heathen, as Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome, it had rescued persons who were steeped in sensual vice. "Such were some of yon," writes the apostle to the members of" the Church of God at Corinth." He had put down a terrible catalogue of sinners, who wrre not to inherit the kingdom of God. "Such were some of you; but you are so no longer: 1 recogni7.e the mighty chnnge." I. THE THREEFOLD CHANGE. 1. "Ye were wasl,ed." "Ye washed yourselves." A definite fact, as much so as the washing of Naaman in the river which took away his leprosy. Such is the way of Divine grace. The thought of man's heart is tha, bis sins may be rubbed out, or the traces worn out by lapse of time, or that by repentance and amendment of life they are atoned for. But nothing removes sin except washing. "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin." 2. " Ye were san cti- fied." After the washing comes the anointing with holy oil. They who are cleansed are consecrated and set apart for Divine use. This is sanctification of the Spirit, which is imparted freely and at once to those who receive the gospel, though it is only gradually realized in experience and pr:1.ctice. 3. " Ye were Justified." Being. defiled, ye were cleansed; being profane, ye were hallowed; and being unrighteous, ye were justified. You are no longer under condemnation, but being regarded as "in Christ," you are reckoned righteous in him. And this too is an accomplished fact in. God's grace. Know it well, for it is the charter of your acceptance, and the warrant of your peace. II. THE PHILOSOPHY OF THIS CIIANGE. 1. " Tn the Name of the Lord Je.ms Christ." Warnings of the consequences of vice, expositions of the beauty and advantage of virt11e, can do little in such cases as are indicated here. lt was not for want of sages to sound the praise and discuss the nature of virtue that the Greeks of Corinth had been so vicious. But no change was wrought upon them till the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ was published. Here was not a sage turning fine senteD.ces, but a Saviour who could save men from themselves, and make them sons of God. In this .N"ame it was, and to this day it is, that the soiled are washed, the unholy sanctified, the guilty justified. 2. ".And by the Spirit of ow· God." For it is that Spirit who convinces men of their sins, and who brings and unites them to the Saviour, in whom, they are made new creatures. ·what condescension in that pure and Holy Spirit, to come near to such vile persons as the previous verse describes, and transform such sinners into saints! lll. 'l'rrE LESSONS SUGGESTED. 1. That no sinner's case is too desperate/or fhe gospel remedy. Christianity can do more than develop germs of goodness where they exist. It has a new-creating energy, and can iuspire good motives and feelings where there seemed to be nothing but evil, evil continually. There is no case so suuk and lost as to baffle the power of Christ's Name and the Holy Spirit's quickening grace. ,v'" do not make light of moral gradations. It is a thing to be thankful for, if one has been preserved from gross sin. It is a thing to be bitterly lamented, if ono has committed, even in thought, such sins· as the apostle enumerates. But the most moral man bas something on bis heart to be ashamed of before God. And the immoral have grievous confessions to make. Let the shame and grief be felt; they are wholesome i'or the soul. But let no one despond or despair. The Divine µ;race which brings salvation is no perquisite of the higher and middle classes of sinners. It goes down through nil degrees to the lowest depth of human sin and misery. The Narne of the Lord Jesus Christ is a shield for the most unclean. 'l'he Spirit of our God can renew those who are dead in trespasses and sins. 2. 'l'hat a Christian is to be known by what he is, not what he once was. Many seem to have no real conception of the transforming power which the Holy Spirit exerts on thoso who truly receivo the gospel; and, accordingly, when one who was known to be o. sinner begins to coul"css the 8aviour's Name, many virtuous persons shake their heads suspiciously, nnd sometimes wag their beads reproachfully, u.nd relate all that they have heard, however vaguely, of such a person's faults, as though they must cleave to him for ever. 'l'hus tl1e old sins arc kept hanging as a perpetual reproach over the head of tho new recruit to the Christian army, just as. though there were no washing possible, no sanctil1cation, no justification. But how unreasonable is this! Is it not from the ranks of sinners that the ranks of the saints have always been filled up? Is there not a significant "but" in _our __text, indicating the transition from the old state w the new? An,l is it not true Ill hie, a::; THE FinST EPISTLE TO THE CORIN'l'HLANS. [c11. v1. 1-20.
\\·ell as in Scripture? You tell me what this person was: I bid you see what this person is, anJ glorify God, whose grace works such blessed changes muonp; the children -0f men. Make not the conversion of a sinner more difficult than it need be, by your 1Suspicions. Resen·e your strictest judgments for yourself.-F.