is preparing for you, and offereth you, if you will only accept of it; and oh think, whether it be not madness to slight such an endless glory, and to prefer these fleshly dreams, and earthly shadows before it. Accustom yourself to such considerations as these, when you are alone, and let them dwell upon your mind. Thirdly, I entreat, that you will presently, without any more delay, accept of this felicity, and this Saviour: close with the Lord Jesus that offereth you this eternal life: joyfully and thankfully accept his offer, as the only way to make you happy: and then you may believe that all your sins will be done away by him. Fourthly, Resolve presently against your former sins: find out what hath defiled your heart and life, and cast it from you, as you would do poison out of your stomach; and abhor the thought of taking it again.

"My last request to you is, that you will set yourself to the diligent use of the means of grace, till this change be wrought, and then continue the use of these means till you are confirmed, and at last perfected. 1. As you cannot of yourself effect this change upon your heart and life, betake yourself daily to God in prayer, and beg earnestly, as for your life, that he will pardon all your sins, and change your heart, and show you the riches of his grace in Christ, and the glory of his kingdom. Follow God day and night with these requests. 2. Fly from temptations and occasions of sin, and forsake your former evil company, and betake yourselves to the company of those that fear God, and will help you in the

way to heaven. 3. Be specially careful to spend the Lord's day in holy exercises, both public and private, and lose not one quarter of an hour of any of your time; but especially of that most precious time, which God hath given you purposely, that you may set your mind upon him, and be instructed by him, and prepare yourself for your latter end. What say you to these things? Will you do this presently, or at least so much of it as you can? Will you give me a promise to this effect, and study henceforth to keep that promise ?"

And here be sure, if you can, to get their promise, and engage them to amendment, especially to use the means of grace, and to change their company, and to forsake their sins, because these are more within their reach; and in this way they may wait for the accomplishing of that change that is not yet wrought. And do this solemnly, reminding them of the presence of God, who heareth their promises, and who will expect the performance of them; and when you afterward have opportunity, you may remind them of their promise.

IX. At the dismissing of them, do these two things:

1. Mollify their minds again by a few words, deprecating anything like offence. For example: "I pray you take it not ill that I have put you to this trouble, or dealt thus freely with you: It is as little pleasure to me as to you: If I did not know these things to be true and necessary, would have spared this labour to myself and you;

but I know that we shall be here together but a little while: We are almost at the world to come already; and therefore it is time for us all to look about us, and see that we be ready when God shall call us."

2. As you may not soon have an opportunity to speak with the same persons, set them in the way of perfecting what you have begun. 1. Engage the master of each family to call all his family to repeat, every Lord's day, what they have learned of the catechism; and to continue this practice till they have all learned it perfectly: and when they have done so, still to continue to hear them regularly recite it, that they may not forget it; for, even to the most judicious, it will be an excellent help to have in memory a sum of the Christian Religion, as to matter, method, and words. 2. As to the rulers of families themselves, or those that are under such masters as will not help them, if they have learned some part of the catechism only, engage them either to come again to you (though before their course) when they have learned the rest, or else to go to some able experienced neighbour, and repeat it to him; and do you take the assistance of such persons, when you cannot have time yourself.

X. Have the names of all your parishioners by you in a book; and when they come and repeat the catechism, note in your book who come, and who do not; and who are so grossly ignorant as to be unfit for the Lord's supper and other holy communion, and who not: and as you perceive the necessities of each, so deal with them for the

future. But as to those that are utterly obstinate, and will not come to you, nor be instructed by you, deal with them as the obstinate despisers of instruction should be dealt with, in regard to sealing and confirming ordinances; which is, to avoid them, and not to hold holy or familiar communion with them, in the Lord's supper or other ordinances. And though some reverend brethren are for admitting their children to baptism (and offended with me for contradicting it), yet so cannot I, nor shall I dare to do it upon any pretences of their ancestors' faith, or of a dogmatical faith of these rebellious parents.

XI. Through the whole course of your conference with them, see that the manner as well as the matter be suited to the end. And concerning the manner observe these particulars :

1. That you make a difference according to the character of the persons whom you have to deal with. To the youthful, you must lay greater shame on sensual voluptuousness, and show them the nature and necessity of mortification. To the aged, you must do more to disgrace this present world, and make them apprehensive of the nearness of their change, and the aggravations of their sin, if they shall live and die in ignorance or impenitency. To inferiors and the young, you must be more free; to superiors and elders, more reverend. To the rich, you must show the vanity of this world; and the nature and necessity of self-denial; and the damnableness of preferring the present state to the next; together with the necessity of improving their talents in doing good

to others. To the poor, you must show the great riches of glory which are offered to them in the gospel, and how well present comfort may be spared, when everlasting joy may be got. Those sins must also be most insisted on which each one's age, or sex, or temperament, or calling and employment in the world, doth most incline them to; as in females, loquacity, evil speeches, passion, malice, pride; in males, drunkenness, ambition, &c.

2. Be as condescending, familiar, and plain as possible, with those that are of weaker capacity. 3. Give them Scripture proof of all you say, that they may see that it is not you only, but God by you that speaketh to them.

4. Be as serious in the whole exercise, but especially in the applicatory part, as you can I scarce fear anything more, than that some careless ministers will slubber over the work, and do all superficially and without life, and destroy this as they do all other duties, by turning it into a mere formality; putting a few cold questions to their people, and giving them two or three cold words of advice, without any life and feeling in themselves, and not likely to produce any feeling in the hearers. But surely he that valueth souls, and knoweth what an opportunity is before him, will go through the exercise with deep seriousness, and will be as earnest with them as for life or death.

5. To this end, I should think it very necessary that, both before and in the work, we take special pains with our own hearts, to excite and