THE CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE, AND FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE. The Cabinet. A NEW YEAR. How rapidly time flies! How fast eternity approaches! How solemn the circumstances in which we are placed! How great the work we have to do! May the Lord deeply affect our minds as we enter on this new period of time! O Lord, grant us the renewings of thy Holy Spirit! May we not carry the guilt of the past into the future, or remain unimproved by the discipline we have passed through! We may never see another New Year's Day! The decree may have gone forth, "This year thou shalt die." Before twelve months, our bodies may be laid beneath the sod, and all opportunities of usefulness be gone for ever. Let us, therefore, endeavour to improve the present, and seek grace for the future. Let us set our hearts upon living to purpose, that so, when we shall be called hence, we may leave proofs behind us that we have not lived in vain. A New Year's Day calls upon us to review the past. Can we do so without sorrow-without shame? Look at the duties we have neglected. The closet cries, "You have neglected me." The sanctuary cries, "You have neglected me." The Bible cries, "You have neglected me." The habitation, of the widow cries, "You have neglected me." The chamber of the sick cries, “You have neglected me." And to some the Sunday-school cries, "You have neglected me." How much more time might have been given to the Lord! How many more tracts we might have distributed! How many times we might have spoken of Jesus, and for Jesus, when we have not! Oh, what opportunities of usefulness we have lost, and lost for ever! How much time, and especially Sabbath time, have we wasted in bed! How much property we have as good as wasted upon ourselves, which might have been consecrated to the Lord, or used for the comfort of his poor and needy ones! O Saviour! let thy blood wash out the long catalogue of our omissions and perversions! What sins we have committed during the past year! What levity has sometimes been displayed! What selfishness has been manifested! What violations of the law of love! How seldom have we been ruled by the words of Jesus, "Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets!" Seldom have we loved our neighbour with a love equal to that with which we love ourselves; or put on, 66 as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, gentleness, meekness, humbleness of mind, long-suffering.” We have not loved God with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength; and what is worse, if anything can be worse, we have not been affected by our sin, or heartily sorry for it. Oh, 1853, what charges canst thou bring against us! Oh, precious blood of Jesus! cleanse, cleanse us from them all! How wonderful the forbearance of our God! How marvellous his long-suffering towards us! But he has not only manifested forbearance, but LOVE,-tender, constant, everlasting love. And this morning, after all that is past, as believers in Jesus, he loves us with an infinite love. He rests in his love to us. He desires to be loved by us. He values our love. He is asking us, at the opening of this New Year, to love him. He speaks to us as children, and with paternal tenderness asks, "My son, give me thine heart." How wonderful, how astonishing is this! The High and Lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, asks for my heart,-my poor, depraved, polluted heart! O my God! take it, purify it, inhabit it, and use it for thine own glory and praise! A New Year will bring new trials. Every future step will be to us an untrodden step. We know not what is before us in particular, but we know in general, that in the world we must have tribulation, for it is through much tribulation that we must enter into the kingdom of God. Our faith must be tried. Will it hold fast the promise in the midst of the storm and tempest? Will it trust God in the dark and cloudy day? Will it give God |