14, 19. Oh, this is but carnal self-denial, yea, rather carnal self- seeking.
Use 3. Of caution. Let us not rest satisfied with the cheaper part of religion. No ; you must be at some cost for God. They are self- seeking hypocrites that cull out the safe, the cheap, the easy part of their duty, and leave all the rest undone. A faithful discharge of your duty may bring trouble to the flesh, but it will bring comfort to the soul.
What is the cheaper part of religion I shall instance in a few things.
1. Outward profession ; especially when our interests or education lead us thereunto. Alas ! this is to serve God with what costs us no- thing. Though it be the profession of God's stricter ways, when we have not that constitution of heart, and do not carry on that course of life which doth become such profession ; for then you are but faction- ists ; not of Christ's religion, but of his faction. God is no Trpoaairo- 'KeiTO'i , 1 Peter i. 17, ' No respecter of persons.' Herding with a strict party, while yet our hearts are not subdued to God, is nothing worth. Religion is not to be carried on in the world so : Gal. v. 6, ' In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love ; ' Gal. vi. 15, ' In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature ; ' 1 Cor. vii. 19, ' Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing,
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but the keeping of the commaudments of God.' It is no great matter to be of this side or that, while carnal, if there be not an heavenly, holy, mortified heart, and a sober, grave conversation.
2. A dull speculative approbation of what is good will serve no man : Eom. ii. 18, ' And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law,' &c. The truths of God have great evidence, and reasonable men have some aptitude to discern it. Opinions are cheap things, and may be taken up and held without any great cost. Do they sway your love and practice ? There is the chief trial.
3. Minding lesser while we neglect weighty things : Mat. xxiii. 23, ' Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.' Ceremony rather than sub- stance. No ; there must be a uniform conscience ; not make a busi- ness about small matters and neglect weighty duties.
4. Doing that which is good when no temptation to the contrary ; Exod. xxxiv. 21, ' Six days shalt thou labour, and the seventh day shalt thou rest. In harvest and earing-time shalt thou rest.' They should rest then when it was a self-denial to rest, when their profit invited them to labour. To be humble when under ; but lifted up, they soon discover themselves. Some will follow a good way while it is peaceable, writhe themselves into all shapes and postures, and dis- tinguish themselves out of a sense of their duty, that they may avoid the cross, or be at any charge for God : Gal. vi. 12, ' They constrain you to be circumcised, lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.' They cannot live without honour, ease, and plenty ; and therefore turn and wind any way to shift off the cross.
5. It is an easy religion to be more in public duties than in private. We have the greatest advantage to discover more earnestness of affec- tion in private, secret duties, where usually we are slight, and slubber over things in an unhandsome fashion. Our Lord Jesus went apart into a solitary place, early in the morning, to pray the more earnestly, Mark i. 53. There we may enjoy most sensible communion with God, can most feelingly lay forth our own case. The spouse of the church is bashful, saith Bernard, and will not communicate his loves to us in company.
6. The external part of religious duties is more easy than internal. They that have knowledge and utterance may flow in expressions. The ring of parts gratifieth natural pride, and procureth our esteem with others ; therefore the exercise of gifts will not discover a christian so much as the exercise of grace, faith, hope, love, humility, sobriety, mercy, mortification. Therefore should a clnistian measure himself rather by these things than the pomp of gifts : ' If I speak with the tongue of angels, yet without charity, I am nothing,' 1 Cor. xiii. 1.
7. It is more easy to reprove others than to reform ourselves, and to be more earnest in opposing their sins than to subdue our own. Many please themselves in invectives against the times or censuring others. It is a false zeal that is much abroad : James i, 27, ' Pure religion, and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this. To visit the fatherless and widows in their afiliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the
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world.' The crafty lapwing will go up and down fluttering and crying, to draw the fowler from her own nest. We have a nest of sin of our own ; we are loath it should be rifled and exposed to public view, therefore we crack against others : James iii. 1, ' My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that ye shall receive the greater condemnation.'