[This command of A.lmiglity God is not to be trifled witli. Let none presume to withstand it, or to delay their obedience to it : for if we obey it not, we never can behold his face in peace'". Attend to it then; and see that ye obey it in truth. Give not to your God and Saviour a divided heart ; for such an offering he will not accept : but give yourselves wholly to him ; and so shall that promise be fulfilled to you ; " I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."]
'» 1 Cor. xvi. 22.
Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. If thou forbear to deliver them tliat are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain ; if thou sayest, Behold, we knew it 7iut ; doth not he that ^ion- dereth the heart consider it ? and' he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he kfioiv it ? j4nd shall 7iot he render to every man according to his tvorks ?
OFFICIAL influence is a valuable talent : but to use it aright is often very difficult, and painful to the feelings. Hence those who are possessed of it, are apt to shrink back, when the exercise of it is likely to involve them in much trouble ; and they will connive at abuses, which they cannot easily prevent. For such connivance they have excuses ever ready at hand ; " They were not aware of the circumstances ;" or, " They thought their interposition would be to no purpose." But power and responsibility are inse- parable : and the magistrate who neglects his duty, must give an account of such neglect to God, and have his excuses weighed in the balance of the sanc- tuary. To succour the needy, and to relieve the oppressed, is a sacred duty, which no man can neglect, but at the peril of his soul : and to deceive ourselves with vain excuses is folly in the extreme.
We shall not however limit our views of this sub- ject to magistrates, but shall extend them generally to all those excuses which men make for their neglect of acknowledged duties ; and shall consider,
L The excuses by which men deceive their own souls —