Father to be " Head over all things to the Church1:" and " in him is treasured up a fulness of all spiritual blessings"," that "out of his fulness we may all receive31" according to our faith, and according to our necessities. Comply, then, with this appointment, and go to him on every occasion; and " let the life which you now live in the flesh be wholly and exclu- sively by faith in him, even in the Lord Jesus Christ, who has loved you, and given himself for youy."]
3. Confess Him openly before men —
[This is one of the great ends of baptism ; which, in all cases of adults, implies an open acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and a determined surrender of ourselves to his service2. To us, who have been baptized in our infancy, a repetition of the ordinance is uncalled for : but the thing implied in it, is required of every child of man. We must devote ourselves unreservedly to our God and Saviour ; and must confess him openly before an ungodly world. Nor can this by any means be dispensed with: for if "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, it is with the mouth that confession is made unto salvation3:" and our blessed Lord has warned us, that " if we are ashamed of him, and deny him before men, he will be ashamed of us, and deny us before his Father which is in heaven." Perhaps you may imagine that circumstances are now so different, that there will be no difficulty in confessing Christ. But you will lind it still no easy matter to approve yourselves faithful to him in this respect : for, though we are not now in fear of being dragged to prison and to death for our adherence to him, we are certain of exciting much contempt and hatred amongst our friends and relatives, as soon as ever we devote ourselves unreservedly to Christ. It is still as true as ever, in fact, though not in the same degree, that " all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution :" and we need at this day, as they also did in the apostolic age, to be strengthened from above for this warfare, which every faithful soldier of Christ will have to maintain. For it, therefore, you must prepare ; and in it you must engage with all boldness : and you must " be faithful unto death, if ever you would obtain a crown of life."]
4. Let there be no delay in this necessary work — [You may be ready to think that there is some reason for delay: you have some important engagements at this time, and you wish to stay till they are completed : or you appre- hend that a future period will be more favourable than the
1 Eph. i. 22. " Col. i. 19. * John i. 16.
>• Gal. ii. 20. * Hcb. x. 22, 23. -1 Rom. x. 10.
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present. But I must say, that no reason under heaven can justify a neglect or postponement of this duty. Tell me, thou convinced soul, "Why tarriest thou?" Give me a reason: give me a reason that shall satisfy even thine own mind. But I defy you : I defy the whole world to assign so much as one reason that shall bear even a moment's investigation. But I could, if needful, assign a thousand reasons why it is madness to delay. Arise, then; " arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." What! shall it be needful to urge you in such a cause as this ? Is there a fountain opened for sin, and will you need to be importuned and urged to wash in it? If one sin lying upon the soul is suf- ficient to plunge you into everlasting perdition, need you be exhorted to wash away, in one single moment, all that you have ever committed, so that you shall be before God as spotless as if you had never sinned? Is the Lord Jesus Christ ready to answer every petition that your soul can offer, and will you need to be urged to spread before him your requests ? Is your honouring of him before men the recompence which he especially requires at your hands for all that he has done and suffered for you, and do you need to be urged to render him this reasonable service? I do hope that some of you, at least, will feel ashamed at your past delay ; and that you will now, even before you depart from this place, seek grace from him, that you may be enabled to comply with the directions in my text, and to shew that you have not received such transcen- dent blessings in vain. Let me also entreat that you will go home in silent meditation, every one of you to his secret chamber, and there prostrate yourselves before him, imploring mercy at his hands, and consecrating to him your every faculty, both of body and soul. Let every one of you be able to say, with David, " I made haste, and delayed not, to keep thy commandments V]