Reasons for Personal Catechising and Instruction

Tre first reasons by which I shall persuade you to this duty are taken from the benefits of it; the second, from the difficulty; and the third, from the necessity, and the many obligations that are upon us for the performance of it. And to these three heads I shall reduce them all.

I. And for the first of these: When I look before me, and consider what, through the blessing of God, this work well managed is likely to produce, it makes my heart to leap for joy. Truly, brethren, you have begun a most blessed work, such as your own consciences may rejoice in, your parishes rejoice in, the nation rejoice in; and children yet unborn, yea, thousands and millions, for aught we know, may have cause to bless God for it, when we have finished our course. And though it be our business here to humble ourselves for the neglect of it so long, as we have very great cause to do; yet the hopes of a blessed success are so great in me, that they are ready to turn it into a day of rejoicing. I bless the Lord that I have lived to see such a day as this, and to be present at so solemn an engagement of so many servants of Christ to such a work. I bless the Lord that hath honoured you of this county to be the beginners and awakeners of the nation hereunto. It is not a controverted business, where the exasperated minds of divided men might pick quarrels with ns, or malice itself be able to invent a rational reproach; nor is it a new invention, where envy might charge you as innovators, or proud boasters of any new discoveries of your own, or scorn to follow in it because you have led the way. No; it is a well-known duty. It is but the more diligent and effectual management of the ministerial work, and the teaching of our principles, and the feeding of babes with milk. You lead indeed, but not in invention of novelty, but the restoration of the ancient ministerial work, and the self-denying attempt of a duty that few or none can contradict. Unless men do envy you your laboiu’s and sufferings, or unless they envy the saving of men’s souls, I know not what they can envy you for in this. The age is so quarrelsome, that where there is any matter to fasten on, we can scarcely explain a truth, or perform a duty, but one or other, if not many, will have a stone to cast at us, and will speak evil of the things which they do not understand, or which their hearts and interests are against. But here, I think, we have silenced malice itself, and I hope we may do this part of God’s work quietly. If they cannot endiu’e to be told what they know not, or contradicted in what they think, or confounded by discoveries of what they have said amiss, I hope they will give us leave to do that which no man can contradict, and to practise that which all are agreed in. I hope we may have their good leave, or silent patience at least, to deny the ease and pleasure of our flesh, and to set ourselves in good earnest to help men to heaven, and to propagate the knowledge of Christ with our people. I take it for a sign of a great and necessary work, which hath such universal approbation — the commonly acknowledged truths and duties being, for the most part, of greatest necessity and moment. A more noble work it is to practise faithfully the truths and duties that all men will confess, than to make new ones, or discover somewhat more than others have discovered. I know not why we should be ambitious of finding out new ways to heaven: to make plain, and to walk in the old way, is our work and our greatest honour.

And because the work in hand is so pregnant of sreat advantao-es to the Church, I will come down to the particular benefits which we may hope for, that when you see the excellency of it, you may be the more set upon it, and the more loath, by any negligence or failing, to destroy or frustrate it. For certainly he that hath the true intentions of a minister will rejoice in the appearances of any further hopes of attaining his ends, and nothing can be more welcome to him than that which will fuither the very business of his life; and that our present work is such, I shall shew you more particularly.

1. It will be the most hopeful advantage for the conversion of many souls that we can expect; for it hath a concurrence of those great things which must further such a work. (1.) For the matter of it, it is about most needful things — the principles or essentials of the Christian faith. (2.) For the manner of exercise, it will be by private conference, where we may have opportunity to set all home to the heart. (3.) The common concord of ministers will do much to bow their hearts to consent. Were it but a meeting to resolve some controverted questions, it would not have so direct a tendency to conversion. Were it but occasional, we could not handsomely fall on them so closely; but when we make it the appointed business, it will be expected, and not so strangely taken. And if most ministers had singly set upon this work, perhaps but few of the people would have submitted; and then you might have lost your chief opportunities, and those that had most needed our help would have had least of it. Whereas now we may hope that, when it is a general thing, few will refuse it; and when they see that other neighbours do it, they will be ashamed to be so singular or openly ungodly as to deny.

The work of conversion consisteth of two parts: — (1.) The well informing of the judgment of the necessary points. (2.) The change of the will, by the efficacy of this truth. Now, in this work we have the most excellent advantage for both. For the informing of their understandings, it must needs be an excellent help to have the sum of all Christianity stiH in memory; and though bare words, not understood, will make no change, yet when the words are plain, he that hath the words is far more likely to know the meaning and matter than another; for what have we to make things known by, that are themselves invisible, but words and other subservient signs? Those, therefore, that will deride all catechisms and professions as unprofitable forms, had better deride themselves for talkincf and usino; the form of their own words to make known their minds to others; and they may deride all God’s Word on the same account, which is a standing form for the guiding of preachers, and teaching all others the doctrine of eternal life. Why may not written w’ords that are still before their eyes, and in their memories, instruct them, as well as the

3.46 GILD AS SALVIA NUS J

transient words of a preacher’? These forms, therefore, of wholesome words are so fer from being unprofitable, as some fantastic persons imagine, that they are of admirable use to all.

We shall have the opportunity, by personal conference, to try them how far they understand it, and how far not; and also to explain it to them as we go, and to choose out and insist on those particulars which the persons that we speak to have most need to hear. So that these two conjunct, a form of words with a plain explication, may do more than either of them could do alone.

Moreover, we have the best opportunity to imprint the same truths upon their hearts, when we can speak to each one’s particular necessity, and say to the sinner, “Thou art the man;” plainly mention his particular case, and set home the truth with familiar importunity. If anything in the world is likely to do them good, it is this. They will understand a familiar speech, who hear a sermon as if it were nonsense, and they have far greater help for the application of it to themselves. And withal you will hear their objections, and know where it is that Satan hath most advantao-e over them, and what it is that stands up against the truth; and so may be able to shew them their errors, confute their objections, and more effectually convince them. We can better drive them to a stand, and uroe them to discover their resolutions for the future, and to promise the use of means and reformation, than otherwise we could do. What need we more for this than our experience “? I seldom deal with men purposely on this great business, in private, serious conference, but they go away with some seeming conldctions, and promises of new obedience, if not some deeper remorse, and sense of their condition. And I hope your own experiences are the same.

0 brethren, what a blow may we give the kingdom of darkness by the faithful and skilful managing of this work! If, then, the saving of souls, of your neighbours’ souls, of many souls from everlasting misery, be worth your labour, up and be doing! If the increase of the true Church of Christ be desirable, this work is excellent, which is so likely to promote it. If you would be the fathers of many that shall be new-born to God, and would see the travail of your souls with comfort, and would be able to say at last, “Here am I, and the children that thou hast given me;” up, then, and ply this blessed work. If it will do you good, to see your holy converts among the saints in glory, praising the Lamb before His throne — if you will be glad to present them blameless and spotless to Christ, be glad then of this singular opportunity that is offered you. If you be ministers of Christ indeed, you will long for the perfecting of His body, and the gathering in of His elect; and your hearts will be set upon it, and you will travail as in birth of them till Christ be formed in them. Then you will take such opportunities as your harvest-time, and as the sunshine days in a rainy harvest, in which it is unreasonable and inexcusable to be idle. If you have any spark of Christian compassion in you, it will surely seem worth your utmost labour to save so many souls from death, and to cover so great a multitude of sins. If you are indeed co-workers with Christ, set then to this work, and neglect not the souls for whom He died. Oh, remember, when you are talking with the unconverted, that now there is an opportunity in your hands to save a soul, and to rejoice the angels of heaven, and to rejoice Christ himself, and that your work is to cast Satan out of a sinner, and to increase the family of God. AVhat is your own hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing 1 Is it not your saved people in the presence of Christ Jesus at His coming “? Yea, doubtless, they are your glory and your joy. (1 Thess. ii. 19, 20.)

2. The second happy benefit of our work, if well managed, will be the most orderly building up those that are converted, and the establishing them in the faith. It hazardeth the whole work, or at least much hindereth it, when Ave do it not in the order that it must be done. How can you build if you first lay not a good foundation “? or how can you set on the top-stone while the middle parts are neglected “i “Gratia non facit saltum,” any more than nature. The second order of Christian truths have such dependence upon the first, that they can never be well learned till the first are learned. This makes so many deluded novices, that are puffed up with the vain conceits of knowledge while they are grossly ignorant, and itch to be preaching before they well know what it is to be Christians; because they took not the work before them, but learned some lesser matters they heard most talked of, before they learned the vital principles. This makes many labour so much in vain, and are still learning, but never come to the knowledge of the truth, because they would learn to read before they learn to spell, or to know their letters; and this makes so many fall away, and shaken with every wind of temptation, because they were not well settled in the fundamentals. It is these fundamentals that must lead men to further truths; it is these they must bottom and build upon. It is these that they must live upon, and that must actuate all their graces, and animate all their duties; it is these that must fortify them against particular temptations: and he that knows these well, doth know so much as will make him happy; and he that knows not these, knows nothing; and he that knows these best, is the best and most understanding Christian. The most godly people, therefore, in your congregations will find it worth their labour to learn the very words of a catechism: and if you would safely edify them, and firmly establish them, be diligent in this work.

3. A third benefit that may be expected by the well-managing of this work, is this, It AldU make our public preaching to be better understood and regarded. When you have acquainted them with the principles, they will the better understand all you say. They will perceive what you drive at, when they are once acquainted with the main parts. This prepareth their minds, and openeth you a way to their hearts; when without this you may lose the most of your labour, and the more pains you take in accurate preparations, the less good you do. As you would not, therefore, lose your public labour, see that you be faithful in this private work.

4. And this is not a contemptible benefit, that by this course you will come to be familiar with your people, when you have had the opportunity of familiar conference; and the want of this with us, that have very numerous parishes, is a great impediment to the success of our labours. By distance and our being unacquainted, slanderers and deceivers have opportunity to possess them with false conceits of you, which prejudice their minds against your doctrine; and by this distance and strangeness, abundance of mistakes between ministers and people are fomented. Besides that, familiarity itself doth tend to beget those affections which may open their ears to further teaching. And when we are familiar with them, they will be more encouraged to o^Den their doubts, seek resolution, and deal freely with us. But when a minister knoweth not his people, or is as strange to them as if he did not know them, it must be a great hindrance to his doing them any good.

5. Besides, by the means of these private instructions, we shall come to be the better acquainted with each person’s spiritual state, and so the better know how to watch over them, and carry ourselves towards them, ever after. We may know the better how to preach to them, when we know their temper, and their chief objections, and so what they have most need to hear. We shall the better know wherein to be jealous of them with a pious jealousy, and what temptations to help them most against. We shall the better know how to lament for them, and to rejoice with them, and to pray for them to God. For as he that will pray rightly for himself, will know his own sores and wants, and the diseases of his own heart; so he that will pray rightly for others, should know theirs as far as he may, and as is meet. If a man have the charge but of sheep or cattle, he cannot so well discharge his trust if he know them not, and their state and qualities. So it is with the master that will well teach his scholars, and parents that will rightly educate their children, and so with ministers who properly feed the Church of God.

6. Aiul then this trial of and acquaintance with our people’s state, will better satisfy us in the administration of the sacraments. We may the better understand how far they are fit or unfit. Though this give them not the state or relation of a member of that church whereof we are overseers, yet because the members of the Church Universal, though they are of no particular church, may in some cases have a right to the ordinances of Christ in those particular churches where they come, and in some cases they have no right, we shall by this means be the better informed how to deal with them, though they be no members of that particular church. And whereas many will question a minister that examineth his people in order to the Lord’s Supper, by what authority he doth it, the same work will be done this way, in a manner beyond exception. Though I doubt not but a minister may require his flock to come to him at any convenient season, to receive instruction, and therefore he may do it in preparation to the sacrament; yet, because ministers have laid the stress of that examination upon the mere necessity of fitness for that ordinance, and not upon their common duty to see the estate and proficiency of each member of their flock at all fit seasons, and upon the people’s duty to submit to the guidance and instruction of the pastors at all times, they have therefore occasioned people ig-norantly to quarrel against their examinations, and call for the proof. Whereas it is an easy thing to prove that any scholar in Christ’s school is bound at any time to be accountable, to his teachers, and to obey them in all lawful things in order to their own edification and salvation; though it may be more difficult to prove a necessity that a minister must so examine them in order to the Lord’s Supper, any more than in order to a day of thanksgiving, or a Lord’s day, or the baptizing of their children. Now, by this course we shall discern their fitness in an unquestionable way.

7. Another benefit will be this: We shall by this means be the better enabled to help our people against their particular temptations, and we shall much better prevent their entertainment of any particular errors or heresies, or their falling into schism to the hazard of themselves and the Church. For men will more freely open their thoughts and scruples to us; and if they are infected already, or inclined to any error or schism, they will be ready to discover it, and so may receive satisfaction before they are past cure; and familiarity with their teachers will the more encourage them to open their doubts to them at any other time. The common cause of our people’s infections and heresies is the familiarity of seducers with them, and the strangeness of their own pastors. When they hear us only in public, and hear seducers frequently in private unsaying all that we say, and we never know it, or help them against it, this settleth them in heresies before we are aware of it. Alas! our people are most of them so weak, that whoever hath most interest in their estimations and affections, and most opportunity in frequent private conferences to instil his opinions into them, of that man’s religion will they ordinarily be. It is a pity, then, that we should let deceivers take such opportunities to undo them, and we not be as industrious, and use our advantages to their good. We have much advantage against seducers in many respects, if our negligence and their diligence did not frustrate them.

8. Another, and one of the greatest benefits of our work, will be this, it will better inform men of the true nature of the ministerial office, or awaken them to better consideration of it, than is now usual. It is now too common for men to think that the work of the ministry is nothing but to preach well, and to baptize, and administer the Lord’s Supper, and visit the sick; and by this means the people will submit to no more, and too many ministers are negligently or wilfully such strangers to their own calling, that they will do no more. It hath often grieved my heart to observe some eminent and able preachers how little they do for the saving of souls, except in the pulpit, and to how little purpose much of their labour is by this neglect. They have hundreds of peojDle to whom they never spoke a word personally for their salvation; and if we may judge by their practice, they take it not for their duty: and the principal thing that hardeneth men in this oversight, is the common neglect of the private part of the work by others. There are so few that do much in it, and the omission is grown so common among pious and able men, that they have abated the disgrace of it by their parts; and a man may now be guilty of it without any common observance or dishonour. Never doth sin so reign in a Church or State as when it hath gained reputation, or at least is no disgrace to the sinner, nor a matter of any ofience to beholders. But I make no doubt, through the mercy of God, but the restored practice of personal oversight will convince many ministers that this is as truly their work as that

z which they now do; and may awaken them to see that the ministry is another kind of business than too many excellent preachers take it to be. Brethren, do but set yourselves closely to this work, and follow on diligently; and though you do it silently, without any words to them that are negligent, I am in hope that most of you here may live to see the day that the neglect of private personal oversight of all the flock shall be taken for a scandalous and odious omission, and shall be as disgraceful to them that are guilty of it, as preaching but once a-day was heretofore. A schoolmaster must not only read a common lecture, but take a personal account of his scholars, or else he is likely to do little good. If physicians should only read a public lecture of physic, their patients would not be much the better for them; nor would a lavyer secure your estate by reading a lecture of law. The charge of a pastor requireth personal dealing as well as any of these. Let us shew the world this by our practice; for most men are grown regardless of bare words. The truth is, we have been occasioned exceedingly to wrong the Church in this, by the contrary extreme of the Papists, who bring all their people to auricular confession; for in the overthrowing of this error of theirs we have run into the contrary extreme, and led our people much further into it than we are gone oiu-selves. It troubled me to read in an orthodox historian, that licentiousness, and a desire to be from under the strict inquiries of the priests in confession, did much further the entertainment of the Reformed religion in Germany. And yet it is likely enough to be true, that they that were against reformation in other respects, yet partly for the change, and partly on that licentious account, might join with better men in crying down the Romish clergy. But by this means, lest we should seem to favour the said auricular confession, we have too commonly neglected all personal instruction; except when we occasionally fall into men’s company, few make it a stated part of their work. I am past doubt that the Popish auricular confession is a sinful novelty, which the ancient Church was unacquainted with. But perhaps some will think it strange that I should say that our common neglect of personal instruction is much worse, if we consider their confessions in themselves, and not as they respect their connexed doctrines of Satisfaction and Purgatory. Many of the southern and eastern churches do use a confession of sin to the priest; and how far Mr Thomas Hooker, in his “Soul’s Preparation” and other divines, do ordinarily require it, as necessary or useful, is well known. If any among us should be guilty of this gross mistake, as to think when he hath preached he hath done all his work, let us shew him to his face by our practice of the rest, that there is much more to be done, and that taking heed to all the flock is another business than careless, lazy ministers do consider. If a man have the least apprehension that duty, and the chief duty, is no duty, he is likely to neglect it, and be impenitent in the neglect.

9. Another singular benefit which we may hope for from the faithful performance of this new work, is that it will help our people better to understand the nature of their duty towards their overseers, and consequently to discharge it better. Which were no matter if it were only for our sakes; but their own salvation is very much concerned in it. I am confident by sad experience, that it is none of the least impediments to their happiness, and to a true reformation of the Church, that the people understand not what the work and power of a minister is, and what is their own duty towards them. They commonly think that a minister hath no more to do with them but to preach to them, and ^dsit them in sickness, and administer sacraments, and that if they hear him, and receive the sacrament from him, they owe no further obedience, nor can he require any more at their hands. Little do they know that the minister is in the Church as the schoolmaster is in his school, to teach and take an account of every one in particular, and that all Christians ordinarily must be disciples or scholars in some such school. They think not that a minister is in the Church as a physician in a town, for all people to resort to, for personal advice for the curing of all those diseases that are fit to be brought to a physician: and that the priest’s lips must preserve knowledge, and the people must ask the law at his mouth, because he is the messeng;er of the Lord of hosts: and that every soul in the congregation is bound for their own safety, to have personal recourse to him for resolving of their doubts, and for help against their sins, and for direction in duty, and for increase of knowledge and all saving grace: and that ministers are purposely settled in congregations to this end, to be still ready to adlise and help the flock. If our people did but know their duty, they would readily come to us when they are desired, to be instructed, and to give an account of their knowledge, faith, and lives; and they would come themselves without sending for, and knock oftener at our doors, and call for advice and help for their souls and ask,” What shall we do to be saved V

Whereas, now the matter is come to that sad pass, that they think a minister hath nothing to do with them, and if he admonish them, they will bid him look to himself, he shall not answer for them. If he call them to be catechised or instructed, or to be prepared for the Lord’s Supper, or other holy ordinances, or would take an account of their faith and profiting, they will ask him, by what authority he doth these things; and think that he is a busy and pragmatical fellow, that loves to be meddling; where he hath nothino; to do: or a proud fellow, that would bear rule over their consciences. When they may as well ask him, by what authority he preacheth, or prayeth for them, or giveth them the sacrament; or they may as well ask a schoolmaster, by what authority he calls his scholars to learn or say their lesson; or a physician, by what authority he enjoineth them to take his medicines. People consider not that all our authority is but for our work; even a power to do oui duty, and our work is for them; so it is but an authority to do them good. Hence they talk no wiser than if they were to quarrel with a man that would help to quench the fire in their thatch, and ask him by what authority he did it; or that would give his money to relieve the poor, and they should ask him, by what authority do you require us to take this money; or that had oSered his hand to one that had fallen, to help him up; or to one in the water to save him from drowning, and he should ask by what authority he did so. Truly we have no wiser nor more thankful dealinor from these men; nay, it is worse, in that we are doubly obliged, both by Christian charity and the ministerial office, to do them good. I know not of any simile that doth more aptly exjDress the ministerial power and duty, and the people’s duty, than these two conjunct — viz., a physician in an hospital, that hath taken the charge of it, and a schoolmaster in his school, especially such as the philosophers, or teachers of any science or art, whose schools have the aged and voluntary members, as well as children. Such are ministers in the Church, and such is their work, and their authority to do it, and the duty of the people to submit thereto; allowing such differences as the subject requireth.

And what is it that hath brought people to this ignorance of their duty, but custom “? It is along of us, brethren — to speak truly and plainly — it is along of us, that have not used them nor ourselves to any more than common public work. We see how much custom doth with the people. Where it is the custom, they stick not among the Papists at the confessing of all their sins to the priest; and because it is not the custom among us, they disdain to be questioned, catechised, or instructed at all. They wonder at it as a strange thing, and say, “Such things were never done before.” And if we can but prevail to make this duty become as usual as other duties, they will much more easily submit to it than now. What a happy thing would it be if you might live to see the- day that it should be as ordinary foB people of all ages to come in course to their teachers for personal advice, and help for their salvation, as it is now usual for them to come to the church, or as it is for them to send their children thither to be catechised. Our dilio-ence in this work is the way to do this.

10. Moreover, our practice will give the governors of the nation some better information about the nature and burden of the ministry, and so may procure their further assistance. It is a lamentable impediment to the reformation of the Church and the saving of souls, that in most populous congregations, there is but one or two men to oversee many thousand souls, and so there are not labourers in any measure answerable to the work. Hence it becomes an impossible thing to them to do any considerable measure of that personal duty which should be done by faithful pastors to all the flock. I have often said it, and still must say it, that this is a great part of England’s misery, and a great degree of spiritual famine which reigns in most cities and great towns through the land, even where they are insensible of it, and think themselves well provided. Alas! we see multitudes of carnal, ignorant, sensual sinners, round about us. Here is a family, and there a family, and there almost a whole street or village of them, and our hearts pity them; we see that their necessities cry aloud for our speedy and diligent relief, so that he that hath ears to hear must needs hear it: and if we would never so fain, we cannot help them; not only through their obstinacy, but also through our want of opportunity. We have experience, that if we coidd but have leisure to speak to them, and to open plainly to them their sin and danger, there were great hopes of doing good to many of those that receive little by our public teaching. But we cannot come at them: more necessary work prohibits us: we cannot do both at once: and the public must be preferred, because there we deal with many at once: and it is as much as we are able to do, to perform the public work, or some little more. If we take the time when we should eat or sleep, besides the ruining of our weakened bodies by it, we shall not be able, after all, to speak to one of urery many of them. So that we must stand by and see our people perish, and can but be sorry for them, and cannot so much as speak to them to endeavour their recovery. Is not this a sad case in a nation that glorieth of the fulness of the gospel? An infidel will say no; but methinks no man that believes an everlasting joy or torment, should say so. I will instance of my own case: We are together two ministers, and a third at a chapel, willing to bestow every hour of our time in Christ’s work. Before we undertook this work that we are now upon, our hands were full, and now we are engaged to set apart two days every week from morning to night for private catechising and instruction; so that any man may see that we must leave undone all that other work that we were wont to do at that time; and we are necessitated to run upon the public work of preaching with small preparation, and so must deliver the message of God in such a raw and confused manner, and unanswerably to its dignity and the needs of men’s souls, that it is a great trouble to our minds to consider it, and a greater trouble to us when we are doing it. And yet it must be so: there is no remedy. Unless we will omit this personal instruction, we must needs run thus unprepared into the pulpit; and to omit this we dare not, it is so great and necessary a work. When we have incurred all the forementioned inconveniences,’ and have set two whole days every week apart for the work that we have now undertaken, it will be as much as we shall be able to do, to go over the parish but once a year, there being in it about eight hundred families; and what is worse than that.

we shall be forced to cut it short, and do it less effectually than “we ought, having above fifteen families to visit in a week. And, alas! how small a matter is it to speak to a man once only in a year, and that so cursorily as we must be forced to do, in comparison of what their necessities require! Yet are we in hope of some fruit of this much; but how much more might it be if we coul but speak to them once a quarter, and do the work more fully and deliberately, as you that are in smaller parishes may do. Many ministers in England have ten times, if not more, the number of parishioners that I have; so that if they should undertake the work that we have done, they can go over the parish but once in ten years! Thus, while we are hoping for opportunities to speak to them, we hear of one dying after another; and, to the grief of our souls, are forced to go with them to their graves, before we could ever speak a word to them personally to prepare them for their chano-e. And what is the cause of all this misery ■? AVhy, our rulers have not seen a necessity of any more ministers than one or two in such parishes, and so they have not allowed any maintenance to that end. Some have alienated much from the Church, (the Lord humble all them that consented to it effectually, lest it prove the consumption of the nation at last,) while they have left this famine in the chief parts of the land. It is easy to separate from the multitude, and gather distinct churches, and let the rest sink or swim, and if they will not be saved by public preachino;, let them be damned: but whether this be the most charitable and Christian course, one would think should be no hard question. What is the cause that wise and godly rulers should be thus guilty of our misery, and that none of our cries will awaken them to compassion? What! are they ao ignorant as not to know these things 1 Are they grown cruel to the souls of men 1 or are they false-hearted to the interest of Christ, and have a design to undermine His kingdom? No; I hope it is none of these; but for aught I. can find, it is even along of us, even of us the ministers of the gospel, whom they should thus maintain. For those ministers that have small parishes, and might do all this private part of the work, yet do it not, but very few of them, and will not do it; and those in great towns and cities, that might do somewhat, though they cannot do all, will do just nothing but what accidentally falls in their way, or next to nothing; so that maoistrates are not awakened to an observance or consideration of the weight of our work. If it be not in their eyes, as well as in their ears, they will not regard it. Or if they do apprehend the usefulness of it, yet if they see that ministers are so careless and lazy that they will not do it, they think it in vain to proldde them a maintenance for it — it woidd be but to cherish idle drones; and so they think that if they maintain ministers enough to preach in the pulpit, they have done their part; and thus are they involved in heinous sin, of which we are the occasion. Whereas, if we do but heartily all set ourselves to this work, and shew the magistrate to his face that it is a most weighty and necessary part of our business, and that we would do it thoroughly if we could, and that if there were hands enough at it, the work would go on; and withal, when they shall see the happy success of our labours, then, no doubt, if the fear of God be in them, and they have any love to His truth and men’s souls, they will put to tlieii* helping hand, and not let men perish because there is no man to speak to them to prevent it. They will one way or other raise a maintenance in such populous places for labourers proportioned to the number of souls, and greatness

of the work. Let them but see us fall to the work, and see it prosper in our hands — as if it be well managed, through God’s blessing, there is no doubt but it will — and then it will draw out our hearts to the promoting of it; and instead of laying parishes together to diminish the number of teachers, they will either divide them, or allow more teachers to a parish. But when they see that many carnal ministers do make a greater stir to have more maintenance to themselves, than to have more help in the work of God, they are tempted by such worldlings to wrong the Church, that particular ministers may have ease and fulness.

11. Another benefit that is likely to follow our work, is this: It may exceedingly facilitate the ministerial service to the next generation that shall suceed us, and prevent the rebellion of people against their teachers. As I said, custom is the thing that sways much with the multitude; and they that first break a destructive custom, must bear the brunt of their indignation. Somebody must do this. If we do it not, it will lie upon our successors; and how can we look that they should be more hardy, and resolute, and faithful than we 1 “We have seen the heavy judgments of the Lord, and heard Him pleading by fire and sword with the land. We have been ourselves in the furnace, and should be the most refined. We are most deeply obliged by oaths and covenants, by wonderful deliverances, experiences, and mercies of all sorts; and if we flinch and turn our back, and prove false-hearted, why should we expect better from those that have not been driven by such scourges, nor drawn by such cords 1 But if they do prove better than we, and will do it, the same odium and opposition must befall them which we avoid, and that with some increase, because of our neglect; for the people will tell them that we, their predecessors, did no such things. But if we would now break through, who are set in the front, and break the ice for them that follow us, their souls will bless us, our names shall be dear to them, and they will feel the hapj)y fruits of our labours every week and day of their ministry. When the people shall willingly submit to their private instructions and examinations, yea, and. to discipHne too, because we have acquainted them with it, removed the prejudice, and broke the evil custom that our forescoers had been the cause of; and so we may do much to the saving of many thousand souls in all. ages to come, as well as in the present age that we are working in.

12. Another benefit will be this: We shall keep our people’s minds and time from much of that vanity that now possesseth them. When men are at work in their shops, almost all their talk is vanity; the children also learn foolish and ribald songs and tales; and with such filth and rubbish are their memories furnished. Many an hour is lost, and many thousands of idle thoughts and words are they guilty of. Whereas when they once know the catechisms must be learned, and that they must all give account, it will turn much of their thoughts and time that way.

13. Moreover, it will do much to the better ordering of faniilies, and better spending of the Lord’s day.

When vre have once got the master of the family to undertake it, that he will once every Lord’s day examine his family, and hear what they can say of the catechism, it will find them the most profitable employment; whereas otherwise, many of them would be idle, or ill employed; and many masters that know little themselves, may yet be brought to do this for others.

1 4. Moreover, it will do some good to many ministers that are apt to be too idle, and misspend their time in unnecessary discourses and businesses, as journeys, or recreations; and it will let them see that they have no time to spare for such things. And so when they are engaged in so much pressing employment, of so high a nature, it will be the best ciu*e for all that idleness or loss of time; and withal, it will cut off that scandal which usually followeth thereupon; for people used to say, such a minister can sit in an alehouse or tavern, or spend his time at bowls, or other sports, or vain discourse; and why may not we do so as well as he 1 Let us set close to this part of our work, and then see what time we can find to spare, and live idly, or in a way of voluptuousness or worldliness.

15. And many personal benefits to ourselves are consequential to these. It will do much to exercise and increase our own graces, and to subdue our own corruptions. And besides our safety, it will breed much peace to our own consciences, and comfort us when our time and actions must be reviewed. (L) To be much in provoking others to repentance and heavenly-mindedness, may do much to excite them in ourselves. (2.) To cry down the sin of others, and engage them against it, and direct them to overcome it, will do much to shame us out c»f oiu’ own; and conscience will scarcely suffer us to live in that which we make so much ado to draw others from. And this very constant employment for God, and busying our minds and tongues against sin, and for Christ and holiness, will do much to habituate us, and to overcome our fleshly inclinations, both by direct mortification and by diversion, leaving our fancies no room nor time for their old employment. I dare say, that all austerities of monks and hermits, who addict themselves to unprofitable solitude, and are the true imitators of the unprofitable servant who hid his talent because his master was an austere man, and that think to save themselves by neglecting to shew compassion to others, will not do near so much in the true work of mortification, as this fruitful diligence for Christ will do.

16. And it will be some benefit, that by this means we shall take off ourselves and our people from vain controversies, and from employing our care and zeal in the lesser matters of religion, which often hinder their spiritual edification; for while we are taken uj) in teaching, and they in learning the fundamentals, we shall divert our minds and tongues, and have less room for lower things; and thus it will ciu’e much wrangling and contention between ministers and people; for we do that which we need not, and should not, because we will not fall closely to do that which we need and shoidd. If we could contrive to get some of the most understanding sort of our people to assist us in privately helping others, (though prejudice of others, and their own unripeness and unfitness, much hinder,) it woiUd be the most effectual way to prevent their running into preaching distempers, or schisms; for this employment would take them up, and content the teaching humour that they are inclined to; and it might make their parts more useful in a safe and lawful way.

1 7. Moreover, the very diligent practice of this work that we are upon, would do much to set men right about many controversies that now trouble the Church, and so put an end to our differences. Especially, most of those about the ministry, churches, and discipline, would receive more convincing light by practice, than all our idle talkino; or ^Titino: will afford us. We have fallen of late into parties, and troubled the Church about many controversies concerning excommunication, in such and such cases, which, perhaps, never will fall out; or if they do, they cannot be so well decided by any man that is not engaged in the practice. It is like the profession of a physician, a soldier, or a pilot, who can never be worth a straw at their work by all the precepts in the world, without practice and experience. This will be the only course to make, (1.) Sound divines in the main, which bare studying wiB. not do. (2.) Recover us again to the primitive simplicity, to live upon the substantial necessary things. (3.) To direct and resolve us in many of our quarrels which can no other way be well resolved. For example: If this work had been set on foot, and it had been but visible what it is to have the oversight of souls, durst any prelates have contended for the sole oversight of two hundred, four hundred, or a thousand churches; and that the presbyters might be but their curates and informers? Durst they have striven with might and main, to have drawn upon themselves such impossibilities, and have carried such mountains on their backs, and to answer to God as overseers and pastors of so manythousand people, whose faces they were never likely to see, much less were they ever likely to speak one word to them for their everlasting life”? Would they not have said, “If I must be a bishop, let me be a parochial bishop, or have no more to oversee than I am capable of overseeing, and let me be such as the primitive bishops were, that had but one church, and not hundreds, to take care of; and let me not be engaged to perform natural impossibilities, and that on pain of damnation, and to the certain destruction of the business that I undertake 1” Surely these would rather have been their strivings. I speak not this against any bishops that acknowledge the presbyters to be true pastors to rule and teach the flock, and take themselves only to be the chief or presidents among the presbyters, yea, or the rulers of presbyters, that are the rulers of the flock; but of them that null the presbyter’s ofiice, and the Church’s government and discipline, by undertaking it alone as their sole prerogative.

Many other controversies pertaining to discipline I might instance, that will be better resolved by this course of practice, through the abundant experience which it will afl’ord, than by all the disputations or writings that have attempted it.

18. The design of this work is the reforming and saving of all the people in our several parishes; for we should not leave out any man that will submit to be instructed. And though we can scarcely hope that every particular person will be reformed and saved by it, yet have we reason to hope, that as the attempt is universal, so the success will be more general or extensive than hitherto we have seen of our other labours. Sure I am it is most like to the spirit, precepts, and offers of the gospel, which requireth us to preach the gospel to every creature, and promiseth life to every man if he will accept it by belieTiig. If God would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth — that is, as Rector and Benefactor of the world, He hath manifested Himself willing to save all men if they will themselves, though His elect He will also make willing — then surely it beseems us to offer salvation imto all men, and to endeavour to bring them to the knowledge of the truth: and if Christ tasted death for every man, it is meet we should preach His death to every man. This work hath a more excellent design than our accidental conferences with now and then a particular person; and I observe that in such occasional discourses men satisfy themselves to have spoken some good words, but seldom set plainly and closely to the matter, to convince men of sin, misery, and mercy, as in this purposely appointed work we are now more likely to do.

19. And further, it is likely to be a work that shall reach over the whole land, and not stop with us that have now engaged in it. For though it be at the present neglected, I suppose the cause is the same with our brethren as it hath all this while been with us, who, by vain expectations of the magistrates’ interposition, or by that inconsiderateness and laziness which we are bewailing here this day, have omitted it till now as we have done; but especially a despair of a common submission of the people hath been the hindrance. But when they shall be remembered of so

2 a clear and great a duty, and excited to the consideration of it, and see with us the feasibleness of it, in a good measure, when it is done by common consent, no doubt they will universally take it up, and gladly concur with us in so blessed a work; for they are the servants of the same God, as regardful of their flocks, as conscientious as we, as sensible of the interest of Christ, as compassionate to men’s souls, and as self-denying and ready to do or sufier for such excellent ends. Seeing, therefore, they have the same spirit, rule, and Lord, I will not be so uncharitable as to doubt whether all that are godly, or the generality of them, will gladly join with us through all the land. And, oh, what a happy thing it will be to see such a general combination for Christ! — to see all England so seriously called upon, and importuned for Christ, and set in so fair a way to heaven! Methinks the consideration of it should make our hearts rejoice within us, to see so many faithful servants of Christ all over the land, to fall in with every particular sinner with such industrious solicitations for the saving of their souls, as men that will hardly take a denial. Methinks I see all the godly ministers of England setting upon the work already, and resolving to take the opportunity that unanimity may facilitate it; which if they do, no doubt but God will succeed them. Is it not, then, a most happy undertaking that you are all setting your hands to, and desiring the assistance of Christ, in this day ‘?

20. Lastly, Of so great weight and excellency is the duty that we are upon, that the chief part of church reformation that is behind, as to means, consisteth in it; and it must be the chief means to answer the judgment, the mercies, the prayers, the promises, the cost, the endeavours, and blood of the nation: and without this it will not be done; the ends of all these will never be well attained, a reformation to purpose will never be wrought, the Church will be still low, the interest of Christ will be much neglected, and God will still have a controversy with the land, and, above all, with the ministers that have been deepest in the guilt.

How long have we talked of reformation, how much have we said and done for it in general, and how deeply and devoutly have we vowed it for our own parts (of which more anon). And after all this, how shamefully have we neglected it, and do neglect it to this day! “Ye carry ourselves as if we had not known or considered what that reformation was that we vowed. As carnal men will take on them to be Christians, and profess ^ith confidence to believe in Christ and accept of His salvation, and may contend for Christ, and fight for Him, and yet for all this would have none of Him, but perish for refusing Him, who little dreamed that ever they had been refusers of Him; and all because they understood not what His salvation is, and how it is carried on; but dream of a salvation without flesh-displeasing, and without self-denying, and renouncing the world, and parting with their sins, and without any holiness or any great pains and labour of their own in subserviency to Christ and the Spirit: even so did too many ministers and private men talk, and write, and pray, and sigh, and long for reformation, and would little have believed that man that shoidd have presumed to tell them that for all this their very hearts were against reformation, and that they that were praying for it, and fasting for it, and wading through blood for it, would never accept it, but would themselves be the rejectors and destroyers of it. Yet so it is, and so it hath too plainly proved; and whence is all this strange deceit of heart, that good men should no better know themselves? Why, the case is plain: they thought of a reformation to be given by God, but not of a reformation to be wrought on and by themselves. They considered the blessing, but never thought of the means of accomplishing it. As if they had expected that fill things besides themselves should be mended without them; or that the Holy Ghost should again descend miraculously; or every sermon should convert its thousands; or that some angel from heaven, or some Elias, should be sent to restore all things; or that the law of a parliament, and the sword of a magistrate, would have converted or constrained all, and have done the deed. Little did they think of a reformation that must be wrought by their own diligence and unwearied labours, by earnest preaching, catechising, personal instructions, and taking heed to all the flock, whatever pains or reproaches it should cost them. They thought not that a thorough reformation must multiply their own work. We had all of us too carnal thoughts, that when we had ungodly men at our mercy, all would be done, and conquering them was converting them, or such a mean as would have frio-htened them to heaven. But the business is far otherwise; and had we then known how a reformation must be attained, perhaps some would have been colder in the prosecution of it. And yet I know that even foreseen labours seem small matters at a distance, while we do but hear or talk of them; but when we come nearer them, and must lay our hands to the work, and put on our armour, and charge through the thickest of opposing difEcidties, then is the sincerity and the strength of men’s hearts brought to trial, and it will appear how they purposed and promised before. Reformation is to many of us, as the Messiah was to the Jews. Before He came they looked and longed for Him, and boasted of Him, and rejoiced in hope of Him; but when He came, they hated Him, and would not believe that He was indeed the person, and therefore persecuted and put Him to death, to the curse and confusion of the main body of their nation.” The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in. But who may abide the day of his coming 1 and who

shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may ofier unto the Lord an ofiering in righteousness.” (jIal. iii. 1-3.) And the reason was, because it was another manner of Christ that the Jews expected, than Jesus was that did appear to them; it was one to bring them riches and liberty, and to this day they profess that they will never believe in any but such. So it is with too many about reformation. They hoped for a reformation that should bring them more wealth and honour mth the people, and power to force men to do what they would have them; and now they see a reformattion that must put them to more condescension and pains than ever they were at before: this will not go down -^^ith them. They thought of having the opposers of godliness under their feetj but now they see they must go to them with humble entreaties, and put their hands under their feet, if it would do them good, and meekly beseech even those that sometimes sought their lives; make it now their daily business to overcome them by kindness, and win them with love. Oh, how many carnal expectations are here crossed!

Hence also it is, that most men do lay so great a part of reformation in their private opinions or singular ways. The Prelatical party think that the true reformation is to restore them to power; the Presbyterians, that if Prelacy and Independency were put down, and classes set up, the work were chiefly done; the Independents, that if they had gathered a separated body of godly people under covenant, much of the reformation were wrought; and the Anabaptists think, that if they could but get people to be baptized again, they had done a great matter for reformation. I am not now reproling any of these in the matter, though the last especially well deserve it, but that they lay so much upon their several orders and formalities as many of them do: when, indeed, if we had our will in all such matters of order, and had the rightest form of government in the world, it is the painful execution, and the dihgent and prudent use of means for men’s conversion and edification, by able, faithful men, that must accomplish the reformation.

Brethren, I dare confidently teU you, that if you will but faithfully perform what you have agreed upon, both in this business of catechising and personal instruction, and in the matter of discipline, formerly, where we have well waved all the controverted part, which hath so much ascribed to it, you will do more for the true reformation that is so desirable, and hath been so long prayed and eagerly contended for, are ever likely to effect. If bishops would do this work, I would take them for reformers; and if presbyters will do it, I will take them for reformers; and those that neglected and hindered it, I ever took for deformers. Let us see the work well done, that God hath made so necessary for men’s conversion, preservation, restoration, and salvation, and the doers of it, whether prelates or presbyters, shall never have any opposition from me. But it is not bare canons, and orders, and names, and shows, that any wise man will take for the substance of reformation. It is not circumcision or uncircumcision, to be a Jew or a Gentile, bond or free, that availeth anything; but a new creature, and faith that worketh by love. That is the reformation whicL best healeth the ignorance, and infidelity, and pride, and hypocrisy, and worldliness, and other killing sins of the land, and that most effectually bringeth men to faith and holiness. Not that I would have the least truth or duty undervalued, or any part of God’s will to be rejected: but the kingdom of God consisteth not in every truth or duty — not in ceremonies or circumstances — not in meats or drinks; but in righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Dear brethren, it is you, and such as you, that under Christ must yet give this nation the fruit of all their prayers and pains, their cost and blood, and their heavy sufferings. All that they have been doing for the good of the Church, and for true reformation, for so many years, was but to prepare the way for you to come in and do the work which they desired. Alas!- what would they do by fire and sword, by dmms and

376 GILDAS SALVIA NT7S t

trumpets, for the converting of souls 1 The actions of armies and famous commanders which seem so glorious, and make so great a noise that the world rings with them, what have they done, or what can they do that is worth talking of without you 1 In themselves considered, all their victories and great achievements are so far from being truly glorious, that they are very lamentable; and a butcher may as well glory that he hath killed so many beasts, or a hangman that he hath executed so many men, as they can glory in the thing considered in itself: for war is the most heavy temporal judgment. And far less cause would they have to glory, if their cause and end were wrong. K their hearts, end, and cause be right, and they mean as honestly as any men in the world, yet are these great commanders but your pioneers, to cut up the thorns that stand in your way, to cast out the rubbish, and prepare you the way to build the house. Alas! they cannot with all their victories exalt the Lord Jesus in the soul of any sinner; and therefore they cannot set up His spiritual kingdom, for the hearts of men are His house and throne. If the work should stop with the end of theirs, and go no further than they can carry it, we should be in the end but where we were in the beginning; and one generation of Christ’s enemies would succeed another, and they that take down the wicked would inherit their vices, as they possess their placeSj and the last would be far the worst, as being deeper in the guilt, and more engaged in evil-doing. All this trouble, then, and stir of the nation, hath been to bring the work to your hands; and shall it die there *? God forbid! They have opened you the door; and, at exceeding cost and sufferings have removed many of your impediments, and put the building instruments into your hands; and will you now stand still and loiter? God forbid! Up then, brethren, and give the nation the fruit of their cost and labour. Frustrate not all the Preparer’s works: fail not the long expectations of so many thousands that have prayed in hope of a true reformation; paid in hope, ventured in hope, suffered in hope, and waited till now in hope. In the name of God, take heed that you do not disappoint all these hopes! Have they spent so long time in fencing the vineyard, and weeding and pruning it, and making it ready for your hands, and will you fail them that are sent to gather in the vintage, and lose their labours? When they have ploughed the field, will you sow it by halves? If they had known beforehand that ministers would have proved idle or unfaithful, how many hundreds would have spared their blood, how many thousands would have sat still, and have let the old readers and formalists alone, and have said, “If we must have dullards and unprofitable men, it is as good to have one as another; it is not worth so much cost and pains to change one careless minister for another.” The end is the mover and life of the agent in all the means. How many thousands have prayed, and paid, and suffered, and more in expectation of a great advantage to the Church, and more common illumination and reformation of the nation by your means; and will you now deceive them all 1 Again I say, God forbid! It is at your hands that they are expecting the happy issue of all. The eyes of the nation are, or should be, all under God upon you, for the bringing in the harvest of their cost and labours. I profess, it maketh me wonder at the fearful cleceitfulness of the heart of man, to see feow every man can call on others for duty, or censure them for the omitting it, and what excellent judges we are in other men’s cases, and how partial in our own! The very judicious teachers of the nation can cry out, and too justly, against one sect and another sect, and

against unfaithful underminers of those that they thought would have done the work, and aoainst the disturbers of the reformation that was going on, and say, “These have betrayed the Church, and frustrated the nation’s cost and hopes, and undone all that hath been so long adoing.” And yet they see not, or seem not to see, that it is we that are guilty of this, as much as they. It was not the magistrates’ driving, but the ministers’ drawing, that was the principal saving means that we waited for.

Brethren, it were a strange mistake, if any of us should think, that the price of the nation’s wealth and blood was to settle us in good benefices, and to pull down the bishops, and give us the quiet possession of our livings which they would have deprived us of. AVas this the reformation intended, that we might live in greater ease and fulness, and succeed the ejected ministers in their less disgraced sins 1 Why, sirs, what are we more than other men, that the people should do all this for us? that they should impoverish the whole nation almost to provide us a liveHhood? What can they see in our persons, or countenances, for which they should so dote upon iisl Are we not men, frail and corruptible flesh, and unworthy sinners like themselves’? Surely it was for our work, and the end of our work, and not for our persons, but in order to our work, that they have done all this. AVliat say you now, brethren? Will you deal faithfully with your creditors, and pay the nation the debt which you owe them? Shall all the blood and cost of this people be frustrated or not? You are now called upon to give your answer, and it is you that must give it. The work is now before you; and in these personal instructions of all the flock, as well as in public preaching, doth it consist. Others have done their part, and borne their burden, and now comes in yours. You may easily see how great a matter lies upon your hands, and how many will be wronged by your failing, and how much by the sparing of yoiu labour all be lost. If your labour be more worth than all our treasures, hazards, and lives, — more worth than the souls of men and the blood of Christ, — then sit still, and look not after the ignorant or the ungodly; follow your pleasures and worldly business, or take your ease; displease not sinners, nor your own flesh; but let your neighbours sink or swim; and if public preaching will not save them, let them perish. But if the case be far otherwise, you were best look about you. But I shall say more of this anon.

11. Having given you the first sort of moving reasons, which were drawn from the benefits of the present undertaken work, I come to the second sort, which are taken from the difficulties; which, if they were taken alone, or in a needless business, I confess might be rather discouragements than motives; but taking these Tsdth those that go before and follow, the case is otherwise. For difficulties must excite to greater diligence in a necessary work. And many difliculties we shall find both in ourselves and in our people; which, because they are things so obvious that your experience will leave no room for doubting, I shall take leave to pass them over in a few words.

1. In ourselves there is much dulness and laziness, so that there will be much ado to get us to be faithful in so hard a work. Like a sluggard in bed, that knows he should rise, and yet delayeth and would stay as long as he can; so do we by duties that our corrupt natures are against, and put us to the use of all our powers. Mere sloth ties the hands of many.

2. “We have also a base man-pleasing disposition, which will make us let men perish lest we lose their love, and let them go quietly to hell, lest we should make them angry with us for seeking their salvation. We are ready to venture on the displeasure of God, and suffer our people to run into everlasting misery, rather than get ill-will to ourselves. This disposition must be diligently resisted.

3. Some of us have a foolish bashfulness, which makes us very backward to begin with them, and to speak plainly to them. We are so modest, forsooth, that we blush to speak for Christ, to contradict the devil, or to save a soul; when of shameful works we are less ashamed.

4. We are so carnal that we are prone by our fleshly interests to be drawn to unfaithfulness in the work of Christ; lest we lose our tithes, or bring trouble upon ourselves, or set people against us, and such like. All these require diligence for their resistance.

5. The greatest impediment of all is, that we are weak in the faith; so that when we should set upon a man for his conversion with all our might, if there be not the stirrings of unbelief within us, to rise up actual questionings of heaven and hell, whether the things that we should earnestly press be true; yet at least the belief of them is weak, and does not excite in us fervent, resolute, and constant zeal. Thus our whole motion is weak, because the spring of faith is weak. Oh, what need, therefore, have all ministers, for themselves and their work, to look well to their faith, especially that their assent to the truth of Scripture, about the joy and torments of the life to come, be sound and lively!

6. And lastly, We have commonly a great deal of unskilfidness and unfitness for this work. Alas, how few know how to deal with an ignorant, worldly man for his salvation !^to get within him, and win upon him, and suit all speeches to his condition and temper; to choose the fittest subjects, and follow them with the holy mixture of seriousness, terror, love, meekness, and evangelical allurements. Oh, who is fit for such a thing! I profess seriously, it seems to me, by experience, as hard a matter to confer aright with such a carnal person in order to his change, as to preach such sermons as ordinarily we do, if not much more so. All these difficulties in ourselves should awaken us to resolutions, preparations, and diUgence, that we be not overcome by them, and hindered from, or in the work.

In our people, we have also many difficulties to encounter. 1. Too many of them will be obstinately unwilling to be taught, and refuse to come near us, as being too good to be catechised, or too old to learn, unless we deal wisely with them in public and private, and by the force of reason, and the power of love, conquer their perverseness, which we must carefully endeavour.

2. Many that are willing are so extremely dull, that they can scarcely learn a leaf of a catechism in a long time, and therefore will keep away, as ashamed of their ignorance, unless we are wise and diligent to encourage them.

3. When they do come, so great is their ignorance, that you will find it a wonderful hard matter to get them to understand you; so that if you have not the skill of making things plain, you will leave them as strange to it as before.

4. Yet harder will you find it to work things upon their hearts, and set them so close to the quick, as to produce that saving change, which is our end, and without which our labour is lost. Oh, what a rock is a hardened, carnal heart! How stiffly will it resist the most powerful persuasions, and hear of everlasting life or death as a thing of naught! If you have not therefore great seriousness, and fervency, and fitness of expression, what good can you expect? And when all is done, the Spirit of grace must do the work; but as God and men do use to choose instruments most suitable to the nature of the agent, work, or end, so here the Spirit of wisdom, life, and holiness, doth not use to work by foolish, dead, or carnal instruments, but by such persuasions of light, life, and purity, as are most like Himself and the work that is to be wrought thereby.

5. And when you have made some desirable impressions on their hearts, if you look not after them, and have a special care of them when they are gone, their hearts will soon return to their former hardness, and their old companions and temptations will render all abortive. I do but briefly hint these things which you SO well know. All the difficulties of the work of conversion, which you use to acquaint the people with, are here before us in our present work; which I will forbear to enumerate, as supposing it unnecessary.

III. The third sort of movino; reasons are drawn from the necessity of the undertaken work; for if it were not necessary, the lazy might be discouraged, rather than excited, by the forementioned difficulties. And if we should here expatiate, we might find matter for a volume by itself. But because I have already been longer than I did intend, I shall only give you a brief hint of some of the general gi’ounds of this necessity.

In the first place, it is necessary by obligation, “Ut Officium, necessitate praecepti:” in the second, it is necessary “ad finem;” and that for God, for our neighbours, and for ourselves.

(1.) We have on us the obligation of Scripture precepts, both general and special. (2.) The subservient obligation by promises and threatenings. (3.) These are seconded by executions of actual judgments and mercies. (4.) We have the obligation of our own undertaking upon us. These all deserve your consideration, but may not be insisted on by me, lest I be over-tedious.

1. Every Christian is obliged to do all that he can for the salvation of others; but every minister is doubly obliged, because he is separated to the gospel of Christ, and is to give up himself wholly to that work. (Rom. i. 1; 1 Tim. iv. 15.) It is needless to make any further question of our obligation, when we know that this work is needful to our people’s conversion and salvation, and that we are in general commanded to do all that is needful to those ends, as far as we are able. That they are necessary to those ends hath been shewed before, and shall be more anon. Even old professors have need to be taught the principles of God’s oracles, if they have neglected or forgotten them. Saith the apostle, ttoXcv ‘)(pdav e^ere

Oeov. (Heb. v. 12.) That the unconverted have need of conversion, and the means of it, I hope is not doubted among us; and whether this be a means, and a needful means, experience may put us far out of doubt, if we had no more. Let them that have taken most pains in public examine their people, and try whether many of them be not yet as ignorant and as careless almost as if they had never heard the gospel. For my part, I study to speak as plainly and affectingly as I can; next my study to speak truly, this is my chief study; and yet I frequently meet with those that have been my hearers eight or ten years, who know not whether Christ be God or man, and wonder when I tell them the history of His birth, life, and death, and sending abroad the gospel, as if they had never heard it before, and that know not that infants have any original sin; and of those that know the history of the gospel, how few are there that know the nature of that repentance, faith, and holiness, that it requireth, or, at least, that know their own hearts! But most of them have an ung-rounded affiance in Christ, trusting that He will pardon, justify, and save them, while the world hath their hearts, and they live to the flesh; and this affiance they take for justifying faith. I have found by experience, that an ignorant sot that hath been an unprofitable hearer so long, hath got more knowledge and remorse of conscience in half an hour’s close discourse, than they did from ten years’ public preaching. I know that the public preaching of the gospel is the most excellent means, because we speak to many at once; but otherwise, it is usually far more effectual to preach it privately to a particular sinner: for the plainest man that is can scarcely speak plain enough in public for them to understand; but in private we may much more. In public, we may not use such homely expressions or repetitions as their dulness doth require; but in private we may. In public, our speeches are long, and we quite overrun their understandings and memories, and they are confounded and at a loss, and not able to follow us, and one thing drives out another, so that they know not what we said; but in private, we can take our work “gradatim,” and take our hearers with us as we go, and by questions and their answers, can see how far they go with us, and what we have next to do. In public, by length and speaking alone, we lose their attention; but when they are interlocutors, we can easily cause them to attend. Besides that, we can, as we above said, better answer the objections, and engage them by promises before we leave them, which in public we cannot do. I conclude, therefore, that public preaching will not be sufficient; for though it may be an effectual means to convert many, yet not so many as experience and God’s appointment of further means may assure us. You may long study and preach to little purpose if you neglect this duty.

For instances of particular special obligations, we might easily shew you many, both from Christ’s own examples, who used this interlocutory preaching both

2 B to His disciples and to the Jews, and from the apostles’ examples, who did the like; bat that indeed it would be needless tedionsness to recite the passages to those that so well know them, it being the most ordinary way of the apostles’ preaching to do it thus interlocutorily, and discourse it out in the conclusion. Thus Peter preached to the Jews, (Acts ii.,) and to Cornelius and his friends, (Acts x.,) and thus Philip preached to the eunuch, (Acts ix.,) and thus Paul preached to the jador, (Acts xvi.,) and to many others. It is plain that it was the most common manner of preaching in those times, which occasioneth the Quakers to challenge us to shew where any ever took a text, and preached as we do, (though they might have found that Christ did so, Luke iv. 18.) Paul preached privately to them of reputation, lest he should have run and laboured in vain, (Gal. ii. 2;) and that earnest charge, no doubt, includeth it, (2 Tim. iv. 1, 2,) “I charo-e thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine.” Both public preaching and all sorts of reproofs and exhortations are here required.

Axid how these precepts are seconded with promises and threatenings, is so well knowTi I shall pass it over with the rest.

2. There is a necessity also of this duty “ad finem.”

(1.) For bringing greater glory to God, by the more

full success of the gospel; not simply to His glory, as

if He could not have His glory without it, for so our

salvation is not necessary to His glory; but to His greater glory, because He is most honoured and pleased when most are saved; for He hath sworn that He hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he return and live. And, doubtless, as every Christian liveth to the glory of God as his end, so vdW he gladly take that course that may most effectually promote it; for what man would not attain his end 1 0 brethren, if we could see this work on foot in all the parishes of England, and get our people to submit to it, and then prosecute it skilfully and zealously ourselves, what a glory would it put upon the face of the nation, and what glory would redound to God thereby! If our common ignorance were thus banished, and our vanity and idleness turned into the study of the way of life, and every shop, and every house, were busied in learning catechisms, and speaking of the Word and works of God, what pleasure woidd God take in our cities and countries! He would even dwell in our habitations, and make them His delight. It is the glory of Christ that shineth in His saints, and all their glory is His glory; that therefore which honoureth them, in number or excellency, honoureth Him. Will not the glory of Christ be most wonderful and conspicuous in the new Jerusalem, when the Church shall have that shining lustre that is described in Rev. xxi. 1 It is He that is the Sun and the Shield of His Church, and His light is it in which they shall have light; and the business of every saint is to glorify Him. If, therefore, we can increase the number or strength of the saints, we thereby increase the honour of the King of saints; for He will have service and praise where before He had disobedience and dishonour. Christ also will be honoured in the fruits of His bloodshed.

and the Spirit of grace in the fruit of His operations; and do not all these ends require that we use the means with diligence “?

(2.) This duty also is necessary to the welfare of our people. How much it doth tend to their salvation is manifest. Brethren, can you look believingly on your miserable neighbours, and not perceive them calling for your help 1 There is not a sinner whose case you should not so far compassionate, as to be willinof to relieve them at a dearer rate than this. Can you see them as the wounded man by the way, and unmercifully pass by? Can you hear them cry to you, as the man of Macedonia to Paul in his vision, “Come and help us,” and yet will you refuse your help? Are you entrusted with an hospital, where one languisheth in one corner, and another groaneth in another, and crieth out, “Oh, help me, pity me for the Lord’s. sake!” and a third is raging mad, and would destroy himself and you; and yet will you sit idle, or refuse your help 1 If it may be said of him that relieveth not men’s bodies, how much more of them that relieve not men’s souls — “If 3“ou see your brother have need, and shut up the bowels of your compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in you V You are not such hard-hearted men but you will pity a leper — you will pity the naked, imprisoned, or desolate — you will pity him that is tormented with grievous pain or sickness; and will you not pity an ignorant, hard-hearted sinner? Will you not pity one that must be shut out from the presence of the Lord, and lie under His remediless wrath, if thorough repentance speedily prevent it not 1 Oh, what a heart it is that will not pity such an one! What shall I call the heart of such a man? A heart of stone, or a very rock, or adamant, or the heart of a tiger, or rather the heart of an infidel; for surely if he believed the misery of the impenitent, is it not possible but he should have pity on him? Can you tell men in the pulpit that they shall certainly be damned except they repent, and yet have no pity on them when you have proclaimed their danger; and if you pity them, will you not do this much for their salvation? “VMiat multitudes round about you are blindly hastening to perdition; and your voice is appointed to be the means of reclaiming them! The physician hath no excuse who is doubly bound to relieve the sick, when every neighbour is to help him. Brethren, what if you heard sinners cry after you in the streets, “0 sirs, have pity on me, and afford me your advice; 1 am afraid of the everlasting wrath of God! I know I must shortly leave this world, and I am afraid lest I shall be miserable in the next!” Could you deny your help to such a sinner “? ^”hat if they came to your study-door, and cried for help, and would not go away till you had told them how to escape from the TTath of God; could you find in your hearts to drive them away without advice? I am confident you could not. Why, alas! such persons are less miserable than they that cannot cry for help. It is the hardened sinner that cares not for your help, that most needeth it; and he that hath not so much life as to feel that he is dead, nor so much light as to see his danger, nor so much sense left as to pity himself — this is the man that is most to be pitied. Look upon your neighbours round about you, and think what numbers need your help in no less a case than the apparent danger of damnation. And every impenitent person that you see, and know about you, suppose that you hear them cry to you, “If ever you pitied poor wretches, pity us, lest we should be tormented in the flames of hell; if you have the hearts of men, pity us!” Do that for them that you would if they followed you with such complaints. Oh, how can you walk, and talk, and be merry with such people, when you know their case! Methinks when you look them in the face, and think how they must lie in perpetual misery, you should

break forth into tears, as the prophet did when he looked upon Hazael, and then begin with the most importunate exhortations! When you must visit them in their sickness, will it not wound your hearts to see them ready to depart into misery, before you have ever dealt seriously with them for their recovery? Oh, then, for the Lord’s sake, and for the sake of poor souls, have pity on them, and bestir yourselves, and spare no pains that may conduce to their salvation.

(3.) And I must further tell you, that this ministerial fidelity is necessary to your own welfare, as well as to that of your people; for this is your worli, according to which you shall be judged. You can no more be saved without ministerial diligence and fidelity, than they or j’ou can be saved without Christian diligence and fidelity. If you care not for others, at least care for yourselves. Oh, what is it to answer for the neoiect of such a charo;e! and what sin more heinous than the betraying of souls! Doth not this threatening make you tremble,” If thou warn not the wicked, their blood will I require at thy hands V I am afraid, nay, I am past doubt, that the day is near when unfaithful ministers will wish that they had never known that charge, but that they had rather been colliers, or tinkers, or sweepers of channels, than pastors of Christ’s flock — when, besides all the rest of their sins, they shall have the blood of so many souls to answer for!

0 brethren, our death, as well as that of our people, is at hand; and it is as terrible to an unfaithful pastor as to any! When we see that die we must, and there is no remedy, no ^^’it or learning, no credit or popular applause, can put by the stroke, or delay the time, but, willing or unwilling, our souls must go, and that into a world that we never saw, where our persons and worldly interest will not be respected — oh, then, for a clear conscience, that can say, “I lived not to myself, but to Christ; I spared no pains; I hid not my talent; I concealed not men’s misery, nor the way of their recovery.” 0 sirs, let us therefore take time while we may have it, and work while it is day; for the night cometh when none can work. This is our day too; and by doing good to others, we must do good to ourselves. If you would prepare for a comfortable death, and a sure and great reward, the harvest is before you: gird up the loins of your minds, and quit yourselves like men, that you may end your days with confident triumph: “I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished my course; henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which God, the righteous Judge, shall give me.” And if you would be blessed with those who die in the Lord, labour now, that you may rest from your labours then; and do such works as you would wish should follow you, and not such as will prove your terror in the review.

Having found so great reason to move us to this

Work, I shall, before I come to the directions, First, Apply them further for our humiliation and excitation. And, Second, Answer some objections that maybe raised. 1. What cause have we to plead before the Lord this day, that have neglected so great and good a work so long — that we have been ministers of the gospel so many years, and done so little, by personal instruction and conference, for the saving of men’s souls! If we had but set about this business sooner, who knows how many more might have been brought over unto Christ, and how much happier we might have made our parishes, ere now 1 and why might we not have done it sooner 1 I confess many impediments were in our way, and so there are still, and will be while there is a devil to tempt, and a corrupt heart in man to resist the light; but if the greatest impediment had not been in ourselves, even in our own darkness, and dulness, and undisposedness to duty, I see not but much might have been done before now. We had the same God to command us, and the same miserable objects of compassion, and the same liberty from governors of the commonwealth; but we stood looking for changes, and we would have had the magistrate not only to have given us leave to work, but to have done our work for us, or at least to have brought the game to our hands; and while we looked for better days, we made them worse by the lamentable neglect of a chief part of our work. And had we as much petitioned parliaments for the interposition of their authority to compel men to be catechised and instructed by the minister, as we did for maintenance and other matters, it is likely we might have obtained it long ago, when they were forward to gratify us in such uiidispu table things. But we have sinned, and have no just excuse for our sins; somewhat that may perhaps excuse “a tanto,” but nothing “a toto;” and the sin is so great, because the duty is so great, that we should be afraid of pleading excuse too much. The Lord in mercy forgive us, and lay not this or any of our ministerial neoflififences to our charsre! Oh that He would cover all our unfaithfulness, and by the blood of the everlasting covenant, wash away our guilt of the blood of souls, that when the chief Shepherd shall appear, we may stand before Him in peace, and may not be condemned for scattering His flock! And oh that He would put up His controversy which He hath against the pastors of His Chiu’ch, and not deal more severely with them for our sakes, nor suffer underminei*s or persecutors to scatter them, as they have suffered His sheep to be scattered; and that He will not care as little for them, as they have done for the souls of men; nor think His salvation too good for them, as they have thought their labour and sufferino;s too much for men’s salvation! And as we have had many days of humiliation in England, for the sins of the land, and the judgments that have lain upon us, I hope we shall hear that God will more thoroughly humble the ministers, and cause them to bewail their own neglects, and to set apart some days through the land to that end, that they may not think it enough to lament the sins of others, while they overlook their own; and that God may not abhor our solemn national humiliations, because they are managed by unhumbled guides; and that we may first prevail with Him for a pardon for ourselves, that we may be the fitter to beg for the pardon of others.

And oh that we might cast out the dung of our pride, contention, self-seeking, and idleness, lest God should cast our sacrifices as dung in our faces, and should cast us out as the dung of the earth, as of late He hath done many others for our warning; and that we might presently resolve in concord to mend our pace, before we feel a sharper spur than hitherto we have felt!

2. And now, brethren, what have we to do for the time to come, but to deny our lazy, contradicting flesh, and rouse up ourselves to the business that we are engaged in 1 The harvest is great; the labourers are too few; the loiterers and contentious hinderers are many; the souls of men are precious; the misery of sinners is great, and the everlasting misery that they are in danger of is greater; the beauty and glory of the Church is desirable; the joy that we are helping them to is inconceivable; the comfort that followeth a faithful stewardship is not small; the comfort of a full success also will be greater. To be co-workers with God and His Spirit, is not a little honour; to subserve the blood shed of Christ for men’s salvation, is not a lio;ht thine;; to lead on the armies of Christ through the thickest of the enemies, and gaiide them safely through a dangerous wilderness, and steer the vessel through such storms, and rocks, and sands, and shelves, and bring it safe to the harbour of rest, requireth no small skill and diligence. The fields now seem even white unto harvest, the preparations that have been made for us are very great, the season of working is more warm and calm than most ages before us have ever seen: we have carelessly loitered too long already; the present time is posting away: while we are trifling, men are dying, and passing quickly into another world. And is there nothing in all this to awaken us to our duty, and to resolve us to speedy and unwearied dilio;ence 1 Can a man be too careful and active under all these motives and eno;ao;ements 1 Or can that man be a fit instrument for other men’s illumination, that were himself so blind”? or for the quickening of others, that were himself so senseless 1 What, sirs! are you that are men of wisdom as dull as the common people “? And do we need to heap up a multitude of words to persuade you to a known and weighty duty 1 One would think it should be enough to set you on work, to shew a line in the Book of God to prove it to be His will; or to prove to you that the work hath a tendency to men’s salvation; or that the very sight of your miserable neighbours should be sufficient to draw out your most compassionate endeavours for their relief. If a cripple do but open his sores, and shew you bis disabled limbs, it will move you without words; and will not the case of souls that are near to damnation move you “? 0 happy Church, if the physicians were but healed themselves; and if we had not too much of that infidelity and stupidity which we daily preach against in others! Were there but such clear and deep impressions upon our souls, of those glorious things that we daily preach, oh, what a change would it make in our sermons, and in our private discourse! Oh, what a miserable thinoj it is to the Church and to themselves, that men must preach of heaven and hell, before they heartily believe the reality of either, or have felt the weight of the doctrines which they preach! It would amaze a sensible man to think what matters we preach and talk of! — what it is for the soul to pass out of this flesh, and go before a righteous God, and enter upon unchangeable joy or torment! Oh, with what amazing thoughts do dying men view these things! How should such matters be preached and discoursed of! Oh the gravity, the seriousness, the incessant diligence that these things require! I know not what others think of them, but for my part, I am ashamed of my stupidity, and wonder at myself that I deal not with my own and others’ souls as one that looks for the great day of the Lord; and that I can have room for almost any other thoughts or words, and that such astonishing matters do not wholly occupy me. I marvel how I can preach of them slightly and coldly, how

I can let men alone in their sins, and that I do not go to them and beseech them for the Lord’s sake to repent, however they take it, and whatever pains or trouble it may cost me! I seldom come out of the pulpit, but my conscience smiteth me that I have been no more serious and fervent. It accuseth me not so much for want of human ornaments or elegance, nor for letting fall an uncouth word; but it asketh me, “How couldst thou speak of life and death with such an heart 1 How couldst thou preach of heaven and hell in such a careless, sleepy manner”? Dost thou believe what thou hast said”? Art thou in earnest or in jest? flow canst thou tell people that sin is such a thing, and that so much misery is upon them and before them, and be no more afflicted with if? Shouldst thou not weep over such a people, and should not thy tears interrupt thy words’? shouldst not thou cry aloud, and shew them their transgressions, and entreat and beseech them as for life and death 1 “Truly, this is the peal that conscience doth ring in my ears, and yet my drowsy soul is not fully awakened. Oh, what a thing is a senseless, hardened heart! 0 Lord, save us from the plague of infidehty and hard-heartedness ourselves, or else how shall we be fit instruments of savinor others from if? 1 am even confounded to think what a difference there is between my views in sickness, and my pulpit discourse, and conversation in health concerning the life to come; that that can appear so light to me now, which seemeth so great and astonishing a matter then, and which I know will be so again when death looks me in the face. 0 brethren, surely, if you had all conversed with death as often as I have done, and as often received the sentence in yourselves, you would have an unquiet conscience, if not a reformed life in your ministerial diligence and fidelity; and you would have something within you that would frequently ask you such questions as these: “Is this all thy compassion for lost sinners’? Wilt thou do no more to seek and to save them ‘? Is there not such and such a one — oh, how many round about thee! — that are yet the visible sons of death? What hast thou said to them or done for their recovery 1 Shall they die and be in hell before thou wilt speak to them one serious word to prevent itl Shall they there curse thee for ever that didst no more in time to save theml” Such cries of conscience are daily in my ears; though, the Lord knows, I have too little obeyed them. The God of mercy pardon me, and awake me with the rest of His servants that have been thus sinfully negligent! I confess to my shame, that I seldom hear the bell toll for one that is dead, but conscience asketh me, “What hast thou done for the saving of that soul before it left the body’? There is one more gone to judgment; Tvhat didst thou to prepare that immortal spirit for judgment ■?” And yet I have been slothful and backward to help the rest that do survive. How can you refrain, when you are laying a corpse in the grave, from thinking, “Here lieth the body, but where is the soul, and what have I done for it before it departed? It was part of my charge — what account can I give of if?” 0 sirs, is it a small matter to you to answer such questions as these 1 It may seem so now, but the hour is coming when it will not. If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and will condemn us much more, with another kind of condemnation than conscience doth. The voice of conscience now is a still voice, and the sentence of conscience is a gentle sentence, in comparison of the voice and the sentence of God. Alas! conscience seeth but a very little of our sin and misery, in comparison of what God seeth. AVhat mountains would those things appear to your souls which now seem mole-hills! and

what beams would these be in your eyes that now seem motes, if you did but see them with a clearer light — I dare not say, as God seeth them! We can easily make shift to plead the cause with conscience, and either bribe it, or bear its sentence; but God is not so easily dealt with, nor His sentence so easily borne. “AVherefore we receiving (and preaching) a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. xii. 28, 29.) But because you shall not say that I affright myself or you with bugbears, and tell you of dangers and terrors when there are none, I will here add the certainty of that condemnation that is likely to befall negligent pastors, and particularly that will befall us that are here this day, if we shall hereafter be wilful neglecters of this great work. JIany will be ready to rise up against us to our condemnation.

(1.) Our parents that destinated us to the ministry may condemn us, and say, “Lord, we devoted them to Thy serldce, and they made light of it, and served themselves.”

(2.) Our masters that taught us, our tutors that instructed us, the schools and universities that we lived in, and all the years that we spent in study, may rise up in judgment against us, and condemn us. For why was all this, but for the work of God?

(3.) Our learning, knowledge, and ministerial gifts, will condemn us. For to what are we made partakers of these, but for the work of God 1

(4.) Our voluntarily undertaking the charge of souls will condemn us; for all men should be true to the trust that they have undertaken.

(5.) All the care of God for His Church, and all that Christ hath done and suffered for them, will rise up in judgment against us, and condemn us; because by our negligence we destroyed them for whom Christ died.

(6.) All the severe precepts and charges of Holy Scripture, with the promises of assistance and reward, and all the threatenings of punishment, will rise up aoainst the unfaithful and condemn them: for God did not speak all this in vain.

(7.) AU the examples of the prophets and apostles and other preachers recorded in Scripture, will rise up against such and condemn them; even this pattern that is set them by Paul, (Acts xx.,) and all the examples of the diligent servants of Christ in these later times, and in the places around them: for these were for their imitation, and to provoke them to an holy emulation, in fidelity and ministerial diligence.

(8.) The Holy Bible that is open before us, and all the books in our studies that tell us of our duty, directly or indirectly, condemn the lazy and unprofitable servants; for we have not all these helps and furniture in vain.

(9.) All the sermons that we preach to persuade our people to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, to lay violent hands upon the crown, and take the kingdom as by force, to strive to enter in at the strait gate, and so to run as that they may obtain, will rise up against us and condemn us; for if it concern them to labour for their salvation, doth it not concern us who have the charge of them to be also violent, laborious, and unwearied in striving to help on their salvation? Is it worth their labour and patience, and is it not also worth ours 1

(10.) All the sermons that we preach to them to set out the danger of a natural state, the evil of sin, the need of Christ and grace, the joys of heaven and the torments of hell, yea, and the truth of the Christian religion, will rise up in judgment against us, and condemn us. And a sad renew it will be, when we shall be forced to think, “Did I tell them of such gTcat dangers and hopes in public, and would I do no more to help them in private ■? “What! tell them daily of threatened damnation, and yet let them run into it so easily! Tell them of such a glory, and scarcely speak a word to them personally to help them to it! Were these’ such great matters with me at church, and so small when I came homel” All this is dreadful self-condemnation.

(11.) All the sermons that we have preached to persuade other men to such duties; as neighbours to exhort one another daily, and plainly to rebuke them that sin; parents and masters to do it to their children and servants; all these will condemn us. For shall we persuade others to that which we will not do ourselves”? AVhen we threaten them for neglecting it, we threaten our own souls.

(12.) All our hard censures of the magistrate for doing no more, and all our reproofs of him for permitting seducers, and denying his further assistance to the ministers, doth condemn ourselves if we refuse our own duty. What! must all the rulers of the world be servants to our slothfulness, or light us the candle to do nothing, or only hold the stirrup to our pride, or make our beds for us, that we may sleep by daylight 1 Should they do their part in a subordinate office to protect and further us, and should not we do ours, who stand nearest to the end?

(13.) All the maintenance that we take for our service, if we be unfaithful, will condemn us; for who is it that will pay a servant to take his pleasure, or sit still, or work for himself? If we have the fleece, it is Burely that we may look to the flock. By taking the wages, we oblige ourselves to do the work.

(14.) All the honour that we expect, or receive from the people, and all the ministerial privileges before mentioned, will condemn the unfaithful; for the honour is but the encouragement to the work, and obligeth to it.

(15.) All the witness that we have borne against the scandalous, negligent ministers of this age, and the words we have spoken against them, and all the endeavours that we have used for their removal, will condemn the unfaithful; for God is no respecter of persons. If we succeed them in their sins, we spoke all that against ourselves; and as we condemned them, God and others will condemn us, if we imitate them; and though we be not so bad as they, it will prove sad to be too like them.

(16.) All the judgments that God hath executed on them in this age before our eyes, will condemn us, if we be unfaithful. Hath He made the idle shepherds and sensual drones to stink in the nostrils of the people, and will He honour us if we be idle and sensual 1 Hath He sequestered them, and cast them out of their habitations, and out of the pulpits, and laid them by as dead while they are alive, and made them a hissing and a byword in the land; and yet dare we imitate them 1 Are not their sufferings our warnings 1 If anything in the world should awaken ministers to self-denial and diligence, one would think we had seen enough to do it. If the judgments of God on one man could do so much, what should so many years’ judgment on so many hundreds do? Would you have imitated the old world, if you had seen the flood that drowned them? Would you have taken up the sins of Sodom, “pride, fulness of bread, and idleness,” if you had stood by and seen the flames of Sodom? This was God’s argument to deter the Israelites from the nations’ sins, because “for all these things they had seen them cast out before them.” Who would have been a Judas that had seen him hang himself; or a lying, sacrilegious hypocrite, that had seen Ananias and Sapphira struck dead? “V’Tio would not have been afraid to contradict the gospel, that had seen Elymas struck blind 1 And shall we approve self-seeking, idle ministers, when we have seen God scourging such out of His temple, and sweeping them away in His displeasure 1 God forbid! for then how great and how manifold will our condemnation be!

(17.) All the disputations and eager contests that we have had against unfaithful men, and for a faithful ministry, will condemn us if we be unfaithful; and so will the books that we have written to those ends. How many scores, if not hundreds, of catechisms are written in England; and yet shall we forbear to use them 1 How many books have been written for discipline by English and Scottish divines; and how fully hath it been defended! And what reproach hath been cast upon the adversaries of it through the land; and yet shall we lay it by as useless, when we have free leave to use it 1 Oh, fearful hypocrisy! What can we call it less 1 Did we think when we were writing against this sect and that sect that opposed discipline, that we were ‘WTiting all that against ourselves 1 Oh, what evidence do the booksellers’ shops, and their own libraries, contain against the greatest part, even of the godly ministers of the land! The Lord cause them seasonably to lay it to heart!

(18.) AH the days of fasting and prayer that have been of late years kept in England for a reformation, will rise up in judgment against the unreformed, that will not be persuaded to this part of the work. And I confess it is so heavy an aggravation of our sin, that it makes me tremble to think of it. “Was there ever a nation on the face of the earth, that so solemnly and

SO long followed God with fasting and prayer as we have donel Before the parliament began, how frequent and fervent were we in secret; after that, for many years’ time together, we had a monthly fast commanded by the parliament; besides frequent private and public fasts. And what was all this for 1 Whatever was the means that we sometimes looked at, yet still the end of all our prayers was church-reformation, and therein, especially, these two things: a faithful mimst7y, and exercise of discipline in the Church. Did it then once enter into the hearts of the people, yea, or into our hearts, to imagine, that when we had all that we wished for, and the matter was put into our own hands, to be as diligent as we could, and to exercise what discipline we pleased, that then we would do nothing but preach publicly; that we would not be at the pains of catechising and instructing our people personally, nor exercise any considerable part of discipline at all? It astonisheth me to think of it! What a depth of deceit is in the heart of man! AVhat! are good men’s hearts so deceitful? Are all men’s hearts so deceitful “? I confess I told many soldiers, and other sensual men, then, that when they had fought for a reformation, I was confident they would abhor it, and be enemies to it, when they saw and felt it: thinking that the yoke of discipline would have pinched their necks; and that when they had been catechised and personally dealt with, and reproved for their sin, in private and pubHc, and brought to public confession and repentance, or avoided as impenitent, they would have scorned and spurned against all this, and have taken the yoke of Christ for tyranny. But little did I think that the ministers would have let all fall, and put almost none of this upon them, but have let them alone for fear of displeasing them, and have let all run on, as it did before.

Oh the earnest prayers that I have heard in secret for a faithful ministry, and for discipline! They prayed as if they had wrestled for salvation itself! Yea, they commonly called discipline, the kingdom of Christ, or, the exercise of His kingly office in His Church; and so preached and prayed for it as if the setting up of discipline had been the setting up of the kingdom of Christ: and did I then think that they would refuse to set it up when they might 1 What! is the kingdom of Christ now reckoned among the things indifferent 1

If the God of heaven, that knew our hearts, had in the midst of our prayers and cries on one of our public monthly fasts, returned this answer with His dreadful voice, in the audience of the assembly: “You deceitful-hearted sinners, what hypocrisy is this, to weary me with your cries for that which you will not have if I would give it you, and thus to lift up your voices for that which your souls abhor? “What is reformation, but the instructing and importunate persuading of sinners to entertain my Christ and grace as offered them, and the governing my Church according to my Word 1 And these, which are your work, you will not be persuaded to, when you come to find it troublesome and ungrateful. When I have delivered you, it is not me, but yourselves, that you will serve; and I must be as earnest to persuade you to reform the Church in doing your own duty, as you are earnest with me to grant you liberty for reformation; and when all this is done, you will leave it undone! “— I say, if the Lord, or any messenger of His, had given us in such an answer, would it not have amazed us, and have seemed incredible to us, that our hearts should have been such as now they prove ‘i And would we not have said as Hazael,” Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing;” or as Peter,” Though all men forsake or deny thee, yet will not IV AVell, brethren, sad experience hath shewed us our frailty: we have denied the troublesome and costly part of the reformation that we prayed for: but Christ yet turneth back, and looketh with a merciful eye upon us. Oh that we had but the hearts immediately to go out and weep bitterly, and do as we have done no more, lest a worse thing come unto us; but henceforth follow Christ through labour and suffering, thouo-h it were unto death! (19.) All the judgments upon the nation, the cost, the labour, the blood, and the deliverances, and all the endeavours of the governors for reformation, will rise up against us, if we now refuse to be faithful for a reformation, when it is before us, and at our will.

I have said somewhat of this before. Hath God been hewing us out a way with His sword, and levelling opposers by His terrible judgments, and yet will we sit still or play the sluggard? Have England, Scotland, and Ireland paid so dear for a reformation, and now shall some men treacherously strangle it in the birth, and others expose it to contempt and overrun it, and others sit still and look on it as a thing not worth the trouble? How many thousand persons may come to the condemnation of such men! The whole countries may say, “Lord, we have been plundered and ruined, or much impoverished, we have paid taxes these many years, and it was a reformation that was pretended, and that we were promised, in all; and’ now the ministers, that should be the instruments of it, do neglect it.” Many thousands may say, “Lord, we ventured our lives, in obedience to a parliament that promised reformation, and now we cannot have it.” The souls of many that have died in these wars may cry out against us, “Lord, it was the hopes of a reformation that we fought and suffered for, in obedience to those governors that professed to intend it; and now the pastors reject it by their idleness.” The parliament may say, “How long did we sit and consult about reformation; and now the ministers will not execute the power that is granted them.” The nation may say, “How often did we beg of God and petition the parliament for it; and now the ministers deny us the enjoyment of it.” Yea, God himself may say, “How many prayers have I heard, and what dangers have I delivered you from — how many, how great, and in what a wonderful manner; and what do you think it was that I delivered you for 1 Was it not that you should do my work ‘? and will you betray it or neglect it after all this V Truly, sirs, I know not what others think; but when I consider the judgments that we have felt, and the wonders of mercy that my eyes have seen, to the frequent astonishment of my soul, as I know it is great matters that these things oblige us to, so I am afraid lest they should be charged on me as the aggravation of my neglect. I hear every exasperated party still flying in the faces of the rest; and one saith, “It was you that killed the king,” and the other saith, “It was you that fought against a parliament, and put them to defend themselves, and drenched the land in blood.” But the Lord grant that it be not lue, if we prove negligent in our ministry, and betray the reformation that God hath called us to, that shaD have all this blood and misery charged upon us, yea, though we had never any other hand therein; and that the Lord say not of us, as of Jehu, even when he had destroyed the house of Ahab by His command, because he accomplished not the reformation which that execution tended to, “Yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu.” (Hosea i. 4.) 0 sirs! can we find in our hearts to lose all the cost and trouble of the three nations, and all to save us a little trouble in the issue, and so to bring the guilt of all upon ourselves 1 Far be it from us, if we have the hearts of Christians.

(20.) Lastly, If we still refuse a reformation, by instructing the ignorant or exercising Christ’s discipline, many vows and promises of our own will rise up in judgment against us, and condemn us. [1.] In the National Covenant, those that entered into it did vow and promise most solemnly before the Lord and His people, that “having before our eyes the glory of God, and the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord and Saaour Jesus Christ, we would sincerely, really, and constantly endeavour, in our several places and callings, the reformation of religion, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government;” and we did profess “our true and unfeigned purpose, desire, and endeavour, for ourselves, and all others under our power and charge, and both in public and private, in all duties we owe to God and man, to amend our fives, and each one to go before another in the example of the reformation. And this covenant we make as in the presence of God, the searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to perform the same, as we shall answer at the great day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed.” Oh, dreadful case then that we have put ourselves into, if infinite mercy help us not out! May we not say after the law, (2 Kings xxii. 1 3; 2 Chron. xxxiv. 21,) “Great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because we have not done according to this covenant. Could a people have devised a readier way to thrust themselves under the curse of God, than by taking such a solemn, dreadful covenant, and when they have done so, so long, so wilfully, so openly to violate it V Doth not this plainly bind us to the private as well as the public parts of this duty, and to a real reformation of discipline in our practice? Again, therefore, I must needs say, what a bottomless depth of deceit is the heart of man! Oh, what heavy charges have we brought against many others of these times for breaking this solemn vow and covenant, (from which I am far from undertaking to acquit them,) when yet we that led the way, and drew on others, and daily preached up reformation and discipline, have so horribly violated this covenant ourselves, that in a whole country it is rare to find a minister that hath set up discipline or private instruction! And he that can see much done towards it in England hath more acquaintance or better eyes than I have.

[2.] Also in our frequent, solemn humiliation-days in the time of our deepest distress and fear, how publicly and earnestly did we beg for deliverances, not as for our sakes, but for the sake of the Church and gospel, as if we had not cared what had become of us, so that the reformation of the Church might go on; and we promised if God would hear and deliver us, what we would do towards it. But oh, how unfaithful have we been to those promises! I confess it filleth my own soul with shame to consider the unanswerableness of my affections and endeavours to the many fervent prayers, rare deliverances, and confident promises of those years of adversity! And such experience of the almost incredible unfaithfulness of our hearts, is almost enough to make a man never trust his heart again, and consequently to shake his certainty of sincerity. Have we now, or are we likely to have, any higher resolutions than those were which we have broken 1 And it tends also to make us question in the next extremity, even at the hour of death, whether God will hear and help us any more, who have forfeited our credit with Him by prodng so unfaithful. If so many years’ public humiliation, spurred on by such calamities as neither we nor our fathers for many generations had ever seen, had no more in them than now appears, and if this be the issue of all, how can we tell how to believe ourselves hereafter 1 It may make us fear lest our case be like the IsraeHtes, (Psalm lxxviii. 34-37, 42, 57,) who, “when he slew them, then they sought him; and they returned and inquired early after God: and they remembered that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right mth God, neither were they steadfast in his covenant They remembered not his hand, nor the

day when he delivered them from the enemy

But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.”

[3.] Moreover, if we will not be faithful in duties that we are engaged to, our own agreements and engagements which remain subscribed by our hands, and are published to the view of the world, will rise up in judgment against us, and condemn us. We have engaged ourselves under our hands near three years ago, that we will set up the exercise of discipline; and yet how many have neglected it to this day, without giving any just and reasonable excuse! We have now subscribed another aoTeement and eng;a2;ement for catechisino- and instructino; all that will submit. We have done well so far; but if now we should flag and prove remiss and superficial in the performance, our subscriptions will condemn us — this day of humiliation will condemn us. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; it is not your names only, but your hearts and hands also, that He requireth. There is no dallying with God by feigned promises; He will expect that you be as good as your word. He will not hold him guiltless that, by false oaths, or vows, or covenants with Him, doth take His holy name in vain.” When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shoiddest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suflfer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands V (Eccles. v. 4-6.)

Thus I have shewed you what will be the consequence of your not setting yourselves faithfully to this work, to which you have so many obligations and engagements; and what an inexcusable thing our neglect Trill be, and how great and manifold a condemnation it will expose us to. Truly, brethren, if I did not apprehend the work to be of exceeding great moment to yourselves, to the people, and to the honour of God, I would not have troubled you with so many words about it, nor have presumed to have spoken so sharply as I have done. But when it is for life and death, men are apt to forget their reverence, and courtesy, and compliments. For my part, I apprehend this as one of the best and greatest works that ever I put my hand to in my life, And I verily think that your thoughts of it are as mine; and then you will not think m.y words too many or too keen. I can well remember the time when I was earnest for the reformation of matters of ceremony; and if I should be cold in such a substantial matter as this, how disproportionable would my zeal appear! Alas! can we think that the reformation is wrought when we have cast out a few ceremonies — changed some vestures, gestures, and forms? Oh no, sirs I it is the convertinoj and savinor of souls that is our business. The chief part of the reformation is that which doth most good, and tendeth most to the salvation of the people. Let others take it how they will, I will so far speak my conscience for your just encouragement as to say again, that I am verily persuaded that as you are happily agreed and combined for this work, so if you will but faithfully execute this agreement, together with your former agreement for discipline, you will do much more for a true reformation, and that peaceably, without meddhng with controverted points, than has yet been done in any part of England, though no more than is unquestionably your duty.

I am next to answer some of those objections which backward minds may cast in our way.

1. Some may object, that “this course will take up so much time, that a man shall have no time to follow his studies: most of us are young, and have need of much time to improve our own abilities, which this course prohibits us.” To which I answer —

(1.) We suppose them whom we persuade to this work, to understand the substance of the Christian religion, and to be able to teach others; and the addition of lower and less necessary things is not to be preferred before this needful communication of the fundamentals. I highly value common knowledge, and woidd not encourage any to set light by it; but I value the savinsj of souls before it. That work which is immediately connected with the end of all our labours must be done, whatever be undone. It is a very desirable thing for a physician to be thoroughly studied in his art, and to be able to see the reason of his experiments, and to resolve such difficult controversies as are before him: but if he had the charge of an hospital, or lived in a city that had the raging pestilence, if he woidd be studpng “de fermentatione, de circulatione sanguis, de vesiculo chylo, de instrumentis sanguificationis,” and such excellent, useful points, when he should be looking to his patients, and saving men’s lives, and should turn them away, and let them perish, and tell them that he cannot have while to give them advice, because he must follow his own studies, I should take that man for a preposterous student, that preferred the remote means of his studies before the end itself: and, indeed, I should think him but a civil kind of murderer. Men’s souls may be

414 GILDxVS SALVIAXUS:

saved mthoiit knowing wlietlier God did predetermine the creature in all its acts; whether the understanding necessarily determines the alt11; whether God works grace in a physical or moral way of causation; what free-will is; whether God have “scientiam mediam,” or positive decrees “de malo culpse;” with a hundred such like, which are the things that you would be studying when you should he saving soids. Get well to heaven, and help your people thither, and you shall know all these things in a moment, and a thousand more, which by all your studies you can never know; and is not this the most expeditious and certain way to knowledge?

(2.) If you grow not extensively in knowledge, you will by this way of diligent practice obtain the intensive and more excellent growth. If you know not so many things as others, you will know the great things better than they; for this serious dealing with sinners for their salvation will help you to far deeper apprehensions of their saving principles, than will be got by any other means; and a little more of the knowledge of these is worth all the other knowledge in the world. Oh, when I am looking heavenward, and gazing towards the in accessible light, and aspiring after the knowledge of God, and find my soul so dark and distant, that I am ready to say, “I know not God — He is above me — quite out of my reach; “this is the most killing and grievous ignorance! Methinks I could willingly exchange all other knowledge that I have for one glimpse more of the knowledge of God and the life to come. Oh that I had never kno”«Ti a word in logic, metaphysics, &c., nor known what schoolmen said, so I had but one spark more of that light that would shew me the things that I must shortly see. For my part, I conceive that by serious talking of everlasting things, and teaching the Creed and Catechism, you may grow more in knowledge, though not in the knowledge of more things, and prove much wiser men, than if you spent that time in common or curious and less necessary things.

(3.) Yet, let me add, that though I count this the chief, I wish you to have more; because those subservient sciences are very useful; and therefore I say, that you may have competent time for both, lose none upon vain recreations and employments; trifle not away a minute; consume it not in needless sleep; do what you do with all your might, and then see whether you have not competent time. If you set apart but two days in a week for this great work, you may find some for common studies out of all the other five.

(4.) Duties are to be taken together, and the greatest preferred; but none neglected that can be performed; nor one pleaded against another, but each in its proper place. But if there were such a case of necessity, that we could not read for ourselves in the course of our further studies, and instruct the ignorant too, I would throw by all the libraries in the world, rather than be guilty of the perdition of one soul; at least I know this is my duty.

Object. 2. “But this course will destroy the health of our bodies, by continual spending the spirits, and allowing us no time for necessary recreations; and it will wholly lock us up from any civil and friendly visitations, so that we must never stir from home, nor take our delight at home one day with our friends, for the relaxation of our minds; but as we shall seem discourteous auci morose to others, so we shall tire ourselves, and the bow that is still bent will be in danger of breaking at last.”

Ans. (1.) This is the mere plea of the carnal mind for its own interest. The sluggard saith. There is a lion in the way. He will not plough because of the cold. There is no duty of moment and self-denial, but if you consult with flesh and blood, they will give you as wise reasons as these against it. Who would ever have been burnt at a stake for Christ, if this reasoning had been good? yea, or who would ever have been a Christian 1

(2.) We may take time for necessary recreation for all this. An hour, or half an hour’s walk before meat, is as much recreation as is of necessity for the health of most of the weaker sort of students. I know something of this by long experience. Though I have a body that hath languished under great weakness many years, and my .diseases have been such as require as much exercise as almost any in the world, and I have found exercise the principal means of my preservation till now, and therefore have as great reason to plead for it as any man that I know alive, yet I have found that the aforesaid proportion hath been blessed to my preservation, though I know that more would have tended to increase my health. I do not know one minister in a hundred, who needeth so much as I do. Yea, I know abundance of ministers that scarcely ever use any exercise at all, though I commend them not for it. I doubt not but it is our duty to use as much exercise as is of necessity for the preservation of our health, so far as our work requireth: else we should for one day’s work lose the opportunity of many. But this may be done, and yet the works that we are engaged in be done too. On those two days a-week that you set apart for this work, what hinders but you may take an hour or two to walk for the exercise of your bodies? much more on other days.

But as for those men that limit not their recreations to their stated hours, but must have them for the pleasing of their voluptuous humour, such have need to study better the nature of Christianity, learn the danger of living after the flesh, and get more mortification and self-denial, before they preach these things to others. If you must needs have your pleasures, you should not have put yourselves into that calling that requireth you to make God and His service your pleasure, and restraineth you so much from fleshly pleasures. Is it your baptismal engagement to fight against the flesh; and do you know that much of the Christian warfare consist eth in the combat between the flesh and the Spirit; and that is the very difference between a true Christian and a wicked wretch, that one liveth after the Spirit, and mortifieth the deeds and desires of the body, and the other liveth after the flesh? And do you know that the overcoming of the flesh is the principal part of our victory, on which the crown of life depends, and do you make it your calling to preach all this to others, and yet must you needs have your pleasures? If you must, then for shame give over preaching the gospel, and the profession of Christian self-denial, and profess yourselves to be as you are; and as you sow to the flesh, so of the flesh shall you receive the wages of corruption. Doth such an one as Paul say,” I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the

2d air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (1 Cor. ix. 26, 27.) And have not we need to do so ‘? Shall we pamper our bodies, and give them their desires in the unnecessary pleasures, when Paul must keep under his body, and bring it into subjection ‘? Must Paul do this, lest after all his preaching he shoidd be a castaway; and have not we cause to fear it of ourselves much more? I know that some pleasure itself is lawful; that is, when it is of use to fit us for our work. But for a man to be so far in love with his pleasures as that he must unnecessarily waste his precious time in them, and neglect the great work of God for men’s salvation, yea, and plead for this as if it might be done, and so to justify himself in such a course, is wickedness inconsistent with the common fidelity of a Christian, much more with the fidelity of a teacher of the Church. Such as are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, must look to be loved of Him accordingly, and are more fit to be cast out of Christian communion, than to be the chief in the Church.; for we are commanded from such to turn away. (2 Tim. iii. 5.) Recreations for a student must be especially for the exercise of his body, he having before him such variety of delights for his mind; and they must be as whetting is with the mower, only to be used so far as is necessary to his work. And we must be careful that it rob us not of our precious time, but be kept within the narrowest bounds that may be. I pray peruse well Mr Wheatley’s Sermon of Redemption of Time. The labour that we are now engaged to perform, is not likely much to impair our health. It is true, we must be serious; but that avlU but excite and revive our spirits, and not spend them. Men can talk all the day long of other matters without any abatement of their health; and why may not we talk with men about their salvation, ^^’ithout such great abatement of ours 1

(3.) It is to be understood that the direction that we give, and the work which we undertake is not for dying men, that are not able to preach or speak, but for men of some competent measure of strength, and whose weaknesses are tolerable, and may admit of such labours.

(4.) What have we our time and strength for, but to lay both out for God? What is a candle made for, but to bum ‘i Burnt and wasted we must be; and is it not more fit it should be in lighting men to heaven, and in working for God, than in living to the flesh “? How little difference is there between the pleasure of a long and short life when both are at an end! What comfort will it be at death, that you lengthened your life by shortening your work? He that works much, lives much. Our life is to be esteemed according to the end and work of it, and not according to the mere duration. As Seneca can say of a drone, “Ibi jacet, non ibi vivit; et diu fuit, non diu vixit.” Will it not comfort us more at death to review a short time faithfully spent, than a long time unfaithfully 1

(.5.) And for the matter of visitations and civilities, if they be for greater ends or use than our ministerial employments are, you may break a Sabbath for them — you may forbear preaching, and also this private work; but if it be otherwise, how dare you make them a pretence to neglect so great a duty? Must God wait on your friends “? What if they be lords, or knights, or gentlemen? Must they be served before God 1 Is their displeasure or censure a greater hurt to you than God’s displeasure “? Or dare you think, when God will question you for your neglects, to put him off T”ith this excuse: “Lord, I would have spent more of my time in seeking men’s salvation, but that such a gentleman, and such a friend, would have taken it ill if I had not waited on them.” If you yet seek to please men, you are no longer the servants of Christ. He that dares spend his life in flesh-pleasing and man-pleasing is bolder than I am; and he that dares waste his time in compliments, doth little consider what he hath to do with it. Oh that I could but improve my time according to my convictions of the necessity of it! He that hath looked death in the face as often as I have done, will thereby be taught to value his time. I profess I wonder at those ministers that can hunt, shoot, bowl, or use the like recreations two or three hours, yea, whole days together; that can sit an hour together in vain discourses, and spend whole days in complimental visits, and journeys to such ends. Good Lord, what do these men think on, when so many souls about them cry for help, and death gives us no respite, and they know not how short a time their people and they may be together, and the smallest parish hath so much work that may employ all their diligence night and day 1

Brethren, I hope you are content to be plainly dealt with. If you have no sense of the worth of souls, and the preciousness of that blood that was shed for them, and of the glory that they are going to, and of the misery that they are in danger of, then are you no

Christians, and therefore very unfit to be ministers; and if you have, how can you find time for needless recreations, visits, or discourses 1 Dare you, like idle gossips, chat and trifle away your time, when you have such works as these to do, and so many of them? 0 precious time! how swiftly doth it pass away! — how soon will it be gone! What are the forty years of my life that are past 1 Were every day as long as a month, methinks it were too short for the work of a day. Have we not lost enough already in the days of our vanity? Never do I come to a dying man that is not utterly stupid, but he better sees the worth of time. Oh, then, if they could call time back again, how loud would they call! If they could but buy it, what would they give for it! And yet can we trifle it away, yea, and allow ourselves in this, and wilfully cast off the greatest works of God! Oh, what a foolish thing is sin, that can thus distract men that seem so wise! Is it possible that a man of any true compassion and honesty, or any care of his ministerial duty, or any sense of the strictness of his account, should have time to spare for idleness and vanity?

I must tell you further, brethren, that if another mio-ht take some time for mere delight which were not strictly necessary, yet so cannot you; for your undertaking binds you to a stricter attendance than other men are bound to. May a physician, in the time of the plague, take any more relaxation or recreation than is necessary for his life, when so many are expecting his help in a case of life and death? As his pleasure is not worth men’s lives, so neither is yours worth men’s souls. Suppose your cities were besieged, and the enemy on one side watching all advantages to surprise it, and on the other seeking to fire it with grenadoes, which are cast in continually. I pray you tell me now, if certain men undertake it as their office to watch the ports, and others to quench the fires that might be kindled in the houses, what time would you allow these men for recreation or relaxation”? At the utmost, you would allow them none but what was absolutely necessary.

Do not grudge at this now, and say, “This is a hard saying, who can bear itl” For it is your mercy;, and you are well,. if you know when you are well, as I shall shew you in answering the next objection.

Object. 3. “I do not think that it is required of ministers that they make drudges of themselves. If they preach diligently, and visit the sick, and do other ministerial duties, and occasionally do good to those they converse with, I do not think that God requires that we should thus tie ourselves to instruct every person distinctly, and to make our lives a burden and a slavery.”

Ans. (1.) Of what use and weight the duty is, I have shewed before; and how plainly it is commanded. And do you think God doth not require you to do all the good you cani Will you stand by and see sinners gasping under the pangs of death, and say, “God doth not require me to make myself a drudge to save themV’ Is this the voice of ministerial or Christian compassion, or rather of sensual laziness and diabolical cruelty? Doth God set you work to do, and will you not believe that He would have you do if? Is that the voice of obedience, or of rebellion’? It is all one whether your flesh do prevail with you to deny obedience to acknowledged duty, and say plainly, “I will obey no further than it pleaseth me;” or whether it may make you wilfully reject the evidence that should condnce you that it is a duty, and say, “I will not believe it to be my duty, unless it please me.” It is the true character of a hypocrite to make a religion to himself of the cheapest part of God’s service, which will stand with his fleshly ends and felicity; and to reject the rest, which is inconsistent therewith. To the words of hypocrisy, this objection superaddeth the words of gross impiety. For what a wretched calumny is this against the most high God, to call His service slavery and drudgery’? AVhat thoughts have these men of their Master, their work, and their wages 1 the thouo-hts of a believer or of an infidel? Are these men like to honour God, and promote His service, that have such base thouohts of it themselves 1 Do they delight in holiness who account it a slavish work? Do they believe, indeed, the misery of sinners, that account it such a slavery to be diligent to save them? Christ saith. He that denieth not himself, and forsaketh not all, and taketh not up his cross and followeth Him, cannot be His disciple; and yet these men count it a slavery to labour hard in His vineyard, and deny their ease, in a time when they have all accommodations and encouragements! How far is this from forsaking all; and how can these men be fit for the ministry, that are such enemies to self-denial, and so to true Christianity? Still, therefore, I am forced to say, that all these objections are so prevalent, and all these carnal reasonings hinder the reformation, and, in a word, hence is the chief misery of the Church, that so many are made ministers before they are Chilistians. If these men had seen the diligence of Christ in doing good, when He neglected His meat to talk with one woman, (John iv.,) and when they had no time to eat bread, (Mark iii. 22,) would not they have been of the mind of His carnal friends, that went to lay hold on Him, and said, “He is beside himself?” They woidd have told Christ, He made a drudge or a slave of Himself, and that God did not require all this ado. If they had seen Him all night in prayer, and all day in preaching and healing, it seems He would have had this censure from them for His labour! I advice these men to search their own hearts, whether they unfeignedly believe the word that they preach. Do you believe indeed that such glory attends those that die in the Lord, and such torment those that die unconverted 1 If you do, how can you think any labour too much for such weighty hands’? If you do not, say so, and get you out of the vineyard, and go with the prodigal to keep swine; but do not undertake to feed the flock of Christ.

Do you not know that it is your own benefit which you grudge at ‘? The more you do, the more you receive: the more you lay out, the more you have coming in. If you are strangers to these Christian paradoxes, you should not have taken on you to teach them to others. At the present our incomes of spiritual life and peace are commonly in way of duty; so that he that is most in duty hath most of God: exercise of grace increaseth it. And is it a slavery to be more with God, and to receive more from Him, than other menl It is the chief solace of a gracious soul to be doing good, and receiving by doing, and to be much exercised about those divine things which have his heart. A good stomach will not say at a feast,” What

-a slavery is it to bestow my time and pains so much to feed myself? “Besides, we prepare for fuller receivings hereafter. We set our talents to usury, and by improving them we shall make five become ten, and so be made rulers of ten cities. We shall be judged according to our works. Is it a drudgery to send to the utmost parts of the world to exchange our trifles for gold and jewels “? Do not these men seek to justify the profane, that consider diligent godliness a drudgery, and reproach it as a precise and tedious life 1 They eay they will never believe but a man may be saved without all this ado. Even so say these in respect to the works of the ministry; they take this diligence for ungrateful tediousness, and they will not believe but a man may be a faithful minister without all this ado! It is a heinous sin to be negligent in so great a business; but to approve of that negligence, and to plead against duty as if it were none, and when they should lay out themselves for the saving of souls, to say, “I do not believe that God requireth it;” this is so great an aggravation of the sin, that, where the Church’s necessity doth not force us to make use of such, for want of better, I cannot but think them worthy to be cast out as the rubbish, and as salt that hath lost its savour, that is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill, but men cast it out. “He that hath ears to hear,” saith Christ in these words, “let him hear.” (Luke xiv, 34, 35.) And if such ministers become a byword and reproach, let them thank themselves; for it is their own sin that maketh them vile. (1 Sam. iii. 13.) And while they thus debase the service of the Lord, they do but debase themselves, and prepare for a greater abasement at the last.

Object. 4. “But if you make such severe laws for ministers, the Church will be left A^dthout; for what man will put himself upon such a toilsome life? or what parents will choose such a burden for their children? Men will avoid it, both for the bodily toil, and the danger to their consciences if they should not well discharge it.”

Ans. (1.) It is not we, but Christ that hath made and imposed these laws which you call severe; and if I should silence, or misinterpret them, or tell you that there is no such things, that would not relax them, nor excuse you. He that made them, knew why He did it, and will expect the performance of them. Is Infinite Goodness itself to be questioned or suspected by us, as making bad or unmerciful laws 1 Nay, it is mere mercy in Him that imposeth this great duty upon us. If physicians be required to be diligent in hospitals or pest-houses, or with other patients, to save their lives, were there not more mercy than rigour in this law? What! must God let the souls of your neighbours perish, to save you a little labour and suffering, and this in mercy to you? Oh, what a miserable world should we have, if blmd, self-conceited man had the ruling of it!

(2.) And for a supply of pastors, Christ will take care. He that imposeth duty, hath the fulness of the Spirit, and can give men hearts to obey His laws. Do you think Christ will suffer all men to be as cruel, unmerciful, and seK-seeking as you are He that hath undertaken Himself the work of redemption, borne oiutransgressions, and been faithful as the chief Shepherd and Teacher of the Church, will not Ipse all His labour and suffering for want of instruments to carry on His work; nor will He come down again to do all Himself, because no other will do it; but He will provide men to be His servants and ushers in His school, that shall willingly take the labour on them, and rejoice to be so employed, and account that the happiest life in the world which you account so great a toil; nor would they change it for all your ease and carnal pleasure; but for the saving of souls and the propagating of the gospel of Christ, will be content to bear the burden and heat of the day, and to fill up the measure of the sufferings of Christ in their bodies, and to do what they do with all their might, and to work while it is day, and to be the servants of all, and not to please themselves, but others for their edification; and to become all things to all men, that they may save some; and to endure all things for the elect’s sake; and to spend and be spent for men, though the more they love, the less they should be beloved, and should be accounted their enemies for telling them the truth: with such pastors will Christ provide His people after His own heart, that will feed them with knowledge, as men that seek not theirs, but them! What! do you think Christ can have no servants, if such as you shall, with Demas, turn to the present world, and forsake Him 1 If you dislike His service, you may seek you a better where you can find it, and boast of yom* gain in the conclusion; but do not threaten Him with the loss of your service. He hath made such laws as you will call severe, for all who will be saved, as well as for His ministers, though He impose not on them the same employment; for all must deny themselves, and mortify the flesh, and be crucified to the world, and take up their cross, and follow Christ, that will be His disciples. And yet Christ will not be without disciples, nor will He hide His seeming hard terms from men, to entice them to His service, but will tell them of the worst, and then let them come or choose. He will call to them beforehand to count what it will cost them, and tell them that “the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” He comes not to give them worldly peace and prosperity, but to call them to suffer with Him, that they may reign with Him, and in patience to possess their souls, and conquer, that they may be crowned with Him, and sit down on His throne; and all this He will enable His chosen to perform. If you be at that pass with Christ as the Israelites were once with David, and say, “Will the son of Jesse give you fields and vineyards 1 Every man to your tents, 0 Israel;” and if you say, “Now look to thy own house, 0 David,” you shall see that Christ will look to His own house; and do you look to yours as well as you can, and tell me at the hour of death or judgment which is the better bargain, and whether Christ had more need of you, or you of Him.

And for scrupling it in conscience for fear of failing: it is not involuntary imperfections that Christ will take so heinously, but unfaithfulness and wilful negligence; and it shall not serve your turn to run out of the vineyard or harvest, on pretence of scruples that you cannot do the work as you ought. He can follow you and overtake you, as He did Jonas, with such a storm as shall lay you out in the belly of hell. Totally to cast off a duty, because you cannot endure to be faithful in the performance of it, will prove but a poor excuse at last. If men had but reckoned well at first of the difference between things temporal and eternal, and of what they shall lose or get by Christ, and had that faith which is the evidence of things not seen, and lived by faith and not by sense, all these objections would be easily resolved; and all the pleas of flesh and blood for its interest, would appear to have no more reason than a sick man’s plea for cold water in a pestilential fever.

Object. 5. “But to what purpose is all this, when most of the people will not submit? They “ill but make a scorn at your motion, and tell us they wtII not come to us to be catechised, and that they are too old now to go to school; and therefore it is as good to let them alone as trouble ourselves to no purpose.”

Ans. (1.) It is not to be denied but too many people are obstinate in their wickedness, too many simple ones love simplicity, and too many scorners delight in scornino;, and fools hate knowledo;e. But the worse they are, the more deplorable is their case, the more to be pitied, and the more diligent should we be for their recovery.

(2.) I would it were not too much long of ministers that a great part of the people are so obstinate and contemptuous. Did we shine and burn before them as we should — had we convincing sermons and convincing lives — did we set ourselves to do all the good we could, whatever it cost us — were we more humble and meek, more loving and charitable, and let them see that we set light by all worldly things in comparison of their salvation, much more might be done than is, and the mouths of many would be stopped; and though still the wicked will do wickedly, yet more would be tractable, and the ^cked would be fewer and calmer tliau they are. If you say, that the alple.st and most godly ministers in the world have had as untractable and scornful parishioners as any others; I answer, that even able, godly men have some of them been too lordly and strange, and some of them too uncharitable and worldly, and backward to difficult, though necessary works; and some of them have done but little in private, when they have done excellently in public, and so have hindered the fruit of their labours. But where these impediments are absent, experience telleth us that the success is much gxeater, at least, as to the bowing of people to more calmness and teachableness; but we cannot expect that all should.”

(3.) Their wilfulness avlU not excuse us from our duty. If we offer them not our help, how know we who will refuse it 1 Offering it is our part, and accepting is theirs. If we offer it not, we leave them excusable, (for then they refuse it not,) but it is we that are left without excuse; but if they refuse our help when it is offered, we have done our part, and delivered our own souls.

(4.) If some refuse our help, others will accept it; and the success with them may be so much as may answer all our labour. It is not all that are wrought on by your public preaching, and yet we must not therefore give it over as unprofitable.

Object. 6. “But what likelihood is there that men will be informed or converted by this means that will not by the preaching of the word, when that is God’s chief ordinance appointed to that end 1 Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word preached.”

A71S. (1.) The advantages I have shewed you before, and therefore will not stand to repeat them; only, lest any think that this will wrong them by hindering them from preaching, I add to the twenty benefits before mentioned, that it will be an excellent means to help you in preaching. For as the physician’s work is half done when he fully knows the disease, so when you are well acquainted with your people’s case, you will know what to preach on: and it will furnish you with matter to talk an hour with an ignorant or obstinate sinner, as much as an hour’s study will do; for you will know what you have need to insist on, and what objections of theirs to refute.

(2.) I hope there is none so silly as to think this conference is not preaching. Doth the number we speak to make it preaching 1 or doth interlocution make it none 1 Surely a man may as truly preach to one as to a thousand; and, as is aforesaid, if you search, you mU find, that most of the gospel-preaching in those days, was by conference, or serious speeches to people occasionally, and frequently interlocutory; and that with one, two, or more, as opportunity served. Thus Christ himself did most commonly preach. Besides, we must take account of our people’s learning, if we regard the success of our work.

There is nothing therefore from God, from the Spirit, nor from right reason, to cause us to make any question of our work, or to be unwilling to it; but from the world, the flesh, and the devil, we shall have much, and more perhaps than we yet expect. But against all temptations, if we have recourse to God, and look on His great obligations on one side, and the hopeful effects and reward on the other, we shall see that we have little cause either to draw back, or to faint.

Let us set before us this pattern in the text, and learn our duty thence, and imitate it. To serve the Lord, and not men or ourselves, with all humility of mind, and not proudly, and with many tears; to keep back nothing that is profitable to the people, and to teach them publicly, and from house to house; that the matter of our preaching be repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ; that though we go bound in the spirit, not knowing particularly what shall befall us, but only that everywhere bonds and afflictions await us, yet none of these things shall move us, neither will we count our life dear to ourselves, so that we may finish our course with joy, and the ministry which we have received of the Lord Jesus; to testify the gospel of the grace of God; to take heed to ourselves and to all the flock, particularly against domestic seducers and schisms; without ceasing to warn every one day and night with tears; to covet no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel, as counting it more honourable to give than to receive. Oh, what a lesson is here before us; but how ill is it learnt by those that still question whether all this be their duty! I confess some of these words of Paul have so often been presented before mine eyes, and stuck upon my conscience, that I have been deeply convinced by them both of my duty and negligence: and I think this one speech better deserves a twelvemonth’s study, than most things that young students do lay out their time in. 0 brethren, write it on your study doors, or set it as your copy in capital letters still before your eyes! Could we but properly learn two or three lines of it, what preachers should we be! (1.) For our general business, Serving the Lord with humility of mind.

(2.) Our special work, Take heed to yourselves, AND TO ALL THE FLOCK. (3.) Oiip doctrine, Eepent-ANCE TOWARD God, AND FAITH TOWARD OUR LoRD

Jesus Christ. (4.) The place and manner of teaching, I HAVE TAUGHT YOU PUBLICLY, AND FROM HOUSE

TO HOUSE. (5.) The object and internal manner, I

CEASED NOT TO WARN EVERY ONE NIGHT AND DAY

WITH TEARS. This is it that must win souls and preserve them. (6.) His innocency and self-denial for the advantage of the gospel, I have coveted no man’s SILVER OR GOLD. (7.) His patience, None of these

THINGS MOVE ME, NEITHER COUNT I MY LIFE DEAR.

(8.) And among all our motives, these have need to be in capital letters before our eyes: We oversee and feed THE Church of God, which He hath purchased WITH His own blood. Grievous wolves shall

enter in among YOU, NOT SPARING THE FLOCK, and of your OWNSELVES shall men ARISE, SPEAKING PER-VERSE THINGS, TO DRAW AWAY DISCIPLES AFTER THEM.

AVrite all this upon your hearts, and it will do yourselves and the Church more good than twenty years’ study of lower things, which though they get you greater applause in the world, yet separated from these, will make you but sounding brass and tinkling cymbals.

The ffreat advantage of a sincere heart is, that God and glory, and the saving of souls, are their very end; and where that end is truly intended, no labour or suflfering will stop them, or turn them back; for a man must have his end, whatever it cost him. He still retains this lesson, whatever he forget. One thing is NECESSARY, and Seek first the kingdom of God, and therefore says. Necessity is laid upon me, and woe unto

2e me if I preach not the gospel! This is it that will most effectually make easy all our labours, make light all our burdens, make all our sufferings seem tolerable, and cause us to venture on any hazard in the way. That which I once made the motto of my colours in another warfare, I desire may be still before my eyes in this, which yet, according to my intention, is not altogether another. On one side, He that saveth his life shall lose it; on the other. Nee propter vitam vivendi perdere causas. This, Doctor Eeignolds thought had reason enough in it to hold him to his labours, though it cost him his life. He that knoweth that he serveth a God that will never suffer any man to be a loser by Him, need not fear what hazard he runs in His cause; and he that knows that he seeks a prize, which if obtained, will infinitely overmatch his cost, may boldly engage his whole estate on it, and sell all to purchase so rich a pearl.

Well, brethren, I will spend no more words in exhorting wise merchants to such a bargain, or telling teachers themselves of such common truths; and if I have said more than needs already, I am glad. I hope now I may take it for granted, that you are resolved on the utmost diligence and fidelity in the work. On which supposition I shall now proceed.