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versified are the operations of self-love, and natural conscience, and the inclinations and instincts which belong to our mental and corporeal constitution. The disorder which has seized upon us does not destroy or supersede these natural principles of action, though it perverts them. This disorder is of a moral or spiritual nature. It affects us in our relations to God and his holy law. It lies in the heart, the seat of moral action. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. It is turned away from God and is wholly inclined to sin. Out of this evil treasure of the heart, Christ says, man brings forth evil things. Here then is the very thing which needs to be done, and which must be done, in order to a saving conversion. The heart must be changed - changed changed-changed from enmity to love, from rebellion to submission, from disobedience to obedience from sin to holiness. So it is represented in Scripture. God gives a new heart. He takes away the heart of stone, and gives a heart of flesh. He gives a heart to love God-a heart to believe in Christ- a heart to obey the gospel, This is the great thing which needs to be done, and which the divine Spirit does. Nothing else will answer the purpose. But when God changes the heart-when he gives a new heart; the essential work is done. There is a saving conversion- and ultimately a complete conversion. The change, in its essence is internal, but in its developments it reaches all that is external. The cause of the outward irregularities is removed, and of course those irregularities cease; they immediately begin to cease, and in the end they cease entirely. This new heart, this new principle of action, is "the seed" planted in the renewed, and which an apostle says "remaineth in them." It is an abiding principle. And ultimately they will cease to sin, "because they are born of God." This renewal of the heart is the commencement of a spiritual change, which, according to its own nature, and the appointment of God, is to be continually advancing, and finally to be made perfect.

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I have now touched upon another characteristic of that conversion which is the work of God, namely, that it is a permanent change. I do not mean that the change would be permanent,

independently of divine influence. But it is, in fact, permanent. When God gives a new heart, he gives it effectually. He that begins this good work, will carry it on to perfection. Its continuance depends on the same cause as its commencement; and we could not know that it will continue, did we not know from the word of God, that he will continue to work in the believer to will and to do, till he is made perfect in holiness. That conversion, that religion, which is "of the will of man," has no security for its continuance. And if it should continue if those who assume the appearance and the profession of godliness without regeneration, should persevere in their superficial, self-made religion as some doubtless do; they would still be numbered with hypocrites and unbelievers. But the general fact is, that false converts draw back, and thus make it evident that they are not born of God. Their goodness is like the morning cloud and early dew. Not so the goodness of those whom God turns by his effectual grace. They have within them an incorruptible seed. They have a well of water, which never fails, but springs up to eternal life. The divine power which works in them is superior to all other powers and cannot be overcome. Their governing affection, their principle of action, though opposed by so many contrary influences, will hold out and be victorious, because it is in alliance with omnipotence. God is greater than all, and no one can pluck his people out of his hand.

My brethren, the subject which I have introduced is one of great extent and of inexpressible importance, and I can do but little towards a just and adequate discussion of it. I might go over the common Scriptural views which are set forth by evangelical preachers and writers, and which are all of great importance. I might say, that those whom God turns by his special grace, have a new spiritual discernment; and that they have an affection for God essentially different from natural self-love, and entirely above it. They have new desires, new hopes, new joys,

and new sorrows. the preciousness of

They have new views of themselves, and of Christ and his salvation; and they live a new and spiritual life. These topics are all important; but I cannot dwell upon them at the present time.

They are all
A thousand

And now, my hearers, it must be evident to you, that all conversions, which are merely the work of man, are worthless in themselves, and worthless and pernicious in their results. Let them be multiplied ever so much - let hundreds or thousands of sinners be converted, in this way, in a short time; and let it be published and sounded abroad, that so great and wonderful is the number of converts. If the conversions are merely the work of man, they may for a time, be to the glory of man; but they are not to the glory of God. God will not own them. worthless, like chaff which the wind driveth away. spurious conversions are of no more value than one, and one is of no value at all. Every one is a counterfeit. And you know that counterfeits are without value, and that multiplying them does not give them value. The counterfeit coin is all cast away, and the authors of it must answer for their dishonesty and fraud. A minister, from mere love of honor, may desire a revival of religion; and may pursue such a course as will enable him to count a large number of conversions. But conversions, without regeneration, are entirely worthless. They are worthless to those who are the subjects of them; worthless to ministers, and to the church. Spurious conversions are really worse than no conversions. In the end, they are both worthless and calamitous to all concerned.

But, who can duly estimate the worth of a real, saving conversion? Who can tell what blessings are involved in it — what peace and joy in this life, what hope in death, what blessedness without end in heaven? Who can tell what a crown of rejoicing it is to a gospel minister, and what benefits it secures to the church; -what joy it awakens among the angels in heaven, and what glory redounds from it to the grace of God! A minister, who has added to his church hundreds of persons, who have been born only of the will of man, has done nothing to purpose. His ministry has been barren. But if, through the grace of God, a gospel minister may be the instrument of really converting a few sinners, and preparing them for usefulness and comfort on earth, and rest in heaven; he will not have labored in vain. He will stand and gaze upon those few souls, freed from the bondage of

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corruption, and adorned with the beauties of holiness, once enemies to Christ now cleaving to him as the chief among ten thousand, and striving to be like him; he will fix his eye upon them as they move forward in the Christian life, and as they finish their course on earth, and as they go to enjoy the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls; and he will be constrained to say, oh! what work of God in the vast creation around us can be compared in real worth, and glory, with the work of his Spirit in the conversion of sinners!

And if the conversion of one sinner is of such excellence; what will be the conversion of a great multitude which no man can number? What will the angels say, and what will you say, when all nations shall be converted? You may have wept for joy over the work of God, in the conversion of a beloved child, or a dear friend, for whom you had travailed in birth. How then will you adore and praise the grace of God, when you look from the heavenly world, and see the whole human family turned from sin and adorned with the beauties of holiness. What powerful reasons then have we to come daily to our God and Saviour and to offer up the fervent prayer for the millions who are perishing in sin -turn them, O God, and they shall be turned. Amen.

GENERAL INDEX.

ABBOT, Samuel, Funeral sermon, V. 220–225.
ABILITY, II. 134. See agency, moral.

...

ABRAHAM, I. 287; II. 317; . . . his faith, V. 11.
ACCOUNTABILITY, assumed in Scripture, V. 22-34.
ACTIONS, moral, II. 73; V. 53, 74.

ADAM, consequences of his sin, I. 238; II. 251, 347; IV. 305;
... our representative, II. 316; ... his sin, V. 135, 195.
ADDRESS, dedicatory, I. 5.

AFFECTIONS, moral, are they voluntary, II. 87; V. 78, 91;
defined, II. 89, 300; . . . anticipated, 115; ... law of,

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116, 121; . . . of the unregenerate, sinful, 119; ... con-
trolled, 142; . . . classified, V. 37, 175; . . . control volitions,
89; ... directions to inquirers, 93; ... spontaneous, 186;
right or wrong, 161, 192; ... character of, determined,

...

187.

AGENCY, of man in writing the Scriptures, I. 104; ... free
moral, consistent with divine purposes, 514-523; II. 158;
. . . with moral necessity, II. 151; V. 123-148; . . . and
depravity, II. 294; . . . reply to inquirer about, V. 149-
199; ... man a moral agent, II. 57; V. 130, 190;
standard of moral good and evil, II. 60; . . . relation of to con
science, II. 67-76;... to sensation, 77; . . . to intellect,

...

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