112 NECESSIT"X OF DILIGENTLY hour of your death, will they either answer or relieve you ? Will they go along with you to the other world, and bribe the Judge, and bring you off clear, or pur- chase you a place among the blessed ? Why then did the rich man want a drop of water to cool his tongue ? Or, are the sweet morsels of present delight and honour of more worth than eternal rest ? And will they recompense the loss of that enduring treasure ? Can there be the least hope of any of these? Ah, vile deceitful world ! how oft have we heard thy most faithful servants at last complaining ; " Oh, the world bath deceived me, and undone me ! It flattered me in my prosperity, but now it turns me off in my necessity. If I had as faithfully served Christ, as I have served it, he would not have left me thus comfortless and hopeless." Thus they complain; and yet succeeding sinners will take no warning. l 3. As for the profane multitude, they will not be persuaded to be at so much pains for salvation, as to perform the common outward duties of religion. If they have the gospel preached in the town where they dwell, it may be they will give the hearing to it one part of the day, and stay at home the other ; or if the master come to the congregation, yet part of his family must stay at home. If they want the plain and powerful preaching of the gospel, how few are there in a whole town who will t ravel a mile or two to hear abroad ; though their will go many miles to the market for provisions for their bodies ! They know the scripture is the law of God, by which they must be acquitted or condemned in judgment ; and that the man is blessed who delights in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth meditate day and night : yet will they not be at pains to read a chapter once a day. If they carry a bible to church, and neglect it all the week, this is the most use they make of it. Though they. are commanded to pray without ceasing, and to pray always; yet they will neither pray con - stantly in their families, nor in secret. Though Daniel would rather be cast to the lions, than forbear praying three times a day in his house, where his enemies
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