6. In this call I observe that God bids him to leave his country and his father's house ; hence note —
Doct When God calls us to grace, we are not only to leave sin, but to leave the world, and all things that are dear to us in the world.
As soon as God appeared to Abraham, he was to leave Chaldea, Charran, and all, for Canaan. Faith, where it is rightly planted, turns the heart not only from sin to God, but from the world to God, from the creature to the creator, from carnal things to those that are more excellent and heavenly. Not that we must leave our possessions and renounce our estates as soon as God calls to grace, without a special call, as that trial was : Mat. xix. 21, ' If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me.' That was a special trial ; but we must come out from the world in heart and affection: Ps. xlv. 10, ' Forget thy own people, and thy father's house.' We must not be wedded in our affection to the world, but contracted and wedded to Christ. Many, if they leave gross sins, they think they are safe ; but in conversion there is a turning from the creature to God, as well as from sin to God : Mat. xix. 27, ' We have forsaken all and followed thee.' In vow and affection you must renounce the world, that you may keep your hearts loyal and chaste to Jesus Christ. You must sell all for the pearl of great price. And then take heed after conver- sion that you do not retract your vow, for your estate is no longer yours, but God's; you must part with your estate upon just and convenient reasons of religion ; when it is not consistent with the conscience of our duty to God. Nabal was but a fool to say, ' Shall I take my bread and my wine,' &c. 1 Sam. xxv. 11, and. the prodigal to say, I spend but my own. AVheu thou art converted, it is not thine, but all is left and given to God, to be disposed of according to his will and pleasure ; and when the keeping of an estate is not consistent with our duty to God, we must part with it. Sometimes Christ and the world wiU be to- gether ; but when they part, we must not forsake Christ to keep mam- mon company. When we cannot get an estate but we must quit our conscience, or keep an estate and a good conscience together ; or when
230 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XL,
violence or death divorceth us from our comforts, our heart must not be overwhelmed with grief or trouble ; let us remember by believing we forsook the world, and promised to cleave to God.
7. I observe again, that God shows him the worst even at his first calling. God might have given the call in one word, but it is ampli- fied, Gen. xii. 1. Observe —
Doct. When we give up our names to Christ, the Lord would have us sit down and count the charges, that so we may meet trouble with the more resolution.
When a virgin was enamoured with that sour philosopher, he showed her his crooked back ; thus Christ tells us the worst at first, what we must look for — trouble, hazard, inconveniences of the world. Can you deny yourselves in all this ? Luke xiv 26, ' If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.' It is a general case ; and then he useth the similitude of building, that he must sit down and count the charges. When a man hath allotted so much for building, so long as he keeps within the bounds of his allot- ment he parteth with it freely ; but when that is gone he parts with every penny after with grudging. It is good to make Christ large allowance at the first, that we may not grudge our bargain and con- tract.
8. It is said of Abraham, he obeyed and went out ; he obeyed, that signifies the consent of his mind ; and he went forth, that notes his actual obedience to that word : he not only promised, but performed.
Observe —
Doct. It is the property of faith to subject all our wills and all our interests to God's pleasure.
Faith, when it takes, it gives ; with one hand it takes Christ ; with the other hand it resigns and gives up ourselves, our relations, and all our comforts to the will of Christ. There is a notable expression, and some understand it of Abraham's obedience, Isa. xli. 2, ' He called the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot.' When God called Abraham, he called him to his foot ; and there Abraham would follow after God according to the pleasure of God. And so it is the property of faith to make us set foot by foot with God, to go after him where- soever he goes. God's call must be readily executed, whatever comes on it.