TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 437 method for meditation, both because it agreed) not With, my present resolved brevity, and because the persons that I now deal with, are not capable of ob.; serving such rules ; and if ány desire such helps, they may transfer the directions which are given on another subject in my book of Rest, to the subject now in hand. 1. Do not stay till such thoughts will come of them- selves into your minds, but set yourselves purposely to consider of these matters. Take some time to call your souls to an account concerning their present state, and their preparations for eternity. If a heathen Se- neca could call himself every night to an account for the evil committed and the rod omitted in the .day past, as he professed that he ordinarily did ; why may not even an unconverted man, that bath the Helps that are now among us, bethink himself of the state of his soul? But I know that a carnal heart is exceeding backward to serious consideration, and is loth to be troubled with such thoughts as these ,and the devil will do what he can to hinder it, by himself and others; but yet if men would do what they rnáy do, it might be better with them than it is. Will you but now and then purposely withdraw yourselves from company into some secret place, and there set the Lord before your eyes, and call your souls to a strict account about the matters that I have mentioned even now, and make it your business to exercise your reason upon them ; and as you purposely go* to church to hear, so pur- posely set yourselves to this duty of consideration, as a necessary thing. '2. When you are upon it, labour to waken your souls, and to be very serious in all your thoughts; and do not think of the matters of salvation, as you would of an ordinary trivial business, which you do not much .regard or care'how it goes. But remember that your life lieth on it, even" your everlasting "life : and there- fore call up the most earnest of your thoughts, and rouse up all the powers of your souls, and suffer them not to draw back, but command ,them to the work : and 'then set the seven points that I mentioned even
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