II. Why is this so necessary a duty ? It doth in a great measure appear from what is said already. But farther —
1. It will be a great engagement upon us to give God all the glory of the comfort we have in such a relation, when you do more sensibly and explicitly take one another out of God's hands. We are apt to look to second causes ; he that sendeth the present is the giver, not he that bringeth it to us. The Romans were wont once a year to cast gar- hinds into their fountains, by that superstition owning the benefit they had by them. However, it hath a good moral to us in the l^osom of it, that we should own the fountain of our blessings, and not ascribe them to our own wisdom and foresight, but the grace and favour of God, who, in the mere lottery and chance of human affairs, was pleased to choose so well for us. Jacolj owned his fountain when he was become two bands. Gen. xxxii. 10. So should we ; of Mm, through him, to him, do mutually infer one another. What we have from God, must be used for God. God is very jealous that we will not look to the original and finst cause of our mercies : Hosea ii. 8, * She did not know tliat I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold ; and therefore will I return, and take away my corn, and wine, and oil, and flax,' &c. It is the way to lose our com- forts, when we do not own and acknowledge God's hand in them. We are drowned in sense, inured and accustomed to second causes, so that
Gen. II. 22.] a wedding sermon. 167
God's hand is invisible and little regarded, we know it not, or heed it not. Now that we may look up and own the first cause, and give hiiii his due honour, it is good to have explicit and actual thoughts in tlie I'cceiving of our mercies, so as to take them out of God's hand ; to draw aside the veil and covering of the creature, that you may re- member the giver.
2. That we may carry ourselves more holily in our relations, it is good to see God's hand in them. Every relation is a new talent wherewith God intrusteth us to tiade for his glory ; and to that end we must make conscience to use it. In Mat. xxv., the master deli- vered to every one his goods apart, and they that had the benefit re- ceived the charge. We are often pressed to do things, as in and to the Lord, upon religious and gracious reasons. It hath been the credit of religion. Dent tales mercatores, tales maritos, tales exactores fisci, kc. — Let history show such husbands, such wives, &c. The Christian religion maketh a man conscientiously careful and tender of his duty to man, not from a natural principle, or from our own ease, peace and credit, but from the conscience of our duty to God. Now it must not lose this credit by you. God puts us into relations to see how we Avill glorify him in them ; there is something more required of you than as single Christians. God that puts a man into the ministry, requireth that he should honour him, not only as a Christian, but as a minister. And God that calleth a man into the magistracy, re- quireth that he should honour him as a magistrate. So to be a master of a family, and a wife or husband, there is another talent to be ac- counted for. An ambassador that is sent into a foreign country about special business, must give an account, not only as a traveller, but as an ambassador, of the business he was intrusted with. God will have honour by you as a wife, or as a husband ; you have a new oppor- tunity to make religion amiable, that the unbelieving world may see how profitable the heavenly life is to human society.
3. That we may more patiently bear the crosses incident to this state of life if God call us to them. They that launch forth into the world, sail in a troublesome and tempestuous sea, and cannot ^expect but to meet with a storm before they come to the end of their voyage. The married life hath its comforts, and also its encumbrances and sorrows. Now it will sweeten all our crosses incident to this condi- tion, when we remember we did not rashly enter into it by our own choice, but were led by the fair directure and fair invitation of God's providence ; we need not much be troubled at what overtaketh us in the way of our duty, and the relations to which we are called. That hand that sent the trouble will sanctify it, or he will overrule things so that they shall work for our good. If God call us into this estate, he will support us in it. It is a great satisfaction to you that you are acting that part in the world which God would have you act ; that you can say, I am there where God hath set me, and therefore v/ill bear the troubles that attend that state and condition of life. If a man run on his own head, and inconveniences arise, they are more un- comfortably borne. It is true, that God doth fetch off his people from the afflictions they have brought upon themselves by their sin and folly, such is the indulgence of his grace ; yet those sufferings are the more