The !t[le Method of teaciJing Families. Commtmlon of 5Jints and Churches. I3· In t~e next open. ~o them the NJture and ufc of llav ifm and the Lords Supper. 1 +· In the next vpcn to them the lhortnefs ~f life, and the !late cf fouls at death and after de<th and the day of Judgemtnt, and the .Julltficmon bf the Ri~htcous and the Condemnation of the wicked at that day. I 5· In the next open to them thc]oyesof H:avcnand the mifcrics of the damned. 16. In the next open to them the vanity of all' the plea(ure, and profits and honour of this World, and the method,of Ternpration5, and how ro overcome them. 17. In the nc-xc. ope,. to them the reafon and ~[e of futfering for Chri!l, and ol ftlf-denyal, and howto prepue for licknefs ~nd death. And after this go ovcral!o the Lords Prayer ancl the Ten Commandments. ~ 9· J3· Dirc:Cf. 13· After· all you.r inflru[riont m.ik._t tbrm briefly give yo.e an account in thtir owH VireO. I3• wrrd 1 of wh.1t tbry undtrft.J~td &nJ rthum!nr of all : 11r el[e the next time, to give ae~unt of tbt f ormer. And encourage rhcm for all that is well done in their tndcavoun. . 9· 14 , Din et. 14• Labour in aUto ~tep up "wa~encd {rriour attention, and jliU to prim ttpon their Dirctl. I~ J;e(lrtJ tbt grcatejl thint,J : And to that end, For, tht: M.Jtter of your, .reachin~ and difcourfe, let nothing be fo much in your .mouths, as, I· Tnc N.uure and Relations ot ~oJ. 2. A Crucitlc:d and a GlOJiticd ChriH, with all his .guce and priviledges. 3· The operations of the fpidt on the!oul. 4 . Tlie m•dnefs of finners, and the vanity of the world. 5· And <ndlef< ylory and Joy of Saints, and mifery of rhe ungodly_ afrer death. Let rhefc five pomts be, frequently urged; and be rhe life of all the refl of your d&ourfe. And then for rhe Mmner of your fpeakmi\,tO them )er it be alwayd with fuch a mixture of familiarity and ferio•fnefi that may carry a!Qng cheir ferjous attentions, whether they will or no: Speak (o them as if they or you were dying, and as if you (aw God and HeavtJt and HrU. - 9.·15· Direll. 15- T•k.• each of tbtm fometimt by tbemfelvu, and there de{cribe 10 them the W'ir/tDire8. t S• cf Renovation, and aJk.. them whe1her evrr [Hch a work.. wa1 wrought upon lhem.... Shc\y them tbe· true Muks of Grace, and help them to try themfelv<S : Urge them to tell you ttuly ·whe~~er • thtir Love to God or the Creature, to Heaven ·or Euth, to Holinefs or Flefh·pJeafing be more : "\nd what it is chat hath their hearts and care and chief endeavour ? And if yoq fin~ them regenerate, help to fircngthen them : If you find them too much dejected help to C<>mfort them :· And if you tind them unregenerate, help to Convince them, and then to ;humble them, ar.d thetl to !hew them the remedy in Chrlfi, and then fl1ew them their duty that: they m•Y have part in Chrill, and drive all home to rh.e en~ that you defire· to fee : _But do all this w'itll Love and gentlencfs and privacy. 9· 16. Dired.t6. Some ptrtinmt~t}Iioni which by the anfa>er wiU engage tBem lo ttacb them· Direll.t~. felvts or to j11dge them[tlvu, JViU be JOmetimrr of vtry great ufe I A! fuch as thefe; '' Do yo11 not '' k11oW th~t ;•o~t mull jhortly dye l Do you not believe that immediately your fouls mufi enter u upon an cndleCs life of joy or mifny ? Will wgr/dly JVe6ltb and honours, or Ae!hty pleafures, be ·H pleafant to you then ? Had you then rather be a Saint, or a~ ungodly finner ? Had you not "then uther be one of the, holicfl that the World defpifcd and abufcd, than one of the great- " eft and richefl of the wicked .> When Time is pall and you mull give account of it, had you ''not then rather it had been fpent in ho1inefs and obedience and diligent preparation for the "life to come, than in pride and pleafure and pampering the A.db ? How could you make " fhift to forget your endlcfs life fo long ? Or to lleep quietly in an unregeneute flare I " What if you had died before converfion, what think you had become of you, and where had "you now been >Do yo~ think that any of thofe in Hell are glad that they were ungodly ? "''or have now any plcaline in their former mcrriments and fin? What think you would they do, '-'if it were all tn do again ? Do you think if an Angel or SAint from H.:avcn, Chould come '' to decide the Controvetfic between the Godly, and the \Vickcd, that he would fpeak againfi a "Holy and Heavenly life, or plead for a loofc and flclhly life ? or which fide think you he would "rake > Did not God know what he did when he made the Scriptures 1 Is he or an ungodly '" fcorner-to be more regarded? Do you think every man in the World will not wilh at laft that "he had been a Saint, what ever it had coft him? Such kind o( ~d\ions urge the Confciencr; and much convince. 9· 17. Dind. 17. Cau{e thrm to learn fome one mojl plain tJ:nd pertinen1 text, f or every great v· lJ .. and nectJfary duty, and againjl every great. and dangcrotts jiH : "itd often to rtptat them to you : lrt ' I7• As Luk. Ij· 3, 5· Except ye Rtptnt ye jhaU aU perijh. Joh. 3· 5· Exctpl • man be burn again of water and tbe Spirit, he cannot emer into the Kingdom of Heaven. So M"'· 18. 3· Rom. 8. 9• Heb. u. '4· Joh. 3· 16 Lu/1.: 18. r, &c. So ag•infl lying, fwearing, raking Gods name in vain, fltlli·ple:~.fing, Gluttony, pride, and the refi. ~· 18. D irect. I 8. Drive .2U your ConviWons to a Rifolntion of Endeavour and amendment, ""d Dirtl1• 1 1, mak..e. tbem f umetime promife yo1t u do t.bat. which ;pu b.Jvt convinced them of : And fomerimes be~ fore witndfes. But kt it be dolle with thefe necdfary Cautions. I· Tha( you urge not a pro-- mifc in an~ d~ubt!ul point, or fuc~ as you have not tirH convinced them. of. 2· That you urge not a prom,fe m thmgs beyond thm prefent llrength : As you mufl not btd them promi{e you 10 Brlieve, or to Love God, or to be tender-hearted, or heavenly-minded ; but to do thofe duties which .tend to t~t{e, as to hear the,Word, or read, or pray, or meditate, or keep good comPany, or ~v~1d temptations, &c. 3· That you be not too often upon this, (or upon one and the (arnc llram m the other methods) left they take them but for words of co•rfe, and cuflome teach them Ffff • to
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=