Page images
PDF
EPUB

tion, if it be genuine and fincere, is fixed and immutable; and is apt to exprefs itself in fuch language as this: "I have in my fobereft thoughts made "choice of a virtuous courfe, and I "will stand to what I have done: if my refolution was good at firft, it is equally good now, and therefore nothing fhall move me to break it: I "forefee that I fhall be tempted again

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

to the commiffion of fuch or fuch a "fin: my own lufts may prompt me to "it, or I may be follicited by wicked "men,or inftigated by the devil himself; nay, perhaps they may all combine together to urge me on: but withal, "I know that tho they can tempt, yet

[ocr errors]

they cannot force me: and therefore "here I refolve that, let the temptation "be ever fo ftrong, I will not comply "with it. I bid an eternal adieu to all "finful pleasures, and will never taste "of them more. And as I will for "ever abstain from all vice, fo I will "be constant in the practice of all virtue my goodness fhall not be as a morning cloud, nor go away as the "early dew, but shall run through all "the periods of my life. I will not perform religious duties one day, and

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

neglect

"neglect them another; but the fame " which I have done to-day, I will do

[ocr errors]

to-morrow, and I will ftrive to do "them better." Thus Thus peremptory and unmoveable is a good man in his holy refolutions; which he renews from time to time till they grow habitual, and become the very temper of his foul.

3. Another property of religious refolution is, that it refpects the time prefent, and admits of no delay. There are fome perfons who refolve to forfake their fins, and to enter upon a religious course fome time or other before they die, but they care not to do it at present. They are willing to enjoy the pleafures of fin a little longer, before they take their final leave of them. Being now young and healthy, they fondly hope that they have many years to live, and that they fhall be better difposed to religion in a more advanced age than they are now, because then their paffions will be more moderate, and their judgments more mature. They vainly think, that meditations upon religion are better fuited to a time of fickness and adverfity than to a time of health and profperity: "'Tis time e"nough, fay they, to be grave and se"rious, when dull and melancholy

"fcenes

"scenes present themselves to us. "Tis "time enough to prepare for death "when we come within the view of " it; but now whilft every thing a"round us looks gay and fmiling, let

us give a loose to joy, and take our "fill of fenfual pleasures; but let us not anticipate our forrows, or terrify ourselves with the apprehen "fion of an evil, which, in all proba"bility, is at a great distance from

" us.

Thus do the generality of men banish ferious thoughts from their minds, and defer the great concern of life till the laft fcene of it. But it is otherwife with a true penitent. He refolves to break off his fins immediately, and apply. himself to the business of religion without delay. This is the language of his foul: "I have trifled too long already "in a matter of the higheft import

ance: therefore I am determined not "to lose any more time, but will im"mediately return to God and my duty. "If it is expedient for me to repent at "all, it is expedient for me to repent "now and the fame reasons which "should induce me to reform at any "time, are as cogent to perfuade me

" to

<< to reform at this time. Vice is the "fame odious and deformed, and vir"tue the fame beautiful and amiable

[ocr errors]

thing now, as it will be hereafter; " and there is the fame connexion between vice and mifery, between virtue and happiness. 'Tis vain to think, "that I shall be better difpofed to for"fake my fins, or to perform the du"ties of religion hereafter, than I am "at prefent: for my lufts will but

[ocr errors]

grow stronger by age; and by a long "neglect of the duties of religion they "will grow but the more formidable and difficult, and I fhall contract the greater diftaste of and averfion to "them. Befides; it is abfurd for me "to reckon upon futurity, for I am not fure of a moment to come. I

[ocr errors]

enjoy a precarious existence at the pleasure of the Almighty and, for "aught I know, the time may be just "at hand, when he fhall call me out "of this ftate of trial into a state of

[ocr errors]

recompence; and then there will be "no place for repentance. Upon these "accounts therefore I refolve from this moment to abandon all the vices " which I have formerly indulged my"self in, and will forthwith apply my

P

"felf

"felf to the practice of univerfal "virtue."

[ocr errors]

4. The last property of religious refolution, is, that it is univerfal, and refpects all God's commandments. There are fome perfons who make a refolution of abstaining from fome fins, to which they are leaft addicted by their natural temper, or leaft tempted from without; and of performing fome duties which are most eafy and agreeable to them: but as for thofe fins to which they have a strong propenfity by nature, and to which they are moft vigorously tempted by external things, these they 'cannot find in their hearts to renounce; heither can they be prevailed upon to practise those duties which are moft irksome and painful to them. As for example: a man may be naturally of a meek and quiet fpirit, and fo no wonder if he refolves not to fly out into a paffion upon a provocation, but to maintain his wonted calmnefs and fedatenefs of temper; and yet at the fame time, being of a covetous and worldly difpofition, he may be unjust in his dealings, and unmerciful to the poor: and, on the other hand, a man who is -led by his natural temper to acts of juf

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »