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النشر الإلكتروني

The MORAL REFLECTION.

T. Paul tells us, we are furrounded with enemies, and at the fame time fhews us the way to overcome them. Be ftrong in our Lord, and in the power of his might: call upon heaven for affiftance by fervent prayer. Diffide in yourselves, confide in him; and put your truft in his strength, not in your own courage. Had St. Peter followed this counfel, he had never turned apoftate, nor denied the best of masters, by the worst of infidelities. But he prefumed on his own ftrength, and fo God would humble his pride, by fhewing him his weakness; and this is the fate of the prefumptuous, who fancy they are proof against temptation, and never afk God to protect them, without whofe affistance nothing can be expected but an overthrow.

I have found to my confufion, O God, that without thee, I am not only unable to do good, but even to refift evil. Feeble and unconftant as I am, I make refolutions to serve thee, and break them with more facility than I made them. What is the reafon, my God? But that I rely upon my own strength, and forget to implore thine? Dif cover to me the ambushes of my enemies, and makę me fo happy as to overcome them.

We wrestle not against flesh and blood; but against principalities, against powers: therefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to fand in the evil day. We are in a continual war with the devil, who, like a roaring lion, makes his rounds to devour us: his pride difcarded him of all right to happiness, and plunged him into eternal mifery. Envying our ftate, he employs all artifice to draw us into fin, that we may be partakers of his torments, His hatred is irreVOL. II. concileable,

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concileable, his ftrength great, his fnares infinite, his batteries continual: he knows our weak fide, and bribes our fenfes to betray our hearts. Therefore St. Paul's advice is neceffary; Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to ftand in the evil day; that you may come off with victory, when he attacks you.

He fets forth alfo what is this armour of God: above all, taking the field of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. The temptations to impurity are the most frequent, as well as the most dangerous: and the apostle tells us, faith is the beft defence against them. And did we but reflect on the eternal rewards God promises chastity, and the torments he threatens impurity; thefe thoughts would quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. They would keep us from a falling, waited on by a fhort pleafure, and followed by a long remorfe here, and an eternal punishment hereafter.

But alas our faith fleeps; we only confult fenfe, and prefent fatisfaction, and never reflect at how great a price we purchase it, viz. the lofs of our fouls and for this reafon, the vice is become epidemical; no age, no condition, no station, is free from this disorder. Against other precepts the tranfgreffion may be venial; but in matter of impurity, all with deliberate confent is mortal, all damnable. It not only depraves the will, but blinds the understanding, and renders a man infenfible to any thing, that is generous, or Chriftian. He expofes his reputation, prostitutes his honour, betrays his friends, ruins his eftate, to fatisfy this ungovernable paffion. It is not atheism, that leads to this fin, but this fin leads to atheism and herefy: no body doubts, fays St. Auftin, whether there be a God, but thofe for whom it would be expedient there were none. All herefies owe

their beginning or progrefs to this vice; it corrupted mens hearts, before error seized on their judgments, and the defire of liberty, not of truth, made fo many profelytes.

Few repent feriously of this fin; their frequent refolutions to leave it, and their conftant relapses into it, are a demonftration, it turns into nature, it ftupifies and inchants, and leaves just reason enough to damn us. Oh! who will not abhor a fin, fo black in itself, fo fatal in its effects? What watchfulness is not neceffary against an enemy, fo infinuating on the one fide, fo dangerous on the other? What guard ought we not to put upon our senses? Through these the poifon enters, to feize on the heart, and then the infection murthers our foul.

If you defire, dear Chriftians, to preserve pu-. rity, fly all occafions that may tarnish it; avoid romances, ftories of gallantry, and indecent pictures: let them be of never fo great value, your foul is more precious: caft them into the fire; it is better for you to burn them, than for them to burn you: fhun light drefs, fitter for the votaries of Venus, than of Jefus Chrift. Fly frequent vifits, especially private with different fex; where it fhines, fire will follow, and when paffion rifes, chastity is in danger.

O God of purity and juft revenger of fin! give me fuch a horror of this vice, that I may rather fuffer all things, than its tyranny. I tremble at my weakness, but thy affiftance encourages me; and continually ftanding on my guard, I hope thy hand will withdraw me from the precipice. How many millions has this impure fire. burnt here, who burn now, and will eternally, in flames of brimstone and fulphur? Some are loft for injuftice, fome for detraction; but this unfortunate fin makes a part of almoft every man's T 2

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condemnation. O Lord, remove from me intemperance, and fuffer not the fin of impurity to infect me.

GOSPEL of St. Matth. Chap. xviii. Verse

23. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king which would take account of his Servants.

24. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which ought him ten thousand

talents.

25. But forafmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be fold, and his wife and children, and all that be bad, and payment to be made.

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26. The fervant therefore fell down, and worShipped him, faying, Lord have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27. Then the lord of that fervant was moved with compaffion, and loofed him, and forgave him the debt.

28. But the fame fervant went out, and found one of his fellow-fervants, which ought him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, faying, Pay me that thou oweft.

29. And bis fellow-fervant fell down at his feet, and befought him, faying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

30. And he would not but went and caft him into prifon, till he should pay the debt.

31. So when his fellow-fervants faw what was done, they were very forry, and came and told un→ to their lord all that was done.

32. Then bis lord, after that he had called him, faid unto bim, O thou wicked fervant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou defiredft me:

33. Should

33. Should not thou also have had compaffion on thy fellow-fervant, even as I had pity on thee? 34. And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35. So likewife shall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

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The MORAL REFLECTION.

HIS paffage of St. Matthew fhews the infinite mercy of God, who is always ready to pardon our offences, on condition we pardon thofe our brethren commit against us without this, no pardon for us, no mercy it is a command, repeated in almost every chapter of the gofpel, to make impreffion upon us; and our falvation depends upon our compliance. So likewife fhall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trefpaffes. That is, we fhall be caft into prifon with the hard-hearted fervant, from which there is no release.

The precept is indeed hard to nature, but eafy to grace: the Jewish law went no farther than love your friends; but Chrift has extended it to our enemies; but I fay unto you, love your enemies; this precept is divine, as well as our religion, and both come immediately from God, and he has imposed the precept, not only for our perfection, but even for our fafeguard, and the prefervation of juftice. What is more against the law of equity, than for a particular to mount the tribunal, and fit judge in his own caufe? Self-love and intereft blind the most upright judgment, and pronounce in their own favour. You are offended; you will revenge the injury who gives you this foveraign authority? Both

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