The saints dignity and duty· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardness. /…The saints dignitie and dutie· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardnesse. /…

The first step which Abraham took in the ways of grace and happiness, you shall observe, Gen. 12.1. to be a yielding to the call of God. Mark what God said to Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy fathers house, unto a land that I will show thee: And Abraham departed, saith the Text, Verse 4. as the Lord had spoken ⟨p. 168⟩unto him, even when he was an Idolater: he is content to lay aside all, and let the command of God bear the sway; neither friends, nor kindred, nor gods can keep him back, but he presently stoopeth to the call of God. So it is, my brethren, with every faithful man: This is his first step; He is contented to be under the rule and power of Gods command. Let the Lord call for him, require any service of him, his soul presently yieldeth, and is content to be framed and fashioned to Gods call, and returneth an obedient answer thereto: he is content to come out of his sins, and out of himself, and to receive the impressions of the Spirit. This is that which God requireth, not only of Abraham, but of all believers: Whosoever will be my Disciple, saith Christ, must forsake father, and mother, and wife, and children, and houses, and lands; yea, and he must deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow me. This is the first step in Christianity, to lay down our own honours, to trample upon our own respects, to submit our necks to the block as it were, and whatsoever God commands, to be content that his good pleasure should take place with us.

The first step which Abraham took in the wayes of grace and happinesse, you shall observe, Gen. 12.1. to be a yeelding to the call of God. Mark what God said to Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy fathers house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And Abraham departed, saith the Text, Verse 4. as the Lord had spoken ⟨p. 168⟩unto him, even when he was an Idolater: he is content to lay aside all, and let the command of God bear the sway; neither friends, nor kindred, nor gods can keep him back, but he presently stoopeth to the call of God. So it is, my brethren, with every faithfull man: This is his first step; He is contented to be under the rule and power of Gods command. Let the Lord call for him, require any service of him, his soule presently yeeldeth, and is content to be framed and fashioned to Gods call, and returneth an obedient answer thereto: he is content to come out of his sinnes, and out of himselfe, and to receive the impressions of the Spirit. This is that which God requireth, not onely of Abraham, but of all beleevers: Whosoever will be my Disciple, saith Christ, must forsake father, and mother, and wife, and children, and houses, and lands; yea, and he must deny himselfe, and take up his Crosse, and follow me. This is the first step in Christianity, to lay down our own honours, to trample upon our own respects, to submit our necks to the block as it were, and whatsoever God commands, to be content that his good pleasure should take place with us.