Htlpes againfi Eard.beartednefs. 109 9· r4. Direct. II. Tal<! ~eed of being cujlomary in the ufe of thofe means that mujl be the means of Direli. 11 • etering hardned hearlt. If once the lively preaching, and holy living and fervent praying, of the fervants ofGod, be taken by thee but as mat'!ers of courfe, and thou !;Owith them to Church and to prayers, bur as to eat, or drink, or_ kneel _with them but for cufio~ ; thou wilt be as the Smiths Dog that can fleep by the Anv1le, whde the Hammers are beat•ng, and the Sparks are flynt; about his ears. It is dangerous to grow Cuf\ornary and dull , under powerful lively M~ . 9· I5· Dire6t.I2· Be often with the ficlr., and in the houfe of mourni11g, and read thy lejfo11 in Dire{i. 21• the Chutch·prd, and let the grave, and bontt, and dujl injlma thee : When thou [eefi the End of aU the Jiving; perh~ps thou~ wi.lt fomewhat lay it tq heart. Sig.!Jt will fornetime do mor~ than t.he hear~ ing of greater thmgs. Fear may poffibly toUch the heart) tltat hath not yet fo much mgenu1ty as to be melted by the force ofLove. And ordinarily the humbling and foftning of a hard impenitent heart begin1 in Fear, and tndiin L(Jve. The work of preparation is in a manner the work of Fear · alone: The tlrfi work of true Converfion is begun in a great meafurc of fear, and fomewhat of Love; but (o little as is fcarce perceived, becaufe of the more fenfible operations of Fear. And as a Chrillian groweth, his Love encreafeth _, till perfeCl: Lov_e in the !late of perfeCl:ion have call out all tormenting fear , though not our Reverence or fihal fear of God. Look therefore intci the grave , and remember man that tbou mujt dye ! thou muff dye ! it is pall all controvcrfie that thott mhjl dyt : And dofi thou know where thou mufi appear, when dearh bath once performed its office ? Doll thou not believe that after Death comes Judgement ? Dofi thou not know that thou art now in a life of tryal) in order to eendlefs.J oy or mifery l and that this life is to be lived but once ? and if thou mifcarry now, thou art undone for ever? and that all the hope of preventing t~y dilltlnation, is Nowwhile this life of tryal doth continue? Now;. the at"f'ltd time: thi> Htb' a y _of falvation: IfHell be prevented, it mull beNpw prevented ! If ·ever thou wilt pray, if ever thouwilt be converted, if ever thou wilt be made an heir of Heaven, it mufi be 7!orP.: 0 man, how quickly will patience'have done with thee, and time be gone, and tbm, 0 thtn, tt Will be too late. Knowefi thou no;, that all the care, and labour, and hope of the Devil for thy damnation is laid out this way, if it be poffible to find thee other work, or t1ke thee up with other thoughts, o[ keep ' thee aficcp with prefumptUIJUJ hopu, and carnal mirth, and pleaiUres, and company, or quiet. thee by dclayu, till time be gone, and it be too late I And wilt thou let him have his will, and pleafure him with thy own perdition? Dofi thou think thefe arc not things io be . conf,deredon? Do they not deferve thy fpeedicfi ferioufefi thoughts. At lcall u[e 1hyReafon and [<if– love to the awakening, and moving, and fofrning, thy Hudncd heart.
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