34 The Life of Faith. than madnefs ? and would younot fpit at the very name of it, and openly cry out of your open folly, and beg for prayers, and love reprovers, and tefolve to turn without delay ? weft. 2. What would you think of the molt ferions holy life, if you had fen the things that you fay you dobelieve ? would you ever again reproach it as precifenefs ? or count it more ado than needs? and think your time were better (pent in play- ing, than in paying; in drinking, and (ports, and filthy lußs, than in the holy fervicts of the Lord? would you think then that one day in fèven, were too much for thework for which you live ; and that an hour on this holy day were enough to be Cpent in initrut}'ing you for eternity ? Or would you not be- lieve that he is the hied man, whop delight is in tbeLaw of God, and tneditatf th m it day and night ? Could you plead for fenfuality or ungodlynegligence, or open your nmouthsagainll the molt ferious holinefs of life, if Heaven and H.i flood open to your view ? O:it. 3. Ifyour , but what you foyyou do believe, would you ever again!): offenied with the Mniflert of Chri(i, for the plaineti reproofs, and clofelt exhortations, and firietelt pre- cepts and d fcipl:ne, that now are dtfrehthed fo much ? Or ra- ther, would you not defire them to helpyou prefently to try your hates, and to fearch you ro the quick, and to be more fo- licitous to fave you than to pieafe you ? The patient that will take no bitter medicine in time, when he fees h- muff die, would then take any rhino,. When you fee the things that now you hear of, then youwould do any thing : O then might you have there dales again, Sermons would not be too plain or long : Lo feafon andout offeafon would then b. allowed of. Then you would underhand what osoved Minitiers to be fo importu- nate withyou for converfion; and whether trifling or fetious preaching was the befî. Q±ef?. 4. Hod you feen the things that you fay you do be- lieve, wha t effeïi would Serment have uponyou, afterJueh a fight as this ? O what a change it would make upon our preaching, and your hearing, if we flaw the things that we Jjteak and hear of? How fervently fhould we importune you in the name of Chrifl ? How attentively would you hear, and carefully confi- der and obey ? we thould then have no fuch fleegy,preaching and
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