The things that we value do deeply affect us, and some motions will be in the heart according to our estimation of them.  O sirs, if men made not light of these things, what working would there be in the hearts of all our hearers!  What strange affections would it raise in them to hear of the matters of the world to come!  How would their hearts melt before the power of the gospel!  What sorrow would be wrought in the discovery of their sins!  What astonishment at the consideration of their misery!  What unspeakable joy at the glad tidings of salvation by the blood of Christ!  What resolution would be raised in them upon the discovery of their duty!  Oh, what hearers should we have, if it were not for this sin!  Whereas now we are liker to weary them, or preach them asleep with matters of this unspeakable moment.  We talk to them of Christ and salvation till we make their heads ache:  little would one think by their careless carriage that they heard and regarded what we said, or tho we spoke at all to them.

Our estimation of things will be seen in the diligence of our endeavors.  That which we highliest value, we shall think no pains too great to obtain.  Do not those men then make light of Christ and salvation that think all too much that they do for them; that murmur at His service, and think it too grievous for them to endure? that ask His service as Judas of the ointment.  What need this waste?  Can not men be saved without so much ado?  This is more ado than needs.  For the world they will labor all the day, and all their lives; but for Christ and salvation they are afraid of doing too much.  Let us preach to them as long as we will, we can not bring them to relish or resolve upon a life of holiness.  Follow them to their houses, and you shall not hear them read a chapter, nor call upon God with their families once a day; nor will they allow Him that one day in seven which He hath separated to His service.  But pleasure, or worldly business, or idleness, must have a part And many of them are so far hardened as to reproach them that will not be as mad as themselves.  And is not Christ worth the seeking?  Is not everlasting salvation worth more than all this?  Doth not that soul make light of all these that thinks his ease more worth than they?  Let but common sense judge.

That which we most highly value, we think we can not buy too dear.  Christ and salvation are freely given, and yet the most of men go without them because they can not enjoy the world and them together.  They are called but to part with that which would hinder them Christ, and they will not do it.  They are called but to give God His own, and to resign all to His will, and let go the profits and pleasures of this world, when they must let go either Christ or them, and they will not.  They think this too dear a bargain, and say they can not spare these things:  they must hold their credit with men; they must look to their estates:  how shall they live else?