V.

NEW OBEDIENCE, OR A LIFE CONFORMED IN ALL ITS PARTS TO THE WILL OF GOD.

2 COR. v. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature ;-old things are passed away,behold, all things are become new.

REFLECTION.

WHAT a blessed thing would it be, if I could now look back on the past portion of my life, with the conviction, that it had been even an approximation to that course of true obedience which I feel it to have been my duty to have run!

And cannot I then, with this conviction present to my mind, cannot I, henceforth, so order my conduct, as that the portion of it which is to come may be, to my future reflections, what the past

cannot be, but what I still perceive it would have been, the most blessed of all things to me if it had been? Have I not had sufficient experience of the misery and shame to which vice and folly lead,have I not had abundant opportunities of perceiving the weak and vulnerable parts of my own nature, and ought I not then now to profit by this experience, by directing my conduct aright during all that portion of my days which is yet to

come?

Is it not the purpose of all the exhortations, and examples, and doctrines, and hopes, and threatenings of the Gospel, to awaken men to this "newness of life,”—to induce them to put off the old man with his deeds,-to become regenerated,and thus to run their course in the light of the countenance of God?

Is it not one chief purpose of the beautiful solemnity for which I am now preparing, to awaken and strengthen this resolution,-to incline me to renew my baptismal engagement, and to offer me the promise of forgiving mercy, if I henceforth study to keep in all things clean hands and a pure heart?

Have not other men been thus awakened to a

new course of life,—and, influenced by solemn reflections on the misery of sin,-or animated by tender apprehensions of the mercy of God,―or awed by fearful anticipations of what may follow a life of crime in future and more enduring scenes, -have they not started as from a new point of their course, and at last finished their race with joy?

Has not God promised his Holy Spirit to those who thus earnestly seek to co-operate with him,— and am I not certain, therefore, that, if I am in earnest thus to distinguish myself as a servant of God, my hopes and my endeavours shall not be left unfulfilled?

Let me, then, now humbly implore the assistance of the promised Spirit, who alone can work in me to will and to do that which is well-pleasing in the sight of God.

PRAYER.

"O Lord, create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. Search me, O God, and try my heart, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

I, indeed, am encompassed with infirmity—and many secret sources of error, of folly, and of crime, make part of my nature, and are continually leading me into misery and shame ;—but yet, O Lord, thou canst " give strength unto the feeble, and to those that have no might thou canst increase strength,"—so that " they shall run and not be weary,-they shall walk and not faint.”

O" guide me by thy counsel, and lead me by thy good Spirit into the land of uprightness." Lord, help me to understand and to resist my besetting sins;-and by those secret influences which thou hast promised, and which thou art constantly dispensing to those that put their trust in thee, do thou so cleanse my heart from evil affections, and free my understanding from fatal delusions, that the temper of my spirit may be, in some measure, right before thee, and that I may run without fainting" in the way of thy commandments.”

And, oh! good Lord, lead me not into temptation;-especially keep me from falling into any of those great temptations which the weakness of humanity is not able to resist,—but rather, O God, so order all my goings, that the course of events

may be a mean of carrying me forward to greater perfection in the task assigned me.

And thus, O God, may I be enabled to avoid, during my future days, the delusions that have led me astray during the former portions of my life;—and at last, when I am about to bid adieu to time, may I be enabled to look back on the world I am leaving, and all its interests, and to say,-"Now am I ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand,—I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course,-I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of life, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me at that day,—and not to me only, but to all them, also, that love his appearing."

Lord, it is in thy promised grace, and good Spirit alone, that I trust. Be it unto me according to thy word, for my Redeemer's sake. Amen.