1, Something must be avoided. As —
[1.] Love of the world and addictedness to the creature. We must hang loose to outward things, or we shall never be ready to forego them for Christ's sake. If there be any secret idol in your heart, God will bring it forth, and put it to the trial, whether you love him or your idol most. Now the world is a great idol to keep us from God : 1 John V. 3-5, ' This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. For whosoever is born of God, overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God ? ' The connection between these verses is thus : Whoever will keep the commandment must overcome the world, which is a great let thereto ; therefore we have need of a heart to look after better things, and loosen the heart from the world, which is that faith that overcometh the world. This precept is hard, but it is only to those that are wedded to present things, therefore con- tempt of the world and of the possessions and riches of it is necessary for all that will not make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, and render themselves incapable of the duties of their holy calling.
[2.] Distrust of God's all-sufficiency, and trust in the means, is that which makes this precept difficult. He that durst not trust in God will certainly be unfaithful to him. Here is our danger, resting in the means, as if there could be no supply but from creatures : 1 Tim. vi. 17, ' Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high- minded, nor trust in uncertain riches.' There is the great bane of men, we cannot see how we can be well without friends, wealth, liberty, favour, preferment, and such and such revenues by the year. We would fain be on the surest side and on the gathering hand, and that is the reason it is so hard to forsake all, and trust ourselves alone with God's all- sufficiency ; and therefore, if you would bring your heart hereunto, you must strengthen faith in the providence of God, and bring thy heart to lean upon that, and not inferior means, and trust him upon his word, then it will be easy. It is no unreasonable thing that I require of you, it is but that which is due to any honest man ; especially if you have
476 SERMONS UPON MAKK X. 17-27. [SeR. VI,
had trial of him, you will trust him upon his word, even without a pawn ; so you should trust God, though you can see nothing but nakedness, and poverty, and all manner of inconvenience. In time past God hath not been wanting to you, he hath given you better things, and will he deny thee daily bread ?
2. Some things are to be considered, if you would thus forsake all for the discharge of a good conscience. There is God's right and our own complete resignation when we first took Chi'ist (I suppose you have done so, or certainly you are not christians) ; our hopes in the world to come ; heaven is worth something. But I shall pitch only upon two things —
[1.] Others have quitted wealth upon far meaner, lower, and more inconsiderable respects than you are called to do it, therefore certainly you should quit it for conscience of your duty to God. Anacreon restored five talents to Polycrates, because he was so troubled with cares about keeping of them, saying, ov Ti/xovOaL avra Tfj<; iirl avTrj<; ^p6vTiOo<;, these things were not worth the care laid out about keeping of them. Another cast his wealth into the sea, saying, Pereas ne me perdas — Let it perish, that it might not hinder me from the study of philosophy. Nay, men will do more for their lust. How many do sell all, and for what ? To serve their vanity and lust, to keep up gaming, to please tbe flesh, that they may supply their riotous excess, and living beyond theii' compass. And shall poor base lusts, which are unreasonable, and for which God will condemn them, do more with them than the love of God with us ?
[2.] Consider what you were, and within a little while what you shall be. "When you came into the world, you were contented with a cradle, and when you go out of the world, you must be contented with a grave : Job i. 21, 'Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither ; ' 1 Tim. vi. 7, ' For we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.' What were we ? We came into the world shiftless and helpless, but God made provision for us, and hath kept us hitherto. Tliough you have been born of noble and rich parents and to great estates, this provision was made ready for you by God without any care of yours, and therefore if God hath taken anything away from you, Accepit sed dedit — He gave it at first, and God is where he was at first. Well, and what shall we be ? That hath a great influence. Surely we must be naked again ; death will strip us of all our comforts, therefore we do but part with that which we cannot keep, and it were better to do so than to venture your souls that must live for ever. Therefore it is not unreasonable and hard, when Christ bids us to forsake all.