Luke xiv. 26. SERM. Chrift himself gives us this Mark, tơ discờXII. ver whether our Love to him is fincere, or not: Where he tells us, that he, that will not part with Father and Mother, Wife and Children, for his Sake, could not be his Difciple. For his Servants we are whose Commands we obey; and therefore whofoever prefers the Enjoyment of any earthly Good, before the Performance of his Duty to God, doth in Effect deny his Faith, and with Peter difown his Master. LET us not therefore deceive ourselves, and fancy ourselves fafe, and our Souls in a good Condition, because we profess Christianity, and frequently perform the Duties of Religion, and do many good Actions; for if we do not deny every finful Luft and Affection, if we do not forfake every evil Way, if we allow ourselves in any one known Sin, we are not Christians indeed, we are not the fincere Disciples and Followers of our Bleffed Saviour. the lowest Attainment of a Chriftian is to deny his finful Self, to crucify the Flesh and the finful Lufts thereof; this is required of every one who is initiated and entered into the Church of Chrift by Baptifm; but he, that pretends to make any Profici ency in the Christian Religion, must take a farther Length; he must take his Affec For 1 tions off, from the Pleasures and Vanities SERM. of this World, he must have his Converfa- XII. tion in Heaven, and fix his Thoughts on the Glories of a future State, and the Contemplation of thofe Joys which are at God's right Hand; he must refign up his Will intirely to the Divine Will, and be ready either to do or fuffer those Things, which are most ungrateful to Flesh and Blood, when God fhall require it of him. This is that Temper of Mind, and Dispofition of Soul, we must all labour to obtain, and in fome Measure profess in this Life; though the full Completion and Perfecting of it must be reserved to our future State, when Faith shall end in Vifion, Hope in Enjoyment, and Grace be compleated and perfected in Glory: To which bleffed Eftate God of his Mercy bring every one, for Jefus Chrift his Sake. VOL. II, U SER SERM. SERMON XIII. Of Submiffion to the Will of God. Matth. xxvi. 39%. -Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. W HEN the Time drew near, that our bleffed Saviour was to be offered up a Sacrifice for the Sins of Mankind, he went apart to a private Place with his Difciples, that he might have more Leifure and the better Opportunity to prepare himfelf for this fierce Conflict, in which he was not only to wrestle with Flesh and Blood but also with the Powers of Darkness, and (which was much more grievous to him) to undergo the Displeasure of an incenfed God, juftly provoked by finful Men: He was was not only to bear our Infirmities, but SERM. It was the Forefight of thefe Sufferings 44. so that he fweat great Drops of Blood falling Luk. xxii. thou wilt. WHICH Words were chiefly defigned OFATHER, though I am juftly fenfible thy SERM. thy Wrath, though for the Sins of other XIII. Men; and though I, who have a tender Senfe of the leaft Sufferings, am to undergo the greateft; yet, fince thou art pleafed thus to difpofe of me, fince thy good Providence fees it expedient that thus it fhould be, lo, I conquer all my natural Averfion to Pain and Death, I willingly lay down my Life a Ransom for Mankind, and readily fubmit my Will to thy Divine Pleasure: Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. FROM the Words, thus understood, I fhall confider, I. THE Nature and Extent of this Duty of II. I SHALL endeavour to inforce it, by it is built. III. WHAT bleffed Effects a due and confcientious Practifing of it would produce. And, 1. Or the Nature of this Duty. Now Submiffion of our Wills to the Divine Will doth imply these two Things, either the Performing those Things which God commands, or the Suffering patiently those Evils either which God permits, or actually |