from the ,google ,books project47       
,,way-,,marks2                          
,,or1                     ,,directions  
,,to ,,persons ,,commencing             
,a ,,religious ,,life4                  
,,selected ,,and ,,arranged             
,,by ,g4 ,t4 ,,bedell1 ,d4 ,d4          
,rector of ,st4 ,andrew's ,church1      
,phil'a4                                
,,philadelphia3                         
,,henry ,,perkins1 #aei ,,chestnut-,,st4
                                        
#ahci4       ,entered according to the  
,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahcb1 by
       ,key1 ,mielke1  ,biddle1 in the  
,clerk's ,office of the ,eastern        
,district of ,pennsylvania4             
,stereotyped by ,l4 ,johnson4           
,,preface4   ,the great variety of      
useful little books lately published1   
under such titles as ,daily ,food1      
,daily ,crumbs1 ,devout ,exercises1 c4  
and the favour with which these have    
been met1 suggested to the compiler1 the
 utility of attempting something of the 

same kind4 ,he had accidentally met with
 a little work1 called1 8,directions10  
c4 published by ,maltbys1 ,new ,haven2  
and though there were some things in it 
which he did not like1 he thought it1 on
 the whole1 a very valuable little      
manual of instruction4 ,the compiler has
 made such alterations as seemed        
necessary to make it please himself1 and
 added some few particulars from a      
valuable tract of the late ,president   
,edwards4--,the ,letter to a young      
,lady1 c4 is one which the compiler has 
been in the habit of presenting to young
 persons under certain states of mind2  
and the 8,memento10 by whomsoever       
prepared1 is most admirably done1 and   
worthy to be read by all                
,christians4--,the article on the       
question1 8,am ,i a ,new ,creature80    
taken from the ,spirit of the ,pilgrims1
 is one highly useful and important in  
the present period of religious inquiry4
  ,the sole object of the compiler is to
 do good2 and this he trusts and prays  

may be accomplished4  ,philadelphia1    
,feb4 #ahcb4     ,,contents4       #a4  
,directions to ,persons commencing a    
,religious ,life--selected        from  
an anonymous publication2 with          
additions1 from 8,advice to        young
 ,converts10 by ,president ,edwards4    
#b4 ,letter to a ,young ,lady1 on the   
outset of a ,religious ,life4           
,from the 8,london ,christian           
,guardian40      #c4 ,a ,memento of     
,affection1 written in the language of  
the        ,scriptures--selected from   
the anonymous publication above         
noticed4      #d4 ,am ,i a ,new         
,creature8 ,from 8,the ,spirit of the   
,pilgrims40     ,,way ,,marks4          
,,directions ,,to ,,persons ,,commencing
 ,a ,,religious ,,life4   #a4 ,remember 
that the commencement of the ,christian 
life is to be like the 8dawning light1  
which increaseth more and more to the   
perfect day40 ,therefore when the hope  
of peace and pardon dawns in the heart1 
do not consider the great business of   

life as accomplished1 but only as begun4
  #b4 ,keep up as great a strife and    
earnestness in religion1 as if you knew 
yourself to be in a state of nature4    
,when persons are under conviction of   
sin1 they are advised to be earnest and 
violent for the kingdom of heaven4 ,you 
ought not to be less in earnest now1 if 
you wish not to lose a sweet and lively 
sense of spiritual things4  #c4 ,do not 
cease to strive and pray for the very   
same things which you sought before you 
had reason to hope you were converted4  
,those who have most light and most     
grace1 have1 nevertheless1 need of more4
 ,there are very few requests that are  
proper for an impenitent sinner1 that   
are not proper for one who professes    
godliness4 ,at any rate1 the mistake    
will do you no harm4  #d4 ,evidence of  
piety is not so much to be sought in    
high emotions of any kind1 as in real   
humility--self-distrust--hungering and  
thirsting after righteousness1 sorrow   
for sin1 and a continual effort1 in     

every day life1 to regulate our         
thoughts1 feelings1 and conduct by the  
word of ,god4 ,it is the nature and not 
the degree of our affections1 which is  
to be regarded in the examination of our
 evidences4 ,the best way to know our   
feelings is1 to see how they influence  
the conduct4 8,by their fruit ye shall  
know them40 ,always look upon those as  
the best comforts1 which have most of   
these two effects--those that make you  
least and lowest and most like a child1 
and those that most determine you to    
deny yourself1 and to spend and be spent
 in the service of your ,master4  #e4   
,do not expect to find in your own case1
 every thing you have heard or read of  
in the experience of others4 ,for it may
 be that many things we hear and read   
of1 are not correct feelings1 and do not
 afford just grounds of confidence to   
any one2 and if they are correct        
experience1 it may be the experience of 
a mature ,christian1 and not to be      
expected in the beginning of a religious

 life4 ,it must be remembered1 that as  
no two countenances are formed alike1 so
 no two hearts are fashioned alike1 or  
placed in exactly the same              
circumstances2 and it would be as vain  
to seek all the varieties of ,christian 
experience in one person1 as to seek all
 varieties of human features in one     
face4  #f4 ,do not expect that the      
evidence desired will all come          
immediately and at once4 ,it will be    
most likely to come progressively1 as   
the result of continued effort in       
obedience to the will of ,god4  #g4 ,do 
not suppose that religion is a principle
 of such self-preserving energy1 as that
 when once implanted in the soul it will
 continue to thrive and increase without
 effort4 ,the plant of divine grace can 
no more thrive without care1 and        
diligent and patient cultivation1 than  
can those rare and valued plants1 that  
demand the physical efforts and culture 
of man4  ,god will not sustain and bring
 to maturity the work of grace1 without 

your own voluntary concurrence in the   
diligent use of means4 ,he will not do  
it any more than he would cause the     
harvest to whiten in the field of the   
sluggard4 ,indulge1 therefore1 no such  
ideas of inability and dependence on    
,god1 as shall impair a full sense of   
perfect obligation to do whatever can be
 done in working out your own salvation4
 ,god never promises to assist any but  
those who make efforts to aid and       
advance themselves4  #h4 ,entertain no  
such ideas of the sovereignty of ,god in
 the bestowment of his grace1 as would  
awaken any doubt of his affording       
needful aid1 where he sees sincere      
endeavours to grow in grace4 ,if some   
christians are more eminent than others1
 it is simply because they make more    
efforts to be so1 and ,god aids these   
efforts4 ,so that all worldly minded and
 indifferent christians continue in this
 state1 because they do not choose to   
make efforts to get out of it4 ,any     
person can be an eminent christian that 

chooses to be so4 ,christians are too   
apt to feel as if eminence in piety was 
a distinction made by the sovereignty of
 ,god1 and to suppose that high         
attainments are not within the reach of 
all1 and that languid and inefficient   
piety is the result of divine           
sovereignty rather than negligence and  
sloth4 ,a more false or more pernicious 
opinion cannot easily be adopted by     
,christians4 ,the truth is1 that the    
road to eminence in gifts and graces1   
and the means of obtaining them1 are    
open to all who seek them1 and if any do
 not attain them2 it is owing to their  
own sloth and inefficiency1 and not to  
any deficiency on the part of ,god in   
blessing diligent efforts4 ,it always   
pleases him to crown with success the   
hand of the diligent instead of the hand
 of the slothful1 not only in temporal  
but in spiritual things4 ,this thought  
cannot be too strongly impressed upon   
the minds of those who are just         
commencing the christian life4 ,to them 

peculiarly1 are such promises as these  
directed2 8,ask1 and ye shall receive1  
seek and ye shall find1 knock and it    
shall be opened unto you4 ,every one    
that asketh receiveth10 c4  ,do not be  
afraid of indulging in feelings which   
may seem to be right1 from the fear of  
deception4 ,on the contrary1 cherish    
such feelings and try to recall them    
often4 ,go forward and do your duty1 and
 ,god will save you from deception while
 thus employed4  #aj4 ,there is one     
caution which is peculiarly needful to  
those who have been greatly interested  
in the subject of religion1 and that is1
 to take particular care of the health4 
,there is such a mysterious and intimate
 connection between the mind and body1  
that one cannot be wearied or suffer1   
without affecting the other4 ,when the  
mind is fatigued and exhausted1 it      
affects the body1 and this again reacts 
on the mind4  ,every person ought to be 
aware1 that the more anxiously and      
intensely the mind is interested on any 

subject1 the greater is the need of     
exercise1 sleep and frequent relaxation4
 ,attention to religion1 does not demand
 that all lawful business be suspended1 
and forbids the neglect of all needful  
rest and exercise2 but be very cautious 
here1 lest you mistake negligence in    
religion1 for a necessary attention to  
the health4  #aa4 ,do not expect to be  
made very happy by religion1 unless you 
become eminent christians4 ,a half way  
christian can neither enjoy the         
pleasures of the world nor the pleasures
 of religion2 for his conscience will   
not let him seek the one1 and he is too 
indolent to obtain the other4 ,the      
christian may be the happiest man on    
earth1 but he must be a faithful1       
active1 and devoted christian4 ,none are
 disappointed in finding religion a     
source of unfailing peace and joy1 but  
those who refuse to drink deep of the   
wells of salvation2 unless we except    
those who1 from some derangement of the 
nervous system1 or failure of health1 do

 not enjoy the clear and undisturbed    
exercise of their faculties4 ,a healthy 
mind in a healthy body1 may always be   
made happy by religion4  #ab4 ,do not   
look at the practice and example of     
other christians1 in forming the        
standard of piety at which you aim4 ,the
 allowance of this thing1 has probably  
had a more disastrous influence on the  
church and on the world1 than all other 
causes that could be named4 ,generally1 
when persons commence a christian life1 
their consciences are susceptible and   
tender4 ,they are strict and watchful in
 the performance of duty1 and are pained
 even by a slight neglect4 ,they have   
been wont to feel1 that becoming        
religious implies a great change2 that  
8old things must pass away and all      
things become new40 ,but when they begin
 to look around among their christian   
friends1 and turn to them for aid1 and  
those who have had experience and have  
made advances in christian life1 they   
find that they seem to look upon duties 

and deficiencies in a very different    
manner4 ,they seem to neglect many      
things which the young christian has    
felt to be very important2 and to       
practice many things which he had       
supposed inconsistent with religion4    
,then commences the disastrous effect4  
,the young christian begins to feel that
 he need not be more particular than    
those to whom he has ever looked up with
 deference and respect4 ,he begins to   
imagine that he has been rather too     
strict and particular4 ,he begins to    
take a retrograde course1 and though his
 conscience and the bible often check   
and reprove1 yet after a few inefficient
 struggles1 he lowers his standard and  
walks as others do4  ,look into your    
bible and see how christians ought to   
live4 ,see how the bible says those who 
are christians must live1 and then if   
you find your christian friends living  
in a different way1 instead of having   
cause for feeling that you may do so    
too1 you have only cause to fear that   

they are deceiving themselves with the  
belief that they are christians1 when   
they are not4 ,remember that the farther
 your christian friends depart from the 
standard of christian character laid    
down in the bible1 the less reason have 
you to hope that they are christians4   
,and do not hesitate on this subject    
because you find many professed         
christians1 who are indifferent and lax 
in their practice and example4 ,remember
 that ,christ has said1 8,many shall say
 unto me in that day1 ,lord1 ,lord10    
thus claiming to be his disciples1 to   
whom he will say1 8,i never knew you40  
,do not let professed christians tempt  
you to fall into the society of such    
unhappy castaways4  #ac4 ,do not be     
periodical christians4 ,there are some  
who profess religion1 who never seem to 
feel any interest on the subject1 except
 when every one else does4 ,it is true1 
there are special seasons of revived    
religion in the hearts of all           
christians1 but if it is only at such   

times that progress is made in divine   
life1 and interest is manifested in the 
salvation of souls1 there is great      
reason to fear that what is called      
religion is nothing but sympathy with   
the feelings of others4  #ad4 ,do not   
let the adversaries of the cross have   
occasion to reproach religion on your   
account4 ,how holily should the children
 of ,god1 the redeemed and the beloved  
of the ,son of ,god1 behave themselves4 
,therefore1 8walk as children of the    
light1 and of the day10 and 8adorn the  
doctrine of ,god your ,saviour20 and    
especially1 abound in what are called   
the ,christian virtues1 and make you    
like the ,lamb of ,god3 be meek and     
lowly of heart1 and full of pure1       
heavenly1 and humble love to all2 abound
 in deeds of love to others1 and        
self-denial for others2 and let there be
 in you a disposition to account others 
better than yourself4  #ae4 ,be sure    
that there exists a marked difference   
between your appearance and conduct1 and

 that of those who are not christians4  
,remember that ,christ has required this
 of you1 and that even the world expects
 it4  #af4 ,do not suppose you can      
recommend religion1 by appearing        
interested in every thing that interests
 those who have no better portion than  
this world4--,remember that your        
deportment1 your conversation2 your     
interest in dress1 in company and       
amusements2 the manner in which you     
perform your religious duties1 are all  
carefully noted and weighed by those    
around you1 who do not love religion2   
and if they do not see a marked         
difference between you and themselves1  
they either conclude there is nothing in
 religion1 or else that you are a       
hypocrite4 ,worldlings expect that you  
will be very different from them1 and   
despise you in their hearts if you are  
not4 ,if you wish to recommend religion1
 let the world see it acted out         
according to the beautiful pattern laid 
down in the bible1 and do not suppose   

that you can improve this pattern by any
 addition or subtraction of your own4   
,on one subject there are some who need 
instruction4 ,there is a class of       
christians who appear taciturn1         
unsocial1 and even sad4 ,this appearance
 is altogether inconsistent with the    
spirit of religion4 ,christians ought to
 appear cheerful and happy2 to appear to
 receive with pleasure and gratitude all
 the lawful enjoyments bestowed by their
 ,heavenly ,father4 ,such a gloomy      
deportment as has been described1 does  
not do honour to religion1 and causes   
those whom we wish to win to the ways of
 pleasantness and peace1 to feel that   
religion is a melancholy1 unsocial1 and 
forbidding subject4  ,all professors of 
religion should endeavour to have such  
views of ,god1 his love1 his providence1
 his care2 and should so live1 as to be 
cheerful and happy1 and to appear so4   
,on the contrary1 there is a class of   
professed christians1 who indulge in    
frequent trifling and levity4 ,this is  

quite as inconsistent and injurious as  
the former1 and if any thing it is more 
so4 ,let the christian at least1 learn  
to make a distinction between           
cheerfulness and levity4 ,remember we   
are commanded to avoid foolish talking  
and jesting1 and that it is possible to 
be happy1 cheerful1 affable1 and kind   
without any trifling or levity4  #ag4   
,remember that your evidence of         
possessing religion ceases when any     
thing else has the first place in your  
thoughts and interests4  ,religion      
should not lessen our love for our      
friends1 or our real enjoyments2 but the
 desire to please ,god in all our ways  
should be the prevailing feeling of the 
mind4 ,our ,saviour says1 we cannot have
 two masters2 ,god and his service must 
be first in our thoughts and affections1
 or else the world and its pleasures are
 first4 ,if then we would find whose    
servants we are1 we must find who has   
the first place in our thoughts and     
affections4  #ah4 ,never for one day    

omit to read the bible with prayer4     
,this is a most important direction4 ,it
 is of the utmost importance that you   
should never for once break over this   
habit4 ,prayer and the bible are your   
anchor and your shield1 which will hold 
you firmly in the path of duty1 and     
protect you from temptation4 ,you had   
better give up one meal every day1 if it
 is necessary1 in order to secure time  
for this duty4 ,you had better give up  
any thing else4 ,nothing is a duty1 if  
the performance of it will interfere    
with this duty4 ,remember this is the   
bread of your life1 and the water of    
your salvation2 and that you cannot live
 in health a single day1 without their  
strengthening and invigorating          
influence4  #ai4 ,be regulated by a     
principle of duty in little things4     
,this is the way that common christians 
are to cause their light to shine4 ,few 
christians can expect to do any great   
things to show their love for the       
,saviour1 but all can 8deny themselves1 

and thus daily take the cross and follow
 him40 ,religion should govern the      
temper and the tongue2 should save us   
from indolence1 from vanity1 from pride1
 from foolishness1 from levity1 from    
moroseness1 from selfishness1 and all   
the little every day foibles to which we
 are exposed4 ,religion should exemplify
 its gentleness in your kind and affable
 manners2 its purity and propriety in   
your conversation2 its benevolence in   
your conduct1 and its consistency and   
heavenly tendency1 in all your ways4    
#bj4 ,it is a most excellent method to  
go to some sincere and candid friend1   
and inquire what are your own defects in
 temper1 character1 and every day       
deportment1 and when you have discovered
 these1 make it the object of your      
prayers and efforts to correct them4    
#ba4 ,one thing ought to be strictly    
regulated by principle1 and that is the 
employment of time4 ,always feel that   
you are doing wrong when your time is   
passing unprofitably4 ,have some        

regularity of method on this subject4   
,endeavour to ascertain how much time   
should be devoted to your friends and to
 relaxation1 and to let the remainder be
 all of it employed in the most useful  
manner you can devise4 ,never be        
satisfied with the manner in which you  
are spending your time1 if you can think
 of any possible way in which it might  
be more usefully employed4  ,remember   
that time is the precious talent for    
which you must account to ,god2 and if  
you find yourselves indulging in        
listless inactivity1 or tempted to      
engage in employments of no practical   
use1 remember your account to ,god4 ,be 
in a habit of inquiring when you        
commence any employment1 8,is there any 
thing ,i can do1 more useful than this80
 ,and do not be satisfied till you have 
settled the question1 that you are doing
 all the good you can4  #bb4 ,attempt by
 your efforts and example1 to raise the 
standard of piety and activity4 ,if all 
who are now commencing the ,christian   

life1 should make this an object1 and   
not fall into the temptation which      
professed christians so often set before
 the lambs of the flock1 the church     
would indeed soon rise before the world1
 8fair as the moon1 clear as the sun1   
and terrible as an army with banners40  
,resolve to be an example to those who  
ought to be an example to you1 and take 
the bible1 and the bible only1 for your 
guide in forming christian character4   
#bc4 ,be active in promoting all        
benevolent objects4 ,make it an object  
to prepare to lead with propriety in all
 social devotional duties4 ,at this     
period1 when prayer and effort must     
unite in hastening the great day of the 
,lord1 let every young christian learn  
to guide the devotions of others1 as    
well as to lift up his own private      
supplication4 ,there is nothing which so
 much promotes the 8brotherly love10    
required in the bible1 and nothing which
 so much promotes union of effort and   
interest1 as social prayer3 and every   

one who commences religious life1 should
 aim to be prepared to perform such     
duties with propriety2 and should       
stimulate others to engage in them4     
#bd4 ,do not hesitate in the performance
 of all the external duties of a        
christian1 because you do not find      
satisfactory evidence that your feelings
 are right4  ,religious duty consists of
 two parts--feeling and action1--and    
because we find great deficiency in one 
respect1 we surely ought not to neglect 
the whole4 ,it is as unreasonable1 as it
 would be1 not to attempt to feel right 
till every external duty was perfectly  
performed4 ,if we are dissatisfied with 
our evidence1 let us go on and do every 
thing that a christian should do1 as the
 most hopeful way to produce right      
feelings4 ,we surely cannot hope to     
bring our hearts right by neglecting our
 outward duties4  ,go forward then1 and 
take a stand as an active christian1 and
 if your hearts are not right with ,god1
 you may be sure you are in less danger 

in taking this course than in neglecting
 it4  #be4 ,under special difficulties1 
or when in great need of1 or great      
longings after1 any particular mercy1   
for yourself or others1 set apart a day 
for secret prayer and fasting by        
yourself alone2 and let the day be      
spent1 not only in petitions for the    
mercies you desire1 but in searching    
your heart1 and in looking over your    
past life1 and confessing your sins     
before ,god1 not as is wont to be done  
in public prayer1 but by a very         
particular rehearsal1 before ,god1 of   
the sins of your past life1 from your   
childhood hitherto1 before and after    
conversion1 with the circumstances and  
aggravations attending them1 spreading  
all the abominations of your heart1 very
 particularly1 and fully as possible1   
before him4  #bf4 ,remember that the    
principal duty of a christian1 as it    
respects others1 is to excite them to   
the immediate performance of their      
religious duty4  ,our ,lord ,jesus      

,christ appears to have intended that   
through the instrumentality of          
,christians1 the perishing may be saved4
 ,there is no christian but can find    
some one mind at least1 over which he   
can have some influence2 and if we can  
do any thing to save others from eternal
 death1 nothing should for a moment     
prevent our attempting it4  ,but to     
perform our duty faithfully in this     
respect1 requires both discretion1 and  
some knowledge derived from the         
experience of others4 ,the following    
hints1 therefore1 are added as the      
result of long experience and           
observation1 and as a sort of guide to  
those who may be anxious to save a soul 
from death4  ,let your first object be  
to persuade your friend to give an      
earnest and immediate attention to the  
subject4 ,serious remarks upon religion1
 do not produce much effect1 unless some
 direct object is had in view4  ,urge   
the immediate duty of giving the        
affections of the heart to ,god4 ,show  

them that if they will only love ,god1  
they will then feel their guilt in      
refusing to obey him1 and will greatly  
desire to live for his glory4 ,if they  
will only love their ,god and ,saviour1 
they will feel that they can trust in   
the merits of his atoning blood4 ,do    
not1 for a moment1 allow them to feel   
that performing the outward duties of   
religion1 is doing any thing to         
recommend them to ,god1 but is only a   
means of making them feel more deeply   
their immediate obligation to give the  
affections of their hearts to him1 and  
of realizing the reasonableness of his  
holy law which requires it4 ,speak to   
them as if you really felt that there   
was no need of any delay1 but that they 
could immediately perform what ,god     
requires2 and in order to do this1      
endeavour to have a deep and realizing  
sense of this truth yourself4 ,if they  
complain of their inability1 or of the  
difficulty they find in performing their
 duty1 show them that it is because they

 have so long forgotten and neglected   
,god1 that though it has really become  
difficult1 it is a difficulty they have 
made for themselves1 and which is an    
addition to their guilt4 ,show them that
 whatever the difficulty is1 they can   
overcome it2 for ,god never requires of 
his creatures1 what they cannot perform1
 and his standing unalterable law is1   
8,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god    
with all thy heart40 ,remember always   
that the more clearly1 constantly1 and  
forcibly the truth is presented to any  
mind that will attend to it1 the more   
hope there is that it will be obeyed4   
,one caution however1 needs to be added1
 and that is1 that when it becomes      
apparent that the mind will not be      
brought to attend to the subject2 when  
you find that the efforts become        
wearisome and unpleasant1 always cease  
for a while1 and wait for another time1 
or else you will do more harm than good4
 ,persevering after this will only      
affect their minds with disgust and     

aversion towards a subject to which they
 have resolved they will not attend4    
,another caution is also important4     
,always speak kindly and affectionately 
to friends upon this subject2 and if you
 find all your efforts vain1 though you 
cease to urge neglected duty1 still     
continue to express the same kindness   
and interest for them4 ,do not give them
 occasion to feel that1 because they    
will not take your advice1 you have cast
 them off as reprobates1 and no longer  
desire their society4 ,we may still     
continue to love the amiable natural    
traits of our friends1 even though we   
find that they refuse to have them      
crowned and beautified by religion4 ,let
 all your efforts for the good of others
 be accompanied by earnest and constant 
prayer4  ,lastly1 do not be discouraged 
because you find that you are very      
deficient in any of the particulars     
specified4  ,remember1 that ,christian  
life is a warfare1 and that it is only  
at the end that we are to come off      

conquerors and more than conquerors4    
,remember1 that ,he whom you are        
striving to serve and please1 is not a  
hard master4 ,though you have been      
inexcusable in fostering habits of      
neglect1 and all the difficulties you   
find are of your own making1 yet he can 
be 8touched with the feeling of your    
infirmities40 ,when he sees that you    
really are afflicted because you are so 
constantly tempted to forget him1 he    
pities you 8as a father pitieth his     
children20 and so long as you see the   
means he has appointed to keep you from 
sin1 and wait upon him for strength and 
guidance1 he will never leave nor       
forsake you4 ,when you feel your own    
strength and resolution failing1 go to  
him who hath said1 8my grace is         
sufficient for thee1 and my strength    
shall be made perfect in weakness40     
,call upon him1 8and he will be very    
gracious unto the voice of thy cry2 when
 he shall hear it1 he will answer thee4 
,and thine ears shall hear a word behind

 thee1 saying1 this is the way1 walk ye 
therein1 when ye turn to the right and  
when ye turn to the left40 ,remember    
also1 that the conflict is short2 the   
race will speedily be accomplished--soon
 your deficiencies and guilt shall pain 
you no more--soon you shall 8see him as 
he is10 and 8awake in his likeness and  
be satisfied therewith40     ,,letter   
,,to ,a ,,young ,,lady ,,at ,,the       
,,outset ,,of ,a ,,religious ,,life4    
,my dear young ,friend1--,as your mind  
becomes more enlightened in the         
knowledge of divine things1 ,i am sure  
you will ever find fresh cause to wonder
 at the goodness of ,god4 ,the          
contemplation of his character is a     
theme of never-ending delight2 and in   
proportion as we discover our own       
worthlessness and guilt1 we shall       
likewise have the brighter              
manifestations of his unspeakable       
excellence4 ,and it is most profitable  
to cultivate such inquiries2 for1 the   
more we are impressed with the infinite 

holiness and purity of ,god1 our hatred 
to sin will increase4 ,this1 again1     
directly leads to the promotion of      
genuine humility1 and lively gratitude1 
and unfeigned piety4 ,we are humbled to 
the dust when we think of 8the rock from
 whence we are hewn20 that we are the   
apostate children of apostate parents3  
still more so when we feel the awful    
aggravation of our guilt1 in having     
wilfully forsaken and estranged         
ourselves from a ,god1 whose peculiar   
characteristic is love2 a ,god1 who1 in 
spite of all our rebellions against his 
authority1 and all our violations of his
 law1 and all our contempt of his       
gracious warnings1 is yet ready to      
extend his merciful forgiveness1 and to 
restore his lost favour to every        
penitent and returning sinner4 ,i have  
often considered the following passages 
from the prophecies of ,isaiah1 as a    
most engaging and encouraging           
delineation of ,divine goodness2        
8,therefore will the ,lord wait1 that he

 may be gracious unto you2 and therefore
 will he be exalted1 that he may have   
mercy upon you40 ,the most hardened and 
abandoned criminal is often melted into 
tenderness by the compassionate sympathy
 of the person whom he has offended4 ,he
 not only humbly confesses his guilt1   
but is overwhelmed with grateful1 joyful
 surprise4 ,so it frequently happens1   
when the sinner1 convinced of his guilt1
 first discovers that the great ,god    
against whom he has been offending all  
his life long1 is actually waiting that 
he may be gracious2 and is exalted on a 
throne of mercy1 as it were1 for the    
very purpose of dispensing the blessings
 of forgiveness4 8,the goodness of ,god 
leads him to repentance30 and then1 with
 the most affectionate humility1 at once
 he leaves off his rebellion1 enlists   
himself into the service of so kind a   
,master1 and1 with the newly converted  
,paul1 exclaims1 8,lord what wouldest   
thou have me to do80 ,this devoted      
attachment kindles into acts of open and

 decided piety4 ,he feels his           
unspeakable obligations to redeeming    
love2 and these obligations are ever    
acquiring fresh strength1 as he grows in
 a more thorough knowledge of the       
8desperate wickedness0 of his own heart3
 he loves much1 because much has been   
forgiven4  ,i doubt not but the workings
 of your own experience have some       
correspondence with those ,i have       
described4 ,you have now been happily   
led to flee from the wrath to come1 and 
to embrace ,christ crucified as all your
 salvation4 ,but on the retrospect of   
former years1 does it not strike you    
with amazement that ,god did not 8cut   
you down as a cumberer of the ground80  
that he did not inflict the awful curse 
which your unceasing provocations had so
 justly incurred8 that he persevered so 
long in a course of tender forbearance8 
and1 above all1 that at last he should  
fix upon you as a special object of his 
clemency1 and 8pluck you as a brand from
 the burning80 ,you must ascribe all the

 change in your condition--the          
condemnation from which you are rescued1
 and the blessings to which you are     
exalted--to the free1 unsought1 and     
unmerited love of ,god in ,christ       
,jesus4 ,o1 my friend6 let the range of 
your meditations often run in this      
direction4 ,it will take eternity itself
 to unfold the manifold wisdom1 and the 
matchless love of ,god1 in the          
redemption of your soul2 but1 ,o6 begin 
the work at present1 and let the        
beginning and the ending of your        
reflections and your praise be1 8,hear  
what the ,lord hath done for me40       
,delight yourself in the ,lord4 ,it is1 
indeed1 an interesting employment to    
think on the glories of his person1 the 
excellences of his character1 and the   
wisdom of all his dispensations1        
especially in reference to yourself4 ,it
 will expand your mind with the most    
sacred delight4 ,it will1 unconsciously1
 cultivate a spirit of prayer and       
devotion2 and in thus holding communion 

with ,god1 you will experience that     
8fulness of joy10 which nothing earthly 
can bestow4  ,but1 alas6 methinks ,i can
 anticipate your lamentations4 ,are you 
not desirous of telling me1 that through
 the deceitfulness of sin1 you are often
 beguiled of your privileges1 and robbed
 of those spiritual comforts for which  
your soul pants8 ,it is your wish to    
love ,god from every consideration1 but 
especially because he commended his love
 towards you1 in that1 while you were a 
sinner1 ,christ died for you4 ,it is    
your wish to live in communion with your
 ,god1 and to follow after that holiness
 without which no man shall see his     
face4 ,but your imaginations are full of
 vanity1 and your best endeavours after 
heavenly meditation are interrupted and 
marred by the frequent intrusion of evil
 thoughts4 ,all this may be true enough 
in your case2 for ,i firmly believe it  
accords with the experience even of the 
most advanced ,christians4 ,but allow me
 to say1 that while you thus groan under

 the burden of remaining corruption1 and
 are grieved on account of your natural 
aversion to what is good1 you have      
reason to bless ,god for making you feel
 your proneness to evil1 and teaching   
you that your entire dependence must be 
on his promised grace4 ,at the same time
 that you confess and mourn over your   
imperfections1 are you not powerfully   
affected with a sense of the ,divine    
long-suffering1 in bearing with them1   
and in even sympathizing with you under 
them2 and in the readiness with which   
our gracious ,god condescends to help   
the infirmities1 and supply all the     
wants of his people8 ,in short1 as you  
grow in grace1 you will always find     
growing cause to humble yourself on     
account of your manifold short-comings1 
and to exalt the ,saviour for the riches
 of his grace and love1 so freely1 so   
suitably1 and so abundantly conferred4  
,this is the tendency of the whole      
gospel dispensation4 ,the sinner is     
nothing1 and can do nothing4 ,christ    

,jesus is all in all4 ,the blessings    
which he died to purchase1 and now for  
ever lives to bestow1 are inestimable in
 their nature1 infinite in their extent1
 and eternal in their duration4 ,o1     
amazing boon6 ,and these blessings are  
offered without money and without price4
 ,they are a gift1 a free gift2 the gift
 of the great eternal ,god to the       
creatures of his own formation3 the gift
 of the heavenly ,father to children who
 are unconsciously upheld by his power1 
and fed by his bounty1 and loaded with  
his benefits from day to day4 ,what     
condescension6 what love6 ,and yet1     
strange to tell1 both the ,giver and the
 gift are alike despised by blinded1    
degraded1 ungrateful man6 ,this is a    
most affecting and humiliating view of  
human nature4 ,but is it not a just one8
 ,we cannot look around us without      
perceiving innumerable proofs of its    
truth4 ,nor can even the renewed mind of
 a ,christian free itself from the sad  
accusation of undervaluing that great   

salvation1 which nothing could          
accomplish but the incarnation1 death1  
and resurrection of the ,son of ,god4   
,how then shall those escape who despise
 the proffered mercy8 ,solemn           
consideration6  ,but study you1 my dear 
young friend1 to keep yourself in the   
love of ,god4 ,live habitually under the
 influence of your own unworthiness1 and
 of his unspeakable goodness4 ,god is   
love3 it is your duty to love him in    
return1 with all your heart and soul4   
,see that you never forget what he has  
done to save you from everlasting       
perdition1 and to raise you to glory1   
and honour1 and immortality4 ,remember  
the infinite obligations under which you
 are laid2 and let it be your constant  
aim to walk in his ways1 and to keep his
 commandments2 to serve him with a      
willing mind2 to glorify him with your  
body and your spirit1 which are his4    
,nor will you ever find that this is a  
hard service4 ,on the contrary1 the     
nearer you live to ,god1 you will enjoy 

the larger measure of that 8peace which 
passeth all understanding40             
,,memento ,,of ,,affection4  ,,from     
,,christian ,,pastors1 ,,to ,,those     
,,who1 ,,under ,,their ,,care1 ,,have   
,,commenced ,a ,,religious ,,life3 ,,in 
,,the ,,language ,,of ,,the             
,,scriptures4   ,to them who have       
obtained like precious faith with us1   
through the righteousness of ,god and   
our ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4  ,we thank 
our ,god upon every remembrance of you1 
always in every prayer of ours1 making  
request for you with joy4 ,being        
confident of this very thing1 that he   
who hath begun a good work in you1 will 
perform it unto the day of ,jesus       
,christ4 ,even as it is meet for us to  
think this of you all1 because we have  
you in our heart4 ,for1 ye remember our 
labour1 how we exhorted1 and comforted1 
and charged1 every one of you1 as a     
father does his children2 and we were   
with you in weakness1 and in fear1 and  
in much trembling2 and our exhortation  

was not of deceit1 nor in guile2 neither
 at any time used we flattering words1  
as ye know2 nor of men sought we glory1 
neither of you4 ,but we were gentle     
among you1 even as a nurse cherisheth   
her children2 so being affectionately   
desirous of you1 we were willing to have
 imparted unto you1 not the gospel of   
,god only1 but our own souls also1      
because ye were dear unto us4  ,behold  
what manner of love the ,father hath    
bestowed upon us1 that we should be     
called the children of ,god4 ,for you   
hath he quickened1 who were dead in     
trespasses and sins2 wherein1 in times  
past1 ye walked according to the course 
of this world according to the prince of
 the power of the air1 the spirit that  
now worketh in the children of          
disobedience2 among whom we all had our 
conversation in times past1 fulfilling  
the desires of the flesh and of the     
mind1 and were by nature the children of
 wrath1 even as others4 ,but ,god1 who  
is rich in mercy1 for his great love    

wherewith he loved us1 even when we were
 dead in sins1 hath quickened us        
together with ,christ1 and hath raised  
us up together1 and made us sit together
 in heavenly places in ,christ ,jesus4  
,for ye were as sheep going astray1 but 
now are returned unto the shepherd and  
bishop of your souls4  ,be ye therefore 
followers of ,god as dear children1 and 
walk worthy of the vocation whereby ye  
are called4 ,for ye were sometimes      
darkness1 but now are ye light in the   
,lord2 walk as children of the light4   
,if then ye be risen with ,christ1 seek 
those things which are above1 where     
,christ sitteth on the right hand of    
,god4 ,set your affections on things    
above1 not on things on the earth4 ,for 
all that is in the world1 the lust of   
the flesh1 the lust of the eye1 and the 
pride of life1 is not of the ,father1   
but is of the world4 ,and the world     
passeth away1 and the lust thereof2 but 
he that doth the will of ,god abideth   
for ever4 ,and this is the victory that 

overcometh the world1 even your faith4  
,who is he that overcometh the world1   
but he that believeth that ,jesus is the
 ,son of ,god8 ,and ,jesus saith1 8,i am
 the way1 and the truth1 and the life2  
no man cometh unto the ,father but by   
me4 ,if a man love me1 he will keep my  
commandments1 and my father will love   
him1 and we will come unto him1 and make
 our abode with him4 ,this is my        
commandment1 that ye love one another as
 ,i have loved you4 ,greater love hath  
no man than this1 that a man lay down   
his life for his friends--,ye are my    
friends if ye do whatsoever ,i command  
you40 ,if ,god so loved us1 we ought    
also to love one another4 ,for every one
 that loveth him that begat1 loveth him 
also that is begotten of him4 ,and by   
this we know that we love the children  
of ,god1 when we love ,god and keep his 
commandments4 ,for this is the love of  
,god1 that we keep his commandments4    
,and we have known and believed the love
 which ,god hath towards us4--,god is   

love1 and he that dwelleth in love1     
dwelleth in ,god1 and ,god in him4 ,know
 ye not that your bodies are the temple 
of the ,holy ,ghost1 which is in you1   
which ye have of ,god8 ,and ye are not  
your own1 but are bought with a price2  
therefore glorify ,god in your bodies1  
and in your spirits1 which are his4     
,search the scriptures1 for in them ye  
have eternal life4 ,for the entrance of 
that word giveth light1 and giveth      
understanding to the simple4 ,the law of
 the ,lord is perfect1 converting the   
soul2 the testimony of the ,lord is     
sure1 making wise the simple2 the       
statutes of the ,lord are right1        
rejoicing the heart2 the commandments of
 the ,lord are pure1 enlightening the   
eyes2 more to be desired are they than  
gold1 yea than much fine gold2 sweeter  
also than honey1 and the honey comb4    
,let the word of ,god1 therefore1 dwell 
in you richly1 teaching and admonishing 
one another1 in psalms and hymns1 and   
spiritual songs1 singing with grace in  

your heart to the ,lord4  ,pray without 
ceasing2 in every thing1 by prayer and  
supplication1 with thanksgiving let your
 request be made known to ,god4 ,and the
 peace of ,god1 which passeth all       
understanding1 shall keep your hearts   
and minds through ,christ ,jesus4  ,but 
of the times and seasons1 ye need not   
that we write unto you1 for ye know ,him
 that hath said1 8,remember the sabbath 
day to keep it holy4 ,six days shalt    
thou labour and do all thy work1 but the
 seventh day is the sabbath of the ,lord
 thy ,god40 ,blessed is the man that    
doeth this1 and the son of man that     
keepeth the sabbath from polluting it4  
,and if thou turn away thy foot from the
 sabbath1 and from doing thy pleasure on
 my holy day1 and call the sabbath a    
delight1 the holy of the ,lord1         
honourable1 and shall honour him1 not   
doing thine own ways1 nor finding thine 
own pleasure1 nor speaking thine own    
words1 then shalt thou delight thyself  
in the ,lord4 ,exhort one another daily 

while it is called to-day1 lest any of  
you be hardened through the             
deceitfulness of sin2 not forsaking the 
assembling of yourselves together1 as   
the manner of some is4  ,be not         
conformed to the world1 but be ye       
transformed by the renewing of your     
minds4 ,lay not up for yourselves       
treasures upon earth1 where moth and    
rust doth corrupt1 and where thieves    
break through and steal4 ,but lay up for
 yourselves treasures in heaven1 where  
neither moth nor rust doth corrupt1 and 
where thieves do not break through and  
steal4 ,for where your treasure is1     
there will your heart be also4 ,love not
 the world1 neither the things of the   
world4 ,if any man love the world1 the  
love of the ,father is not in him4 ,no  
man can serve two masters1 for either he
 will hate the one1 and love the other1 
or else he will hold to the one1 and    
despise the other4--,ye cannot serve    
,god and mammon4--,hear now what the    
,lord saith2 8,he that loveth father or 

mother more than me1 is not worthy of   
me2 and he that loveth son or daughter  
more than me1 is not worthy of me2 and  
whosoever doth not bear his cross and   
come after me1 cannot be my disciple40  
,beloved1 believe not every spirit1 but 
try the spirits whether they be of ,god2
 for they are not all ,israel1 that are 
of ,israel2 for many walk1 of whom we   
have told you often1 and now tell you   
even weeping1 who are enemies of the    
cross of ,christ1 whose end is          
destruction1 whose glory is their shame1
 who mind earthly things4 ,not every one
 that saith unto me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall
 enter into the kingdom of heaven2 but  
he that doeth the will of my father     
which is in heaven4--,ye shall know them
 by their fruits4  ,in all things show  
yourselves a pattern of good works1 that
 they of a contrary part may have no    
evil thing to say of you4 ,be not wise  
in your own conceits1 for ,god resisteth
 the proud1 but giveth grace to the     
humble4 ,for the wisdom that cometh from

 above is first pure1 then peaceable1   
gentle1 easy to be entreated1 full of   
mercy and good fruits1 without          
partiality1 and without hypocrisy4 ,be  
kindly affectionate one to another1 in  
honour preferring one another4 ,be not  
desirous of vain glory1 provoking one   
another1 envying one another4 ,how can  
ye believe1 which receive honour one of 
another1 and seek not the honour which  
cometh from ,god only4 ,be content with 
such things as ye have1 for godliness   
with contentment1 is great gain4 ,for we
 brought nothing into the world1 and it 
is certain we can carry nothing out1 and
 having food and raiment1 let us be     
therewith content4 ,charge them that are
 rich in this world1 that they be not   
high-minded1 nor trust in uncertain     
riches1 but in the living ,god1 who     
giveth us richly all things to enjoy4   
,that they do good1 that they be rich in
 good works1 ready to distribute1       
willing to communicate4  ,let your      
conversation be as becometh the gospel  

of ,christ4 ,let no corrupt             
communications proceed out of your      
mouth2 neither foolish talking nor      
jesting4 ,every idle word that men shall
 speak1 they shall give an account      
thereof in the day of judgment2 for by  
thy words thou shalt be justified1 and  
by thy words thou shalt be condemned4   
,speak evil of no man1 let your speech  
be always with grace1 that ye may know  
how to answer every man4 ,bear ye one   
another's burdens2 have compassion one  
of another1 be pitiful1 be courteous4   
,your adorning1 let it not be that      
outward adorning of wearing gold1 or of 
putting on of apparel1 but let it be the
 hidden man of the heart2 even the      
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit1    
which is1 in the sight of ,god1 of great
 price4 ,and whatsoever things are pure1
 whatsoever things are lovely1          
whatsoever things are of good report1   
think on these things4  ,wherefore1 let 
us lay aside every weight1 and the sin  
which doth so easily beset us1 and let  

us run with patience1 the race that is  
set before us4 ,looking unto ,jesus1 the
 author and the finisher of our faith1  
who1 for the joy that was set before    
him1 endured the cross1 despising the   
shame1 and is set down at the right hand
 of the throne of ,god4 ,for ye have not
 an ,high ,priest which cannot be       
touched with the feeling of our         
infirmities1 but was in all points      
tempted like as we are1 yet without sin4
 ,who can have compassion on the        
ignorant1 and on them that are out of   
the way1 for in that he himself hath    
suffered1 being tempted1 he is able to  
succour them that are4 ,trust in him at 
all times2 pour out your heart before   
him2 and he will be very gracious at the
 voice of your cry3 when he shall hear  
it1 he will answer4 ,and he will feed   
his flock like a shepherd2 he shall     
gather the lambs in his arms1 and carry 
them in his bosom4 ,and forget not the  
exhortation that speaketh unto you as   
unto children1 8,my son1 despise not the

 chastening of the ,lord1 neither faint 
when thou art rebuked of him40 ,for whom
 the ,lord loveth1 he chasteneth1 and   
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth4  
,for our light afflictions1 which are   
but for a moment1 work out for us a far 
more exceeding and eternal weight of    
glory4  ,for ye are not come to the     
mount which might be touched1 and that  
burned with fire1 nor unto blackness1   
and darkness1 and a tempest2 but ye are 
come unto mount ,zion1 to the city of   
the living ,god1 the heavenly           
,jerusalem1 and to an innumerable       
company of angels1 to the general       
assembly and church of the firstborn1   
which are written in heaven1 and to ,god
 the judge of all1 and to the spirits of
 just men made perfect1 and to ,jesus   
the mediator of the new covenant1 and to
 the blood of sprinkling1 that speaketh 
better things than that of ,abel4       
,having1 therefore1 these promises1 what
 manner of persons ought ye to be in all
 holy conversation and godliness4       

,therefore1 dearly beloved1 our joy and 
our crown1 so stand fast in the ,lord1  
our dearly beloved4 ,for now we live1 if
 ye stand fast in the ,lord4 ,and what  
thanks can we render to ,god again for  
you1 for all the joy wherewith we joy   
for your sakes1 before our ,god4 ,for   
what is our hope1 and joy1 and crown of 
rejoicing8 are not even ye in the       
presence of the ,lord8 ,for the ,lord   
shall descend from heaven with a shout1 
with the voice of an archangel1 and with
 the trump of ,god4 ,then we shall be   
caught up together to meet the ,lord in 
the air1 and so we shall be ever with   
the ,lord4 ,wherefore1 comfort one      
another with these words4  ,now unto    
,him that is able to keep you from      
falling1 and to present you faultless   
before the presence of his glory with   
exceeding joy2 to the only wise ,god our
 ,saviour1 be glory and majesty1        
dominion and power1 both now and ever4  
,amen4     ,,am ,i ,a ,,new ,,creature8 
8,if any man be in ,christ10 says the   

,apostle1 8he is a new creature40 ,in   
the first part of this sentence it is   
more than intimated1 that some men are  
not in ,christ1 are not true            
,christians4 ,such was the fact in the  
days of the ,apostle2 such it is now4   
,there still are enemies to the cross of
 ,christ4 ,there still are open         
opposers1 decent objectors1 and         
multitudes thoroughly indifferent to    
,christ and heaven1 the soul and        
eternity4 ,we see them all around us4   
,the world is full of them4 ,in the     
straight and narrow path that leadeth   
heavenward1 only infrequent prints of   
the feet of travellers are to be seen2  
while the broad road is thronged by an  
unnumbered multitude1 regardless whence 
they came1 and whither they are going4  
,the few who have chosen to desert their
 companions in folly and sin1 and become
 ,christian pilgrims1 in search of a    
heavenly city1 are called by the        
,apostle 8new creatures40 ,this1 and    
other language of similar import1 the   

sacred writers frequently employ1 to    
describe a regenerate state1 a          
transformation from the complete        
dominion of sin to the dominion of      
holiness4 ,every truly converted soul is
 turned from darkness to light1 and from
 the power of ,satan unto ,god4 ,this is
 no eastern allegory1 no oriental       
fiction1 no dream of a disordered fancy1
 but the simple statement of a          
tremendously important fact--a fact1    
which1 whether regarded or not1 takes   
fast hold on the interests of the soul1 
and the destinies of eternity4  ,the new
 birth1 the new creation in ,christ     
,jesus1 regeneration1 c4 are words of   
strange and unimaginable import to many 
minds4 ,and well they may be4 ,these    
persons know little about them1 and what
 little they suppose they know1 is often
 any thing but truth4 ,they may talk but
 they do not understand4 ,they may      
fancy1 but fancy and fact are seldom at 
one4  ,notwithstanding the mystery      
which1 in the view of many1 hangs over  

this subject1 to the honest and humble  
mind it may be simplified and rendered  
intelligible2 and this is what ,i shall 
now attempt4  ,the new creation produces
 no change in any of our bodily or      
mental faculties4 ,the subject of it    
sees with the same eyes1 hears with the 
same ears1 and labours with the same    
hands1 which he had before4 ,neither is 
the sight of his literal eye1 nor the   
hearing of his ear1 nor the vigour of   
his hand strengthened4 ,the same also   
may be said as to any change of his     
mental faculties4 ,no person1 by        
becoming spiritually a new creature1    
receives a new understanding1 or a new  
imagination1 or a new memory1           
conscience1 or faculty of choice4 ,his  
mental faculties may indeed be          
invigorated1 through the influence of   
the ,spirit1 and by a proper use2 still1
 they are not essentially changed4--,in 
what1 then1 does the great change of    
which we are speaking consist8 ,in what 
respects is the subject of it a new     

creature8  ,man1 in the full extent of  
his capacities and affections1 possesses
 something more than mere organs by     
which to look abroad upon the earth1 and
 hear the voice of his fellow man1 and  
procure subsistence for his perishing   
body4 ,he is something more than a      
mental being1 who can recollect1 and    
reason1 and imagine4 ,he can wish as    
well as see2 desire as well as hear2    
love as well as recollect2 hate as well 
as reason2 choose and refuse as well as 
imagine4 ,the existence of powers and   
faculties1 corporeal and mental1 is     
comparatively a small matter4 ,how are  
they employed--is the great question4   
,how does a man feel8 ,what are his     
affections8 ,what are his principles8   
,what is his practice8 ,these are       
questions which go deep into the soul1  
and discover what a man is1 in the sight
 of ,him who looketh on the heart1 and  
cannot be deceived4  ,i say1 then1 with 
reference to the point before us1 that  
the truly regenerate soul has a new     

object of supreme affection4  ,formerly 
self was first and last with him4       
,morning1 noon1 and night1--in youth and
 manhood1 and declining years1--at home1
 and abroad1 in the church and in the   
field1 seeking property or bestowing it 
on the destitute1 in health and in      
sickness1 in life and in death1 the     
unregenerate heart pours forth its      
highest affections upon self4 ,if it    
looks upward to ,god and abroad to his  
kingdom1 these are regarded as secondary
 objects4 ,he cannot think complacently 
of ,god1 as ruling for himself1 for the 
display of his perfections1 for the     
manifestation of his character1 and as  
making the impenitent sinner illustrate 
that character throughout the universe  
and through eternity4 ,such thoughts1 if
 they force themselves into his mind1   
are unwelcome intruders1 and are        
banished1 as you would drive from your  
house a suspected guest1 who you feared 
would rob you of your treasures1 and    
deprive you of life4 ,just so it is with

 self4 ,whatever it suspects as inimical
 to its little1 paltry ends1 it eyes    
with suspicion and fixed hostility1 and 
opposes with all the vigour that sin and
 ,satan can impart4 ,god1 his character1
 his government1 his perfections1 his   
will1--these are objects that cross the 
path and thwart the purposes of self4   
,both cannot be first4 #8,ye will love  
the one and hate the other4' ,this is   
the irreversible law of man's moral     
nature4--,the selfish person may for a  
time be ignorant of his selfishness1 and
 may think himself actuated by noble1   
generous1 disinterested views2 but even 
when the wrappers are taken off1 and his
 true character is revealed1 still1 he  
will continue to love himself4 ,still1  
he will dread and hate the holy         
character and government of ,jehovah4   
,but he is a new creature4 ,that ,divine
 character1 once so hateful1 is now     
lovely2 that government once so dreaded1
 is seen to be established in wisdom and
 goodness2 while those perfections1 once

 odious1 break forth and beam out with a
 heavenly splendour1 the source of joy  
and of unfailing confidence to all holy 
beings4 #8,be thou exalted1 ,o ,god1    
above the heavens4 ,let thy glory be    
above all the earth4'--,truly this is a 
great and wonderful change4 #8,old      
things have passed away2 all things have
 become new4' ,the principle1 which ran 
through and actuated the whole man--the 
entire mass of his moral nature1 has    
been changed1 renewed1 supplanted4 ,a   
new and hitherto unknown principle has  
entered the heart1 from which the former
 occupant has fled abashed4 ,the ground1
 formerly overgrown with the weeds and  
tares of selfishness1 now brings forth1 
under divine culture1 the fruits of     
holiness1--one of the first of which is 
supreme love to ,god1 itself the seed1  
the germinant principle1 the proof1 the 
pledge1 of all the rest4--,it may be    
said then with perfect truth1 that when 
a man becomes a ,christian1 he has a new
 ,god1--a new object of supreme regard1 

affection1 and veneration4 ,self        
formerly occupied the throne2 but self  
is now upon the footstool and in the    
dust that covers it1 while ,god1 his    
,maker1 ,redeemer1 and ,judge1 is       
enthroned in his rightful supremacy4    
,the regenerate man is a new creature1  
because he has a new rule of duty4      
,formerly his own inclination1 his own  
will1 provided there was no outward     
impediment which prevented1 directed his
 actions4 ,who does not wish to gratify 
his own desires8 ,who would not do it if
 he could8  ,but here is a new creature4
 ,the first question the new born soul  
puts forth1 is that of ,saul1 #8,lord1  
what wilt thou have me to do8' ,the will
 of another being1 a being invisible to 
human eye1 impalpable to human touch1   
whose literal voice no man hears1 is now
 the rule of duty to the new creature4  
,the law of ,god takes the place of     
man's desires1 wishes1 and propensities4
 ,he who formerly took council of his   
own selfish heart1 now yields to the    

revealed word2 he who once sought to    
please himself1 now seeks to obey his   
heavenly ,master2 he who followed his   
own headlong propensities1 now holds    
them in check1 while he consults the    
lively and life-giving oracles of truth4
 ,and these utter no uncertain1         
ambiguous responses1 but plainly point  
out the path of duty1 which1 to the     
regenerate man1 is the path of peace4   
,the unregenerate man1 on becoming a    
true ,christian1 exhibits a marked      
novelty1 a noticeable transformation of 
character1 in the trait here specified4 
,he puts aside his old rules of duty1   
whether they were his own will1 or      
supposed advantage1 or the maxims of the
 world2 and1 in place of them1 adopts   
,god's law as the standard by which to  
estimate his character1 mould his       
affections1 and regulate his conduct4   
,this is a great change1 very great2    
greater far than most people            
imagine4--,reader1 ,do you know what it 
implies8 ,are you ready to adopt the    

will of ,god as your rule of duty8 ,you 
must do it1 or you can never be a new   
creature4 ,heaven and hell turn on this 
pivot4 ,let ,god's will govern2 and     
holiness1 heaven1 peace in life1 triumph
 in death1 and joys1 which eye hath not 
seen1 nor ear heard1 nor the heart of   
man conceived1 are yours4 ,follow your  
own will1 in opposition to that of ,god1
 and you shut yourself out from ,heaven1
 cut yourself off from all holy         
affections1 and poison the fountains of 
life in your soul4 ,you deprive yourself
 of all certain present peace1 plant    
thorns in your dying pillow1 and make   
the final ,judge your eternal enemy1    
murder hope1 and shut yourself up in the
 prison of despair4  ,what can be more  
proper than that a creature of yesterday
 and liable to err1 should look up to   
his ,creator1 who is from eternity to   
eternity1 and who cannot err1 for       
instruction and guidance8 ,would it be  
proper that children scarcely out of the
 cradle1 should follow their            

short-sighted and perverse whims1 rather
 than the kind and wise commands of     
their experienced parents8 ,your child  
has lived three years4 ,you have lived  
thirty4 ,surely it is proper that the   
child of three should be directed by the
 parent of thirty years4 ,and is there  
no propriety that the creature of thirty
 should be directed by the all wise and 
eternal ,creator8 ,the simple statement 
of the subject carries home conviction  
to every mind with irresistible force4  
,another distinctive trait of the new   
creature is1 new views of man's native  
character4  ,the moral1 reputable1 but  
impenitent man1 may1 by reading1 by     
observation and reflection1 become      
convinced that something is wrong about 
man--very wrong4 ,he may see that       
unhesitating truth1 and fearless        
honesty1 and straight forward integrity 
are but seldom to be met with4 ,he may  
know that pride1 and vanity1 and        
jealousy1 and envy1 and suspicion1 and  
anger1 weave a large portion of the web 

of human life4 ,he may call falsehood   
contemptible1 and intemperance beastly4 
,he may acknowledge that laws are       
necessary to intimidate1 that judges and
 courts are required to convict1 and    
that prisons and penitentiaries are     
indispensable to confine the thief and  
the robber4 ,all this presents to his   
mind a dark picture of human life and   
character4 ,but then he contemplates    
another part of the picture1 and finds  
some relief4 ,he sees the kindlier      
sympathies of our nature discovering    
themselves in various forms4 ,he sees   
conjugal1 parental and filial affection 
warm and vigorous in many bosoms1 and   
the sight is pleasing4 ,but he does not 
see that the father and mother and child
 may all be supremely selfish1 while    
exhibiting the generous natural         
affections4 ,he does not see1 at least  
he is not apt to see1 that all these and
 similar principles of human conduct    
come under that description of which the
 ,saviour said1 #8,verily ,i say unto   

you1 they have their reward4' ,there is 
no holiness in them4 ,they do not spring
 from holiness2 they do not produce     
holiness4 ,who thinks when he sees the  
red-breast bearing in its bill food for 
its young1 that the bird is holy8 ,yet  
has it not affection for its young8 ,is 
not the sight pleasant8 ,others must    
have different feelings from mine1 if it
 be not so4 ,often have ,i watched the  
efforts and parental solicitude of the  
warblers of the woods1 and admired the  
wisdom of the ,god of nature1 who       
feedeth the young ravens when they cry4 
,is the fond mother1 rocking her        
sleeping infant1 and smiling as it      
smiles1 therefore holy8 ,is her love to 
her child necessarily connected with    
love to ,god1 and with penitence for her
 sins8 ,there are those that tell us    
that these natural and kindly           
affections1 of which1 7were we          
destitute17 we should be below the very 
brutes1 are proof and exhibition of     
holiness6 #8,blind leaders of the       

blind6'  ,but here is a new creature4   
,he sees1 that the most amiable         
unrenewed men1 in all their moral1      
accountable exercises1 are sinful1 only 
sinful1 and sinful without any mixture  
of holiness4 ,once he did not believe   
this4 ,it was a harsh and uncomfortable 
view of the human character and         
condition4 ,or if he did believe it1 as 
a doctrine too plainly revealed to be   
doubted1 still it was a bare            
intellectual assent to a repulsive dogma
 of revelation4 ,but now it comes home  
to his bosom1 as a truth of awful1      
personal import4 #8,i have heard of thee
 by the hearing of the ear1 but now mine
 eye seeth thee2 wherefore ,i abhor     
myself1 and repent in dust and ashes4   
,truly1 here is a great change4 ,he who 
exalted now abases2 he who excused now  
convicts2 he who justified now condemns1
 himself4 ,he who rose in opposition to 
,god's laws1 now rejoices to submit to  
them4 ,he who raised objections1 sought 
out difficulties1 and uttered complaints

 of injustice and partiality1 now       
ascribes righteousness to his ,maker1   
and takes shame to himself4 ,he sees1   
realizes1 and feels through his whole   
soul1 that the only difficulty was in an
 impenitent1 selfish1 unhumbled1 unholy 
heart1 that1 knowing its ,lord's will1  
would not do it4 ,the truly regenerate  
man knows1 by an evidence of            
consciousness and personal feeling equal
 to demonstration1 that the natural     
heart is enmity to ,god4 ,he has felt   
this enmity in his own heart1 and he    
knows that1 as in a glass face answereth
 to face1 so does the heart of man to   
man4  ,the new creature has a new       
foundation for his hope of acceptance   
with ,god4  ,formerly he was as good as 
his neighbours4 ,he was no hypocrite4   
,he did not make any great pretensions  
to religion1 it is true1 but he was     
honest in his dealings1 kind to the     
poor1 and ready to do what he could to  
relieve the suffering and deliver the   
oppressed4 ,or if his circumstances did 

not admit of his really doing this1 he  
was disposed to do it4 ,had he possessed
 the means1 he certainly should have    
done it2 and he who looketh on the heart
 and requires only according to what a  
man hath1 will readily take the will for
 the deed4--,some make a great merit of 
their sobriety4 ,they are not           
intemperate1 not dishonest1 not profane1
 respect the ,sabbath1 read their       
,bibles1 have read them for a long time1
 attend meeting regularly3--surely1     
putting all this together1 their        
characters must stand fair1 and their   
hopes be good4  ,but here is a new      
creature4 ,he no longer compares himself
 with his neighbour4 ,he examines       
himself by the law of ,god1 and he cries
 #8,woe is me1 for ,i am undone2 ,i have
 broken ,god's holy laws1 and there is  
no health1 no strength1 no soundness in 
me4 ,i am guilty4 ,i am ruined4' ,his   
honesty1 integrity1 and kindness1 his   
attention to the means of grace1 his    
attendance in the sanctuary1 his reading

 of ,god's word1 all his feelings and   
actions are now seen to be defiled4 ,he 
can no longer look to them for hope4 ,he
 turns away from these refuges of lies1 
and flies to the hope set before him in 
the gospel4 ,he no longer balances his  
good deeds against his defective ones4  
,he no longer attempts to number his    
benevolent actions and weigh his holy   
desires4 ,he feels that he never did a  
good deed1 not one2 that he never       
performed a benevolent action1 not one2 
that he never entertained a right       
feeling1 not one4 ,in the light which   
heaven pours down upon his book of debt 
and credit1 which he has been keeping so
 long1 astonished he perceives1 that the
 sum total of his life stands against   
him in characters black with sin4 ,he   
despairs of all hope from himself4 ,his 
own fancied merit1 the idol so long     
worshipped1 now is a burden of sin that 
would sink him to perdition1 were there 
not outstretched a divine arm to rescue 
him from impending ruin1 and raise him  

to hope and peace4 ,he turns1           
self-loathing1 to the cross of ,christ1 
and sees that thereon only can a sinner 
like him hang his hope of forgiveness   
and heaven4 ,it is the blood of ,christ1
 applied to his accusing conscience1    
that alone can calm his agitation1 and  
speak peace to his troubled soul4       
,here1 then1 is a great change4 ,every  
thing else is renounced as a ground of  
hope before ,god1 but ,christ and his   
cross4 ,truly1 the regenerate man is a  
new creature4 ,he has a new ,saviour4   
,jesus1 formerly a despised ,nazarene1  
deserving none of his confidence or     
love1 is now his ,lord and his ,god4    
#8,old things have passed away2 behold1 
all things have become new4'  ,reader1  
is it so with you8 ,is self1 or ,god1   
your object of supreme love8 ,is your   
own will1 or the will of ,god1 your rule
 of duty8 ,do you think yourself        
commendable or abominable in the sight  
of ,god8 ,do you trust to your own merit
 for salvation1 or do you see and deeply

 feel1 that it is only by repentance for
 sin1 and faith in the ,lord ,jesus     
,christ1 that any can be saved8   ,,the 
,,end4