The saints everlasting rest

5. Consider, the servants of the world and the devil are serious and diligent; they ply their work continually, as if they could never do enough: they make haste, and march furiously, as if they were afraid of coming to hell too late: they bear down ministers, and sermons, and counsel and all before them. And shall they do more for the devil, than thou wilt do for GOD? Or be more diligent for damnation, than thou wilt be for salvation? Hast not thou a better master? and sweeter employment? and sweeter encouragement and a better reward?

6. There is no jesting in heaven, nor in hell. The saints have a real happiness, and the damned a real misery; the saints are serious and high in their joy and praise; and the damned are serious and deep in their sorrow and complaints. There are no remiss or sleepy praises in heaven; nor any remiss or sleepy lamentations in hell: all men there, are in good earnest. And should we not then be serious now? I dare promise thee, the thoughts of these things will shortly be serious thoughts with thyself. When thou comest to death or judgment, O what deep heart piercing thoughts wilt thou have of eternity! Methinks I foresee thee already astonished, to think how thou couldst possibly make so light of these things! Methinks I even hear thee crying out of thy stupidity and madness!

And now having laid thee down these undeniable arguments, I do in the name of GOD demand •ay resolution: What sayest thou? Wilt thou yield obedience or not? I am confident thy conscience is convinced of thy duty. Darest thou now go on in thy common careless course, against the plain evidence of reason and commands of GOD, and against the light of thy own conscience? Darest thou live as loosely, and sin as boldly, ••d pray as seldom, and as coldly as before? Dare ou now as carnally spend the sabbath, and slumber over the service of GOD as slightly, and think of thine everlasting state as carelessly as before? Or dost thou not rather resolve to gird up the loins of thy mind, and to set thy self wholly about the work of thy salvation; and to do it with all thy might; and to break over all the oppositions of the world, and to slight all their scorns and persecutions; to cast off the weight that hangeth on thee; and the sin that doth so easily beset thee; and to run with patience and speed the race that is set before thee? I hope these are thy full resolutions: if thou art well in thy wits, I am sure they are.