For the First of these, viz. the several sorts of persons that are guilty of the utter neglect of the duty; or of much short-coming, and overlinesse in performing it; They may be reduced to these Six The 1. Soft are they that make no Conscience at all of any thing in Religion, that never knew what it was to make Conscience to pray, read the word, confer on it, repent, or of any other duty; what wonder is it, that such persons neglect to reflect, and look back on their way, and to examine themselves; for (as Job sayeth Chap. 24: v. 17. Of the morning to the Adulterers) their way to them is as the shadow of death; Yet even these would know for a certainty, that their Consciences will speak, and so much the more terribly, as now they neglect to take any notice of them. A 2d. Sort make a kind of Conscience of external duties in Religion, such as hearing, prayer, reading the Scripture, and the like, but do neglect more spiritual and inward duties, such as, the mortification of sin, the humbling of the heart for it, wrestling with God to have victory over it, meditation, and the like: Now this duty which we are pressing, being of that sort, and serving not a little to further Repentance and mortification, and to make serious in prayer, they must, and cannot but neglect it, because they design nor▪ neither aim at these ends to which it is subservient. A 3d. Sort are such, who may now and then have a sort of tenderness in the performance of some duties, and in abstaining from several sins▪ and yet they mind not, nor make Conscience at all of this duty: I suppose there are many of you, who have your own times ⟨p. 225⟩for prayer, reading, and the like, who take no […] all for this duty: I would as• such of you, if you can make Conscience of other duties, because God commands them, who make no Conscience of this? Seeing its as clearly commanded as any of these; deceive not your selves, God will not be mocked. A 4th. Sort are such as make some essays, or rather mints to go about, even this duty, but are overly, general, confu•ed, indistinct, soon satisfied, and put to a stand in it▪ taking only a hasty view of it in the by; or a little transient look of it, when they go to prayer;
For the First of these, viz. the several sorts of persons that are guilty of the utter neglect of the duty; or of much short-coming, and overlinesse in performing it; They may be reduced to these Six The 1. Soft are they that make no Conscience at all of any thing in Religion, that never knew what it was to make Conscience to pray, read the word, confer on it, repent, or of any other duty; what wonder is it, that such persons neglect to reflect, and look back on their way, and to examine themselves; for (as Iob sayeth Chap. 24: v. 17. Of the morning to the Adulterers) their way to them is as the shadow of death; Yet even these would know for a certainty, that their Consciences will speak, and so much the more terribly, as now they neglect to take any notice of them. A 2d. Sort make a kind of Conscience of external duties in Religion, such as hearing, prayer, reading the Scripture, and the like, but do neglect more spiritual and inward duties, such as, the mortification of sin, the humbling of the heart for it, wrestling with God to have victory over it, meditation, and the like: Now this duty which we are pressing, being of that sort, and serving not a little to further Repentance and mortification, and to make serious in prayer, they must, and cannot but neglect it, because they design nor▪ neither aim at these ends to which it is subservient. A 3d. Sort are such, who may now and then have a sort of tendernesse in the performance of some duties, and in abstaining from several sins▪ and yet they mind not, nor make Conscience at all of this duty: I suppose there are many of you, who have your own times ⟨p. 225⟩for prayer, reading, and the like, who take no 〈…〉 all for this duty: I would as• such of you, if you can make Conscience of other duties, because God commands them, who make no Conscience of this? Seing its as clearly commanded as any of these; deceive not your selves, God will not be mocked. A 4th. Sort are such as make some essayes, or rather mints to go about, even this duty, but are overly, generall, confu•ed, indistinct, soon satisfied, and put to a stand in it▪ taking only a hasty view of it in the by; or a little transient look of it, when they go to prayer;
