And now what need we any further proof? We have heard the decision out of CHRIST’s own mouth. But because it is so difficult to convince such of this important truth, whose hearts are blinded by the deceitfulness of riches, that we had need cry out to them in the language of the prophet, “O earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD,” I shall lay before you one passage of scripture more, which I could wish were written on the tables of all our hearts. In the xivth of St. _Luke_, the 18th and following verses, our blessed LORD puts forth this parable, “A certain man made a great supper, and bade many, and sent his servant at supper-time, to call them that were bidden: but they all, with one consent, began to make excuse. The one said, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it, I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought a yoke of oxen, and I must needs go and prove them, I pray thee therefore have me excused. So the servant returned, and shewed his master all these things.” And what follows? Did the master accept of their excuses? No, the text tells us the good man was angry, and said, “that none of those which were bidden, should taste of his supper.” And what does this parable teach, but that the most lawful callings cannot justify our neglect; nay, that they are no longer lawful when they in any wise interfere with the great concerns of religion? For the marriage supper here spoken of, means the gospel; the master of the house is CHRIST; the servants sent out, are his ministers, whose duty it is, from time to time, to call the people to this marriage-feast, or, in other words, to be religious. Now we find those that were bidden, were very well and honestly employed. There was no harm in buying or seeing a piece of ground, or in going to prove a yoke of oxen; but here lay their fault, they were doing these things, when they were invited to come to the marriage feast.
Without doubt, persons may very honestly and commendably be employed in following their respective callings; but yet, if they are engaged so deeply in these, as to hinder their working out their salvation with fear and trembling, they must expect the same sentence with their predecessors in the parable, that none of them shall taste of CHRIST’s supper: for our particular calling, as of this or that profession, must never interfere with our general and precious calling, as christians. Not that christianity calls us entirely out of the world, the holy scriptures warrant no such doctrine.
It is very remarkable, that in the book of life, we find some almost of all kinds of occupations, who notwithstanding served GOD in their respective generations, and shone as so many lights in the world. Thus we hear of a good centurion in the evangelists, and a devout _Cornelius_ in the _Acts_; a pious lawyer; and some that walked with GOD, even of _Nero_’s houshold, in the epistles; and our divine master himself, in his check to _Martha_, does not condemn her for minding, but for being cumbered or perplexed about many things.
No, you may, nay, you must labour, out of obedience to GOD, even for the meat which perisheth.
But I come, in the _Second_ place, to apply what has been said.
I beseech you, by the mercies of GOD in CHRIST JESUS, let not your concern for the meat which perisheth be at the expence of that which endureth to everlasting life; for, to repeat our blessed Saviour’s words, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul; or, what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Were we always to live in the world, then worldly wisdom would be our highest wisdom: but forasmuch as we have here no continuing city, and were only sent into this world to have our natures changed, and to fit ourselves for that which is to come; then to neglect this important work for a little worldly gain, what is it but, with profane _Esau_, to sell our birth-right for a mess of pottage.
Alas! how unlike are christians to christianity! they are commanded to “seek first the kingdom of GOD and his righteousness,” and all other real necessaries shall be added unto them; but they are fearful (O men of little faith!) that if they should do so, all other necessaries would be taken from them: they are strictly forbidden to be careful for the morrow, and yet they rest not night or day, but are continually heaping up riches for many years, though they know not who shall gather them. Is this acting like persons that are strangers and pilgrims upon earth? Is this keeping their baptismal vow? Or rather, is it not directly apostatizing from it, and deserting the service of JESUS CHRIST, to list themselves under the banner of mammon?