Ss c x VIII. The GodlyarewafhedAndSAna,Pied. 369 holy: Fromwhich principle in Religion, art thou emboldened ro thy lofts and fias? from what duty or Ordinance doeft thou gather comfort in thy wicked- nefs? If all thefe things are hand-writings againft thy fins, why doeftthou not tremble to commit them ? SERMON. LX. 7hat Clods GraceofConverfon, is ¡ometimes vouch - Jafed to theworfiofmen. I COR. 6. IIt. And fuck were forne ofyou, but ye are wafhed, be. V[ 7E are now to confider a fecondkindeof Argument, the Apofile ufeth Vtodehort them from all grofs wickednefs, and that is the admira- ble and wonderful change that is now made upon them by convert- ing Grace : They are not Swine any more, but Cheep, and therefore muftnot wallow in the mire and filthof fin as formerly : So that the (cope of the. Apoftle is, to compare their former black and foul life, with theprefent glorious light they arenow tranflated into.Andfuch Werefame ofyou. He had reckoned up beafls rather then men, monflers rather then menofreafon; and yet, SuchWereforce of you. He faith nos, Someofyou, to thew, that every one of them had nor all thofe filthy fores : Every one was not guilty of all the enumerated fins ( ex- cept idolatry, which all were guilty of) unlefs in the feed end root, which is original corruption; but it is to be underltood diftributively, Tome werefor- nicators, Tome effeminate, Come drunkards, tome extortioners. Corinth was wicked, even to a proverbial fpeech , It feemed an hofpiral'of dileafed Fick men, inrefpeft of their moralities. And further, the Apofle faith in the neuter gender, , not zx ,el not fuch perforo, but fuch fins, emphatically demon- ftrating their wickednefs, that theywere not fo much Peccatores, as ipfa peccara, finners, as the very fins themfelves r Wemay then (land and behold the wonder- ful work of Grace, that raifeth children up to Abraham out of Rones that maketh lilackamores to change their skins. The Corinthians, while Idolaters, changed the image of God, into the likenefs of an Ox, or any other beali; but now God changeth thefe who were become like bruit beafts, into the image of the holy and pure God. That thegrace of Godconverting, isfometimesvouchfafedeven to the warfl and Obferv. 3, vileStofmen. Godmany times takes the moll crooked trees, and makes them pillars inhisTemple; the moft rugged and unpolifhed (tones, and pollifheth them for his building; even as Chrif while hewas upon theearth, for the molt part cured thofedifeafes which weredefperate, that no art, nor noPhyficians could cure : So many times, the grace of God changeth thofe who are hope- lefs men, upon whom noart cando anygood, upon whom fpiritual Phyficiarts for a great while have loft all their labor. This is much prophefied ofas the fruit of theGofpel, that the favage, cruel and poyfonous natures ofwicked men, (hall be ltrangely taken away, Ifa.35.5,6,7. The eyes of the blinde fhall Ebb be
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