33. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to goe with thee both into Prison and to death.
A Brave Resolution! For though he miscarried in the performance, yet, I doubt not, but he really spoke at this time what he thought! But how faint hast thou been in thy resolutions, O my Soul! How loth to resolve upon a Duty, that hath had some hardship in it! How loth to resolve upon leaving a sin, in which thy profit hath been wrapt up! How hast thou humm'd and haw'd, when thou hast been to declare thy resolu∣tion to suffer for righteousness sake! How hast thou been frighted at the smallest danger! Thou hast, may be, resolved to suppress Sin for the present, but not to re∣form it for the future! To clip the Luxurious branches, but not to pull up the evil Tree by the root! And what pitiful half-resolutions have these been! How un∣like St. Paul, who was ready, not only to suffer, but to dye also, at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus!