God, and when not, whereas religion should give law to that. Then holiness is in its power, as Samson in his strength, when it can snap asunder these excuses that would keep him from his God, as easily as he did his cords of flax ; when the Christian can make his way into the presence of God through the throng of worldly encumbrances. ' Behold,' saith David, ' I have in my trouble prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver,' &c., 1 Chron. xxii. 14. He had ways enough to dispose of his treasures if he would have been discouraged from the work : he might have had a fair apology from the wars he was all his reign involved in, which were continually draining his exchequer, to have spared this cost. But as Rome shewed her puissance in sending succours to Spain, when Hannibal was at her gates, so David will shew his zeal for God and his house by laying aside such vast sums, for the building of a temple, in the midst of troubles and expenses of his kingdom. He is the Christian indeed that lays aside a good portion of time daily, in the midst of all his worldly occasions, for communion with God : whoever he compoimds with and pays short, he dares not make bold with God to serve him by halves. He shall have his time devoted to him, though others are put ofFwith the less ; like that devout man, who, when his time for his devotions came, what company soever he was with, would take his leave of them with this fair excuse, He had a friend that staid to speak with him ; he meant his God. Secondly, when his worldly employments do not turn the edge of his affections, and leave a bhmtness upon his spirit as to holding communion with God. Here is holiness in the power; as the husband, when he hath been abroad all day, in this company and that, yet none of these makes him love his wife and children the less : when he comes home at night he brings his affections to them as entire as when he went out, yea, he is glad he has got from all others to them again. This is a sweet frame of spirit indeed, but alas, how hard to keep it ! Canst thou say, O Christian, after thou hast passed a day amidst thy worldly profits, and been entertained with the delight and pleasures which thy full estate affords thee, that thou bringest thy whole heart to thy God with thee when at night thou returnest into his presence to wait on him ? Thou canst say more than many can, that have some good in them. O it is hard to converse with the world all day, and shake it oft' at night, so as to be free to enjoy privacy with God. The world does by the Christian as the little child by the mother, if it cannot keep the mother from going out, then it will cry after her to go with her ; if the world cannot keep us from going to religious duties, then it will cry to be taken along with us, and much ado to part it and the affections. Fourthly, The Christian must express the power of holiness in his carriage and behaviour to others, and they are either within doors or without.
CHAPTER IX.
OF EXPRESSING THE POWER OF HOLINESS, IN AND TO OUR FAMILY RELATIONS.
First, To his family relations. Much, though not all of the power of godli- ness, lies within doors, to those that God hath there related us imto. It is in vain to talk of holiness if we can bring no letters testimonial from oiu- holy walking with our relations. O it is sad when they that have reason to know us best, by their daily converse with us, do speak least for our godliness ! Few so impudent as to come naked into the streets : if men have anything to cover their naughtiness they will put it on when they come abroad. But what art thou within doors ? What care and conscience to discharge thy duty to thy near relations? He is a bad husband that hath money to spend among company abroad, but none to lay in provisions to keep his family at home. And can he be a good Christian that spends all his religion abroad, and leaves none for his nearest relations at home ? that is, a great zealot among strangers, and little or nothing of God comes from him in his family? Yea, it were well if some that gain the reputation for Christians abroad, did not fall short of others that pretend not to profession in those moral duties which they should perform to their relations. There are some who are great strangers to 2>rofession, who yet are loving and kind in their way to their wives. What kind of professors then are they who are dogged and currish to the wife of their bosoms ? who by their tyrannical lording it over them embitter their spirit, and make them cover the
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