FOR THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

NEW YEAR'S DAY.

Mr. Editor,-At this season when the old year has departed and the new year is opening before us, by a kind of common consent, indeed by a sort of compulsion, both youth and age seem to experience an unusual share of joyous feeling. Care smooths his wrinkled front; the heavy heart, for the moment, forgets its sorrow; and a smile lights up almost every face. So far from being a season for serious reflection on the past, or of pious resolution for the future, this period, more perhaps than any other, is devoted to dissipation or trifled away in frivolity.

That gayety of spirit which now appears to exhilarate the heart, is certainly not unamiable in itself. At the occurrence of a New Year, to indulge in a measure of sprightly intercourse with our friends, somewhat greater than on ordinary occasions, can never, I think, be condemned with propriety. It is only the excess into which we are all prone to run, when in a state of excitement, which is to be censured and avoided. It is well known that excessive feasting and merry making on any occasion, not only defeat their own ends at the moment, but often lead the parties indulging in them, into gross sins, and sometimes into disputes and

VOL. III.—Ch. Adv.

rivalships which separate them for ever after.

I am far, Mr. Editor, from wishing to throw a shade of gloom over the minds of your readers at this fair and brief season of enjoyment. I must confess that my own mind is in a state of pleasurable emotion, at witnessing the scenes and occupations which are passing around me. I wish rather to direct this little stream of enjoyment into a safe channel, than to stop its course altogether. By the thoughtless, the fashionable and the dissolute, whatever I might say to check their intemperate mirth, would, I know, have little chance to be read and regarded. But to the calm and sober minded Christian I will offer a thought or two, on the pleasure to be derived from a recollection of the past, and an anticipation of the future.

Tracing in memory the various scenes and changes of the year which has past, the mind of the firm and enlightened believer may discover that which ought to brighten his mind with a degree of joy. Though clouds of darkness and sorrow may chequer the retrospect, still he must be conscious that another year has been passed in travelling that path which will terminate in immortal bliss-" in joy unspeakable and full of glory." The strong and delightful conviction will be impressed on his mind,

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"that his salvation is nearer than when he believed." He will recollect the holy warfare which he has often maintained with the foes of his spiritual peace, and in many instances, if not in all, that he has, in the conflict, been "more than a conqueror." In proportion as he can perceive that his affections, desires and passions, have been brought into sweet captivity to "the obedience of Christ," and that he has increased in grace and spiritual knowledge, as the year was passing over him, he will experience

and looking forward to the scenes and changes through which he will probably pass, every prospect is gilded with its beams; every occurrence he knows will be ordered by his heavenly Father; and he exclaims, "grant me thy grace, and if I live I will live unto Thee; if I die I will die unto Thee; living or dying I will be the Lord's."

In the prospect of living through the coming year, nothing, I verily believe, can give more pleasure to a pious mind, than to devise some new thing, for the glory of God and the good of mankind. In doing

stroy,

The soul's calm sunshine and the heartfelt joy."

In like manner, the true and consistent Christian, in looking forward to the future, will rejoice" for the hope which is laid up for him in heaven." This hope is the sure and steadfast anchor of his soul. "Its origin is the promise of God; his power is the guarantee of its continuance; his unchanging purpose and his everlasting love the pledges of its consummation." Christian hope can never be wholly extinguished

"But like the distant taper's light,
It marks and cheers his way;
And still, as darker grows the night,
Emits a brighter ray."

is

With the man of the world hope ever fluctuating, sometimes yielded to black despondency, and sometimes in the conflict to retain it, his spirit is pierced with most acute and painful sensations. "It seems," says one, "to sport with the terrors of the heart, and to deepen their intenseness, by making them more definite and distinct." Not so the Christian's hope. Its gleams are bright, though sometimes broken; and the gathering darkness which at times hangs over his mind, is at length dispelled by its cheering influence. Standing at the opening of a New Year,

pleasure of human life. And where is the man who has tried and exhausted all the ways, in which it is practicable for him to serve his Maker and benefit mankind? And what season so proper to devise a new way, or a new effort, as when he is entering on a New Year? How immense the addition that ful efforts and institutions, if every would be made to pious and useChristian man and woman would task their faculties, at the begintask their faculties, at the beginning of the year, to think of the kind or in degree, that they have best way of doing some good, in never yet done; and should resolve to begin the enterprise without delay? I wish to dwell on the idea that this would not merely increase the happiness of others. It would probably augment that of the benevolent contrivers and agents, more than that of the most miserable. fellow creature whom they might relieve. He who promotes the happiness of others, commonly adds to his own more than to theirs. He prepares for himself a feast of delight on earth, and he lays up for himself "a treasure in heaven."

"For he who marks, from day to day, Treads the same path his Saviour trode, With generous acts his radiant way, The path to glory and to God."

Much, Mr. Editor, I know might here be added on this subject. But

(Concluded from page 531 of Vol. II.)

We now proceed to the consideration of the next answer in the Catechism, which is "God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence." In the two great theatres of display, creation and providence, the Deity carries into effect his eternal purposes, in all the variety and particularity of their manifestation; and all concentering, like so many scattered rays, to this one point, the illustration of his own glory. It belongs to the following answers to explain, more particularly, how this is done. Here, however, it may be proper just to notice a speculation, which, if mentioned at all, should be introduced now. It is, whether we are to consider the whole material and intelligent universe as having being created at the same time with the world which we inhabit. Some have supposed that myriads of ages before the formation of our world, and perhaps of the solar system of which it is a part, other systems, peopled with intelligent beings, had existed. Some, too, are of the opinion, that the work of creation is still going on-That in the immensity of space, new systems are frequently springing into birth, at the command of the Almighty Creator; and perhaps that some also, having finished their destined period, are occasionally blotted from existence.-One thing is clear, that this is all matter of

mere conjecture, and that nothing certain can be known on the subject. The analogies on which any reasonings on this subject may be built, must be very slight, if not entirely fanciful. Some have thought that it was not deeming worthily of the great Creator, to suppose that he permitted his omnipotent power and infinite goodness to slumber in silence from all eternity, till within about six thousand years. But I am afraid that this itself, is not to talk in the most worthy manner of the Creator: For carry the work of creation back as far as you can, there must still have been an eternity before that, in which there was no creature-in which the Creator dwelt alone. We see, therefore, that the difficulty is not at all relieved. The truth is, the subject is altogether beyond our knowledge, and beyond our conceptions; and in all such cases, as soon as we perceive the fact to be so, duty and comfort both dictate, that we should cease our speculations.

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I do not, indeed, suppose, that what the scriptures teach us on the subject of creation, was intended to apply directly to any thing but the system with which we are concerned. As to the formation of angels, the scripture does not distinctly inform us when it took place. It once appeared most probable to me, that they were created some considerable time before man. now rather think it probable that they were formed on the first day of creation. It would seem, from a passage in Job, that they were the witnesses of the formation of man, and rejoiced in it-It is said, "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." It does not appear improbable, that the time that man continued in innocence was a space long enough for the apostate angels to have effected their rebellion and fall, and to have become the tempters and seducers of our first parents,

But we have a little anticipated the next answer of the Catechism, which is "The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good."

Let us take the several members of this answer in order, and make a few observations on each.-1. God made all things of nothing-“ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth;" this is the simple, sublime, and satisfactory account of creation, which we derive from revelation. Infinitely more satisfactory it is, than all the cosmogonies, or accounts of the origin of the world, that have been given by philosophers and poets, either ancient or modern. Of these some supposed that the world was eternal; others that it was formed out of pre-existent matter, which they supposed to be eternal; for it does not appear that one of them entertained the idea distinctly, of the production of matter out of nothing. The Mosaick account simply states that the Creator spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast. You will notice that no attempt is made to tell, or to describe how, matter rose out of nothing into existence. The fact is that this could not be told, and cannot be even conceived of by us. How something should be made out of nothing, is beyond all our conceptions. Talk of mysteries in religion -there is not one of them all greater, or more beyond the reach of our understandings than this. Yet of this we entertain no doubt. Matter was either created, or it was eternal. To suppose it eternal, is infinitely absurd, as well as contrary to scripture. To suppose it created is not absurd, is not irrational; for to create it was competent to infinite wisdom and almighty power. In a word, although it transcends our faculties to comprehend it, yet it is in no wise contrary to reason to believe the fact.

2. It was by the word of his power, that God made all things of nothing. I have never read any thing so awfully sublime, as the representation of Moses, that God spake creation into existence by a word. He willed it, he ordered it, and it was done, it existed-" Let there be light, and there was light." Longinus mentions this as a wonderful instance of the sublime. But turn your attention, my young friends, from words to things-from what may strike the fancy to what shall affect the heart-and while you contemplate the wonders of creating power, adore the Author of your being, and feel yourselves as nothing in his presence.

3. It was in the space of six days that God created all things. No doubt it had been equally easy with God to have made all things in an instant of time. But as it helps our conceptions of the work of creation, now that it is formed, to think of its gradual production, so there were other wise purposes to be answered by it. An example of alternate labour and rest was hereby set, which was intended to be of use in every successive age. And the proper portion of time, to be set apart for the immediate worship of God and the cultivation of a holy and heavenly temper, was in this manner fixed by the divine appointment.

On the first day, the general system of the heavens and the earth was formed; and light was created, before the beams of the sun had dawned on the dark abyss-" On the second day, a firmament, expansion, or atmosphere was made, to support the water in the clouds, and to separate it from that which was below. On the third day, the water was drained from the earthy parts of our system, and gathered into seas, either in the bowels of the earth, or in such beds on the surface as were formed for it, and the earth was rendered productive. On the fourth day, the light was

collected into its future source, the sun, and the moon and stars were made to appear. On the fifth day the fishes were formed from the water, and the fowls from the same element. On the sixth day, the cattle, the creeping things, and the body of Adam, were all formed out of the dust of the earth; and Eve out of a rib taken from Adam's side: And both Adam and Eve were endued with immortal souls." In all this, a beautiful order is observable. Inanimate matter is first created and organized, the earth is made productive, animals are then produced out of matter previously formed; and last of all, man, the lord of this lower creation, is introduced into the world, ready furnished, and adorned in all its beauty, for his use and gratification.

Capellus, and others think that Spring was the first season that began its course, after the creation: Or that creation, if you will, took place in the spring. But in some respects, it was certainly harvest time, immediately after the creation; for we are expressly told that the trees and herbs brought forth their fruits and seeds, as soon as they were created. It is also a fact, that in the earliest periods of time, mankind began their year uniformly in harvest; by which, how ever, must be understood the autumnal months. Hence Usher, Scalliger, and Spanheim, with great probability, place creation in the month of September or October.

The theories of Des Cartes, Burnet, Whiston, and Buffon, so far as they are inconsistent with the Mosaick account, are both impious and absurd-That of Buffon is absolutely ridiculous. I shall not state any of them; but only observe, that whenever philosophers have attempted to gainsay revelation, they have never failed to dishonour their own understandings, even in the view of the wisest of their own class, as well as to render them

selves odious or pitiable, in the eyes of Christians.

I shall only remark farther on this clause in the answer, that we are struck with wonder, when we contemplate the visible and material creation; but that the invisible, immaterial, spiritual creation, is still far more wonderful. The soul of man-that thinking principle, my children, by which you now attend to this subject of creation-is far more wonderful, and far more noble, than the whole material creation. It was for spirit that matter was formed. It was for souls that the world which you behold was created. In your souls, therefore, view the most astonishing and noble of your Maker's works belowAnd while you reverence them, O! try to secure their eternal happi

ness.

Dr. Young, speaking of the final destruction of the material universe, justly says

"The devastations of one dreadful hour, The great Creator's six days' work de

4. When God had finished creation, it was all very good. This is frequently repeated in the Mosaick account; and this the holiness and goodness of the Creator required. We cannot conceive that the immediate workmanship, or production, of a perfect Being, should be otherwise than perfect-perfectly free, at least, from all moral blemish. Account for the origin of moral evil as we may, we cannot reconcile it with our ideas of the perfect holiness of God, that he should have made man a sinner. He did not make him so. He made him, as well as every thing else, very good. And here, let me remark by the way, is the great radical error-the proton pseudos-of all the infidel writers, who have ever attempted to give an account of man-of his origin, state, and