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of rational beings, and in the scheme of God's univer sal government. Though in ourselves we are unworthy of God's notice, yet he has done much for us-more than we could have asked-more than we can even think. He must, then, have some great designs to accomplish by us. His glory is in some way or other to be wonderfully displayed in us. Let us now fall in with the design of his rich mercy and grace, lest hereafter we should stand everlasting monuments of his ireful justice, against perverseness and ingratitude.

3. It infinitely concerns us to comply with the proposals of the gospel.

A salvation procured in the manner which the gospel discovers, is great and important beyond all imagination. If we neglect this, proportionably great and awful will be our destruction. If without the grace here revealed, our state would be wretched and hopeless: How dreadful must be the condition of those who reject this grace? If he who sinned against the law, fell under a sentence of death, without any mercy promised him, How sore will be the punishment of those who despise the grace and grieve the spirit of God, and tread under foot the blood of a dying Saviour?

4. Let no man flatter himself, that he is in a state of salvation, as long as he lives in the neglect of good

works.

These are the fruits of that faith by which we are saved. If these are wanting, the root of the matter is not in us. The hope, comfort and joy of Christian professors, must greatly depend on their care to maintain those works, to which true believers are created, and which God has ordained that they should walk in then. They who rise to the joy of hope, on some transient religious exercises, before they have had opportunity to manifest their sincerity by the performance of religious duties, greatly dishonor religion and dangerously impose on themselves. And they who pre

sume to pronounce others in a converted state, before their faith has appeared in its works, and their repentance in its fruits, it is to be feared often flatter deluded souls to their eternal destruction.

5. Let us be careful, that we mistake not the nature of good works.

Works really good must proceed from a good principle-from a principle of faith. And as faith is a belief of the gospel, so works flowing from it will be conformed to the gospel. They will be accompanied with a correspondent temper, regulated by the divine precepts, and produced by the influence of gospel doctrines. If then we believe that we are God's workmanship, let us walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, and abound in all the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

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SERMON XIII.

The Deplorable State of Heathens and Unbelievers.

EPHESIANS ii. 11, 18.

Wherefore remember, that ye were in time passed Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that, at that time, ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Is rael, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

As the Ephesian church consisted partly of Jews, and partly of Gentiles, the Apostle in this letter addresses himself sometimes to the one and sometimes to the other, separately, and often to both jointly. The passage now read he directs to the believers, "who in times past were Gentiles in the flesh." He says in the following words, "Ye, who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ." In what respects they once were afar off, he explains, in the words chosen for our text. The following part of the chapter describes their present nearness.

What is now before us is to show, in what respects these Ephesians, before their conversion to the faith of Christ, were at a distance from God; and how the description here given of their unhappy state may be applied to sinners under the gospel.

VOL. III.

X

I. The Apostle calls upon them to remember that "they were in time past Gentiles in the flesh."

He admonishes them not to forget the dismal state of Heathenism out of which they had lately been called; but often to reflect upon it with attention and seriousness, that they might ever maintain a humble sense of their own unworthiness, and awaken in their souls thankful and admiring apprehensions of that grace which had wrought in them so glorious a change.

We are here taught that Christians, who have been the favored subjects of God's renewing grace, ought to remember their former guilty condition, and the awful danger from which they have escaped. God says to Jerusalem, after her happy restoration, "Thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed. I will establish my covenant with thee, that thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done." The Apostle Paul, after his conversion to the gospel, frequently reviews, and deeply laments his former life, calling himself a blasphemer, a persecutor and chief of sinners, and he acknowledges with grateful admiration, the mercy of God, which had revealed Christ in him, and put him into the gospel ministry.

A recollection of former stupidity, impenitence and guilt keeps the Christian humble and watchful, enlivens his gratitude to God, and warms his zeal in relig ion. He is not disposed to exalt himself on account of the spiritual charge, which, he hopes, has taken place in him: He is rather inclined to think others better than himself, being conscious of greater vileness and guilt in himself, than he can discern in them. While he rejoices in the humble persuasion, that he is a new creature, he acknowledges, that by the grace of God he is what he is. He adores that grace, which has placed him under the means of salvation, and rendered these means effectual to renew his heart. He takes no

glory to himself, but lives by faith in that grace which has already formed him to a spiritual temper and life. They who, after a supposed conversion, forgetting what they once were, indulge a confidence in themselves and a contempt of others, give sad proofs, that their conversion is not from sin to God, but only from stupidity to pride-from carelessness to vain glory.

II. The Apostle reminds these Ephesian converts of that contempt, with which they once had been treated by the Jews. "Ye were called the uncircumsion by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands."

When God chose the seed of Abraham to be a pe culiar people to himself, he instituted circumcision aş a seal of his covenant with them, a mark of distinction from heathens and idolators, and a sign of their high privileges and obligations. But the Jews, in the latter period of their national existence, instead of improving this gracious distinction to humility, gratitude and obedience, perverted it to pride, selfconfidence and con. tempt of mankind. They gloried in themselves as the seed of Abraham and the children of God, reprobated other nations as his enemies, treated them as unclean, and not only excluded them from the benefit of relig ious communion, but even denied them the common offices of humanity. And we find, that one of their greatest objections against the gospel was, that it offered salvation to the Gentiles.

Hypocrites are apt to value themselves upon their external privileges, and to confine salvation to themselves and those of their party and complexion. The sincere Christian values his external privileges as means of holiness. He rejoices in them. not as what directly intitle him to heaven, but as what, he hopes, may be the means of fitting him for heaven. Possessed of the benevolent Spirit of the gospel, he wishes that others may enjoy the same privileges with himself. He chooses to think, that there is much real godliness among those

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