How easily and resignedly we take up our tasks when they are regular and fixed! There is restfulness and order, and even leisure, in a laborious life that is conducted on steadfast principles of regularity. But the man who is spasmodic, who waits for inclinations and feelings, and does one thing and another as it happens to attract his attention, accomplishes little, and that little is hard on him. "The lazy man," says Spurgeon, "is always in a hurry and always in a mess. He does not do what he ought to do at the time he ought to do it; and so he always has a debt of past duties to settle and is in no position to face the requirements of the present. Such a man does not know what leisure is." By a strange vengeance of law, he loses exactly what he desires to gain by his [276] procrastination and neglect and whimsical, spasmodic methods of work; instead of leisure, he "can find no time to do anything;" instead of peace and restfulness, he gets distraction and a heavier burden than God ever intended he should bear. What I say here applies with special force to spiritual life. The converts of Pentecost continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, in fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Theirs was a regular life. Emotion and enthusiasm they had (who could help it in those wonderful days?), but it issued in steadfast continuance in certain homely duties rather than in great spurts and excited spells of activity. So should the fires of enthusiasm be chained and conserved to furnish power for a steady pull, and not be puffed into one grand display of pyrotechnics. You gave a lump little sum of money in a burst of generosity? It was good, my brother, and God appreciates it, and he knows the love that prompted it. But better is a little given steadfastly in cool purpose and of principle than big sums given in occasional impulse. To give, to study, to pray, to work, in steadfast continuance will make you happier and more useful in the Lord's house.

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