and wives, the best parents and children, the best masters and servants: it furnishes the most excellent precepts, and proposes the best patterns. Here we have the pattern of Jesus Christ presented to all children for their imitation, teaching them how to acquit themselves towards their parents, according to the laws of nature and grace. Christ was not only subject and obedient to his parents whilst he lived, but manifested his tender care even whilst he hung in the torments of death upon the "Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mo

cross. ther!"

The words contain an affectionate recommendation of his distressed mother to the care of a dear disciple, a bosom friend.

The design and end was to manifest his tender respect and care for his mother, who was now in a most distressed, comfortless state. For now was Simeon's prophecy, Luke, 2: 35, fulfilled in the trouble and anguish that filled her soul. Her soul was "pierced" for him, both as she was his mother, and as she was a mystical member of him, her Head, her Lord: and therefore he commends her to John, the beloved disciple, saying, "Behold thy mother!" that is, let her be to thee as thine own mother. Let thy love to me be now manifested in thy tender care for her.

The manner of his recommending her was very affectionate and moving, "Behold thy mother!" As if he had said, I am now dying, leaving all human society and relations, and entering into a new state, where neither the duties of natural relations are exercised, nor their comforts enjoyed. It is a state of dominion over angels and men, not of subjection and obedience; this I now leave to thee. Upon thee do I devolve both the honor and duty of being in my stead and room to her, as to all dear and tender care over her. It was also a mutual recommendation: to his mother he said, " Wo

man, behold thy son!" not mother, but woman, intimating not only the change of state and conditions with him, but also the request he was making for her to the disciple with whom she was to live, as a mother with

a son.

The time when his care for his mother so eminently manifested itself, was when his departure was at hand, and he could no longer be a comfort to her, by his bodily presence; yea, his love and care manifested themselves when he was full of anguish both in his soul and body. Hence,

Christ's tender care of his mother, even in the time of his greatest distress, is an excellent pattern for children to the end of the world.

"There are three great foundations, or bonds of relation, on which all family government depends:" those of husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants. The Lord has planted in the souls of men affections suitable to these relations; and to his people he has given grace to regulate those affections, appointed duties to exercise those graces, and seasons to discharge those duties. So that, as in the motion of a wheel every spoke takes its turn, and bears its stress; in like manner, in the whole round of a christian's conversation, every affection, grace, and duty, at one season or other, comes to be exercised.

But yet grace has not so far prevailed in the sanctification of any man's affections, that there will be no excesses or defects in their exercise towards our relations; yea, in this eminent saints have been eminently defective. But the pattern set before us here is a perfect pattern. As the church finds him the best of husbands, so to his parents he was the best of sons; and being the best and most perfect, he is therefore the rule and measure of all others. Christ knew how the corruptions we draw from our parents are returned in

their bitter fruits upon them again, to the wounding of their very hearts; and therefore it pleased him to commend obedience and love to parents, in his own example.

It was anciently a proverb among the heathen, it is good to be an old man, or woman, only in Sparta. The ground of it was the strict laws among the Spartans to punish the rebellion and disobedience of children to their aged parents. And shall it not be good to be an old father and mother in this land, where the Gospel of Christ is preached, and such an argument as this now set before you urged; an argument which the heathen world never heard?

Let all that sustain the relation of children seriously ponder this example of Christ proposed for their imitation, in which we will consider what duties belong to the relation of children, and how they are enforced by Christ's example.

I. The duties pertaining to the relation of children.

1. Fear and reverence are due from children to their parents, by the express command of God: "Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father." Lev. 19: 3. God has clothed parents with his authority. He has entrusted to them the care of the souls and bodies of their children; and he expects that children reverence them, although in respect of outward estate, or honor, they be never so much above them. Joseph, though lord of Egypt, bowed down before his aged father, with his face to the earth. Gen. 48: 12. Solomon, the most magnificent and glorious king that ever swayed a sceptre, when his mother came to speak with him for Adonijah, rose up to meet her, bowed himself to her, and set her upon his right hand. 2 Kings, 2: 19.

2. Dear and tender love is due from children to their parents: and to show how strong and dear that love ought to be, it is joined with the love you have for your own lives; as it appears in the injunction, to deny

both for Christ's sake. Matt. 10: 37. The bonds of nature are strong and direct between parents and children. Oh the care, the cost, the pity, the tenderness, the pains, the fears they have expressed for you. It is worse than heathenish ingratitude not to return love for love. This filial love is not only in itself a duty, but should be the root or spring of all your duties to them.

3. Obedience is due them, by the Lord's strict and spe cial command: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right; honor thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with promise." Eph. 6:1. Filial obedience is not only founded upon the positive law of God, but also upon the law of nature: This is right," says the apostle, that is, right both according to natural and positive law. However, this subjection and obedience is not absolute and universal. God has not divested himself of his own authority, to clothe a parent with it. Your obedience to them must be "in the Lord," that is, in things consonant to that Divine and holy will, to which they, as well as you, must be sub. ject. Yea, even the wickedness of a parent exempts not from obedience, where his command is proper. Nor, on the other hand, must the holiness of a parent sway you, where his commands and God's are opposite. Yield yourselves, therefore, cheerfully to obey all which they lawfully enjoin, and take heed that the sin fixed on heathen who know not God, be not found upon you, "disobedience to parents." Rom. 1: 30. Remember, your disobedience to their just commands rises much higher than an affront to their personal authority; it is disobedience to God himself, whose commands second and strengthen theirs upon you.

4. Submission to their discipline and rebukes is also your duty: "We had fathers of our own flesh that corrected us, and we gave them reverence." Heb. 12:9. Parents ought not to abuse their authority. "Cruelty

in them is a great sin; wrath and rebellion in a child against his parents is monstrous." Two considerations should not fail to bring children into a submissive frame, especially to godly parents. Their aim is to save your souls from hell. They judge it better for you to hear the voice of their anger, than the terrible voice of the wrath of God. And when they rebuke and chasten, it is with grief in their hearts, and tears in their eyes. It is no delight to them to cross, vex, or afflict you. But for their duty to God, and tender love to your souls, they would neither rebuke nor chasten: and when they do, how do they afflict themselves in afflicting you!

5. Faithfulness to all their interests is due to them, by the natural and positive law of God. As far as in you lies, you are bound to promote, not to waste and scatter their substance; to assist, not defraud them. "Whoso robbeth his father or mother, and saith, it is no transgression, the same is a companion of a destroyer." Prov. 28:24. To dispose of their goods, much more of yourselves, without their consent, is ordinarily the greatest injustice to them.

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6. And more especially, the requital of all their love, care, and pains for you, is your duty so far as God enables you: Let them learn to show piety at home, and requite their parents." 1 Tim. 5: 4. It is a saying frequent among the Jews, "A child should rather labor at the mill than suffer his parents to want." And to the same effect is that other saying, "Your parents must be supplied by you if you have it; if not, you ought to beg for them, rather than see them perish." It was both the comfort and honor of Joseph, that God made him an instrument of so much succor and comfort to his aged father and distressed family. Gen. 47: 13. And you are also to know, that what you do for them, is not alms, or charity; it is but requiting them, which is justice, not charity. And it can never be a full