[4.] With respect to the disproportion that is between the things that temi)t us to look back, and those things that are set before us.
(1.) The things that tempt us to look back are the pleasures of sin and the profits of the world. Both are but a temi)orary enjoyment : Heb. xi. 25, ' The pleasures of sin, which are but for a season.' The pleasures of sin are base and brutish, which captivate and bring a slavery on the soul, Titus iii. 3. The enjoyments of the world cannot last long ; your gust and relish of them, within a little while will be gone, 1 John ii. 17 ; yet these are the things that tempt you to forget and draw you off from God. And will you marry your souls again to those sins from which they were once divorced, and for such paltry vanities repent of your obedience to God, even after you have made
Luke IX. 57-62.] evil of looking back. 137
trial of him ? Are these things grown better, or God grown worse, that you should turn your hearts from him to them ?
(2.) The things that are before you are God and heaven ; recon- ciliation with God, and the everhisting fruition of him in glory.
Eeconciliation with God, with the consequent benefits ; communion with God now, peace of conscience, the gift of the Spirit, and the hopes of glory. If there were no more than these, shall we look back ? Can we find better things in the world ? Alas ! there is nothing here but fears and snares, a vexatious uncertainty, and polluting enjoy- ments, such as may easily make us worse, but cannot make us better. What is this but to forsake the cold flowing waters for a dirty puddle? Jer. xviii. 14, our own mercies for lying vanities, Jonah ii. 8.
The everlasting fruition of him in glory. Shall we look back that are striving for a ci-own of endless glory, as if we were weary of the pursuit, and give it over as a hopeless or fruitless business ? If Christ will lead us to this glory, let us follow him, and go on in what is well begun without looking back. Never let us leave a crown of glory for a crown of thorns.
Use. Is for instruction, to teach us what to do if we would set about the strict practice of religion.
1. See that your worldly love be well mortified, for till you be dead to the world God cannot recover his interest in your souls, nor the divine nature be set up there with any life and power, 2 Peter i. 4 ; see also 1 John ii, 15, and 1 John v. 4. Till this be done, God and glory cannot be your ultimate end, nor the main design of your life ; for the world will turn your hearts another way, and will have the principal ruling and disposing of your lives : the world will have that love, trust, care, and service that belongeth to God, and be a great hindrance to you in the way to heaven, and you will never have peace. The world doth first delude you, and then disquiet you, and if you cleave to it as your portion, you must look for no more. Well, then, mortified it must be ; for how can you renounce the world as an enemy if your hearts be not weaned from it so far that it is a more indifferent thing to you to have it or want it, and that you be not so eager for it, or so careful about it ?
2. Let not the world steal into your hearts again, nor seem so sweet to you, for then you are under a temptation. It is our remaining folly and backsliding nature that is ever looking to the world which we have forsaken. Now, when you find this, whenever the world hath insinuated into your affections, and chilled and cooled them to God and heaven, see that the distemper be presently expelled. Pray, as David, Ps. cxix. 36, ' Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness.' Be sure to be more fruitful in good works : Luke xi. 41 , ' Give alms of such things as you have, and behold all things are clean unto you.' We renounced the world in our baptismal vow, we overcame the world in our whole after course. It is not so got out of any but that we still need an holy jealousy and watchfulness over ourselves. Now, that we may do both of these, I shall give you some directions.
[1.] Fix your end and scope, which is to be everlastingly happy in the enjoyment of God. The more you do so, the less in danger you
133 EVIL OF LOOKING BACK. [LuKE IX. 57-G2.
will be of looking back. We are often pressed to lay up treasures in heaven, ]\Iat. vi. 20 ; and, as those that are ' risen with Christ,' to • seek tlie things which are above/ Col. iii. 1. Our Lord himself saith to the young man, Mark x. 21, 'Go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and tliou shalt have treasures in heaven.' If your life and business be for heaven, and your mind be kept intent on the greater matters of everlasting life, nothing will divert you therefrom ; you will almost be ready to forget earth, because you have higher and better things to mind. It is not barely thinking of the troubles of the world, or confessing its vanities, will cure your distempers, but the true sight of a better hajjpiness. A little in hand is better, you will think, than uncertain hopes ; but a sound belief, which is ' the sub- stance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,' that openeth heaven to you, and will soon make you of another mind.