(3.) He fubmits voluntarily and cheerfully. The power of divine grace has rooted out the enmity of his carnal mind, and implanted the principle of love in his heart. He breaks off from fin and Satan, as from the most cruel ufurpers and destroyers; and he fubmits to Chrift, not merely as to an irresistible Conqueror, but as to a Deliverer. He enters upon a religious life, not as a state of flavery and unwil ling captivity, but as a ftate of the most glorious liberty. He fubmits to the terms of reconciliation, not as the arbitrary impofitions of an imperious ufurper, but as the gentle and reasonable prescriptions of a wife and good Ruler. He efteems all his laws holy, and juft, and good; and with all his heart he acquiefces and rejoices in the bleffed gospel of peace. In fhort, the rebel's heart is now entirely changed and rendered well-affected to the divine government; and confequently, he cordially and freely fubmits to it. Once indeed he hated it, and then he did at best but feign fubmiffion to it; but now, his enmity being fubdued, he furrenders himself with all his heart. It is one of the freeft acts of his whole life.

(4.) He makes an univerfal furrender of himself and all that he is and has to Jefus Chrift. He makes no referve of one favourite luft; but gives them all up to be flain. He makes no fecret exceptions to any of the articles of reconciliation, but heartily confents to them all. He devotes his whole foul and all its faculties to God, in and through Jefus Christ ; his understanding to know him; his heart to love him; and his will to be governed by him. This is implied in my text ;-Bringing every thought into captivity, to the obedience of Chrift. Every thought, every paffion, every motion of the foul muft fubmit to Chrift, and evey infurrection of fin in his heart alarms him, as an inteftine enemy. He alfo yields his body to God, and his members as inftruments of righteoufnefs unto holiness. He alfo devotes all his accomplishments, his genius, learning, influence, and popularity,

popularity, his riches, and in short, all his poffeffions of every kind; willing to employ them all in the service of his new Mafter, or to refign them all, if their prefervation should be inconfiftent with his duty to him. O how different a temper is this from that which is natural to the finner!

Thus the treaty of peace is happily concluded; and he that was once a rebel against Heaven, and an enemy to the cross of Christ, is now become a friend and a loyal fubject. The paft difference is entirely forgotten and buried, and he is received into favour, as though he had never offended. Once God was angry with him every day, but now he accepts him in the beloved. Now the prince of hell has loft a captive; and Jefus has the fatisfaction of feeing one more of his fpiritual feed born unto his family. Now there is joy in heaven, among the angels of God, upon this addition to the number of loyal fubjects. O! the happy, the glorious peace! O! the bleffed change in the circumftance of the poor condemned criminal!

What now remains?

V. We take a view of the true convert's state and conduct, in consequence of this reconciliation.

This you may be fure is very different from what it was before. He is now delivered from his fordid flavery to fin, as well as from guilt, and the sentence of condemnation. He is juftified and accepted before God, through Jefus Chrift, and entitled to an heavenly crown and kingdom. Sin, indeed, is not entirely fubdued; it forms frequent and violent insurrections, and struggles hard to recover its former power over him. The old man with his affections and lufts was immediately crucified, upon the finner's furrender to Chrift; but crucifixion is a lingering death, and hence fin is never entirely dead while he continues in this imperfect ftate: it is every day plotting against him, and labouring to enfnare him. And hence his life is a conftant warfare, an inceffant VOL. II. A a a conflict.

Serm. 36. conflict. He lives the life of a centinal, perpetually upon the watch; or of a foldier, night and day under arms. If he is off his guard but for an hour, he is liable to be surprised, and fometimes, alas! he is overcome. But he rifes again, and renews the combat, and will rather die than fubmit: he would refift even unto blood, ftriving against fin. In fhort, whatever inadvertencies he may fall into, he is habitually on God's fide: he efpoufes the caufe of God in this rebellious world, whatever it cofts him. He is an enemy to the kingdom of darkness, and all its interests; and it is the great business of his life to oppofe it in himfelf and others. The longer he lives under the government of King Jefus, the more he is attached to him, and in love with his administration; and it is his habitual endeavour to lead a life of univerfal obedience.

And now, my brethren, there is an inquiry I would fet you upon, and that is, whether you have ever been captivated into a willing obedience to Jefus Chrift? I am afraid this matter is not fo plainly and unquestionably in your favour,as to render all inquiry into it needlefs. I am afraid it is dismally dark and doubtful, with regard to fome of you, whether you are the fervants of Chrift or the flaves of fin and Satan. Nay, I am afraid, there are plain evidencès against fome of you. However, put the matter to trial, that you may fee how it will turn out; for I affure you it is a matter of too much importance to be flightly paffed over.

Now it is evident, in the first place, that you are ftill the enemies of Jefus Chrift, unless you have been deeply convinced of your enmity. It is impoffible you should be reconciled to him, till you have seen your need of reconciliation; and it is impoffible you fhould fee your need of reconciliation till you are convinced that you are at variance with him. Such of you therefore are undoubtedly his enemies, who imagine you have always been his friends.

In the next place, turn the fubftance of what has been faid into fo many queries to yourselves, and by thefe means, you may difcover the truth of your cafe. Has ever the dreadful artillery of the law discharged its terrors upon you? Have you ever been driven out of all your carnal confidences, and particularly your own righteoufnefs? Have you ever furrendered yourfelves to the Conqueror? Has he overcome you, by the fweet conftraints of his love? And upon what terms did you furrender? Did you furrender as a rebel, lying at mercy? Did you fubmit to his terms without pretending to dictate any of your own? Did you fubmit voluntarily and cheerfully? Did you furrender yourselves univerfally, without any referve? Do you fince endeavour to behave as dutiful fubjects? And do you find his fervice to be perfect freedom?

And now, in confequence of this trial, Who is upon the Lord's fide? Who? What is your real character Are you to be ranked among the fubjects of Christ, or among the enemies of his crown and dignity?

Could I now collect the rebels together into one company, I would tell them fome very alarming things from that God to whom they refufe to fubmit. Yes, finner, as Ehud faid to Eglon, king of Moab, I have a meffage from God to you. Judges iii. 20.

In his name, and as his ambaffador, I warn you of the dreadful confequences of your unnatural rebellion against him. You cannot make good your caufe against him. He is wife in heart, and mighty in Strength; who hath hardened himself against him and profpered? All nature is fubject to him, and he can order the meaneft part of it to be the executioner of his vengeance upon you. If you refufe to fubmit, you fhall as furely perifh as you have a being. Of this you have reafon to be apprehenfive at all times, but efpecially at this time, when your almighty enemy is attacking your country with the terrors of war, and your neighbourhood with an epidemical raging dif temper. Sickneffes are his foldiers, and fight in his

caufe

cause against a rebellious world. He fays to one, Go, and it goeth; and to another, Come, and it cometh. And are you not afraid some of these deadly fhafts may Atrike you now, when they are flying fo thick around you? God has for many a year ufed gentler weapons with you, but now he feems about to take the citadel by ftorm. Now, therefore, now without delay, lay down your arms, and furrender yourselves to him. I have alfo joyful news to communicate, even to you rebels, if you are difpofed to hear it; and that is, that your injured Sovereign is willing to be reconciled to you after all your hoftilities, if you will now fubmit to the terms of reconciliation.

Therefore, I pray you, in Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled to God. Christ is not here in perfon; but lo I am here to manage the treaty in his name, though I alfo am formed out of the clay.

SERMON XXXVII.

THE DIVINE PERFECTIONS ILLUSTRATED IN THE METHOD OF SALVATION, THROUGH THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST.

[A SACRAMENTAL DISCOURSE.]

JOHN xii. 27, 28. Now my foul is troubled; and what fball I fay? Father, fave me from this hour: but for this caufe came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy

name.

HOULD a favourite child now come running to

S you, with all the marks of agony in his counte

nance, and with these words in his mouth, "I am troubled; my very foul is troubled, and I know not what to fay;" it would raife all the tender fenfations of fatherly compaffion and anxiety in your breasts,and

you