that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Rev. xxi. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God; see Gal. v. 19, 20. Woe to them that have their name written in these rolls; such may know, as certainly as if God had told them from heaven, that they are under an impossibility of being saved in this condition.

These (past all dispute) are unconverted; they carry their marks in their foreheads.

1. The Unclean. These are ever reckoned among the goats, and have their names in all the before-mentioned catalogues.

2. The Covetous. These are ever branded for idolaters, and the doors of the kingdom are shut against them by name.

3. Drunkards. Not only such as drink away their reason, but such as are strong for strong drink. The Lord fills his mouth with woes against these, and declares them to have no inheritance in the kingdom of God.

4. Liars. The Lord that cannot lie, has told them, that there is no place for them in his kingdom.

5. Swearers. The end of these, without deep and speedy repentance, is swift destruction.

6. Railers and Backbiters, that take up a reproach against their neighbour, or wound him behind his back.

7. Thieves, Extortioners, Oppressors, that over-reach their brethren when they have them at an advantage: these must know that God is the avenger of all such, 1 Thess. iv. 6. Hear, O ye false, and purloining, and wasteful servants; hear, O ye deceitful tradesmen, hear your sentence: God will certainly hold his door against you, and turn your treasures of unrighteousness into the treasures of wrath, and make your illgotten silver and gold to torment you like burning metal in your bowels.

8. All that live in the neglect of God's worship, that hear not his word, that call not on his name, that restrain prayer before God, that mind not their own or their families' souls.

Sinner, consider diligently whether thou art not to be found in one of these ranks: for if this be thy case, thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity; for all these carry their marks in their foreheads, and are undoubtedly the sons of death.

And if so, the Lord pity our poor congregations. O how small a number will be left, when these are out! Alas, on how many doors, on how many faces, must we write, Lord, have mercy upon us! Sirs, what shift do you make to keep up your confidence of your good state, when God from heaven declares against you, and pronounces you in a state of damnation?— Beloved, God hath written it as with a sun-beam in the book by which you must be judged, that none such (except renewed by converting grace) shall escape the damnation of hell.

And now I imagine many will begin to bless themselves, and think all is well, because they cannot he spotted with gross evils: but I must tell you, that there are another sort of unsanctified persons that carry not their marks in their foreheads, but more secretly in their hands; these frequently deceive themselves and others, and pass for good Christians. Many pass undiscovered till death and judgment bring all to light. Brethren, I beseech you deeply to lay to heart this awakening consideration, "That multitudes miscarry

by the hand of some secret sin, that is not only hidden from others, but, for want of observing their own hearts, even from themselves." A man may be free from open pollutions, and yet die at last by the fatal hand of some unobserved iniquity. And there are these following hidden sins, through which souls go down by numbers into the chambers of death. As you love your lives, read carefully, with a holy jealousy of yourselves, lest you should be the persons concerned.

1. Wilful ignorance. O how many poor souls doth this sin kill in the dark! while they think verily they have good hearts, and are in the ready way to heaven. This is the murderer that dispatcheth thousands in a silent manner, when they suspect nothing. Ah! would it not have grieved a man's heart to have seen the woeful spectacle, when the poor Protestants were shut up (a multitude together in a barn), and a butcher comes, and leads them one by one, blindfold, to a block, where he slew them one after another? But how much more should your hearts bleed to think of the hundreds in great congregations, that wilful ignorance doth butcher in secret, and lead blindfold to the block! Beware this be not your case: make no plea for ignorance: if you spare that sin, know that it will not spare you: And would a man keep a murderer in his bosom?

2. Secret reserves in closing with Christ. To forsake all for Christ, to hate father and mother, yea, a man's own life for him; this is a hard saying. Some will do much, but they will not be entirely devoted to Christ; they must have the sweet sin; they have secret exceptions for life, liberty, or estate. Many take Christ thus, hand over head, and never cast up the cost; and this error in the foundation mars all, and secretly ruins them for ever.

3. Formality in religion. Many rest in the outside of religion, in the external performances of holy duties. And this oft-times doth most effectually deceive men, and more certainly undo them than open looseness. They hear, they fast, they pray, they give

alms, and therefore will not believe but their case is good. Whereas resting in the work done, and coming short of the inward power of religion, they fall at last into the burning lake, from the confident persuasions of their being in the ready way to heaven. O dreadful case, when a man's religion shall serve only to harden him, and effectually to deceive his soul!

4. Trusting in their own righteousness. When men trust in their own righteousness, they reject Christ's. Beloved, you had need be watchful; for not only your sins, but your duties, may undo you. A man may as certainly miscarry by his seeming righteousness as by gross sins; when he trusts to this as his righteousness before God, for the satisfying of his justice, and obtaining of his own pardon; for this is to put Christ out of office, and make a saviour of our own duties and graces.

5. The resting in a certain pitch of religion. When they have so much as will save them (as they suppose) they look no farther, and so show themselves short of true grace, which will ever put men upon aspiring to further perfection.

6. The love of the world. This is the sure evidence of an unsanctified heart, 1 John ii. 15.

But how close doth this sin lurk oft-times under a fair covert of forward profession! Yea, such a power of deceit is there in this sin, that many times when every body else can see the man's worldliness, he cannot see it himself, but hath so many colours, and excuses, and pretences, for his eagerness on the world, that he doth blind his own eyes, and perish in his selfdeceit. How many are there, with whom the world hath more of their hearts than Christ, who mind earthly things, and thereby are like to end in destruction? Yet ask these men, and they will tell him confidently, they prize Christ above all; God forbid else! and see not their own earthly-mindedness, for want of a narrow observation of the workings of their own hearts. Did they but carefully search, they would quickly find that their greatest content is in the world, Luke

xii. 19. and their greatest care and main endeavour is to get and secure the world; which is a certain discovery of an unconverted sinner.

7. Resentment against those that disrespect them, or are injurious to them. O how do many, that seem to be religious, remember injuries and carry grudges, and will return men as good as they bring, rendering evil for evil, directly against the rule of the gospel, the pattern of Christ, and the nature of God. Doubtless where this evil is kept in the heart, that person is in a state of death.

Reader, doth nothing of this touch thee? Art thou in one of the fore-mentioned ranks? O search, and search again! take thy heart solemnly to task; woe unto thee, if after thy profession, thou shouldst be found under the power of wilful ignorance, lost in formality, drowned in earthly mindedness, envenomed with malice, or exalted in an opinion of thine own righteousness; this would be a sad discovery, that all thy religion was in vain. But I proceed.

8. Pride. When men love the praise of men, more than the praise of God, 'tis certain they are yet in their sins. When men see not, nor groan under the pride of their own hearts, 'tis a sign they are stark dead in sin. O how secretly doth this sin live and reign in many hearts, and they know it not.

9. Carnal security, or a presumptuous confidence that their condition is already good. Many cry, Peace and safety, when sudden destruction is coming upon them. Men are willing to cherish in themselves, upon ever so light grounds, a hope that their condition is good, and so look not out after a change, and by this means perish in their sins. Are you at peace? Show me upon what grounds your peace is maintained. Is it Scripture peace? Can you show the distinguishing marks of a sound believer? If not, fear this peace more than any trouble; and know, that a carnal peace doth commonly prove the most mortal enemy of the poor soul.

By this time I think I hear my readers crying out