was considered, ay, and is

virtue; surely to act thus in the er child

must be a higher virtue still.
pen, and does happen, that it

to care nothing even for our

of these principles

sing emergencies: and the the ancients. Thus felt the force of such moti Regulus, observes,t

such emergencies.

ich he had for his nd relations, was

"When we have gone

all the relationships

arthage; for that

shall find that there 15late his oath."

tion, no one that is

than that which we

hearing his son deputies of Ma

We have a tender re; and, finding kindred, and acqua ace to his other loves whate father the

we have for our na

na presence.

uld fight

implication avers
or loss of childre
not to be thoug

of an injury.
Plato asks:

is post,

Metins,

Con

E

As re

n word

the field e; and that,

remaining, he ther's presence. troyed himself.

that his son was

intercepted and killed ad brought him into the

7.

v. 8. Liv. lib. 2.

SECTION XLII.

neither children, nor life, nor ater consequence than jus

of these principles the ancients. Thus gulus, observes,† he had for his

relations, was ge; for that

e his oath."

his son

of Ma

Ending his

e

hen the

cular cases

e needless, ows all our

duty to the st

Scripture of what

jector. that

us to sacrifice our m, and practically to act to es as if they were hateful in our very enemies, much more be required to do so, when it is not ce of our country or of morality, but oice of God himself, which claims such

Erasm. lib. 6. Apoph. from Val. Max.

† See Cic. 2 de Leg. Stob. Ser. 42. Elian. Var. Hist. lib. 2.

Lib. 10. See Erasm. in Adag.

you have shown of bravery, affect me deeply. But since the authority of a consul's orders must be established by your death, or, by your escaping with impunity, be annulled for ever, even yourself will not refuse to restore by your punishment the discipline you have subverted."*

L. J. Brutus sat in judgment on his son for conspiring against the liberties of his country, and gave him over to the executioner; thus, to use the language of the Roman historian,† laying aside the father that he might act the consul; and preferring to lose his son, than to fail in his public duty.

M. Scaurus, on hearing that his son was returning to the city after a defeat, sent him word that he would rather see him dead on the field of battle, than alive in such disgrace; and that, if he had any sense of shame remaining, he would not venture into his father's presence. And accordingly his son destroyed himself.‡

A. Fulvius, on hearing that his son was going over to Catiline, intercepted and killed him, alleging that he had brought him into the

* Livy, viii. 6, 7.

Val. Max. v. 8. Liv. lib. 2.
Val. Max. ibid.

world not to assist Catiline against his country, but to assist his country against Catiline.*

Zaleucus punished his son with the loss of one of his eyes for violating his country's law against adultery. And we find from Pausanias, that Yennes, king of Tenedos, who had decreed the execution of adulterers, on being asked how his son should be dealt with who had been guilty of adultery, made this reply: "The law must be obeyed; execute my son."

But it is needless to multiply authorities. It may be said that these are stern cases of moral practice: but then the service of God may require in particular cases stern practice also; and if our duty to the state and to morality requires us to sacrifice our relatives rather than them, and practically to act towards those relatives as if they were hateful in our sight, and our very enemies, much more must we be required to do so, when it is not the voice of our country or of morality, but the voice of God himself, which claims such

* Erasm. lib. 6. Apoph. from Val. Max.

↑ See Cic. 2 de Leg. Stob. Ser. 42. Ælian. Var. Hist. lib. 2.

Lib. 10. See Erasm. in Adag.

conduct at our hands. That voice is so far from being opposed in such a requirement to the common course of human action on particular occasions, that it is in fact, as we have seen, in complete correspondence with it.