January 1

"On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle." Exodus 40:2.

AND why was this period chosen for the erection? God has always reasons for his conduct, but he does not always "give account of any of his matters." We may however make two remarks here. First, things that are the same to God, are not the same to us. Our goodness extendeth not to him: religion regards the exigences of man, and when these are subserved, its provisions will be needless. John saw no temple in the new Jerusalem. All places are alike to God; yet we never feel in a common dwelling the solemnity that seizes us in the sanctuary. The first day of the year was no more to God than any other, but it would render the service more memorable and impressive to the people. Therefore says he, "On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle." Secondly, it is well to begin a new year with some good work, and to commence serving God after a new manner.

And have we no tabernacle to set up on this first day of this first month?

Let us begin the year with solemn reflection, and say with Job, "When a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return." Let me not only believe this, but think of it, and feel the importance of the sentiment. Yes; in a little time I shall be no more seen. How, where shall I then be disposed of? The seasons will return as before, but the places that now know me will know me no more for ever. Will this be a curse, or a blessing? If I die in my sins, I shall return no more to my possessions and enjoyments, to the calls of mercy, to the throne of grace, to the house of prayer. If I die in the Lord, I shall—O, blessed impossibility—return no more to these thorns and briars, to this vain and wicked world, to this aching head, to this throbbing heart, to these temptations and troubles and sorrows and sins.

Let us begin the year with self-inspection, and say, with the chief butler, "I do remember my faults this day." We are prone to think of the failings of our fellow-creatures, and often imagine because we are free from their faults we are faultless. But we may have other faults, we may have worse; and while a mote is in our brother's eye, a beam may be in our own. Let us be open to conviction. Let us deal faithfully with our own hearts. Let us not compare ourselves with others, and especially the more vile of our fellow-creatures, but with our advantages, with our knowledge, with our professions, with the law of God.

Let us begin the year with a determination to abandon whatever appears sinful, and say, with Elihu, "If I have done iniquity, I will do no more." Should the evil course or the evil passion solicit, let it plead in vain while the Saviour-judge says, "If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

Begin the year with pious and personal dedication, and say, with David, "Lord, I am thine; save me." Through him who is the way, yield yourselves unto God. It is your reasonable service. He has infinite claims to you. You will never be truly your own till you are his.

Begin the year with relative religion; and if the worship of God has never been established in your family, now commence it, and say, with Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." A family without prayer is like a house without a roof. It is uncovered and exposed; and we know who has threatened to pour out his fury upon the families that call not upon his name.

Begin the year with fresh concern to be useful, and ask, with Saul of Tarsus, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Let me look at my condition, my resources, my opportunities. How can I glorify God and promote the welfare of my fellow-creatures? Is there not a Bible to circulate? Are there not missionaries to support? Are there none perishing for lack of knowledge that I can myself instruct? Have I no irreligious neighbors to reclaim? Are there no poor to relieve? No widows and fatherless to visit?

Begin the year with more conduct in the arrangement of your affairs, and resemble Ezra and his brethren, who "did according to the custom, as the duty of every day required." God has said, let every thing be done decently and in order. Much of your comfort will arise from regularity in your meals, in your devotions, in your callings; and your piety will be aided by it. Have a place to receive every thing, an end to simplify it, a rule to arrange it. Leave nothing for the morrow that ought to be discharged to-day. Sufficient for each period will be its own claims; and your mind ought to be always at liberty to attend to fresh engagements.

Finally, time—this short, this uncertain, this all-important time—upon every instant of which eternity depends, will not allow of our trifling away any of its moments. Resolve therefore to redeem it. Gather up its fragments, that nothing be lost. Especially rescue it from needless sleep; and if you have hitherto accustomed yourself to the shameful indulgence of lying late in bed, begin the new year with the habit of early rising; by which you will promote your health and improvement of every kind, and live much longer than others in the same number of days, and say, with David, "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up."

And if this be your determination, the season will be the date of your happiness. God himself says, "From this day will I bless you."

"As thy days, so shall thy strength be." DEAL 35:25

DR. DODDRIDGE was one day walking much depressed, his very heart desolate within him. "But," says he, "passing a cottage-door open, I happened at that moment to hear a child reading, 'As thy days, so shall thy strength be.' The effect on my mind was indescribable. It was like life from the dead." Much is often done by a word; and many can say, with Watts,

"And when my spirit takes her fill At some good word of thine, Not warriors who divide the spoil Have joys compared with mine."

And what does this word say to us? "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." There is strength bodily. The continuance of this is a mercy. How soon, how easily, can it be crushed or reduced, so that we may be made to possess months of vanity, and endure wearisome nights, and feel every exertion a difficulty, and every duty a burden. But there is strength spiritual. This is very distinguishable from the former, and often found separate from it. The Lord does not always give his people a giant's arm, or an iron sinew; but his strength is made perfect in weakness. This is the strength here spoken of. For two purposes his people will find it necessary, service and suffering.

Every Christian has a course of duty common to him as a man. It is, to provide for his outward wants, and the support of his family. And this is done by labor, in which he is required not to be slothful. But there is a series of duties pertaining more immediately to him in his religious character. It is, to believe, to pray, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present evil world. The discharge of his high calling is sometimes expressed by a race, which he is to run with patience. Sometimes also by the life of a soldier. A soldier must not be effeminate, but endure hardness and fatigue. Even his preparations and exercises are often trying; how much more his actual services. And the Christian's enemies possess every thing that can render them formidable; and so fights he, not as one that beateth the air.

Suffering is commonly connected with service in the divine life. It was so invariably in the beginning of the gospel. Then it was deemed impossible for any one to live godly in Christ Jesus and not suffer persecution. Therefore no sooner was Paul converted, than he was told how great things he had to suffer. As real religion is always the same, some degree of the same opposition may be always looked for; and the hatred of the world will be shown as far as they have liberty to express it, and are not restrained by law, or the usages of civilized life. But when the Christian has rest from such trials as these, God can subserve their purpose by personal and relative afflictions, which are often severer than even the endurings of a martyr. They are called chastenings and rebukes, which he is neither to despise nor faint under. They have been the experience of all God's children from age to age. They are not wantonly inflicted; but there is a needs-be for them, of which their heavenly Father is the unerring judge; and who, as far as their education and welfare will allow, will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Now the prospect of all this, when he looks forward into life, is enough to awaken the Christian's anxiety; and nothing can effectually encourage him, but the discovery of strength equal to his exigences. And this he finds not in himself. The natural man has no sensibility of his weakness, because he is not earnestly engaged in those applications which require spiritual power. The Christian is. He knows that he is as destitute of strength as he is of righteousness. He feels himself entirely insufficient for all the duties and trials of the divine life. And the consciousness, instead of diminishing, grows with the experience of every day.

And he need not be afraid of this. Rather let him cherish it; for when he is weak, then is he strong. What he wants is provided and insured by the promise of a God who cannot lie, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." And "as we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of our God." His veracity has been attested by all his people, not one failing. And what says our own experience? "Year after year I have been travelling in an enemy's country, and carrying with me an evil heart, prone to depart from the living God. I have often said, I shall one day perish. But where am I this morning? Following hard after God, his right hand upholding me. My prayers have not been always lively and delightful; but I have looked again towards his holy temple, and, through many a benighted hour, I have waited for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning. I have had no might of my own, and have been often faint; but "he giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." This is my testimony to the praise of the glory of his grace; and at the beginning of another year, I thank God, and take courage:

"Here I raise mine Ebenezer; Hither, by thy help, I'm come; And I hope, by thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home."