Use 1. You will say, AYhat is all this to us ? What use shall private christians make of it, that are not exercised with these tempta- tions ? What shall we be the better for this sermon ? What glory have I to renounce or to deny for God ?
Ans. 1. There is nothing done by Moses but what is required of all christians. See a few scriptures : Luke xiv. 26, ' If any man will come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.' Christians, what do you think ? Is this an evan- gelical council that belongs to perfect christians, or a necessary precept that belongs to all christians ? Or do you. think this was only calculated for the first christians ? You cannot have such un- worthy thoughts, that those which have the same privileges, the same spirit, the same advantages, that they should never be put to the same self-denial ; surely it holds in all ages : ver. 33, ' Whosoever of you he be that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my dis- ciple.' And that we may not think this only belongs to the first ages, as if they were to sufi'er for us, and we fail in a full stream of worldly happiness, never to hazard our interest, or lose an}*thing for God, you shall see, Mat. xiii. 45, 46, ' The kingdom of God is like unto a merchant seeking goodly pearls, who when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had. and bought it.' We must renounce all we have in the world, while we are seeking the blessed heavenly kingdom ; we must part with and forsake all things,
440 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. LIX.
even the most delicious, glorious things, though we affect them never KO much. How must we forsake them ? Always in preparation of mind, and a thorough, unbounded resolution, otherwise we are not sincere with Christ; when we cannot have these things without sin, Avhen we cannot keep them with fidelity to God's service, all shall go. Then actually when God calls hereunto ; we must forego the enjoyment of them, when they are inconsistent with, or prejudicial to our spiritual and eternal happiness. Christians, do not flatter your- selves, it is not enough to forsake sin itself, hut such things as you may justly love and lawfully enjoy ; otherwise our resignation and dedica- tion of ourselves to Christ is not true ; when God puts you upon the trial, it must be verified and made good. Oh ! think of the case of the young man : he would fain enjoy the things of the kingdom of God — Mark x. 17, ' What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ? ' — but he stuck at Christ's terms, ' and went away sad,' ver. 22. We would all fain have the kingdom of eternal glory and blessedness in the other world ; but we cannot make the way to the kingdom wider or narrower than it is. Therefore if you do not like Christ's terms, that is, to resign all in your purpose and resignation of mind, and actually forsake all when called thereunto, you shall not enter into the king- dom of God.
2. It teacheth us the nature and influence of faith. We mistake it if we think it only to be a strong confidence. It is so indeed ; but there are other things also. It is such an appreciative esteem of Christ and his benefits, that all other things are lessened in our opinion, estimation, and affection. The nature of faith is set forth by the apostle when he saith, Phil. iii. 7-10, 'What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ ; yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ ; and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Cinist, the righteousness which is of God by faith ; that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comformable unto his death.' And therefore true faith makes us dead to the world, and all the interests and honours thereof: and is to be known not so much by our confidence, as by our mortification and weanedness ; when we carry all our comforts in our hands, as ready to part with them, if the Lord called us to leave them. It is ftiith alone, and God by faith can only bring us to this resolution: Mat. xix.26, 'With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible ; ' he is able to work this temper of soul. Here in the text it was not the spirit of the world, but this mighty faith Avhereby Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Most men would rather refuse to be called the sons of God, and count it a greater honour to be advanced in prince's courts thau to be adopted into God's family. A man void of faith, which is true heavenly wisdom, is strongly inclined to the glory, honour, wealth, and delights of this world, and prefers them before heaven and the eternal felicity thereof. But faith is tried by great weanedness from the world, and carrying your comforts in your