A. 4. If you would not miss of the hea- venly kingdom take heed of delays and pro- crastinations. Mora trahit pericidum. It is an usual delusion, I will mind the king- dom of heaven, but not yet ; when I have gotten an estate and grown old, then I will look after heaven ; and, on a sudden, death surpriseth men, and they fall short of hea- ven. Delay strengthens sin, hardens the heart, and gives the devil fuller possession of a man. Take heed of adjourning and putting off seeking the kingdom of heaven, till it be too late. Caesar, deferring to rejid a letter put into his hand, was killed in the senate-house. Consider how short your life is; it is a taper soon blown out. Animautis aijusque vita in ftiga est. The body is like a vessel tuned with breath, sickness broacheth it, death draws it out. Delay not the business of salvation a day h)nger ; sometimes death strikes, and gives no warning.
A. 5. If you would not come short of the kingdom of heaven, take heed of prejudice. Many take a prejudice at religion, and on this rock dash their souls. They are pre- judiced at Christ's person, his truths, his foUowers, his ways.
(1.) They are prejudiced at his person. Mat. xiii. ;i7., " And tbey were offended In him" What is there in Christ that
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men should be offended at Inm ? lie is the •' pearl of price," Mat. xiii. 46. Are men offended at pearls and diamonds ? Christ is the wonder of beauty, Ps. xlv. 2., " Fairer than the children of men." Is there any thing in beauty to offend? Christ is the mirror of mercy, Heb. ii. IT. Why should mercy offend any? Christ is a Redeemer; why should a captive slave be offended at him who comes with a sum of money to ransom him? The prejudice men take at Christ is from the inbred pravity of their hearts. The eye that is sore cannot endure the lig-ht of the sun ; the fault is not in the sun, but in the sore eye. There are two things in Christ men are prejudiced at : 1^^. His meanness. The Jews expected a mo- narch for their Messiah ; but Christ came not with outward pomp and splendour: * his kingdom was not of this world.' The stars which are seated in the brightest orbs, are least seen; Christ, who is the bright morning-star, was not much seen ; his di- vinity was hid in the dark lanthorn of his humanity ; all who saw the man did not see the Messiah; this the Jews stumbled at, the meanness of his person. 2d. Men are prejudiced at Christ's strictness; they look upon Christ as austere, and his laws too severe, Ps. ii. 3., " Let us break their bands, and cast away their cords from us." Though to a saint, Christ's laws are no more burdensome than wings are to a bird ; yet, to the wicked, Christ's laws are a yoke, and they love not to come under restraint : hence it is they hate Christ. Though they pretend to love him as a Saviour, yet they hate him as he is the holy One.
(2.) Men are prejudiced at the truths of Christ. Is^. Self-denial. A man must deny his righteousness, Phil. iii. 9. His duties and moralities : he will graft the hope of salvation upon the stock of his own righte- ousness. 2d. He must deny his unrighte- ousness. The scripture seals no patents to sin ; it teacheth us to " de#y all ungodli- ness and worldly lusts," Tit. ii. 11. We must divorce those sins which bring in pleasures and profit. 3d. Forgiving of in- juries, Mark xi. 25. These truths men are prejudiced at; they can rather want for- giveness from God, than they can forgive others.
(3.) Men are prejudiced at the followers of Christ. \st. Their paucity ; there are but few (in comparison) that embrace Christ : but why should this offend ? Men are not offended at pearls and precious stones, because they are but few. 2d. Their poverty ; many that wear Christ's livery are low in the world : but why should this give offence? (1.) Christ hath better things than these to bestow upon his followers ; the holy anointing, the white stone, the hidden manna, the crown of glory. (2.) All Christ's followers are not humbled with poverty. Abraham was rich with gold and silver, as well as rich in faith. Though not many noble are called, yet some noble. Acts xvii. 12., " Honourable women which were Greeks believed." Constantino and Theo- dosius were godly emperors. So that this stumbling-block is removed. 3d. Their scandals ; some of Christ's followers, under a mask of piety, commit sin ; this begets a prejudice against religion ; but doth Christ or his gospel teach any such thing? The rules he prescribes are holy ; why should the master be thought the worse of, because some of his servants prove bad ?