THE GOSPEL STANDARD. JANUARY, 1873. MATT. V. 6; 2 TIM. I. 9; ROM. XI. 7; ACTS VIII. 37, 38; MATT. XXVIII. 19. TO OUR SPIRITUAL READERS. DEAR FRIENDS,-We are told in God's holy word to remember all the way which the Lord our God has led us these many years in the wilderness; and no time seems more suitable for this work of recalling the past than the beginning of a New Year. Time is fast passing away. We shall soon enter upon eternity, and it is a good thing for God's people to make, by a diligent spiritual examination, their calling and election sure. But, whilst endeavouring to assist our readers in this work, we must ourselves remember, and remind them that the blessed eternal Spirit is all in all in this matter. The whole exercise of the divine life depends upon him. Without his divine power we are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything aright. May he, then, lead us into a spiritual remembrance of the past. But the beginning of a New Year is not only a proper time for reviewing the past, but for considering the present, and also, in a wise and scriptural way, forecasting the future. We shall, therefore, in our address, not only attempt to stir up the pure minds of our readers in the way of remembrance, but also endeavour to lead them into a godly self-examination, and such a regard to the future as may prove profitable to their souls. We will begin with the past. And here let us examine two things: 1. Our past lives generally. 2. The past year. 1. When we consider our past lives generally, what a humiliating scene we have to look back upon! The children of Israel, when in possession of the land of promise, were to remember the way in which they had been led, lest present blessings should lift them up with pride, and their hearts should be tempted to say, "Our wisdom, righteousness, and power have procured us these things." Alas! What has our past been but one incessant illustration, as far as we are concerned, of the words in Hosea: "0 Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself?" We were born in sin and shapen in iniquity, and grew up to forget God; and as light increased we rebelled more and more against him. We desired not the knowledge of his ways; we liked not to retain God in our No. 445. B |