498 Reflections on 
sirable, that we should wish for ever to 
walk in them, and the present state of 
manners is not such, that we should 
wish fot ever to be connected with it, 
Let us reflect, then, how often mercy 
and ‘tenderness. haye been exerted 
towards us in the course of the now 
expiring year. While some have been 
abhcibed a the rapid progress of folly 
and immorality, we remain behind to 
take’a lesson, from their fate: and 
when we recollect how often we have 
beet cuilty of the same errors, in the 
midst of which they have been cut off, 
we ought to wonder at the goodness of 
that Being who has protected us, and 
demonstrate our gratitude by penitence 
and’ amendment —not harden our 
hearts by an obstinate neglect of so 
many admonitions. When we indulged 
the intemperance of our passions, they 
were not permitted to overcome us ; 
and while we sought danger with all 
the eagerness of madness and infatua- 
tion, an invisible, yet powerful hand, 
was stretched out to protectus. In the 
midst of our many follies, in the com- 
mission of crimes, and in the giddy 
hour of intoxication, He was mindful 
of us, whom we lightly esteemed. 
While many hundreds around us fell 
sacrifices to their folly, and their intem- 
perate irregularity ; while we smiled on 
the approach of death, and even were 
cool and deliberate on its presence in 
others, we were not doomed to share 
their fate, but spared to improve the 
lesson—to think on our danger, and fly 
from it. 
To many, this year has, no doubt, 
brought acquisition of wealth, of power, 
er domestic comforts. 
Here arises another source of grati- 
tude. What would our proud hearts 
have done, had we been among the 
number of those who at the saine time 
were depressed by poverty, by neglect, 
by unforeseen misfortunes ? 
While we were of the number who 
succeeded by our endeavours and pro- 
gress through life, many have been per- 
mitted to fall from opulence to poverty, 
from health to long and painful disease, 
from power to contempt, and from in- 
tegrity to degeneracy. Many, whose 
reputation was like ours, whose hopes 
were as sanguine, and whose fears were 
as few, have fallen before unforeseen 
temptations, and from living happily 
have died ighominiously. Where was 
the difference, between them and us? 
Let'us, then, show our gratitude and hu- 
mility; “Bor be presumptuous in our 
the Old Year: 
fancied. consequence, and flatter our=' 
selves. that there is any integrity,inde- 
pendent of the assistance of Him who 
made us, and. made.us,as.we ates 
helpless. without. His assistange-all+ 
powerful by his blessing, 4) bshauow 
In the remembrance of, the, actions, 
of a past year, the folly. of ja, misspent, 
time, strikes. us ,,in,,.a,,,yery,oforcible) 
degree. How, many, hours,,and days: 
have we wasted in pleasures, on whiche 
we cannot Icok back with satisfaction, 
or in the errors.in. .which; .we+aret 
ashamed? How often, have we wasted: 
health, the greatest of human blessitigg. 
and abused that time, not).ones minuté 
of which we.can recall? The,shortness 
and uncertainty ofour time-are| subjects’ 
which have been so frequently incul, 
cated, and are in themselyes;so!obvious. 
to the senses, that, it is notnecessary to, 
enter on them in this. papers); beo%0! y 
Let us, then, without any. precipitate: 
and inconsiderate resolutions-of amend-, 
ment, which are most | frequently- 
broken before they are completed : 
let us, I say, gradually wean ourselves. 
from those indulgencies, which. tend. 
not to satisfaction, and from.an attach 
ment to pleasures which never repay-usy 
on reflection—for the many days and 
years of divine forbearance will only 
serve to aggravate our pain when we 
come, as we all must, to the serious 
meditation of solitude or the death 
bed. He that weighs the pleasures of 
the world, and knows their true value, 
can best enjoy them. The ignorant 
only are deceived by the specions ap~ 
pearance of human delight. . The: 
glare of pomp, the attractions of riches,: 
the splendour of rank, and. the reputa~ 
tion of dress, gallantry and manners,) 
are but so many delusions to catch they 
approbation of the vulgar. But: the or-) 
naments that never fade, are those of: #' 
well-formed and serious. mind.“ The 
reputation that never dies, is that\of 
integrity and humanity ; and the comforts: 
which cannot be taken from us, area 
conscience void of offence, anda -confi= 
dence in Divine. Power. and » favours 
When we take an, impartial survey, of: 
the world, we. find the ordinaryicom=" 
forts of life, such as. liberty, free religion’ 
and laws, powerfully... reconciling: us: 
to our situation... But; we see»thesec 
blessings abused. in every degree, inrall? 
the variety of wretched,criminality, by: 
low cunning, by. the .intenseness=iof + 
avarice, the .prodigality, of yiee; ther 
deliberate. hostility ,of thesinfidelyand: 
the neglectful disposition.of.the,general» 
dics on pt sod edvnsdther qqeniia ge 
