604 MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST. You know well enough that death levèls all. What matter is it at judgment, whether you be to answer for the life of a rich man or a .poor man ? Is Dives then any better than Lazarus ? O that men knew what a poor, deceiving shadow theygrasp at, while they let go the everlasting substance ! The strongest, and richest, and most voluptuous sinners, do but lay in fuel for their sorrows, while they think they are gathering together a treasure. Alas ! they are asleep, and dream that they are happy ; but when they awake what a changewill they find ! Their crown is made of thorns : their pleasure hath such a sting as will stick in the heart through all eter nity, except unfeigned repentance do prevent it. O, how sadly will these wretches be convinced, ere long, what a foolish bargain they made in selling Christ and their salvation for these trifles ! Let your farms' and merchandise then save, you if they can ; and dothat for youthat Christ would have done. Cry then to thy Baal to save thee ! O, what thoughts have drunkards and adulterers, &c. of Christ, that will not part with the basest lust for him ! "For a piece of bread," saith Solomon, "such men do trans- gress;" Prov. xxviii. 21. 8. To set so light by Christ and salvation is a certain mark that thou hast no partin them, and, if thou so continue, that Christwill set as light by thee. " Those that honor him he will honor, and those that despise him shall be lightly esteemed;" 1 Sam. ii. 30. Thou wilt feel one day that thou canst not livewithout him. Thou wilt confess then thy need of him ; and then thou mayst go look for a Savior where thou wilt ; for he will be no Savior for thee hereafter, that wouldst not value him, and submit to him here. Then who will prove the loser by thycontempt? O, what a thing will it be for a poor, miserable soul to cry to Christ for help in the day of extremity, and to hear so sad an answer as this ! Thou didst set light by me and my law in the day of thy prosperity, and I will now set as light by thee in thy adversity. (Read Prov. i. 24. to the end.) Thouthat, as Esau, didst sell thy birthright for a mess of pottage, shalt then find no place for repentance, though thou seek it with tears ; Heb. xii. 17. Do you think that Christ shed his blood to save them that continue to make light of it ? And to save them that value a cup of drink or a lust before his salvation ? I tell, you, sirs, though you set light by Christ and salvation, God doth not so : he will not give them on such terms as these : he valueth the blood of his Son, and the everlasting glory ; and he will make you value them if ever you have them. Nay, this will be thy condemnation, and leaveth no remedy. All the world cannot save him that sets light by Christ ; '_Heb. ü. 3. Luke xiv. 24. None of them shall taste of his supper; Matt. x. 37. Nor can you blame him to deny you what you made
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