I have heard such weighty things delivered, how people can forbear crying out in the congregation; much more how they can rest till they have gone to their ministers, and learned what they should do to be saved, that this great business might be put out of doubt.  Oh, that heaven and hell should work no more on men!  Oh, that everlastingness work no more!  Oh, how can you forbear when you are alone to think with yourselves what it is to be everlastingly in joy or in torment!  I wonder that such thoughts do not break your sleep, and that they come not in your mind when you are about your labor!  I wonder how you can almost do anything else! how you can have any quietness in your minds!  How you can eat, or drink, or rest, till you have got some ground of everlasting consolations!  Is that a man or a corpse that is not affected with matters of this moment? that can be readier to sleep than to tremble when he heareth how he must stand at the bar of God?  Is that a man or a clod of clay that can rise or lie down without being deeply affected with his everlasting estate? that can follow his worldly business and make nothing of the great business of salvation or damnation; and that when they know it is hard at hand?  Truly, sirs, when I think of the weight of the matter, I wonder at the very best of God’s saints upon the earth that they are no better, and do no more in so weighty a case.  I wonder at those whom the world accounteth more holy than needs, and scorns for making too much ado, that they can put off Christ and their souls with so little; that they pour not out their souls in every supplication; that they are not more taken up with God; that their thoughts be more serious in preparation for their account.  I wonder that they be 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 that men’s salvation or damnation is so much concerned in it, 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 still be in our mind, and before our eyes; and we should sooner forget anything, and set light by anything, or by all things, than by this.

Consider, 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.