To have the understanding enlightened in regard to duty, and the
conscience so thoroughly awake as to make one feel uneasy in the
neglect of it, and yet to be surrounded with advisers, wearing the
name and title of Christians, who are continually urging farther
delay, is about as uncomfortable a position as a person of fervent
piety needs to be placed in. To rebuke such advisers in the
faithfulness of the gospel, and yet, at the same time, to behave
towards them with becoming meekness, is not the easiest thing in the
world. Nevertheless, the idea that we may postpone our obedience to
God for a little season, notwithstanding our convictions, is not to be
tolerated.
Suppose, for example, that a person becomes convinced, that it is his
duty to observe the Sabbath of the Bible--the seventh day of the week.
Forthwith he is assailed by his associates with the suggestion, that
he ought not to be in a hurry--that he ought to take plenty of time
for consideration, at least a year. Plausible as such advice is, we
offset it with a simple passage of Scripture. "I thought on my ways,
and turned my feet unto thy testimonies; I made haste, and delayed not
to keep thy commandments." Ps. 119:59, 60. Here the Psalmist
testifies, that he turned his feet to obedience, so soon as, by
thinking on his ways, he found that he was walking astray. He made no
delay about it; he did not go about to consult the wise men of the
nation; he did not examine the writings of the rabbis and doctors, to
see if there was not some way of getting round the duty, he _made
haste_ to render obedience. But, now-a-days, as soon as a person's
conscience begins to lash him for neglected duty, he is advised to be
very careful about running too hastily. Well, we would not wish one to
be _too_ hasty; but, on the other hand, it may be well to consider
whether there is not such a thing as being _too tardy_. Conviction of
duty is not to be trifled with. When any one does violence to his
conviction, he feels that he disobeys God; and such disobedience is
sure to be followed by disastrous results. The voice of conscience
grows more feeble, and (if the disobedience be persisted in) becomes,
at length, hushed in silence. It may continue to reprove with regard
to other duties, but with regard to that particular one which has been
made the object of willful neglect, it reproves no more. As a
necessary consequence, the soul suffers the loss of all those
blessings which obedience in that one thing would bring.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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