The saints everlasting rest

4. Consider, What a thing it will be, to look upon your poor friends in those flames, and to think that your neglect was a great cause of it! And that there was a time when you might have done much to prevent it. If you should there perish with them, it would be no small aggravation of your torment; if you be in heaven, it would sure be a sad thought, were it possible that any sorrow could dwell there, to hear a multitude of poor souls there to cry out forever. O if you would but have told me plainly of my sin and danger, and dealt roundly with me. I might have escaped all this torment, and been now in rest! O what a sad voice will this be!

5. Consider, How diligent are the enemies of these poor souls to draw them to hell. And if no body be diligent in helping them to heaven, what is like to ⟨p. 228⟩become of them? The devil is tempting them day and night: their inward lusts are still working and withdrawing them: the flesh is still pleading for its delights and profits: their old companions are ready to entice them to sin, and to disgrace GOD'S ways and people to them, and to contradict the doctrine of Christ that should save them, and to increase their dislike of holiness. Seducing teachers are exceeding diligent in sowing tares, and in drawing off the unstable from the way to life: and shall a seducer be so unwearied in proselyting poor ungrounded souls to his fancies? And shall not a sound christian be much more unwearied in labouring to win men to Christ and life?

6. Consider, The neglect of this doth very deeply wound when conscience is awakened. When a man comes to die, conscience will ask him, What good hast thou done in thy life-time? The saving of souls is the greatest good; What hast thou done towards this? How many hast thou dealt faithfully with? I have oft observed, that the consciences of dying men, very much wound them for this omission. For my own part (to tell you my experience) when ever I have been near death, my conscience hath accused me more for this than for any sin: it would bring every ignorant, profane neighbour to my remembrance, to whom I never made known their danger: it would tell me, thou shouldst have gone to them in private, and told them plainly of their desperate danger, without bashfulness or daubing, though it had been when thou shouldst have eaten or slept, if thou hadst no other time: conscience would remember me, how at such a time, or such a time. I was in company with the ignorant, or was riding by the way with a wilful sinner, and had a fit opportunity to have dealt with him, but did not: or at least did it by halves, and to little purpose. The LORD grant I may better obey conscience