Answ. 1. Every Man is bound to bestow Goods, Land, and Life, as God shall direct, and part with all the Wealth in the World whensoever it is required of him. Now it may be required of us directly, or by consequence: directly, by an express Command, such as this young Man had from Christ. And actually, to sell our Estates, and give to the Poor, obligeth none, unless we have such alike Command from Christ himself, as this young rich Man had: By Consequence, when we cannot obey any particular Precept of Christ, without danger of being undone by it. And so it obligeth all Christ's Disciples to part with all, rather than to break with Christ: for no Man is a Christian, unless he selleth all for the Pearl of Price, Mat. 13. 46. And our Lord telleth us, that he that loveth any thing more than him, is not worthy of him, ⟨p. 162⟩Mat. 10. 37. that is, is no Christian; so that if it be impossible to preserve our Fidelity and Obedience, without parting with our Wealth, we must impartially perform it, though it be with loss of Estate and Life it self; and if we do not resolve and undertake to do so, we are no Christians, and cannot be saved. In Baptism, we vow to forsake the World, and follow Christ, when the World cometh in competition with him; if in a time of trial we do not perform it, we forfeit the Privileges of Christianity, and all title to Blessedness. Therefore this Perfection is necessary for all Christians: you esteem, prefer, choose Christ above all, resolving, what-ever it cost you to be faithful to him; 'tis not an high and arbitrary Point in Christianity, but a necessary Duty. You will say, What can the strongest Christian do more, than […] all, than part with all? Answer, They can do it with far greater love, readiness and joy, than the weak Christian can […] The difference between Christians is no• in the thing done, but the manner of doing: Well then, this is to be perfect, thus must you all be perfect, for this Perfection is necessarily constitutive of sincerity, you […] not true Christians without it.
Answ. 1. Every Man is bound to bestow Goods, Land, and Life, as God shall direct, and part with all the Wealth in the World whensoever it is required of him. Now it may be required of us directly, or by consequence: directly, by an express Command, such as this young Man had from Christ. And actually, to sell our Estates, and give to the Poor, obligeth none, unless we have such alike Command from Christ himself, as this young rich Man had: By Consequence, when we cannot obey any particular Precept of Christ, without danger of being undone by it. And so it obligeth all Christ's Disciples to part with all, rather than to break with Christ: for no Man is a Christian, unless he selleth all for the Pearl of Price, Mat. 13. 46. And our Lord telleth us, that he that loveth any thing more than him, is not worthy of him, ⟨p. 162⟩Mat. 10. 37. that is, is no Christian; so that if it be impossible to preserve our Fidelity and Obedience, without parting with our Wealth, we must impartially perform it, though it be with loss of Estate and Life it self; and if we do not resolve and undertake to do so, we are no Christians, and cannot be saved. In Baptism, we vow to forsake the World, and follow Christ, when the World cometh in competition with him; if in a time of trial we do not perform it, we forfeit the Privileges of Christianity, and all title to Blessedness. Therefore this Perfection is necessary for all Christians: you esteem, prefer, chuse Christ above all, resolving, what-ever it cost you to be faithful to him; 'tis not an high and arbitrary Point in Christianity, but a necessary Duty. You will say, What can the strongest Christian do more, than 〈…〉 all, than part with all? Answer, They can do it with far greater love, readiness and joy, than the weak Christian can 〈…〉 The difference between Christians is no• in the thing done, but the manner of doing: Well then, this is to be perfect, thus must you all be perfect, for this Perfection is necessarily constitutive of sincerity, you 〈…〉 not true Christians without it.
