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increases his toil, and diminishes his power of despatch. Light-minded persons, when affectionately urged to the interesting and momentous exercises of devotion, not rarely plead in excuse the want of time, though every one sees they can find time enough to take their pleasure, and to talk nonsense; but in the case here supposed, the hour of prayer is invaded and engrossed by things, which to the individual appear absolutely necessary. A Christian may have urgent calls to set his hands and his heart to a worldly business of such kind, as can neither be avoided nor safely neglected; and it cannot be doubted, that in some peculiar circumstances, the season of devotion may be altered or deferred, without blame. But when a due guard is not kept on the time set apart for God, these encroachments are likely, to become so frequent, as to prove exceedingly injurious. The sacred inclosure is straightened more and more, till it is narrowed to a scanty space, which affords no room for the soul to expatiate with freedom and delight. Never think you can grow rich by robbing God; never, never allow yourself to suppose, that your shop will yield better returns than your closet.

2. The cares of the world encumber the soul, and render it indisposed to meditation and prayer.

The Greeks used to cast off their ornaments and long garments, when they started to run for the prize in the Olympic games; and the Christian must lay aside every weight, and the sin which most easily besets him, while he is prosecuting his race to obtain a crown of glory which fadeth not away. The Christian scholar may mind his books, and the Christian merchant his business; but if either the library or the warehouse engross the heart, devotion can have little place and less power there. It was wise in Mary to seize the opportunity, and sit at the Saviour's feet; but how sharp, and yet just, was the rebuke her sister received! "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her."

Men of science have proved, by repeated experiments, that they can produce ice in the sultry regions of the torrid zone; but no process has been discovered, capable of producing and maintaining spiritual warmth and a heavenly glow in the heart, while it is placed in close contact with the cold chilling elements of the world. We are commanded to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, believing the promise, that other things, as far as they are necessary, shall be added; and whenever this order is reversed, our best interests

suffer for it. The human mind cannot pursue two objects essentially different together, and that which has the preference possesses the heart. The learned Camden tells us, that Redwald, king of the Saxons, after he was baptized, set up in the same church one altar for Christ, and another for his heathen gods; it is thus that too many half Christians vainly try to join the worship of God and the service of Mammon, but it is impossible the attempt should ever succeed.

3. The cares of the world actually interrupt and spoil the exercises of meditation and prayer.

They secularize and desecrate the mind, at once tempting and deluding the imagination with glittering toys, and tainting and defiling the conscience with deep stains. "Let my prayer," says the Psalmist, "be set before thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." But if the fire be covered with masses of cold earth, and the sweet incense mixed with baneful herbs and poisons, the pure intense flame is half extinguished, the sacred perfume is spoiled, and the whole service, instead of being grateful, is offensive to God. If, then, you wish spiritual comforts, in approaching God, endeavour, as far as possible, to leave behind you all low secular cares. When the cells of memory are brim

ful of the world, the unhallowed contents are continually dropping into the stream of devotion; and though we cannot by our strongest. efforts entirely prevent this unseemly mixture, yet, according to the measure in which we imbibe the spirit of the world, in the same proportion will our prayers be debased and polluted. How often does the saint on his knees find, ere he is aware, that earthly objects have crept in between God and his own soul! The unhappy effect of the world intervening at such a season, is a sudden eclipse of that light and warmth which fill the heart with joy and gladness.

III. We shall give some directions, to assist in warding off the cares of the world.

1. Beware of embarking in too many secular

concerns.

My reader may reply,-But what is to be done, when the engagements of business grow out of each other like the branches of a tree, and are implicated like the thickening underwood of a forest? or what would you advise, when it is not covetousness, but kindness to our friends, whose importunities it is hard to resist?—I should say, lop off the branches, and cut down the underwood, lest the wholesome breeze and cheerful sun be excluded, to the

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injury of the nobler plant: refuse the requests of your friends at the hazard of displeasing them, rather than rob God, and wrong your own soul. He that undertakes more than he can well perform, falls into embarrassment, and has the mortification to perceive, that he can neither recede with honour, nor go on with comfort; perplexed and involved, his whole course is full of shifts and expedients. It is an affecting sight to behold a man in this condition, who daily adds to his bonds and burdens, and who, if for a moment he seems at liberty, is almost immediately entangled anew, and so struggles on in the trammels of the world, and at last dies, in the harness. To abridge the time consecrated to secret devotion, that we may lavish it upon secular business, is at once to weaken our defence, and increase the strength and the assaults of the enemy. The persecutors prevailed upon Origen to bow to their idols, as the condition of saving his life; and this eminent father of the church afterward confessed, on that unhappy day he went forth unarmed, having neglected secret prayer. Beware, therefore, that you do not tempt the enemy to tempt you. The anxiety, which multiplying engagements of business produce, takes away the spirit of devotion. The loadstone is said to lose its virtue, when besmeared with certain vegetables; so prayer is deprived of its

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