[286] Hebrews iii, 13.
§ 6. Yet, lest you run into extremes, I advise you to do it with prudence and discretion. Choose the fittest season. Deal not with men when they are in a passion, or where they will take it for a disgrace. When the earth is soft, the plough will enter. Take a man when he is under affliction, or newly impressed under a sermon. Christian faithfulness requires us, not only to do good when it falls in our way, but to watch for opportunities. Suit yourself also to the quality and temper of the person. You must deal with the ingenious, more by argument than persuasion. There is need of both to the ignorant. The affections of the convinced should be chiefly excited. The obstinate must be sharply reproved. The timorous must be dealt with tenderly. Love, and plainness, and seriousness, take with all; but words of terror some can scarce bear. Use also the aptest expressions. Unseemly language makes the hearers loathe the food they should live by; especially if they be men of curious ears, and carnal hearts. Let all your reproofs and exhortations be backed with the authority of God. Let sinners be convinced that you speak not of your own head. Turn them to the very chapter and verse where their sin is condemned, and their duty commanded. The voice of man is contemptible, but the voice of God is awful and terrible. They may reject your words, that dare not reject the words of the Almighty. Be frequent with men in this duty of exhortation. If we are always to pray and not to faint, because God will have us importunate with himself: the same course, no doubt, will be most prevailing with men. Therefore we are commanded to exhort one another daily;[287] and with all long-suffering.[288] The fire is not always brought out of the flint at one stroke; nor men's affections kindled at the first exhortation. And if they were, yet if they be not followed, they will soon grow cold again. Follow sinners with your loving and earnest entreaties, and give them no rest in their sin. This is true charity, the way to save men's souls, and will afford you comfort upon review. Strive to bring all your exhortations to an issue. If we speak the most convincing words, but all our care is over with our speech, we shall seldom prosper in our labors: But God usually blesses their labors, whose very heart is set upon the conversion of their hearers, and who are therefore inquiring after the success of their work. If you reprove a sin, cease not till the sinner promises you to leave it, and avoid the occasions of it. If you are exhorting to a duty, urge for a promise to set upon it presently. If you would draw men to Christ, leave not, till you have made them confess the misery of their present unregenerate state, and the necessity of Christ, and of a change, and have promised you to fall close to the use of means. O that all Christians would take this course with all their neighbors that are enslaved to sin, and strangers to Christ!—Once more, be sure your example exhort as well as your words. Let them see you constant in all the duties you persuade them to. Let them see in your lives that superiority to the world, which your lips recommend. Let them see by your constant labors for heaven, that you indeed believe what you would have them believe. A holy and heavenly life, is a continual pain to the consciences of sinners around you, and continually solicits them to change their course.
[287] Hebrews iii, 13.
[288] 2 Timothy iv, 2.
§ 7. (3.) Besides the duty of private admonition, you must endeavor to help men to profit by the public ordinances. In order to that, endeavor to procure for them faithful ministers, where they are wanting. How shall they hear without a preacher?[289] Improve your interest and diligence to this end, till you prevail. Extend your purses to the utmost. How many souls may be saved by the ministry you have procured? It is a higher and nobler charity, than relieving their bodies. What abundance of good might great men do, if they would support in academical education, such youth as they have first carefully chosen for their ingenuity and piety, till they should be fit for the ministry?—And when a faithful ministry is obtained, help poor souls to receive the fruit of it. Draw them constantly to attend it. Remind them often what they have heard, and if it be possible, let them hear it repeated in their families, or elsewhere. Promote their frequent meeting together, besides publicly in the congregation; not as a separate church, but as part of the church more diligent than the rest in redeeming time, and helping the souls of each other heaven-ward. Labor also to keep the ordinances, and ministry in esteem. No man will be much wrought on by that which he despiseth. An apostle says, We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.[290]
[289] Romans x, 14.
[290] 1 Thessalonians v, 12, 13.
§ 8. (II.) Let us now a little inquire, what may be the causes of the gross neglect of this duty; that the hinderances being discovered, may the more easily be overcome. One hinderance is, men's own sin and guilt. They have not themselves been ravished with heavenly delights; how then should they draw others so earnestly to seek them? They have not felt their own lost condition, nor their need of Christ; nor the renewing work of the Spirit, how then can they discover these to others? They are guilty of the sins they should reprove, and this makes them ashamed to reprove. Another is a secret infidelity prevailing in men's hearts. Did we verily believe, that all the unregenerate and unholy shall be eternally tormented, how could we hold our tongues, or avoid bursting into tears, when we look them in the face? Especially when they are our near and dear friends? Thus doth secret unbelief consume the vigor of each grace and duty. O Christians, if you did verily believe, that your ungodly neighbors, wife, husband, or child, should certainly lie for ever in hell, except they be thoroughly changed before death shall snatch them away, would not this make you address them day and night till they were persuaded? Were it not for this cursed unbelief, our own and our neighbor's souls would gain more by us than they do. These attempts are also much hindered by our want of charity and compassion for men's souls. We look on miserable souls, and pass by, as the priest and Levite by the wounded man. What though the sinner, wounded by sin, and captivated by Satan, do not desire thy help himself; yet his misery cries aloud. If God had not heard the cry of our miseries, before he heard the cry of our prayers, and been moved by his own pity, before he was moved by our importunity, we might long have continued the slaves of Satan. You will pray to God for them, to open their eyes, and turn their hearts; and why not endeavor their conversion, if you desire it? And if you do not desire it, why do you ask it? Why do you not pray them to consider and return, as well as pray God to convert and turn them? If you should see your neighbor fallen into a pit, and should pray to God to help him out, but neither put forth your hand to help him, nor once direct him to help himself, would not any man censure you for your cruelty and hypocrisy? It is as true of the soul as the body. If any man seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Or what love hath he to his brother's soul? We are also hindered by a base, man-pleasing disposition. We are so desirous to keep in credit and favor with men, that it makes us most unconscionably neglect our known duty. He is a foolish and unfaithful physician, that will let a sick man die for fear of troubling him. If our friends are distracted, we please them in nothing that tends to their hurt. And yet when they are beside themselves in point of salvation, and in their madness posting on to damnation, we will not stop them, for fear of displeasing them. How can we be Christians, that love the praise of men more than the praise of God? For if we seek to please men, we shall not be the servants of Christ. It is common to be hindered by sinful bashfulness. When we should shame men out of their sins, we are ourselves ashamed of our duties. May not these sinners condemn us, when they blush not to swear, be drunk, or neglect the worship of God; and we blush to tell them of it, and persuade them from it? Bashfulness is unseemly in cases of necessity. It is not a work to be ashamed of, to obey God in persuading men from their sins to Christ. Reader, hath not thy conscience told thee of thy duty many a time, and put thee on to speak to poor sinners; and yet thou hast been ashamed to open thy mouth, and so let them alone to sink or swim? O read and tremble, Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels.[291] An idle and impatient spirit hindereth us. It is an ungrateful work, and sometimes makes men our enemies. Besides, it seldom succeeds at the first, except it be followed on. You must be long teaching the ignorant, and persuading the obstinate. We consider not what patience God used towards us, when we were in our sins. Woe to us, if God had been as impatient with us, as we are with others. Another hinderance is self-seeking. All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's,[292] and their brethren's. With many, pride is a great impediment. If it were to speak with a great man, and it would not displease him, they would do it. But to go among the poor, and take pains with them in their cottages; where is the person that will do it? Many will rejoice in being instrumental to convert a gentleman; and they have good reason; but overlook the multitude; as if the souls of all were not alike to God. Alas, these men little consider how low Christ stooped to us! Few rich, and noble, and wise are called. It is the poor that receive the glad tidings of the gospel. And with some their ignorance of the duty hindereth them from performing it. Either they know it not to be a duty, or at least not to be their duty. If this be thy case, reader, I am in hope thou art now acquainted with thy duty, and wilt set upon it.
[291] Mark viii, 38.
[292] Philippians ii, 21.