[2.] There is difficulty both in the way to heaven and hell. Lusts are ravenous things, and cannot be fed or kept without much M'lf- denial. You must denv yourselves either foi* God or the devil. You
72 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. XIY,
must deny your comforts, and your esLate. Men will venture much for their lusts and for their sensuality ; there must be a great deal of charge to feed this humour, to satisfy the pleasures of the flesh ; it is costly to be an epicure. Worldliness wastes the spirits, racks the brain. For ambition, how many hazards do men run for their great- ness in the world ? how many men sacrifice their lives upon the point of honour, for revenge, and for a little vainglory ! Now, if a man will take pains to go to hell, shall he not take pains to go to heaven? When men will be at such costs for lusts as to deny conscience and slight many of the comforts of the present world for lust's sake, shall we take no pains and exercise no self-denial for heaven ?
[3.] If we be at a little labour it will not be in vain in the Lord : 1 Cor. XV. 58, ' Be steadfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.' Whether you consider your vales or wages, your labour is not in vain. Your vales : Christ's servants have a great deal of comfort and sweetness : Prov. iii. 17, ' Her ways are ways of j)leasantness, and all her paths are peace.' And for the world to come there is a full and sure reward ; therefore do not stick at a little pains ; though it be difficult, yet remember it is for salvation.
4. Let us look to our own selves ; how is it with us? are we in the way to hell or heaven ? Let us look to our own standing ; do we leave the boat to the stream ? do we give up ourselves to the sway of our corrupt and carnal affections ? or else do we row against the stream and current of flesh and blood ? It is no easy matter to be saved. I do not ask now what will become of those that never minded salvation, that never busied their thoughts about it, but even in effect say, Let them take heaven that list ; but I ask, what will become of those slothful perfunctory christians that count a little slight and formal religion enough, which is without any life, alacrity, and power ? Will this do the deed ? Such will fall short of heaven.
SERMON XIV.
And Jesus, loolcing upon them, saith, With men it is impossible, hut not tvith God : for ivith God all things are possible. — Mark x. 27.
We have seen the disciples' wonder returning. Christ, that is never wanting to his in their trouble and astonishment, graciously looketh upon them, and in words full of comfort givetli a solution of that which was such a riddle to them, ' And Jesus, looking upon them, saith,' &c. Here we have —
1, Christ's gesture, ' Jesus looked upon them.'
2. Christ's answer, by a distinction how it is impossible and how not. In the first part of the distinction there is a concession, 'That with men it is impossible.' In the second branch there is a correction, ' But not with God.' This latter branch is confirmed by a general reason, 'For with God all things are possible.' In this text three
VeR. 27.] SERMONS UPON MAUK X. 17-27. 73
things are asserted — (1.) The impotency of nature ; (2.) The sovereign efficacy of grace ; (3.) The general truth upon which it is grounded, and that is the omnipotency of God. Accordingly the points are three —
1. That it is impossible for mere man by his own natural strength to get to heaven.
2. Men that are discouraged with the sense of their own impotency should consider the power of God.
3. That this power of God is all-sufficient, and can do all things. Doct. 1. That it is impossible for mere man by his own natural
strength to get to heaven.
Two things will evidence that —
1 . There is legalis exclusio ; we are all excluded by the sentence of God's law, and therefore it is impossible for any mere man to get to heaven. The law knows no way of justifying a sinner, but only of saving a creature holy and innocent ; and if we be not holy and inno- cent, there is a sentence in force against us. That scripture expresses the tenor of tlie law : Gal. iii. 10, ' For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse ; for it is written. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.' An innocent nature is presupposed, for the person must continue, it doth not say now begin. The law doth not treat with man as lapsed or fallen, or as having already broken with God, but as in a good and sound estate ; and therefore, since by the fall we are sinners, we are also under the curse by nature : Eph. ii. 3, ' And were by nature the children of wrath, even as others ; ' liable to the stroke of God's vindictive wrath. Well, now, ' with man it is impossible.' God hath placed a cherub with a flaming sword that keeps the passage into para- dise. Heaven's gates are shut against us now. No mere man can appease an angry God, or redeem his soul from the curse that keeps him out of heaven. We are weak and without strength : Kom. v. 6, ' For when we were yet- without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.' Weakness or without strength there beareth the same sense with unworthiness. We are unable to perform the work or duty through the curse of the first covenant, and when we were altogether sinful and unworthy, then Christ died for us, and therefore it is impos- sible in regard of his legal exclusion ; for suppose we could obey per- fectly for the future, yet the paying of new debts doth not quit old scores. We are without strength, because we cannot expiate former transgressions, and so the law is become impossible through the weak- ness of our flesh : Rom. viii. 3, ' For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the like- ness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.'