The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

2. Some Ministers knowing the exceeding greatness of the burden, are loth to put ⟨p. 520⟩themselves upon it. This one Work of giving advice to all that ought to come and open their case to us, if our people did but what they ought do for their own safety, would it self in great Congregations, be more then preaching every day in the week. What then is all the rest of the work? And how can one man, yea or five, do this to five thousand souls? And then when it lieth undone, the malicious Reproachers rail at the Ministers, and accuse the people of unfitness to be Church-members; which howsoever there may be some cause of, yet not so much as they suggest; and that unfitness would best be cured by the diligence of more Labourers, which they think to cure by removing the few that do remain.

2. Some Ministers knowing the exceeding greatnes of the burthen, are loth to put ⟨p. 520⟩themselves upon it. This one Work of giving advice to all that ought to come and open their case to us, if our people did but what they ought do for their own safety, would it self in great Congregations, be more then preaching every day in the week. What then is all the rest of the work? And how can one man, yea or five, do this to five thousand souls? And then when it lieth undone, the malicious Reproachers rail at the Ministers, and accuse the people of unfitness to be Church-members; which howsoever there may be some cause of, yet not so much as they suggest; and that unfitness would best be cured by the diligence of more Labourers, which they think to cure by removing the few that do remain.

3. Also some Ministers seeing that they have more work then they can do already, think themselves uncapable of more, and therefore that its vain to put their people on it, to seek more.