Hard Beginnings

“Some beginners are discouraged in their first attempts at a godly life, and so give over through despondency. They shotdd remetnber that the bid lock is most unridy at the first yoking, ajtd that the fire at first kindling casts forth most sniokeP They forget this, and therefore are tempted to give over religion and its graces as hopeless. When a man is new to the ways of God those duties are difficult which afterwards become easy. Use, in common life, is called second nature, and in gracious matters it helps our second nature. Gracious habit gives impetus to gracious action. Self-denials, which seem hard at first, become delights in due

3, season, so that we even wonder that we thought them denials. Some things there are which are most easy in our first days of grace, but other things will be found to improve as we proceed upon the way: let not the young beginner be discouraged, but fully believe that “it is better on before.” We have heard persons talk of the days of childhood as the happiest in mortal life, but we do not agree with them: the sorrows of childhood take a very intense possession of the little ones, and in their grief everything seems lost, whereas the full-grown mind is divided in sorrow, and other considerations come in to temper the wind of trouble. Even so, childhood in grace is by no means our best time; for its trials, though less in themselves, are greater to our weakness and rawness of mind. The yoke will be easier soon, and the fire will yet burn with a clearer blaze.

Lord, help thy babe. Nurse me into vigour by thy good Spirit.