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words more descriptive of their abominations, than thefe of the apoftle, be invented? Impoffible. And what will become of fuch? Truly, if they die in their fins, they fhall not inherit the kingdom of God. And fuch were fome of you, who are now, by the converting grace of God, washed and fanc tified and justified. Thefe Corinthians, who were once thus polluted, are now glorified fpirits in the kingdom of God.

One would think that fuch an account of the tiches of God's grace, brought home to the chief of finners, would excite attention, and hope, and prayer, in every poor finner who hears it. But, alas! it is not fo.

Say not, my fellow-mortals, "'tis too late, my fins ૮. are too many and too aggravated." The blood of Jefus, is the blood of him who was God manifeft in the flesh it cleanfed Saul from his blafphemies and perfecutions: it cleanfed Zaccheus from the guilt of his unjustly-acquired wealth: it cleanfed the Corinthian converts from all their filthy abonni nations: and, as a fountain, it is now open, and cleanfeth from all fin. God help you to come, and wafh, and be clean. I fpeak now to the vileft among you; becaufe the converting grace of God comes freely to the very chief of finners.

III. It comes thus in a diftinguishing manner. That there will, at laft, be a very awful diftinction and feparation between the children of men, is moft evident from God's infallible word: "For when the Son of man fhall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then fhall he fit upon the throne his glory. And before him fhall be gathered all nations; and he fhall feparate them one from another, as a fhepherd divideth the fheep from the goats. Then fhall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founda

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foundation of the world: and these fhall go away into life eternal. But to them on the left hand, he fhall fay, Depart, ye curfed, into everlasting fire; and into everlasting punishment fhall they go away.

God's word is equally pofitive, that "the impenitent, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and covetous, and idolaters, and all lyars, are the people that shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimftone." But are there none now in heaven who were once as vile as thefe? Yes, bleffed be God, there are! May the report reach your hearts, my fellow-finners, and infpire you with faith and hope! "Such, equally guilty and polluted, were fome of you; but ye are washed, but ye are fanctified, but ye are justified." And, we may add, now they are glorified

Now the question is, Did they come to this happy ftate by the merit of their own works; in virtue of the conditions performed by the power of natural free-will? Or, are they wholly indebted to the diftinguishing grace of God? If it be by good works in the creature, it can never be for you, whose works have been fuch, as have rendered you unfit to live among men: And I am fure it would not have been for the blafphemer, whofe converfion we are now confidering. But it was of diftinguifhing, as well as rich and free grace to him; and it will be fo to us, if ever we be converted and faved. Let us examine his cafe a little; and, I think, it will evidently appear, that the Lord Jefus diftinguished him in a remarkable manner. Being a Jew, he expected. a Meffiah. Having had a liberal education, he ought to have examined impartially the claims of Jefus to that character, by the prophecies of the Old Teftament. Having been brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, who, for his wifdom and integrity, was had in reputation among the people; and, as a young

young man, he should have hearkened to his advice, when he diffuaded the Jews from perfecuting the difciples, left haply they fhould be found fighting against God, Acts v. 34. &c. But, no. Such is the nature of malicious zeal! Contrary to the clearest fulfilment of prophecy; contrary to the moft flagrant miracles; and contrary to the earneft caution of his venerable tutor, he perfecutes them to ftrange cities, even to Damafcus: whither he was now approaching with his attendants, to bring men and women, who called upon the name of Jefus, to Jerufalem for flaughter. Confider thefe things, and tell me, if you can find any good difpofition in this man, for which he fhould be diftinguished with grace from Chrift and glory with Chrift; while the generality of perfecutors, and even those who accompanied him, fo far as we know, perished in their fins. When this convert speaks of himself in the following part of his life, his language is," By the grace of God I am what I am."

As a farther proof and illustration of this truth, let us confider the cafe of the two thieves that were crucified with the Lord of glory. Of these one certainly went from the crofs to Jefus in paradife; and, I fuppofe, it is equally certain that the other perished in his fins. As to their lives, till they were faftened to the cross, we are left to conclude that they were alike abandoned. For if the one had been lefs wicked than the other, as the caufe for which repentance and falvation were beftowed upon him, the evangelists ought to have informed us of it: to prevent us from drawing a conclufion, so much to his disadvantage, and our mif-information; which yet must be drawn from what is recorded. Admitting then, that their lives were equally profane: how do they appear when brought to the ignominious place of execution? Alike impenitent-alike loft to fhame-alike full of contempt towards the fuffering

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fuffering Redeemer, they reviled him, faying, Thou that deftroyeft the temple, and buildest it in three days, fave thyfelf: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the crofs. He trufted in God, let him deliver him, if he will have him." Thefe things did the thieves, who were crucified with him, caft in his teeth, Matt. xxvii. 44. But the fovereign Potter hath power over the clay, of the fame lump to make one veffel to honor, and another to difhonor, Rom. ix. 21. Therefore grace, like the wind which bloweth where it lifteth, defcended upon one of the hardened mifcreants. And then the wretch, born again of the Spirit, cries out of his own vilenefs; of the vilenefs of his accomplice in wickedness, afferts the innocence of the dying Lamb of God; and calls upon him, as the Lord of glory, to remember him. when he fhould come into his kingdom *. Thus did grace come in a diftinguishing manner,

Again Confider how St. Paul writes to the Ephefians, and then you will have a ftill further evidence of this important truth. "You hath he quickened, who were dead in trefpaffes and fins: wherein in time paft ye walked according to the courfe of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the fpirit that now worketh in the children of difobedience. Among whom alfo we all had our converfation in times paft, in the lufts of our flesh, fulfilling the defires of the flesh, and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

That the repentance, prayer, &c. of the thief were the effect and not the caufe of the regenerating converting grace of God, is evident from what our. Lord fays; "A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit"-from what Peter fays; him [Jefos] hath God exalted with his right hand, for to give repentance and forgiveness of fins;"-from what Paul fays: "we are his workmanship, created in Chrift Jefus unto good works"-and from what James fays; every good gift is trom above, and cometh down from the Father of lights."

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even when we were dead in fins, hath quickened us. Where obferve, 1. The believers at Ephefus were, as to their descent from finful and guilty Adam, children of wrath, even as other Ephefians. 2. The course of their lives and their converfation had been as much under the influence of the wicked one, and they had as much fulfilled the defires of the flesh and of the mind, as other children of difobedience. 3. They had been as dead in these trefpaffes and fins as others. 4, But Chrift, as head of his body the church, had quickened and converted them to himself: Which happy effect and invaluable bleffing arofe from the riches of God's mercy and the greatnefs of his love wherewith he loved them, even when they were dead in fins, Who does not fee here the fovereignty of the grace of God!

Give me leave to remind you, my fellow-finners, that though we are all now together in this place of worship, yet ere long-I tremble to think of it! May heaven prevent it!-yet ere long, it is probable fome of us muft fink lower than the gravelow, as the bottomlefs pit. And if but one fhould afcend from Tyburn to heaven, his language muft and will be," Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but unto thy name give the glory."

IV. This converting grace of God brings with it the greatest and most neceffary bleffings.

Bleffings that are fuited to all; but, in a peculiar manner to you, who, by outrageous violations of God's commands, and the laws of your country, have forfeited your lives, as well as your immortal happiness; and muft, in less than three days, appear before GoD HIMSELF, your Maker and your Judge.

Were I commiffioned by the king to proclaim pardon to the condemned, and releafe to the capI am perfuaded, I fhould be reckoned a wel

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