SERM. friends are his moft violent enemies: Even IX. this must be submitted to, and the fury of domeftic adverfaries borne by the followers of Christ, rather than they should relinquish the truth, and make shipwreck of a good confcience. Which, after all, amounts to no more than what is effentially imported in their religious profession, and a just confequence from the firft conditions of their inlifting in his fervice. For what do we mean by taking upon us the chriftian profeffion, and calling ourselves the disciples of the Lord Jefus ? Certainly, that we prefer his approbation, and the favour of God upon his terms, to all confiderations in this world, and are ready to part with every thing for it. Therefore, if the most esteemed friendship ftand in the way, and we cannot hold it at lefs expence than forfaking our duty as christians, it must be abandoned : "For no man can ferve two mafters: For "either he will hate the one, and love the "other; or elfe he will hold to the one, and

defpife the other. Ye cannot ferve God and "Mammon *." One of the plainest lessons " Seek firft the kingdom of

in christianity is,

God, and his righteousness." But this it

felf,

*Matth. vi. 24.

+ Matth. vi. 33.

felf, pursued through all its just consequences, SER M. will lead us up through all the degrees of IX. religious perfection: And to act the part' that is neceffary for obtaining the crown of martyrdom itself, there needs no more than to apply that general rule to a particular cafe fairly comprehended in it. Thus you fee what a confistency and connection there is in the whole frame of religion. And to rife to the greatest heights which can be attained in it, no more is required than a firm adherence to its eafieft and plainest rudiments, and to build regularly on the first principles we have learned.

If it be fo, we had need to fee that the foundation be well laid; that is, that we rightly understand the terms upon which we enter into the chriftian profeffion, and dedicate ourselves to the fervice of our Lord.

One effential condition is contained in the text, that is, love to Chrift above all others, and a deliberate preference of him to our neareft earthly friends; and, by parity of reason, to whatever elfe in this world may come in competition with him for our affection and efteem. None of us can be ignorant, that this is what our Saviour indifpenfably requires. It is yet more ftrongly

exprefs'd

SERM. exprefs'd in the xivth of St. Luke and the IX. 26th verfe, but the meaning is the fame. as here. cc If any man come to me, and hate "not his father, and mother, and wife, and "children, and brethren, and fifters, yea and bis own life alfo, he cannot be my difciple."..

In difcourfing on these words, I will First, confider, what it is to be worthy of Christ.

Secondly, I will fhew, what is meant by the Love of him, as in comparison with, and oppofition to the love of friends, and all other worldly interefts; from which the truth of this declaration will appear, that we cannot be worthy of him upon other terms than preferring him to every thing else.

First, Let us confider what it is, to be worthy of Chrift. And this we find is very well explained in the paffage juft now re ferred to by this expreffion, he cannot be my difciple; that is, . he cannot be a fincere christian; he may call himself by that name: But whofoever doth not come up to the terms here required, is not a christian in heart

heart and in truth. This manner of speak-SER M. ing is very ufual in the New Teftament. At IX. the 11th verfe of this chapter, our Saviour orders the apostles, when they went into any city or town, firft to inquire, who in it were worthy; that is, as far as can be judged, men of probity and candor. Sincerity is the fum of moral worth; and the whole value depends upon it, when a religious profeffion is the point to be estimated. The apostles, after their mafter, speak in the fame ftrain. St. Paul exhorts chriftians to walk worthy of God, which he explains, "* by walking worthy of the vocation, "wherewith they are called." That is, fuitably to the hopes, the privileges, and the rules of it. God has called us to his kingdom and glory, and he has called us to holinefs. To be worthy of him, therefore, and of his calling, is to fulfil the obligations of our religious character, as his profeffed fervants and followers; and to be qualified upon his own terms for the recompence he has promised. It is never to be imagined that men could lay any previous obligation on God, or our Lord Jefus Chrift. The divine mercy prevented us, when we VOL. I,

P

* Eph. iv. I.

were

SERM. were altogether unworthy, and our falva IX. tion by the gospel is wholly of grace. And when we perfevere in our obedience to it with all the worthinefs we can attain to, for it is ftill imperfect, we must at last look for the mercy of the Lord Jefus unto eternal life. But, when we reccive the word of his kingdom into good and honeft hearts, and bring forth fruit with patience; when we fincerely. comply with the conditions of acceptance which he has established, and continue in them, then does "our God count us worthy of his calling, as the apostle speaks, 2 Theff. i. 11, 12. that the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift may be glorified in us, and we in him. This, I hope, will difpofe us the more diligently to attend to the particular doctrine of this text, namely, the love of Chrift above all, declared by himself, to be one effentially neceffary qualification, without which we are not worthy of him, or his approved difciples, intitled to his acceptance, and the reward of his kingdom. therefore,

I come

Secondly, To confider the love of Chrift as in comparifon with, and oppofition to the love of friends, and all other worldly interefts.