of Christ was sufficient for them ; and they willingly forsook all for him. Thus must we do : we must give a preference \ a strong and decisive preference ^, to Christ, above all earthly relatives, or worldly possessions. We cannot now be called to act as Levi did; but the zeal of Levi must be in us^, and all things, not excepting parents or life itself, must be hated in comparison of Christ™. We are plainly warned respecting the terms on which alone our Lord will consider us as his " ; and we must " count the cost," gladly parting with every thing, that we may obtain " the pearl of great price."]
3. Perse veringly, without end —
[Religion is not for a day or a year, but for the whole of our lives. " Our hands being once put to the plough, we must look back no more :" God warns us, that, " if we draw back, his soul shall have no pleasure in us." " It is he who endures to the end, and he only, that shall be saved" at last. As for a temporary obedience to this command, it would be worse than a continued opposition to it : " It \vere better not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing- it, to depart from it." " The latter end of an apostate is worse than his beginning." We are particularly told to " re- member Lot's wife," who was made an everlasting monument of his vengeance, not for going back to Sodom, but for looking back, and thereby shewing, that her heart was yet cleaving to the things which she had left behind. Happy will it be for us if we bear her in mind, and consider the danger of departing even in heart from the Lord If our trials be multi- plied, we must cry the more earnestly to God for help, that through his all-sufficient grace we may say with David, " All this has come upon us; yet is not our heart turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way°."]
Address —
1. Those who think that such obedience is im- practicable—
[See how powerfully the word of Christ wrought on them
It is no less powerful now Pray that it may
come to your hearts in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.]
2. Those who are hesitating whether to obey or not^ —
[If it appear formidable to you to follow Christ now, think what it will be to be bidden to depart from him here- after That you will meet with trials is certain : but
i Matt. X. 37, 38. ^ Luke xiv. 25—27, 33.
1 Dcut. xxxiii. 9, 10. ^ Matt. xvi. 24, 25.
" Acts XX. 24. and xxi. 1.). " Ps.xliv. 17 — 19. andcxix.51 157.