and
concernment in the world. Let me then beseech you to weigh these things in
the balance of the sanctuary,--your souls, and this world, the kingdom of
God, and many temporal things, such as food and raiment. Ye never enter
into the comparison of these things in your mind. If ye did, would ye not
see to which side the balance would turn? Therefore we would have you look
upon these words of our Saviour, which are the just balance of the
sanctuary. Behold how the question is stated, how the comparison goeth. It
is not whether I shall want food and raiment, and other necessary things
here, or the kingdom of God hereafter? It is not thus cast--in the one
balance, the present life and its accommodations, in the other, the life
to come and God's kingdom. Indeed if it were so, without all controversy
this kingdom would carry it. I say, if there were an inconsistency
supposed between a life here, and a life hereafter, suppose no man can be
godly, except he be miserable, poor, naked, afflicted, extremely indigent,
yet I say the balance thus casten, would be clear to all men that judged
aright. Would not eternity weigh down time? Would not an immortal soul
weigh down a mortal body? What proportion would the raiment of wool, or
gold, or silk have to the white and clean linen, the robes of
righteousness, the robes of saints, and to the crown of glory that fadeth
not away? What proportion would our perishing pleasures have to the rivers
of pleasures, pure, unmixed, undefiled pleasures at God's right hand for
evermore? Would ye thus rate this present span, inch, and shadow of time,
if ye considered the endless endurance of eternity? I am sure reason
itself might be appealed unto, though faith were not to judge.

Though it would hold well enough so, yet our Lord Jesus Christ states the
controversy otherwise, and holds out another balance, that it may be the
more convincing and clear, if it were possible even, to overcome natural
consciences with the light of it. And it is this, in the one hand you may
see food and raiment, things that belong to this life; and, on the other
hand, you may behold the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, grace, and
glory; and, besides that, even all these other things that ye did see in
the other hand, food, raiment, &c., "all these things shall be added."

Wisdom, in the Proverbs, uses such a device to catch poor, foolish, and
simple men: "Happy," says Solomon, "is the man that findeth wisdom, and
th