4. A cheap course of religion, such as costs little or nothing, will never be accepted with God ; for it is contrary to his prescription. Our first lesson in Christ's school is self-denial, to prepare us for our after-service and obedience to him : Mat. xvi. 24, ' If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.' We promise ourselves too much when we promise ourselves nothing but pleasure and contentment, as if we could go to heaven without blows and conflicts. This self-denial is not to be exercised only in little things, or in few things. No ; we must sell all for the pearl of great price, Mat. xiii. 46. And selling all for the pearl of great price is required in times of peace as well as in times of persecu- tion. None must enter upon the profession of Christianity, but they must sit down and count the charges, Luke xiv. 28. And shall we think, after all this, that we shall go to heaven without cost ? Surely this is new Christianity, which Christ never taught, and the scriptures
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own not ; a Christianity of our own making, and therefore will not be accepted of God.
5. A cheap course of religion will yield us no comfort, nor sensible evidence of our sincerity. There are two reasons couched in one, but yet such as have a near affinity the one with the other.
[1.] There will be a sensible evidence of our sincerity. You will easily grant that it is necessary to a sound and sincere heart that we prefer Christ in our choice and esteem before the world and the flesh, and that we believe a world to come, and take heavenly things for our portion, treasure, and happiness. Now, how shall we know that we believe a world to come, if we venture nothing upon it, do nothing but what other men do, or but what we would do if there were no such hope offered to us ? How shall we know that we prefer Christ before the world, if we can deny no worldly thing for Christ's sake ; so that a man is still doubtful, and cannot tell what to say and judge of his spiritual estate and condition before God ? Heretofore, when God used extraordinary dispensations, he put his people upon special trials, that their sincerity might be more sensibly evidenced to them : Heb. xi. 17, ' By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac,' &c., ireipa- l^6lievo<i. God saw fit to put such an eminent believer as Abraham was upon such an extraordinary and eminent trial. So the young man, when he came full of self-confidence to Christ, he puts him upon a special trial : Mark x. 21, 'Go thy way, and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor.' Doth the Lord wholly discontinue, think you, this kind of dispensations ? No : Heb. x. 33, ' Partly whilst ye were made a gazing-stock, both by reproaches and afflictions ; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.' Are not believers now put upon divers trials ? James i. 2. Should they not 'count it all joy while they fall into divers temptations,' as having an happy occasion to discover their sincerity towards God ? You are ignorant of the scriptures, and what belongeth to the usual discipline of your heavenly Father, if you conceit otherwise. Now, why doth God try us, or put his people upon sundry trials ? Doth not he know our thoughts afar off. And is he not acquainted with us, and the sincerity of our affections towards him, before we are put upon such a sensible proof ? Yes, verily ; he trieth, non ut ipse hominem invenicd, sed ut homo se inveniat — Augustine. Not that he may know more of man than he knew before, but that man may know more of himself than he knew before. He kuoweth us ah-eady ; but he trieth us, that we may know ourselves. Indeed it is said, Gen. xxii. 12, ' Now I know that thou fearest God, since thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.' All interpreters grant that it is humanitus dictum, and they expound it thus : Now there is a document ; now there is an apparent and sensible proof ; now I know, what not till now. Lord. Was Abraham's mind unknown to thee before ? Could not God tell long ago whether Abraham feared him, yea or no ? Yes ; he that knew all things knew that he feared him : yet know it he would not, that is, not approve it, till he had thus experienced it. And that was for Abraham's comfort and satisfaction. All this is for our learning, brethren. We know not that we love God more than other things till we are tried ; and tried we are not to the purpose till we are tried
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in our Isaac ; in things nearest and clearest to us, and can be at some cost for God. It is a nice case ; before a thing is hable to great un- certainty of debate ; therefore that is an happy occasion to a gracious heart, to be put upon some exercise of self-denial : ' I will not serve God with what costs me nought.'