Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/355

 face of  God. "She that  liveth  in  pleasures  is  dc while  she  is  living." (i Tim.  v.  6.)

I. A  third  came  to  Christ  and  offered  himself  to  follow Him;  but  begged  that  he  might  first  return  home and dispose  of  his  affairs,  and  take  leave  of  his  father and friends. " I  will  follow  Thee,  Lord,  but  let  me  first take  my  leave  of  them  that  are  at  my  house." (Luke ix. 6 1.)  This  request  was,  in  appearance,  very  reasonable, but  Christ  did  not  grant  it. Every dangerous  delay in the  service  of  God  ought  to  be  carefully  avoided. " Delay  not  to  be  converted  to  the  Lord,  and  defer  it not  from  day  to  day." (Ecclus. v.  8.)

II. Christ replies,  "  No  man  putting  his  hand  to  the plough  and  looking  back  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God." (Luke ix.  62.)  The  ploughman,  who  has  his  hands  on the  plough  and  looks  the  contrary  way,  is  incapable  of ploughing;  in  the  same  manner,  he  who  intends  to  be  a disciple  of  Christ,  and  turns  round  to  look  on  worldly affairs is  not  fit  to  preach  the  gospel. The ploughman must see  what  is  before  him,  so  must  Christ's  disciples, " forgetting  the  things  that  are  behind  and  stretching forth  to  those  that  are  before." (Phil. iii.  13.)

III. In this  reply  we  are  admonished  to  be  constant and persevering  in  the  service  of  God. "A holy  man continueth  in  wisdom  as  the  sun,  but  a  fool  is  changed as  the  moon." (Ecclus. xxvii.  12.)  Examine  yourself how constant  you  are  in  'your  good  purposes,  whether you retain  the  first  fervor  of  your  conversion,  or  such  as you  remember  you  have  felt  on  former  occasions. "Be