digiously wicked as any there. And no doubt but tliis made this gracious man in his banishment, before he came to the crown, having seen the evil of a dis- ordered house, to resolve what he will do when God should make him the head of such a royal family : Psa. ci. 7, ' He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my liouse ; he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.' He in- stanceth in those sins, not as if he would spend all his zeal against these, but because he had observed them principally to aboiuid in Saul's court, by which he had suffered so much, as you may perceive by Psa. cxx. 2, 3.
3. Art thou godly ? Shew thyself so in the choice of a husband or wife. I am sure, if some, and those godly also, could bring no other testimonial for their godliness than the care they have taken in this particular, it might justly be called into question both by themselves and others. There is no one thing that gracious persons, even those recorded in Scripture, as well as others, have shewn their weakness, yea, given offence and scandal more in, than in this particular: 'The sons of God saw that the daughters of men wei'e fair,' Gen. vi. 2. One would have thought the sons of God should have looked for grace ni the heart, rather than beauty in the face ; but we see even they sometimes turn in at the fairest sign, without much inquiring what grace is to be found dwelling within. But, Christian, let not the miscarriage of any in this particular, how holy soever otherwise, make thee less cai-eful in thy choice. God did not leave their practice on record for thee to follow, but shun. He is but a slovenly Christian that will swallow all the saints do without paring their actions. Is it not enough that the wicked break their necks over the sins of saints ? but wilt thovi run \ipon them also to break thy shins ? Point not at this man, and that godly woman, saying. They can marry into such a profane family and lie by the side of a dnnikard, swearer, &c. Look to the rule, O Christian, if thou wilt keep the power of holiness. That is clear as a sunbeam, writ in the Sci'ipture : ' Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers ; for what fel- lowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?' 2 Cor. vi. 14. And where he gives the widow leave to many again, he still remembers to bound this liberty : 'To whom she will, only in the Lord,' 1 Cor. vii. 39. Mark that, ' in the Lord,' that is, in the churcli : all without the faith are without God in the world. The Lord's kindred and family is in the church ; you marry out of the Lord when you marry out of the Lord's kindred; or ' in the Lord,' that is, in the fear of the Lord, with his leave and liking. The parents' consent is fit to be had, we all yield ; and is not thy heavenly Father's? And will he ever give his consent thou shouldst bestow thyself on a beast, a sot, an earthworm ? Holy men have paid dear for such matches ; what a woeful plague was Delilah to Samson ! and Michal none the greatest comforts to David ; had he not better have married the poorest damsel in Israel, if godly, though no more with her but the clothes on her back, than such a fleering companion, that mocked him for his zeal to his God ?
Second!}', In labouring to interest God in our relations. The Christian can- not indeed propagate grace to his child, nor jointure his wife in his holiness, as he may in his lands ; yet he must do his utmost to entitle God to them. Why did God command Abraham that all his house should be circumcised ? Surely he would have him go as far as he could to draw them into affinity with, and relation to, God. Near relations call for dear affections. Gi-ace doth not teach us to love them less than we did, but to love them better. It turns our love into a spiritual channel, and makes us chief!)' desire their eternal good. Wliat singular tiling else is in the Christian's love above others? Do not the heathens lay up estates for their children here? Are they not careful for their servants' backs and bellies, as well as others ? Yes sure ; but your care must exceed theirs. I remember Augustine, speaking liow highly some commended liis father's cost and care to educate liim, even before liis estate, makes this sad complaint : Cum interea non satageret pater, qua/is crescerem iib'i, dummodo essem disertus, rel potius desert us a cultura tiia Deus ! ' Wliereas,' saith lie, 'my father's drift in all Avas not to train me up for thee ; his project was, that I might be eloquent, an orator, not a Christian.' O my brethren, if God be worth your acquaintance, is he not worth theirs also that are so near and dear to you i One house now holds you ; would you not have one heaven receive you? Can you think, without trembling, that those who live together in one family should,
THE BREASTPLATE OF raCHTEOUSNESS. 3[7