Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

trenched from the ordinary Hours of Sleep, to dedicate them to Prayer and Devotion; they refrained frequently from their ordinary Meals, that their bodies might be the better difpofed for fpiritual Exercifes. If they used thefe Means with fo great Succefs, why fhouldft not thou make the fame Experiment? If you are not able to reach the Height of their Example, imitate it ftill in fome Meafure: If you cannot entirely forbear a Meal, let the Quantity be lefs, and Quantity be not delicate. If Hours taken from thy ordinary Reft may disturb thee, furely one now and then can bring no great Prejudice to thee.

V. In cheerfully fuffering any Inconveniency you are expofed to. It is an Effect of the Goodnefs of God, that He gives us an Opportunity to exercise our Patience, whereby we may enhance our Reward. The Rigour of the Seafons, Cold, Heat, Hunger, Thirft, ill-Weather, Sicknefs, Wounds, Victuals ill dreffed, a Bed ill made, a difagreeable Smell, the Stinging of a Bee, and a thoufand other little Accidents that happen to us, give us a fair Opportunity to promote our Salvation, if we fuffer them patiently, without complaining

VI. Let no Difficulty difcourage you in this Work. No Man having put his Hand to the Plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God: And we muft never imitate thofe lazy and flothful Chriftians who

fink under this neceffary Work, and are terrified with the Pain and Trouble it gives them. Confider, 1. That nothing excellent is acquired without Pains: and that therefore no Virtue is to be obtained, except we strive for Maftery. 2. Often reflect, that the more Pains and Labour you beftow, the greater Glory you reap; that the Difficulty raifes the Merit of your Virtue, which is more or lefs acceptable, according to the Pains you take in procuring it. 3. What we perform but feldom, gives us moft Uneafinefs in the Dif charge of it. Let Mortification be familiar to you, and Exercife will make it much more eafy to you. 4. Never diftruft the Goodness of God; He who has difpofed your Mind to begin a good Work, will continue his divine Affiftance, in order to enable you to perfect it. 5. Turn your Eyes upon the crucified Jefus, who has fuffered fo much for you while you refufe to deny yourfelf for Him. Set before you the Example of fo many faithful Servants of God, who have practifed Mortification, and that in a very eminent Degree. 6. Think often of the Joys of Heaven, which you hope for; and of the Pains of Hell, which you endeavour to avoid; and of the Greatness and Multitude of your Sins; and then you can want no Encouragement to excite you to Mortification and Self-denial.

VII. Do not contrive Pretences to excufe yourself from it: Self-love is very ingenious

to

to give falfe Colours to our Neglect; and we are fo bent upon Pleafire, and fo averfe to the least suffering, that we readily catch at any Plea to excuse ourselves. If we are to faft, or exercise any other Act of Self-denial, we are apt to urge our own Weakness and the Inconvenience we may fuffer from it. If thefe Pleas were true, they would be reafonable; but very often they are but imaginary, and become great from our Averfion to give ourselves the leaft Difguft. At another Time, we plead our Circumftances, or our Company, or the Impoffibility of doing it, or fome other Reafon that may make it fit to dispense with ourselves. Yet really our Circumftances are no Hindrance, the Impoffibility is only pretended, and the Reafons are vain and triHling. The true Reafon is, our own Niceness and Love of Pleasure. In fhort, the Meafure of our Progrefs towards Chriftian Perfection must be taken from thofe Restraints we are able to lay upon ourselves, and from the Conqueft we get over all fenfual Defires.

CHAP.

CHAP. X.

FOR SATURDAY.

Chaftity.

THIS Virtue confifts in the due Government of thofe Appetites which God has planted in us for the propagating of Mankind, and which therefore must be confined within the Bounds of lawful Matrimony; fince any other Method of gratifying them, is contrary to that Purity which the Gospel enjoins; For this is the Will of God, even your Sanctification; that you should abstain from Fornication; that every one fhould know how to poffefs his Veffel in Sanctification and Honour; not in the Luft of Concupifcence, as the Gentiles which know not God; for God has not called us unto Uncleannefs, but unto Holiness. To the great Neglect of this Virtue, is owing much of that Scepticifm and Infidelity which prevails in the World; for if early Breaches of Innocence had not been Made by indulging finful Paffions, Mens' Minds would not be fo averfe from entertaining the Principles of Religion, founded in the true Reafon and Interest of Mankind: Befides, the Sinning against our own Bodies, as the Apostles calls it, expofes us, 1. To Trouble and Anxiety. If the unG

clean

1

clean Sinner has not entirely difcarded the Fear of God, all the good Principles and Maxims of a virtuous Education ftare him in` the Face; God's all-fearching Eye, from which nothing can be hid; a dreadful Judgment, which nothing can avert; a devouring Fire, which muft be his Portion to all Eternity; what Subjects of Horror and Confternation are thefe! But if he has ftifled the Checks of his Confcience, the Eye of Man muft ftill be fhunned and avoided; for as bad as the World is, Vice is not the current Stamp; Measures must be concerted, Opportunities must be fought for, our best Friends must be impofed upon, and every Minute we muft tremble for fear of being furprised and difcovered. The Fears of any young Perfon, feduced by this Paffion, are not to be expreffed, if there be but the least Remains of Modefty and Senfe of Honour; and the Anguifh of fome Peoples' Minds upon thefe Occafions, has arifen fo high, that they have made away with themfelves, to get rid of the Torment of it. What Pains and Diseases it brings upon the Body, are too apparent to be mentioned, and may convince the Sinner how dearly he purchases his forbidden Pleasure.

2. To Shame and Dishonour. And this not only upon the Account that it is a Violation of God's Law, and a Contempt of Him, who is the Fountain of true Honour, in which all other Vices agree with this; but moreover,

because

« EdellinenJatka »