never be the mother of really sound practice, and in these latter days,
distracting business to attend on." Remember Daniel - he had far more affairs on his hands, probably, than any of us, yet he found time to pray three times a day, and was a proverb for godliness.
Let us not say, "I stand alone, the times are evil, and none around me serve God." Remember Noah - the whole world was against him, yet he did not give way. By faith he held fast. Let us not say, "We live in families where God is not thought of." Remember Obadiah in Ahab's house, and Nero's servants at Rome. What are our difficulties compared with theirs? Let us not say, "We are poor and unlearned." Remember Peter and John. They were as poor and unlearned as any of us, yet they were pillars of the early Church; they were of the number of those who turned the world upside down.
No! Brethren, such excuses for not being more holy will never do, while grace may be had. Let us say rather, "We are slothful, and take no trouble - we are unbelieving, and make no bold attempt - we are worldly, and our eyes are too dim to see the beauty of holiness - we are proud, and we cannot humble ourselves to take pains." Let us say this, and we shall more likely speak the truth.
There are always ways in which we may glorify God - there are passive graces as well as active graces. But the way of the slothful is always a hedge of thorns. The wall of Jerusalem was soon built when the Jews had "a mind to work." We complain of the devil, but there is no devil after all like our own hearts! We have not grace because we do not ask it. The fault is all our own.
4. Let us be on our guard against false doctrine. Unsound faith will never be the mother of really sound practice, and in these latter days, departures from the faith abound. See then that your loins be girt about with truth, and be very jealous of receiving anything which cannot be proved by the Bible. Do not think for a moment that false doctrine will meet you face to face, saying, "I am false doctrine, and I want to come into your heart." Satan does not go to work in that way. He dresses up false doctrine like Jezebel - he paints her face and