decorum ; he has conformed to the standard which the society in which he hves has estabhshed ; and he has seen no great end of hfe, but to consult his own happiness, and to contri- bute liis quota to the haj)piness of those around him
Another has felt himself more at liberty, and has launched forth into a more Hcentious course, gratifying his every inclination, without any other restraint than that which worldly prudence
has imposed
Now, diverse as these habits are, they all present peculiar obstacles to the conversion of the soul. Pride of intellect, self-righteous conceit, love of the world, addictedness to sen- sual pleasure, all obstruct our way to heaven; and it is a miracle of mercy whenever any of them are overcome. Habit, of whatever kind it be, becomes a second nature ; and nothing but Omnipotence can effectually counteract it. When, there- fore, this is overcome, and an opposite habit is established in its stead, it gives a just occasion for every observer to remark, " Is Saul also among the prophets ?"]
4. From their connexions —
[It not unfrequently happens, that one in a family, sur- rounded by friends who are altogether adverse to religion, is brought to the knowledge of Christ, whilst all the others are left in darkness ; and is enabled to confess Christ, whilst all the others, in a way of solicitation or of menace, put forth their utmost efforts to prevent it. Amidst hatred, contempt, perse- cution, perhaps the weakest member of the family is enabled to maintain his ground, and to be faithful to his conscience and his God. In the circle in which he moved, it seemed ahnost impossible that divine grace should reach him : the darkness seemed almost impervious to light, or, at all events, the chains that bound liim, incapable of being loosed. But as God, in the case of Peter, cavised light to shine into the prison, and the fetters to be loosed, and the prisoner to come forth, so that the very people of God themselves, when they heard his voice, could not credit it; so have we seen, in divers j)laces, the power of God put forth, and " fr-om Caesar's household, yea, and from the very stones, as it were, children raised up to Abraham." These events, whensoever they occur, cannot but excite, in all the family of Christ, a grateful admiration, and a devout thanksgiving to Almighty God.]
But we may see in this proverb also,
II. A matter for prudential inquiry —
When we behold how delusive these appearances were in the instance of Saul ; and that afterwards, when he was in the very act of seeking to destroy
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