Essex Remembrancer Luke 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. In this short account there is much to interest and instruct us; " they were both righteous." The priest maintained the sanctity of his character by marrying a daughter of Aaron; a daughter of Aaron's piety as well as of his flesh. The union, cemented by affection, was strengthened by piety. Thrice happy pair! united to God and to each other! who can separate you? what can harm you? Life with all its trials; death with all its terrors; all things shall work together for your good. If congeniality is necessary to happiness in any state, surely in that which is most interesting and important. "How can two walk together except they be agreed?" Besides, if the families of God's people are to be the nurseries for the Church, it is indispensable that both parents should be righteous. I. THE PRINCIPLE OF THEIR OBEDIENCE — "They were righteous before God." II. THE RULE OF THEIR OBEDIENCE — "The commandments and ordinances of the Lord." III. THE UNIVERSALITY OF THEIR OBEDIENCE — "Walking in all the commandments," &c. Religion, wherever it exists, will leave its own entire impression upon the character; not one feature, but every feature of the "new man" will be developed; the duties to man, as well as those we owe to God, will be conscientiously regarded. IV. THE CONSISTENCY OF THEIR OBEDIENCE. The text adds to the preceding description of their character "blameless;" not sinless. Happy is it for the interests of the Church when a blameless consistency marks its professors, more especially when its professors, like Zacharias and Elisabeth. sustain public and important stations; the priest emphatically should be "blameless;" if the tongue of slander should attack him, it should meet with no second accuser. To be thus "blameless" requires a constant dependence upon the grace of God. (Essex Remembrancer.) Parallel Verses KJV: And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. |
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