19. Be regulated by a principle of duty in little things. This is the way that common christians are to cause their light to shine. Few christians can expect to do any great things to show their love for the Saviour, but all can “deny themselves, and thus daily take the cross and follow him.” Religion should govern the temper and the tongue; should save us from indolence, from vanity, from pride, from foolishness, from levity, from moroseness, from selfishness, and all the little every day foibles to which we are exposed. Religion should exemplify its gentleness in your kind and affable manners; its purity and propriety in your conversation; its benevolence in your conduct, and its consistency and heavenly tendency, in all your ways.
20. It is a most excellent method to go to some sincere and candid friend, and inquire what are your own defects in temper, character, and every day deportment, and when you have discovered these, make it the object of your prayers and efforts to correct them.
21. One thing ought to be strictly regulated by principle, and that is the employment of time. Always feel that you are doing wrong when your time is passing unprofitably. Have some regularity of method on this subject. Endeavour to ascertain how much time should be devoted to your friends and to relaxation, and to let the remainder be all of it employed in the most useful manner you can devise. Never be satisfied with the manner in which you are spending your time, if you can think of any possible way in which it might be more usefully employed.
Remember that time is the precious talent for which you must account to God; and if you find yourselves indulging in listless inactivity, or tempted to engage in employments of no practical use, remember your account to God. Be in a habit of inquiring when you commence any employment, “Is there any thing I can do, more useful than this?” And do not be satisfied till you have settled the question, that you are doing all the good you can.
22. Attempt by your efforts and example, to raise the standard of piety and activity. If all who are now commencing the Christian life, should make this an object, and not fall into the temptation which professed christians so often set before the lambs of the flock, the church would indeed soon rise before the world, “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.”
Resolve to be an example to those who ought to be an example to you, and take the bible, and the bible only, for your guide in forming christian character.
23. Be active in promoting all benevolent objects. Make it an object to prepare to lead with propriety in all social devotional duties. At this period, when prayer and effort must unite in hastening the great day of the Lord, let every young christian learn to guide the devotions of others, as well as to lift up his own private supplication. There is nothing which so much promotes the “brotherly love,” required in the bible, and nothing which so much promotes union of effort and interest, as social prayer: and every one who commences religious life, should aim to be prepared to perform such duties with propriety; and should stimulate others to engage in them.
24. Do not hesitate in the performance of all the external duties of a christian, because you do not find satisfactory evidence that your feelings are right.
Religious duty consists of two parts—feeling and action,—and because we find great deficiency in one respect, we surely ought not to neglect the whole. It is as unreasonable, as it would be, not to attempt to feel right till every external duty was perfectly performed. If we are dissatisfied with our evidence, let us go on and do every thing that a christian should do, as the most hopeful way to produce right feelings. We surely cannot hope to bring our hearts right by neglecting our outward duties.
Go forward then, and take a stand as an active christian, and if your hearts are not right with God, you may be sure you are in less danger in taking this course than in neglecting it.