The saints everlasting rest

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 ⟨p. 229⟩hereafter while I live and have time, that it may have less to accuse me of at death!

7. Consider, lastly, the happy consequences of this work, where it is faithfully done: to name some:

1. You may be instrumental in that blessed work of saving souls, a work that Christ came down and died for, a work that the angels of GOD rejoice in; for, saith the Holy Ghost, If any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.