few pious souls which remained would be under the necessity of separating themselves from the corrupted mass, and "forming churches out of churches."

Our best wishes for our brethren of the Episcopal church are, that they may act wisely and faithfully in regard to this solemn subject-the subject of admissions to their communion. Their standards are substantially scriptural, and we sincerely hope that, not only the letter, but the spirit of them may be duly regarded. We hope the venerable bishops may be careful to inquire of all who present themselves for confirmation, not only whether "they can say the creed and the ten commandments," but whether they do "renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the sinful desires of the flesh, so that they will neither follow nor be led by them ;"--whether they do purpose "obediently to keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of their life.” We can have no doubt, that the spirituality and efficiency of that important branch of the church of Christ will depend materially on the particularity and faithfulness with which these examinations are conducted.

ART. IV. IMPORTANCE OF A PURPOSE OR RESOLUTION TO SERVE God.

BY REV. LEONARD WOODS, D. D.

It is plainly the duty of all Christians, and of all men, to come to a full purpose or resolution to serve God. Such was the purpose of David. "I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments." Such was the purpose of Joshua. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." And to such a purpose Barnabas exhorted the Christians at Antioch.

Every person of mature understanding, knows what is the act of the mind, called a purpose or determination to do any particular thing. It needs no explanation. The moral quality of this mental act depends on its antecedents and circumstances, commonly called motives, or grounds. It is the consideration of these, which enables us to judge whether any purpose is morally right, or not. This is very plain, and is acknowledged in the common concerns of life. A man determines to pursue a particular study, or a particular course of conduct. But the mere knowledge of this fact leaves you in doubt, whether the determination is virtuous and commendable. And you can never be satisfied on this point, without knowing the motives which lead to the determination. Why does he determine to pursue such a study, or such a course of conduct? The answer to this inquiry, is an answer to the question, whether the determination is virtuous and holy, or not.

This principle holds with respect to purposes in religion, as much as with respect to purposes in other matters. A good man, who purposes to serve God, certainly has reasons for such a purpose. He forms it from just and sufficient motives. The great inward motive is love to God. It is a pious, obedient heart. The Christian who resolves in a right manner to serve God, does it because he loves God. Obedience, and a right purpose to obey, spring from the same source. The two things differ not at all in regard to the nature of the disposition implied, or the general character of the mental act. If a man loves God, he will now obey every command which is of present obligation. That is, he will now do what God now requires.

And when the same man, with the same state of mind, contemplates the requisitions of the law in regard to the future, he resolves to obey for the future. He resolves on a course of obedience. The motive to present obedience, and to a resolution to obey in future time, is the same, that is, love to God. And in proportion to the strength of his love, will be the readiness of his present obedience, and the force of his resolution to obey hereafter.

A serious and holy purpose to serve God may be considered as love to God, and all the pious affections implied in it, concentrated in a deliberate act of the mind respecting our future conduct. I ask, how shall I live? What shall be my employment in all future time? If I truly love God, my answer will be; I will serve the Lord. It shall be my great object to do his will. Through the help of God, I will have respect to all his commandments. Such a pious resolution may be regarded as a summary act of obedience, comprising, as far as the case admits, the essence of a life devoted to God. It is, so to speak, an anticipation of a holy life; a present act of the mind embracing our duty in all future time. And accordingly it is a kind of pledge or assurance, that we will render obedience continually and forever ;--an obedience which we certainly shall render, unless our character should be changed.

Such a resolution is highly important, particularly as a means of freeing the mind from fickleness, and fixing it in the steady performance of duty.

Every good man has within him the principles of obedience, the elements of a pious life. But it is important that these elements should be properly combined, and these principles be brought to act, with united force upon the great object of pursuit. And this is done by forming a deliberate purpose to serve God. Without this, the pious affections, which are the principles of a holy life, are likely to have only a scattered and feeble influence. If any one, who has been truly converted, has not concentrated his pious dispositions in a deliberate, firm resolve to be devoted to God, he will want force of character to resist the allurements of the world, and to subdue the remaining evils in his own heart. Outward temptations, acting in conjunction with his irregular and depraved dispositions, will often prevail to turn him aside from the way of holiness. Like the "double-minded man," mentioned by an apostle, he "is VOL. III,

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unstable in all his ways." "He is like a wave of the sea, driven of the wind and tossed." Without a fixed resolution to live unto God, a real Christian is, in a greater or less degree, exposed to this instability. He wants firmness and uniformity. He may have his seasons of lively affection and devout enjoyment. But there will be seasons of coldness, and backsliding, and conformity to the world, and distance from God, and disquietude, fear, and distress.-These seasons sometimes continue long, and bring the soul into the most deplorable state. Peace and hope, love and joy have departed. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life have gotten the ascendency. And oh! what desolation and barrenness ensue! We frequently find the professed followers of Christ in this state. There are many young Christians, who do not fulfil the hopes which their friends entertained respecting them, and which they indulged respecting themselves, at the commencement of their religious life. They are not active, growing Christians. They do not exhibit the humility, the tenderness, the zeal and watchfulness, to which their profession binds them. They are called to a holy, heavenly life; but their life is not holy and heavenly. They are called to bear the likeness of Christ. But they give little or no evidence of this likeness. They are called to be fruitful in good works. But in this also they are deficient. Now this lamentable state is, in no small degree, owing to the want of a fixed purpose to be devoted to God. Let Christians, then, especially young Christians, take into view the sinfulness and wretchedness of such a condition, and their exposure to fall into it. Let them meditate upon the high commands of the sacred scriptures, which require them to set their affections on things above, to strive against sin, to deny themselves, to be watchful, and diligent, and pure, and to walk with God. Let them consider the precious promises. them dwell in deep reflection upon the vanity and misery of a worldly life, and the blessedness of uniform, devoted piety; upon the favour of God, which attends a holy life, and upon the wrath of God, which attends a life of sin. them look forward to a dying bed, to the judgment day, and the eternal world. Let them ponder these things, till their hearts are duly affected. Then, with cordial love to Christ and his cause, looking to God, and relying upon his all-sufficient grace, let them come to a deliberate, solemn

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resolution, that they will walk in newness of life. Let them bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant.With sincerity of heart let them decide upon a life of selfdenial, watchfulness, and prayer. Let them form the purpose strongly, and with an undivided mind, that they will make religion their great business, and that nothing shall turn them aside from this reasonable and happy work. Let them form such a purpose, in such a manner, and faithfully adhere to it; and they will find it the commencement of a new era in their christian life. Henceforward their path will be plain and bright. They will know what they are living for, and what they have to do. They will be free from a divided mind, and from all the perplexity occasioned by it. They will have the comfort of pursuing one object, and that the greatest and best in the universe. This unity of purpose and unity of object, will impart moral strength to their character. So that although temptation or persecution beset them, though any trouble or danger rise up before them, they are not to be turned aside from the right way. "With purpose of heart they cleave to the Lord." They are fortified against whatever would draw or drive them from the service of Christ. Their heart is fixed. With unvarying decision they say to every tempter; "I have sworn and I will perform it, that I will keep the righteous judgments of my God." I am a servant of the king of kings. At his command I am engaged in a great and exalted work, and I cannot come down.--The Christian, who thus deliberately and firmly resolves to be wholly devoted to God, moves forward steadily in his heavenly course. is strong to act for God, because all his own powers, aided by a power infinitely superior, are enlisted in the work. He is strong to resist temptation, because he will not parley with it. He is a constant, growing, useful Christian, and his light shines brighter and brighter to the perfect day.

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But it is impossible for me adequately to set forth the importance of our being fully resolved, and having our heart unalterably fixed, in the work of God. See, then, the importance of our having such views of the divine character and law, of the evil of sin, and the worth of the soul, and our obligations to the Saviour, and the importance also of such religious impressions and exercises, as tend most effectually to bring us to a full and invariable purpose, that we will obey God, and that this and nothing else shall be our