Nor is it an open apostasy only from our holy pro- fession that is so fatal to us : for,
II. A disposition to recede from it manifests us to be unfit for the kingdom of God —
Not he only who indignantly throws away the plough, but he who, while he still professes to do the Lord's work, is "looking back" with a wishful eye upon the world, is in the state here mentioned. He is unfit for,
1. The kingdom of God on earth —
[This is the primary import of the words of the text : nor can any thing be more clear than the truth contained in them. The service of Christ, whether in ministering the word to others, or in obeying it ourselves, requires steadfastness. We cannot adhere to Christ without opposing in many instances our carnal appetites, and worldly interests ; as therefore a man, who, instead of attending to his plough, looks frequently behind him, would soon prove himself unfit for the service in which he was engaged, so he who should undertake to serve the Lord Christ, while his heart was yet set upon the world, would walk very unworthily of his profession, and soon shew himself unfit to execute the office assigned him. Like a bowl sent forth with violence, he might go steadily for a season ; but he would ere long feel the influence of the corrupt bias that was within him, and, like " Demas, forsake the way of truth from love to this present evil world." He must " be sincere, if he would be without offence until the day of Christ."]
2. The kingdom of God in heaven —
[If any person be disposed to look back, after having put his hand to the plough, he shews, that he has not a supreme love to God, nor any real delight in holy ordinances, nor any resemblance to the characters of the saints of old. Look at Abraham, at Moses, at Paul, or any others recorded in the Scripture ; they left all for Christ, " counting every thing to be dung and dross for him," and " esteeming even the reproach of Christ to be greater riches than all the treasures of the world ;" nor could even death, in its most formidable shapes, divert them from their purpose to serve and honour himc. But how unlike to them are the irresolute and unstable ! and how incapable of enjoying heaven even if they were there ! Could they be happy in God when they do not supremely love him ? Would they not rather dread his presence from a consciousness that their hearts were known to him ? Could
" Heb. xi. 8, 24. 25, 26, 37. Acts xx. 24. ana xxi. 13.