§ 6. Do magistrates among us seriously perform their work? Are they zealous for God? Do they build up his house? Are they tender of his honor? Do they second the word? And fly in the face of sin and sinners, as the disturbers of our peace, and the only cause of all our miseries? Do they improve all their power, wealth, and honor, and all their influence, for the greatest advantage to the kingdom of Christ, as men that must shortly give an account of their stewardship?
§ 7. How thin are those ministers that are serious in their work! Nay, how mightily do the very best fail in this! Do we cry out of men's disobedience to the gospel _in the demonstration of the Spirit_, and deal with sin as the destroying fire in our towns, and by force pull men out of it? Do we persuade our people, as those should, that _know the terrors of the Lord_? Do we press Christ, and regeneration, and faith, and holiness, believing that, without these, men can never have life? Do our bowels yearn over the ignorant, careless, and obstinate multitude? When we look them in the face, do our hearts melt over them, lest we should never see their faces in rest? Do we, as Paul, _tell them weeping_, of their fleshly and earthly disposition? _And teach them publicly, and from house to house, at all seasons, and with many tears?_ And do we entreat them as for their soul's salvation? Or rather, do we not study to gain the approbation of critical hearers; as if a minister's business were of no more weight but to tell a smooth tale for an hour, and look no more after the people till the next sermon? Does not carnal prudence control our fervor, and make our discourses lifeless, on subjects the most piercing? How gently we handle those sins, which will so cruelly handle our people's souls? In a word, our want of seriousness about the things of heaven, charms the souls of men into formality, and brings them to this customary, careless hearing, which undoes them. May the Lord pardon the great sin of the ministry in this thing; and, in particular, my own!
§ 8. And are the people more serious than magistrates or ministers! How can it be expected? Reader, look but to thyself, and resolve the question. Ask conscience, and suffer it to tell thee truly. Hast thou set thy eternal rest before thine eyes, as the great business thou hast to do in this world? Hast thou watched and labored, with all thy might, _that no man take thy crown_? Hast thou made haste, lest thou shouldst come too late, and die before thy work be done? Hast thou pressed on through crowds of opposition, _towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus_, still _reaching forth unto those things which are before_? Can conscience witness your secret cries, and groans, and tears? Can your family witness, that you taught them the fear of the Lord, and warned them not to _go to that place of torment_? Can your minister witness, that he has heard you cry out, _What shall I do to be saved?_ and that you have followed him with complaints against your corruptions, and with earnest inquiries after the Lord? Can your neighbors about you witness, that you reprove the ungodly, and take pains to save the souls of your brethren? Let all these witnesses judge this day between God and you, whether you are in earnest about eternal rest. You can tell by his work, whether your servant has loitered, though you did not see him; so you may by looking at your own work. Is your love to Christ, your faith, your zeal, and other graces, strong or weak? What are your joys? What is your assurance? Is all in order within you? Are you ready to die, if this should be the day? Do the souls, among whom you have conversed, _bless you_? Judge by this, and it will quickly appear whether you have been laborers or loiterers.