vour to subdue. There can be no doubt but that many parents harden their children's hearts against their authority in the first instance, and ultimately against the authority of God himself, purely by the tyranny which they exercise, and by the continual irritations which they occasion g: and in the last day they will be found, in too many instances, the prime movers, and the real causes of their children's eternal ruin. Fathers, be upon your guard respecting this ; and instead of thus driving your children to despondency, endeavour to bring them up in the " nurture and admonition of the Lord11." See in what way God dealeth with his children, how he bears with their infirmities, and consults their best interests1: so should you dok, and, like Abraham of old, be solicitous only for their eternal welfare1.]
There is yet one other relation specified in the text, namely, that,
III. Of masters and servants —
It has pleased God that there should be different ranks and orders of society, and that to each should be assigned appropriate duties. We notice those,
1. Of servants —
[Your rank in society is ordered of the Lord : nor, when you hear in what light you are viewed by him, will you see any reason to repine at it. By virtue of your office you are required to " obey those who are your masters according to the flesh :" and to obey them cheerfully too, and without re- serve. Nor in the discharge of this duty are you to act in the absence of your master any otherwise than you would in his immediate presence : you are to render obedience " in single- ness of heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men- pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart111." What an elevated view does this give of your situation and employments! You appear to be servants of men : and so indeed you are : but you are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ : and it is your privilege to consider your- selves as living in his service, as much as if he were to come down to sojourn again on earth, and to admit you into the number of his domestics. Whatever your particular office be, you are privileged, so to speak, as altogether to forget your servitude to man, and to consider yourselves as performing the
s That is an humiliating view which the Apostle gives of parents, but, alas ! how true in too many instances ! Heb. xii. 10.
h Eph. vi. 4. i Ps. ciii. 8—13. k 1 Thess. ii. 11.
1 Gen. xviii. 19. m Eph. vi. 5, 6.