not plead for religious gabbling; such have not much piety, and it is not always right to force the subject of religion. But there may be a persuasive way of introducing it; and if you associate at any place where you cannot introduce it, go there no more.) Third. Such would not offend God; put the question to their hearts, and they find it is not repelled; they delight in his pleasure. Now these proofs may satisfy the poor afflicted that he is "in the people of God," though so much dejected.

Serve or obey-Moses, when he received the law, he asked the people, Will ye obey all these things? They promised, and he took the blood of the covenant and sprinkled on the people and on the book. When God by his prophet reproved his people he said, When did I command you to offer to me burnt-offerings, &c.; to obey is better than sacrifice. I told you to obey. This idea is heightened by reflecting that God did actually call on them to offer burnt-sacrifice; but he shows that in his esteem it was nothing compared with obedience. But many will say this is all legality, and not Gospel; was not the Mosaic dispensation one of grace? Yes, verily, everything since the fall was a dispensation of grace, and no enactment since then implicitly-" Do this and live!" Nor are these charges to obedience confined to that dispensation; they are brought into the Gospel: "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

Do you obey God? I ask not the drunkard-and who is he? any man who sips and sips, and unfits himself at any moment of his life for the more serious act of devotion. God has given me his good creatures, but for my use, not abuse; merely to strengthen my body, not to please my appetite, and I am "to eat and drink, and whatever I do, do all to the glory of God." Such men are not to be brought under the feet of their senses. I ask not the swearer; his actions declare he is for hell, and not obeying God. I ask not the man who would take advantage of his neighbour's ignorance, &c., and defraud him. No; but do you obey God? What do I mean by obeying God? In all your actions do you ask, is this pleasing or displeasing to him? and do you thus seek to know his will, and act up to it when you know it;

taking no step in which you do not feel his approbation? Set him before you all your lives, and ever act under his guidance. Can you say with David, Oh! how I love thy law!

This is the man who obeys him, and these are his people. And this is also the order of their doings. They first fear God; they see the sentence of death has passed upon them; they are pointed to a Redeemer; they now love God because they feel he has loved them; and the blending of these two produces obedience.

SERMON LXVIII.

THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF CONVERSION.

James, v., 19, 20.-Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

Let him know, that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

CONVERSION is a subject which concerns every one without exception, and is a subject of the very first magnitude!

I. The nature of conversion.

II. The importance of it.

III. The means by which it is assisted (effected).

I. Man is naturally perverted: all the powers of his soul are in a wrong direction, &c., &c.

And this is the state of all men through sin, "for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." There are two kinds of sinners; those who never knew the way of peace, and those who have known and departed from it. Peter's change is called conversion; these are what St. James especially means or names; but the same truth is applicable to all.

Conversion is much controverted by various professors; let us show, then, first what it is not.

1. It does not consist in a name of Christianity, in an attachment to this or the other persuasion. It is possible to

have a name to live, and yet be dead.

"Not every one that

saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." Many professors walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that "they are the enemies of the cross of Christ," &c.

2. Nor does it consist in the entertaining orthodox opinions on matters of religion, nor changing from erroneous views of the subject to orthodox creeds. This is not the conversion of the Bible, or of the Spirit of God; it is one of man's judgment, and is good in itself.

We do not condemn this, for we are far from thinking that it is a matter of indifference to which community you are attached or what creed you hold.

3. Nor does it consist in a reformation of life; it is possible even to go thus far; to be turned from a libertine to a man of regular deportment, &c., and yet not be converted. Many are the views which cause this change; some are of interest; but others, who from a conviction of their judgment, have cast them off; this is better; they have saving faith in a degree; it has place in the judgment, and has operated in the life: when they shall have believed with the heart, it will operate there.

(1.) Conversion is more than all this-(Flavel)-it is no less than an entire change from the love of sin to the love of holiness, from the power of Satan to God. Self is renounced, and God is now his supreme end, &c. His will chooses him, his understanding contemplates him, his heart adores him, &c.-(Boyce.)

(2.) This change of all the powers of the soul produces conversion of life. As he once yielded his members servants to sin, so he now yields them servants to holiness. His animal nature is moved by the spring of all true obedience within him, and God moves in him!

This change is very conspicuous in persons who have been openly profane; the change is with them as a new creation, and they are called new creatures! &c. But in some who have had the restraining grace of God from infancy, it is not so manifest to the world; but, however, the individual has the testimony of his own conscience bearing

him witness with the Holy Ghost that he is now truly a child of God. This new life is a hidden principle; but, nevertheless, it is accepted in the sight of God, who reads the heart and sees the sincerity; and on that day the secrets of his heart shall be made manifest.

II. The importance of it.-Great is its importance.

1. "It will hide," &c. Many have mistaken this, and applied the phrase as applying to the man who is the means; but it is incorrect, for conversion is what must be effected in every one, that their sins may be blotted out. David calls it, "the Lord imputeth not sin"-again, "his sins are covered"—again, "blotted out ;" the conscience is washed.— See on Acts iii., 19 v.

(1.) It shall hide all his past transgressions, and,

(2.) Prevent all those sins which might otherwise have been committed. So much dishonour to God thereby prevented! At the last day the secrets of all hearts shall be made manifest.-Oh! what a disclosure! If we are often anxious here to keep the public mind from the contemplation of crimes, as it shocks humanity, see its propriety there.

2. "It will save a soul from death." Not from natural death. All must pay this debt by Adam's sin; but it will save a soul from death, which is of more consequence than a body.

(1.) From spiritual death, that awful state in which a man is dead in trespasses and sins; it will quicken him with Christ.

(2.) From eternal death, everlasting perdition, the second death.-Oh! how great the deliverance from eternal death! the value of a soul!-Estimate it; count its price!-He shall save a soul from death!

III. We must recollect that from first to last the glory redounds to God; it is by his agency it is effected.-The Father drawing the soul to seek his peace in him; alluring him by repeated operations upon his spirit and melting him into love. He then gives them to the Son; the sinner, seeing his need of a Saviour, is brought to the cross; and as he had believed in God, is now exhorted to believe also in Jesus.-The Holy Ghost then takes of the things of the Father

and the Son, and reveals them unto that soul, bears witness with their spirits that they have believed aright, and gives them joy in the Holy Ghost through believing. (Oh! that men would preach the acts of the Holy Ghost more, for this is specifically his dispensation.) Thus the triune God is concerned in our conversion, and is the grand cause!

But God does not act on men arbitrarily, but impressively; he could change a soul by his own power; but human instruments are employed by him true, in some cases he works without them; in remarkable outpourings of his Spirit conversions have taken place without human agency, and the libertine has become the servant of Christ.

But in the ordinary course of his dealings he employs agents,

1. Often by those who have tasted the heavenly food, and who long to communicate it to their friends and neighbours; they invite them to come.

2. But especially by men set apart, the ministers of his truth" who, knowing the terrors of the Lord, persuade men."-See what Paul says of them.-The Methodist ministry has been particularly owned of God; their labours have been more abundant, working night and day to spread the savour of his name; visiting wretched hamlets, &c., &c. (State the labours of our preachers.)

It would not become me to speak of these things, were it not to magnify our call, and to answer those who speak and write perverse things.-Though we therefore speak as fools, yet as fools let us boast a little; we sought no man's gain, we wronged no man, we preached not for filthy lucre; God is our witness - we may lie under odium; but the day is coming when God will justify his servants and confound their adversaries, &c., &c., &c.

What will then be their honour! they have saved souls from death-souls for whom Jesus died-souls, the most valuable things in the universe!-and, on the other hand, have covered so much of that dishonour which sin reflects on the Divine character, by hiding a multitude of sins! Oh! the welcome that their spiritual children will give them, and the rejoicing that their deeds of iniquity are hid from every eye!