Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

FIRST, Some things seem very weighty, which weighed in this balance, will be found very light. (1.) Weigh the world, and all that is in it▪ the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, and the whole will be found light in the balance of eternity. Weigh herein all worldly profits, gains and advantages; and you will quickly see, that a thousand worlds will not quit the cost of the eternity of woe. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Matth. xvi. 26. Weigh the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season, with the fire that is everlasting, and you must account yourselves fools and madmen, to run the hazard of the one for the other. (2.) Weigh your afflictions in this balance, and you will find the heaviest of them very right, in respect of the weight of eternal anguish. Impatience under affliction, especially when worldly troubles do so •itter mens spirits, that they cannot relish the glad tidings of the gospel, speaks great regardlessness of eternity. As a small and inconsiderable loss will be very little at heart with him, who sees himself in hazard of losing his whole estate so troubles in the world will appear but light to him, who has a lively view of eternity. Such a one will stoop, and take up his cross, whatever it be, thinking it enough to e••ape eternal death. (3) Weigh the most difficult and uneasy duties of religion here, and you will no more reckon the yoke of Christ unsupportable. Repentance and bitter mourning for sin on earth, are very light in comparison of eternal weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth in hell. To wrestle with God in prayer, weeping and making supplication for the blessing in time is far easier than to lie under the curse through all eternity. Mortification of the most beloved lust is a light thing in comparison with the second death in hell LASTLY, Weigh your convictions in this balance O! how heavy do these […] upon many, till they get them shaken off! They are not disposed to f•ll in […] them, bu• strive to get clear of them, a• […] mig••y burden. But the w•rm of an ill conscience, will neither die nor sleep in hel, though […] it asleep […]