upon their rendering a dutiful and implicit obedience to the commands of God. Now the advice of Jonadab, as we are informed, was given for the purpose of securing to themselves the latter and if the latter, then likewise the former of these objects. The advice was given with an especial reference to their continuance in the land of their fathers; "that ye may live many days in the land where ye be

strangers." Yet can there be no doubt that no inconsiderable importance was attached to the performance of the command, because it was the command of their "Father," or, of one whose age and experience or whose piety and rank were entitled to respect. Of course no command which had been repugnant to the laws of God would have been entitled to obedience, even though it had been sanctioned by such a character as that just mentioned. On the supposition, however, that it was agreeable to the will of God, and that the above mentioned qualities were the most calculated to judge whether it were so or not, it was particularly enjoined that the Israelites should pay implicit obedience to the command of their aged and devout relatives. The injunction so familiar to us all is this: "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." The Rechabites, therefore, being duly impressed with this divine commandment, seemed to consider that, without enquiring too minutely into the nature and purport of the command in question, the piety and rank of Jona

dab as their acknowledged head entitled him to respect and obedience. This, indeed, is the view taken of it in our text by the Almighty himself. "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord. The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed: for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment; notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me."

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Now, brethren, by comparing these words of our text with the observations which have immediately preceded them, the disobedience of the Jews to the commands of their Divine Benefactor cannot fail to be most clear and conspicuous. The commands which were issued by Jonadab to his kinsmen, the Rechabites, were apparently at least harsh and unnecessary. At first sight, most assuredly, they could scarcely have comprehended why a moderate use of those comforts and indulgences which had been granted them by God should be forbidden. Since, however, the command was given by the authority of age, and experience, and of near kindred, such a consideration was abundantly sufficient to secure their respect. Their behaviour is thus summed up in the words of themselves. "We have obeyed, and

done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us."

And here permit me to make an observation, which I would ground, not only on the general tenor of the Inspired Volume, but particularly on the approbation of the Almighty, in respect of the filial obedience of the Rechabites, which is implied in our text. The observation is this: that no person whatever can be said to submit to the will of God, who does not acknowledge his inferiority so far as to lend a willing ear to those who, as for the most part his own good sense will assure him, are placed above him by the wise economy of Divine Providence for the purpose of giving him instruction and advice, and even of commanding him with power and authority. Rest assured, brethren, that a perfect equality of rank and station nowhere exists for any length of time, and where it does exist, even for a short duration, it inevitably produces disorder and confusion. For such a reason did the Almighty express his approbation of the conduct of the Rechabites to their superior in rank and authority, though in the idiom of the country, he is simply described as their father Jonadab. And for such a reason, (but by no other means,) will you secure to yourselves the approbation of the God of Israel and the Father of your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; if you assimilate your conduct to that of the Rechabites, by carefully and implicitly, according to your several stations, following

the advice of the sincere and zealous St. Peter, and of the equally zealous and exemplary St. Paul. The language of these two great Apostles in reference to obedience, according to the difference of rank and station in society, runs thus: "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king as supreme; or unto governors as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God; servants be subject to your masters with all fear: not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward." "Let every soul," in short, "be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Wherefore ye must needs be subject. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

If, however, the duty which men owe to each other, to their fellow-men, according to the different ranks which they occupy in the world, be thus clear and indisputable, still more clear and indisputable is it that the direct communications from above should be punctually and religiously attended to. It was a failure in this respect, on the part of the thoughtless and obstinate Jews, which provoked the displeasure of the Almighty so strongly conveyed by the text. Any individual, therefore, who sees the necessity of submitting his conduct to the dictates of men, will scarcely fail to render obedience

to the commands of the Most High God. The Rechabites, at least, seem to have been guilty of no inconsistency in this respect. In the obedience which they rendered to their father Jonadab, it is evident that a compliance with the will of God was included; and it was the almost excess of obedience on the part of these, which presented a remarkable contrast to the conduct of the disobedient Jews. Had the kindred of Jonadab refused compliance with his commands, they might have done so under the pretence that they were unjust, or that he himself, as an erring mortal like themselves, was not acquainted with what was proper for them. This, however, they refused to do; they refused to resort to any behaviour which, though the rest of the world might not have known, yet their own consciences knew full well, would have been nothing less than an inexcusable and shameless evasion. How base, therefore, and how criminal does not the conduct of the Jews appear, who refused submission to those commands which they knew could only have proceeded from the most certain and indisputable authority, and which, from the nature of the commands themselves, they must have known to be most proper and correct!

Finally, brethren, be it observed that the hints contained in our text are sufficient to convince us of the most certain fate which respectively awaits the obedient and the disobedient, the just and the unjust. If the commands of the God of Israel be disobeyed, in such a case no one can peruse the words