Imatges de pàgina
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portant to others. Good intentions frequently follow bad conduct. When we feel that we have done wrong, that we have hurt the feelings of a parent or a friend who loves us by our unkindness, that we have injured another by our injustice or falsehood, that we have given any a right to be deeply displeased with us, that we have exposed ourselves to the displeasure of God, and are not only distressed on account of what we have done or neglected to do, but feel a desire to be more obedient and kind, and just and faithful in future, and propose to ourselves to be so, our minds are filled with good intentions. What is the amount of merit of this disposition towards goodness consequent upon our sorrow and penitence? Its chief value must be found in its not remaining a mere disposition, or inclination, or design, or purpose. In other words, if these good intentions are suffered to pass away from the mind, as the dream of the night passes away at the dawn of morning, and we make no effort to act agreeably to them, it is easily seen that they are of very small value indeed, and of little use or benefit

to us.

But are there no instances of good intentions which are not wrought out in the life, and yet may be regarded as morally valuable and meritorious? Undoubtedly there are such instances, and we may refer to one in the Old Testament, 1 Kings, viii, 18. Let us explain the reference. David was raised from a private station to the throne of Israel, as the successor to Saul, and he had many enemies to contend with-some even in his own family, over whom he triumphed, so that his dominions were large and his government established. We read some parts of his history with grief and wonder; but he was, nevertheless, a man of

warm and generous affection, of deep and fervent piety, and his gratitude to God for the numerous mercies he experienced at His hands, was strongly and beautifully expressed in those poetical compositions which are called the Psalms. He was very attentive to the public worship of Jehovah; appointed orders of priests for the regular performance of it; made many other regulations for the solemn and holy observance of the sabbath; and was desirous of erecting a temple for the worship of Jehovah, instead of the tabernacle which had been used for that purpose from the time of the journeyings of the Israelites in the wilderness. In the 17th Chap. of the 1st Chronicles, the intention of David is stated, and with the message sent to him from God by Nathan the prophet. It is an exceedingly interesting portion of sacred history-for the pious spirit in which David's design originated, and for the encouraging and gracious manner in which God was pleased to notice it. But the remark we wish to make upon it is, that the good intention of David was not permitted to be carried into effect. A great part of his reign had been spent in war, and it was more agreeable to the divine will that the prince, who would succeed him and enjoy a peaceful reign, should erect the proposed temple. We are told by this prince, Solomon, in the former passage, that the Lord had declared to David, his father, that he did well in that it was in his heart to build a house unto his name; and we have, therefore, in this portion of history, an instance of a good intention which was acceptable in the sight of God, and regarded by Him as equal in value to a moral act. The

circumstances themselves explain the reason. It was not a mere idle wish, or thought, of David, that he would erect a temple worthy the celebration of divine worship; it was his deliberate purpose or design, and he would have endeavoured to bring it to a successful end had he not been enjoined to leave the undertaking for the peaceful reign of his son and successor. And it must be further observed, that he did all that he was not expressly forbidden to do, towards the accomplishment of his intentions, "he prepared abundantly before his death."

It will not be just to compare the good intentions which are generally formed, with this of the Royal Psalmist, and to attribute to them equal merit, because he was divinely prevented from fulfilling it, whilst those are such as may be, and ought to be, carried into effect. What, we may ask, is their usual object? To lay aside some vice or crime; to be attentive to some particular duty. Good intentions are, indeed, greatly varied; but each individual forms them for himself according as he feels that he has been negligent or unkind, or unjust to his earthly connexions, or undutiful to his heavenly Friend; in all there is, therefore, a general resemblance, since they are all of a moral kind. And it must be observed, that there is a further likeness in them, which is, that they admit of being accomplished, of which every one is convinced at the moment that he forms them. Of course we leave out of the view all desires or schemes of usefulness, in the form of benevolence or any other virtue, the fulfilment of which circumstances render totally impossible. Such are the ardent pantings of the generous

mind, that longs to be among the first to spread joy and peace among the dwellings of the poor, but is denied the privilege of acting so distinguished a part in consequence of the poverty to which itself is subject. Such are the feelings that swell the bosom of him who would devote himself to his country's good, were he not bound by stern necessity to labour for himself. We do not call these strong feelings and wishes good intentions: they denote the disposition, and they are honorable to the bosom by which they are moved, but they must sleep there for ever in this world. The name only belongs to designs and purposes, which every one may accomplish, if he will apply himself with zeal and vigour to the undertaking. And of these we observe that the value depends entirely upon the use which is made of them.

Let us render the subject plain by an example. A child is cautioned by his parents to guard against a certain fault, the nature and consequences of which are explained to him, and he remembers for a time what they have said to him. He does avoid the fault. But he at length forgets himself, and is guilty of it. His parents are concerned at the change. They speak to him on the subject, remind him of their former counsels, express their sorrow for his weakness and disobedience, and with greater earnestness than before beseech him to be on his guard for the future. Unless his disposition be very unamiable and stubborn, it is easy to conceive the state of his mind. He is ashamed that he has not been guided by the advice of his parents, and that his conduct has been faulty. He grieves to think that he has given pain and sorrow to them by his miscon

duct; if he does not see so well as they the importance of what they advised him to observe, he is at the same time assured that they had the best reasons for giving him the advice he neglected; and whilst he penitently acknowledges that he has done wrong and obtains their pardon, he promises himself that he will not offend again in a similar manner. His mind is now occupied with good intentionsintentions of obedience to his parents, and of preserving himself from blame; and he is eager to carry them into effect, longing for the opportunity to arrive in which he may be able to say to himself,-" Parents! have I not steadily kept to my purpose?" But days pass on, and his feelings cool. The caution of his parents and his own intention gradually pass away from his mind; he falls into the thoughtlessness, so common to youth; when the trial comes he is taken by surprise, and again commits the fault. Would it be right to assign much merit to the child in such a case? Is he to be praised because he formed a good de-, sign, and did not carry it through? On the contrary, we should say that he was more culpable in the second instance than in the first; for he was more fully convinced of the propriety of what was recommended to him; he saw that it was of more importance in his parents' eyes than he had previously thought it to be, for the moment or the day his mind was more seriously set to the observance of it; and if he afterwards failed to comply with the wishes of his parents, and broke his own seriously-formed resolutions, he betrayed a greater degree of weakness and exposed himself to greater shame.

Is it usual for the husbandman to content himself with

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