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SERMON XX.

PROCRASTINATION.

LUKE, xiv. 18.

I PRAY THEE HAVE ME EXCUSED.

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OU find these words in the parable of the marriage feaft. The gofpel difpenfation is illuftrated by the parable of a certain king, who, in honour of his fon, made a great fupper, invited many guests, and fpared no coft for their entertainment. I fhall not tarry to examine the circumftances and application of the parable. The manner in which thofe, who were invited, treated the invitation, is obfervable. Upon different pretences, one, and another, and a third defired that their present acceptance of the honourable invitation might be dispensed with.

The gospel offers are full of grace and condescension : They are made with divine fincerity to all. All are in.vited to partake of the unfearchable riches of Christ. The promises in him are "exceeding great and pre"cious. Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, nor have "entered into the heart of man the things prepared "for those who" cordially embrace the invitation of the gospel.

The children of difobedience, helpless and perifhing, are inclined to excuse themselves, at least for the prefent, from accepting this grace. Be astonished, Ō ye heavens, at this! and give ear, O, earth!

PROCRASTINATION being the fubject which lies before us, we will confider, first, the propensity in man

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kind to poftpone the greatest of all concerns, the care of their fouls.

Secondly, The true character of procrastination, apparent in the excufes for it; and the great inconfiftency and danger of this character.

FIRST, Of the propensity to procraftinate in the greateft of all concerns, the care of the foul.

Examples in abundance, in all times, under every difpenfation of grace, bear witness to this truth. The indulgence of a falfe hope, though it indicates much the fame temper, does not come under the head of procraftination. Sinners poftpone, because they prefume upon a more convenient feafon. They cherish the hope of the bypocrite, because they prefume that God is altogether fuch an one as themselves. The inclination to poftpone religion, or to lower the terms, alike argues a mean thought of it. Nor is it easy to fay who finks it moft-he who will not give immediate attention to it; or he who accommodates it to his paffions, undertaking to reconcile it to his own iniquity. But we are now concerned with the former.

Confidering the worth of the foul, and the greatness of the falvation offered in the gofpel, we might be ready to suppose that no rational creature could postpone religion. A multitude of inftances, however, would lead us to imagine, that, far from being the one thing needful, religion is a fmall thing comparativelythat there is no good reafon for the various injunctions, exhortations and admonitions of fcripture on this head. "Go, work to-day in my vineyard. To-day, "if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. "Exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day. "Now is the accepted time. Acquaint now thyfelf "with him, and be at peace. Yet a little while have "ye the light with you, walk while ye have the light, "left darkness come upon you-the night when no "man can work. Whatfoever thy hand findeth to "do, do it with thy might." The conduct of mankind

rejects this counfel of God. When they hear the call of the gospel, they are ready with their excuses, occupied as they are in purfuit of gain, or pleafures, or other things.

The propenfity to procraftinate being obvious, we proceed to examine the true character which it implies.

They who promife that they will, at a future time, apply their hearts to religion, and take pains to excuse their present delay, acknowledge that it justly claims their fupreme love, and is to be preferred to every other object. Admitting this, what can be faid for poftponing it? What can excufe an intelligent, accountable creature in poftponing the approbation of his God and his Redeemer? in acting from no principles worthy of the dignity of man? in limiting his views and pursuits, for the prefent, to earth and time? What one reafon is there to fupport the opinion, that there may be a better season than the present to attend to the fupreme concern of man? the greatest, most excellent, honourable and delightful work?

You reply, that it is peculiarly inconvenient in the days of youth. And you alledge, first, that it is a facrifice of the amusements and pleasures, to which there is then a strong attachment.

We have fhewn, on a former occasion,* that religion abridges you of no other pleasures than fuch as would be prejudicial to your health, reputation and worldly intereft-fuch as impair the real enjoyment of life. We have fhewn that it fupplies pleafures far fuperior to those which it forbids-that, if you will be the friends of it, you fhall Spend your years in pleasure-that the God, whom you obey and ferve, will grant the defires of your heart-that the preference of other pleasures, instead of bringing the fatisfaction wifhed for, is vanity and vexation of fpirit. To poftpone religion, therefore, is not the course to obtain and enjoy true pleas ure: It is a courfe which has a fure overbalance of for

* See Sermon xii.

row and pain. This excufe for procraftination must be given up. This objection to the early choice of religion is filenced.

You object, fecondly, that youthful days must be taken up in making provifion for an establishment in life.

The leaft reflection fhews that this excufe is as groundless as the other. Religion forbids no just bufinefs or enterprize. It forbids you not to form connections with others, in the business of this life, on the bafis of reciprocal advantage. Formed on any other bafis, it can be of no lafting benefit. Religion does not forbid you to provide, in youth and health, for age and fickness. Forbidding to marry is not the doctrine of Christ, but of devils. And he who provideth not for thofe of his own houfe, hath denied the faith, and is worfe than an infidel. The bleffing of the Lord maketh "rich, and he addeth no forrow with it." If so, you will have the best establishment in business and in a family ftate, by an humble acknowledgment of God and dependence upon him. Profperity, on any other ground, is a fnare, and has the worst aspect on your chief good. The divine bleffing on the employments and poffeffions, relations and comforts of life is certainly to be defired: You must needs be unhappy without it. Do not therefore imagine that a good establishment in business, or in the nearest human ties, can be confulted by poftponing religion.

Would you offer it as a reafon for procrastination, that your circumftances are straitened? There is more occafion for the principles of religion, left you should have recourfe to difhonourable, unjuft means to improve your circumftances. Would you improve them by fraud and unfaithfulness? If not, how are they to be improved by the poftponement of your duty to God? This teaches you to abide in your calling--to profecute your own bufinefs by juft and laudable ways and means. Truft him in well-doing, and verily you fhall be fed. The handful of meal fhall not waste, nor the cruife of oil fail.

Some may urge the preffure of many fecular cares as an excuse for procraftination. If these cares are multiplied, if riches increase, there cannot furely be less reafon for truft in God, or lefs need of his direction and help. Would you be overcharged with cares of this life, and abridge yourselves of its comforts? Would you be in ftraits amidft a fulness? Would you withhold from the poor, the widow and fatherless their defire? If not, then confide in him who giveth man discretion-who giveth liberally, and requireth that you be ready to diftribute. He alloweth you not to engage in more businefs than you can manage-to prosecute none beyond juft bounds: Either muft defeat your worldly views, deftroy the enjoyment of life, and interfere with your obligations to your nearest connections. By an intense purfuit of the profits of this world, men trouble their own house, and deny themselves the reft and refreshments which nature calls for. Religion admits and requires a reasonable, prudent care for this life: Any other muft, on the whole, be injurious to our worldly interest. And will you undertake to justify or excufe unreasonable, imprudent care? If not, then plead neither the narrowness of your outward means, on the one hand; nor the variety and hurry of your fecular affairs, on the other, as an apology for deferring religion. If you do not find time for religion in youth, will you find time for it in manhood, when the cares of the world ordinarily increase? the cares of a growing family, for inftance, and the service to which you may be called for your people? Many are the fnares which attend the entrance on life, and going abroad in the world, which require the early, commanding influence of virtuous principles. If religion claimed attention only as men may find leifure from other purfuits, then the plea of external circumftances, or fupernumerary cares, might be admitted. But those who promise themselves a future and more acceptable opportunity for the work of God, do not proceed

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