Remains of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…Remaines of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…

Eighthly, Constancy, That which a mans heart is set upon, he will be hardly taken off from it. We must be constant in duties as well as fervent in them, Rev. 2. 3. Beloved, the work that I am now pressing you to, is not to be done once a week, or a month, or every other day; but every day. Every evening, conscience being mounted upon its tribunal, you are to give account of all the things that have passed that day. And remember this, that you never take any excuse for the omitting of this duty, at any time, but what you dare plead before God in the great day of account. It is to be performed every day: as sure as the night follows the day. Neither is this the work of a week, or a month, or a year, or of an evil time only, while the rod of God is upon your backs; no, it is the work of your life: it is a duty that you must live and dye in.

Eighthly, Constancy, That which a mans heart is set upon, he will be hardly taken off from it. We must be constant in duties as well as fervent in them, Rev. 2. 3. Beloved, the work that I am now pressing you to, is not to be done once a week, or a month, or every other day; but every day. Every evening, conscience being mounted upon its tribunal, you are to give accompt of all the things that have passed that day. And remember this, that you never take any excuse for the omitting of this duty, at any time, but what you dare plead before God in the great day of accompt. It is to be performed every day: as sure as the night follows the day. Neither is this the work of a week, or a month, or a year, or of an evil time onely, while the rod of God is upon your backs; no, it is the work of your life: it is a duty that you must live and dye in.

We should not take up this course, as the traveller takes up his cloak, which he ⟨p. 37⟩wears in a storm, but throws off when the Sun shines. This is a duty as well in prosperity, as in adversity. It is Summer-fruit as well as winter-fruit. And I pray God, that neither summers heat, may be able to blast, nor winters cold be able to kill those good beginnings of reformation, that are now, to be found among us. I am afraid, that when God hath broken off one yoke from our necks, we shall cast away another. When God shall break off the cords of the wicked from us, we shall cast away the cord of duty from us. I pray God, that when we come into Canaan, we may not forget nor cast off what we promised in the wilderness. Remember it is for your life. I shall press this upon you in the words of the Apostle,