Christ's certain and sudden appearance to judgment. By Thomas Vincent, sometime Minister of Maudlins…

were not the most difficult duties I required, for your own good, and so many privileges, and the best work you could be employed in? were any of my servants so wearie• with my service, with the hardest work I set them about, as you were wearied with your idleness, and doing nothing? did not the Earth groan under such unprofitable burdens? did not Hell gape for you long ago, and Devils long for this time when you should be delivered into their powers. Take them▪ Devils bind them hand and foot.

were not the most difficult duties I required, for your own good, and so many priviledges, and the best work you could be imployed in? were any of my servants so wearie• with my service, with the hardest work I set them about, as you were wearied with your idleness, and doing nothing? did not the Earth groan under such unprofitable burdens? did not Hell gape for you long ago, and Devils long for this time when you should be delivered into their powers. Take them▪ Devils bind them hand and foot.

3. Come forth all ye that have neglected Family worship, and never sought after God in your Closets; Were not you Creatures, and did the Law of Creation require no worship? were not you subjects, and should not you have shown homage to your Sovereign? did not you live upon Gods finding and bounty every day, and should act you have acknowledged ⟨p. 72⟩your dependence? did not God bring you in to your Family Relation, and did he require no duty Did •o: he threaten to pour out his wrath upon irreligious Families? and yet would not you set up Religion in yours? had you any business to do in your Houses, of that consequence, as Worshipping God in your houses? if you had not ability to pra•• at first with others, might not you have attained it, had you used to pray by your selves: would not God have helped you had you been wiling to have been helped? had you been sensible of sin, would you have wanted words in Confession? had you been sensible of your wants, would you have lacked expressions to make them known? was it curiosity and elegance of words, that God it much looked for? would not sighs and groans have been understood? would not the Scriptures have furnished you with expressions, had you used to read them? would not Sermons have furnished you with matter and expressions had you used to repeat them? had you need of such and such things for your Families, and had you no need of Gods blessing? and could you hope for this blessing, if you did not worship him? might not you have prospered more in the World, if you had used to pray more in your houses? might not you have had more comfort in your Relations, if you had daily engaged with them in the Duties of Gods Worship might not Family Prayer have prevented much sin and sorrow which you brought upon you? did not you fall into many snares daily, for want of the Armour of Prayer? had your Children and Servants no need of religious education? were they like to be obedient and faithful to you, if you did not teach them to be obedient and faithful unto God? had not you the charge of their souls put into your hands? and what account can you give? have not you brought their blood upon your heads? have not you contracted to your selves the guilt of their sins? can you endure to hear their curses and anning of you for neglecting to give them such religious education, as might have been the means of their salvation?