Page images
PDF
EPUB

against them. Do we find that Worldlymindedness, Covetoufnefs, or the Diftrust of God's Providence, is the prevailing Sin that enflaves us? Let us, in the forming Refolutions, have a special Regard to the fubduing that Vice. Are we by our Tempers inclined to Eafe, or Pleafure, or too free a Gratification of our fenfual Appetites? And this Humour of ours we find doth betray us into the great Inconveniencies of our Lives? Why, above all Things, we should take Care to keep a ftrict Guard over ourfelves as to that Point, and endeavour to work our Minds to the strongest Refolutions of a fevere Sobriety and Temperance. And fo in all other Things.

But this is not all I intend under this Confideration. Tho' it is fit, that in makeing up our Refolution, we fhould have a principal Regard to the leading predominant Sins of our Life, and thofe Infirmities of our Temper that do us moft Mischief, yet we must not neglect to provide against our other Sins and Weakneffes. And therefore it will not be amifs, when we are about this great Work, that we make it our Bufinefs to fearch, as particularly as we can, into all the feveral Heads and Branches of our Duty, both towards God, and towards our Neighbour, and towards ourfelves. And when we have done this, to call ourselves to account how we have performed it; what Part of it we have moft

moft notoriously omitted, and what Part of it we have tranfgreffed by notorious actual Sins; and then, accordingly as our Conscience gives in Evidence to us concerning thefe Matters, we are to take up particular Refolutions to be careful for the future, both to do those Things which we find we have hitherto been negligent in, and to avoid thofe Things wherein we have hitherto tranfgreffed. By obferving this Course, we fhall have done ourselves very great Service, whenever we come to bring our Refolutions into Action. For this is the best Method both to fecure our Performance of them, and alfo to perform them with the least Labour and Trouble. For by this Means, as we are especially fortified against thofe Enemies of ours that are most treacherous, and have most Power to do us Mischief (viz. the Sins of our Tempers and Conftitutions ;) fo alfo are we provided against every other Luft that make an Affault upon us, nor will it be in the Power of any of them eafily to furprize us.

4. Another Thing we are to obferve in the forming our Refolutions, is this; that we fhould not only refolve upon such and fuch particular Things to be done or to be avoided by us, but we should also confider how thofe Things are to be done or to be avoided. What are the propereft Methods and Expedients for the effecting of our Purposes, and to refolve upon them alfo. T 2

He

He who refolves upon the End, and pitcheth not upon the Means for the attaining that End, doth but half his Work. You find, it may be, that the great Sin of your Life is Intemperance, or that which we call too much Good-Fellowship; and you make moft ftrict and particular Refolutions to avoid that Sin for the future: If now you would take the right Course to have those Refolutions effectual, it will be fit you should enquire what are the great Occafions and Tempations that draw you into this Sin. After you have found them, examine further whether those Occafions and Temptations are of your own making, and fuch as you may eafily prevent or avoid, if you please, or whether they are unavoidably incident to your Bufiness or Calling, or the like. If they be of the former Sort, you must refolve quite to cut them off, or to keep out of the Way of them. It is an idle Thing to think of practising Sobriety and Temperance fo long as we encourage the Occafions, and throw ourselves into the Temptations that cause our Intemperance. But if we find that these Temptations are really fuch as we cannot avoid, but they lie in the Course of our neceffary Bufinefs and Employments, then we are to fecure ourselves against this Vice another Way; not by flying the Temptations, but by ftanding upon our Guard, which is done either by wholly

denying

denying our Appetites in what they defire, or by confining them to fuch precise Meafures of Meat and Drink, which they shall not exceed.And thus again. Is Anger, and Wrathfulness, and Impatience the great Sin we mean to fet ourselves againft? Why, it is not enough to refolve, I will not be angry, nothing fball put me into a Paffion; but we must likewife refolve thus, Such and fuck Things are very apt to provoke me, and put me out of Temper, and therefore I will keep out of the Way of them. Or, I find that it is the too fudden and free venting of my Mind when I am provoked, that blows me into those unfeemly Fits of Rage and Fury; and therefore, I am refolved, when the next Provocation is offered me, I will feal up my Lips for fome Time, and either Speak nothing at all, or fpeak mild and gentle Words.

Thus fhould we do as to every Inftance of our Duty we refolve upon, or every Sin we refolve againft: Inquire into the best Means and Expedients for the fecuring of the one, and mortifying the other, and put them into our Refolutions also.

5. But, in the laft Place, in the forming our Refolutions we must be mighty careful not to clog them with too many needlefs, uncommanded Things. What is abfolutely neceffary for the fecuring our Virtue and Obedience to God's Laws, it is fit fhould be very firmly and particularly resolved by us. But for other Things, tho' they may

T 3

may be fometimes very convenient, and may prove, if discreetly used, excellent Inftruments for the promoting Virtue and Goodness; yet, if they be no direct Parts of our Duty impofed upon us by God, or neceffarily required as Means for the performing that Duty, it will be very dangerous to tye them upon ourselves, especially for any long Time. Let no Man therefore, efpecially no young Beginner in Religion, cafily put more Impofitions upon himself, than God has put upon him. Let him not abridge himself of that Liberty which Chrift hath left him. If he bind himself to all that is barely needful to preferve his Innocence, and fecure the Performance of his Duty, it is enough for one in his Circumftances. But if he will make Refolutions, that he will, for Inftance, Spend Jo great a Portion of his Time in Prayers, that he will read fo much of a good Book every Day, that he will fast fo often, that he will wholly abstain from fuch and fuch particular Things that are not in themfelves evil; I fay, in my Opinion, he doth not act prudently in fo doing; for thefe kind of Things do generally prove a Snare to those who use them. They make the Work of Religion intolerably heavy and troublefome; and a Man, in a little Time, grows To weary of them, that he repents he ever bound up himself to them: and it is ten to one but in fome Humour or other he will

launch

« PreviousContinue »