Page images
PDF
EPUB

twice as much time, on any day in the week, upon motives of curiosity or vanity? And is the favour of God so light a matter? Will they always think, that a trifling visit, or an empty sight, is rather to be sought than the pardon of their sins, and the blessing of heaven? Will they think so in the hour of death, or the day of judgment? If they dare not insist upon such excuses then, in the presence of God, why should they depend upon them now?

But let me suppose charitably, that they are persuaded in their own minds, that the business of their calling is the first thing required of them; that the worship of God ought to give way to it; and that their diligence will turn to a better account than their devotion: if this is their reckoning, they will find on farther consideration, that it is very ill grounded. For man in this life is never independent of God; he doth not work alone; but God worketh with him in every thing that is good and lawful. If he conforms himself to the will of God, his work will be more likely to prosper, than if he consulteth himself only. If the wisdom of the earth is not tempered and regulated by the wisdom of heaven, it will at last find itself disappointed. And however strange this may seem to a man, who at the week's end thinks

himself

himself well able to reckon up all the profit of his labour; yet I can tell him of a much stranger thing, which is undoubtedly true upon Christian principles, though it sounds like a contradiction-He that saveth his life shall lose it-He that saveth his life against the will of God, shall lose against his own will; or, he shall save for a while the life of his body, and lose for ever the life of his soul. May it not well be said then, he that saveth his time shall lose it? He shall be out in his reckoning; his time, by some unforeseen interruptions and miscarriages, shall be rendered less profitable than he expects; or, he shall lose the grace of God by preferring a very inconsiderable reward of a very small portion of his labour: whereas, he, who will bestow some of his time upon God, shall see the remainder sanctified, and find that he has enough and to spare for all other purposes. It is an old proverb that the wealth honestly gotten goes far; and it is equally true, that the time which hath God's blessing upon it shall be much increased in its value. dence hath many ways of disappointing worldly men in their calculations. A fit of sickness may confine them much longer against their will, and much more to the hurt of their temporal affairs, than a regular attendance for several years upon

Provi

the

the hours of prayer. When the Jews were become carnal, they reasoned as Pharaoh did before; who said, Ye are idle, ye are idle, therefore ye say, let us go and do service to the Lord our God. So they argued, that the time spent in divine worship was just so much time lost to themselves and their affairs. But God shewed them the folly of this reasoning he led them into captivity, where they had no church, but sighed and lamented for the want of one, saying, how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? Their sabbaths and festivals had been neglected on motives of worldly profit: therefore so much time as they had stolen from God, so much and more did he cut off in judgment from the enjoyment of liberty and property in their own land: and I make no doubt but this is the reason why many are not blessed in their property, and find unexpected miscarriages in their affairs; which might have been prevented, had they but lifted up their eyes unto the hills, and considered themselves rather as the servants of God, than the masters of their own time.

I hope you will consider these things, that the house of God is an house of prayer---that you may lose your time by saving it

and

and that for a little time well spent, you may purchase the blessing of God here, and the riches of eternity hereafter, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord.

SERMON

SERMON XIV.

THEN SAID JESUS UNTO HIS DISCIPLES; IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME. MATTH. xvi. 24.

OUR blessed Saviour, in these words, hath proposed himself to us, as the Captain of our Salvation, made perfect through sufferings. And he, that wishes to come after him, must consider himself as the follower of a self-denying, suffering Saviour; a disciple, whose profession is signified by the Sign of the Cross; to which his whole character must be conformed, till the cross shall be exchanged for the crown.

But here you are to observe, that there is no necessity imposed, no compulsion; a proposal is made, which it is in our power to reject, if

we

« PreviousContinue »