VeE. 25.] SERMONS UPON ^lARK X. 17-27. 49
signifies a cable, by which mariners do fasten the anchor, but that also is a mistake ; for that word is otherwise spelt, Kd/j.i\o<i and doth also rarely occur in that sense, and therefore rather the beast is intended than the cord or cable.
It was an ordinaiy proverb among the Jews, and is so even to this day, that an elephant cannot pass through the eye of a needle. Our Saviour indeed a little changeth the proverb, instead of the elephant, a beast which few had seen, putting a camel, a creature very ordinary in Syria ; ' It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.' I will not say that this similitude was chosen because they were wont to lade their rich wares upon camels, and so the camel, doth most decipher the rich man. who is the packhorse of his wealth, and hath the burden, but not the use of it. However, two things I may gather from it, as Origen hath done before us —
1. That there is something in turning chi*istian, or entering into the kingdom of God, that answers the needle's eye, and that is the strait gate and the narrow way which leads to life, Mat. vii. 14, the strait gate of repentance, and the narrow way of constant mortification.
2. That there is something on the rich man's part which answers the camel, namely, that they grow so great and bulky, in regard of their pride, worldly lusts, joys, and confidences, that they cannot reduce themselves to those straits that are necessary for entering into the kingdom of God, as the camel's bulk and hunchback hinders his entrance into a strait place. This without straining I might observe ; though I must tell you, I think the main intent of this proverbial speech is nothing else but this, to express an extraordinary difficulty on the rich man's part, not to be removed but by the almighty power of grace. Such similitudes are frequent in scripture : Jer. xiii. 23, ' Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ? ' so Mat, xxiii. 24, ' Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.'
Well, then, you see it noteth the difficulty, if not utter impossibility, for men of that rank, without peculiar grace to avoid the snares of Satan, or to render themselves capable of eternal blessedness. And since Christ doth again and again press this — we have had it three times, and now doth amplify it by a comparison — I shall observe —
Doci. That the danger of riches, and the difficulty of rich men's salvation, is a point ought much to be pressed and seriously thought of.
There are two propositions included in this observation — (1.) That the salvation of rich men is very difficult ; (2.) That this must be much pressed and seriously thought of.
I. The difficulty of their salvation. I have formerly proved this by reason of the sins incident to this state and condition of life, there- fore now I shall quit that, and prove there is a great deal of difficulty for rich men to enter into the kingdom of God_, because of the duties required of them.
1. There are common duties that concern them and all christians.
2. There is something peculiar and singular expected from the rich, which makes their entrance into heaven more difficult.
1. There are common duties that concern them and all christians, that are more difficult for them than for others to perform, and these VOL. xvn. D
50 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. XIL
are set down Mat. xvi. 24, ' If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take np his cross, and follow me.' Christ saith, ' If any man,' without exception ; small and great, rich and poor, they must all suhmit to those terms. The duties are three, and they make way one for another — (1.) He must deny himself, and he must comply with this ; (2.) That he may take up his cross, and bear it kindly and willingly ; and that fits for the (3.) Duty, following Christ, or cleaving close to him. These are the three duties that are required of all that will come after Christ, and would follow him as their great Lord and master, and captain of their salvation: He must ' deny himself,' his own wit, his own will, his own affections and interests, and be wholly at the disposal of God, pleasing him in all things. Till we come to this, nothing else in Christianity will down. Well, when this is done, then he must ' take up the cross ; ' first deny ourselves, that bows the back of a sinner ; then take up, and bear the cross kindly ; that is to say, rather suffer the loss of all than wilfully sin against God, and hazard his favour. And after this he must follow Christ, not forsake him because of the cross, but stick the closer to him, walking accord- ing to his doctrine and example. Let us treat of these duties apart, and withal show how hard it is for the rich man to comply with them. [1.] He must deny himself, whatever his corrupt heart desires, how dear and pleasing soever it be ; though his parting with the content- ments of the flesh should be like ' cutting off the right hand, and pluck- ing out the right eye,' Mat. v. 29, 30, yet this must be done, and he must fully resign up himself to please God in all things. Now this is very hard and difficult for all men, which we may soon be sensible of if we do but consider how earnestly man affects a dominion and sove- reignty over himself, to be sui juris, at his own dispose, as those rebels against God said, Ps. xii. 4, ' Our lips are our own, who is lord over us ? ' A libertine yokeless spirit possesseth them. We conceit that our hearts are our own to think what we please, our tongues our own to speak what we please, our hands our own to do what we please. Man affects to be a god to himself, and to be solely under the govern- ment of his own will, and to have all his comforts in his own hand and at his own dispose, denying himself nothing which his heart affects ; as Solomon saith he did, Eccles. ii. 10, ' Whatsoever mine eyes desired, I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy.' Natural pride and self-love is such that we cannot; endure the yoke of any restraints, but we let loose the reins to a full fruition of whatever our hearts affect. Now, as self-denial is difficult to all, because of this yokeless and libertine spirit, much more to the rich and to the great, and to those that flow in ease and plenty, and have no bands and restraints of providence upon them ; they are more licentious, impatient of contradiction, or of having their wills thwarted, and therefore by a lawless liberty they wholly seek to please themselves, and to feed their own lusts, without any care and respect to God : Jer. v. 5, ' I will get me to the great men, and will speak unto them, but they have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds ; ' that is, they cast off all the bonds of loyalty and obedience to God. And why ? Because they think they can subsist alone and apart from him : Jer. ii. 31, ' Where- fore do my people say. We are lords, we will come no more unto thee ? '