Sermon
Exodus 20:12. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you.
Having done with the First Table, I am next to speak of the duties of the Second Table. The commandments may be likened to Jacob's Ladder: the First Table, as the top of the ladder, reaches 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. Honor your father and your mother.
In this, 1. A command: Honor your father and your mother.
2. A reason annexed to it: That your days may be long in the land.
(1.) The command: Honor your father.
Quest. Who is meant here by father?
Ans. Father (Verbum [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]) is taken several ways: the political, ancient, spiritual, economical, natural.
First, the political father — the magistrate. He is the father of his country, he is to be an encourager of virtue, a punisher of vice, a father to the widow and orphan. Such a father was Job (Job 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 (Isaiah 49:23): Kings shall be your 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, Josiah, 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 honored.
(1.) Their place deserves honor. God has set these political fathers to preserve order and harmony in a nation, and to prevent those state convulsions which otherwise might ensue. Judges 17:6: When there was no king in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own eyes. A wonder (Proverbs 30:27).
(2.) God has promoted kings, that they may promote justice. As they have a sword in their hand to signify 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 honored: Honor the King (1 Peter 2:17). And this honor is to be shown by a civil respect to their persons, and a cheerful submission to their laws, so far as they agree and run parallel with God's law. Kings are to be prayed for, which is a part of that honor we give them (1 Timothy 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 honor 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 plowshares, 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 (Ecclesiastes 12:5). These are fathers for seniority, on whose wrinkled brows, and in the furrows of whose cheeks is pictured the map of old age. These fathers are to be honored (Leviticus 19:32): You shall rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man. Especially those are to be honored who are fathers, not only for their seniority, but their piety, whose souls are flourishing when their bodies are decaying. It is 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 color, yet keep their savor. Such whose silver hairs are crowned with righteousness, are worthy of double honor: they are to be honored, not only as pieces of antiquity, but as patterns of virtue. If you see an old man fearing God, whose grace shines brightest when the sun of his life is setting, O honor 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 Corinthians 4:15): Though you have ten thousand instructors, yet you have not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. The spiritual fathers are to be honored.
1. In respect of their office. Whatever their persons are, their office is honorable. They are the messengers of the Lord of Hosts (Malachi 2:7). They represent no less than God himself (2 Corinthians 5:20): Now then we are ambassadors for Christ. Jesus Christ was of this calling; he had his mission and sanction from heaven (John 8:18). And this crowns the ministerial calling with honor.
2. Ministers, these spiritual fathers are to be honored for their work's 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 men's bodies or estates, but the ministers' calling is employed about the souls of men. Their work is to [reconstructed: redeem] 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 honored for their work's sake, and this honor is to be shown three ways.
1. By giving them respect (1 Thessalonians 5:12): Know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. I confess the scandalous lives of some ministers has been a great reproach, and has 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 though some deserve no honor, yet such as are faithful, and make it their work to bring souls to Christ, are to be reverenced as spiritual fathers. Obadiah honored the Prophet Elijah (1 Kings 18:17). Why did God reckon the tribe of Levi for the firstborn (Numbers 3:12)? Why did he appoint that the prince should ask counsel of God by the priest (Numbers 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 (Numbers 17)? Why does Christ call his apostles the lights of the world? Why does 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 honor 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, says the apostle, which labor 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 apostle's sense, so as to give them double honor. Surely, were it not for the ministry, you would not be a vineyard, but a desert. 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 (Romans 10:14)?
2. Honor the ministers, these spiritual fathers, by becoming advocates for them, and wiping off those slanders and calumnies which are unjustly cast upon them (1 Timothy 5:19). Constantine was a great honorer 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 labor to preserve you from hell, you should preserve them from slander. If they labor to save your souls, you ought to save their credit.
3. Honor them, by conforming to their doctrine. This is the greatest honor you can put upon your spiritual fathers, by believing and obeying their doctrine. He is an honorer of the ministry, who is not only a hearer, but a follower of the word. As disobedience reproaches the ministry, so obedience honors it. The apostle calls his Thessalonians, his crown (1 Thessalonians 2:19): What is our crown of rejoicing, are not you? A thriving people are a minister's 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 Jordan, lepers, but they go away healed. This is an honor to the ministry. (2 Corinthians 3:1): Need we as some others, letters of commendation? Though 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 labors. The Corinthians were a sufficient honor to him, they were his letters testimonial. You cannot honor your spiritual fathers more, than by thriving under their ministry, and living those sermons which they preach.
Fourthly, there is the economical 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 (Matthew 8:6). The servant is to honor his master as the father of the family. Though the master be not so exactly qualified as he should, yet the servant must not neglect his duty, but show some kind of honor to him.
(1.) In obeying his master in licitis & honestis, in things that are lawful and honest (1 Peter 2:18): Servants be subject to your masters; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. God has nowhere 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 says, whoever resists the ordinance, shall receive to themselves damnation (Romans 13:2).
(2.) The servant's honoring of his master (his economical father) is seen in being diligent in his service. Apelles painted a servant with his hands full of tools, an emblem of diligence. The loitering servant is a kind of thief, though he does not steal from his master goods, yet he steals that time which he should have employed in his master's service. The slothful servant is called a wicked servant (Matthew 25:26).
(3.) The servant is to honor his master, who is his family-father, by being faithful. (Matthew 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 has 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 housetop. Such servants are spies. Who would keep a glass that is cracked? Who would keep a servant that has a crack in his brain, and cannot keep a secret?
Secondly, faithfulness in a servant is seen in designing the master's advantage. A faithful servant esteems his master's 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 (Genesis 24:12): O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray you send me good speed this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Doubtless Abraham's servant was as glad he had got a wife for his master's son, as if he had got a wife for himself.
Thirdly, faithfulness in a servant is seen in standing up for the honor 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.
Fourthly, faithfulness is, when a servant is true to his word. He dares not tell a lie, but will speak the truth, though it be against himself. A lie doubles the sin. (Psalm 101:7) He that tells lies, shall not tarry in my sight. A liar is of near akin to the Devil (John 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 leprosy on Gehazi and his seed forever (2 Kings 5:22). A faithful servant's tongue is the true index of his heart.
Fifthly, faithfulness is, when a servant is against impropriation. He dares not convert his master's goods to his own use. (Titus 2:10) Not purloining. Ne aliquid haereat in digitis. What a servant filches from his master, is damnable gain. The servant who enriches himself by stealing from his master, stuffs his pillow with thorns, and his head will lie very uneasy when he comes to die.
Sixthly, faithfulness is in preserving the master's 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 traitorous servant: his eldest son ran mad, his daughter of a singular beauty was suddenly struck with leprosy, 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 honor 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, [Greek text], not giving cross answers. Some servants are quick of speech, though slow at work; and instead of being sorry for a fault, they provoke by unbecoming language. Were the heart more humble, the tongue would be more silent. They are the Apostle's words, not answering again. And to those servants who do thus honor their masters, or family-fathers, by submission, diligence, faithfulness, love, and humble silence, for their encouragement let them take that (Colossians 3:24): Servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. In serving your masters you serve Christ, and he will not let you lose your labor, you 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 (Revelation 3:21).
