Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-05-17
A LENTEN SERMON,
The Discourse n Century Old TINT wa. Read
i'm 1t. Johns Chupei.

a sermon, interesting both on account
IF It's merit and age, was read by the
Rev. S. II. Weston in St. johns Chapel.
III Narick street, at the morning service.
1t vas preached by Bishop Provost Il
hundred years ago III St. Georges
Church in this city. The original manu-
script was read from. The text is from
Proverbs, iv., 23 -''Keep thy heart with
all diligence, for ont os 1t are tl:c issues
OF life" From the N the following
extracts are taken:
by the heart is maniiostiy here
meant the soul or mind Of man, that
thinking principle which so em%lnently
Dist lguishes him from the rest Cf the
CREATION
SIT will DO a great spur to our dill
gcnce If we consider not only the dread
full consequence if our heart should
make a wrong choice, but also the many
Thousand temptations it viii meet with
to persuade it to do So"
Human laws consider vice chiefly as
it affects society, and consequently, if
they can but prevent its i'll consequences
i'll regard to that their design is III a
great measure answered.; but it is for
God, who knoweth the hearts, to lay
the restraint upon them and to prevent
not only the effects of sin, but the cause
of it Also"
"But perhaps it may be objected that,
after all u care, bad thoughts will
sometimes rise, cven in the best Of men,
and consequently such a purity as is en-
joined is impracticable. Ard the an.
swer Is short and easy-that DO thoughts
which are not consented to by the will
are to be accounted sinful; those only
are sinful which are voluntary"
but let not what I have here said for
the comfort of these poor wretches who
complain of i'll thoughts as their griey-
ance and are subject to them from a
natural lntirmity be wrested to the Sc
curity Of those who, in defiance of rea-
son and religion, incur them by neglect
or cfioice."
"In the flst place, then, to avoid evil
thoughts let us be sure to avoid idle
ness, the great inlet to them. However.
as the mind will be weakened by being
overstrained. nor can be duly exercised.
but it must how and then be relieved.
too, [ shall lay down as a second rule
for the good government of our thoughts
that we be very careful in the choice Of
our diversions"
I'm the third place, let us frequently
examine our heart; observe all the first
motives Of virtue or vice rising in us.
that we may the more effectually give an
encouragement to one and a check to the
ether"
"Fourthly, let us profit ourselves
what We can by reading and meditating
on the works of good men of all ages:
but especially let us be %conversant in the
Scriptures, these sacred treasures.
whence we may be provided with a sup
Fl; of ali our spiritual wants."
'Let us add to our own best endeay-
ors (Which alone can make our endcavors
etfectual and what are particularly suit
able to this solemn season Of lent cur
prayers to the Throne Of Grace. PRAYER
hath God and heaven for its objects, and
consequently sets the soul loose from
that attachment to the world by which
sin is too apt to insinuate itself. It is
almost impossible for o man TO prav
heartily against and yet yield TO a
temptation at the same time. A man
must either leave off his prayers or his
sins, for light and darkness, God and
mammon, can never unite together. Let
us then pray to God continually. fer
vently and faithfully, for SO only shall
ehall We pray etfectually."-Neu York
Hr0id.