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The bride is to forget her own people and her father's house, i.e. the wicked world, "the children of disobedience among whom we," etc. When the soul comes to Christ, it must say, as Ruth to Naomi, "Thy people shall be my people," etc.

I. THE FORGETTING OF HER PEOPLE BY THE BRIDE.

1. In what respects. We must forsake their company; we must not conform ourselves to them; we must forget them in affection.

2. Why we must do this. Because they are not going our way. In coming to Christ we give up with them. He says to us, If you take me, let them go their way. And the world's friendship is enmity with God (James 4:8); and at last there will be a total separation (Matthew 20:1). Grace begins it here. Evil company, too, is an affecting plague. "Evil communications corrupt," etc. Remember, if you do not separate from them, you will share with them.

II. THE FORGETTING OF THE FATHER'S HOUSE. This father is our father, the devil.

1. You must part with the master of the house, Satan, and renounce your relation to the house. Though you have no express compact with him, you have need to do this.

2. And you must quit the work of the house. We must cast off the work of darkness. They weary themselves to commit iniquity. This is work, hard, toilsome, dark, soul-ruining work. Now, you must quit the work of the house, of whatever sort it be. You must not be like those that will give over their master, engage with another, and yet come back and fall to their work again.

3. You must part with the provision and entertainments of the house. People use to get their meat where they work, and Satan's slaves get their meat also in their father's house.

4. And you must quit the fashions of the house. Every house hath its own fashions, and so has your father's; but you must not keep them up. In civil things the fashion is to mind the world first, and even to give conscience a el, retch, if a person can gain any profit or ease by it. If you quit not these fashions, you will never see the house of heaven (Luke 10:41, 42; 1 Corinthians 6:8, 9; 1 Thessalonians 4:6). If ever men get more religion, they will get more moral honesty.

5. You must quit the garb of the house. Under the Old Testament, when people were to make any solemn appearance before God, they were called to change their garments (Genesis 34:2). You must part with the inner garment of the house, "that is the old man with his deeds" (Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9). The old man is the corrupt evil nature. You must also part with the upper garment of the house, that is, the filthy rags of our own righteousness (Isaiah 64:6; Zechariah 3:4). And lastly, you must quit the interest of the house. People are readily concerned for the interest of their own house, and none more than the members of your father's house. Now, if you mind for heaven you must quit this interest and pursue that of heaven, which is directly opposite (Genesis 3:15).

III. WHY MUST CHRISTIANS FORGET THEIR FATHER'S HOUSE. Because —

1. Our father's and our husband's house are quite contrary the one to the other. There is no reconciling them (2 Corinthians 6:14, 15).

2. As our husband's house is most honourable, so our father's is most base.

3. Because we will never apply ourselves to the way of our husband's house if we forget not our father's house. While the hearts of the Israelites were set on the flesh-pots of Egypt, they could make no progress in their journey to Canaan.

4. Because it is the worst of houses. No wonder, for the devil, the worst of masters, is the master of the house. It is soul slavery. The fashions of the house are the very reverse of all that is good. The interests of the house are the dishonour of God, the ruin of mankind. The garb of the house is filthy rags, and the shame of their nakedness will at length appear before the world.

IV. THOSE ARE TO BE REPROVED THAT WILL NOT FORGET THEIR FATHER'S HOUSE. And who are these?

1. They are those that in the midst of Gospel light continue in the darkness of the house; their father has put out their eyes (2 Corinthians 4:4).

2. Those that retain the language of the house. When Peter spoke the damsel knew what countryman he was. And what shall we say of thee who art a cursor, swearer, liar, filthy speaker, but that thou art a Hellilean? I appeal to your own consciences what sort of language:/ours is.

3. Those that wear the badge of the house on their breasts, the master of the house's mark on their forehead. Profane people. You who will not pray. "The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God."

4. Those that give up themselves to the trade of the house, minding nothing but the world, earthly things. They know not communion with God.

5. Those that are the hidden servants of the house. It has been said of some that they have stolen away to heaven without being observed; but there are others that steal away to hell, and the world never hears the sound of their feet: even deep-veiled hypocrites, whited sepulchres.

(T. Boston, D. D.)

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KJV: Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;

WEB: Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father's house.