You have gained hell-fire
Hear this, all you who dwell in the world and love the world wherein you dwell. You may be highly esteemed of men, but you are an abomination in the sight of God. How long shall your souls cleave to the dust (Psalm 119:25)? How long will you load yourselves with thick clay (Habakkuk 2:6)? When will you awake and see that the open, speculative Heathen are nearer the kingdom of heaven than you? When will you be persuaded to choose the better part, that which cannot be taken away from you (Luke 10:42)? When will you seek only to lay up treasures in heaven, renouncing, dreading, abhorring all other? If you aim at laying up treasures on earth, you are not barely losing your time and spending your strength for that which is not bread (Isaiah 55:2). For what is the fruit, if you succeed? You have murdered your own soul. You have extinguished the last spark of spiritual life in it. Now indeed, in the midst of life you are in death. You are a living man but a dead Christian. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:21). Your heart is sunk into the dust. Your soul cleaves to the ground. Your affections are set not on things above but on things of the earth (Colossians 3:2), on poor husks that may poison but cannot satisfy an everlasting spirit made for God. Your love, your joy, your desire are all placed on the things which perish in the using. You have thrown away the treasure in heaven. God and Christ are lost. You have gained riches and hell-fire.
1771 text
13. *Hear ye this all ye that dwell in the world, and love the world wherein ye dwell. Ye may be highly esteemed of men; but ye are an abomination in the sight of God. How long shall your souls cleave to the dust? How long will ye load yourselves with thick clay? When will ye awake and see, that the open, speculative Heathens, are nearer the kingdom of heaven than you? When will ye be persuaded to chuse the better part; that which cannot be taken away from you? When will ye seek only to lay up treasures in heaven, renouncing, dreading, abhorring all other? If you aim at laying up treasures on earth, you are not barely losing your time, and spending your strength for that which is not bread: for what is the fruit, if you succeed? You have murdered your own soul. You have extinguished the last spark of spiritual life therein. Now indeed, in the midst of life you are in death. You are a living man, but a dead Christian. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Your heart is sunk into the dust: your soul cleaveth to the ground. Your affections are set, not on things above, but on things of the earth; on poor husks that may poison, but cannot satisfy an everlasting spirit, made for God. Your love, your joy, your desire are all placed on the things which perish in the using. You have thrown away the treasure in heaven: God and Christ are lost. You have gained riches and hell-fire.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 28 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 6:19-23.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.