Page:Sermons preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia.djvu/189

Rh exalted to the throne, and had the cares and perplexities pertaining to the charge of a kingdom; yet he, with a host of other ancient worthies, will put you to silence. They all, without exception, had stated hours to retire from the noise and bustle of secular business, to commune with God and their own hearts. "Evening, and morning, and at noon" says the Psalmist, "will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice." There are many who, so far from cultivating piety during the week, are found daringly to encroach upon the day consecrated to holiness and God—the day on which the Prince of life and glory triumphed over death, ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them"—this day is devoted by many to calculations of the loss and gain of business! O, what deep depravity, what shocking ingratitude is