will you barter away the sanctity of the Sabbath for five dollars!
Poor as you are, will you make sale of the ordinance of God for money?
For this is what you do in reality. Turn it and turn it whichever way
you will, it comes at last to this. Pause, then, and consider whether,
under such circumstances, and actuated by such principles, you can
class yourself with those who "esteem the law of God better to them
than thousands of gold and silver." Ps. cxix. 72. The true Christian
would rather impoverish himself to the last farthing than violate one
of God's precepts. "But the tavern was noisy and bustling." How came
you to put up at such a tavern? Those who _remember_ the Sabbath, and
are anxious to spend it to the glory of God, will carefully look out
and make their inquiries beforehand, and in most cases will not have
much difficulty in lodging themselves at a quiet place. But if through
circumstances beyond their own control, they are lodged in a place of
different character, their duty is to submit to it, and do the best
they can. Your enjoyment may not be so great; but what of that? Your
spiritual prosperity does not always depend on your enjoyment; nor
does God's glory depend upon it. God's glory depends upon your
obedience to his law, and so does your prosperity. It is a mistaken
notion that Christians are never in the way of duty but when they are
in the way of enjoyment. Besides, dare you prescribe terms to the
Almighty, and say you will obey him, provided he will grant you such
enjoyments and privileges as you want, otherwise you will not? How
daring the impiety! What if God lodged you at such a wicked place on
purpose that you might, by your conduct and your words, be a reproof
to the ungodly sinners that frequented there. Will you be ashamed of
your duty, and shrink from the trial? "He that is ashamed of me and of
my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed." Luke ix. 26.
Remember, my brother, God's law says, "Remember the Sabbath to keep it
holy." The exceptions which you make, God has not made.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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