The saints everlasting rest

I have showed thee the danger; let me next proceed to show thee the remedy.

I have shewed thee the danger; let me next proceed to shew thee the remedy.

If this general uncertainty of the world about their salvation were remediless, then must it be borne as ⟨p. 167⟩other unavoidable miseries: but, alas, the common cause is wilfulness and negligence: men will not be persuaded to use the remedy, though it be at hand, prescribed to them by GOD himself, and all necessary helps thereunto provided for them. The great means to conquer this uncertainty, is self-examination, or the serious and diligent trying of a man's heart and state by the rule of scripture. But, alas, either men understand not the nature and use of this duty, or else they will not be at the pains to try. Go through a congregation of a thousand men, and how few of them will you meet with, that ever bestowed one hour in all their lives in a close examination of their title to heaven? Ask thy own conscience, reader, when was the time, and where was the place, that ever thou solemnly tokedst thy heart to task, as in the sight of GOD, and examinedst it by scripture, whether it be born again or not? Whether it be holy or not? Whether it be set most on GOD or on creatures, on heaven or earth: and didst follow on this examination till thou hadst discovered thy condition, and so passed sentence on thyself accordingly?

If this general uncertainty of the world about their salvation were remediless, then must it be borne as ⟨p. 167⟩other unavoidable miseries: but, alas, the common cause is wilfulness and negligence: men will not be persuaded to use the remedy, though it be at hand, prescribed to them by GOD himself, and all necessary helps thereunto provided for them. The great means to conquer this uncertainty, is self-examination, or the serious and diligent trying of a man's heart and state by the rule of scripture. But, alas, either men understand not the nature and use of this duty, or else they will not be at the pains to try. Go through a congregation of a thousand men, and how few of them will you meet with, that ever bestowed one hour in all their lives in a close examination of their title to heaven? Ask thy own conscience, reader, when was the time, and where was the place, that ever thou solemnly tookedst thy heart to task, as in the sight of GOD, and examinedst it by scripture, whether it be born again or not? Whether it be holy or not? Whether it be set most on GOD or on creatures, on heaven or earth: and didst follow on this examination till thou hadst discovered thy condition, and so passed sentence on thyself accordingly?