3. If we would not rest in a common work, then two things we must take care of, which are opposite to the double defect of this young man — brokenness of heart, and unbounded resignation of ourselves to the will of God ; bring yourselves to that, and the thing is done. (1.) Brokenness of heart. This young man hath a great opinion and con- ceit of his own righteousness ; being full of his own righteousness, he came to be approved by Christ rather than be directed. Here lay his great fault ; he inquires the way to heaven, but yet believes himself to be in the way already, yea, far gone in that way ; holy in his own esti- mation ; therefore you must cherish an humble sense of your own nothingness, for Christ bid him do that. (2.) Kesignation of yourselves to God's will. Have a care of the love of riches, or any carnal affec- tion. If you be wedded to any temporal thing, it will be your bane, and destroy all religion, and make you go away sorrowful after many fair offers and many good meanings. It is difficult for the rich, but even the poor have their difficulties too. He that starves as well as ho that surfeits hath his difficulties in the way to heaven. Every man hath a tender part of soul, some carnal affection that he doth allow, reserve, and is loath should be touched ; therefore, till there be an unbounded resignation, and we fully throw ourselves at Christ's feet, it is impossible ever we should come to the kingdom of heaven. The soul is never right with God whilst we stand haggling and dodging with God. No ; give up yourselves to him without reservation, to be guided and ordered by him at his will and pleasure ; as Acts ix. 6, * Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? ' They that are sincere do not dispense with themselves in anything, and say, Thus far they will go, and, The Lord be merciful to me in this ; but they absolutely follow Christ. See Luke ix. 59, to the end. Herod did many things ; this young man had a forwardness and urgent desire. Thus it is with many ; heaven must fall into our lap, or we will have none of it ; if it puts us to pains or cost, it is too dear a bargain for us to deal withal ; we snuff at God's terms as troublesome, and fling off. No ; we should be glad to accept of mercy on any terms, and take heaven at God's price.
[1.] This unbounded resolution must be seriously made : Luke xiv.
420 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. I.
26, ' If any man 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 ; ' Mark xiii. 45, 46, ' The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man seeking goodly pearls, who when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it'
[2.] It must be faithfully performed. You must not only renounce but overcome when it cometh to trial, subdue your lusts, run all hazards for Christ, thwart affections, slight disgraces, nicknames, and scorns, and lay all down, nay, life itself, at Christ's feet : Mark xix. 27-29, ' Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee, what shall we have therefore ? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel ; and every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.' We must pluck out a right eye and cut off a right hand. Mat. v. 29, 30. Many will perform such duties as cross not any strong bent of their lusts, they will forbear some sins that are not so rooted in their natures, nor grown strong by custom, nor are set on by any forcible temptation, but fail in other things of greater moment, or more nearly concerning them.
There are four points of great weight and moment, which should ever be remembered by them that would make out their gospel qualifi- cations, or new covenant plea of sincerity.
(1.) That any allowed evil habit of soul or reigning sin is inconsistent with that faith that w^orketh by love, and only maketh us capable of the great privileges of the gospel. That appeareth by the nature of conversion, which lieth in three things — a turning from the creature to God, from self to Christ, from sin to holiness : John v. 44, ' How can ye believe that receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only ? ' 1 John ii. 15, ' Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world ; if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him ; ' Mat. vi. 24, ' No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other ; ye cannot serve God and mammon ; ' James iv. 4, ' Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God ? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.'