are the very best of men, that there are few, if any, who would not rather die, than have all the secrets of their hearts known to men as they are known to God. What then are such per- sons, but whited sepulchres'^? No wonder that, however they be esteemed among men, both their persons and services are an abomination to the Lord^.]
Conformable to their character must surely be,
II. Their end- Sin is in itself inconceivably vile, and will bring its
votaries to shame,
1. In this world —
[How often are the fairest characters blasted by detection, and exposed to infamy ! The deeds of darkness, when brought to light, often reflect such dishonour upon men, as to make them shun society, and put a period to their own existence. And how many are brought to die by the hands of a public executioner, and to entail disgrace on their latest posterity ! Little do men think, when first they yield to temptation, whither sin will lead them. It is a principal device of Satan to conceal the consequences of sin, and to make men believe that they can recede from it whenever they please : but when he has once entangled their feet, they find to their cost, that they cannot escape from his net.]
2. In the world to come —
[There are many who pass honourably through life, and, for their conduct in society, desers'e every t( ken of our respect. But God will try the hearts of men in the last day ; and " will bring to light every secret thing, whether it be good or evil." Then what shame will overwhelm the most specious moralist, whose heart was unrenewed by grace ! A want of love to Christ now is thought but a light matter : but then it will appear in its true colours, as deserving of God's heaviest indignation®. Secret lusts too are overlooked, as though they did not at all defile the soul : but they will then be found to have made us alto- gether lothesome and odious to God^. Then will Christ « with all his saints^ and angels' unite in expressing their abhorrence of these whited sepulchres; so fully shall that declaration be veri- fied. They shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt*^.]
We cannot improve this subject better than by point- ing out,
c Matt, xxiii. 27. '' Lukexv. 16. Prov.xv.8,26. and xxviii. 9. e 1 Cor. xvi. 22. f Ezek. xiv. 4, 7. e Matt. vii. 22, 23. ^ 1 Cor. vi. 2. i Matt. xiii. 41, 42. ^ Dan. xii. 2.