their souls in every supplication: that they are not more taken up with God; that their thoughts are not more serious in preparation for their account. I wonder that they are not a hundred times more strict in their lives; and more laborious and unwearied in striving for the crown, than they are. And for myself, as I am ashamed of my dull and careless heart, and of my slow and unprofitable course of life; so the Lord knows I am ashamed of every sermon that I preach. When I think what I have been speaking of, and who sent me, and what men's salvation or damnation is so much concerned in, I am ready to tremble, lest God should judge me as a slighter of his truth, and the souls of men, and lest in the best sermon I should be guilty of their blood. Methinks we should not speak a word to men in matters of such consequence without tears, or the greatest earnestness that possibly we can: were not we too much guilty of the sin which we reprove, it would be so.. Whether we are alone, or in company, methinks our end, and such an end, should be still in our mind, and as before our eyes; and we should sooner forget any thing, and set light by any thing, or by all things than by this.

4. Who is it that sends this weighty message to you: Is it not God himself? Shall the God of heaven speak, and men make light of it? You would not slight the voice of an angel, or a prince.

5. Whose salvation is it that you make light of? Is it not your own? Are you no more near or dear to yourselves, than to make light of your own happiness or misery? Why, sirs, do you not care whether you be saved or damned? Is self-love

lost? Are you turned your own enemies? As he that slighteth his meat doth slight his life, so, if you slight Christ, whatever you may think, you will find it was your own salvation that you slighted. Hear what he saith, "All they that hate me love death."

6. Your sin is greater, in that you profess to believe the Gospel which you make so light of. For a professed infidel to do it, that believes not that ever Christ died, or rose again, or doth not believe that there is a heaven or hell, this were no such marvel; but for you that make it your creed, and your very religion, and call yourselves Christians, and have been baptized into this faith, and seemed to stand to it, this is the wonder, and hath no excuse. What! believe that you shall live in endless joy or torment, and yet make no more of it to escape torment, and obtain that joy! What! believe that God will shortly judge you, and yet make no more preparation for it! Either say plainly, I am no Christian, I do not believe these wonderful things, I will believe nothing but what I see;' or else let your hearts be affected with your belief, and live as you say you do believe. What do you think when you repeat the creed, and mention Christ's judgment and everlasting life?

7. What are these things you set so much by, as to prefer them before Christ, and the saving of your souls? Have you found a better friend, a greater and surer happiness than this? Good Lord! What dung is it that men make so much of, while they set so light by everlasting glory! What toys are they, that they are daily taken up with, while matters of life and death are neglected!

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Why, sirs, if you had every one a kingdom in your hopes, what were it, in comparison of the everlasting kingdom? What matter is it, whether you live poor or rich, unless it were a greater matter to die rich than it is? You know well enough that death levels all. What matter is it at judgment, whether you be to answer for the life of a rich man or a poor man? Is Dives then any better than Lazarus? O that men knew what a poor, deceiving shadow they grasp at, while they let go the everlasting substance! The strongest, and richest, and most voluptuous sinners, do but lay in fuel for their sorrows, while they think they are gathering together a treasure. Alas! they are asleep, and dream that they are happy; but when they awake, what a change will they find! Their crown is made of thorns: their pleasure hath such a sting as will stick in the heart through all eternity, except unfeigned repentance do prevent it. O how sadly will these wretches be convinced, ere long, what a foolish bargain they made in selling Christ, and their salvation, for these trifles! Let your farms and merchandise then save you, if they can; and do that for you, that Christ would have done. Cry then to thy Baal to save thee! O what thoughts have drunkards and adulterers, &c. of Christ, that will not part with the basest lust for him!"For a piece of bread," saith Solomon," such men do transgress.'

8. To set so light by Christ, and salvation, is a certain mark that thou hast no part in them, and, if thou so continue, that Christ will set as light by thee: "Those that honour him he will honour, and those that despise him shall be lightly esteemed."

Thou wilt feel one day, that thou canst not live without him. Thou wilt confess then thy need of him; and then thou mayest go look for a Saviour where thou wilt; for he will be no Saviour for thee hereafter, that wouldst not value him, and submit to him here. Then who will prove the loser by thy contempt ? O what a thing will it be for a poor miserable soul to cry to Christ for help in the day of extremity, and to hear so sad an answer as this: Thou didst set light by me, and my law, in the day of thy prosperity, and I will now set as light by thee in thy adversity. Read: Prov. i. 24. to the end. Thou that, as Esau, didst sell thy birthright for a mess of pottage, shalt then find no place for repentance, though thou seek it with tears. Do you think that Christ shed his blood to save them that continue to make light of it? And to save them that value a cup of drink, or a lust, before his salvation? I tell you, sirs, though you set light by Christ and salvation, God doth not so: he will not give them on such terms as these. He valueth the blood of his Son, and the everlasting glory; and he will make you value them, if ever you have them. Nay, this will be thy condemnation, and leaveth no remedy. All the world cannot save him that sets light by Christ. None of them shall taste of his supper. Nor can you blame him to deny you what you made light of yourselves. Can you find fault, if you miss of the salvation which you slighted?

1 9. The time is near, when Christ and salvation will not be made light of as now they are. When God hath shaken those careless souls out of their bodies, and you must answer for all your sins in

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your own name; O then what would you give for a Saviour! when a thousand bills shall be brought in against you, and none to relieve you; then you will consider, O! Christ would now have stood between me and the wrath of God,-had I not despised him, he would have answered all.' When you see the world hath left you, and your companions in sin have deceived themselves and you, and all your merry days are gone; then what would you give for that Christ and salvation that now you account not worth your labour! Do you think when you see the judgment set, and you are doomed to everlasting perdition for your wickedness, that you should then make as light of Christ as now? Why will you not judge now, as you know you shall judge then? Will he then be worth ten thousand worlds, and is he not now worth your estimation, and dearest affection?

10. God will not only deny thee that salvation thou madest light of, but he will take from thee all that which thou didst value before it: he that most highly esteems Christ shall have him, and the creatures, so far as they are good here, and him without the creature hereafter, because the creature is not then useful; and he that sets more by the creature than by Christ, shall have some of the creature without Christ here, and neither Christ nor it hereafter.

So much for these considerations, which may show the true face of this heinous sin.

What think you now, friends, of this business? Do you not see by this time, what a case that soul is in, that maketh light of Christ and salvation? What need, then, is there that you should take