themselves in point of salvation, and in their madness posting on to damnation, we will not stop them, for fear of displeasing them. How can we be Christians, that _love the praise of men more than the praise of God_? For if we _seek to please men, we shall not be the servants of Christ_. It is common to be hindered by sinful bashfulness. When we should shame men out of their sins, we are ourselves ashamed of our duties. May not these sinners condemn us, when they blush not to swear, be drunk, or neglect the worship of God; and we blush to tell them of it, and persuade them from it? Bashfulness is unseemly in cases of necessity. It is not a work to be ashamed of, to obey God in persuading men from their sins to Christ. Reader, hath not thy conscience told thee of thy duty many a time, and put thee on to speak to poor sinners; and yet thou hast been ashamed to open thy mouth, and so let them alone to sink or swim? O read and tremble, _Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels_.[291] An idle and impatient spirit hindereth us. It is an ungrateful work, and sometimes makes men our enemies. Besides, it seldom succeeds at the first, except it be followed on. You must be long teaching the ignorant, and persuading the obstinate. We consider not what patience God used towards us, when we were in our sins. Woe to us, if God had been as impatient with us, as we are with others. Another hinderance is self-seeking. _All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's_,[292] and their brethren's. With many, pride is a great impediment. If it were to speak with a great man, and it would not displease him, they would do it. But to go among the poor, and take pains with them in their cottages; where is the person that will do it? Many will rejoice in being instrumental to convert a gentleman; and they have good reason; but overlook the multitude; as if the souls of all were not alike to God. Alas, these men little consider how low Christ stooped to us! Few _rich_, and _noble_, and _wise are called_. It is the poor that receive the glad tidings of the gospel. And with some their ignorance of the duty hindereth them from performing it. Either they know it not to be a duty, or at least not to be their duty. If this be thy case, reader, I am in hope thou art now acquainted with thy duty, and wilt set upon it. [Footnote 291] Mark viii, 38. [Footnote 292] Philippians ii, 21.