This sermon emphasizes the importance of surrendering to God and highlights the struggle between worldly pleasures and spiritual fulfillment. It warns against being drawn away from the Lord by the love of worldly pleasures, which can lead to spiritual poverty and broken relationships. The message calls for a lifestyle of serving God wholeheartedly and fleeing from the temptations of the world.

Edward Payson preaches about the dangers of being lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, highlighting how this character is viewed unfavorably by God, as seen in the Bible. He explains that those who prioritize worldly pleasures over God's commands are in a sinful, guilty, and dangerous condition, resisting the truth and despising the righteous. Payson urges the congregation to examine their lives and consider if they are pursuing sinful pleasures, neglecting their duties to God, and finding more satisfaction in worldly pursuits than in serving God, ultimately risking their eternal salvation by prioritizing temporary pleasures over their relationship with God.