Serm.6. How me we wifitlickperfons-? as hard a work in health as in ficknefs,feeing in both cafes is is the great work of the omnipotent God,who bath ever challenged it as his royal prerogative togive repentance ?whatever thofeholies grati Chrif i (as Aaflin calls them-) fay to the contrary, fo that in ihor't, withmen, re- pentance is alwaies impoffible, Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his f ots ? then mayye alfo de good that are acctsflomed to do evil, J,.r.t 3.23. but with God it is alwaies poffible. And yet to prevent the abufe of this, by a prefumptuous putting off repentance to the time of fcknefs, and death, upon this pretence, I mull add, that fuch as put off repentanceon fuch a pretext do feldommeet with ir. God doth feldom give repentance to fuch perlons: and it is a general obfervation of all fe- rious Divines ; that late repentance isfeldom true, though true repen- tance is never late, it being the juil judgment of God, that they that intend to mock God by putting off repentance fhould deceive them- felves, and die without repentance. z. That it is a work of great difficulty might eafily bedemonlirated, but that will appear in the further profecution of it all along, only there are two Arguments which the Text fuggefis. z. That it is a work which God bath put into the hands of his chief Officers,his Miniflers,who ought to be the moll accorriplilhed perfons of all others, ei c. this is one of thofe works for which God bathvouch- fafed fuch (angular gifts unto his Meffengers. 2. That it is not every Minifier neither who isfit for this work, and therefore here it is required, that he be one of a thoufand. But this I (hall pafs over, and come to that which is allotted to me, the refolution of this great and important cafe of Confcience : How dlliniiersor Chriflianfriends may and ought to apply themfelves to fckper- fous for their good, and the difcharge of their own confciences. I take it tobe one of the hardeff parts of theMiniherial works to make feafonable applications to fuch perfons. I (hall therefore endeavour to anfwer ir, thoughnot fo fully as thepoint deferves, yet fo far as the brevity of this Exercife will permit, in there eight Propofitions or Dire&ions. Endeavour mull beufed to underhand the (}ate of the tick perfon; As Phyfitians doby fick,perfons, they enquire into the manner of their life, diet, erc. it is a great ffep to the cure,to know the Patients tem- per, becaufeas bodily fo fpiritual Phyfick mull be futed to the temper, and difpofition, and condition of the Patient. And as Phyfitians sake pains in thisby conference with friends,and byexamining the Patient, fo fhould Miniflers by difcourfe with religious acquaintance, and by fearchingconference with the fick perfons, endeavour to find out the R tr:_h
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