DENY ME BEFORE MEN, HIM WILL I ALSO DENY BEFORE MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.' *

A deceitful and corrupt heart is ever ready to furnish us with excuses for the neglect of duty; and is especially fertile in producing very specious and plausible ones to quiet the consciences of those nominal Christians who absent themselves from the Lord's table. But are they such excuses as the Master of the feast will admit? Such as God will approve? Such as will stand valid in the day when the secrets of men shall be judged according to the principles of the gospel? Let us examine a few of them, and see whether they will abide the test even of the feeble trial to which we can subject them.

* St. Matt. x. 32.

14*

SECTION II.

An answer to those who plead the necessary

business

and social affections of life as their excuse.

In the parable of the man who made a great supper and bade many, in which our Lord illustrates the wickedness and folly of the Jews in rejecting the blessings of the gospel, the excuses offered by the guests who were first invited, are substantially the same with those which are offered in this day by persons who neglect the blessed sacrament of the Lord's supper. The "buying a farm, and wishing to see it;" the "purchasing of a yoke of oxen, and the necessity of trying them;" and the "marrying of a wife;" are but so many manifestations of that worldly spirit which is hostile to the service of God. And so there are many in our day, who plead their earthly connexions and attachments, or their engagedness in worldly business, as an excuse for neglecting the duties of religion.

But is this a plea which has any virtue in it? Can it stand before the scrutiny of reason? or, for one moment, abide the judgment of the great God? To give any validity to such an excuse, it must in the first place be proved, that the Divine Author of our holy religion has proscribed the indulgence of natural affection towards our wives and children, and other

friends, as inconsistent with love to himself; and required us to forego all engagements in the ordinary business of the world, as incompatible with works of piety and virtue. But is this the fact? Does he require his followers to be hermits and misanthropes? This unnatural requisition, has been made by some mistaken and superstitious devotees; but it is no less at variance with the genius and precepts of the gospel, than with the sensibilities and affections which its Divine Author has implanted in our bosoms. The love of kindred,-the exercise of domestic affections, and the faithful performance of all social duties, cannot be displeasing to Him who "wept" at the grave of Lazarus his "friend," and who, amidst the awful scene of the crucifixion, said with so much tenderness to his mother-"woman, behold thy son:" and to the disciple-"behold thy mother!" The exercise of love to our earthly friends, when regulated and restrained by the spirit of religion, and subordinated to the love of God, is an important part of the duty we have to perform. It is only those who permit it to transcend its appropriate limits, by loving father or mother, wife, or children, "more than Christ," who are pronounced to be unworthy of him.

The same general principle applies, in all its force, to the business of the world. Religion is designed to control our passions and regulate our conduct in the social state where Providence has placed us, and as inhabitants of a world where our wants can be

supplied only by a divine blessing upon our industry and exertions. It is, therefore, made our duty to be "diligent in business," no less than "fervent in spirit serving the Lord." We are permitted to use this world so as not to abuse it. And engagedness in any lawful and honest worldly occupation, becomes sinful, only when it is permitted to call forth our interest and engross our attention so supremely as to prevent our living like "strangers and pilgrims upon the earth," whose treasure is in heaven, and whose "affections are placed on those things which are above, where Jesus sitteth at the right hand of God."

In the estimation of those who are properly instructed as to what the Christian religion requires, the man who "begs to be excused" from attending the Lord's table on account of his engagement in the business and connexions of the world, virtually confesses, that he prefers earth to heaven, and is under the dominion of that "love of the world which is enmity against God." He desires to be excused, not only from attending the sacrament, but from exercising any of the affections and performing any of the duties of true religion. He begs to be excused from loving God supremely, from working out his salvation with fear and trembling, from setting his affections on spiritual and heavenly objects, and from doing any thing to serve and glorify that Holy and gracious One who laid down his life for the redemption of sinners.

Are there any of the readers of this volume who strive to pacify conscience and excuse themselves for a neglect of the duties of religion, by pleading the engrossing nature of their worldly engagements and earthly affections? Let them pause, and ask, will this excuse avail before God? When summoned to his bar, shall we dare to plead, "Lord, we were so much engrossed by the cares of business, that we had no time left for the works of piety! We were so engaged in providing for the wants of our perishing bodies, that we could bestow no attention upon the interests of our immortal souls! Our hearts were so filled with love to our earthly friends, that we had no room left in them for love to thee, the Father of our spirits; for gratitude and devotion to thee, the Redeemer and Sanctifier of our sinful nature!" Say, would any dare to plead thus, before the Judge of quick and dead? If any had the impious temerity to do it, what answer might they reasonably expect? Would not the Judge say to them, as in a voice of thunder, "ye have loved the world, and must perish with the world!" "I have called, but ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, but ye did not regard it; ye rejected all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I will therefore laugh at your calamity, and mock, now that your fear has come: ye shall eat the fruit of your own ways, and perish in your own devices!" You have, in time, trampled upon the offers of my love; you shall, through eternity, experience the severity of my wrath!