Serm. CX of Holy 4Zefàlution. 77 my hand, yet do I not forget thy Lam; not the fnares of wicked men that were laid for him, v. I Io. The wicked have laid a fnare for me, yet I erred not from thy precepts. By virtue of this Refolution he could rife up in defiance of all thofe that would have tempted him to any finful a&ion, v. its. Depart from me ye evil doers, for Iwill keep the Commandments of my God. When a Man is thus refolved upon a holy Courfe, he is not eaily diverted from it,and isable to refill the importunity and flatteryof Temptations, and to fay to them, as men are wont to do, when they are fully and firmly refolved upon any thing; Let me alone, I am not to be moved, it is in vain to urge me, I am refolved to the contrary. Thus fliff and refolute mencan'be in other Cafes, where there is not near that Caufe and Reafon for it : and if we would but take up a generous Refolution to break offour Sins, and to live better Lives, this would be the way toconquer thatliltlefnefs and unwillingnefs, which hinders us from engaging in a good Courfe, and is thecaufe of fo many lame exudes and unreafonable delays. It is the want of Refolution, and the weaknefs of our Refolurions, which is the true Reafon why we are not more equal and conftant and uniform in the ways of Religion ; but are religious only by fits and (tarts, in a heat, and during force prefent Trouble and Convi&ion of Mind. The double minded Man is unfiable, Pays St. James, in all his ways. When a Man is of feveral Minds, he is eafily moved oneway or other. 6. And lafily, Confider the infinite danger of remaining unrefolved. The evil day may overtakeyou, while you are deliberating whether you fhould avoid it or not. A Rate ofSin is liable to fo many hazards, hath fo many dangers continu- ally threatningit, and hanging over it, that it is the moll imprudent thing in the world to linger in it. It is like Lot's flaying in Sodom when the Lord was go- ing to deftroy it, when Fire and Brimflone were juft ready to be rained down fromHeaven upon it. Whilst men are lingring in a finful (late, if the Lord be not merciful to them, they will be confumed. Therefore it concerns thee Sinner, to determine thy felf fpeedily, and to make halle out of this dangerous Conditi- on, to efcape for thy Life, leftfume evil overtake thee, and left Death finding thee un- refolved, determine thy cafe for thee, and put it out of all doubt, and pall all remedy. How many have been cut off in their Irrefolution ? And becaufe they would not determine what to do, God hathconcluded their cafe for them, and fworn in his wrath, that they fhould not enter into his reft. It may be thoupromifell thy felf the fpáce of many years to refolve in : Thou foal, this night thyfoul may be required of thee, and whilft thou art unrefolved what to do, God is refolving what todo with thee, and putting a period to his Patience and long expo&ation ofthy Re- pentance : and thou knowell not how foon God may do this, and make an im- mutable Determination concerning thee. And wo unto thee, when God hath refolved thus. Suppofe thou fhouldfl be fnatched out of the World, and hurried before the dreadful Tribunal of God, in this doubtful and unrefolved hate. And this is pofüble enough ; becaufe thou haft nocertain tenure of thy Life, thou art at no time fecured from the flroke of Death : Nay it is probable enough; becaufe thou art every moment liable to ten thoufand accidents, any one of which may (nap in funder the threadof thy Life. And fuppofe this thould happen to thee, what doff thou imagine would become of thee? Wouldft not thou then with a thoufand times, that thou hadfl;refolved in time ? How glad wouldft thou then be, that it were po(fible for thee to retrieve and call backbut one of thofe days without number, which thou haft fo vainly trifled away, that thou mighteft refolve upon the things of thy peace! but thouwoul4eft not do it in that thy day, which God afforded thee to this purpofe; thou haft le the opportunity flip out of thy hands, and it will never be in thy power again, but the things ofthy peace will be for ever hid from thine eyes. Why wilt thou then be fo foolish, as to run thy felf upon the evident hazard of lofing Heaven, and being miferable for ever? Why wilt thou make work for a fadderand longer Repentance, than that which thou dolt now fo carefully de- cline ?
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