God, and as far as possible, to reclaim, and bring back Judah and Israel to the Lord.* These indeed were happy beginnings of a new year. every New Year's day, in the Jewish church, from that time until the coming of the Messiah. But are we not rather to view After the Lord had gathered it as an evangelical duty, descriIsrael and Judah from their dis-bed in the language of the Old persions, among the heathen, on Testament? This institution is every side, and reunited them in not found in the law of Moses, one kingdom for ever under Da- nor does it appear that the Jews vid their king,† we find a parti- after their return from Babylon cular, religious institution, for had any such annual sacrifice. new year's day. Ezekiel xlv. 18. The temple and city which EzeThus saith the Lord God, in the kiel saw in his vision do not apfirst month on the first day of the pear ever to have been built afmonth, take a young bullock with- ter Israel's return to their own out blemish and cleanse the sanc- land, before the coming of the tuary. Here is a duty enjoined Messiah. The promises made on New Year's day, sacrificing to that temple and city which he to the Lord, and cleansing the saw, were never accomplished sanctuary. The sacrifice was to the Jewish church. They to be without blemish, in the full were that when God should unite vigor of life; importing that we Judah and Israel in one kingdom, should worship God, who is in- on the mountains of Israel, That finitely holy and perfect, in the David, the Messiah, should be best possible manner, with all their king; that they and their the desire and vigor of the soul; children should inherit the land and that the people of God for ever, and that God's sanctushould be holy and without ble-ary should be in the midst of mish before him. If we consider this as a Jewish sacrifice before the advent of the Messiah, it was significative of the strength and immaculate purity of this Lamb of God; and that he was to be the great propitiatory sac-lative to the New Year's day, rifice for the sins of the world. The design of the offering was to cleanse the sanctuary, and to make reconciliation for the whole house of Israel: To atone for the offences of the past year, and to obtain help and blessings for the year to come. If it be considered as a Jewish ordinance after the return from Babylon, it was an institution of an annual sacrifice and of religious duties, on * 2 Chron. xxix. 17. them for ever more; and that the name of the city from that day should be THE LORD IS THERE.* As these promises do not appear to have had their completion, and as the institution re seems to respect the house, or church of God in that glorious day, when these shall have their final accomplishment, may we not consider it as a Christian duty, and as a prediction of that pious manner in which Christians, under Christ their king, especially in the thousand years of the church's rest, shall annually celebrate the New Year's day? They will cleanse the * Ezek. xxxvii. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28. and xlviii. 35. house, the church of God.They will make it a day of humiliation and repentance for the sins, of thanksgiving and praise for the mercies of the year past; of self-dedication to their glorious Creator and Preserver, and of fervent supplications for the continuance of his favors. Shall not we anticipate these pious employments and joys? But how shall we cleanse the sanctuary? What is to be done to make the church holy and blameless, that the Lord may dwell in it for ever more? tender mercy. The eyes of the Lord have been upon us for good from the beginning of the year unto the end of it. Our fields have yielded their increase, and God hath filled our hearts with food and gladness. His mercies have been new every morning, great is his faithfulness. What grateful acknowledgments, what lively gratitude do these chal-, lenge from cach of us? If the divine smiles have attended our various labors, studies and employments; if we have comfort in our friends and several relations; if we have gone out and come in safely; if a bone has not been broken nor disjointed; if no member hath been wounded or lost; if reason and all our mental powers have been continued in their full vigor, how strong and numerous are our motives for gratitude, love and holy obedience? Some of us in recounting the The church is the sanctuary, or house of God. This is composed of individual Christians. Cleanse them and the house will be cleansed. May we not all then unite in this pious work? May we not advance our sanctification by a serious contemplation of the goodness of God to us, to our families, to this state, to our nation and the church. universal? And by sincere grat-events of the past year shall not itude, thanksgiving and praise forget the great salvations granfor his numerous benefits? Ad- ted to us and our children, in remirable have been the divine covery from dangerous sickness; patience, long-suffering and bene- how God hath eased our pains, ficence towards us the year past. hath turned for us our mournHow great has been the forbear-ing into dancing, put off our ance of God in sparing us ano-sackcloth, and girded us with ther year? How many since the gladness, to the end that our commencement of the last have glory might sing praise to him closed the scene of life? Their and not be silent.* Others have days, their sabbaths, their op-been supported in weakness and portunities and enjoyments have sorrow, comforted in their trials, all been numbered and finished. and succored in the hour of But we have been spared another temptation. year notwithstanding all our unprofitableness and ill desert. We have not only been spared but God hath loaded us with his benefits. It has been a year of general health, which sweetens all the other enjoyments of life.With the people in general it has been a year of loving-kindness and At the same time spiritual blessings have been shed down upon us with a no less liberal hand. It hath been a year in which we have not, in general, been prevented by sickness, or other external means, from the * Psalm xxx. 11, 12. constant worship of God in se-f church, and of the church uni-. cret, private, or public. We, in versal, is a marvellous display of the amplest manner, enjoy liber-the greatness, power, goodness ty of conscience, and all religious and faithfulness of God. These liberty. We have the full and are all the fruit of his patience, uninterrupted enjoyment of the long-suffering and goodness. word and ordinances, and all the What an innumerable multitude, means of grace, in their power what an astonishing accumulaand purity. Some have been tion of mercies are here to awa born again the year past, and ken all the gratitude of our brought out of darkness, into hearts, to inflame our love, and marvellous light, and begun to engage our obedience? Can we live to God. To others it has contemplate them, in one collecbeen a year of spiritual refresh- tive view, and not adopt the fanment. The soul hath been in guage of the Psalmist? Bless health and prospered. What the Lord, O my soul, and all that inestimable favors are these? In is within me, bless his holy a word, our public enjoyments name. Bless the Lord, O my have been great and distinguish- | soul, and forget not all his beneing as well as those of a personal fits.* Oh, that men would praise and domestic nature. While the Lord for his goodness and many other parts of the world for his wonderful works to the are either engaged in horrid war, children of men! If while we or rent with internal animosities meditate on all this goodness the and convulsions, we enjoy uni- fire of love is inkindled, a lively versal peace. While they are gratitude is excited, our admiraenslaved, we enjoy the most dis- tion of the divine glories is intinguished liberty, civil and reli- creased, and our desires and regious. Our rulers, judges, teach-solutions of obedience become ers, and principal characters, in this state, and in the nation have been continued another year. The governor, lieutenant-governor and council of this state, their health and usefulness have been preserved. Two only of our numerous clergy have rested from their labors.* The college, schools, and the state of literature, in Connecticut, have been peculiarly flourishing and happy. The preservation of the churches in this state, in so much peace, order and beauty, the preservation of the American *The Rev. James Eelis, pastor of the church in Eastbury, January 23d, 1805, in the 62d year of his age. The Rev. Andrew Eliot of Fairfield, September 26th, 1805, in the 62d year of his age, and 32d of his ministry, more ardent and fixed, the work of sanctification will be proportionably advanced, and the sanc→ tuary cleansed. Further, at the commence. ment of the New Year, there is a peculiar propriety in recollecting the sins of the past. The sins as well as mercies of every year are great and numerous.There is much unthankfulness, and abuse of the divine goodness; much mispense of precious time, much formality, and lukewarmness, inordinate pursuit of the world and la mentable deficiency in the duties we owe to God and man. There are in good men sad remains of pride, self-seeking and vain glory. These should * Psalm ciii. 1, 2. † Psalm cvii. 8. be recollected with deep humili- advanced so much nearer to ty and repentance, with fervent death and the judgment seat. and renewed applications to the Have we made equal progress in blood of Jesus Christ, for clean-our journey towards heaven? In sing. There was, every year, in our preparations for our final the Jewish church, a remem-exit? Are we proportionably brance of sins, and an annual more humble; more abstracted atonement for them. It is of from the world; more heavenly infinite moment that we should minded, more full of love, faith be purged from our old sins. In and goodness? Have we increasa penitential recollection of themed in all the fruits of righteousour graces may be increased andness? If this be our happy case, the sanctuary cleansed. what occasion have we of joy and praise for the grace, bestowed upon us? If it hath been the reverse, what occasion is there of fear and trembling? Of awaking immediately out of sleep, and of escaping for our lives to the city of refuge! Again, we should consider the afflictions of the past year, all the way in which the Lord hath led us, to prove us, and to try what was in our hearts. If we have been afflicted on temporal or spiritual accounts; if we have suffered in name or estate; if our Further, it may be proper on dear enjoyments have been ta- the commencement of the New ken from us, and our acquaint-Year, to inake a renewed and soance removed into darkness, we lemn dedication of ourselves, our should recollect our sorrows with time, talents, and opportunities patience, submission and con- entirely to God, to serve him tentment. We should be great-unreservedly and for ever. The ly ashamed, and sincerely re- great and numerous mercies of pent, that we have been such sin- the year concluded, the perfec ners, such froward children, astions and commands of God, to make it necessary that we should be thus corrected. Remembering our affliction and misery, the wormwood and the gall, our souls, like the prophet's should be humbled within us. There is also a great propriety in considering in what manner we have spent the year. Whether it hath been in idleness and pastimes? whether we have stood all the day idle, and done nothing for our souls, for the honor of God and the good of men? Nay, should we not consider whether we have not done much evil? Another important portion of time is passed away. We have one year less to live, than we had at the commencement of the last year. We are challenge this of us all. We are his, and not our own. These are so many cords and bands to draw us to our heavenly Father, and fix us for ever in his service. We have received all from, and owe all to him, and are wholly dependent on him for every thing which we can need or hope. Shall we not therefore glorify him in our body, and in our spirit which are his? The apostle beseeches Christians by the mercies of God, that they present their bodies living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God. This he affirms to be their reasonable service.* It will be proper further to ob Rom. xii. 1. constant worship of God in se- f church, and of the church uni-. cret, private, or public. We, in versal, is a marvellous display of the amplest manner, enjoy liber-the greatness, power, goodness ty of conscience, and all religious and faithfulness of God. These liberty. We have the full and are all the fruit of his patience, uninterrupted enjoyment of the long-suffering and goodness. word and ordinances, and all the What an innumerable multitude, means of grace, in their power what an astonishing accumulaand purity. Some have been tion of mercies are here to awa, born again the year past, and ken all the gratitude of our brought out of darkness, into hearts, to inflame our love, and marvellous light, and begun to engage our obedience? Can we live to God. To others it has contemplate them, in one collecbeen a year of spiritual refresh- tive view, and not adopt the fanment. The soul hath been in guage of the Psalmist? Bless health and prospered. What the Lord, O my soul, and all that inestimable favors are these? In is within me, bless his holy a word, our public enjoyments name. Bless the Lord, O my have been great and distinguish-soul, and forget not all his beneing as well as those of a personal and domestic nature. While many other parts of the world are either engaged in horrid war, or rent with internal animosities and convulsions, we enjoy uni-fire of love is inkindled, a lively versal peace. While they are gratitude is excited, our admiraenslaved, we enjoy the most dis- tion of the divine glories is intinguished liberty, civil and reli- creased, and our desires and regious. Our rulers, judges, teach-solutions of obedience become ers, and principal characters, in this state, and in the nation have been continued another year. The governor, lieutenant-gover-tuary cleansed. nor and council of this state, their health and usefulness have been preserved. Two only of our numerous clergy have rested from their labors.* The college, schools, and the state of literature, in Connecticut, have been peculiarly flourishing and happy. The preservation of the churches in this state, in so much peace, order and beauty, the preservation of the American *The Rev. James Eelis, pastor of the church in Eastbury, January 23d, 1805, in the 62d year of his age. The Rev. Andrew Eliot of Fairfield, September 26th, 1805, in the 62d year of his age, and 32d of his ministry, fits.* Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men! If while we meditate on all this goodness the more ardent and fixed, the work of sanctification will be proportionably advanced, and the sanc Further, at the commence. ment of the New Year, there is a peculiar propriety in recollecting the sins of the past. The sins as well as mercies of every year are great and numerous.-—— There is much unthankfulness, and abuse of the divine goodness; much mispense of precious time, much formality, and lukewarmness, inordinate pursuit of the world and la mentable deficiency in the duties we owe to God and man. There are in good men sad remains of pride, self-seeking and vain glory. These should * Psalm ciii. 1, 2. Psalm cvii. 8. |