A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

Use 3.

BY this time you may see your selves that the disease of sinners is in their own hearts, and it is that that must be healed if they will be saved. But what should we do to get into those hearts, to search your sores, and work the cure? I come now to the principal part of my message to you; but will you indeed entertain it, if it prove it self to be from God? How the case standeth with mankind, you have heard in my Text from Christ himself: How One thing is needful; and how the busy-idle world is diverted from this One thing, by many needless troublesome things to their own destruction: If hence I warn you of your danger, and tell you of your duty, and exhort you to take another course ⟨p. 49⟩then you have done, I hope you will confess I do but what is needful both for you and me, and what you have no reason to contradict. Come then, for the Lords sake, and let us treat practically and successfully about so great a business; and make something of it before we leave it; and end not till we amend what we find amiss. What course then will you take for the time to come? Will you go on to trouble your selves about Many things, and neglect the One thing needful as you have done? Dare you harbour such a purpose? Or dare you stifle those thoughts and motions that would tend to better purposes? Or may I not hope that the Light hath shamed your sleepiness and works of darkness, and that you are grieved at the heart for the sinful negligence of heart and life, and resolved now to be new men? For Gods sake Resolve, Sirs. What will you do? Waver not, but Resolve: Its more then a thousand lives that lieth on your Resolution: I come to you this day as the Minister of the great Pastor of the flock, that spake these words, not only to acquaint you, if you know not, or to remember you if you know, that One thing is needful; but also with authority to command you in his name, to Value it, to Love it, to Choose it, to seek it, and labour for it as the One thing needful. What say you, will you or will you not? This unspeakable mercy I offer you from the Lord: He is willing to put up at your hands, all that is past, and to lay all your sins on the score of Christ, and freely to forgive you through the virtue of his blood, if you will now at last bethink you better, and come to Christ, and live as men that know what they have to do: