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least thou didst never heartily confent that he should govern thee as thy Lord, nor refign up thy Soul and Life to be ruled by him, nor take his Word for the Law of thy Thoughts and Actions. It is likely thou art content to be faved from Hell by Chrift when thou dieft; but in the mean Time he shall command thee no further than will ftand with thy Credit, or Pleafure, or other worldly Ends. And if he would give thee Leave, thou hadst far rather live after the World and Flesh, than after the Word and Spirit. And tho' thou mayft now and then have a Motion or Purpofe to the contrary; yet this that I have mentioned is the ordinary Defire and Choice of thy Heart. Thou art therefore no true Believer in Chrift; for tho' thou confefs Him in Words, yet in Works thou doft deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good Work reprobate. This is the Cafe of thofe that

fhall be fhut out of the Saint's Reft.

§ 16. OBSERVE, it is the Confent of your Hearts, or Wills, which I especially lay down to be enquired after. I do not afk, whether thou be affured of Salvation? nor, whether thou canst believe that thy Sins are fardoned, and that thou art beloved of God in Chrift? Thele are no Parts of juflifying Faith, but excellent Fruits of it, and they that receive them, are comforted by them; but perhaps thou may never receive them whit thou liveft, and yet be a true Heir of Reft. Do not fay then, I cannot believe that my Sins are pardoned, "or that I am in God's Favour, and therefore I am 66 no true Believer." This is a moft mistaken Conclufion. The Queftion is, Whether thou doft hear tily accept of Chrift, that thou mayft be pardoned, reconciled to God, and fo faved? Doft thou confent that he fhall be thy Lord who hath bought thee, and that he fhall bring thee to Heaven in his own Way? This is juftifying, faving Faith, and the Mark by

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which thou must try thyfelf. Yet ftill obferve, that all this Confent must be hearty and real, not feigned or with Reservations. It is not faying, as that diffembling Son, I go, Sir; and went not. If any have more of the Government of thee than Chrift, thou art not his Difciple. I am fure thefe two Marks are fuch as every Chriftian hath, and none but fincere Chriftians. O that the Lord would now perfuade thee to the clofe Performance of this Self-Trial! That thou mayft not tremble with Horror of Soul, when the Judge of all the World fhall try thee; but be fo able to prove thy Title to Reft, that the Prof pect and Approach of Death and Judgment may raile thy Spirits, and fill thee with Joy!

great

$ 17. On the whole, as ever Chriftians would have Comforts that will not deceive them, let them make it the great Labour of their Lives to grow in Grace, to ftrengthen and advance the Intereft of Chrift in their Souls, and to weaken and fubdue the Intereft of the Flesh. Deceive not yourselves with a Perfuafion, that Chrift hath done all, and left you nothing to do. To overcome the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; and in order to that, to ftand always armed upon our watch, and valiantly and patiently to fight it out, is of Importance to our Affurance and Salvation. Indeed it is fo great a Part of our Baptismal Vow, that he, who performeth it not, is no more than a nominal Chriftian. Not to every one that prefumptuously believeth, but to him that overcometh, will Chrift give to eat of the bidden Manna, and will give him a white Stone, and in the Stone a new Name written, which no. Man knoweth, faving he that receiveth it: He ball tat, of the Tree of Life, which is in the Midst of the Paradife of God, and shall not be hurt of the fecond Death. Chrift will confefs his Name before his Father, and before his

Angels,

Angels, and make him a Pillar in the Temple of God, and he shall go no more out, and will write upon him the Name of his God, and the Name of the City of his God, which is new Jerufalem, which cometh down out of Hea ven from his God, and will write upon him his new Name. Yea, He will grant to him to fit with him on bis Throne, even as He also overcame, and is fet down with his Father on his Throne. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit faith unto the Churches (f),

(f) Rev. ii. 7, 11, 17. iii. 5, 12, 31, 22,

CHAP.

CHA P. IX.

The Duty of the People of God to excite others to feek this Rest.

§ 1. The Author laments that Christians do fo little to help others to obtain the Saint's Reft; § 2. (1) fhews the Nature of this Duty; particularly, $3. (1) in hav ing our Hearts affected with the Mifery of our Brethren's Souls, $4-6. (2) in taking all Opportu nities to inftruct them in the Way of Salvation, $7. (3) in promoting their-Profit by publick Ordinances; $ 8. (11) affigns various Reasons why this Duty is fo much neglected, § 9. and answers fome Objections against it: $10-13. Then (III) urges to the Discharge of it, by feveral Confiderations, $14. addreffed to fuch as have Knowledge, Learning, and Utterance, 15. thofe that are acquainted with Sinners, $16. Phyficians that attend dying Men, §17. Perfons of Wealth and Power, § 18, Minifters, 19. and thofe that are intruffed with the Care of Child en or Servants. § 20. The Chapter concludes with an earnest Request to Chriftian Parents to be faithful to their Trust.

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1.TTATH God fet before us fuch a glorious Prize as the Saint's Reft, and made us capable of fuch inconceivable Happiness? Why then do not all the Children of this Kingdom exert themfelves more to help others to the Enjoyment of it? Alas, how little are poor Souls about us beholden to

most.

most of us! We fee the Glory of the Kingdom, and they do not: We fee the Mifery of those that are out of it, and they do not: We fee them wandering quite out of the Way, and know if they hold on, they can never come there; and they themselves difcern, it not. And yet we will not ferioufly fhew them their Danger and Eiror, and help to bring them into the Way, that they may live. Alas, how few Chriftians are there to be found, that fet themselves with all their Might to fave Souls! No Thanks to us, if Heaven be not empty, and if the Souls of our Brethren perish not for ever. Confidering how important this Duty is, to the Glory of God, and the Happiness of Men, I will fhew-how it is to be performed; why it is fo much neglected;then fer fome Confiderations to perfuade to it.

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§2. (1) The Duty of helping others to difcern their Title to the Saint's Reft doth not mean, that every Man fhould turn a publick Preacher, or that any fhould go beyond the Bounds of their particular Callings; much lefs does it confift in promoting a Party Spirit; and leaft of all in fpeaking against Men's Faults behind their Backs, and be filent before their Faces. This Duty is of another Nature, and confifts in the following Things in having our Hearts affected with the Mifery of our Brethren's Souls,in taking all Opportunities to infruct them in the Ilay of Salvation, and in promoting their Profit by Publick Ordinances.

§3. (1) Our Heart must be affected with the Mi. fery of our Brethren's Souls. We must be compaffionate towards them, and yearn after their Recovery` and Salvation. If we earneftly longed after their Converfion, and our Hearts, were folicitous to do them Good, it would fet us on work, and God would ufually blefs it.

$4. (2)

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