ing place; the events which are occurring; and the improvements, intellectual, social, moral, religious, which are being effected both in the church, and in the world-ramifying, indeed, in all the departments of society, in the most wonderful manner :-and we should look carefully within, to see that our principles are sound-that our motives are pure-that our affections are elevated-that our aims are high. We cannot scrutinize ourselves too profoundly, at the beginning of the year. It is a sad thing, when any enter on the year strangers to themselves to their true character-their true position -their true prospects. The commencement of the year, moreover, especially if we are among the disciples of Christ, is a period when we should deliberately and seriously resolve-enter into renewed and earnest determinations-doing nothing from impulse, but everything from enlightened and high principle. And this should be done, pre-eminently, at the present time. There rarely has been a period in our history, whether social or ecclesiastical, which, on every ground, has been more important or eventful, than that in which we live. Indeed, it is inexpressibly interesting and critical. Now, it is very apparent to every reflective mind, that we should be, in some degree, prepared for it-fitted for its duties its discoveries-its progress -its opportunities-its trials-its perils -its peculiar errors. We should be, in a certain sense, fully up to the period in which we exist, and are called to plan and labour. Men of the age-Christians of the age-are wanting--and wanting everywhere. The family requires such men -the interests of society demand such men-the claims of the church-the necessities of the world-urgently require such men. Let then, ye people of God ye members of Christian churches the year 1853 be a year of of solemn and fixed resolves; and, by the benediction and kind assistance Heaven, let your resolves be practically and consistently carried out. There are Six Resolves particularly, which, at the beginning of the year, you ought to form, and by which you ought to abide. Resolve, I. That you will live and walk more closely with God during this year, than at any past period. You must begin the year in this manner; then it will be peaceful, happy, prosperous. You must develop these principles, and exemplify this spirit, then will it be, in every sense, a year of progress. You must form this determination at the commencement of the year, and maintain it vigorously until its close; then it will be a year of holy love-of holy communion—of holy effort-of holy usefulness. There must be this resolve, in entering on the year, to secure a blessing, and from it, during the year, there must be no deviation. This will regulate all-will beautify all-will adjust and preserve allwill sanctify and ennoble all-will harmonise and crown all. Be then resolved, ye professed followers of the Redeemer, to live nearer to your God this year than ever; to walk with Him more humbly and devoutly than ever! Let God see that you are determined, in reliance on his agency-to love his character more-to obey his commands more-to value his presence moreand to breathe his spirit more-than ever! This resolve must be at the foundation of every other, and be that from which every other originates. Resolve, II. That you will maintain your great Protestant principles more firmly than you have ever yet done. These principles are everything to you, and to all. They are, beyond a question, in our judgment, the principles of truth, of liberty, of holiness. They are based on Christianity. They dation of spiritual prosperity in our churches-the latter cannot be realized, unless the former be developed. Now, at the beginning of this year, ye Christian heads of families, dwell upon the point affectionately submitted to you. Let the love of God prevail in your respective households;-let it be at the all your proceedings. Bring up your children to fear God to value the Bible-to follow Christ-to sanctify the Sabbath-and to honour the Holy Spi are identified with the happiness and of God, in our various families. Doglory of our country, and with the pro-mestic piety is, assuredly, at the foungress of civilization, morals, and religion, in every part of the world. And there never was a period in the history of nations, when these principles should be more explicitly avowed, or more vigorously and unblenchingly maintained, than at the present hour. Let these great, these truly noble and ennobling principles, at the commence-basis of all your plans-let it regulate ment of the year, be fully recognized by you be acknowledged, in the most unequivocal and cordial manner, to be your principles;-those which you believe come from heaven: which are inseparable from your dignity and happiness-and by which, with the help of God, you are determined to abide. Do not be influenced by one, or dictated to by another, or drawn aside by another-induced to swerve, in the slightest degree, by any party; but let your Protestant principles be regarded by you, as your jewels-as your most precious treasures-and which you are resolved to preserve, at the hazard of all your worldly property-all your earthly friendships and even of life itself. Be characterized by this spirit. Let these sentiments be clearly unfolded. Let there be no mistake, no uncertainty. This is a noble determination to express, at the beginning of the current year. Resolve, III. That you will take a deeper interest in the advancement of religion in your families this year, than you have previously manifested. What, we ask, can be more valuable, more gravely important, than this? Family religion, deep, spiritual, earnest—is that which is peculiarly needed now, and without which there can be no blessing, in connection with society at large. And the grand reason, perhaps, why we have so little revival of religion in our churches, is, because we have so partial, so superficial, so trifling a demonstration of piety-of the love rit. Walk with them to the house of God. Be anxious, together, to serve the Redeemer here, and, unitedly, at last, to meet around 'the golden throne.' Let your prayers in the family, this year, be increasingly serious and fervent. Resolve, IV. That you will discover warmer solicitude for the harmony and prosperity of the church of Christ, than you have ever yet displayed. In entering on a new era in your existence, and, especially, in your Christian career, you cannot avow a finer determination you cannot breathe a lovelier spirit. The church of Christ is the ornament and defence of our country, and the glory of the world, and ought you not, as the days revolve-as the weeks elapse, as the months and years roll away-to take a deeper, a more enlightened and glowing interest in its true happiness and prosperity than ever. And is there anything, on every ground, which is more desirable and important, than the harmony of the church of God? We want no jealousy-no estrangement-no disruption. We need and desire its tranquillity-its close and unbroken union. We want its members and friends to recognize their oneness in Christ, and ever to develop it. This is most necessary at the present period. The unity of the church has been greatly impaired. We are very anxions that every thing at all calculated to mar its harmony should be removed out of the | tion, in reliance on the agency of the way. Christians must value and love each other more. Then, the prosperity of the church should be dear to your hearts; the increase of its friends-the multiplication of its converts-the augmented energy and efficiency of its supporters and advocates. Now, at the beginning of the current year, let your solicitude on behalf of the church be livelier and more intense than ever. Resolve, V. That you will concentrate your energies for the glory of Christ this year,'more decidedly than you have previously done. There should be there must be this disposition; and it must be growingly unfolded. The glory of the Saviour, Christians, should be the grand object of your lives; and, every year, that object should be more distinctly recognized-more highly appreciated more powerfully felt. Enter, therefore, on the present year, under the influence of this spirit, whatever the acquirements you have made-the talents you may possess the influence you may exert the opportunities you may command-let all be given to Christ-be employed in his service-be consecrated for the advancement of his honour. We sadly want, in the professedly Christian church, more of this concentration of mind-of heart-of influence-to subserve the glory of the Son of God. Our energies are divided, they are partially developed in the service of the Redeemer-and, indeed, are often sadly frittered away. Resolve, VI. That you will abound more in the true spirit of fervent and wrestling supplication this year, than you have hitherto exemplified. Determine, as you begin the year, that you will pray more ; — - pray more frequently -more largely-more affectionately more fervently. That you will go to the throne of grace with a fixed resolu Holy Spirit-to secure blessings which you require-which your families need which the church demands — and which are so important for the world. The year 1853 should be one of special prayer, in relation to individuals, families, and Christian societies every where. We want light to be shed-error to be corrected-infidelity to be checked the church to be revived-the progress of Romanism to be stayed—a pure, healthful, elevated piety every where to prevail, and, hence, there must be importunate and universal prayer among the disciples of Christ. There has been much neglect here-neglect for which we ought to be ashamed, and which has resulted in numerous and sad calamities. Let the evil be remedied at once. Christian brethren, throughout the empire, throughout the world, let us pray more. Let it be our fixed, unhesitating, universal determination; one which, by the grace of God, we will carry out-that a general blessing may be communicated. The Resolves to which we have been concisely referring are noble determinations for you to express, at the commencement of the current year, and practically and consistently to maintain, until its termination: and you must do it, would you " redeem the time "-illustrate your profession - honour your Lord-live increasingly for eternity. Ministers of the gospel! the above are fine resolves for you; avow them— firmly maintain them-never shrink from adherence to them! If the principles they involve be exemplified, what an elevation will be given to your character-what sanctity will be imparted to your spirit-what benevolence, usefulness, and grandeur will be associated with your efforts! Parents everywhere! no resolutions can be more important for you as you begin the year-when you contemplate the responsibility of your positionthe sacredness of your trust-the ar duousness of your engagements-and | Lord, and to be assimilated more com the vast importance of entering into the true spirit of your duties. pletely to his holy and gracious image. Let, then, the present year be one of Teachers of the young! no resolves special determination-special dependcan be more necessary for you, that ence on Heaven-special prayer to the your plans may be wise-your instruc- Redeemer-and special exertions that tions sound-your labours well-directed the church may be enlarged and ele-your efforts signally blest. Com-vated. Let it be a year of special selfmence the year under the influence of improvement commence it, indivithe temper so warmly inculcated, and dually, with a resolution to be wiser, it will be a year of blessing-to your- humbler, holier-in every sense, betselves and others. Many a youthful ter;-thus God will be with you-his mind, this year, will be illumined light will guide your steps-his premany a youthful heart will be im- sence will be enjoyed by your families pressed and permanently benefited--his benediction will rest on all your through your instrumentality. Members of Christian churches throughout the land! do not be indifferent to the great principles we have been earnestly recommending and enforcing. Every year you must be advancing in all that is wise, holy, benevolent, and useful. The beauty of your character must be more fully seen the excellence of your sentiments must be more broadly unfolded -the power of your religion must be more deeply and extensively felt. You are to "grow" in everything that is amiable, lovely, and divine, and, as the years are rolling away, and eternity, with all its stupendous and awful scenes, is advancing, your solicitude must be intense, to be more like your engagements-his promises will sustain THE GLORIOUS TWO THOUSAND. ANCIENT Greece had its Thermopyla, at which three hundred noble spirits resisted the overwhelming force of Persia, when her millions came to rob the confederated states of their land and liberty; and by that heroic band were the hosts of Xerxes withstood and defeated. England, too, has her moral Thermopyla in the past, which witnessed a nobler struggle than that of Greece, equal endurance, and a more sublime defeat. It was when two thousand of her true-hearted sons, and faithful ministers, resisted arbitrary power, and refused to bow to the yoke of spiritual bondage which a capricious monarch, and a haughty priesthood, had prepared to impose upon them. All honour be to their memory! Theirs was the struggle of right against might of liberty against tyranny-of truth and conscience against the inroads of affirmed to be equally true: and by solemn oath was every one required to avow that all and every thing contained in a book of human composition, written by various authors, compiled at different times, abbreviated from the popish missal, or handed down by uncertain tradition from some of the Fathers, was literally, strictly, and universally in conformity with the revealed will of God. All this, moreover, was imposed at the bidding of an earthly monarch, a fellow-mortal, sitting in the temple of God, and acting as God, presiding over worship, regulating the of ferings of broken and contrite hearts at the footstool of the Eternal, enacting in what terms the suppliants of his mercy should pour forth their desires at his throne, and by what rules His messengers should proclaim his word. The gifts and graces of God's servants were thus to be laid aside, or measured and gagged by human law; the worship of the sanctuary was thus to be hewn and shaped, not " according to the pattern showed in the mount," but to that proposed and enjoined in Pilate's hall; and the offers of the "great salvation" propounded to a guilty world only in unison with the prescribed formulas and mandates of an intruding and unlawful power. Was it to be endured? Were the honour and glory of a heavenly Sovereign, and his right to bestow upon his servants what qualifications he pleased for the exercises of his worship, and the edification of his people, to be laid at an earthly monarch's feet? Were the rights of the King of Zion, so dearly bought with his blood, and attested by a voice from "the excellent glory," to be so lightly esteemed by his friends, and trampled upon, with their connivance and without their opposition, by his foes? Was one of the "many crowns" which adorn his brow as the Sovereign of conscience, and the "Lord of all," to be assailed, and soiled, and obscured by the machinations of his adversaries, and those "who were with | him," the "called, and chosen, and faithful," to look on with indifference and unconcern? Was His redeemed church and people to allow of this? It was impossible. If they had held their peace, "the stones would have cried out." If they had been silent, and not protested, and not endured almost any thing which tyranny could inflict, rather than assent to such spoil, conscience had been defiled, the church of Christ invaded with its own consent, the temporal interests of humanity exalted above the spiritual, and the world have gone back, like the shadow on the dial of Ahaz, by ten degrees, to this day. They did not, they would not comply. It was not in human nature, nor in the principles of grace implanted in it, so to do. The Spirit of God came upon them, like as on Gideon, and Jephthah, and the mighty of old. They were nerved for the conflict. They were strengthened to endure. They were prepared for the sacrifice, cost what it may; and to part with all on earth they held most dear, rather than assent to what they could not believe, and vow obedience to that which they saw to be a direct infringement on the crown-rights and regal honours of the Son of God. The "Act of Uniformity" was the crowning act of the violation of the claims of conscience, and usurpation of the dominion of God, which this, or perhaps any land, ever beheld. It was resisted. There were two thousand men in Israel who would not bow down to Baal, or worship the golden image, which an earthly power had set up. Liberty of conscience, and liberty of worship, were too precious to be sacrificed at the shrine of expediency, or to be parted with for any compensation whatever which worldly patronage could secure. They were willing, therefore, to suffer the loss of all things, and resign the dearest comforts and enjoyments of the present life, rather than defile their conscience, or unworthily betray that sacred cause |