And this is necessary to the welfare of our people, many of whom neither believe nor repent to this day. Look round about, and see how many of them are still in apparent danger of damnation! And 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, you should break forth into tears, as the prophet did when he looked upon _Hazael_, and then set on them with the most vehement and importunate exhortations. O then, for God’s sake, and for the sake of poor souls, bestir yourselves, and spare no pains that may conduce to their salvation.
What cause have we to bleed before the Lord this day, that have so long neglected this great and good work? That have been preachers so many years, and have done so little by personal instructions for the saving of mens souls? If we had but set on this work sooner, how many more might have been brought to Christ? And how much holier and happier might we have made our societies before now? And why might we not have done it sooner? There were many hindrances in the way: and so there are still, and always will be. But the greatest hindrance was in ourselves, in our dulness and littleness of faith and love. O that God would throughly humble us, and cause us to bewail our own neglects; that we may not think it enough to lament the sins of others, while we overlook our own!
But it is objected, 1. This course will take up so much time, that we shall have no time to follow our studies.
I answer, 1. Gaining knowledge is a good thing; but saving souls is a better. 2. By this very thing you will gain the most excellent knowledge of God and eternity. 3. But you will have abundant time for gaining other knowledge too, if you spend all your mornings therein. Only sleep not more than you need; talk not more than you need; and never be idle, nor triflingly employed. But 4. If you can do but one, either follow your studies or instruct the ignorant; let your studies alone; I would throw by all ♦_the libraries_ in the world, rather than be guilty of the perdition of one soul.
♦ italicize “the libraries” per Errata
It is objected, II. “The people will not submit to it.” If some do not, others will gladly. And the success with them may be so much as to repay all our labour. O let us herein follow the example of St. _Paul_. 1. For our general business, _Serving the Lord with all humility of mind_. 2. Our special work, _Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock_. 3. Our doctrine, _Repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ_. 4. The place and manner of teaching, _I have taught you publickly, and from house to house_. 5. The object and internal manner, _I ceased not to warn every one, night and day, with tears_. This it is 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, _Neither count I my life dear unto myself_. And among all our motives, these should be ever before our eyes: 1. _The church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood._ 2. _Grievous wolves shall enter in: yea, of your ownselves shall men arise speaking perverse things._ Write all this upon your hearts, and it will do you more good than twenty years study of lower things.
We may, 1. Every preacher, take an exact catalogue of those in society, from one end of each town to the other. 2. Go to each house, and give, with suitable exhortation and direction, the “instructions for children.” 3. Be sure to deal gently with them, and take off all discouragements as effectually as you can. See that the children get these by heart. Advise the grown persons to see that they understand them. And enlarge upon and apply every sentence as closely as you can. And let your dealing with those you begin with, be so gentle, winning and convincing, that the report of it, may move others to desire your coming. True, it is far easier to preach a good sermon, than to instruct the ignorant in the principles of religion. And as much as this work is despised by some, I doubt not but it will try the parts and spirits of us all. So archbishop _Usher_; “Great scholars may think it beneath them to spend their time in teaching the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. But they should consider, that the laying the foundation skilfully, as it is matter of the greatest importance in the whole building, so it is the master-piece of the wisest builder: _according to the grace of God, which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation_, saith the great apostle. And let the wisest of us all try whenever we please, we shall find, that to lay this ground-work rightly, to make an ignorant man understand the grounds of religion, will put us to the ♦trial of our skill.”
♦ “trail” replaced with “trial”
Perhaps in doing this, it may be well,