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. /…

And this is not all yet: My brethren, I beseech you observe it; Abraham did not this as one constrained and forced thereunto; but so as he would not return any more: and that is a passage very observable; Truly, saith the Apostle, Heb. 11.15. if he had been mindful of the country from whence he came out, he might have had opportunity to have returned. If he would have gone back again, he had liberty enough; but he would have no more kindred, nor no more ⟨p. 169⟩fathers house, nor no other gods, because he knew the command of God was otherwise; therefore he would not return though he might; intimating that he was not drawn from his country by a kind of force, but he so voluntarily yielded up himself to the command of God, and that so prevailed with him, that he would never return any more. But the people of Israel, though they were brought out of Egypt, yet they returned back thither in their hearts: So the Text speaks; They thought of the Fish which they did eat there freely; the Cucumbers, and the Melons, and the Leeks, and the Onions, and the Garlic, Numb. 11.5. and their minds ran after the flesh-pots of Egypt, Exod. 16. Many a time a carnal wretch cometh so far, as that when God knocks his fingers off his sins, he lets them go for a time, but his heart is still bent after his former courses, and he lingereth after them still: so was it not with Abraham: And this is the first step of the faith of Abraham, that he was content to yield to the call, and to be under the command of God, to let his good pleasure take place in his heart, to leave all, kindred, country, fathers house, and never return any more. And this is that first step that God looks every faithful man should take, that he be willing, that the command of God take place in his heart, that God should make room there for himself, that he should pluck away his dearest sins, that are as near to him as his right hand, and as his right eye. If the Adulterer were converted, he would be contented that God should take away his lust, that is as dear to him as his very soul; nay, he would fain, and that with all his heart, have God make way in his soul for his own Majesty, by beating down all the holds of Satan, and tumbling that Dagon to the ground which standeth before him. This is the first step of faith.