608 MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST. If you say that you donot make light of Christ, or will not here- after, let me try you in these,few, particulars, whether indeed you mean as you say, and do not dissemble. 1. Will you for the time to come make Christ and salvation the chiefest matter of your care and study ? Thrust them not out of your thoughts as a needless or unprofitable subject; nor allow it only some running, slight thoughts, which will not affect you. But will you make it your business once a day to bethink you soberly, when you are alone, what Christ bath done for you, and what he will do, if you do, not make light of it; and what it is to be ever-' lastingly happy or miserable ; and what all things in,this world are in comparison of your salvation ; and how theywill shortly leave you ; and what mind youwill be then of, and howyou will esteem them? Will you promise me now and then to make it your busi- ness to withdraw yourselves from the world, and set yourselves to such considerations as these ? If you will not, are not you slighters of Christ and salvation, that will not be persuaded sober- ly to think on them ? This is my first question to put you to the trial, whether you will value Christ, or not. 2. Will you, for the time to came, set more by the wordof God, which contains the discoveryof these excellent things, and is your charter for salvation and your guide thereunto? You cannot set by Christ, but you must set by his word : therefore the despisers of it are threatened with destruction; Prov. xiii. 13. Will you therefore attend to the public preaching of this word? Will you read it daily? Will you resolve to obey it whatever it may cost you ? Ifyou will not do this, but make light of the word of God, you shall be judged as such as make light of Christ and salvation, whatever you may fondly promise to yourselves. 3. Will you, for the time to come, esteem more of the officers of Christ whom he hath purposely appointed to guide you to sal- vation; and will you make use of them for that end? Alas, it is not to give the minister a good word, and speak well of him, and pay him his tithes duly, that will serve the turn : it is for the ne- cessity of your souls that God hath set them in his church ; that they may be as physicians under Christ, or his apothecaries to ap- ply his remedies to your spiritual diseases, not only in public, but also in private ; that you may have some to go to for the resolving of your doubts, and for your instruction where you are ignorant, and for the help of their exhortations and prayers. Will you use hereafter to go to your ministers privately, and solicit them for ad- vice ? And if you have not such ofyour own as are fit, get advice from others ; and ask them what you shall do to be saved. How to prepare for death and judgment. And will you obey the word of God in theirmouths? Ifyou will not do this much, nor so
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=