Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

If he say, yea, to the first and third, tell him how great a thing it is for a mans heart to abhor his sin, and to lay up his happiness unfeignedly in another world, and to live in this world, for another that is out of sight! And therefore desire him to see that it be so indeed. If he say, yea, to the second question, then turn to the ninth, tenth, eleventh or twelfth Articles of the Catechism, and read over some of those Duties which you most suspect him to omit; and ask him, Whether he do perform such or such a duty: Especially Prayer (in a family or private) and the holy spending of all the Lords day: because these are of so great moment (of which anon.)

Direction 7. When you have either by former discovery of gross ignorance, or by these later enquiries into his spiritual state, discerned an apparent probability that the person is yet in an unconverted state; your next business is, to fall on with all your skill and power, to bring his heart to the sense of his condition: E. G. Truly neighbours, I have no mind, the Lord knows, to make your condition worse then it is, nor to put any causeless fear or trouble into your mind: but I suppose you would take me but for a flattering enemy, and not a faith ⟨p. 441⟩full friend, if I should daub with you, and not tell you the truth: If you sought to a Physician in your sickness, you would have him tell you the truth, though it were the worst: Much more here; For, there the knowledge of your disease may by fears increase it, but here you must know it, or else you can never be recovered from it. I much fear that you are yet a stranger to the new life of all them that Christ will save: For if you were a Christian indeed and truly converted, your very heart would have been set on God and the life to come, and you would have admired the riches of grace in Christ, and you would have made it your business to prepare for Everlasting; and you durst not, you would not, live in any wilful sin, nor in the neglect of such duties! Alas! what have you done? how have you spent your time till now? Did you not know, that you had a soul to save or lose? and that you must live in heaven or hell for ever! and that you had your life and time in this world for that purpose, to prepare for another! Alas! what have you been doing all this while that you are so ignorant, or so unprepared for death if it should now find you? If you had but had as much mind of heaven as of earth, you would have known more of it, and done more of it, and enquired more diligently after it, then you have done! You can learn how to do your business in the world, and why could you not have learned more of the will of God, if you had but minded it. You have neighbours that could learn more, that have had as much to do in the world as you, and as little time? Do you think that heaven