels which our fathers or our mothers gave us but wretches that we were we would never hearken to them nor regard them Let all good people take warning by us and let all young men or women that hear us for ever take heed by our example how you despise your Parents or slight their Counsels or rebukes The second reason is taken from the law and 2. Because this is made of such weight by the Law and light of nature and of nations light of nature and nations which have put a like weight upon this duty of Honour of Parents making it as next to the honour of God himself Pythoragus having given the priority to the worship of the Gods as the poor Pagan calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so goeth on speaking of their divine worship and then immediatly addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is in short but thus First honour nour God as by the Law is appointed then hothy Parents And mind his speech that he maketh this by Law appointed even by the Law of nature and nations For no other Law had these Heathens So Phocyllides in his admonitory Poem also saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First honour God and after that thy Parents So Plato in his booke of Lawes first he provideth for the worship of God and in the next place for the Honour of Parents So Aristotle Eth. l. 8. c. 16. He joyneth Honour of Parents next to that of God and saith That to neither can sufficient honour be given onely he that according to his utmost ability honoureth them he is saith he the truly pious person to God and to Parents So Isocrates in his Admonitory Oration to Demonicus counselleth and chargeth him thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fear God honour also Parents Aelian in his 3. book c. 21. telleth a story that when the Greeks took Troy pittying the miseries of their captives they caused it to be proclamed that every free Citizen should carry out some one principall thing which they should most desire hereupon Aeneas neglecting other matters carried out his Gods as they call them the Greeks liking well his piety permitted him to take some other thing which he should most desire he then taketh up his aged Father and carrieth him out next upon his shoulders with which act they were so affected that they gave him all his goods and treasures also thus by the dim light of corrupt nature the poor Pagan is directed to place Parents honour next to Divine But our glorious Lord and Law-giver to shew the great weight of this duty he will not leave it to be inforced by natures Law or light only but he will adde his morall sanction of it as his own promulged Law and he will not doe it in more obscure termes or so as only to be drawn by Consequence but this shall be expressed in so many words It shall be written as in Capitall Letters that every one that runneth may read it and none may plead excuse or exemption yea the Command it self shall be expressed in so few and so familiar words that the least Child who can remember any thing shall be able to remember this and even with its milk almost drink in this principle of Honour of Parents 3. Because the Lord annexeth no particular promise to any other of the ten Commandements 3. Because a promise is added only to this Commandement but to this In which sense the Apostle speaking of this Commandement saith It is the first Commandement with promise Eph. 6. 2. It s a signe then that this duty above many others is of great account with God and of greatest concernment unto man and that the blessings of promise are wont more manifestly and plentifully to follow the obedience to this Commandement then to any of the rest of the Commandements of the second table at least which have no promise at all 4. Because the blessings promised to this are of greatest moment annexed to them neither generall or speciall 4. Because the blessing here promised and made as the Argument to move to obedience to this Commandement is of so great moment and concernenent as being life it self and the continuance of it and blessing upon it And what more desirable of all temporall blessings then life Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life What more usefull a blessing then this whereby a man hath so much opportunity afforded and continued to him to get and to do the best and the most good and to bring in the most glory to God What more delightfull a blessing then this the very notion whereof is used in Scripture to expresse the glorious and transcendent
Lord is in speciall sort such like as the Jewes to whom this land was first solemnly promulged as in Exod. 20. is expressed who were a people in especiall Covenant with God children of God and of the Church and of the Covenant who professed to look not for a Portion in this world so much as by that Land of promise to be led to a more spirituall and heavenly Canaan and rest of which that earthly Canaan was but a shadow Heb. 4. though this Law being given to Adam in innocency and ingraven in his heart and the rootstep and impression of it being yet left in the hearts of all men by nature and being one of Gods Morall Laws it bindeth all and every Child of man one or other in general and in particular In this promise he doth not say that thy life may be long in the world but that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee which to the Jews was the Land of Canaan to others the Land of their possession wherein if honourers of Parents children shall live long if good for them or if ordered by God to live less while they shall have the blessing of long life And so much for explication of the words the doctrine which we shall through divine Assistance prosecute is this That children Honour their Parents It is a duty The main doctrine The weight of the duty of Honour of Parents proved of greatest moment and concernment Let us first evince the weightiness of this duty and then more fully handle the duty it self Four reasons amongst many may be given to prove the weight of this duty Honour thy Father and thy Mother 1. Because it is placed by the Law-giver himself 1. Because next in order to the Commandements of the first Table and before the Commandements of the second Table immediately next to the commandements of the 1. Table as next in order to them and before all the other Commandements of the 2. Table as in order of duty and dignity preceding the same It is made a sweet closure bond and sementing to both Tables binding and fastning each to other inviolably and inseparably As this is more fast or loose so are mens spirits more girt to the duties of both Tables or more loose from them He that conscientiously honoureth his Parents he is assuredly conscientious of honouring of God in the first place and his Parents for conscience sake unto the Lord Piety to God-ward as a cause precedeth in him to this blessed duty piety towards Parents as to its effect And therefore the Lord doth not without cause stile the duty of Children to Parents by the name of piety 1 Tim. 5. 4. let them learn of shew piety to them at home and to requite their Parents Piety being in the root it is piety in the fruit yea this blessed fruit is a furthering means also to promove all the acts of piety which spring out of that root if Children honour their Parents fully and as they ought they will in observance of their Parents counsels and commands be more carefull of whatsoever God commandeth respecting the first or second Table hence that for the first Table Levit. 19. 3. Ye shall fear every man his Mother and every man his Father and keep my Sabbaths where under the notion of Gods Sabbaths kept not alone the observation of the Sabbath it self is understood but as in Scripture language the whole worship of God is meant So Esay 56. 4. the Eunuches that keep my Sabbaths i. e. observe my whole worship so Ezek. 44. 24. so Ezek. 20. 24. despising and polluting his Sabboths is despising and polluting his worship hence that is there added and their eyes are towards their Idols Observable it is also that in Levit. 19. 2. God saith be ye holy as I am holy and then addeth verse 3. ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father From that piety originally springeth this yet again annexeth to this ye shall keep my Sabbaths In the Decalogue that is first Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath and then Honour thy Father and thy Mother Here it is Fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths that Radicall piety being laid in the heart now this other piety exceedingly furthereth the exercise of particular acts of piety towards God one pious towards Parents will be carefull of all naturall worship to call upon God to love him to fear him to put his trust in him required in the 1. Commandement he wil conscientiously observe all Gods instituted worship avoiding all worship of mens inventing according to the tenour of the 2. Commandement he will reverently and faithfully improve Gods attributes titles words and works avoiding the contrary abuse thereof as it is injoyned in the 3. Commandement he will also as faithfully and fruitfully sanctifie the Lords dayes resting from the works of his calling and especially from vain sports which is that which the 4. Commandement requireth the like may be said of the Commandements of the 2. table which will all be duly attended if this duty of the fifth Commandem be faithfully observed both are implyed in that place of which we shall make much use in this discourse Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that he will command his children and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do judgement and justice if Abrahams children honour his parentall Authority so that they are at his command then they keep the way of the Lord then they do judgement and justice whatsoever path God chalketh out for them to walk in towards God or towards men they will be keeping in it And indeed who better servants in that relation to Masters then those that were good children to Parents who more obedient subjects to lawfull Authority and Fathers of the Common-wealth then such as learned and practised filiall obedience to Parents at home who more respective to Ministers then those that were and are conscientiously respective to good Parents who more tender of their own and others lives and healths of their own and others chastity of their own and others estates and names avoyding the contrary evills to a very sinfull motion looking that way then such as have been Conscientious honourers of their Parents hence on the contrary dishonour of Parents is made a Ring-leading sin a very spring and root of manifold wickedness Ezek. 22. 7. when the Prophet would charge upon all sorts in Jerusalem their most notorious crimes he beginneth thus In thee have they set light by Father and Mother and then goeth on in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger in thee have they vexed the fatherless and widow Ibid. thou hast despised mine holy things and hast profaned my Sabbaths verse 8. In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood vers 9. In vers 10. 11. he chargeth them with horrid fleshly filthiness in vers 12. with
and due meditation upon it but you their Children at least some of you hardly ever look into the Bible the great things of Gods Law there written are as a strange thing to you Hos 8. 12. If with much ado you drop in into an Assembly where the word is taught there you fit as careless high-way-side hearers mind not what is said lay not up what you hear mind most such young men and womens garbs and gestures c. And as for any serious meditation upon the word you are strangers wholly to it your godly Parents were exercised in godly conference but you in frothy discourses as soon as ever you are out of the Assembly and when ever you meet with other companions like your selves God is never in your mouths unless in way of profaning some way of his blessed name Your Parents were wont to be much in Prayer not alone in publick in the Assembly or in private in the Family but in secret by themselves alone in their closets but you their Children make no conscience of Prayer God seldom or never heareth of you by your selves alone in a corner bemoaning your selves or earnestly desiring that he would turn your hearts unto him and to his wayes how conscionable were your Parents of Sanctifying the Sabbath of which you make none you care not if you may do it unseen of others how vainly or profanely you mispend that sacred time how conscionable were your Parents of what they spake at any time and of their thoughts if possible not to yeeld to a vain and carnall thought but to suppress it but you regard neither what you think nor speak you let your minds drive and rove after all manner of vanity and folly and your lips even powr out foolishness how observant were your good Parents what company they came into or were familiar with that they were godly or hopefull persons but no company commeth amiss to you unless they be now and then a godly person who rather putteth you into your dumps How tender were your good Parents of their dealings with men to discharge a good conscience therein of their very outward garb what they ware and in what fashion and the like but you their Children regard not what you do nor how you deal with others nor what you wear nor of what Fashion so the newest As it was said of those degenerate ones Deut. 32. 17. They sacrificed to devils not to God to new Gods whom their Fathers feared not so it may be said of you you give up your selves to walk after the sight of your own eyes and after the desire of your own hearts Eccles 11. 9 You give up your selves to serve your own vain imaginations and lusts of the flesh of the eye and of the pride of life which your Fathers subjected not themselves unto if one should ask many such Children of godly Ancestors did ever your good Father or Grand-father wear such ruffianly hair upon their heads did they ever transform themselves like Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 3â— into the manner of beasts to be so careless of their seasonable and suitable cutting their hair as you do that as it s said of him your hairs are grown like Fagles Feathers which yet are not so long as womens hair nor indeed according to the ordinary causes in nature can mans hair ever be so long as womens who are naturally of a moyster temper and if that were all in 1 Cor. 11. It s a shame to a man even by natures law and light to have long hair that is say our Ruffianly haired men to have it as long as women but that need not to be forbidden by Paul or any other for nature forbiddeth that among the number of things not in ordinary causes usuall or possible but this by way of digression or did your godly Parents frisk from one new fangled fashion to another as you do surely no or did they ever give you examples of such loosness prodigality scurrility and the like lewdness which you practise assuredly no nay if your godly Ancestors and Parents were now existing upon the earth would they now know you their posterity theirs Sons their Daughters surely no You are so strangely Metamorphozed from any likeness to your good Parents or Ancestors It may be confessed as it was of their Ancestors Esai 63. 16. Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not as some would have it expounded we are so degenerate that if Abraham or Israel were now alive again they would not know or own us to be their posterity John 8. 39 40. Yea do not too many of you now a dayes degenerate whil'st your good Parents are with you Praying and weeping many a time over you and for you before God and giving many a pull at you before Gods throne if it might be to rescue you from the bottomless pit into which they fear you are hasting and many a time with tears sometimes the Father sometimes the Mother in holywise adjuring and sometimes meekly and lovingly intreating and beseeching such or such a Son or Daughter Ah dear Son dear Daughter that you would once at length look out seriously after the salvation of your souls after God after Christ that you would but once set upon the blessed work of Faith Repentance and Gospel-obedience will you not leave these and these vain courses and customs fashions and companions will you not be more conformable to Gods holy Rules when shall it once be and truly if the arising generation now a daies too many of them begin to grow so rude and graceless and so far to degenerate whil'st godly Parents Masters Tutors Kind red Magistrates and Ministers are with them Alas what will they do when they are gone as Moses once said to that degeneration race of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Deut. 31. 27. Behold while I am yet alive with you this day you have been Rebellious against the Lord and how much more after my Death so we may too justly fear concerning too many of this arising Generating of Christians that if whil'st we are with them they so fast decline and degenerate they will much more do it after we are gone Alas what wrack did those seven famous Asian Churches soon suffer in their degenerate posterity and Ah! that we had not too much cause to fear as much of ours If it were the case onely of a few of the younger generation of the very Churches that they onely were degenerated it were the less to be feared But when degenerating from godly Parents and Ancestors Paths and Principles waxeth so common and even Epidemicall in Protestant Churches here and elsewhere under so much light and help to the Contrary who can but fear the worst yea when Children grow so bold if not impudent in their impieties and iniquities as not secretly but openly not in any way of blushing but even in a shameless way to be casting off the yoak of Jesus Christ who would not
indeavour and unto him and to his grace I commend thee Christian Reader resting Thine in him THOMAS COBBET Lyn in New-England this 1. of Novemb. 1654. The heads of the Chapters the particular Contents whereof stand in the Margin of the Book at their proper places they refer to Chap. 1. Of the Explication of the fift Commandement Where 1. The Terms of the fifth Commandement are explaned and it is shewed that by Father and Mother are principally intended all naturall parents in generall and such who are in covenant and Church estate in speciall and that By Honour is understood both Honour in generall and Honour in special both in a direct way as honour of Respect of Reverence of Obedience of Recompence in a reflect way in being such and carrying of it so as maketh for parents especially good parents honour 2. The weight of the duty of honour of parents is shewed Chap. 2. Of Honour in generall due to Parents Where Is shewed Negatively what honour is not due to parents Affirmatively what Honour is due to parents Use is made for Reproof Of Childrens dishonouring of parents instancing in 7. wayes whereby it is done and 4. mischiefs attending it Of Parents undermining that their honour and that 7. wayes Of corrupters of youth Examination where are 5. marks given of due honour given to parents Exhortation To parents to further this their honour and that 7. wayes To Children to give parents that honour where are Motives 6. Helps 7. Chap. 3. Of Honour of Respect due to Parents Where It is set forth as consisting in eight things Use is made for Reproof Of Childrens unnaturalness to Parents Of parents too much occasioning the Alienation of their childrens hearts from them and that 5. wayes Exhortation To children to cherish due respects to parents where are propounded Motives 3. Helps 5. Cautions To parents to carry it so as may win respect from Children and that 5. wayes Chap. 4. Of Honour of Reverence due to parents Where Is set forth The outward Reverence due in 7. things The inward Reverence due in 7. things Use is made for Reproof Of Childrens Irreverence to parents Of parents undermining that Filial Reverence 4. wayes Exhortation To Children to Reverence parents where are Motives 3. Helps 3. To parents to further filial Reverence and that six wayes Chap. 5. Of Honour of Obedience due to Parents Where It is set forth as consisting in 5. things The manner of it is shewed in 5. particulars Three Reasons are given for it Use is made for Reproof Of Childrens Meerly pretended Obedience Disobedience Of parents occasioning childrens disobedience and that 3. wayes Examination where are given 6. marks of true and due filiall obedience Exhortation To parents to further due filial obedience and that six wayes To Children to yeeld that obedience where are Motives 6. Helps 5. Chap. 6. Of Honour of Recompence due to Parents Where It is set forth as consisting especially in 5. things The manner of it also is shewed 4. Reasons of it are given Use is made for Reproof of Childrens ingratitude in Generall 4. Particulars Exhortation To Parents to further that Filial gratitude and that 5. wayes To Children to recompence Parents gratefully where are 3. Motives 2. Helps 3. Cautions 3. Marks Chap. 7. Of Honour in a reflect way due to Parents or of childrens being such and carrying of it so as maketh for even Godly Parents Honour Where It is set forth as consisting in 10. things the two later whereof are most urged 2. Generall Reasons are given thereof in which are sundry particulars Use is made for Reproof Of Parents too much furthering Childrens dishonourable carriages and courses and that 6. wayes Of Childrens reflecting dishonour upon Parents yea and godly Parents yea and some of those Children formerly hopefully good which is done many wayes the last of them namely degeneration of the Children of the godly being largely urged wherein are shewed The Evils attending such degeneration and those both Of Sin and In Children of the godly in generall and that in 6. things In hopefull ones in speciall and that in 8. things Of sorrow where respecting the Former sort are 7. Later sort are 5. Exhortation To Parents to further their Childrens being an honour to them in the chiefest wayes thereof which parents do five wayes but the first is most insisted upon namely good Education of Children where are Rules 7. Motives 4. To Children to strive to be such an honour to parents in the best way Herein are Motives 3. Helps 3. AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIFTH COMMANDEMENT SHEWING The principall duties of Children to Parents firstly therein intended and what God also requireth in regard thereof from Parents towards their children CHAP. I. OF the weight of the duty of Childrens Honouring of their Parents Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee The words which I have Read are obvious to every common eye and intelligible by every ordinary understanding and therefore time need not be spent in any large opening of any obscurity of phrase in them The parts of the Text also are as plainly manifest to be two First a Precept Honour thy Father and thy Mother Secondly a promise incouraging to obey that precept that thy daies may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee In the precept you have First the duty it self injoyned Honour Secondly the persons to whom the duty is injoyned even the children to these Fathers and Mothers yea each Child of what ranck or condition soever who is yet in the Land of the living is required to perform this duty to living Father and Mother and therefore it is put in the second person singular Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long c. Thirdly the persons who by divine command are to be honoured by each Child namely each Childs Father yea and as well each Childs Mother Honour thy Father and thy Mother The main terms then to be further considered of are First that of Father and Mother Secondly that of Honour and then we shall briefly explain the promise By Father and Mother most interpreters understand all superiours First such as are above others yet without Authory properly over them as such as are others superiours by much in years as are Antient men and women to those that are young 1 Tim. 5. 1. or such as are others betters by much in eminency of parts powesse experience bounty grace c. Gen. 45. 8. Job 31. 18. 1 Chron. 4. 14 21. 2 Rings 13. 14 15. Secondly such as are others superiours having Authority over them whether private And that either by the Law of nature as naturall Fathers Who are firstly here intended by Father and Mother even naturall Parents and Mothers who are principally here intended Or by way of private contract as Husbands who are wives superiours specially Masters whether
joyes and delights as of the kingdome of grace here so of that of glory hereafter so in Deut. 30. 15 19. I set before thee life Rom. 8. 6. To be spiritually minded is life Act. 11. 18. Repentance unto life Psal 36. 9. With thee is the fountaine of life John 3. 36. He shall not see life CHAP. II. Of Honour in generall due to Parents HAving explained the words of the 5. Commandement shewn the weight of the duty therein injoyned to Children we now come to make further inquiry into the duty it self which we shall consider of in the method propounded 1. More Generally 2. More particulaly First then of Honour of Parents in a generall consideration wherein we shall 1. Consider what kind and manner of honour this honour of Parents so generally considered must be 2. Make some uses thereof To the first inquiry we answer 1. Honour not due to Parents which is 1. In way of dishoner to God Negatively what Honour is not due to Parents 2. Affirmatively what manner of Honour is due In a negative way we say the Honour of Parents 1. It must not be in any way of dishonour to God either by sinnes of Omission or of Commission Children must not so respect esteem and love Father or Mother as to love and prefer them in their respects to the Lord. He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me saith Christ Matth. 10. 37. Children may not be so transported with affection to Parents as thereby to be hindered from a call of Christ or attending upon it As he in Luk. 9. 65. when called to follow Christ would have gon first and buried his Father but vers 60. is answered by Christ Let the dead bury their dead but go thou and preach the Kingdome of God or as the other in Luk. 9. 61. that would ingage to follow Christ but he would first bid farewell to those at home namely Parents Kindred c. But Jesus Christ accounteth such inordinacy of affection in those who professe to set their faces towards heaven to be a looking back to the world and the like and therefore vers 62. Jesus said unto him No man having put his hand to the Plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdome of God Children may not have such carnall affection to Parents or be so glued to them as not to be able to part with them and forsake them and deny themselves in them for the sake of Christ when they are thereunto called The Spouse of Christ Solomons Antitype must forget her Kindred and Fathers house for her Lords sake and nearer Communion with him Psal 45. 10. Children may not so love Father or Mother as out of respect to them to forsake Christs truth or faith or to imbrace any thing contrary to the faith or truth of Christ a sin too common amongst the Children of Papists and other Heretiques and Opinionists this is also to love them more then Christ Better that the Daughter in such a case of Christs faith and truth be at variance against the Mother that she contend even with her for Christs truth for the faith once delivered to the Saints that she beat down with all her might the Mothers errors and evils In which case also Christ saith Matth. 10. 35. He commeth to set a man at variance against his own Father and the Daughter against her Mother He that more desireth after his Parents presence then after the Lords or more delighteth in them then in the Lord himself or is more moved in their causes then in the Lords or is more troubled for them and their disgrace then for the Lords dishonour or the like he doth not honour his Parents according to Gods mind and heart yea he that comparatively and where the love of Father or Mother and the love of Christ are not compatible where the condition and case is so qualified that love to Parents and love to Christ become flat contraries and must one give place to the other one or the other must be laid aside in such a case He that hateth not his very Father and Mother cannot be Christs Disciple Luk. 14. 26. In such a case Godly zealous Levi is commended Deut. 33. 9. Who said to his Father and his Mother I have not seen him The like might be said in that honour of Reverence and Fear Children may not be so afraid of Parents or of their frownes or blowes or distastes or disinheritings c. as not to be afraid of Gods displeasure but to adventure that in some way of sin rather then run the hazzard of â— Fathers or Mothers displeasure Christ 〈…〉 his Mothers displeasure or rebuke so as 〈◊〉 her sake to omit any duty to God his Father or to neglect his heavenly Fathers business 〈◊〉 in answer to that check of Maries Luk. 2. 48. Son why hast thou thus dealt with us behold thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing he sayth vers 49. Wist ye not that I must be about my fathers business 〈◊〉 was a notable speech of that Pagan Priest Câ—râ—alus being to sacrifice and at the same time required to come away to his Father he boldly answered He must first dispatch the duties of publick Religion or of Religion which was of publick Concernment and after that those of private piety to Parents Children must indeed honour their Parents Counsels and Commands with the honour of obedience and observance yet not so as in a way of dishonour to God to neglect what he requireth or to do any thing which he forbideth Ahaziah King of Judah is branded for this 2. Chron. 22. 3. That he walked in the waies of the house of Ahab for his Mother was his counsellour 2. It must not be in way of Inaequality to either Parent The Father is not to be preferred 2. With In equality to either Parents by the Child as a Child before the Mother or the Mother more loved reverenced obeyed or recompensed then the Father The Parents are equally Parents and equall causes of the Children and so by the law of nature as Parents they are to share equally in the honour of such instrumentall causes of the be ing of their Children Hence though in Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother the Father is set before the Mother yet in Lev. 19. 3. which is an exposition of the 5. Commandement the Mother is set before the Father Yee shall fear every man his Mother every man his Father to shew that the Father being set before the Mother for honour which comprehendeth fear and the Mother being set before the Father for fear which is a speciall branch of honour they are both alike for honour in the generall and for fear in speciall This Willet in his sixfold Commentary upon Leviticus and Ainsworth in his notes upon Levit. 19. 3. They both do note from Maimony So Musculus in his common places and exposition of this fifth Commandement he
noteth that Gods command is for honouring not the Father onely but the Mother God saith not Honour thy Father but addeth and thy Mother the Mother indeed is the Fathers inferiour according to the Law of conjugall subjection and likewise she is by nature and Sex the weaker vessell but the Child is not thence to draw an argument that he must think the more despicably of his Mother for that difference that is made in wedlock betwixt the husband and the wife appertaineth not to him but he must look to that relation which is betwixt Mother and Son what ever she be in respect of her husband to thee she is a Mother and together with thy Father to be equally honoured since that for this that thou might'st be born she did equally cooperate yea rather much more for who can weigh sufficiently what a heap of troubles the womb big with Child bringeth along with it how great are the sorrows of bringing forth how many and great are the perils so that it is not in vain said in sorrow shalt thou bring forth Lastly how cumbersome is the suckling of the Child and the care of it whil'st in the Cradle so that they greatly sin which transfer all the Honour due in common to their Parents unto their Father onely and care not how they set by their Mothers so they can but gratifie their Father thus far Musculus and verily in Prov. 1. 8. Both are given in equall charge My Son hear the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the Law of thy Mother so in Prov. 6. 20. My Son keep thy Fathers Commandements and forsake not the Law of thy Mother And why else is there an equall reward even long life equally promised to the Honour of Mothers as to that of Fathers if the Honour of the one be not equall to that of the other or why else is the dishonour of the Mother as well as of the Father equally put under the same curse Deut. 27. 16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his Father or his Mother and all the people shall say Amen Or why is the same punishment of Justice to be equally inflicted for smiting the Mother as well as the Father being made equally death Ex. 20. 15. or for cursing the Mother as well as the Father or for stubbornness in not obeying the Mothers voice as well as the Fathers being also equally made deaht Exod. 24. 17. Deut. 21. 18 19 20 21. If the Honour of the Mother by the Childe be not equall to that of the Father where there is by God himself one and the same reward of grace equally promised as to the Honour and the same punishment of Justice equally threatned as to the dishonour as well of the Mother as of the Father there is the same Honour equally due by the will of God to the Mother as is to the Father but to the former Scriptures shew that God equally promiseth the same reward of grace to the Childs Honour and equally threatens the same punishment of Justice to the Childs dishonour as well of the Mother as of the Father therefore the Honour due according to God from the Child as a Child to his Mother as is to his Father is equall and equally due 3. It must not be a bare pretended and formall 3. Meerly formall and in pretence onely kind of Honour of Parents Such was that in Absolom who feignedly pretendeth such Honour of respect to his Father that he had rather die then not to be reconciled to his Father and enjoy his Fathers favour 2 Sam. 14. 32. Wherefore saith he to Joab am I come up from Geshur It had been good for me to have been there still now therefore let me see the Kings face and if there be iniquity in me let him kill me but his devilish plot so soon after against his Father Chap. 15. 7. 10. shewed that all that was but bare pretence and not reality of respect to his Father So in that young man professing to Christ that he had kept all the Commandements and so the fifth instanced in Matth. 19. 19 20. and that from his youth up he had begun the practice of Honour of Father Mother betimes and to that day continued it but the issue shewed that he never conscientiously sincerely and really Honour'd his Father and Mother but in a meer formal and outside way and manner even in the same sort as he kept the other Commandements being never the nearer entrance into heaven notwithstanding all that like him in the parable of the two sons Matth. 21. 28. 30. that pretendeth Honour of obedience to his Father for when his Father saith to him Son go to work to day in my Vineyard he readily and humbly in shew at least answereth I go Sir but went not It was onely pretence and dissimulation 4. Look that it be not a base selfish self-ended 4. Meerly Selfish Honouring of Father or Mother for hope of gain by them and so making much of them whil'st some requests or desires of the Child are answered his ends furthered or fulfilled some large Portions gotten out of their hands or large fleeces gain'd out of their outward estates like the yonger Son in the parable that will be giving his Father's Titles of Honour whil'st he hath fingred his Portion as he calleth it Luke 15. 12 Father give me my Portion but vers 13. not many day after he gathereth up all he hath and leaveth his Father Now his Father is not in such request with him the Text saith he took his journey but not a word of this that he asketh his Father leave or asketh his Fathers advice that way Father shall I take such a journey no verily let his Father like it or dislike it he now careth not he hath gotten what he looked for from him and now fare him well he careth to be under his Fathers watch no more he regardeth neither his Company nor his Counsell c. so Absolom Oh! his Fathers face and presence it is all in all to him he cannot live without it one would think if he speak his heart 2 Sam. 14. let me see the Kings face or if iniquity be in me let him kill me and vers 33. when permitted to come into his Fathers presence he boweth himself on his very face to the ground before him what would you have more in a Son ah but all this was for base and by ends Absoloms ambitious designes reaches and ends could not so well be furthered by living as retired and exiled from the Court though come to Jerusalem but at the Court and near the place of judicature whither the subjects from all parts of the Kingdome repair frequently for Justice there he hath opportunity to lay his traines 2 Sam. 15. 2. without suspition of any he sitteth by the gate the place of judicature and resort and he asketh each one of what tribe art thou ver 3. and biddeth them look that thy
formall Pharisaicall Honour of Parents there is an Honour of Parents common not alone to Hypocrites but to very Pagans also who from meer naturall principles have done much this way in Honour of Parents and have been very eminent and famous therein But to passe them by at present and instance in others Paul before his conversion was an exact Moralist touching the letter of the Law and so of the 5th Commandement he was blamelesse Phil. 3. 6. So that young man in his sense had kept all and o the 5th Commandment according to the letter of it Mark 10. 19 20. Yet a meer unregenerate person Now if persons in the relation of Children rightly honour their Parents it may be discerned Marks of due honour of Parents by such markes as these 1. If Conscience to God and to his command 1. If from a good conscience hath the greatest stroak in the Honour given to Parents by their Children If rightly honoured they are honoured in the Lord as in that branch of this Honour it is said Eph. 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord. So it is true in Honour in generall or in any other particular of Honour due to Parents they must be respected reverenced and recompenced c. in the Lord. Or so as it be from a good Conscience and may stand with a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1. 5. the end or scope of the Commandement even of the whole Law specially that of the second Table and particularly this of the fifth Commandement also is Love to whom Matth. 22. 37 38 39 40. all the duties of the Law are referred as to their head out of a pure heart and a good Conscience and faith unfeighned True it is the Law of nature and Nations also may and must have a strong hand in the Honour of Parents by their Children but must not have the chief hand therein respect may and must also be had to the blessing of life and that it may be well with us Eph. 6. 2 3. Honour thy Father and Mother that thou maist live long and that it may be well with thee We may and must aime at this that it may be well with us in our souls bodies estates names occasions relations changes prosperity adversity life death and after death but yet conscience to God and his command together with chief respect had to the glory of God must be the great wheel which carrieth us on in this good way Paul thought to gain eternall life by his Morall Righteousness that set him so hard to this and other works of the Law Ph. 3. 6 7. The yong mans question intimateth what was uppermost in his heart in all his keepings of the Law namely the getting of eternall life onely Mark 10. 17 19 20. And therefore these were notright in any of their acts of obedience to this fifth Commandement or to any of the rest of the ten Commandements Now if this Honour to Parents be indeed from a good conscience it will be also from faith unfeigned This is discerned if from Faith for they are joyned 1 Tim. 1. 5. When the interest which children have in the Lord and in his gracious covenant and promises is a main ground of the Honour of Reverence or of any other Honour which persons as in the Relation of Children do give unto their Mother or to their Father this is suitable to Gods mind Levit. 19. 3. Ye shall fear every man his Mother and every man his Father why so or what should move them to that it followeth I am the Lord your God Because they believe him to be their blessed Covenant Father in the Messiah they are therefore the rather to put all the Honour they can upon the Image of his Father-hood in their Parents Now it is as God would have it So when persons as in If from love of God the relation of Children do respect prise and love their Christian Parents the more because they love the Lord who requireth this at their hand now it is well a so or when an holy fear attendeth them lest not alone their good Parents hearts If from fear of Sin but lest the Lord also and his Spirit should any way be grieved or displeased by their expressing or carrying it towards them in any way contrary to due Honour of Parents they are afraid to carry it irreverently disobediently disrespectfully or ingratefully towards them even when some way tempted thereto lest the eyes of Gods glory should thereby be provoked now also it is well Or when at any time they espie any dishonourable If kindly broken and Abased when the contrary in them is discerned thought or stirring in their minds or spirits or take notice of some speech or carriage of theirs savouring of dishonour to Father or Mother and this melteth their hearts kindly before the Lord and maketh them ready to confess the same ingenuously to living Parents as well as to the Lord and that in all the aggravations thereof yea when a very shadow of such dishonour of Parents or the remembrance of any passages savouring thereof though past long ago and possibly before God touched their hearts effectually as well as since that these also are matters of heart Abasings breakings and bitter complaints before the Lord this argueth a good conscience in this particular also When they also do watch their spirits and hearts to keep them to the Rule as well as over If watching over their spirits also so that end their speeches gestures and actions to keep them as close as may be to that rule Honour thy Father and thy Mother this also argueth Honour of Father If there be no outward thing frighting or chiefly drawing to it and Mother from a good conscience In a word when there is no other thing of an inferiour nature either to affright and force them to it or on the other hand to bribe them to it as say riches preferments patrimony or the like humane Attractives and yet they are inwardly moved and strongly and prevailingly carryed out in a way of Honour of Parents All these do undoubtedly evince that now at least there is a blessed Spirit and habit of Honour of Parents wrought in such Children by the speciall efficacy of the Holy Ghost from which such do now at least Act in matters respecting their Parents Honour and that now at least a good conscience and conscience to God and to his Command doth set them about this blessed work The clearing of this first mark which indeed is the main of all might satisfie us but for further help in this discovery let us adde three or four marks of Honour rightly given to Parents A second mark then hereof is when Children 2. If holding up Parents Honour when aged and decayed are conscientiously carefull to hold up Parents Honour when they are Aged yea and when through infirmity Parents some way miscary As Sem and Japhet were cordially
is also included in that speech Eph. 6. 1. Obey your Parents in the Lord especially injoyning what the Lord requireth 5. In childrens yeelding humbly meekly and 5. In submission to parents just corrections quietly to Parents just reproofs and corrections Heb. 12. 9. The Fathers of our flesh corrected us and we gave them reverence even in way of awfull subjection to them therein whence this is added shall we not much more be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live for what are such actings of Parents but fruits of their obedience to God their Fathers eommands who chargeth Prov. 19. 18. Chasten thy Son while there is hope and Prov. 23. 13. withhold not correction from the child and v. 14. thou shalt beat him and Prov. 29. 17. Correct thy Son and he shall give thee rest yea they are fruits o◠Parents love to their children Heb. 12. 6 7. Prov. 13. 14. he that loveth his Son chasteneth him betimes What are they but Gods ordinance and appointed means to rescue children from sin and ruin Prov. 23. 13. if thou beatest him he shall not die v. 14. thou shalt beat him and deliver his soul from Hell Prov. 22. 15. foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall drive it out Prov. 29. 15. the rod and reproof give wisdome but a child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame and in a word it would be greatest folly and danger to Children not to yeeld and obedientially to hearken to such rebukes Prov. 15. 8. A fool despiseth his Fathers instruction and v. 10. Correction is grievous to him that forsaketh the way and v. 32. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul To the second query with what manner of This obedience must be obedience are children to obey Parents I answer more briefly 1. With a kind of universall and unlimited obedience 1. Universall falling under the compass of lawfull things so Col. 3. 20. Children obey your Parents in all things one as well as another being all lawfull there is no exception or limitation made 2. With a Sedulous obedience Phil. 2. 22. Paul 2. Sedulous alluding to this saith of Timothy as a Son with the Father he hath served with me in the Gospel i. e. very diligently so Jacobs sons followed their Fathers business diligently sparing no pains to remove their flock hither and thither for his best advantage Gen. 37. 17. 3. With a ready and cheerfull obedience Gen. 3. Cheerfull 37. 13. Come I will send thee to thy brethren saith Jacob to Joseph here am I saith Joseph he is as ready to do it as his Father to command it So in a like case David injoyned by his Father Jessai 1 Sam. 17. 20. He ariseth early in the morning and leaving his sheep with a keeper he took and went as Jessai had commanded Gen. 42. 2. Get you down into Egypt to buy us corn saith Jacob to his Sons v. 3. And Josephs ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt and Chap. 47. 31. swear unto me saith Jacob to Joseph and he sware unto him such ready obedience yeelded they to their Father 4. With a resolute obedience Children are not 4. Resolute to be diverted from lawfull obedience to Parents either by frowns or flattering perswasions of others if Jeremiah a man of God will set before Rechabs Sons pots of wine and bid them drink it Jer 35. 5. such a tempting and trying of them will not prevail with them vers 6. but they said we will drink no wine for Jonadab the Son of Rechab our Father commanded us saying you shall drink no wine neither you nor your Sons for ever 5. With a conscientious obedience namely to 5. Conscientious parentall Authority as of God and as to Gods command requiring it of you to Honour Father and Mother with such Honour of obedience and injoyning children to obey their parents in all tbings Col. 3. 20. To the second query why children must give Reasons of it this Honour of obedience to Parents I answer also briefly they must do it 1. Because it is pleasing to God Gal. 3. 20. 1. It is wel-pleasing to God Children obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing to the Lord. It s an incouragement to children to do such or such things for Parents when they know it will please them very well but most of all when they understand that God himself is well pleased therewith God himself is very well pleased with filiall obedience to Parents as seeing therein his own Image of Fatherhood Honoured his own authority and command requiring this attended and Honoured and a ready way hereby made in children to all other obedience to the Lord himself And who would not endevour that they might thus at once Crown the Lord himself and their Parents with their due Honour and be crowned not so much with parentall as divine acceptance 2. Because this is right or just or meet Eph. 2. It is just and right 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just due by the Law of God of nature and of nations It s a due debt children owe obedience to their Parents as a debt and must be paying it all their dayes Children who have received their whole man soul and body instrumentally from their Parents ow the service of both in an obedientiall way to their lawfull commands It s not a matter of liberty or curtesie but due debt which is daily due to be paid in part Justice which requireth to give every other person his due requieth children to give Parents also their due of which this is part even filiall obedience 3. Because manifold blessings and benefits do 3. Many blessing attend it attend due and true filial obedience unto Parents Children obey your parents in the Lord Eph. 6. 1. v. 2. Honour thy Father and thy Mother and v. 3. that it may be well with thee and that thou maist live long on earth Giving this Honour of filiall obedience as it is a means of long life as Prov. 4. 4. 10. Keep my Commandements saith David to Solomon and live and vers 10. Hear O my Son and receive my sayings and the years of thy life shall be many and as it is a means of bodily health Pro. 4. 22. Parents lawfull and gracious commands observed by Children are health to all their flesh and sickly times often befall the yonger sort as here with us where filiall obedience and observance is too much wanting But I say besides that the Apostle inlargeth the benefit thereof in that expression that it may be well with thee namely not alone in matter of bodily health but in that of name also of estate of family relations of personall callings and occasions of generall calling as Christians and as members of the Church