[Footnote 291] Mark viii, 38.
[Footnote 292] Philippians ii, 21.
§ 9. Do not object to this duty, that you are unable to manage an exhortation, but either set those on the work who are more able, or faithfully and humbly use the small ability you have, and tell them, as a weak man may do, what God says in his word. Decline not the duty, because it is your superior who needs advice and exhortation. Order must be dispensed with in cases of necessity. Though it be a husband, a parent, a minister, you must teach him in such a case. If parents are in want, children must relieve them. If a husband be sick, the wife must fill up his place in family affairs. If the rich are reduced to beggary, they must receive charity. If the physician be sick, somebody must look to him. So the meanest servant must admonish his master, and the child his parent, and the wife her husband, and the people their minister; so that it be done when there is real need, and with all possible humility, modesty, and meekness. Do not say, "this will make us all preachers;" for every good Christian is a teacher, and hath a charge of his neighbor's soul. Every man is a physician, when a regular physician cannot be had, and when the hurt is so small that any man may relieve it; and in the same cases every man must be a teacher. Do not despair of success. Cannot God give it? And must it not be by means?—Do not plead, it will only be casting pearls before swine. When you are in danger to be torn in pieces, Christ would have you forbear; but what is that to you that are in no such danger? As long as they will hear, you have encouragement to speak, and may not cast them off as contemptible swine. Say not, "It is a friend on whom I much depend, and by telling him his sin and misery, I may lose his love, and be undone." Is his love more to be valued than his safety? or thy own benefit by him, than the salvation of his soul? or wilt thou connive at his damnation, because he is thy friend? Is that thy best requital of his friendship? Hadst thou rather he should burn in hell for ever, than thou shouldst lose his favor, or the maintenance thou hast from him?
§ 10. (III.) But that all who fear God may be excited to do their utmost to help others to this blessed rest, let me entreat you to consider the following motives. As, for instance,—not only nature, but especially grace, disposes the soul to be communicative of good. Therefore to neglect this work is a sin both against nature and grace. Would you not think him unnatural, that would suffer his children or neighbors to starve in the streets, while he has provision at hand? And is not he more unnatural, that will let them eternally perish, and not open his mouth to save them? An unmerciful, cruel man, is a monster to be abhorred of all. If God had bid you give them all your estates, or lay down your lives, to save them, you would surely have refused, when you will not bestow a little breath to save them. Is not the soul of a husband, or wife, or child, or neighbor, worth a few words? Cruelty to men's bodies is a most damnable sin; but to their souls much more, as the soul is of greater worth than the body, and eternity than time. Little know you what many a soul may now be feeling in hell, who died in their sins, for want of your faithful admonition. Consider what Christ did towards the saving of souls. He thought them worth his blood; and shall we not think them worth our breath? Will you not do a little, where Christ hath done so much?—Consider what fit objects of pity ungodly souls are. They are dead in trespasses and sins, have not hearts to feel their miseries, nor to pity themselves. If others do not pity them, they will have no pity; for it is the nature of their disease to make them pitiless to themselves, yea, their own most cruel destroyers. Consider it was once thy own case. It was God's argument to the Israelites, to be kind to strangers, because themselves had been _strangers in the land of Egypt_. So should you pity them that are strangers to Christ, and to the hopes and comforts of the saints, because you were once strangers to them yourselves. Consider your relation to them. It is thy neighbor, thy brother, whom thou art bound to love as thyself. _He that loveth not his brother whom he seeth_ daily, _doth not love God whom he_ never _saw_. And doth he love his brother, that will see him go to hell, and never hinder him?