2. The rea.sons of Chri.st's refusal. Christ would show hereby — (1.) That all human offices and duties must give })lace to the duty we owe to God. Duty to parents must be observed, but duty to God nmst be pre- ferred before that or anything Avhatsoever. A truth justified by Christ's own example. He began betimes, at twelve years olil, when he was dis-
Luke IX. 57-02.] obeying of Christ's call. 123
putingwith tlie doctors, and his parents souglit for him : Luke ii. 40, 'He said unto them, How is it that you souglit me y Wist you not that I must be about my Fatlier's business ?' iSo Mat. xii. 47, 48, when his mother and kinth-ed waited for liim, desiring to speak with him, ' He answered and said unto him that tokl him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?' Obedience to God, and declaring his Father's will, was dearer to him than all lelations. Natural and secular respects swayed not with him in comparison of gaining proselytes to heaven ; his mother's conference with him was nothing to his Father's service, and teaching the peoj)le a more acceptable woik than paying a civility to his natural relations. So John ii. 4, ' Woman, what have I to do with thee ? mine hour is not yet come.' His office to which he was sent by God was a matter in which she, though his earthly parent, was not to interpose ; God's work must be done in God's own way, time, and method : God hath greater authority over you than all the men in the world. (2.) He would teach us liereby that the ministry requires the whole man, even sometimes the omission of necessary works, much more superfluous : * Give thyself wholly to these things,' 1 Tim. iv. 15.
The words are now explained ; the practical notes are these two : —
First, That nothing in the world is a matter of such great weight as to be a sufficient excuse for not following of Christ.
Secondly, That those who are called to follow Christ should follow him speedily, without interposing any delays.
For the first point, that nothing in the world is a matter of such great weight as to be a sufficient excuse for not following of Christ, I will illustrate it by these considerations : —
1. There are two sorts of men. Some understand not their Lord's will, others have no mind to do it, Luke xii. 47, 48. Some understand not the terms of the gospel ; they think to have Christ, and the plea- sures of the flesh and the world too. But there are others who under- stand Christ's terms, but are loth to become Christ's disciples ; they know their master's will, but they do not prepare themselves to do it ; that is, they do not presently set upon the work, but make so many delays that it plainly appeareth that they are loth to yield to Christ's terms ; that is, to turn their backs upon the vanities of the world, and renounce their most pleasing sins, and to take the word for their rule, the Spirit for their guide, and eternal life for their felicity and happi- ness : to such we now speak.
2. They that have no mind to follow Christ put off the matter with dilatory shifts and excuses. To refuse altogether is more heinous, and therefore they shift it off for a time. Non vacat is the pretence — I am not at leisure. Non 'placet, I like it not, is the real interpretation, disposition, and inclination of their hearts, for excuses are always a sign of an unwilling and backward heart. When they should serve God there is still something in the way, some danger, or some diffi- culty which they are loth to encounter with. As Prov. xxvi. 13, ' The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way, there is a lion in the streets.' Palestine was a land infested with lions, becau.se of the many deserts and thickets that were in it, but being well peopled, they did rarely appear. Now the sluggard taketli this pretence from
124 NO EXCUSE AGAINST A SPEEDY [LUKE IX. 57-02.
thence. If his hnsiness lay in the fields, there was a lion in the way ; if his business lay in the towns and cities, there is a lion in the streets, as sometimes, thou<;h but rarely, they came into places inhabited and of great resort. Now, if he should go about his business too early, he might meet with a lion in his range and walk before they were retired into their dens. Thus do men alarm themselves with their own foolish fears to excuse their idleness and negligence. So again Prov. xv. 19, ' The way of the slothful is as an hedge of thorns, but the way of the righteous is made })lain.' They imagine difficulties and intolerable hardships in a course of godliness : but it is their cowardice and pusil- lanimous negligence which maketh the ways of God seem hard : they are all comfortable, plain, and easy to the pure and upright heart and willing mind. Come we to the New Testament : Luke x'lv. 18-20, 'They all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said, I have bought me a piece of ground, and I must go to see it ; I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them ; I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and cannot come.' The meaning is, many were invited to everlasting happiness, but they preferred their designs of worldly advantages. Mark, they do not absolutely deny, but make excuse. Excuses are the fruit of the quarrel between conviction and corruption. They are convinced of belter things, but being pre- possessed and biassed with worldly inclinations, they dare not fully yield nor flatly deny, therefore they choose a middle course, to make excuses. Doing is safe, or preparing ourselves to do, but excusing is but a patch u[)on a filthy sore, or a poor covering of fig-leaves for a naughty heart.