e336 A SERMON OF REPENTANCE. would be great, then dwell on greatest things; if you would be high, then seek the things that are above, and not the sordid things of earth, (Col. iii. 1 -3.) and if you would be safe, look after the enemies of your peace; and, as you had thoughts of sin that led you to commit it, entertain the thoughts that would lead you to abhor it. O that I might havebut the grant ofthis reasonable re- quest from you, that, among all your thoughts, you would bestow now and then an hour in the serious thoughts of your misdoings, and soberly, in your retirement between God and your souls, re- member the paths that you have trod; and whether you have lived for the work for which you were created. One sober hour of such employment might be the happiest hour that ever you spent, and give you more comfort at your final hour than all the former hours of your life; and might lead you into that new and holy life, which you may review with everlasting comfort. Truly, gentlemen, I have long observed that Satan's advantage lieth so much on the brutish side, that the work or man's conver- sion is so much carried on by God's exciting of our reason, and that the misery of the ungodly is, that they have reason in faculty, and. not in use, in the greatest thing, that I persuade you to this duty with the greater hopes ; if the Lord will but persuadeyou to retire from vanity, and soberly exercise your reason, and consider your ways, and say, What have we done? And what is it that God would have us do? And what shall we wish we had done at last? I say; could you now be but prevailed with to be- stow as many hours on this work,'as you have cast away 'in idle- ness, or worse, I. should not doubt but I should shortly see the faces of many of you in heaven that have been recovered by the use of this advice. It is a thousand pities, that men are thought wise enough to be intrusted with the public safety, and to be the physicians of a broken state, should have any among them that are 'untrusty to their God, and have not the reason to remember their misdoings, and prevent the danger of their immortal souls. Will you sit all day here to find out the remedyof a diseased land ; and will you not be entreated by God or man to sit down one hour, and find out the disease of, and remedy for, your own souls? Are those men likely to take care of the happiness of so many thou- sands; that will still be so areless of themselves ? Once more, therefore, I entreat you, rememberyour misdoings, lestGod re- member them ; and bless the Lord that called you this day, by the voice of mercy, to remember 'them upon terms of faith and hope. Remembered theymust be, first or last. And believe it, this is far unlike the sad remembrance at judgment, and in the place of woe and desperation. And I' beseech you observe here, that it is your own misdoings that you must remember. , Had it been onlythe sins of other men
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