it ; we have nothing to fear, though we live in the neglect of it V Yes : all our exhortations to serve God with your whole hearts are, by many, considered in no better view than as weak, though well-intentioned, effusions of a heated imagination.]
2. With calumny —
[Men who choose not to obey the calls of God will always revile those who do. They will impute their zeal to hypocrisy, or idleness, or conceit, and vanity. They will presume to judge the motives of religious people, with as much confidence as if they could see the heart. Pharaoh had certainly no reason to ascribe to idleness the request that had been made to him : yet with a malignant triumph he professes to have seen through their motives, which he was determined to counteract. So, at this time, the enemies of true religion will represent the pro- fessors of it as heretical and seditious, and the Ministers of it as people that " turn the world upside down."]
3. With oppression —
[It is happy for us that all possess not the power of Pha- raoh; and that the law has affixed bounds to the tyranny of man. Were it not so, we should still see, that the natural enmity of man against his God is as fierce as ever. Civilization has altered our habits, but made no change at all in our hearts. Husbands, parents, masters, in numberless instances, obstruct the progress of religion in the hearts of those over whom they have influence ; either requiring services that shall interfere with their religious duties, or laying snares to divert their attention from them. And when complaint is made by their injured de- pendents, they will shew no regard to their consciences, but will exult in tyrannizing over them with their imperious mandate.]
Address —
1. The opposers of true religion —
[Many who in themselves are serious and devout, are as bitter enemies to spiritual religion as the most abandoned pro- fligate can be. When the Jews wanted to expel Paid and Barnabas from Antioch, they could find no better, or more wining, agents than " devout and honourable women11." But it were better for any one to have a millstone about his neck, and to be cast into the sea, than to be found among the opposers of vital godliness0. " Their Redeemer is mighty ; " and he will avenge their cause. Instead therefore of setting yourselves against them, and calumniating them, inquire what is the reason that you yourselves are not religious. May not your own words be retorted upon you ; " Ye are idle, ye are idle ; therefore ye say, Let us not sacrifice unto the Lord ? " Yes ; it
n Acts xiii. 50. ° Matt, xviii. 6.