TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 421 saved that is a worldling? whose heart is more on earth than heaven ? Try by 1 John ii, 15. Phil. iii. 19, Col. iii. 1. Luke xiv. 26, 33. Do you doubt whether you should serve God with your families? and instruct them, and pray with them ? Try by Josh. xxiv. 15. Deut. vi. 7. Dan. vi; 10, 11. Exod. xx. 10. Thus, if you will in all these weighty matters but go to the scripture, and see whether it says as your teachers say, you might soon be resolved, and that by the surest authority in the world. If you think that your minister may be deceived, I hope you will con- fess that God cannot be deceived. If you think that your ministers are passionate, or self - conceited, or speak out of ill-will to you, I hope you dare not say so by the Lord : he owes you no ill -will, nor speaks a word but what is most sure. If you think us partial, sure God is impartial! What better judge can you have now, than he that is infallible, and must judge you all at the last ? The law is made to judge you, and not to be judged by you. None can be the pro- per judges of the sense of the law,, but the maker of it; though others must judge their case by the law. Your work is to discern it, and understand and obey it; and our work is to help you to understand it ; but it is neither our work nor yours, to be the proper or absolute judges of it. At least where it speaks plain, it needs no judge. Come then to the word in meekness and humility, With a teachable frame of spirit, and a willingness to know the truth, and a resolution to stand to it, and yield to what shall be revealed to you ; and beg of God to show you his will, and lead you into the truth, and you will find that he will be found of them that seek him. Direction III. If you would not have the work of your conversion miscarry, my next advice is this: See that you be much in the serious consideration of the truths which you understand, between God and you in secret.
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