brancer stopped here, we might, perhaps, have considered these Corinthian profligates as out of the reach of divine forgiveness. But the sequel proves that among these abominable wretches there were many vessels of mercy and therefore he immediately adds—' Such were some of you but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.'

How wonderful the love, the grace, and the mercy of God! In this list of detestable criminals, we perceive sinners of every class: some that were monsters in wickedness; who, consequently, could have no moral worth to plead as a ground of forgiveness and yet their filthy souls were washed in the atoning blood of Christ

:

-were justified by his righteousness, sanctified by his Spirit, and made meet for the enjoyment of heaven. Surely such striking instances of the aboundings of grace over the aboundings of sin must constrain us to acknowledge that Christ is able to save to the uttermost!

Having therefore such incontrovertible evidence of the sovereignty and of the riches of

grace, attempt not to limit its fulness or its freeness respecting yourself. Would you supplicate for pardon as revealed in the gospel for the relief of the guilty and the wretched? approach the mercy-seat just as you are. Carry with you all your sin-all your guilt, and frankly confess both before him that searcheth the reins and the heart. Adopt the petitionary language of David: 'Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great;' or, rather, plead nothing in hope of forgiveness, but the blood of him in whose name you are exhorted to come. For the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.'

Should you imagine, for a moment, that this merciful High-Priest will not receive you as a perishing sinner; attend to his own compassionate words: Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out'-Were you chargeable with the adultery of David, the murder of Manasseh, the apostacy of Peter, and the blasphemy of Saul; the accumulated guilt of these atrocities could not be urged as an exception to the infinitely gracious declaration. Nay, were it pos

sible to produce an individual, the turpitude of whose actions would exclude from coming to Christ for mercy; or one that did come, and was afterwards rejected, the wonderfully encouraging assertion would not be true; nor could it be consistently affirmed, that he is able to save to the uttermost. But the Lord is the God of truth. 'He is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?' The works of nature may dissolve: nay, they shall certainly perish; but the word of God remaineth sure, and his truth to all generations. That the Lord will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer,' is an indispu table fact; while therefore you acknowledge your own unworthiness, and enumerate your wants, remind him of his own promise; lest he should complain, and say, as he did in another case, 'Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; thou hast been weary of me, and hast not honoured me with thy sacrifices.' Doubt not of meeting with a gracious reception: and if the risings of hope be depressed by the prevalence

of unbelief, pray that you may be enabled to give implicit credit to the testimony of his own word; that you may be helped to say with grateful confidence, I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.'

Your concluding, That there can be no mercy for such a detestable wretch as yourself, arises from ignorance, or inattention to the way in which the infinitely wise God hath determined to save sinners. He is, remember, the God of salvation. Instead, therefore, of ransacking the heart for pious dispositions, or of adverting to good works already performed, with a view to forgiveness; attend to the gracious and instructive language of him that saith, Thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine helpI, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Saviour.'

The unworthiness inseparable from depravity and guilt, is certainly matter of deep humiliation and regret; but a conviction of this unwor

thiness, however pungent, ought rather to excite gratitude than despondency; to rouse the torpor of dejection; to impel the soul to be urgent for mercy, and to engender a hope that the kind hand which discovered the disease, will not long withhold the remedy. The testimony of God speaks louder than the most clamorous conscience; and in determining whether your fears be ill or well founded, to this testimony, and this only, you must appeal. If you search into the cause of your distress, it will perhaps be found to arise, not from a consideration of God's unwillingness to pardon; not from any want of efficacy in the blood of Christ to cleanse the most polluted sinner; but from a sense of having nothing to recommend yourself to his favour. It is a conviction of this fact that imperceptibly holds the soul in bondage; that renders your taking encouragement from God's word impracticable. Should you say, 'No sins are like mine; let me add, There is no salvation like Christ's-his blood cleanseth from all sin.'

If, however, you will not believe 'while your sins are so great, and your heart so polluted; it is probable that, were your heart less defiled,