Seven sober, practical resolutions left by an eminent servant of Chrst, John Caspar Christian Lavater, of Zurich, Switzerland
I will never, either in the morning or evening, proceed to any business, until I have first retired, at least for a few moments, to a private place, and implored God for his assistance and blessing.
I will neither do nor undertake any thing which I would abstain from doing if Jesus Christ were standing visibly before me, nor any of which I think it possible that I shall repent in the uncertain hour of my certain death. I will, with the divine aid, accustom myself to do everything without exception in the name of Jesus Christ, and as his disciple I will sigh to God continually for the Holy Ghost to preserve myself in a constant disposition for prayer.
Every day shall be distinguished by at least one particular work of love.
Every day I will be especially attentive to promote the benefit and advantage of my own family in particular.
I will never eat or drink so much as shall occasion to me the least inconvenience or hindrance to my business. Wherever I go, I will first pray to God that I may commit no sin there, but be the cause of some good.
I will never lie down to sleep without praying, nor, when I am in health, sleep longer than eight hours at most.
I will every evening examine my conscience through the day by these rules, and faithfully note down in my journal how often I offend against them.
Let all beginning a religious life expect sore trials. Satan is always most busy with those who are struggling to escape from his dominion. Men see their own want of heart, and Satan would persuade them that all religion is hypocrisy.
All bad company is dangerous.
Man knows the beginning of sin, but who bounds the issues thereof? It is easy to do mischief, but who can undo it? To sin is natural, but to escape from it requires atoning blood, and the supernatural agency of God's Spirit.
W.S. Plumer |
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