You all wish to go to heaven. I know it. I am fully persuaded of it. I am certain of it. There is not one of you, however false may be your views of what you must believe and what you must do, however unscriptural the ground of your hope, however worldly-minded you may be, however careless when you get outside that church door
– there is not one of you, I say, who does not wish to go to heaven when they die. But I do sadly fear that many of you, without a mighty change, will never get there! You would like the crown – but you do not like the cross! You would like the glory – but not the grace! You would like the happiness – but not the holiness! You would like the peace – but not the truth! You would like the victory–but not the fight! You would like the reward – but not the labor! You would like the harvest – but not the ploughing! You would like the reaping – but not the sowing! And so I fear that many of you will never get to heaven!
– there is not one of you, I say, who does not wish to go to heaven when they die. But I do sadly fear that many of you, without a mighty change, will never get there! You would like the crown – but you do not like the cross! You would like the glory – but not the grace! You would like the happiness – but not the holiness! You would like the peace – but not the truth! You would like the victory–but not the fight! You would like the reward – but not the labor! You would like the harvest – but not the ploughing! You would like the reaping – but not the sowing! And so I fear that many of you will never get to heaven!
~ J.C. Ryle
The Christian Race & Other Sermons, “Enoch”, [Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishing, 2002], 200.