Rev. iii. 17.

be wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and "naked,” and yet not know it; yea, they may be confident they are “ rich, and increased in grace,"

6. There is a generation that are “pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed “ from their filthiness,” Prov. xxx. 12. Who better persuaded of his case than Paul, while he yet remained unconverted ? Rom. vii. 9.

So that they are miserably deceived that take a strong confidence for a sufficient evidence. They that have no better proof than barely a strong persuasion that they are converted, are certainly as yet strangers to conversion.

But to come more close: As it was said of the adherents to Antichrift, so here; some of the unconverted carry, their marks in their foreheads, more openly, and some in their hands, more covertly: The Apofle reckons up some upon whom he writes the sentence of death; as in these dreadful catalogues; which I beseech you to attend to with all diligence, Eph. v. 5,6. “ For this ye

. know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean per"fon, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath

any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and ss of God. Let no man deceive you with vain “ words, for because of these things cometh the “ wrath of God upon the children of disobedis ence." Rev. xxi. 8. « But the fearful and un

believing, and abominable, and murderers, and “ whoremongers, and forcerers, and idolaters, and “ all liars, shall have their part in the lake that “ burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second

death,” i 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 66 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.-21.

Woe to them that have their names written in these bed. rolls; such may know as certainly as if God had told them from heaven; that they are unsanctified, and under an impossibility of being saved in this condition.

There are then these feveral forts that (past all dispute) are unconverted; they carry their marks in their forehead.

1. The Unclean. These are ever reckoned among the

goats,

and have thrir names, whoever is left out, in all the before-mentioned catalogues; Eph. v. 5. Rev. xxi. 8 i Cor. vi. 9, 10.

2. The Covetous. These men are ever branded for idolaters, and the doors of the kingdom are shut against them by name, Eph. vi 5. Col. ü. 5. i Cor. vi. 6. 10.

3. Drunkards. Not only such as drink away their reasons but withal (yea above all) such as are too strong even for strong drink: The Lord fills his mouth with woes against these, and declares they have no inheritance in the kingdom of “ God,” lja. v. II, 12. 22. Gal. v. 2 1.

4. Liars. The God that cannot lie has told them, that there is no place for them in his kingdom, no entrance into his hill; but their portion is with the father of lies, whose children they are, ini the lake of burnings, Psalm xv. 1, 2. Rev. xxi. 8, 27. Foha viii. 44. Prov. vi. 17.

Swearers. The end of these without deep and speedy repentance, is swift destruction, and most certain and unavoidable condemnation, James v. 12. Zacb. v. 1, 2, 3.

6. Railers and Backbiters, that love to take up a reproach against their neighbour, and Aing all the dirt they can in his face, or else wound him secretly behind his back, Psalm xv. 1. 3. i Cor. vi. 10. and v. 11.

7. Tbieves, Extortioners, and Oppressors, that grind the poor, over-reach their brethren, when they have them at an advantage; these must know that “ God is the avenger of all such,” i Thef. iv. 6. Hear, Oye false and purloining, and wasteful servants ! Hear, 0 ye deceitful tradesmen ! hear your sentence; God will certainly hold his door against you, and turn your treasures of unrighteousness into treasures of wrath, and make your illgotten silver and gold to torment you, like burning metal in your bowels, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. James v. 2, 3

8. * All that do ordinarily live in the profane

neglect of God's worship;” that hear nor his word, that call not on his name, that retrain prayer before God, that mind not their own nor their families' souls, but “ live without God in the “ world,” John viji. 47. Fob xv. 4. Psal. xiv. 4. and lxxix. 6. Eph. ii. 12. and iv. 18.

9. “ Those that are frequenters and lovers of

company God hath declared he will be the destroyer of alt such, and that they shall never enter into the hill of his rest, Prov. xiii. 20. and ix. 6.

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Psal. xv. 4.

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10. Scoffers at religion, that make a score of precise walking, and mock at the messengers and diligent servants of the Lord, and at their holy profeffion, and make themselves merry with the weaknefs and failings of professors. Hear, you despisers, your dreadful doom, Prov. xix. 29. and iii. 34. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16.

Sinner, consider diligently whether thou art not to be found in one of these ranks; for if this be thy cale, “thou art in the gall of bitterness and. “ bond of iniquity;" for all these do carry their marks in their foreheads, and are undoubtedly the fons of death. And if so, the Lord pity our poor congregations ! O, how small a number will be left, when there ten forts are taken out! Alas! on how many doors, on how many faces muft 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 Itate of dam. nation? I would reaion with you as God with them, • How canit thou say, I am not polluted ?” Jer.

“ See thy way in the valley, know what « thou hast done." Man, is not thy conscience pirvy to tricks of deceit, to thy chamber pranks, to the way of lying? Yea, are not thy friends, thy, family, thy neighbours, witness to thy profane neglect of God's worship, to thy covetous practices, to thy envious and malicious carriage? May not they point at thee as thou goeit, There goes a gaming prodigal ? There goes a drunken Nabal, a companion of evil doers? There goes a railer, or scoffer, or a loose liver? Beloved, God hath written it as with a fun-beam in the biok by which you must be judged, that these are not the spois of

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his children! and that none such, except renewed by converting grace, stall ever escape the damnation of hell.

O that such as you would now be persuaded to

repent, and turn from all your transgreflions, or “else iniquity will be your ruin!” Ezek. xviii. 30. Alas poor hardened finners ? Mult I leave you at laft where you were! Muft I leave the tipler ftill at the ale-bench? Must I leave the wanton ft:ll at his daliance ? Must I leave the malicious still in his ve. nom, and the drunkard fill at his vomit? However, you must know that you have been warned, and that I am clear of your blood. And « whether

men will hear, or whether they will forbear,” I will leave the scriptures with them, either as thunder-bolts to awaken them, or as learing-irons to harden them to a reprobate sense, Psal. Ixviii

. 21. « God shall wound the head of his enemies, and “the hairy scalp of such an one as goes on still in “his trespasses,” Prov. xxix. 1. “ He that being “often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly “be deftroyed, and that without remedy," chap. i. 24,

&c. “ Because I have called, and ye re“ fused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, &c. I will mock at your calamity,

your destruction cometh as a whirlwind.” And now I imagine inany will begin to bless themselves, and think all is well, because they cannot be charged with the grosser evils beforementioned; but I muft further tell you, that there are another fort of unfanctified persons, that carry not their marks in their foreheads, but more lecretly and covertly, in their hands; these do frequently deceive themselves and others, and pass

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