of Abraham, but of all believers: "Whosoever will be my disciple,"
saith Christ, "must forsake father, and mother, 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 honors, to trample upon our own respects, to submit our
necks to the block, as it were, and whatever God commands, to be
content that His good pleasure should take place with us.

Then Abraham, as doth every faithful soul, set forward, in this wise:
He showed that whenever faith cometh powerfully into the heart, the
soul is not content barely to yield to the command of God, but it
breatheth after His mercy, longeth for His grace, prizeth Christ and
salvation above all things in the world, is satisfied and contented
with nothing but with the Lord Christ, and altho it partake of many
things below, and enjoy abundance of outward comforts, yet it is not
quieted till it rest and pitch itself upon the Lord, and find and feel
that evidence and assurance of His love, which He hath promised unto
and will bestow on those who love Him. As for all things here below,
he hath but a slight, and mean, and base esteem of them. This you
shall see apparent in Abraham. "Fear not, Abraham (saith God), I am
thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." What could a man desire
more? One would think that the Lord makes a, promise here large enough
to Abraham, "I will be thy buckler, and exceeding great reward." Is
not Abraham contented with this? No; mark how he pleadeth with God:
"Lord God (saith he), what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?"
His eye is upon the promise that God had made to him of a son, of whom
the Savior of the world should come. "O Lord, what wilt thou give me?"
as if he had said, What wilt Thou do for me? alas! nothing will do my
soul good unless I have a son, and in him a Savior. What will become
of me so long as I go childless, and so Saviorless, as I may so speak?