7"."' 144 Long -life, Jic/9es, and Honour, S E R M, of them, as the very condition of their be. VI. ing his approved followers, and entitled to his favour, that they fhould refign and be ready to forfake (hating in cornparifon) all their worldly interefts. So that length of days, riches, and honour, inftead of being promifed as the rewards of chriftianity, in Tome cafes, muff be renounced by all the fervants and difcíples of Jefus Chrift. And then, for particular inftances in hiftory, fo far as the fcripture bringeth it down, they are perfe lly agreeable to thefe general de- clarations. No one of the apoffles (and theirs are the molt eminent chara±ers for religious wifdom) lived in any external fplendor; on the contrary, they were tried with continual affliction, perfecutions, re- proaches, and difireffes, and approved them- (elves to God and to the churches as faith ful minifters, in labours, imprifonments, pe- rils, failings, troubles of various kinds, po- verty, and all manner of ill ufage in the world, inftead of riches and honour. There feemeth to be an objection againíl this, efpecially from two expreffions in the New Teftament ; the one is that of our Sa., Viour, Matt. vi. 33. Seek fir/í the kingdom of God and his righteouf ref , and all theft things (the r
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