Page:Sermons on the Ten Commandments.djvu/87

 thus gifted with states of sanctity, even though he be ignorant of it, which states are preserved by the Lord for his use in eternal life." Now, let the man who can do without all these advantages—stay at home on the Sabbath and read his book, or walk abroad into the fields and "commune with nature," as it is termed. He will reap the consequences in the next life and to eternity. Even though he may be, on the whole, a good man, and be saved at last, yet he will suffer the consequences of breaking this Commandment, as long as he lives, that is, forever. "He," says the Scripture, "that breaks one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." Even though he should reach heaven, he will not reach that elevated place in heaven which he might have attained, had he attended regularly a place of worship on the Sabbath-day, and thereby acquired heavenly knowledges, and received from the Lord states of sanctity, which might have been laid up for his use in the next life. The man, who, in his pride of self-sufficiency, imagines himself independent of the benefits of public worship, may be assured that in such a state of mind he is far from the Lord: "the Lord knoweth the proud afar off." And, unless he humble himself, pray to the Lord for forgiveness for his sin, and make amends by returning to the path of duty, while he is still in health and strength, he will doubtless have to pass through states of severe vastation hereafter, even though he be eventually saved.