ther, or sister, or husband, or wife, or near friend; besides that the bond of friendship engageth you to more kindness and compassion than ordinary.

16. Physicians, that are much about dying men, should in a special manner make conscience of this duty. It is their peculiar advantage, that they are at hand; that they are with men in sickness and dangers, when the ear is more open, and the heart less stubborn, than in time of health; and that men look upon their physician as a person in whose hands is their life; or at least who may do much to save them; and therefore they will the more regard his advice. You that are of this honourable profession, do not think this a work besides your calling, as if it belonged to none but ministers; except you think it besides your calling to be compassionate, or to be Christians. O help therefore to fit your patients for heaven! And whether you see they are for life or death, teach them both how to live and die, and give them some physic for their souls, as you do for their bodies. Blessed be God, that very many of the chief physicians of this age, have, by their eminent piety, vindicated their profession from the common imputa. tion of atheisin and profaneness.

§ 17. Men of wealth and authority, and that have many dependents, have excellent advantages for this duty. O what a world of good might lords and gentlemen do, if they had but hearts to improve their influence over others! Have you not all your honour and riches from God? Doth not Christ say, Unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required? If you speak to your dependents for God and their souls, you may be regarded, when even a minister shall be despised. As you value the honour of God, your own comfort, and the salvation of souls, improve your influence over your tenants and neighbours: visit their houses; see whether they worship God in their families; and take all oppor tunities to press them to their duty. Despise them not. Remember, God is no respecter of persons.

Let men see that you excel others in piety, compassion, and diligence in God's work, as you do in the riches and honours of the world. I confess you will by this means be singular, but then you will be singular in glory; for few of the mighty and noble are called.

18. As for the ministers of the gospel, it is the very work of their calling to help others to heaven. -Be sure to make it the main end of your studies and preaching. He is the able, skilful minister, that is the best skilled in the art of instructing, convincing, persuading, and consequently of winning souls; and that is the best sermon that is best in these.When you seek not God, but yourselves, God will make you the most contemptible of men. It is true of your reputation, what Christ says of your life, He that loveth it shall lose it.-Let the vigour of your persuasions show, that you are sensible on how weighty a business you are sent. Preach with that seriousness and fervour, as men that believe their own doctrine, and that know their hearers must be prevailed with, or be damned.-Think not that all your work is in your studies and pulpit. You are shepherds, and must know every sheep, and what is their disease, and mark their strayings, and help to cure them and fetch them home. Learn of Paul, not only to teach your people publicly, but from house to house. Inquire how they grow in knowledge and holiness, and on what grounds they build their hopes of salvation, and whether they walk uprightly, and perform the duties of their several relations. See whether they worship God in their families; and teach them how to do it. Be familiar with them, that you may maintain your interest in them, and improve it all for God.-Know of them how they profit by public teaching. If any too little savour the things of the Spirit, let them be pitied, but not neglected. If any walk disorderly, recover them with diligence and patience. If they be ighorant, it may be your fault, as much as theirs.

Be

not asleep while the wolf is waking.-Deal not slightly with any. Some will not tell their people plainly of their sins, because they are great men; and some, because they are godly; as if none but the poor and the wicked should be dealt plainly with. Yet labour to be skilful and discreet, that the manner may answer to the excellency of the matter. Every reasonable soul hath both judgment and affection; and every rational, spiritual sermon, must have both. Study and pray, and pray and study, till you are become workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth; that your people may not be ashamed, nor weary in hearing you.-Let your conversation be teaching, as well as your doctrine. Be as forward in a holy and heavenly life as you are in pressing others to it. Let your discourse be edifying and spiritual. Suffer any thing, rather than the gospel and men's souls should suffer.-Let men see that you use not the ministry only for a trade to live by; but that your hearts are set upon the welfare of souls. Whatsoever meekness, humility, condescension, or self-denial, you teach them from the gospel, teach it them also by your undissembled example. Study and strive after unity and peace. If ever you would promote the kingdom of Christ, and your people's salvation, do it in a way of peace and love. It is as hard a thing to maintain in your people a sound understanding, a tender conscience, a lively, gracious, heavenly frame of spirit, and an upright life, amidst contention, as to keep your candle lighted in the greatest storms. Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing.

§ 19. All you whom God hath intrusted with the care of children and servants, I would also persuade to this great work of helping others to the heavenly rest. Consider, what plain and pressing commands of God require this at your hands. These words thou shalt teach diligently unto thy children; and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in the house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when

thou risest up.(q) Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.(r) Bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.(s) Joshua resolved, that he and his house would serve the Lord.(t) And God himself says of Abraham, I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord.(u)-Consider, it is a duty you owe your children in point of justice. From you they received the defilement and misery of their natures; and therefore you owe them all possible help for their recovery. →Consider how near your children are to you. They are parts of yourselves. If they prosper when you are dead, you take it as if you lived and prospered in them; and should you not be of the same mind for their everlasting rest? Otherwise you will be witness against your own souls. Your care, and pains, and cost, for their bodies, will condemn you for your neglect of their precious souls. Yea, all the brute creatures may condemn you. Which of them is not tender of their young? Consider, God hath made your children your charge, and your servants too. Every one will confess they are the minister's charge. And have not you a greater charge of your own families than any minister can have of them? Doubtless at your hands God will require the blood of their souls. It is the greatest charge you were ever intrusted with; and woe to you, if you suffer them to be ignorant or wicked for want of your instruction or correction.-Consider what work there is for you, in their dispositions and lives. Theirs is not one sin, but thousands. They have hereditary diseases, bred in their natures. The things you must teach them are contrary to the interest and desires of their flesh. May the Lord make you sensible what a work and charge lieth upon you!-Consider what sorrows you prepare for yourselves by the neglect of your children.

(g) Deut. vi. 6, 7. (r) Prov. xxii. 6. (t) Josh. xxiv. 15.

(s) Ephes. vi. 4.

(u) Gen xviii. 19.

If they prove thorns in your eyes, they are of your own planting. If you should repent and be saved, is it nothing to think of their damnation; and yourselves the occasion of it? But if you die in your sins, how will they cry out against you in hell? "All this was long of you: you should have taught us better, and did not; you should have restrained us from sin and corrected us, but did not." What an addition will such outcries be to your misery! On the other side, think what a comfort you may have, if you be faithful in this duty. If you should not succeed, you have freed your own souls, and have peace in your own consciences. If you do, the comfort is inexpressible, in their love and obedience, their supplying your wants, and delighting you in all your remaining path to glory. Yea, all your family may fare the better for one pious child or servant. But the greatest joy will be, when you shall say, Lord, here am I, and the children thou hast given me; and shall joyfully live with them for ever.-Consider how much the welfare of church and state depends on this duty. Good laws will not reform us, if reformation begin not at home. This is the cause of all our miseries in church and state, even the want of a holy education of children.-I also intreat parents to consider, what excellent advantages they have for saving their children. They are with you while they are tender and flexible. You have a twig to bend, not an oak. None in the world have such interest in their affections as you have. You have also the greatest authority over them. Their whole dependence is upon you for a maintenance. You best know their temper and inclinations. And you are ever with them, and can never want opportunities. Especially, you mothers, remember this, who are more with your children while young than their fathers. What pains are you at for their bodies! What do you suffer to bring them into the world. And will you not be at as much pains for the saving of their souls! Your affections are tender; and will