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AG DEN

CHA P. V.

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Of the good and bad Confequences of the Obfervance, or Non-Obfervance of the Fifth Commandment.

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(Onour thy Father, and thy Mother, that thy Days be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

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This is generally faid to be the only Command. ment with a Promife, though we cannot help thinking this a Miftake, fince there is a Beffing promised in general at the End of the Second Commandment to all thofe who love God, and are obedient to his Laws. It is however certain, that as Solomon tells us of Wisdom, Length of Days is in her right Hand, and in her left Hand Riches and Honour, fo alfo is the Bleffing of long Life peculiarly annexed to Obedience to this Precept; notwithstanding which, we much fear there is not fo great a Regard paid thereto as might be wifhed, though Longevity is what most People covet. But it is fit fuch Perfons as make flight thereof, fhould be told, that as, on one hand, long Life is promised to. Obedience, fo, on the other, is the contrary implied, under that very Promife, in cafe of Difobedience: And Solo. mon likewife affures us, the Eye that mocketh as his Father, and defpifeth to obey his Mother, the Ravens of the Valley fall peck it out, and the young Eagles fall

eat it.

In effect, it would be well if all undutiful Children would keep this Menace conftantly in their Minds; fince, unless we are greatly mifinformed, it was actually accomplished fome Years ago in a

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literal Senfe, upon one of our own Nation; whose Eyes were really pecked out by Ravens, in return for his grofs Difobedience to his Parents, as the poor Wretch himself would conftantly own, whenever he was asked concerning fo remarkable a Judgment: Nay, he went farther ftill, and openly took Shame to himself, by hanging out the Sign of the Ravens in the Valley, as a public Confeffion of his Guilt, and Sorrow for his Fault; which Sign is yet to be feen, the Houfe, being at a Place of great Refort, a little Way out of Town, and well known by that Name to this Day, as it probably will to the World's End.

But as, in order to our paying a right Obedience to any Law, it is abfolutely neceffary we should be well informed of its Extent, left, through Ignorance, whilst we obey it in fome refpects, we fhould tranfgrefs it in others, it is proper every one should be apprized, that, by the Words Father and Mother not only our natural Parents, from whom, under God, we derive our Being, but our political Parents, as the King, or Queen, with all in Authority under them, as alfo our Ecclefiaftical Parents, under which Head are comprehended not only the Minifters of our refpective Parishes, but all the Clergy in general,whom we are to reverence, (however fome of them may derogate from their facred Character,) on account of their Function.

Under the fame Head likewife is comprized, the Duty of Scholars to their Mafters and Tutors, of Apprentices and Servants to their Mafters and Miftreffes, of young Folks to Perfons in Years, and, in fhort, of all Inferiors to their Superiors in Learning, Rank, or Eftate. We have thus fhewn, in fome measure, in how great a Latitude the Words Father and Mother are to be understood in this Commandment, let us next confider the Word Honour, which is not lefs comprehenfive. The

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Honour, then, hereby required of us, in our several Stations, is not that mere formal and external Regard, for which, we fear, it is too generally mista ken by moft People, but an effential and fubftantial Reverence, proceeding from an innate Principle of Love and Gratitude, continually influencing us in all our Actions, and at all Times and Seafons.

It is not, for Inftance, that Obedience shewn by Children to the Commands of their Parents, or of Subjects to their Sovereigns, or of Apprentices or Servants to their Masters and Mistresses, which arifes only from a fervile Fear, either of corporal Punishment, or of being deprived of fome temporal Advantage in cafe of Difobedience, but it is a voluntary Submiffion to all their Injunctions, however difagreeable to us otherwife, merely becaufe we know it to be their Will; it is fuch a Compliance with their Pleafure, as we would not evade if we could, though we might find Means to do it without Fear of Punishment, Anger, or Lofs, nay even without their Knowledge.

Many Sons and Daughters will regard their Pa rents whilft they are under their Eye, or are afraid their Mifdeeds may come to their Knowledge, but the Moment they are escaped from thence, and have no Infpector over them, wil laugh at the old Folks, and give a Loofe to their Inclinations. Many Subjects will obey their Sovereign outwardly, and not break the Law openly; but if they can find a Loop-hole therein, and offend in Security, and within the Letter thereof, as by Smuggling,&c. will make no Scruple thereof. In the like Manner Scholars, Apprentices, and Servants, will obey their Tutors and Mafters, juft as far as they are apprehenfive of fome Inconvenience from not doing fo, but will neglect and make Sport thereof, if they can do it without its being known, the Moment their Backs are turned. But this is not obeying the Fifth

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Commandment, far from it: A Dog, or a Horfe will pay as much Regard as this, nay, fomewhat more; for from each of these Creatures may we learn Leffons of Obedience, and Fidelity; nay, fome of those generous Animals have fo far fignalized themfelves for those two Virtues, and have fet Mankind fuch inftructive Leffons, that it would be well if many, who call themselves Chriftians, would copy after them therein.

To inftance only one or two of each of them: What could furpals the Tenderness and Fidelity of that gallant Coufer, who, having brought the Prince his Mafter fate from the Field of Battle, and from the Purfuit of a victorious Enemy, dropt down quite spent with the Fatigue, the Moment he difmounted, feeming to expire well pleafed that he had given his own Life, for the Prefervation of his Princely Burthen? Might not many a nominal Chriftian learn a useful Leffon from the Behaviour of this valuable Beaft? And did he not well deferve the Statue erected to his Honour? Again, what could exceed the Affection and Faithfulness of that generous Hound, who could never be prevailed on to ftir from the Grave of his deceased Mafter, but refufing all Food and Suftenance, continued mourning over his Remains, till he pined away, and died with meer Hunger. And numerous are the Examples of Dogs, who have been inArumental, in revenging the Death of their Mafters upon their Murderers; thereby fignalizing their Gratitude and Fidelity to them in the moft remarkable Manner.

Since, therefore, even Brute Beasts have given fuch fhining Proofs of their honouring their Mafters to fo great a Degree, we may be well affured, the Honour required of us, by this Commandment, to our Parents and Superiors, muft not tall fhort of that, whereof even thofe Animals are capable: In

effect,

effect, the Duty we all owe in our refpective Stationss in confequence of this Law, is more extenfive than is generally imagined; for which Reason it may not be amils, to enter into a fhort Detail thereof.

And firft, with refpect to Children: The Ho nour required of them to their Parents, is a ftrict Obedience to all their lawful Commands; that is, all fuch as neither interfere with the Laws of God, nor thofe of the Land; for fhould their Injunctions clash with either of thefe, they are no ways bound to obey them: But this is not all; they are alfo bound unfeignedly to love and reverence them, and eyen to relieve and fupport them, in case they stand in need of their, Affiftance: But then again, there is a reciprocal Duty implied and exacted under the fame Commandment, from Parents towards their Children, namely, that they fhould not lay any unreasonable or illegal Commands upon them, but fhould love them affectionately, and provide, according to their Station and Circumftances, for their Maintenance and Education; and above all, that they should fet them good Examples, encouraging them when they do well, and giving them due Correction whenever they offend.

Secondly, The Duty required of Subjects to their Sovereigns, and thofe in Authority under them, is, an abfolute Obedience to all their Laws, when they do not run counter to thofe of the Almighty, neither openly offending against them, or endeavouring to evade them by any artful or unlawful Subterfuges, as is but too often the Cafe with many People: But then, on the other hand, there is a Duty reciprocally required of Princes to their Subjects; namely, to afford them due Protection, and provide for their Well-being and Safety, neither invading or incroaching upon their Liberties, nor oppreffing them themselves, or fuffering those under them to do it with Impunity; above all, in feeing that fuftice is

duly

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