put this one question more to you, What thoughts are these on which your own time is spent? All your time, ye may think, is your own time: but there is a certain portion of time which may be called fo upon a peculiar account; fuch are these feafons, wherein we are neither engaged in bufinefs nor in diverfion, as when we walk alone in the fields, when we feparate ourselves in order to reft at night, when we are undreffing ourselves, or when we are waking upon our beds in the night time, or before we engage in company in the morning. Now, it is in reference to fuch feafons as thefe, that we enquire into your thoughts. If these feafons be not employed in thoughts a bout falvation, it is a fad fign that ye are not in earnest about it indeed.

3. I put this question to you, What are your defires? Man is a defiring creature: he is fenfible of felf-infufficiency, and therefore is ever defiring and longing after fome one thing or other that is fuited to his need, or at leaft which he thinks to be fo. Now, what is it that ye defire? Is it fal vation? Is it Chrift? It may be, ye never have a defire after falvation, but when ye are laid upon a fick bed, and fall under fears of death; and even then, where there is one defire for eternal falvatition, there are many for freedom from death, for fome longer life. Dying David speaking of that Covenant whereby falvation was enfured to him, could call it all his defire; although my houfe be not fo with God; yet he hath made with me an everlafting covenant ordered in all things and fure; for this is all my falvation and all my defire, al though he make it not to grow, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. If your fouls do not frequently go out in defires after God, after falvation; it is a shrewd evidence

that

Part II. that ye are not concerned about falvation, and confequently that ye are not yet convinced of fin.

4. Are your hearts ever affected about falvation? When there is a concern about any thing in the foul of man, it never fails to fet the heart a work, and to fill the affections. Now, furely if ye be in any good degree concerned about falvation ye will be affected. (1.) Have ye never any fears of falling fhort of falvation? Let us fear, left a promife being left us of entering into his reft, any of us fhould feem to come fhort, fays the apostle, Heb. iv. 1. A heart weighted, and really concern. ed about falvation, will fee many grounds to fear that poffibly it may lofe falvation at laft. The falls of others, the difficulties and opposition in the way to falvation, and its own felt weakness, will ever occafion fear in the heart about this. What one is very concerned to have, he is always. feared to lofe. (2.) Do ye never tafte any thing of the anger of God in the threatenings? Thefe that are concerned about falvation, get fuch a taste of God's displeasure, as is wont to fill their hearts with grief and forrow. If ye know nothing of this, it looks very ill, and fpeaks you not du ly concerned about falvation. (3.) Do ye never find any thing of fhame for fin rifing in your heart? If none of these affections be moved, it is a fad but fure evidence that ye are not concerned about falvation, and confequently that ye are not yet folidly convinced of fin.

5..

Whither runs your difcourfe commonly? Do ye never fpeak of falvation? We told you formerly, that when the heart is much concerned. about falvation, the mouth will fometimes be employed in fpeaking about it. Now, where runs your talk commonly? Is there never a word of

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falvation in your difcourfe? It is a fad fign that ye never yet were convinced of fin, that ye never yet laid falvation to heart. Do not think that it will clear you, to tell that ye must conform your difcourfe to the temper of thofe with whom ye converfe: for I fay, (1.) Do ye never converse with any body that would be willing to entertain difcourfe about falvation? If it be fo, then I am fure it is choice and not neceffity makes it fo: this therefore is a further proof of your unconcernednefs about falvation, ye flight the converse of fuch as may help you. (2.) Are ye never in a company where ye may lead the difcourfe? If ye be a master of a family, a parent, or any fuperior, I am fure amongst your inferiors ye may have the leading of the difcourfe: nay, though ye be fervants, ye may fome time or other have as fair a pretence, to prescribe to others the subject of difcourfe, as they have to prescribe to you. (3.) If ye fhift the evidence of all this, I shall put here a queftion or two to you, which will, if faithfully applied, make a difcovery of you in this mat ter: and, 1. Do ye not weary of the company and of the discourse that has no respect to falvation? 2. Is it not a reftraint upon you, when ye are kept from difcourfing of falvation? If ye be really concerned about it, I am fure it will be fo fometimes with you. But I proceed, and in the

6th Place, I put the question to you, What diligence is there in ufing the means of falvation? No man that understands either fcripture or reafon, can think the man concerned about falvation, that useth not the means of falvation. Now, because I judge that here we may meet with not a few of you, I fhali defcend to particulars, and deal plainly with you about this matter. The

means of falvation are of three forts, fecret, private and public. Now, I will put fome questions to you in reference to each of them.

I begin with thefe which we call fecret, and of them I fhall only name fecret reading of the fcriptures, and prayer, Lev. xviii. 5. Rom. x. 13, And in reference to these I fhall put two or three questions to you. And, (1.) Are ye neglecters of fecret prayer? Can ye rife in the morning, and go to your work, and never bow a knee to God? To fuch we dare fay confidently, Ye were never yet concerned about your fouls falvation. (2.) Are ye ever concerned to know what fuccefs ye have in your prayers? Moft part deal I fear by their prayers, as fome unnatural parents do by their children; they lay them down to others, and never enquire what becomes of them, whether they die or live: which argues that they are not in earnest in them. We ever find the faints recorded in fcripture in earnest about the acceptance and fuccefs of their prayers. (3.) Are all your fecret prayers confined to stated times, it may be morning and evening? Or are ye frequently breathing out your defires in ejaculations? If ye neglect thefe, it is a fad fign ye are not concerned about falvation. Ejaculations, I may fay, are the genuine effect of concern about falvation. Here, I do not approve of thefe common forms that people use to the great fcandal of religion and offence of God, God fave us, the Lord deliver us, upon every turn. Thefe furely argue want of concern about falvation, and want of due respect to God. Perfons duly concerned about falvation will speak of God with more fear and dread, than is commonly in these expressions, which, as they are ufed, are certainly a palpable breach of the third

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command. But when I fpeak of ejaculations, I mean thereby affectionate and reverend defires fent up to God about falvation: and I believe there fhall scarce be found any really concerned about falvation, who are utter ftrangers to them. (4.) Do ye neglect the reading of the word of God, or do ye not? Such of you as will not be at pains to learn to read the word of God, I can fcarce think you in earnest concerned about falvation, fince ye neglect so necessary a mean; at least I think ye have need to be very fure of the grounds ye lean upon, if ye do conclude yourselves really concerned about it, while ye neglect this duty. When people are not at pains to read, or take not care to get the fcripture read to them in fecret; if thro' age they be incapable,it is a fad fign of want of concern about falvation. I would defire you to confider feriously that one command given by God to his church of old. He gave them his laws and his ftatutes, which if a man do, he fhall even live in them, Lev. xviii. 5. And he gives them a peremptory command how to use them, Deut. xi. 18, 19, 20. Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart, and in your foul, and bind them for a fign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes: and ye fhall teach them your children, fpeaking of them when thou fittest in thine houfe, and when thou walkeft by the way, when thou lieft down, and when thou rifeft up: and thou fhalt write them upon the door-pofts of thine house, and upon thy gates. Every where they were to have the law of God along with them. How they can be concerned duly about falvation, who ne glect the ufe of that which God commands, and commands fo peremptorily, I do not well under ftand. (5.) Do ye take heed to what ye read?