ner. Let not fin reign in your mortal body, that ye fhould obey it in the lufts thereof. Beware of giving way to your fenfual appetites, otherwise you forfeit all the comfort of the doctrine which I have been teaching, and must be concluded ftrangers to that grace of God, which effectually teacheth those who are partakers of it, to "deny ungodliness and "worldly lufts, and to live foberly, righteoufly, and godly, in the world.' 66 Let not fin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye fhould obey it in the lufts thereof: neither yield ye your members as inftruments of unrighteoufnefs unto fin; "But yield yourselves unto God." It is this laft exhortation which I propose to make the subject of the prefent difcourfe; and I intend, in the First place, To explain what is implied in yielding ourselves unto God; 2dly, To offer fome directions as to the right manner of performing this duty; and, 3dly, To enforce the exhortation by fome arguments. I begin with explaining the duty itself. And, in general, it implies, that whatever we poffefs, all that we are, or have, or can do, fhould be confecrated to God, and devoted to his fervice and honour. The being which we have is derived from him; every bleffing which we enjoy is the fruit of his bounty; every talent with which we was freely beftowed by him. are diftinguished To him, therefore, they ought to be entirely furrendered, and in the advancement of his glory at all times employed. When we ferve God with the beft of our faculties, and with the most valuable of our poffeffions, What is the whole amount of our offering? Surely if ever felfcomplacent thoughts on this point might have been indulged, David might have indulged them, when he, and a willing people with him, offered unto the Lord of their moft precious fubftance with a perfect heart. Yet hear how humbly he fpeaks of all the coftly oblations which he had brought. "Who am “I, and what is my people, that we should be "able to offer fo willingly after this fort; for "all things come of thee, and of thine own "have we given thee. Thine, O, Lord, is the greatnefs, and the power, and the glory, and "the B 3 "the victory, and the majesty; for all that is "in the heaven and the earth are thine; "thine is the kingdom, and thou art exalted 66 as head above all." More particularly, we muft yield to God our immortal fouls, with all the intellectual powers which they poffefs. We must. dedicate our understanding to the Father of Lights, to be illuminated by him with saving knowledge, to be employed in contemplating his nature and perfection; above all, to know Jefus, and him crucified, in whom are hid all the treasures of wifdom and knowledge. We muft dedicate our will to that holy rule of refignation which David expreffed, when he faid, "Here I am, let the "Lord do unto me what feemeth good in his "fight;" and which David's Lord expreffed in circumftances infinitely more trying: "Fa 66 ther, not my will, but thine be done." We muft confecrate our memories to be treafures of divine truth, 'our affections to the purfuit of those things which are above, our fenfes to the falutary difcipline of felf-denial, and our members as inftruments of holiness to God. All All our poffeffions and enjoyments must be devoted to God. Our wealth and power, our time and our faculties, nay life itself, which is the foundation of all our comforts, muft be entirely refigned to him. Neither must we count death itself grievous, so that we finish our course with joy and true honour. We muft yield ourselves to God in all capacities and relations wherein his Providence may have placed us, and improve the advantages of our different conditions in life for the advancement of his glory. Are we mafters or fervants, parents, or children, paftors or people, rulers, or fubjects, let us, in all these relations, be devoted to God, and discharge the various duties which refult from them with fidelity and zeal, that we may glorify our Father in heaven, who hath appointed to every man his proper work, and will at length demand an account of the manner in which we have performed it. If it be inquired for what purposes we are thus to yield ourselves unto God, the following particulars will furnish the answer. ft, We are to yield ourfelves to God, to do whatsoever he commands; in all inftances of duty, to give a prompt and chearful obedience to his authority. It ought to be fufficient for us, in every cafe, to know what God hath pronounced to be an obligation, whatever the world or the flesh may have to fay against it. This is the true way to keep our minds in a steady decifive frame. "A double mind"ed man is unftable in all his ways." He who feeks to afcertain other points befides his duty, will find himfelf perplexed with perpetual difficulties. Embarraffed with attending to diftracting and oppofite counfels, his conduct will neither be firm nor graceful; and, eyen when he does what is right, he will be unable to enjoy the fatisfaction of it, confcious that he did it not in that fimplicity and godly fincerity which alone can render our obedience acceptable. We are therefore to yield ourselves to God as our fupreme Lawgiver, who hath an unquestionable title to the fervice of all our active powers, faying, with Samuel, "Speak, Lord, for thy fervant hear eth;" and with the Apoftle Paul, "Lord, "what wilt thou have me to do?" 2dly, We must yield ourselves to God not nly to do but to fuffer his will. The re wards |