love for sin, and awakening desires for a better life, thus removing the unrighteous scepter the heart swayed over the will, giving the will freedom and power to accept or reject the mercies of God.  While the impure affections and unholy desires of a depraved heart are being restrained by the power of the Holy Spirit, before the will is set the way of life and the way of death, each subject to choice.  Now is the time for whosoever will to come and drink of the water of life freely, and whosoever will now call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Not only does the will act an important part in securing the salvation of the soul through the offered mercies of God, but it is the purpose of God that the will act an important part all along the Christian way.  After the Christian enters through the “strait gate” and steps out upon the “narrow way” that leads to eternal golden glories, he is not carried forward in a “chariot of fire” through the journey of life and crowned at the end with eternal blessedness irrespective of his will.  Often it is true that the soul is carried blessedly onward in the way of life on the wings of joy, without any apparent exercise of the will; but how often Good seems to have deserted or forsaken us, Joy has hid her smiling face, and Good Feelings have departed, and we are left to serve God and attend to our Christian duties from choice of will.  God wants our life service to be a willing service.  It is necessary, therefore, that he apparently forsake us and permit dark powers to engage us.  It is that our wills may be exercised.  The Psalmist says, “I will go the way of thy commandment; I will keep thy testimonies,” and let us all say amen.

The blessings and joys the Lord bestows upon us are the rewards of willing service, for which things you should be very thankful; but never let them influence you in your conduct toward God.  There have been those, who, in the hour of seeming desertion, refusing to use their will-power, have turned back to the world.  This is faint-heartedness and cowardice, ignobleness and unmanliness.

Every faculty of the body or soul that is unused or unexercised will weaken and die.  The muscles if unused will grow weak, the mind if unused will weaken, and the will if unexercised will lose its power.  Should God always keep us soaring aloft on the wings of peace and joy and blessings, without the exercise of the will, this important faculty would degenerate into weakness and slavery.  O may my young readers arise in the strength of their manhood and womanhood and use, in choosing and doing the right, the will God has given them.  The tempter may come, yea, will come, and endeavor to get some of the affections of the heart set upon the world; but you must reject all such temptations, and by the force of your will set your affections on things above.  God does never will for us, but he gives us power to will if we will but use the power he gives us.