TO EXCITE OTHERS, &C. 167 sin and danger, and set it home, I might have escaped all this torment, and been now in rest !" What a sad voice will this be ! Consider what a joy it will be in heaven, to meet those there, whom you have been the means to bring thither. To see their faces, and join with them for ever in the praises of God, whom you were the happy instruments of bringing to the knowledge and obedience of Jesus Christ ! Con- sider how many souls you may have drawn into the way of damnation, or hardened in it. We have had, in the days of our ignorance, our companions in sin, whom we incited or encouraged. And doth it not become us, to do as much to .save men, as we have done to destroy them ? Consider how diligent are all the enemies of these poor souls to draw them to hell. The devil is tempting them day and night : their inward lusts are still working for their ruin : the flesh is still pleading for its delights: their old companions are increasing their dislike of holiness. And if nobody be diligent in helping them to heaven; what is like to become of them ? Ç 12. Consider how deep the neglect of this duty will wound, when conscience is awakened. When a man comes to die, conscience will ask him, " 'What good hast thou done in thy life - time ? The saving of souls is the greatest good work : what hast thou done towards it ? How many hast thou dealt faith- fully with ?" I have oft observed that the consciences of dying men very much wound them for this omission. For my own part, when I have been near death, my conscience hath accused me more for this than for any sin. It would bring every ignorant profane neighbour to my remembrance, to whom I never made known their danger. It would tell me, " Thou shouldst have gone to them in private, and told them plainly of their desperate danger, though it had been when thou shouldst have eaten, or slept, if thou hadst no other time." Conscience would remind me, how at such or such a time I was in company with the ignorant, or was riding by the
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