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 not give for that Christ and salvation that now you account not worth your labor!  Do you think that when you see the judgment seat, 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 highest 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 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 of 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 heed lest this should prove your own case!  The Lord knows it is too common a case.  Whoever is found guilty at the last of this sin, it were better for that man he had never been born.  It were better for him he had been a Turk or Indian, that never had heard the name of a Savior, and that never had salvation offered to him:  for such men “have no cloak for their sin.”  Besides all the rest of their sins, they have this killing sin to answer for, which will undo them.  And this will aggravate their misery, that Christ whom they set light by must be their Judge, and for this sin will He judge them.  Oh, that such would now consider how they will answer that question that Christ put to their predecessors:  “How will ye escape the damnation of hell” or, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” Can you escape without a Christ? or will a despised Christ save you then?  If he be accurst that sets light by father or mother, what then is he that sets light by Christ?  It was the heinous sin of the Jews, that among them were found such as set light by father and mother.  But among us, men slight the Father of Spirits!  In the name of God, brethren, I beseech you to consider how you will then bear this anger which you now make light of!  You that can not make light of a little sickness or want, or of natural death, no, not of a toothache, but groan as if you were undone; how will you then make light of the fury of the Lord, which will burn against the contemners of His grace!  Doth it not behoove you beforehand to think of these things?