The Duty of Hearkening to God's Voice

Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart. Psalms 95:7–8

'Tis a prudential maxim amongst all mankind: the things of the greatest concern should be done first. It is so plain and evident that no man can deny or question it. It is evidently a great piece of folly for a man, when his house is on fire, to spend his time in endeavoring to save some useless trifles, and in the meanwhile suffer the most precious and valuable things to be lost. It is just such a piece of folly for a man to spend all his lifetime about money, meat, drink, and clothing, and in the meanwhile take no care of himself or his everlasting welfare, but suffers his soul to run to ruin while he is busy about worldly baubles. But yet the world is full of such that do thus. They postpone the affairs of their souls to all other affairs, and take less care about losing body and soul in hellfire than in saving that which cannot profit them; and although God himself calls upon them, and entreats them to save themselves, yet they will not hearken to him, but turn him off, telling him practically that when they have a more convenient season, they will afford time to hear what he has to say to them.

Preached by Jonathan Edwards: Summer 1721-Summer 1722