they bear to spend an eternity in those employments for which they have no relish ? would not their exercises be an irksome task, and an intolerable burthen ? Could they have sweet communion with the glorified saints when they differ so widely from them ? Would they not rather be so condemned in their consciences as even to wish themselves out of their society ? Surely a wavering professor of religion is alike unfit for the church militant, and the church triumphant.]
Address —
1. Those who never put their hands to the plough —
[How many are there who never set themselves in earnest to do the will of God, or even take pains to inquire what the will of God is ! But such will comfort themselves with the reflection, that they are neither hypocrites nor apostates. Alas ! how poor a consolation is this! Be it so; you have never made any profession of religion at all : but is that a ground of satis- faction and boasting ? What must you say, but this ? " Here is one, who has cast off all allegiance to his Maker, and lives without God in the world." Ah! glory not in such a distinc- tion as this : for, whoever ye be, God has assigned you a work to do, and will call you to give an account of your talent: and if you have hid it in a napkin, he will " cast you, as an unpro- fitable servant, into outer darkness." May God open your eyes, and interest you in his service ere it be too late !]
2. To those who, having put their hands to the plough, are disposed to look back —
[We are apt to think lightly of secret declensions, if we do not openly apostatize from the truth. But what was it that rendered Lot's wife such an object of God's displeasure ? Did she go back to Sodom, or refuse to proceed with the angel to the destined place of safety ? No ; she looked back, and thereby shewed, that her heart was not thoroughly weaned from the things which she had left behind : and on this account it was, that she was instantly transformed into a pillar of salt, and made a monument of God's wrath and indignation to all succeeding agesd. To impress this instructive lesson on our minds, our Lord bids us " remember Lot's wifee:" and it will be well to bear her ever in our minds, since, if we turn back, it will be unto perdition f; and our last end will be worse than the beginning K We must endure to the end if ever we would be saved h.]
3. To those who are determined, through grace, to persevere in their work —
d Gen. xix. 26 e Luke xvii. 32. f Heb. x. 38, 39.
s 2 Pet. ii. 20. h Matt. xxiv. 13.